Beoley
Encyclopedia
Beoley is a village and civil parish just north of Redditch
in the Bromsgrove District
of Worcestershire
, and adjoins Warwickshire
to the east. The 2001 census
recorded a parish population of 945, most of whom live at Holt End
. The parish adjoins Redditch's populous northern suburb of Church Hill.
Pershore Abbey
included lands at Beoleahe from at least the 10th century when Edgar the Peaceful restored them to the monks in AD 972. The Domesday Book
of 1086 records that the abbey held 21 hides
of land at Beolege and Yardley
. The de Beauchamp family of Elmley Castle
, ancesters of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick
, were mesne lord
s of the manor from the 12th century until about 1265, when they acquired the overlordship from the abbey. In the 13th century the toponym
was variously rendered Boleye, Beleg or Buley. Beoley descended with the de Beauchamps until the death of Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick
in 1446, when it passed to his daughter Elizabeth, wife of George Nevill, 1st Baron Latimer. Beoley remained with the Latimers until John Nevill, 4th Baron Latimer
sold it in 1549.
The buyer was William Sheldon, who was succeeded by his son Ralph Sheldon. Ralph was imprisoned in the Marshalsea
in 1580 for recusancy but was released on medical grounds. In 1648 a later William Sheldon married Elizabeth, daughter of the recusant William Petre, 2nd Baron Petre
. During the English Civil War
this William Sheldon was a Royalist
, and in 1648 the Parliamentarian
authorities sequestrated Beoley. In 1660 after the Restoration of the Monarchy Beoley was restored via Richard Sheldon to William's son, the antiquary Ralph Sheldon. A later Ralph Sheldon inherited Beoley in 1780, but by 1788 it was heavily mortgaged and he sold the manor to a Thomas Holmes. Holmes separated Beoley Hall (see below) and 300 acres (121.4 ha) of land from the rest of the manor and sold off the two lots to separate buyers.
at Beoley is said to have been burnt down in 1648 to prevent it falling into the hands of victorious Parliamentarians. The Sheldons had the present Beoley Hall built after the Restoration of the Monarchy, either late in the 17th or early in the 18th century. It is a neoclassical
house on an H-shaped plan, originally entirely three-storeyed, built of brick and entirely stucco
ed.
In 1791 Holmes had the east wing rebuilt to plans by John Sanders
, with two storeys built to the same height as the original three and a portico
with four Tuscan
columns. On the south end of the east wing a bow window was added to the ground floor in 1791 and a matching window was subsequently added to the first floor above. The main staircase is lit by a round skylight.
In 1968 Beoley Hall was in poor condition but since 1986 it has been a Grade II listed building. It is now divided into apartments.
of Saint Leonard
date from the early part of the 12th century and include the chancel
arch. The south arcade
dates from the early or middle part of the 13th century and the north arcade from about 1300. The west tower is a Perpendicular Gothic addition from about 1400 and the north aisle was also rebuilt in the Perpendicular style.
The Sheldon Chapel on the north side was added for the recusant Ralph Sheldon in about 1580. Its stone altar is said to be a gift from Pope Gregory XIII
. The church was restored in 1885 and the Sheldon Chapel was restored in 1891.
The tower has a ring
of eight bells. The oldest is the tenor bell, cast by Hugh Watts of Leicester
in 1601. John Rudhall of Gloucester
cast a bell for Beoley in 1789 which completed a ring of six. In 1999 this was increased to eight by the addition of new treble and second bells cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry
.
s: the Cross and Bowling Green, the Hollybush Inn and the Village Inn. The village has a first school and a village hall
.
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
in the Bromsgrove District
Bromsgrove (district)
Bromsgrove is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Bromsgrove.It borders the built up area of Birmingham to the north...
of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, and adjoins Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
to the east. The 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
recorded a parish population of 945, most of whom live at Holt End
Holt End
Holt End is a village in the civil parish of Beoley in Worcestershire, England. It is the main centre of population in the parish and is frequently referred to as Beoley. The village of Holt End has a pub and a primary school....
. The parish adjoins Redditch's populous northern suburb of Church Hill.
Manor
The estates of the BenedictineOrder of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
Pershore Abbey
Pershore Abbey
Pershore Abbey, at Pershore in Worcestershire, was an Anglo-Saxon abbey and is now an Anglican parish church.-Foundation:The foundation of the minster at Pershore is alluded to in a spurious charter of King Æthelred of Mercia...
included lands at Beoleahe from at least the 10th century when Edgar the Peaceful restored them to the monks in AD 972. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 records that the abbey held 21 hides
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
of land at Beolege and Yardley
Yardley
-Sportspeople:* Bruce Yardley, a former Australian cricketer* George Yardley, a former NBA player* George Yardley , Scottish footballer* Jim Yardley , English cricketer* Norman Yardley, an English cricketer...
. The de Beauchamp family of Elmley Castle
Elmley Castle
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.- Amenities and history :...
, ancesters of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick
William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick
William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick was an English nobleman and soldier, described as a “vigorous and innovative military commander”...
