Little Witley, Worcestershire Family History Guide
Little Witley is a chapelry of Holt Ancient Parish in Worcestershire.
Church: St. Michael
Parish registers begin: 1680
Nonconformists include:
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
WITLEY (Little), a chapelry in Holt parish, Worcester; 6 miles SSW of Stourport r. station. Post town, Great Witley, under Stourport. Acres, 960. Rated property, £1,424. Pop., 208. Houses, 47. The property is all in one estate. The living is annexed to Holt. The church is good.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848
WITLEY, LITTLE, a chapelry, in the parish of Holt, union of Martley, Lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow, Worcester and W. divisions of the county of Worcester, 6f miles (S. S. W.) from Stourport; containing 243 inhabitants, and comprising 995 acres. The chapel is dedicated to St. Michael.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848
Worcestershire Delineated C. and J. Greenwood 1822
Witley (Little) – a hamlet and chapelry in the parish of Holt, hundred of Oswaldslow, lower division, 8 miles N.N.W. from Worcester, and 120 from London; containing 57 inhabited houses. Population, 1801, 235 – 1811, 263 – 1821, 302.
Source: Worcestershire Delineated: Being a Topographical Description of Each Parish, Chapelry, Hamlet, &c. In the County; with the distances and bearings from their respective market towns, &c. By C. and J. Greenwood. Printed by T. Bensley, Crane Court, Fleet Street, London, 1822.
Parish Registers
Marriage Licences and Allegations
London Marriage Licences and Allegations 1521 to 1869
The following have been extracted from London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869.
Abbreviations. — B. Bishop of London’s Office; D. Dean and Chapter of Westminster; F. Faculty Office of Archbishop of Canterbury; V. Registry of the Vicar-General of Canterbury.
Cupper, John, of Powick, co. Worcester, gent., bachelor, about 22, and Mary Walwin, of same, widow, about 30, at Okell or Westhide, co. Hereford, or Whitiley Parva, co. Worcester. 5 Feb. 1676/7. V.
Hampden, John, of Hampden, co. Bucks, esq., and Sarah Knightley, of Witley, co. Worcester, widow — at St. Stephen, Coleman Street. 4 May, 1674. B
Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Directories
Lascelles & Co.’s Directory and Gazetteer of the City of Worcester & Neighbourhood 1851
Holt With Little Witley Littlebury’s Directory 1879
Holt is a very picturesque parish and village, standing on high ground, overlooking the Severn valley, 6½ miles N. of Worcester, 2 S.W. of Ombersley, 6 W. of Droitwich, and 6½ S. of Stourport; is in the western division of the county and hundred of Lower Oswaldslow; in the union and highway district of Martley; petty sessional division and county court district of Worcester; polling district of St. John’s; annual rateable value, £3,321; area of civil parish, 1,951 acres; population in 1861, 295; in 1871, 284, with 59 inhabited houses and 63 families or separate occupiers.
The Earl of Dudley is lord of the manor and principal landowner. The soil is loamy and gravely, producing wheat, barley, roots, &c. The Worcester and Tenbury road passes through the parish.
Holt is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Worcester and rural deanery of Worcester West; living, a rectory, with the chapelry of Little Witley annexed; value £584, with residence and 47 acres of glebe; patron, the Earl of Dudley; rector, Rev. Charles John Sale, M.A., Lincoln College, Oxford, who was instituted in 1847.
The church is dedicated to St. Martin, and consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, and tower containing four bells; is principally of Norman work, except the south aisle and east wall. It was restored in 1858 at a cost of £800. There is much here to interest the visitor – rich Norman arches and doorways, curiously carved capital, a hagioscope, the finest Norman font in the county, monumental remains, old stained-glass, &c. The earliest register is dated 1538.
There is a national school in the village of Holt. The charities belonging to the parish amount to about £16 yearly.
