DOWLES

Descriptive Notes:

Directories:
DOWLES, a parish in the hundred of STOTTESDEN, county of SALOP, 1¼ mile (N. by W.) from Bewdley, containing 61 inhabitants. The living is a discharged rectory, in the archdeaconry of Salop, and diocese of Hereford, rated in the king's books at £4. William Burton and another were patrons in 1818. The church is dedicated to St. Andrew. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

Status:
Ancient Parish [25]
Shropshire parish transferred in 1895 to Worcestershire. Abolished civilly in 1933 part to Bewdley Municipal Borough & Civil Parish, part to Kidderminster Foreign Civil Parish & part to Upper Arley Ancient Parish. Abolished ecclesiastically in 1940 to help create Ribbesford with Bewdley Ecclesiastical Parish.[25]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO779761
½ mile N.W. of Bewdley

Parish Church:
St. Andrew, Button Oak

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry of Salop & Diocese of Hereford until 1876, Archdeaconry of Ludlow & Diocese of Hereford (1876-1919), Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester (1919-21), Archdeaconry of Dudley & Diocese of Worcester (1921 -*) [25]

Hundred:
Cleobury division of Stottesdon [44] and later Doddingtree [15] [11] [25] [28]

Poor Law Union:
Kidderminster [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Upper Arley (Staffordshire); Kidderminster; Bewdley; Kinlet (Shropshire) [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1572-1972	[5]
	Marriages	1575-1933	[5]
	Burials	1574-1963	[5]
Transcripts at WLHC	General	G1572-1643	[27]
Originals at WRO	Banns	1871-1935	[12]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1614 Hereford Record Office

Register Copies:
At Society of Genealogists [68] :
Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1630, 1638, 1662-1855 (BTs) [Microfilm.] - Published: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978
Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1660-1845 (BTs) [Microfilm.] - Published: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978

Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
Dowles, Bewdley & Wribbenhall BMSGH microfiche [53]
St. Andrew Worcestershire Library and History Centre [51]
St. Andrew: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 12 [Typescript.] - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1990 - Author Bewdley Historical Research Society of Genealogists [59]

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:
1851-81,1901 at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]
1841 Shropshire Archives

At Society of Genealogists :
Worcestershire 1851 census index HO 107/2039 : Kiddermister registration district - Shropshire part [Microfiche.] -Published , 1998 - Author Friend, A F (trans.)
Worcestershire 1891 census returns: Kidderminster registration district RG 12/2311-2318 [Microfilm.] - Published London Public Record Office, 2003

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Churchwardens accounts 1790-1820
Constables accounts 1789-1822

Other Sources:
A history of Bewdley with concise accounts of some neighbouring parishes - Published : William Reeves 2, 1883 - Author: Burton, John R - Society of Genealogists

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© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 28th March 2008

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