, were mesne lord
Mesne lord
A mesne lord was a lord in the feudal system who had vassals who held land from him, but who was himself the vassal of a higher lord. A mesne lord did not hold land directly of the king, that is to say he was not a tenant-in-chief. His subinfeudated estate was called a "mesne estate"...
s of the manor from the 12th century until about 1265, when they acquired the overlordship from the abbey. In the 13th century the toponym
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
was variously rendered Boleye, Beleg or Buley. Beoley descended with the de Beauchamps until the death of Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick
Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick
Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick was an English nobleman.He was the son of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and Isabel le Despenser...
in 1446, when it passed to his daughter Elizabeth, wife of George Nevill, 1st Baron Latimer. Beoley remained with the Latimers until John Nevill, 4th Baron Latimer
John Nevill, 4th Baron Latimer
John Nevill or Neville, 4th Baron Latimer or Latymer was an English nobleman of the House of Neville.-Early life:...
sold it in 1549.
The buyer was William Sheldon, who was succeeded by his son Ralph Sheldon. Ralph was imprisoned in the Marshalsea
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
in 1580 for recusancy but was released on medical grounds. In 1648 a later William Sheldon married Elizabeth, daughter of the recusant William Petre, 2nd Baron Petre
William Petre, 2nd Baron Petre
William Petre, 2nd Baron Petre was educated at Oxford, was elected MP for Essex, knighted in 1603 and acceded to the Barony in 1613...
. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
this William Sheldon was a Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
, and in 1648 the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
authorities sequestrated Beoley. In 1660 after the Restoration of the Monarchy Beoley was restored via Richard Sheldon to William's son, the antiquary Ralph Sheldon. A later Ralph Sheldon inherited Beoley in 1780, but by 1788 it was heavily mortgaged and he sold the manor to a Thomas Holmes. Holmes separated Beoley Hall (see below) and 300 acres (121.4 ha) of land from the rest of the manor and sold off the two lots to separate buyers.
Beoley Hall
The Sheldons' original manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
at Beoley is said to have been burnt down in 1648 to prevent it falling into the hands of victorious Parliamentarians. The Sheldons had the present Beoley Hall built after the Restoration of the Monarchy, either late in the 17th or early in the 18th century. It is a neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
house on an H-shaped plan, originally entirely three-storeyed, built of brick and entirely stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed.
In 1791 Holmes had the east wing rebuilt to plans by John Sanders
John Sanders (architect)
John Sanders was an architect and the first pupil of Sir John Soane. Sanders was born on 12 April, 1768, the son of Thomas Sanders, a tallow-chandler of the parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East, London...
, with two storeys built to the same height as the original three and a portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
with four Tuscan
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
columns. On the south end of the east wing a bow window was added to the ground floor in 1791 and a matching window was subsequently added to the first floor above. The main staircase is lit by a round skylight.
In 1968 Beoley Hall was in poor condition but since 1986 it has been a Grade II listed building. It is now divided into apartments.
Parish church
The oldest parts of the Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Leonard
Leonard of Noblac
Leonard of Noblac or of Limoges or de Noblet , is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, in the Limousin of France.-Traditional biography:According to the romance that...
date from the early part of the 12th century and include the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
arch. The south arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
dates from the early or middle part of the 13th century and the north arcade from about 1300. The west tower is a Perpendicular Gothic addition from about 1400 and the north aisle was also rebuilt in the Perpendicular style.
The Sheldon Chapel on the north side was added for the recusant Ralph Sheldon in about 1580. Its stone altar is said to be a gift from Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
. The church was restored in 1885 and the Sheldon Chapel was restored in 1891.
The tower has a ring
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
of eight bells. The oldest is the tenor bell, cast by Hugh Watts of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
in 1601. John Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester was a family business of bell founders in the city of Gloucester, England, who between 1684 and 1835 produced over 5,000 bells. The business was founded by Abraham Rudhall and the earliest ring of bells he cast was for St Nicholas' Church, Oddington in 1684. He came to be...
cast a bell for Beoley in 1789 which completed a ring of six. In 1999 this was increased to eight by the addition of new treble and second bells cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
.
Amenities
Beoley has three public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s: the Cross and Bowling Green, the Hollybush Inn and the Village Inn. The village has a first school and a village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
.
Notable people
- Sarah CooperSarah CooperSarah Jane Cooper was a British marmalade maker and wife of Frank Cooper .Sarah Cooper was born Sarah Jane Gill in Beoley, Worcestershire in 1848. In 1872 she got married in Clifton, Bristol to Frank Cooper of Oxford and they made their home at 31 Kingston Road, Oxford.In 1867 Frank had inherited...
(1848-1932), originator of Frank Cooper'sFrank Cooper'sFrank Cooper's is a UK brand of marmalades and jams owned by Premier Foods. Frank Cooper's is known primarily for its "Oxford" Marmalade and holds a Royal Warrant.-Oxford High Street:...
Oxford marmalade - Sarah FalklandSarah Falkland (journalist)Sarah Falkland is a British television journalist, working as a reporter and newsreader for BBC Midlands Today for the West Midlands Region....
, a relief news presenter for BBC Midlands Today