Cotheridge, Worcestershire Family History Guide
Cotheridge is an Ancient Parish in the county of Worcestershire.
Other places in the parish include: Otherton and Hewson.
Parish church: St. Leonard
Parish registers begin: 1653
Nonconformists include:
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
COTHERIDGE, a parish in Martley district, Worcestershire; on the river Teme, and on the Worcester and Malvern railway, 4 miles W of Worcester.
It includes the hamlets of Hewson and Otherton; and has a post office under Worcester. Acres, 2,202. Real property, £3,104. Pop., 233. Houses, 46.
Cotheridge Court, the seat of the Rev. W. Berkeley, the lord of the manor, stands amid extensive grounds; and is approached by a straight avenue of lofty trees, ½ a mile long.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Worcester. Value, not reported. Patron, the Rev. W. Berkeley. The church has an arched partition between nave and chancel; and one of the arches is Norman. Charities, £8.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Laird Description of Worcestershire 1814
Coteridge [sic] is a pleasing village romantically situated on the banks of the Teme, about three miles west of Worcester.
The village itself is but small; but few spots can exceed in beauty the mansion-house, the seat of Rowland Berkeley, Esq. which is a modern building upon the ancient site.
This is the same family whom we have noticed under the head of Spetchley, to whom it came from the family of Brace, now represented by Lygon; the first Berkeley possessor was William, and his son Thomas having died in Greece whilst in a diplomatic capacity, along with the English Ambassador to the Turkish court, this estate was left to a second daughter, whose representative we believe is the present possessor.
Though the building is modern, with a light and airy elevation, yet it assimilates notwithstanding with the scenery around it, which is all laid out (the home scenery at least) in the antique style. The avenue, nearly a mile long, is formed of majestic trees, which, when in summer’s luxuriant foliage, give an air of grandeur to the approach: whilst the picturesque meanders of the Teme between its swelling knolls, and abruptly broken banks, present a scene of high interest and delight.
Source: A Topographical and Historical Description of the County of Worcester, by Mr. Laird. Printed for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, Paternoster Row; and George Cowie and Co. successors to Vernor, Hood, and Sharp, 31, Poultry, London. Printed circa 1814.
Universal British Directory 1791
Cotheridge, about four miles from Worcester, on the Bromyard road, is the seat of Rowland Berkeley, Esq. a rural mansion.
Source: Universal British Directory 1791
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.
Westley, Richard, of Cotheridge, co. Worcester, gent., bachelor, about 40, and Mrs. Margery Symmonds, of All Saints, in the city of Worcester, widow, about 40, alleged by John Westley, of St. Gregory, London, gent — in parish church or chapel of Brainsford, co. Worcester. 14 July, 1677. V.
Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Directories
Online Directories
Bentley’s Directory of Cotheridge 1840 – Archive.org
Directory Transcriptions
Cotheridge Littleburys Worcester Directory 1905
Distance – 4 miles W. of Worcester.
Population – In 1901, 214. Acreage, 2202.
Postal Information – Post and Telegraph Office; Edward Corbett, Sub-postmaster.
Letters arrive by mail-cart from Worcester at 5.3 a.m. [sic]; the delivery commences at 6 a.m.; despatched at 5.5 a.m. to Bromyard and 7.15 p.m. on week-days and Sundays to Worcester. Telegrams may be sent from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. on week-days, and from 8 a.m. till 10 a.m. on Sundays. Postal orders are issued at this office. St. John’s is the nearest money order office. Post town, Worcester.
The Wall Letter-box at Crown East is cleared on week-days at 4.55 and 7.35 p.m., and Sundays at 7.35 p.m.
Parish Church (St. Leonard’s) – Rev. Frederick Thomas Minchall, B.A., Vicar (resides at Ronkswood, Worcester); J. Daniel and Albert Williams, Churchwardens; John Hundley, Parish Clerk.
Elementary School – Mrs. Margaret Pilkington, Mistress
Assistant Overseer and Rate Collector for Cotheridge –John Hundley, Lingens, Broadwas.
Residents
Berkeley Rowland Comyns, Cotheridge court
Bradbury William, carpenter, Mount Flirt
Cave William Perry, farmer, Great Ossage; res., Ladywood, Claines, Worcester
Corbett Edwd., blacksmith & sub-postmaster
Daniel Mrs. Emma, farmer, Maples cross
Davis John Gwylyn, farmer, Lower Howson
Ford-Whitcombe Charles, architect, Newbury, Upper Broadheath
Halford George, farmer, Otherton farm
James Benjamin, farmer, Upper Lightwood
Jelf George, farmer, Church farm
Jones David, farmer and dairyman, Lower Lightwood
Kirk Arthur T., farmer, Middle Lightwood; res., St. John’s, Worcester
Pilkington Mrs. M., sch’lmistress, School ho.
