KNIGHTWICK

Status:
Ancient Parish [25]
Originally a chapel appropriated to Worcester Priory. A separate parish by 1535. Included a chapel at Kenswick which was in ruins by late 18th cent & considered extra-parochial & became a separate Civil Parish in 1858. Knightwick abolished ecclesiastically circa 1655 to help create Knightwick with Doddenham Ecclesiastical Parish [25]

Location:
9 miles west of Worcester along the A44 on the Herefordshire border of the county

Parish Church:
Knightwick and Doddenham are separated by the River Teme. Both St. Andrew, Doddenham & St. Mary, Knightwick parish churches were pulled down in the 19th century. A new St Mary's was built in 1856 on the north side of the river to serve both. To the south of the river the old St Mary's church site was used to build a mortuary chapel in 1879.

O.S. Ref:
St.Mary, Knightwick SO734560
St. Mary's was declared redundant on 27 February 2003. [80]
Site of St.Andrew, Doddenham SO752563
Mortuary Chapel (at site of old St Mary;s Church, Knightwick) SO728552

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester [1]

Hundred:
In Lower Oswaldslow though locally in Upper Doddingtree [11] [25] [28] [44]

Poor Law Union:
Martley [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Whitbourne (Herefordshire); Doddenham; Lulsley; Suckley; Kenswick (Chapelry of Knightwick); Hallow; Wichenford [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1539-1964	[5]
	Marriages	1542-1962	[5]
	Burials	1617-1963	[5]
	Banns	1756-1811, 1825-1963	[5]
Transcripts at WLHC	Marriages	1756-1811 Book is bound with Doddenham	[27]
	General	1539-1685, 1695-1812	[27]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1612 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]

International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]

		Coverage
Parish Registers	Births / Christenings	1813-1875
Bishops' Transcripts	Births / Christenings	1539-1812
	Marriages	1544-1811; 1814-1880

Register Copies:
Christenings 1538-1812 Marriages 1538-1812 Burials 1538-1812 Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Record Office [71]

KNIGHTWICK : Christenings 1539-1812, Marriages 1542-47, 1556-62, 1573-96, 1614, 1622-40, 1659, 1664-75, 1693-1811, Burials 1614-94, 1702-55, 1768-1812; inventory of church goods 1732, memorandum 1708   Published London, 1891   Author Wilson, Joseph Bowstead (transcriptions.) ed.    Society of Genealogists [68]

War Memorials:
For the names of those commemorated on a War Memorial at St.Mary's Church see:
http://www.rememberthefallen.co.uk/Casualties/ListByMemorial/Knightwick St Mary's Church

Census Records:
All the censuses between 1841 and 1901 are now available on a number of fee-paying (Subscription or PayAsYouGo) sites including Ancestry.co.uk, FindMyPast.co.uk, thegenealogist.co.uk and genesreunited.co.uk. The 1911 census is available in full or in part on some of these sites. We are unable to advise on the choice of site since researchers' personal preferences will be influenced by the content and search facilities offered by each site. Some sites offer a free trial.

Access to the library edition of Ancestry.co.uk is widely available at most record offices, including Worcestershire Library and History Centre, and some libraries. You are advised to book time on their computers before making a visit. 

A free-to-view site is being developed at freecen.org.uk for the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891 censuses.  Coverage of Worcestershire parishes is rather sparse at this time.

Census returns can usually be viewed at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Family History Centres.

Some repositories offer census details on microform, disc or printed copy. These include:
1841-1901 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]
Mapnors: Survey and plan [early 18th cent.]

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Surveyors' accounts & vestry minutes 1757-1923

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Knightwick and Doddenham C E School(s)
Log Book - 1888 - 1959 - Ref: BA 2600

Knightwick C E School
Admission register - 1947 - 59 - Ref: BA 3777
A handlist of other records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire Record Office for this parish can be found here

Directories:
KNIGHTWICK, a parish in the lower division of the hundred of OSWALDSLOW, though locally in the upper division of the hundred of Doddingtree, county of WORCESTER, 5½ | miles (E.) from Bromyard, containing, with the chapelry of Kenswick, 170 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's books at £13. 33. 4, and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. The church is dedicated to St. Mary: the two daughters of Colonel Lane, who were supposed to have been instrumental in secreting Charles II, on his flight from Worcester, are interred in it. There is a curious knife, for cutting the sacramental bread, with an agate handle, given about one hundred and fifty years since for the use of the church, by Mr. Clent. There is a chapel of ease at Doddenham, in this parish. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

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© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 2nd July 2011

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