STOURPORT ON SEVERN

Descriptive Notes:
Stourport owes its origin and growth to James Brindley's choice of the junction of the Severn and Stour rivers for the basin of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, hence linking the Severn with the Trent and Mersey. Prior to the completion of the canal, in 1770, the only part of the town in existence was a few cottages.

Directories:
STOURPORT, a market town in the chapelry of MITTON, parish of KIDDERMINSTER, lower division of the hundred of HALFSHIRE, county of WORCESTER, 4 miles (S. S. W.) from Kidderminster, and 130 (W. N. W.) from London. The population is returned with Mitton. This place, which is of modern date, owes its origin and present importance to the junction of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal with the river Severn, on the south side of the town, near the confluence of the Stour with that river.

Its name is derived from its situation on the Stour, and from its being the port, or depot, to which the manufactured articles and produce of. the adjoining counties are brought for transmission to different commercial towns; a communication being opened between the Severn and the Trent by the Grand Trunk canal, and a connexion thus formed with most parts of the kingdom. Prior to the completion of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, in 1770, the only part of the town in existence was a few cottages, forming a part of Lower Mitton. The trade principally arises from its being the depot for goods intended for transmission by canal navigation, extensive basins having been formed, and warehouses erected, for their reception; and the conveyance of them is a source of lucrative employment to many of the inhabitants, as well as the building of boats and barges, for which docks have been constructed. A canal was projected from this town to Kington in Herefordshire, but it has only been executed as far as Mamble.

Stourport is a neat well built town, principally of brick: the chief streets are paved, and it is partially lighted with gas. A subscription library was established in 1821, and there are two reading societies. The Severn is here crossed by a handsome iron bridge to Arely-King's, consisting of one arch, one hundred and fifty feet in breadth, and fifty in height from the surface of the water, with several land-arches, to afford a more free course for the water, in case of a high flood. The former bridge, built in 1775, had three arches over the river, the centre arch being fortyeight feet wide, and the one on each side of it fortytwo feet: this bridge having been swept away by a great quantity of ice brought down by the flood after a sudden thaw, the present handsome structure was erected.

The market is held on Wednesday, in a market-house erected on a piece of ground purchased by the proprietors, who receive the tolls, and is beginning to assume considerable importance as a corn market. A great quantity of hops was at one time sold, but this branch of trade has very much declined. There are three fairs annually, on the 31st of March, 15th of September, and 18th of December. The inhabitants attend divine service at Mitton chapel. The Wesleyan Methodists have a place of worship, with a Sunday school attached, in which eighty boys and sixty girls are instructed. The Sunday school-rooms are spacious and airy, in which one hundred and twenty boys and girls receive education by means of voluntary contributions. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

Status:
Civil Parish [25]
Stourport was a market town in the chapelry of Mitton, Kidderminster parish. [44]
'Stourport' Civil Parish was created in 1928 by the union of Lower Mitton Civil Parish & Upper Mitton Civil Parish and renamed 'Stourport-on-Severn' in 1934 [25]

On the 19th June 1844 Lower Mitton, a chapelry in Kidderminster parish, was united with the hamlet of Upper Mitton to form the new parish of Stourport.

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO815717
3½ miles S.W. of Kidderminster

Parish Church:
St. Michael & All Angels, Church Drive

Hundred:
Lower Halfshire [44]

Poor Law Union:
Kidderminster (1928-30)[ [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Kidderminster; Hartlebury; Areley Kings; Ribbesford [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1693-1971	[5]
	Marriages	1693-1967	[5]
	Burials	1693-1971	[5]
	Banns	1755-1820	[5]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1603 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]

Nonconformist:
International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]

		Coverage
Wesleyan	Births / Christenings	1788-1837

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Stourport-on-Severn Boys' School
Certificates for regular attendance - 1903-06 - Ref: BA 8398/1

Stourport-on-Severn Junior School
Certificates for regular attendance - 1903-06 - Ref: BA 8398/1

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 22nd February 2008

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