BMSGH HomePERSHORE
Status:
Civil Parish [25]
Created in 1949 by the union of Pershore Holy Cross Ancient Parish & Pershore St Andrew Ancient Parish.[25]
Location:
O.S. Ref: SO948458
9 miles S.E. of Worcester along the A44 and B4084
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.
The findmypast.co.uk website offers access to the 1911 census. This is a Subscription or PayAsYouGo site.
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:
1891 Pershore Workhouse at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]
At Society of Genealogists :-
Worcestershire 1851 census index HO 107/2045 : Pershore registration district [Microfiche.] - Published , 1997 - Author: Friend, A F (trans.)
Worcestershire 1851 census returns : Pershore registration district HO 107/2045 [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 1996
Worcestershire 1861 census returns : Pershore registration district RG/9 2104-2107 [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 1996
Worcestershire 1891 census returns: Pershore registration district RG 12/2338-2340 [Microfilm.] - Published London Public Record Office 2003
Manorial Records:
Worcestershire Record Office [50]
Binholme: Court roll 1664-1701
Pensham: Court roll 1664-1701
Pershore Portsmouth: Court roll 1664-1701
Schools Records:
A handlist of the
records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire
Record Office
for this parish can be found here.
Directories:
PERSHORE, a market
town, partly in the parish of ST. ANDREW, and partly in that of HOLY
CROSS,
upper division of the hundred of PERSHORE, county of WORCESTER, 9 miles
(S. E.)
from Worcester, and 102 (N.W. by W.) from. London, containing,
exclusively of
those portions of the parishes which are without the town, 2328
inhabitants.
The name of this place, variously spelt Persore, Pearshore, and
Pershore,
is supposed by Camden to be derived from Periscoran,
in allusion to
the numerous pear-trees which grew in the vicinity.
A convent was founded here, according to William of Malmesbury, by Egelward, Duke of Dorset, or according to others, by Oswald, nephew of Etheldred, King of Mercia, about 689, for Secular clerks. It was remodelled by Edgar, as a monastery for Benedictine monks, about 984, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, and St. Paul, and afterwards to Edburga, eighth daughter of Edward the Elder. The buildings suffered repeatedly from fire especially in 1287, when a considerable part of the town was also destroyed: at the dissolution its revenue was valued at £666. 13. The only remains are the church of the Holy Cross, and the Abbey house, the latter having undergone such alterations that every vestige of its ancient character has been removed.
The town is pleasantly situated on the lower road from Worcester to London, and on the western bank of the river Avon, which is here navigable, and is crossed by a bridge on the south. The principal street is about three quarters of a mile in length; it is well paved and the houses are of respectable appearance. There is a manufactory for stockings, and two for watch mainsprings. The market is on Tuesday: fairs are held on Easter Tuesday, June 26th, first Monday in August, and on the Tuesday before November 1st.
This town returned two burgesses to parliament in the reign of Edward I, since which period the privilege has been discontinued. As to all civil jurisdiction the parishes of St. Andrew and Holy Cross are absolutely distinct; each having its own officers: the former includes the chapelries of Bricklehampton, Defford, Penvin, and Wick, and the hamlet of Pensham ; and the latter the hamlets of Wadhorough and Walcott.
The living of St. Andrew's is a discharged vicarage; in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's books at £ 8.19. 2 and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. The church consists of a choir and south transept, the remains of a noble cruciform church, and is partly in the Norman, but principally in the early English, style of architecture. The church of the Holy Cross is in the later English style, and was formerly conventual, having belonged to the abbey: the living is held as a curacy, with the vicarage of St. Andrew's : both are subject to the jurisdiction of the Archdeacon of Worcester. There is a place of worship for Baptists. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 8th February 2010