Elmley Castle

Elmley Castle is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire, in England, United Kingdom..

Location

It is located on the north side of Bredon Hill 4 kilometres south east of Pershore in the local government district of Wychavon.

Amenities & History

It had a population of 497 in 2001 and retains public amenities such as a bus route, public house, post office, primary school and church.

The largest public house is called "The Queens Head", after Queen Elizabeth I who is supposed to have stopped there. A second public house, "The Old Mill" is found at the end of Mill Lane near the site of the old village water mill which could still be seen until a few decades ago. According to local legend Elizabeth I was presented with a hat on her arrival in the village on the road from Pershore, (a nearby town). The slope upwards out of the village at that point is still known as 'Besscaps'. Fact|date=June 2007

The remains of a stone cross are still present in the centre of the village. Its age is unknown and a significant portion remains underground.

The church of St. Mary dates from the end of the 11th century, the chancel shows herringbone pattern stonework in the external walls, the font has a 15th century octagonal bowl on a 13th century square base decorated with stonecarved serpents and dragons and the church was much added to in succeeding centuries. It contains grand monuments to Thomas, 1st Earl of Coventry and 17th century effigies of members of the Savage family. The decline in local Christian worshippers has led to a reduced service schedule at the church.

The ruins of an important Norman and medieval castle, from which the village derives its name, are located in the Deer Park, one kilometer to the south on Bredon Hill. The castle is supposed to have been built for Robert Le Despenser, Steward to William the Conqueror and scion of the famous Despenser or Despencer family, later to be created successive holders of the title Baron le Despencer. It then descended to the Beauchamp family a few centuries on, who later became Earls of Warwick, and Elmley Castle was for a time their chief stronghold. The castle became property of the crown in 1492, on the death of Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick (the wife of Warwick the Kingmaker). In 1544, Henry VIII sold it to Sir William Herbert and Christopher Savage, by which time it had fallen into complete disrepair. Leland writing at about this time says, "Ther stondithe now but one Tower, and that partly broken. As I went by I saw Carts carienge Stone thens to amend Persore (Pershore) Bridge about ii miles of. It is set on the Tope of a Hill full of Wood, and a Townelet hard by."

References

* Page, W. ed. (1913). "Victoria County History: A History of the County of Worcester", Vol. III, pp. 338-46.
* Leland, John (Hearne, T. ed.). (1745). "The Itinerary of John Leland the Antiquary".

External links

* [http://www.gmconsulting.demon.co.uk/ Village hall web site] (accessed July 2006)
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43134&strquery=elmley%20castle Victoria County History text online]
* [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=800910&c=elmley+castle&d=16&e=15&g=500139&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=781 2001 census results]
* [http://www.ecastles.co.uk/elmley.html Castle ruins] (accessed July 2006)
* [http://members.aol.com/pmdraper10/emleycas.htm St Mary the Virgin church]
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43134 British History Online on Elmley Castle]
* [http://www.francisfrith.com/search/england/worcestershire/elmley+castle/photos/elmley+castle_photos.htm Old photos circa 1955]
* [http://www.elmleycastle.com Village Community Website]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3757843 photos of Elmley Castle and surrounding area on geograph]