Hopwas
Encyclopedia
Hopwas is a village
in Staffordshire
, England. It lies just over 2 miles (3 km) west of Tamworth
and 5 miles (8 km) east of Lichfield
. It is situated where the A51 road
crosses both the River Tame
and the Coventry Canal
. Although close to Tamworth, the village is part of the parish
of Wigginton and Hopwas
within Lichfield District
.
as "The King holds Opewas; there are three hides; the arable land is six carucates. In demesne
there is a mill of thirteen shillings and four pence rent; and eleven villans and two bordars employ five ploughs. Here are thirty acres of meadow, a wood six furlongs in length and three in breadth. The whole was valued aforetime and then at 40s."
family of Wychnor Park
. A large part of the woodland is currently owned by Tarmac
.
Tamworth Cricket Club currently plays at Hopwas.
The village has a variety of clubs and societies including an active Women's Institute and Book Club.
. Of particular interest may be the canal bridge, a milepost, and the Hopwas Pumping Station.
Hopwas also possesses two historic public houses, the Red Lion and the Tame Otter (formerly the Chequers).
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked 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. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England. It lies just over 2 miles (3 km) west of Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
and 5 miles (8 km) east of Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
. It is situated where the A51 road
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
crosses both the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
and the Coventry Canal
Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.It starts in Coventry and ends 38 miles north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal...
. Although close to Tamworth, the village is part of the parish
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...
of Wigginton and Hopwas
Wigginton and Hopwas
Wigginton and Hopwas is a civil parish in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. The villages of Wigginton and Hopwas, that make up the parish, lie 2 miles to the north and north-west, respectively, of Tamworth. They are separated by the River Tame, the Coventry Canal and the West Coast Main...
within Lichfield District
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
.
History
Hopwas is recorded in 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...
as "The King holds Opewas; there are three hides; the arable land is six carucates. In demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
there is a mill of thirteen shillings and four pence rent; and eleven villans and two bordars employ five ploughs. Here are thirty acres of meadow, a wood six furlongs in length and three in breadth. The whole was valued aforetime and then at 40s."
Amenities
North of Hopwas village is Hopwas Hays Wood, which consists of approximately 385 acres of ancient woodland, that was owned for many years by the LevettLevett
Levett is an Anglo-Norman territorial surname deriving from the village of Livet-en-Ouche, now Jonquerets-de-Livet, in Eure, Normandy. Ancestors of the earliest Levett family in England, the de Livets were lords of the village of Livet, and undertenants of the de Ferrers, among the most powerful of...
family of Wychnor Park
Wychnor Hall
Wychnor Hall is an early 18th century country house near Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. Formerly owned by the Levett family, descendants of Theophilus Levett, Steward of the city of Lichfield in the early eighteenth century, the hall has been converted to a Country Club. It is a Grade II listed...
. A large part of the woodland is currently owned by Tarmac
Tarmac (company)
Tarmac is a company that is based in Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom and operates internationally. The company produces aggregates and road-surfacing materials, including tarmacadam, from which the company's name is derived...
.
Tamworth Cricket Club currently plays at Hopwas.
The village has a variety of clubs and societies including an active Women's Institute and Book Club.
Historic Buildings
Hopwas has a number of listed buildings, including cottages, a school house, and the Parish Church of St ChadSt Chad's Church, Hopwas
St Chad's Church, Hopwas is in the village of Hopwas, Staffordshire, England, and in the parish of Tamworth. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building, and is an active Anglican church. The church is in the deanery of Tamworth, the archdeaconry of Lichfield and...
. Of particular interest may be the canal bridge, a milepost, and the Hopwas Pumping Station.
Hopwas also possesses two historic public houses, the Red Lion and the Tame Otter (formerly the Chequers).