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EASTHAM BRIDGE
S0658691
Its name is self-explanatory, meaning 'the east hamm in the bend in the river'.
Eastham Bridge is a large red brick bridge over the Teme. Built in 1793 it has
three arches and roundels in the spandrels. Once a toll house stood on the east
bank of the Teme beside the bridge. It was demolished in the late 1930s. It was
on this bridge that the poet John Drinkwater stood and noticed the sign to
Mamble, which inspired him to compose the poem 'Mamble'. The parish church of
St. Peter and St. Paul stands away from the river and is mainly Norman. The wall
of the nave and chancel are built with tufa blocks, quarried from nearby
Southstone Rock. The red brick tower dates from 1830. The small black and white
half-timbered cottage opposite the church was once the rectory,
LINDRIDGE. S0675690
From the Old English words, Linda-hryeg, the ridge of the Lime trees, or Lime
tree ridge. Although not in the Domesday Survey, there is a reference in 781,
when the monks of Worcester gave land at Eardiston, in the Manor of Lindridge,
to Wiferd and his wife Alta. From 1542 until 1859 the manor of Lindridge
belonged to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. It was then transferred to the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who still own it. The Parish church of St.
Lawrence is the third church to be built near this site and dates from 1861.
Its steeple, standing high above the river, can be seen for some distance along
the Teme Valley. A large church, it is built in a good Victorian design. For a number
of years coal mines were worked in the Parish at Frith Common,
they closed down in 1949.
STANFORD ON TEME S0715657
Meaning, Stony or a rocky ford. A free Fishery was held with the Manor by Thomas
Salwey in 1570. The Salwey's involvement at Stanford ended when the estate
passed to Sir Francis Winnington through marriage in 1670. The family hold the
estate today. The present house dates from 1886 but is now offices for a fence
making company. Stanford lake once covered an area of 25 acres The
original bridge was built by Humphrey Parkington of Chaddesley Corbett, in 1548.
It was later replaced by a brick and strap bridge with three arches, this
collapsed into the Teme one winter to be replaced in 1797 by a single span iron
one designed by Nash. This bridge was later succeeded in 1905. The 1905 bridge
is of Ferro concrete pre cast with a 99ft span. When opened it was the
longest span of concrete in the world. A new bridge was built in 1971, and is of
an unusual construction, having a curve, a camber and an incline built into it.
It was opened in 1972.
The parish church of St. Mary stands high on a hill up the road to Sapey. Built
in 1768 by James Rose, as part of Sir Edward Winnington's plan to create a new
park, the church stood where the lake is today . Both the old church and the
rectory were pulled down. In good ashlar work of the Gothic style, it has a
white ceiling, but was somewhat spoiled during the restoration of 1894. There
are a number of graves to the Spencer Churchill family, who were related through
marriage to the Winningtons.
ABBERLEY TOWER S0746667
This 'folly' is sitting in a gap between Abberley Hill and Woodbury Hills, and
is known
as 'Jones's Folly'. In Arthur Mee's 'The Kings England' he comments, ' It is a
landmark where no landmark is needed and accords ill with the rural scene'.
Built by John Joseph Jones, a Lancastrian cotton magnate, in the grounds of
Abberley Hall, which he had bought from the Moilliets a Birmingham banking
family. On 4th May 1883 Jones and his wife Sarah laid the foundation stone for
the tower. Some said at the time, as a response to the grandeur of his neighbours, the Earl of Dudley, of Witley Court. It rose to a height of
161ft and cost £12,000, including a barrel carillon of 21 bells.
SHELSLEY WALSH S0722629
In 1086 it was included in the lands of Osbern Fitz Richard of Richards Castle.
At this time the manor contained a Fishery rendering 16 " Stitches" of
Eels. The Walshes, (from whom the hamlet takes its name) first appear in 1211-12
when John Walshe was holding half a fee in Shelsley. St. Andrews church nestles
under high wooded hills, surrounded by orchards and black and white cottages.
Access is up the private conifer lined drive to the Court House. A small, mainly
12th century church is built of travertine, quarried from nearby Southstone Rock.
The interior is one of the most beautiful in all of Worcestershire. The nave and
chancel are divided by a 15th century oak screen that cannot be bettered
anywhere in the county. A major restoration was done in 1859 by the London-based
architect George Truefitt. By 1908, most of Truefitt's work had been removed or
destroyed for which no explanation can be found. In 1975 a report suggested
further restoration work was needed. It was completed by 1980. Roof timbers are
quite an impressive feature of the church, while the plank ceiling of the
chancel is decorated with painted gold stars. In the corner of the Sanctuary is a
rare wooden tomb to Sir Francis Walsh who died in 1596. The panels are painted
with the Walsh Coat of Arms. Perhaps Shelsley Walsh's main claim to fame lies with the famous hill climb. The
motor racing event first took place in 1905, organized by the Midland Automobile
Club. This is the worlds oldest motoring event. The original circuit followed
the farm track, now tarmaced, for 1,000 yards up a steep incline. It has an
average gradient of 1 in 8.9 with the steepest part on the S bend of 1.62. Of
all the competitors that have taken part over the course, Raymond Mays was
probably the most successful, winning the Best Time of the Day 21 times in the
period after the war.
HAM BRIDGE S0737612
Built in its present location in 1769 when the road was relocated. The original
crossing being at Ham Mill when the first bridge was built by the Mortimer's to
visit their vast estates. In 1615 the road from Worcester to Tenbury via Martley
and Clifton was described as 'the great thoroughfare from most places in Wales
to the city of London'.
CLIFTON UPON TEME SO 714616
Recorded as Clistun ultra Tamedam, ultra = beyond the Teme in 934. The village
stands way above the Teme, with most of the drainage going westwards into the
Sapey Brook. Clifton was constituted a free borough in 1270 by Henry Ill, when
he granted a Market on Thursdays. St. Kenheim's church stands near the village
centre, The tower, nave and chancel date from the early 13th century, the
shingled broached spire being added later. Restoration work was carried out by
James Cranston in 1853.
WHITBOURNE S0725569