UPTON UPON SEVERN

Descriptive Notes:

Records show that there was a parish church in Upton before the building of a fourteenth century church.  The medieval church, only the tower of which now remains, was sturdily built but it was considerably damaged at the time of the battle of Upton Bridge in 1651. By the middle of the eighteenth century the church was damaged and showing its age. 

A new church was needed and in 1756 the church was demolished and a new one was built.  At that time the old tower was retained but the spire was pulled down. The structure was not without its problems:  the tower, without the spire, was not weather-proof and in 1770 Anthony Keck designed the cupola which was put on the tower. 

In 1851 John Noake commented unfavourably on the church and he remarked the tower was "surmounted by a cupola which imparts to the whole the semblance of a colossal pepper box".  This gave the "Pepperpot" its nickname. 

In Upton there were to be two new churches. In 1870 the Hook Church (the Church of the Good Shepherd)  was built ...this was to minister to the spiritual needs of those who lived too far from the parish church.

The parish church itself remained a problem.  Arthur Blomfield, a church architect, surveyed it and reported that only the tower was worth preserving.  He proposed "a handsome church" on the old site, retaining the tower.  However, following an article in the Berrows Journal, and a "Requisition" to the churchwardens it was agreed that the church should be built on a site between the end of Old Street and the railway station.  Blomfield said that the new site was good enough for "a perfectly convenient and effective church" and this was what he produced - the building which now stands. (It was consecrated on September 3rd 1879.)

(Notes based on an article by Simon Wilkinson at
http://www.upton.uk.net/history/church/parishchurches.pdf (accessed 22nd February 2008))

The old church was largely demolished in 1937 and in 1953 it was declared an Ancient Monument.

Directories:
UPTON upon SEVERN, a market town and parish in the lower division of the hundred of PERSHORE, county of WORCESTER, 10 miles (S.) from Worcester, and 109 (N.W. by W.) from London, containing 2319 inhabitants. According to Dr. Stukeley, this was the Upoessa of Ravennas; and the opinion that it was once a Roman station has received confirmation from the discovery of some ancient armour in the neighbourhood.

A bridge, consisting of six arches, was erected, pursuant to act of parliament, in the reign of James I, which was broken down, and a battery placed in the churchyard, to prevent the approach of Cromwell and his forces; but the plan was ineffectual, and the parliamentary forces entered the town.

Upton is situated on the right bank of the river Severn, which is here navigable for vessels of one hundred tons burden, and is crossed by a bridge erected in 1606 : it is neatly built, and the streets are well paved. There is a subscription library.

The surrounding country is in a state of high cultivation, and the prospects are varied and picturesque. A considerable quantity of cider, brought from Hereford and other places, is shipped here for conveyance to different parts of England: there is a harbour for barges, and a wharf on the river, for the convenience of loading and discharging.

The market is on Thursday: a plan for the erection of a handsome market-house, to include an assembly-room and apartments for the meetings of the magistrates, has been agreed upon, and the subscription for defraying the expense of its erection nearly completed; an act will be applied for this present session of parliament (1831), soon after which the building will be commenced. Fairs are held April 2nd, June 2nd, July 10th, and the Thursday before the 2nd of October.

A manorial court is held occasionally, and petty sessions once a fortnight.

The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's books at £27, and in the patronage of the Bishop of Worcester. The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is a handsome structure, completed in 1758: the ancient tower was once surmounted by a spire, which, from an apprehension of insecurity, was taken down, and a wooden cupola substituted. There is a place of worship for Baptists.

A charity school for instructing fifteen girls was endowed, in 1718, by Richard and Anne Smith, with property of the present value of £28 per annum, which was augmented by a bequest of £5 per annum in 1824, from Miss Sarah Husband : a boys'school was added to it, in 1797, by means of a bequest from George King, of property secured in the purchase of £100 three per cents, and £100 four per cent consols; and these are now incorporated into two National schools, which are further supported by voluntary contributions : about one hundred and sixty children are educated. Dr. John Dee, a celebrated astrologer in the reign of Elizabeth, was a native of this town: the Rev. J.Davison, B.D., author of some highly esteemed theological works, is the present incumbent. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

Status:
Ancient Parish [25]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO852403
10 miles south of Worcester along the A38 & 7 miles S.E. of Great Malvern. Hook Common came within Upton on Severn prior to 1870.

