UPPER ARLEY

Descriptive Notes:

'Upper Arley' is the usual civil spelling and 'Arley' is the usual ecclesiastical spelling. [25]
Also known as Over Arley. Ernlege in the Domesday Book.

Upper Arley covers a mainly rural area in the north of Worcestershire. The River Severn flows through the parish and quite a large area, particularly to the west of the river, forms part of the ancient Forest of Wyre. A feature of the parish is the Severn Valley Railway, running along the west bank of the River Severn.

Directories:
ARELY (UPPER), a parish in the southern division of the hundred of SEISDON, county of STAFFORD, 5½ miles (N. W. by W.) from Kidderminster, containing 715 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the peculiar jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield, and in the patronage of the Earl of Mountnorris. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is situated on an eminence commanding a fine prospect. The village occupies a romantic situation near the side of the river Severn. [Typographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

Status:
Ancient Parish [25]
Transferred in 1895 for civil purposes from Staffordshire to Worcestershire [25]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO764805
Stands on the River Severn close to the Shropshire border & 4 miles N.N.W. of Bewdley

Parish Church:
St. Peter

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Peculiar of the Dean & Chapter of Lichfield (until 1846), Archdeaconry of Stafford & Diocese of Lichfield (1846-1905), Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester (1905-21), Archdeaconry of Dudley & Diocese of Worcester (1921- *) [25]

Hundred:
Was South Seisdon [25], Locally in Halfshire [15] [11] [25]

Poor Law Union:
Kidderminster [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Highley (Shropshire); Alveley (Shropshire); Romsley (Shropshire); Kinver (Staffordshire); Wolverley; Kidderminster; Dowles (Shropshire); Kinlet (Shropshire) [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1564-1964	[5]
	Marriages	1564-1963	[5]
	Burials	1564-1964	[5]
Transcripts at WLHC	General	1564-1812	[27]
Originals at WRO	Marriages	1564-1974	[12]
	Burials	1564-1977	[12]
	Banns	1754-1812	[12]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Lichfield Joint Record Office

International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]

		Coverage
Parish Registers	Births / Christenings	1564-1812
	Marriages	1564-1812

Register Copies:
Christenings, Marriages & Burials1564-1812 Society of Genealogists [68]

Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
Register of graves 1908-64 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [51]

Census Records:
Access to all the censuses between 1841 and 1901 is now widely available on the library edition of Ancestry.co.uk at most record offices. You are strongly advised to book time on their computers before making a visit.
Many commercial organisations have issued CDs and DVDs covering all the censuses from 1841 to 1901.

Some repositories offer census details on microfiche as listed below:
1841 Stourport Library
1851-1901 at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]

Search Services (Fee paying) - BMSGH and Independent:
Burial 1660-1812 Worcestershire Burial Index
Marriage see Worcestershire Marriage Index

Manorial Records:
Worcestershire Record Office [50]
Arley: Admissions, surrenders, presentments and other papers 1719-1876; Court roll 1753-1818

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Register of graves 1908 - ?
School document 1859

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Upper Arley C. E. School
Logbook - 1928-52 - Ref: BA 9343/1(ii)
Logbook - 1880-99 - Ref: BA 9343/1(i)

A handlist of other records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire Record Office for this parish can be found here.

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© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 19th March 2008

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