Inkberrow is a village in Worcestershire, England.
History edit
Roman Inkberrow edit
Excavations have identified late-Roman motif bracelets within the village.[1]: 277
Medieval Inkberrow edit
During the Dark Ages, Inkberrow was established as an early minster, despite its small size compared to neighbouring parishes.[2]: 92 Its importance was due to its role as a stopping-place between Mercian population centres, such as Hereford and Leicester, or Prestbury and Tamworth.[3]: 564 It was situated between the Roman roads of Icknield Street and the Alcester-Droitwich saltway.[4]: 11 It became part of the Diocese of Worcester.[2]: 85
Patrick Sims-Williams identifies Inkberrow as the place known as Penintanham, which was given by Oshere of Hwicce to Abbess Cuthswith for the construction of a monastery in the 690s.[3]: 562 The name Penintanham (properly read as Pen-Intanham) is derived from the ancient British or old Welsh pen, meaning "hill". Intan, the genitive of the personal name Inta, occurs in Intanbeorgas: this is the original name of the village, meaning "Inta's hills".[4] Sims-Williams further suggests that Cuthswith's successor was the Cyneburg who received the nearby village of Bradley from Æthelbald of Mercia between 723 and 737.[3]: 562 In a series of eighth and ninth century charters, three successive bishops of Worcester confirmed agreement with Wulfheard, son of Cussa, that he could hold land at Inkberrow and Bradley for life.[3]: 562–3 In 977, Oswald of Worcester leased one hide at Inkberrow, which increased to four hides in 984.[3]: 564
By 1023, Bishop Æthelstan of Hereford, had interest in the smaller of Inkberrow's two manors.[3]: 559 He attended court in Worcestershire between 1012 and 1023 to maintain his claim that he had bought five hides of land at Inkberrow from Leofric of Blackwell, with the Diocese of Worcester listed as the ultimate landlord.[3]: 564 In 1086, Bishop Robert of Hereford, held the larger manor as tenant-in-chief and the smaller manor as a tenant of Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester.[3]: 559 During the 12th century, Inkberrow was run as a single manor.[3]: 559 It remained under Hereford's control until the 1170s when Bishop Robert of Hereford granted it to John, son of John Marshal, in exchange for service of a knight and land in Wiltshire.[3]: 559 The church remained under control of Hereford, however.[3]: 559
Early modern period edit
Following the Toleration Act in 1688, Inkberrow's churchwardens reported that "very many persons since the Toleration Act neglect all public worship".[5]: 224
20th century edit
During the Cold War, one of 26 nuclear bunkers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire was built within the village and staffed by the Royal Observer Corps.[6] The bunker was opened in 1962 and closed in 1991.[7]
Governance edit
Inkberrow is a village and civil parish governed at the lowest tier by Inkberrow Parish Council. It comprises various hamlets, being:[8]
Inkberrow falls within the Redditch constituency within the UK Parliament.[9]
Geography edit
Inkberrow is situated within a series of around sixty grassland sites stretching from Pershore to Astwood Bank. In 2011, three wildflower meadows were purchased for £49,100 by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, using the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The meadows, known as Sands Meadows, were designated a Local Wildlife Site in 1990, and are home to the brown hairstreak butterfly.[10]
Economy edit
In 2002, plans to construct a Terrestrial Trunked Radio mast within the village were abandoned following protests.[11]
Culture edit
In 2017, Inkberrow declared itself a "village of culture" and began a year-long arts festival.[12]
Architecture edit
The Archers edit
The Old Bull, one of the pubs in Inkberrow, is said to be the inspiration for The Bull pub in the BBC radio series The Archers.[12] Other areas of Worcestershire, including Hanbury Hall, have been linked to the show.[13] The village has since become a tourist hotspot for fans of the radio series.[14]
Education edit
Inkberrow has been home to a mixed-sex school since at least 1891, when there were 63 pupils and 22 infants attending.[15]
Notable people edit
References edit
- ^ Swift, Ellen (2010). "Identifying Migrant Communities: A Contextual Analysis of Grave Assemblages from Continental Late Roman Cemeteries". Britannia. 41. ISSN 0068-113X. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ a b Bassett, Steven (2010). "The landed endowment of the Anglo-Saxon minster at Hanbury (Worcs)". Anglo-Saxon England. 38. ISSN 0263-6751. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barrow, Julia (2012). "Way-Stations on English Episcopal Itineraries, 700-1300". The English Historical Review. 127 (526). ISSN 0013-8266. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ a b Sims-Williams, Patrick (1976). "Cuthswith, seventh–century abbess of Inkberrow, near Worcester, and the Würzburg manuscript of Jerome on Ecclesiastes". Anglo-Saxon England. 5. ISSN 0263-6751. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ Field, Clive D. (2008). "A Shilling for Queen Elizabeth: The Era of State Regulation of Church Attendance in England, 1552-1969". Journal of Church and State. 50 (2). ISSN 0021-969X. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Nuclear bunkers: Cold War legacy". BBC News. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "Inkberrow ROC Post". Subterranea Britannica. 24 September 1999. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "Parish Website of Inkberrow". Worcestershire County Council. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ Greenstreet, Rosanna (28 February 2009). "Q&A: Jacqui Smith, home secretary, on arguing, interfering and swearing". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "Sands Meadows in Worcestershire bought by wildlife trust". BBC News. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "Residents oppose phone masts". BBC News. 22 July 2003. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Inkberrow residents declare 'village of culture'". BBC News. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "The Archers: Our local soap opera". BBC News. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "Real home of the Archers braced for racy anniversary". The Guardian. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ "Inkberrow School Board". Berrow's Worcester Journal. 4 July 1891. p. 5. Retrieved 19 December 2020.