Spernall
Encyclopedia
Spernall is a remote village 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Alcester in the Parish of Oldberrow
, Morton Bagot
, and Spernall, in the Stratford on Avon District of Warwickshire
, England
. In 2001 it had a population of 153. It is situated on the banks of the small River Arrow, the name meaning Spera's border (of his property). Early forms of the name are Spernore. and Spernoure in the 1327 Subsidy Roll. The village consists only of the church and rectory and a few scattered farms and cottages. At some time between 1195 and 1361 the parish was largely depopulated by pestilence, so that many of the villein tenements, which had hitherto accounted for almost the whole population, came into the hands of freemen. This may well refer to the Black Death
; the priest at Spernall, Nicholas atte Yate, died in 1349 and there was another institution in 1351.
In the 17th century the population seems to have mainly consisted of substantial farmers, for in 1625 it is described as a place with 'few or no poor at all in it and many wealthy inhabitants', and the Hearth Tax returns (1662–74) show the high average of about 2.5 hearths per house. It is now part of the parish of Morton Bagot
, Oldberrow
and Spernall which in 2001 had a population of 153.
records it as being part of the Land of William Bonvallett, stating Hugh holds 2 hides at Spernall from William. Land for 4 ploughs. In lordship 1; 4 villagers and 7 smallholders with 3 ploughs. A mill at 4s and 7 sticks of eels; meadow, 8 acres (32,374.9 m²); woodland 3 furlongs long and 1 wide.
is small stone building consisting of a chancel, rebuilt in 1844 when the church was restored, nave, south porch and a western bell turret containing one bell. The church has been closed since 1972 and is now owned by the Ancient Monuments Society
and tennanted.
The survey of the clergy by the puritans in 1586 described the Rector Humphrey Style thus; "Humfrie Stile 'parson dumbe and unlearned a common alehousehaunter and of suspected life : Value xx markes by the yeare".
constituency, whose current Member of Parliament following the 2010 election is Nadhim Zahawi
of the Conservative Party
.
It is included in the West Midlands
electoral region of the European Parliament and the six members are; Mike Nattrass
(UK Independence), Liz Lynne
(Liberal Democrat), Malcolm Harbour
(Conservative), Michael Cashman
(Labour), Philip Bradbourn
OBE (Conservative) and Nicole Sinclaire
(UK Independence).
, Douglas DC-3
(Registration: EI-ACF and named St Kieran) on a flight from Dublin Airport
in Ireland
to Birmingham Airport, England. The flight depated from 09:36 and about 11:00 both engines failed due to fuel starvation. The pilot made a forced landing at Spernall. None of the 25 passengers and crew were killed or injured but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Purity Brewing Co. http://www.puritybrewing.com/vision.cfm
Oldberrow
Oldberrow is a village in the Stratford on Avon District of Warwickshire, England. The parish was part of Worcestershire until 1896, when it was transferred to Warwickshire, into which county it penetrated, between Morton Bagot and Ullenhall, as a narrow strip some long by about ½ mile wide. The...
, Morton Bagot
Morton Bagot
Morton Bagot is a small village in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. It lies about east of the Birmingham-Alcester road, the modern A435 and Roman Ryknild Street, north of Alcester, from Stratford upon Avon and 12 miles from Warwick, across the valley of a small brook,...
, and Spernall, in the Stratford on Avon District of Warwickshire
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...
. In 2001 it had a population of 153. It is situated on the banks of the small River Arrow, the name meaning Spera's border (of his property). Early forms of the name are Spernore. and Spernoure in the 1327 Subsidy Roll. The village consists only of the church and rectory and a few scattered farms and cottages. At some time between 1195 and 1361 the parish was largely depopulated by pestilence, so that many of the villein tenements, which had hitherto accounted for almost the whole population, came into the hands of freemen. This may well refer to the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
; the priest at Spernall, Nicholas atte Yate, died in 1349 and there was another institution in 1351.
In the 17th century the population seems to have mainly consisted of substantial farmers, for in 1625 it is described as a place with 'few or no poor at all in it and many wealthy inhabitants', and the Hearth Tax returns (1662–74) show the high average of about 2.5 hearths per house. It is now part of the parish of Morton Bagot
Morton Bagot
Morton Bagot is a small village in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. It lies about east of the Birmingham-Alcester road, the modern A435 and Roman Ryknild Street, north of Alcester, from Stratford upon Avon and 12 miles from Warwick, across the valley of a small brook,...
