Areley Kings
Encyclopedia
Areley Kings is a Worcestershire
village on the River Severn
10 miles north of Worcester in the picturesque area of the Wyre Forest
. The area is featured in the Domesday Book
and many historical places of interest are open to visitors. Nearby Stourport on Severn grew during the Victorian era
and is still very popular with tourists and holiday makers all year round for canal and river cruising and for the many well signed walks through some of the finest Worcestershire countryside.
The manor of Areley Kings was from early times part of the manor of Martley
and the rector of Martley still has the right to appoint the rector at Areley Kings. The church is probably first mentioned in the preface of the Brut of Laȝamon, who wrote sometime between 1189 and 1207. He describes himself as a priest
at Erneleye, at a noble church upon Severn's bank. He wrote a history of England, partly legendary, partly factual, translating earlier writings from Latin and French. The discovery, during rebuilding, of the base of a Norman
font under the nave
floor with an inscription containing the name of Layamon, establishes the connection with the writer and shows that a church existed here c.1200. The manor of Areley originated in a fishery at "Ernel" which, with the land belonging to it, was granted by the Empress Matilda
to Bordesley Abbey
upon its foundation in 1136, and retained until the Dissolution
.
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
is rumoured to have slept a night at Areley House during the English Civil War
.
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...
village on the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
10 miles north of Worcester in the picturesque area of the Wyre Forest
Wyre Forest
Wyre Forest is a large, semi-natural woodland and forest which straddles the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire, England.The Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire takes its name from the forest, despite the fact that much of the woodland does not lie within the district's boundaries, but...
. The area is featured in the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
and many historical places of interest are open to visitors. Nearby Stourport on Severn grew during the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and is still very popular with tourists and holiday makers all year round for canal and river cruising and for the many well signed walks through some of the finest Worcestershire countryside.
History
St Bartholomew’s Parish Church at Areley Kings was founded as a Norman Church. With a continuous history and a partial re-building by the Victorians, the church complex includes a Queen Anne Rectory and mediæval timber-framed church house.The manor of Areley Kings was from early times part of the manor of Martley
Martley
Martley is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills district of the English county of Worcestershire. It is approximately nine miles north-west of Worcester. The population of the village is approximately 1200 people...
and the rector of Martley still has the right to appoint the rector at Areley Kings. The church is probably first mentioned in the preface of the Brut of Laȝamon, who wrote sometime between 1189 and 1207. He describes himself as a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
at Erneleye, at a noble church upon Severn's bank. He wrote a history of England, partly legendary, partly factual, translating earlier writings from Latin and French. The discovery, during rebuilding, of the base of a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
font under the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
floor with an inscription containing the name of Layamon, establishes the connection with the writer and shows that a church existed here c.1200. The manor of Areley originated in a fishery at "Ernel" which, with the land belonging to it, was granted by the Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
to Bordesley Abbey
Bordesley Abbey
Bordesley Abbey was a 12th century Cistercian abbey near the town of Redditch, in Worcestershire, England.The abbey's foundation has been attributed to Queen Maud, but it is actually down to Waleran de Beaumont, Count of Meulan who gave the monks of Garendon Abbey in Leicestershire some more land....
upon its foundation in 1136, and retained until the Dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
.
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
is rumoured to have slept a night at Areley House during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.