|
|
Alcester - A History
By the time some readers see this issue of ‘Local Past’, the Society’s new
venture will have been launched: this is on the last three days of May at Collett’s,
Newsagents, Alcester High Street. The book will be on sale there, however, for months to
come: or it may be obtained from the Editor. The cost is £12 but it is a price well worth
paying, for it is a hard-back book of 240 pages and includes maps and photographs. The
book deals with Alcester parish according to subject, e.g. manorial history, trades and
industries, Roman background, the law, medicine, societies and celebrations, architecture,
history of farming communications, dialect,etc. It is a comprehensive volume to be
treasured and handed down in the family!
When Was your village first heard of ?
(DB - Domesday Book: SC - Saxon Charter)
| Weethley,714 SC Withelea | Wixford 962 SC Wihtlachesforde | Spernall 1086 DB Spernore | |
| Salford Priors SC Saltford Major | Oversley 1086 DB Oveslei | Morton Bagot 1086 DB Mortone | |
| Kinwarton 714 SC Kineuuarton | Haselor 1086 DB Haselouc | Exhall 710 SC Eccleshale | |
| Coughton 1086 DB Coctune | Bidford 710 SC Budiforde | Arrow 710 SC Arne | |
| Great Alne 1086 DB Alne | Studley 1086 DB Stodlei | Sambourne 714 SC Samburne | |
| Alcester 1138 Charter Rolls Alcencestre |
A Long Worthwhile Life
Recently near Stourport Mr.Algernon Stanley died in his 100th year. in the early 1980s he
had given up his ironmongery shop at No.15 High Street, Alcester, His father,Isaac, his
brother, Garnet and he had run the business since 1922. This occupancy of nearly 60 years
continued the trade of ironmongery begun in the 1860s by William Brandish and continued by
George Hares, John Elsley and A.J.Wilesmith. When the contents of Algernon Stanley’s
shop were sold by auction, Mr.John Bunting was public spirited enough to buy the shop
trade books, which the Local History Society has deposited at Warwick accord Office.
Spernall
Ash
This place took its name from a miserable-looking ash tree that stood there many years
ago. It is said to have grown from an ash stake that had been driven through the body of a
man who had committed suicide, Suicides were, at the period referred to, buried at
midnight withour coffins and because they could not be buried in consecrated ground, the
next best place for them was at cross roads.
M.T.MORRALL
Society Meetings
February March and April provided diverse and interesting meet ings for
the Society. In February Mr.
Clarke of Redditch spoke on the forerunner of our half-penny and farthing coins —
viz, the local merchants’ trade tokens: issued by them to facilitate purchasing in a
time of shortage of small coins Mr. Hodgetts in March showed on slide many examples of
specially con structed priest hiding holes of the 16th century; Coughton and Harvington
are two Midlands examples. April’s meeting was a little different, when the Committee
produced a panel to deal with ques tions from the audience; these wore many and varied and
every one seemed to enjoy the evening. The Committee has no com— plaints about the
numbers who turn out for these meetings
© Alcester & District Local History Society 1986