Pensax

Coordinates: 52°19′06″N 2°24′28″W / 52.31840°N 2.40779°W / 52.31840; -2.40779

Pensax
Pensax Parish Hall
Pensax  Pensax shown within Worcestershire
Population	317
OS grid reference	SO723690
Parish	Pensax
District	Malvern Hills
Shire county	Worcestershire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WORCESTER
Postcode district	WR6
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Hereford and Worcester
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
List of places: UK • England • Worcestershire

Pensax is a village and civil parish of Northwest Worcestershire in England, incorporating the hamlet of Menithwood to the west of Pensax Common. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 317.^[1]

Pensax borders the parishes of Stockton-on-Teme, Abberley, Rock and Lindridge. It is home to a multiple CAMRA award-winning pub, 'The Bell', which won 'West Midlands Pub of The Year' in 2007.^[2] Besides The Bell, Pensax is home to a parish church (dedicated to St. James the Great) built 1832 ^[3] and a small village-hall. A local primary school, Pensax Church of England school, closed in 2003. ^[4]

The name Pensax is a combination of the Celtic word for hill "Penn" and the word for "Saxon" Seax. The close village of Menith Wood also has a Celtic name meaning mountain/hill the same as the Welsh word "mynydd". This indicates a strong Celtic speaking population having still resided in this area after the Anglo Saxons took over local government. Along with the river Teme nearby which also comes from the Celtic "tamesis" the dark one, the same as the Thames and Tame.

For local government purposes Pensax forms part of the district of Malvern Hills.

References

1. ^ 2001 Worcestershire Census Report
2. ^ CAMRA website
3. ^ Church information
4. ^ Article from the Worcester News, 2002 - 'Pensax Runs Out of Pupils'

External links

• photos of Pensax and surrounding area on geograph
• Map sources for Pensax