Coordinates: 52°04′14″N 2°01′33″W / 52.070657°N 2.025862°W
| Elmley Castle | |
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  Elmley Castle shown within Worcestershire |
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| Population | 497 |
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| Parish | Elmley Castle |
| District | Wychavon |
| Shire county | Worcestershire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| European Parliament | West Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • Worcestershire | |
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009) |
Elmley Castle is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire, in England, United Kingdom. It is located on the north side of Bredon Hill 4 kilometres south east of Pershore in the local government district of Wychavon.
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Amenities and history
It had a population of 497 in 2001 and retains public amenities such as a bus route, public house, post office, primary school, local shop selling local produce, 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'.[citation needed]
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.
Castle
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 and on the death of Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick in 1492 it became property of the crown.
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
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Elmley Castle |
- Village hall Website (accessed July 2006)
- Elmley Castle CofE First School Website
- Victoria County History text online
- 2001 census results
- Castle ruins (accessed July 2006)
- St Mary the Virgin church
- British History Online on Elmley Castle
- Old photos circa 1955
- Village Community Website
- photos of Elmley Castle and surrounding area on geograph
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