Parish Church:
St. Peter & St. Paul
Hook Common: Church of the Good Shepherd (SO821405)

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester [1] [25]

Hundred:
Oswaldslow (until 1760), Upper Pershore (from 1760) [25]

Poor Law Union:
Upton-upon-Severn [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Hanley Castle; Ripple; Queenhill; Longdon; Welland [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1546-1945	[5]
	Marriages	1550-1972	[5]
	Burials	1551-1885	[5]
	Banns	1754-1818	[5]
Originals at WRO	Marriages	1550-1988	[12]
	Banns	1823-1986	[12]

Parish Registers for Hook Common:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Banns	1871-1958	[5]
Originals at WRO	Marriages	1871-1993	[12]
	Burials	1905-94	[12]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1701 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]

International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]

		Coverage
Parish Registers	Births / Christenings	1546-1875
	Marriages	1814-1882

Nonconformist:
St. Joseph RC: Christenings 1853-1889 & 1888-1908 Marriages 1854 & 1866 Deaths 1854-1890 (gaps) & 1890-1979 (gaps) Confirmations 1850, 1855, 1881 & 1887-1948 (gaps) Conversions 1854-55 & 1866 Members of the Congregation 1906-1912 Receptions 1896-1912. Worcestershire Library and History Centre [30]

Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
St.Peter & St.Paul (Old churchyard pre. 1879 only) BMSGH microfiche [53]
St.Peter & St.Paul (Old churchyard pre. 1879 only) Worcestershire Library and History Centre [51]
Upton upon Severn Burial Ground: Register of burials 1866-1996 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [52]
St. Peter & St. Paul: MIs in the old churchyard 1734-1879: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 4 [Typescript.] - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry - Author: Lomas, H (trans.) 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:
At Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14] :
1841-1901
1891- 1901 Upton-upon-Severn Workhouse

Search Services (Fee paying) - BMSGH and Independent:
Burial 1591-1851 Worcestershire Burial Index
Marriage see Worcestershire Marriage Index

Manorial Records:
Worcestershire Record Office [50]
Agreement relating to payment of salmon mott 1697; Appointment of gamekeeper, draft deputation of gamekeeper and notice relating to poachers 1808, 1813, 1828; Court rolls [1603]-24, 1640; Account rolls [1429-30], [1441-2]; Survey 1616; Rentals 1715-59; Lists of jurors, views of frankpledge, lists of tenants, lists of inhabitants, presentments, warrants, orders, copies of court roll, extracts from court rolls, rentals, chief rents, receipts, accounts etc 18th-19th cents.; Court rolls 1383, 1495, 1505, 1507, 1508, 1542, 1589, 1625-6, 1630-38; Estreats 1542, 1636; Presentments 1637, 1638; Presentments and other papers 17th-18th cents.; Presentments of the jury 1758

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Vestry Meetings minute book and Churchwardens accounts 1831-68; Vestry Meeting minute book 1869-1913
Overseers of the poor account book 1682-1731
Board of Health & other minutes 1831-71
Rate book 19th cent
Directory of residents 20th cent
Charity school account book and other papers 1777-1850
Orders of parish meetings 1800
Churchwardens accounts books 1894-1924
Hook Common PCC minutes 1901-21, 1951-60
Churchwardens accounts with vestry meeting minutes 1758-1832
Overseers of the poor account book 1760-93
Signed minutes of the Committee for the rebuilding of the parish church 1875-80

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Upton-upon-Severn CE Primary School
Log books, signed minutes, letters, admission registers and other papers - 1847-1947 - Ref: BA 8558/1-6

Hill County Secondary School, The
Log books. Note: The above log books also contain headmasters reports, newspaper cuttings, concert programmes, correspondence, examination and sports results etc. - 1966-80 - Ref: BA 11563/2(ii), 3(i)(ii)

Upton-upon-Severn Boys' Evening Continuation School
Log book - 1894-1911, 1927 - Ref: BA 8558/6(i)

Upton-upon-Severn Boys' School
Log book - 1898-1928 - Ref: BA 8558/5(ii)
Log book - 1897-1901 - Ref: BA 8558/6(ii)

Upton-upon-Severn Girls' School
Log books - 1863-1927 - Ref: BA 8558/4(ii)-5(i)

Upton-upon-Severn Infants' School
Admission register - 1890-1901 - Ref: BA 8558/2
Log books - 1863-1947 - Ref: BA 8558/3-4(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.

Other Sources:
A number of local history books relating to the Malvern area are listed by the Malvern Family History Society on their website. More details can be found at (www.mfhs.org.uk). The list includes:

UPTON. Author Pamela Hurle. ISBN 0 85033 687 2

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© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 31st August 2008

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