Holt Castle is situate high on the west bank of the Severn, near the church. It is supposed to have been built in Norman times by one of the D’Abitots, but nothing now remains of it except the tower and portions of the embattled walls, which are of much later date. It was in succession a seat of the Warwick, Beauchamp, Wysham, Bromley, and Foley families, but is now the property of the Earl of Dudley, and his lordship’s agent James Best, Esq., resides there.
There is a handsome iron bridge over the Severn at Holt fleet, where is also a comfortable inn with tea gardens, much frequented during the summer months by river parties. The pleasant heights adjoining afford some of the best views of the Severn.
Little Witley, a chapelry, 2 miles W., contained in 1861 a population of 208; in 1871, 202, with 42 inhabited houses and 57 families or separate occupiers. It comprises an area of 960 acres; annual rateable value, £1,795.The chapel-of-ease is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and contains about 90 sittings. It is in the Early English style, and consists chancel, nave, and south porch, with an open bell-turret. It was restored in 1867. A new school has been recently erected here.
Postal Regulation. – Post Office, Holt heath; Mrs. Ann George, Sub-Postmistress. Letters arrive from Worcester about 9.30 a.m.; despatched thereto at 3.30 p.m. There is no delivery on Sundays. Ombersley is the nearest money-order office. Worcester is the telegraph office and post town.
Parish Church (St. Martin’s). – Rev. Charles John Sale, M.A., Rector; Mr. Edward Dorrell, Churchwarden; Henry Hankins, Parish Clerk.
Holy Trinity Chapel-of-Ease, Little Witley.
Holt National School (boys and girls). – Miss Mary Lucas, mistress.
Little Witley National School (boys and girls). – Mrs. Mary Bull, Mistress.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Best James, Esq., Holt Castle
Sale Rev. Chas. John, M.A., J.P. (rector of Holt, with Little Witley), The Rectory
AGRICULTURAL & COMMERCIAL.
Ashmore Benjamin, farmer and threshing-machine proprietor
Best James, agent to the Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley, Holt castle
Bishop Wm., frmr., Well frm., Lit. Witley
Bull Mrs. M., schoolmistress, Lit. Witley
Bullock James, fmr., Wood fm., Ockridge
Dorrell Edward, farmer, Naunton farm
Dorrell Thomas, farmer & miller, Bentley and Hollingshead farms and Holt mill
Evans Wm., Thos., Red Lion Inn, & farmer
Footman John, shoemaker, Little Witley
George Mrs. A., blksmith. & sub-postmstrs.
Goodwin Mrs. Susan, shopkeeper
Greaves Geo., fmr., Bank fm., Lit. Witley
Hammond Mrs. E., plumber, painter, &c.
Hankins Henry, shoemaker & parish clerk
Hill Peter, wheelwright
Hundley Henry, Holt Fleet Inn, Holt fleet
Lucas Miss Mary, schoolmistress, Holt
Mytton Edward, farmer, Little Witley
Powick Samuel, farmer, The Rew farm
Southall John, farmer, Little Witley
Wall Mrs. Sarah Jane, baker, grocer, and provision dlr., Green Hill ho., Lit. Witley
Walsh James, tailor
White Alfred J., farmer, Little Witley
Wilson Hy., market gardener & shopkpr.
Source: Littlebury, Littlebury’s Directory and Gazetteer of Worcester & District, Third Edition. Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. 1879.
Witley Great and Little Littleburys Directory 1905
Distances – 10 ½ miles NW of Worcester, 5½ SW of Stourport.
Postal Information – Post, Telegraph, Money Order and Savings’ Bank Office; Mrs. Selina Moule, Sub-Postmistress. Letters arrive from Stourport at 7.15 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.; despatched at 5.25 p.m. Post town, Stourport. Wall Letter-box at Hillhampton cleared at 5.15 p.m. week-days only.
Parish Church (St. Michael and All Angels) – Rev. Horace G. Monroe, M.A., Rector; Rev. F. W. Moore, B.A., Curate; J. M Baker and A. Young, Churchwardens. Harry Oakes, Organist.
Chapel of Ease, The Village – Services held on Sunday afternoons and evenings, Rev. Horace Monroe or his Curate officiates.
