Upton Warren
Encyclopedia
Upton Warren is a village and civil parish
in the Wychavon
district, in Worcestershire
, England. The village is situated just off the A38 road
between Bromsgrove
and Droitwich Spa
, and on the River Salwarpe
. In the 2001 census
, the parish, which also contains the small hamlet
of Cooksey Green, had a population of 291.
The village, in the south-east corner of the parish, is situated between two major roads, the M5 motorway
to the west and the A38 to the east and south.
East of the village, on the boundary with Dodderhill
, is the Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve, a nature reserve
and a popular location for birdwatching
. The reserve consists of several pools created by subsidence
as a result of brine
extraction in the area.
first in the hands of John de Grafton, then the Staffords, followed by the Talbots and Earls of Shrewsbury.
were extended hugely by Henry II
, which encompassed much of North Worcestershire, including Upton Warren. The area was removed from forest law in 1301 in the reign of Henry III
, when the boundaries were moved back.
survey, but was rebuilt before 1300, and consecrated that year. The present building largely dates to the 1700s; the chancel being rebuilt in 1724 and the nave in 1798. The tower dates to the late 1400s.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Wychavon
Wychavon
Wychavon is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in Pershore. Other towns in the district include Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Broadway. The district extends from the south-east corner of Worcestershire north and west...
district, in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England. The village is situated just off the A38 road
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
between Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
and Droitwich Spa
Droitwich Spa
Droitwich Spa is a town in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe.The town is situated on massive deposits of salt, and salt has been extracted there since ancient times. The natural Droitwich brine contains 2½ lbs...
, and on the River Salwarpe
River Salwarpe
The River Salwarpe is a river in Worcestershire, England. Rising near Bromsgrove, it passes Stoke Prior, Upton Warren, Wychbold, Droitwich . After Droitwich, it meets the River Severn, at Hawford, . Andrew Yarranton attempted unsuccessfully to make it navigable in the 1660s....
. In the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the parish, which also contains the small hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Cooksey Green, had a population of 291.
The village, in the south-east corner of the parish, is situated between two major roads, the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
to the west and the A38 to the east and south.
East of the village, on the boundary with Dodderhill
Dodderhill
Dodderhill is a village and civil parish, near Droitwich, Worcestershire, England, located on the River Salwarpe. The parish is bisected by the M5 motorway, constructed in 1962...
, is the Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve, a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
and a popular location for birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
. The reserve consists of several pools created by subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
as a result of brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
extraction in the area.
Upton Warren
Upton Warren was a Manor, for many years inherited alongside GraftonGrafton Manor
Grafton Manor was established before the Norman Conquest...
first in the hands of John de Grafton, then the Staffords, followed by the Talbots and Earls of Shrewsbury.
Little and Great Cooksey
There were two other Manors, Little Cooksey and Great Cooksey, the latter giving its name to the de Cooksey family.Forest law
The boundaries of Feckenham ForestFeckenham Forest
Feckenham Forest was a royal forest, centred around the town of Feckenham, covering large parts of west Worcestershire and Warwickshire. As such, it was not entirely wooded, nor entirely the property of the King. Rather, the King had legal rights over game, wood and grazing within the forest, and...
were extended hugely by Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, which encompassed much of North Worcestershire, including Upton Warren. The area was removed from forest law in 1301 in the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, when the boundaries were moved back.
St Michael’s Church
The Church probably existed at the time of 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...
survey, but was rebuilt before 1300, and consecrated that year. The present building largely dates to the 1700s; the chancel being rebuilt in 1724 and the nave in 1798. The tower dates to the late 1400s.