Bitterley
Encyclopedia
Bitterley is a village and civil parish in Shropshire
, England
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 802. The village is about four miles east of Ludlow
on the western slopes of Titterstone Clee Hill
. Bitterley is the location for Bitterley Court, the longtime seat of the Walcott family, who had previously sold their Walcot Hall to Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
, known as Lord Clive of India. Nearby, to the east, is the small hamlet of Bedlam
.
In 1899 Bitterley Court was purchased by James Volant Wheeler, younger son of Edward Vincent Wheeler of Newnham Court , Tenbury Wells, and remains in the ownership of the Wheelers to this day. Bitterley Court is a Grade 2* listed building which was extensively modernized by Thomas Prichard in the late 18th century and restored by the grandson of James Volant Wheeler in the 1960s, saving it from demolition at a time when English country houses were at risk.
The fictional village of Bitterley in the Mary Webb
novel was based on Habberley
in the same county.
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, 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...
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 802. The village is about four miles east of Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
on the western slopes of Titterstone Clee Hill
Titterstone Clee Hill
Titterstone Clee Hill, sometimes referred to as Clee Hill or Titterstone Clee, is a hill in the rural English county of Shropshire, rising at the summit to 533 m above sea level....
. Bitterley is the location for Bitterley Court, the longtime seat of the Walcott family, who had previously sold their Walcot Hall to Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB , also known as Clive of India, was a British officer who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal. He is credited with securing India, and the wealth that followed, for the British crown...
, known as Lord Clive of India. Nearby, to the east, is the small hamlet of Bedlam
Bedlam, Shropshire
Bedlam is a small hamlet in south Shropshire, England.It is located east of Bitterley and north of Cleehill....
.
In 1899 Bitterley Court was purchased by James Volant Wheeler, younger son of Edward Vincent Wheeler of Newnham Court , Tenbury Wells, and remains in the ownership of the Wheelers to this day. Bitterley Court is a Grade 2* listed building which was extensively modernized by Thomas Prichard in the late 18th century and restored by the grandson of James Volant Wheeler in the 1960s, saving it from demolition at a time when English country houses were at risk.
The fictional village of Bitterley in the Mary Webb
Mary Webb
Mary Webb , was an English romantic novelist and poet of the early 20th century, whose work is set chiefly in the Shropshire countryside and among Shropshire characters and people which she knew. Her novels have been successfully dramatized, most notably the film Gone to Earth in 1950 by Michael...
novel was based on Habberley
Habberley, Shropshire
Habberley is a small village in the English county of Shropshire.Habberley lies near the Stiperstones southwest of the town of Shrewsbury.Formerly a small civil parish in its own right Habberley was merged in to the Pontesbury civil parish in 1967. In 1824 its population was recorded as 151 - by...
in the same county.