, Oldberrow
Oldberrow
Oldberrow is a village in the Stratford on Avon District of Warwickshire, England. The parish was part of Worcestershire until 1896, when it was transferred to Warwickshire, into which county it penetrated, between Morton Bagot and Ullenhall, as a narrow strip some long by about ½ mile wide. The...
and Spernall which in 2001 had a population of 153.
History
The Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records it as being part of the Land of William Bonvallett, stating Hugh holds 2 hides at Spernall from William. Land for 4 ploughs. In lordship 1; 4 villagers and 7 smallholders with 3 ploughs. A mill at 4s and 7 sticks of eels; meadow, 8 acres (32,374.9 m²); woodland 3 furlongs long and 1 wide.
Economy
Whilst mostly agricultural Spernall also contains a large water treatment works on the River Arrow. The Purity Brewing Co are located at The Brewery, Upper Spernall Farm, Off Spernal Lane, Great Alne, Warwickshire B49 6JF manufacturing their Pure Gold, Pure UBU and Mad Goose ales.Notable buildings
The Church of St LeonardSt Leonard's Church, Spernall
St Leonard's Church, Spernall, is a redundant church in Spernall, Warwickshire, England . It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.-Early history:...
is small stone building consisting of a chancel, rebuilt in 1844 when the church was restored, nave, south porch and a western bell turret containing one bell. The church has been closed since 1972 and is now owned by the Ancient Monuments Society
Ancient Monuments Society
The Ancient Monuments Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, founded in 1924 "for the study and conservation of ancient monuments, historic buildings and fine old craftsmanship".-National Amenity Societies:...
and tennanted.
The survey of the clergy by the puritans in 1586 described the Rector Humphrey Style thus; "Humfrie Stile 'parson dumbe and unlearned a common alehousehaunter and of suspected life : Value xx markes by the yeare".
Governance
Spernall is part of the Sambourne ward of Stratford on Avon District Council and represented by Councillor Justin Kerridge, Conservative. Nationally it is part of Stratford-on-AvonStratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency)
-By-elections:-Notes and references:...
constituency, whose current Member of Parliament following the 2010 election is Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon since 2010, after the retirement of previous MP John Maples....
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
It is included in the West Midlands
West Midlands (European Parliament constituency)
West Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elected 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. The constituency will also elect a "virtual MEP" who will be able to sit in the Parliament if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect...
electoral region of the European Parliament and the six members are; Mike Nattrass
Mike Nattrass
Mike Nattrass is an English politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing the West Midlands constituency for the UK Independence Party , elected for the first time in June 2004 and re-elected in June 2009....
(UK Independence), Liz Lynne
Liz Lynne
Elizabeth Lynne, known as Liz Lynne, is a British politician, and has been a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands for the Liberal Democrats since her election at the 1999 European election...
(Liberal Democrat), Malcolm Harbour
Malcolm Harbour
Malcolm Harbour is a British politician. He is a Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands. He is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and the Chairman of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection.-Motor industry:Malcolm Harbour was...
(Conservative), Michael Cashman
Michael Cashman
Michael Maurice Cashman is a British former actor, now a Labour politician. He has been a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands constituency since 1999.- Acting :...
(Labour), Philip Bradbourn
Philip Bradbourn
Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP is a British politician, and Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands, for the Conservative Party...
OBE (Conservative) and Nicole Sinclaire
Nikki Sinclaire
Nicole Sinclaire is a European politician from the United Kingdom and is a current MEP.Educated at the University of Canterbury graduating with a Bachelor of Laws qualification. Sinclaire has worked for Lloyds as a 'problem troubleshooter' was employed as a Gateway store manager and worked in...
(UK Independence).
Air crash
A 1 January 1953 a Aer LingusAer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
, Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
(Registration: EI-ACF and named St Kieran) on a flight from Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Birmingham Airport, England. The flight depated from 09:36 and about 11:00 both engines failed due to fuel starvation. The pilot made a forced landing at Spernall. None of the 25 passengers and crew were killed or injured but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
External links
For more detail on St Leonards see the Friends of Friendless Churches site http://www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/churches/Spernall/spernall-history.htmPurity Brewing Co. http://www.puritybrewing.com/vision.cfm