Wychbold
| Wychbold | |
| Worcestershire | |
|---|---|
 Church of St Mary de Wyche | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SO922660 |
| Location: | 52°17’33"N, 2°6’53"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 100,100 (2011) |
| Post town: | Droitwich |
| Postcode: | WR9 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Wychavon |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Mid Worcestershire |
Wychbold is a village in Worcestershire, on the A38 between Droitwich Spa and Bromsgrove, and by Junction 5 of the M5 motorway.
The River Salwarpe runs around the outside of the village. Nearby villages include Upton Warren and Stoke Prior to the north-east, and Rashwood to the south-west.
The first records of Wychbold suggest that it was of great importance to the Anglo-Saxons, particularly in regards to its proximity to Droitwich. The village is known primarily for the garden centre Webbs of Wychbold.
The 2011 census recorded a population of 1,366, in 586 dwellings.
Name
The name Wychbold is derived from the Old English wic–bold, meaning "Dwelling near the trading settlement". It has been recorded as Uuicbold (692) and Wicelbold (1086, Domesday Book).[1] The "wych" element ("near the trading settlement") is likely to refer to Droitwich.[2]
History
Iron Age to Roman times
Evidence has been found of human settlement in Wychbold from the Iron Age and Roman times.
Various pits, ditches and postholes have been found in sites throughout the village, indicating the presence of roundhouses and a permanent Iron Age settlement. Archaeologists have also found various significant items from the Iron Age, such as broken vessels and a salt container from the Malvern Hills and Droitwich Spa. The presence of pottery from Malvern suggests that Wychbold had strong trade links outside of its immediate area, even in the Iron Age.
Wychbold is located on an old Roman road and salt road, now the A38. Romans are believed to have settled in the Wychbold area between the 1st and 4th century, shown by the presence of Severn Valley and samian pottery.
Middle Ages to Early modern period
The earliest known record of Wychbold is in a charter of 692 (where it is known as Uuicbold), describing how Æthelred of Mercia "granted ten hides of land there to his thegn Oslaf". The charter is generally considered to be fabricated, but describes the village as being "distinguished",[3] suggesting that the village belonged to royalty at the time. The next known record of Wychbold is in a charter issued by Coenwulf of Mercia in 815. In this, and a later charter issued by Wiglaf of Mercia in 831,[4] Wychbold is referred to as a royal vill, suggesting its importance as a royal base or even residence.[5] Documents point to the existence of the Anglo–Saxon estate within Wychbold, but its location is currently unknown.
During the 11th century, possession of Wychbold passed from Earl Godwine to Osbern fitzRichard, who held it at the time of the Domesday Book. There were 11 hides (4 of which were exempt from tax), 5 mills and 26 salt–pans in the village. The population was around 50 people.[6]
In 1204, William de Cantilupe, Sheriff of Worcestershire and steward to King John, came into possession of properties within the village.[7]
During the Middle Ages, a manor house was built in Wychbold, north of Church Lane. Now known as Wychbold Court, the current timber-frame house dates back to the 16th or 17th century. Minor alterations have been made to the house, during the 19th and 20th centuries.[8] Excavation near the Grade II listed house revealed pottery dating to the 13th or 14th century and evidence of farming in the area at the time.
There also once stood a manor house called Wychbold Hall within the village, the residence of the Amphlett family,[9] described as being "modern" in 1911.[10] It was in "perfect preservation" when it stood.[11] The stone-flagged floor of the house was moved to Greyfriars, Worcester.[12]
20th Century
During the Second World War, communal air raid shelters were built on either end of Wychbold, along with a concrete blast shelter near the main road. The village's Home Guard worked out of the Crown Inn.
About the village
The Droitwich transmitting station is located just outside the village, near Upton Warren.
Wychbold has several restaurants and pubs. Holiday Inn runs a hotel within the village, next to the motorway junction.[13] There are also multiple petrol stations within the village, along the A38.
Church
Wychbold's parish church is the church of St Mary de Wyche. It is a Grade II* listed building, built between 1888 and 1889, funded by the Amphlett family and John Corbett, an industrialist and the local Member of Parliament. The south-east tower contains an original late 13th century doorway.[14]
There also stood a Congregational church within the village, dating from 1836.[15]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Wychbold) |
References
- ↑ Mills, Anthony David: 'A Dictionary of British Place-Names' (Oxford University Press, 2003) ISBN 978-0-19-852758-9
- ↑ Watts, Victor Ernest, ed (2004). The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107196896.
- ↑ Hooke, Della (1990). Worcestershire Anglo-Saxon Charter Bounds. The Boydell Press. pp. 20–21. ISBN 9780851152769.
- ↑ Stenton, Frank M. (1970) (in en). Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford University Press. p. 234. ISBN 9780191501289. https://books.google.com/books?id=doLjb6QJapcC. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ Godden, Malcolm; Keynes, Simon (2007) (in en). Anglo-Saxon England. Cambridge University Press. pp. 32–33. ISBN 9780521038607. https://books.google.com/books?id=98FtXXkCT44C. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ Williams, Ann; Martin, G. H. (2003). Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. Penguin Books. p. 488. ISBN 9780141439945.
- ↑ Moore, Tony K. (October 2010). "The Loss of Normandy and the Invention of "Terre Normannorum," 1204". The English Historical Review (Oxford University Press) 125 (516): 1099. doi:10.1093/ehr/ceq273. SSN 0013-8266. http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/16623/1/Loss_of_Normandy_postprint.pdf.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1215191: Wychbold Court, Dodderhill (Grade @ listing)
- ↑ "Worcester City Archives - Box list of Miscellaneous Financial Documents". http://e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=8001%2f1%2f17%2f2%2f3&pos=1.
- ↑ A History of the County of Worcestershire - Volume 3 pp 58-69: Parishes: Dodderhill (Victoria County History)
- ↑ Wills, Leonard J. (2012) (in en). Worcestershire. Cambridge University Press. p. 111. ISBN 9781107669680. https://books.google.com/books?id=MtqrsIa6GKMC. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1389859: The Greyfriars, Worcester (Grade @ listing)
- ↑ "Holiday Inn Express Hotel Droitwich M5, Junction 5" (in en). https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/gb/en/droitwich/dotwc/hoteldetail.
- ↑ Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England: Worcestershire, 1968; 2007 Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-300-11298-6page 337
- ↑ Page, William; Willis-Bund, J. W. (1913). The Victoria History of the County of Worcester, Volume Three. A. Constable and Co.. p. 68. ISBN 978-0712904810.