WICHENFORD

Descriptive Notes:
A 17th century half-timbered black-and-white dovecote in the village is administered by the National Trust. 

Status:
Ancient Parish [25]
Originally a chapel in Worcester St Helen Ancient Parish. A separate parish at the Dissolution.[25]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO787601
6 miles N.W. of Worcester

Parish Church:
St. Lawrence

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

Hundred:
Lower Oswaldslow [11] [25] [28]

Poor Law Union:
Martley [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Little Witley; Holt; Grimley; Hallow; Kenswick; Worcester St John Bedwardine; Cotheridge; Broadwas; Doddenham; Martley [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1690-1959	[5]
	Marriages	1690-1976	[5]
	Burials	1690-1945	[5]
	Banns	1857-1954	[5]
Originals at WRO	Banns	1755-91	[12]

The earliest extant register dates back to 1690. There is a transcript of the register for 1599-1690. [5]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1613 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]

International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]

		Coverage
Parish Registers	Births / Christenings	1599-1875

Register Copies:
At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
Marriages 1963-1976

At Society of Genealogists [68] :-
WICHENFORD : Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1599-1700 (Bishops' Transcripts) [Microfilm.]   Published Salt Lake City : Genealogical Society of Utah, 1961      

WICHENFORD : Marriages(Index) 1690-1812: Boyd's marriage index [Typescript.]   IN: Boyd's marriage index   Published , 1925-55   Author Boyd, Percival ed. Source D: P Boyd.

War Memorials:
For the names of those commemorated on a War Memorial at Wichenford Village Hall see:
http://www.rememberthefallen.co.uk/Casualties/ListByMemorial/Wichenford Village Hall

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:
At Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]
Wichenford 1841-1901
Wichenford & Kenswick 1861

Search Services (Fee paying) - BMSGH and Independent:
Burial 1599-1852 Worcestershire Burial Index
Marriage see Worcestershire Marriage Index

Manorial Records:
Worcestershire Record Office [50]
Extents and other papers Early 18th century; Extents 1729; Court papers 1765-1813; Court rolls 1661-2; Manor books 1781-1860, 18th cent.; Rental 1695-1702, 1759-c1805; Stewards' accounts 1808-33; Surveys and particulars of property 17th-19th cents.; Surveys, valuations, manor books, rent rolls etc 17th-19th cents.

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Minute book including list of apprentices 1769-1829
Minute book & account book including list of parish officials & election of apprentices 17th & 18th centuries.

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Wichenford C.E. Primary School
Admission registers - 1903-1981 - Ref: BA 9888/3(iii)
Log books. - 1880-1976 - Ref: BA 8820/2
Note: This school closed in 1981.

Wichenford Primary School
Log book - 1976-80 - Ref: BA 10904
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:
WICHENFORD, a parish in the lower division of the hundred of OSWALDSLOW, county of WORCESTER, 6¼ miles (N. W. by N.) from Worcester, containing 334 inhabitants. The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's books at £9. 10 and in the patronage of the Rev. William Digby, Prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Worcester. The church is dedicated to St. Lawrence. [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 15th July 2011

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