DIRECTORY,] \\~ORCESTERSHIRE, UPPER ARLEY, 17

Wigg-in WaILer William J.P. The Fore. : llarris George, farmer, Wasthill WEATHERO.AK HILL. hill housa Martin Henry, farmer &; beer retailer For remairrder of names see lVythall. Rose Edward, farmer Edwards John, bootmaker COMMEnOB.L. Savage Mark, farmer Griffiss George, farmer &; wheelwright Ankcorn George, farmer Smith Thomas, farmer Hemus E. fa.rmr. Moore Gm. Hall fm Edkins Joseph, fanner Stevens William, fanner, Wasthill Impey Stephen, beer retailer Fox William, fanner Tibbattll Martha. (Mrs.), farmer Savage Mark, jun. frmr. Hall farm Griffin WillUim, farmer, Clewshaw fm 'WaIters John. farmer, Weatheroak fm

ARELEY KINGS is a small parish adjoining St{)ur- wooden bolt 2ft. 4in. long was still in its natural position: port and the navigable Severn, I mile south-west from fragments of a :Norman font were also found, with traces of Stourport station on the Worcester and Shrewsbury section letters on its base which, after removal of paint and whit~­ of the Great Western railway and 5 mile!l south from Kid- wash, were found to be .. TEMPORE·LA [Y] AMANNI: SANTI:" derminster. in the Western division of the county, Upper these fragments have been restored and now form the Doddingtree hundred, Stourport petty sessional division, base of the font in use in the church: it is on record Martley union, county court district of that the poet Layamon was priest of Earnley by Severn, and western division of the rural deanery of 'Vest \Vorces- c. 1200, and it is assumed that Earuley was the old name ter and archdeaconry and diocese of ·Worcester. The of : there is a mural tablet to Layamon'li church of St. Bartholomew is a. building of stone, in the memory in the chancel, but it is held that the above Decorated style, but has a Norman doorway in: t.he east discovery places the poet's connection with Areley Kings wail of the vestry: it consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, beyond doubt: there are also memorials to the Zachary with vestry and organ chamber, and a. tower on south I family, 1802: there are sittings for 370 persotls, 280 side with pinnacles and containing 6 bells: the church, being free. The registers date from the year 1530. with the exception of the chancel and tower, was rebuilt The living is a rectory, average tithe rent-charge £265, in 1885-6, at a cost of £3,000, raised by subscription, net yearly value £328, includin~ 44 acres of glebe, with under the direction of Mr. F. Preedy, architect, of London: residence, in the gift of the rector of Martle.y. and held the stone used in the work and obtained from an Astley since 1880 by the Rev. Daniel Vawdrey M.A. of Corpus quarry, was presented by John Rnssell Cookes esq. D.L.. Christi college, Oxford and J.P. The charities amount J.P. of Woodhampton: the pulpit, a. memorial to the to £28 yearly. Sampson Zachary Lloyd esq. J.P. is Rev. Henry James Hastings, some time rector, is con- lord' of the manor and principal landowner, and resides at structed from old oak, formerly in the roof and was the Areley Hall, originally a half-timbared house of three gift of hiS' daughter, Miss A. C. Hastings; the organ was storeys, to which considerable alterations were made presentcd. by Edward Alfred Rroome esq. of Areley about 1828 by the late Daniel Zachary esq.; the old hall Court: the desigu. on the altar cloth is reproduced from has been divided and formed into several apartments. an old Elizabethan pattern of Tudor roses and leaves, but the exterior is fairly preserved. Areley Kings House discovered on the rood beam: there is a memorial in the is the residence of Edward Alfred Broome esq. The chancel to W. Walsh esq. a connection of William Walsh soil is loamy; subsoil, sandstone. The chief crops are the poet, and friend of Dryden, who lived at Abberley, wheat, barley, oats and potatoes. The area is 1,449 and died in 1708: in the churchyard is a very curious acres; rateable value. £3,260; the population in :r8gI monument to Sir Henry Coningsby knt. (ancestor of was 731. Thomas. Earl of Coningsby and of the Capells, Earls of Coney Green is half a mile north-west; Dunley and E5sex), which bearS! the following inscription:- Oakhampton are I mile south-west. I,ITHOLOGEMA QVARE Sexton. William Daw. REPONITVR SIR HARRY. Post Office, Dunley.-Thomas Bishop Palmer, Bub-post- This quaint memorial is supposed tD have boon written by master. Letters through Stourport, the nearest tele- the knight himself, who lived a recluse life at a house in graph &; money order office, arrive at 7 s.m. &; 3.40 the, parish called "The Sturt," now occupied by John p.m.; dispatched 6.5 p.m. daily', except sundays. Hollingsworth Jackson esq.: a piscina and sumbry and Postal ord'ers are issued here, but not paid !"emains of the rood staircase were discovered in course of ' County Police Station, Sergeant Charles Yates the restoration of the church: beneath the Norman door- National School (mixed), built in 1834, enlarged in 18u8 head in the, north wall of the nave was found walled up on & 1871 & again in 1889, for 180 children; average either side the original oak door greatly decayed, but. attendance. 117; John Cook, master; Miss Margaret the large C-shaped hinges were tolerably perfect: a massive Skirrow, mistress .ARELEY KINGS. Daw William, sexton DUNLE1. AndersoIli James Wm. Areley Kings ho Hill William, haulier Baldwin Stanley, Dunley hall Broome Edward Alfred J.P. .Areley crt Holden William, scripture reader Riches Henry, The Lodge Dance Stafford, The Burlins Jackson John Holllngsvworth. Berry John, market gardener Green Mrs. Rutland villa. farmer &; assistant overseer, Perry &; Rutler George, boot maker Kenwrick William, Swiss villa cider manufacturer in bottle or cask, Morgan WaIter, Old Dog P.H.&; frmr. ; Lloyd SampsonZacharyJ.P. Areley hall Sturt farm capital accommodation for pleasure Powell John Wm. Kingston house Jackson Thos. frmr. The Walshes farm parties &; cyclists; club room; good Rowe Thomas, West View house Knowles Stephen, farmer, White house stabling Vawdrey Rev. Danl.M.A.,J.P.TheRctry Martin Richard, plumber &; glazier X orwood Henry Edward, blacksmith Watson Charles Hugh, Broomy hill Mills J ames, farmer Pagett John., farmer, The Grove 'Wilson Miss, The Lower house Mills William, farm bailiff to John Palmer Thomas Bishop, tailor &; grocer, COMMEROllL. Henry Crane esq Post office Butler Joseph, Squirrel inn,&bricklayr Union WaIter, farmer, Burnthorne frm Smith William Edwin, maltster

