Bishop's Itchington
Encyclopedia
Bishop's Itchington is a village and civil parish about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) southeast of Royal Leamington Spa in Warwickshire
, England
.
The village is on the B4451 road about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Southam
, and about 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Junction 12 on the M40 motorway
. The Chiltern Main Line
passes less than 0.5 miles (804.7 m) east of the village.
is derived from the River Itchen
, and a link to the Bishops of Lichfield
, who were formerly the local landowners. It was originally known as Upper Itchington. Lower Itchington to the southwest was depopulated in 1547 by Thomas Fisher
.
The Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway was built through the area and in 1852 Southam Road and Harbury railway station
was opened at Deppers Bridge 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the village. British Rail
ways closed the station in 1964.
The village was much associated with a blue lias
limestone
quarry and a cement
works (Harbury
Works) which ceased operation in 1970. Blue Circle
is still a major landowner in the area.
of Saint Michael
originated as a chapel of ease
for All Saints' parish church in Lower Itchington. Parts of the chapel building dated from the 17th century and a small brick-built tower was added in 1834. In 1872 the chapel was demolished and replaced by the present church, which was designed by the Gothic Revival architect
Ewan Christian
. The deteriorating condition of the fabric, and in particular the tower, led to a restoration programme which was completed early in 2011. The bells were once again rung, after many years of silence, over the weekend of 12 - 13 February 2011.
The parish of Saint Michael's is now part of the Feldon Group of churches comprising the eight Anglican parishes of Bishops Itchington, Hunningham
, Long Itchington
, Marton
, Offchurch
, Radford Semele
, Wappenbury
with Eathorpe
, and Weston under Wetherley
.
The village's Congregational
Chapel, now a private house, was built in 1836.
. There is also the local primary school and a Post Office
. There used to be a branch of The Royal British Legion
but it is now closed, and the premises turned into a café.
There are fishing lakes just outside Bishop's Itchington, formed from the old quarries. The "Bishop's Bowl" comprises five lakes on a 100 acres (40.5 ha) complex. The fishery offers match, pleasure and specimen carp angling on waters which vary in characteristics from large and open sheer-faced flooded disused quarries to small, shrub-surrounded pools.
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The village is on the B4451 road about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Southam
Southam
Southam is a small market town in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,509 in the town.The nearest sizeable town to Southam is Leamington Spa, located roughly 7 miles to the west...
, and about 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Junction 12 on the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
. The Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
passes less than 0.5 miles (804.7 m) east of the village.
History
The village's toponymToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
is derived from the River Itchen
River Itchen, Warwickshire
The River Itchen flows through east Warwickshire in England. It is a small river, about long, and its general course is from south to north....
, and a link to the Bishops of Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
, who were formerly the local landowners. It was originally known as Upper Itchington. Lower Itchington to the southwest was depopulated in 1547 by Thomas Fisher
Thomas Fisher (MP)
-Early life:He was the M.P. for Warwick, was of obscure origin and usually known by the name of Fisher, because his father was a fishmonger in Warwick. His ability recommended him to John Dudley, duke of Northumberland, then Viscount Lisle, who took him into his service, and on 4 May, 34 Hen. VIII,...
.
The Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway was built through the area and in 1852 Southam Road and Harbury railway station
Southam Road and Harbury railway station
Southam Road and Harbury railway station was a railway station a mile east of Harbury, Warwickshire.-History:The station was on the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway, which was taken over by the Great Western Railway prior to opening from to Birmingham on 1 October 1852; Southam Road and...
was opened at Deppers Bridge 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the village. British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways closed the station in 1964.
The village was much associated with a blue lias
Blue Lias
The Blue Lias is a geologic formation in southern, eastern and western England and parts of South Wales, part of the Lias Group. The Blue Lias consists of a sequence of limestone and shale layers, laid down in latest Triassic and early Jurassic times, between 195 and 200 million years ago...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarry and a cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
works (Harbury
Harbury
Harbury is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,485....