Elementary School (boys and girls) – William Wall, Head Master.
Great Whitey Institute – William Cooke, Hon. Sec.
St. Michael’s Chapel of Ease, Little Witley – Rev. H. Monroe, M.A., Rector; A. Weaver, Chapelwarden; J. Parsons, Organist.
Elementary School (boys and girls), Little Witley – C. W. Edmonds, Master.
Residents
Austen John, Hundred House Hotel, Great Witley, Private apartments for visitors. Posting in all its branches. C.T.C. quarters. Good stabling accommodation. Ales, wines, and spirits of the best quality.
Averill Leonard, farm ballet to the Earl of Dudley, Home farm.
Bache John, farmer and hop gr., Walsgrove
Baker John M., farmer, Dingle farm
Bartlett Charles H., White house
Bishop Fred., farmer, Well farm, Little Witley
Blackwell Edward, Hillhampton
Bride John B., forester to the Earl of Dudley
Carpenter John, cooper, Great Witley
Cocum John, blacksmith, Little Witley
Colebatch T., Bank farm, Great Witley
Cooke William, clerk of works to the Right Hon. The Earl of Dudley
Crane Richard, farmer, Little Witley
Dudley The Right Hon. Earl of, D.L., Witley Court
Edmonds C. W., schoolmaster, School house, Little Witley
Findlay James, Wulstans farm hill
Footman John, shoemaker, Little Witley
Fryer Mrs. A., superior furnished apartments, Rose cottage, Great Witley. Pleasantly situated close to Abberley and Woodbury hills. Visitors and cyclists specially catered for.
Fryer Edward, shoeing and general smith
Glover Percy Andrew, relieving officer and registrar of births and deaths
Goode Charles, farmer and dairyman
Goodwin A. W., tailor, assistant overseer and clerk to Parish Council, Great Witley
Green George, baker and grocer
Greensill Edward Samuel, surgeon
Limbrick H., haulier, Great Witley
Limbrick J., carpenter, Great Witley
Martin Elizabeth, Woodbury hill farm, Great Witley
Milton John, baker, &c.
Monroe Rev. Horace G., M.A. (rector), The Rectory
Moore Rev. F. W., B.A., Little Witley
Moss Joseph, farmer, Hillhampton
Moule Mrs. Selina, sub-postmistress and shopkeeper, Pots office
Mytton W. C., Park farm, Great Witley; res., Prickley
Presdee Walter, The Lodge, Little Witley
Proudman Garner Richard, farmer and hop grower, Redmarley farm
Proudman Robert A., farmer and hop grower, Hill house
Seale John, gamekeeper to the Earl of Dudley, Great Witley
Tolley Sarah, Easthope farm, Great Witley
Turner John, head gardener to F.W. Jones, Great Witley
Tyler Albert, Cottage farm, Great Witley
Wall William, head master of Elementary School, School house
Walters Sergeant J., Police station, Great Witley
Weaver Albert, farmer, Little Witley
Wheildon Joseph, Lippitt’s farm, Great Witley
White Alfred John, farmer, Little Witley
Young Arthur, head gardener to the Right Hon. The Earl of Dudley
Source: Littlebury’s Directory of Worcester & District. Tenth Edition. Printed and Published by Littlebury & Company, The Worcester Press, Worcester. 1905.
Little Witley Lewis Worcestershire Directory 1820
Croft Edward, farmer
Evans John, farmer
Foley Rev. Mr.
Ford William, farmer
Mills Joseph, keeper
Mills Joseph, jun. farmer
Pickernell Thos. farmer
Southall John, farmer
Source: S Lewis Worcestershire General and Commercial Directory for 1820.
Administration
- County: Worcestershire
- Civil Registration District: Martley
- Probate Court: Court of the Bishop of Worcester (Episcopal Consistory)
- Diocese: Worcester
- Rural Deanery: Worcester
- Poor Law Union: Martley
- Hundred: Oswaldslow
- Province: Canterbury