UPPER ARLEY is a village and parish on the banks sittings. The register dates from the year 1564. The of the navigable Severn, at the extreme point of the living is a. vicarage., average tithe rent-charge £242; county of Worcester, where it joins and net yearly value £192, with residence, in the gift of Shropshire, with a station on the (Great: General .Arthur Lyttelton Annesley, and held since 1862 '\Vestern) railway, 10 miles south-west from Stourbridge, by the Rev. Charles James Wilding M.A. of Trinity 4 north from and 6 south-west from Kidder- College, Cambridge. Charities t{) the amount of about minister, in the Kingswinford division of the county, £45, derived from various sources, are distributed Kidderminster petty sessional division, union and county amongst the poor on St. Thomas' Day and Good Friday court district, rural deanery of Try-sull, archdeaconry of in each year. ArlBY Castle is the residence of Robert Stafford and diocese of Lichfield. Upper Arley, formerly Woodward esq. M.A., J.P. lord of the manor, lay im­ in Staffordshire, was by the 58 &; .0:9 Vict. cap. 86 and propriator and principal landowner; it was built in 1844 "Local Government Board's Provisional Orden Confir- by George Annesley, .second and last Earl of Mountmorres mation (No. 5) Act. 1895," transferred to F.R.S., F.S.A. who died 23 July 18440 and is in the for civil purposes only. The church of St. Peter is an Norman style, with decorations of B later date; part of ancient building of stone, in the Early English and the old Elizabethan house, formerly called Arley Hall. Decorated styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisle, south still remains, and now forms part of the modern castle: porch and a western tower containing 6 bells: there are the grounds were tastefully laid out and planted with several handsome monuments: in 1887 two stained rare trees and shrubs from all parts of the world' by the memorial windows were placed at the east end by General late Earl, earlv in the present century. The soil is Anne,sley and the. 'Woodward families: the church was various; subsoil, sandstone rock. There is a freeston6 restored' in 1884 at a cost of £2,829, and affords 245 quarry on the estate of R. Woodward esq. from which WORCS. 2