Spencer William, farmer, Little Lightwood
Verney Charles, farmer, Lower court
Watts Alfred, farmer, Hill top farm
Williams Albert, farmer, Howson; res., Darby’s common, Doddenham
Source: Littlebury’s Directory of Worcester & District. Tenth Edition. Printed and Published by Littlebury & Company, The Worcester Press, Worcester. 1905
Cotheridge Worcestershire Littleburys Directory 1879
Cotheridge is a village and parish near the river Teme, 4 miles W. of Worcester and 1 mile N. of Leigh Court station on the Worcester and Bromyard railway; is in the western division of the county and hundred of Middle Oswaldslow, union and highway district of Martley, petty sessional division and county court district of Worcester, polling district of St. John’s; annual rateable value, £3,320; area of the parish, 2,202 acres; population in 1861, 233, in 1871, 240, with 49 inhabited houses and 50 families or separate occupiers.
The Rev. William Comyns Berkeley is lord of the manor, and owns the whole parish except about 12 acres belonging to Henry Bramwell, Esq., of Crown East court. The soil is loam and clay; subsoil, clay; chief crops, wheat, beans, hops, and pasture.
Cotheridge is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Worcester and rural deanery of West Worcester; the living is a vicarage in the patronage of the Rev. William Comyns Berkeley, B.A., Jesus College, Cambridge, and held by the Rev. William Nichols Berkeley, B.A., Jesus College, Cambridge, who was instituted in 1873.
The church of St. Leonard is a plain building, with nave, chancel, and vestry room or chapel on the north side, under which is the Berkeley vault. The tower, which contains four bells, is of massive wood framework, the lower part of plaster, apparently of the sixteenth century.
The chancel arch is Norman, and the east window until recently contained stained glass, with the arms of Say and Mortimer and Talbot, of Richard’s Castle, Sir Walter Lucy, of Dallington, Northampton (who died 1444), also his wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Warine Archdekne, of Lanyhorne castle, Cornwall, and Judge Berkeley, but this has been removed and replaced by a painted window (by Preedy) presented by Mrs. Russell Ingram, daughter of the Rev. Richard Tompkyns Berkeley, in memory of her father and mother.
In the chapel is a handsome cenotaph to Thomas, son of Sir Rowland Berkeley, who died in 1669 at Megree, Greece. Ancient encaustic tiles with curious inscriptions and other points of interest will be found here. The earliest register is dated 1653.
There is a national school for boys and girls. Cotheridge Court, the seat of the Rev. W. C. Berkeley, is a spacious mansion near the church, approached through a noble avenue of lofty lime trees, extending in a straight line for about three-quarters of a mile.
Lightwood lies to the N.E.; Maples Cross is 1 mile N.; Otherton 1 mile E.; Allsetts (or Horsage) 1 ½ N.; Howsen is a hamlet, 1 mile S.E.
Postal Regulations. – Edward Preece, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive from Worcester at 7.30 a.m.; despatched thereto at 7.30 p.m. Worcester is the nearest money-order and telegraph office and post town.
Parish Church (St. Leonard’s). – Rev. William Nichols Berkeley, B.A., Vicar; Mr. Lambert Nicholls, Churchwarden; J. Hundley, Parish Clerk.
National School (boys and girls). – Miss Sarah Jane Cheese, Mistress.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Berkeley Rev. William Comyns, B.A., Cotheridge court
Berkeley Rev. Wm. Nichols, B.A. (vicar of Cotheridge), Newbury, Broadheath
AGRICULTURAL & COMMERCIAL.
Browning Mrs. Harriet, farmer, Middle Lightwood
Cheese Miss Sarah Jane, schoolmistress
Cheese William, shopkeeper
Daniel Joseph, farmer, Maples cross; res., Elms farm, St. John’s
Daniel Richard, farmer, Little Lightwood
Hilles William, farmer and hop grower, Lower court
Hundley John, parish clerk
James Francis, farmer, Upper Lightwood, Broadheath
Lea William, farmer, Great and Little Otherton farms
Nicholls Lambert, auctioneer, farmer, and hop grower, Great and Little Howsen farms; office, 5 Foregate St., Worcester
Orgee Wm., frmr., Great & Little Allsetts
Preece Edward, blacksmith & sub-postma.
Stinton Mrs., farmer, Great Lightwood
Webster Anthony, farmer & dlr., Hill top
Source: Littlebury, Littlebury’s Directory and Gazetteer of Worcester & District, Third Edition. Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. 1879
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: Doddingtree
- Province: Canterbury