Works) which ceased operation in 1970. Blue Circle
Blue Circle Industries
Blue Circle Industries was a British public company manufacturing cement. It was founded in 1900, and was bought out by the French company Lafarge in 2001.-History:...
is still a major landowner in the area.
Church and chapel
The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
originated as a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
for All Saints' parish church in Lower Itchington. Parts of the chapel building dated from the 17th century and a small brick-built tower was added in 1834. In 1872 the chapel was demolished and replaced by the present church, which was designed by the Gothic Revival architect
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Ewan Christian
Ewan Christian
Ewan Christian was a British architect. He is most notable for the restoration of Carlisle Cathedral, the alterations to Christ Church, Spitalfields in 1866, and the extension to the National Gallery that created the National Portrait Gallery. He was architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners...
. The deteriorating condition of the fabric, and in particular the tower, led to a restoration programme which was completed early in 2011. The bells were once again rung, after many years of silence, over the weekend of 12 - 13 February 2011.
The parish of Saint Michael's is now part of the Feldon Group of churches comprising the eight Anglican parishes of Bishops Itchington, Hunningham
Hunningham
Hunningham is a small village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. It is found 3 miles to the north-east of Leamington Spa, within the Radford Semele ward. In 2005 the village population was 198....
, Long Itchington
Long Itchington
Long Itchington is a large village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,161. The village is named after the River Itchen which flows to the south and west of the village....
, Marton
Marton
-Places:in England:*Marton, Blackpool, district of Blackpool*Marton, Bridlington, area of Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire*Marton, Cheshire, village and civil parish in Cheshire*Marton, Cumbria, village in Cumbria**Lindal and Marton, the local parish...
, Offchurch
Offchurch
Offchurch is a village and civil parish on the River Leam, east of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire.-History:There is a possibility that it was home to Offa, who was King of Mercia from 757 to 796. King Offa had a church built in the village...
, Radford Semele
Radford Semele
Radford Semele is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England, close to the town of Leamington Spa. According to the 2001 UK census, Radford Semele parish had a population of 2,034. It lies to the east of Leamington, on the A425 road between Leamington and Southam. It has a 16th century pub...
, Wappenbury
Wappenbury
Wappenbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire.Located on the north bank of the River Leam Wappenbury is almost entirely inside the ramparts of an Iron Age hill fort. The nearest town is Leamington Spa, some four miles to the south west of Wappenbury. During the...
with Eathorpe
Eathorpe
Eathorpe is a small village five miles east of Leamington Spa, in the English county of Warwickshire. It is in its own parish, in the electoral ward of Cubbington. It is very close to the B4455, which follows the line of the Roman Fosse Way, and the River Leam...
, and Weston under Wetherley
Weston under Wetherley
Weston-Under-Wetherley, often known by locals as just "Weston" is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, UK. It is found on the B4453, 3 miles north east of the closest town, Royal Leamington Spa. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the village had a population of 454 living in 164...
.
The village's Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Chapel, now a private house, was built in 1836.
Amenities
There are two public houses in or near the village - The Butchers Arms and The Great Western at Depper's Bridge, a working Men's Club - the Greaves Club, local shop and newsagentNewsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
. There is also the local primary school and a Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. There used to be a branch of The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
but it is now closed, and the premises turned into a café.
There are fishing lakes just outside Bishop's Itchington, formed from the old quarries. The "Bishop's Bowl" comprises five lakes on a 100 acres (40.5 ha) complex. The fishery offers match, pleasure and specimen carp angling on waters which vary in characteristics from large and open sheer-faced flooded disused quarries to small, shrub-surrounded pools.
External links
- Bishop's Itchington Parish Council
- Tombstoning at Bishop's Bowl Lakes
- Fishing at Bishop's Bowl Lakes
- Genealogical Information - Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry
- Photographs of Bishop's Itchington and surrounding area on geograph.org.uk
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-436000-255000/picture/1Information about Bishop's Itchington from BBC Domesday ProjectBBC Domesday ProjectThe BBC Domesday Project was a partnership between Acorn Computers Ltd, Philips, Logica and the BBC to mark the 900th anniversary of the original Domesday Book, an 11th century census of England...
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