Kemerton
Encyclopedia
Kemerton is a village and civil parish
in Worcestershire
in England
. It lies at the extreme south of the county in the local government district of Wychavon
. Until boundary changes in 1931, it formed part of neighbouring Gloucestershire
, and it remains in the Diocese of Gloucester
. The northern half of the parish lies within the Cotswolds
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
.
The parish is approximately 5.8 km (3.6 miles) long by 1.2 km (0.7 miles) wide, and encompasses approximately 6.738 square kilometres (1,665 acre). It descends from the summit of Bredon Hill
in the north, (elevation 300 m / 981 ft) to the Carrant Brook in the south (elevation 20 m / 65 ft). The north and south parish boundaries are recorded in a Saxon charter of the 8th-century.
Notable historic features include Kemerton Camp, an Iron Age
hill fort
surmounting Bredon Hill, thought to have been vacated suddenly after a considerable battle. On the fort’s south rampart is a two-storey stone tower known as Parsons Folly (or Kemerton Tower), built in the mid-18th century by John Parsons V, MP
(1732–1805), the squire of Kemerton, who reputedly wished to raise the summit of Bredon Hill to 1000 ft (305 m). Significant buildings include the Church of St Nicholas, Kemerton Court
, and Bell’s Castle, which was remodelled in the 19th-century for Edmund Bell, a reputed ex-smuggler.
The parish includes several important wildlife sites including the Kemerton Lake Nature Reserve and sections of the Bredon Hill Special Area of Conservation
, which are managed by Kemerton Conservation Trust
. Well known residents of Kemerton have included the anarchist publisher Charlotte Wilson
and the bestselling author John Moore
.
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 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...
in 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...
. It lies at the extreme south of the county in the local government district of 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...
. Until boundary changes in 1931, it formed part of neighbouring Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, and it remains in the Diocese of Gloucester
Diocese of Gloucester
The Diocese of Gloucester is a Church of England diocese based in Gloucester, covering the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire. The cathedral is Gloucester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Gloucester...
. The northern half of the parish lies within the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
.
The parish is approximately 5.8 km (3.6 miles) long by 1.2 km (0.7 miles) wide, and encompasses approximately 6.738 square kilometres (1,665 acre). It descends from the summit of Bredon Hill
Bredon Hill
Bredon Hill is a hill in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Evesham in the Vale of Evesham. The summit of the hill is in the parish of Kemerton and it extends over parts of eight other parishes...
in the north, (elevation 300 m / 981 ft) to the Carrant Brook in the south (elevation 20 m / 65 ft). The north and south parish boundaries are recorded in a Saxon charter of the 8th-century.
Notable historic features include Kemerton Camp, an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
surmounting Bredon Hill, thought to have been vacated suddenly after a considerable battle. On the fort’s south rampart is a two-storey stone tower known as Parsons Folly (or Kemerton Tower), built in the mid-18th century by John Parsons V, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(1732–1805), the squire of Kemerton, who reputedly wished to raise the summit of Bredon Hill to 1000 ft (305 m). Significant buildings include the Church of St Nicholas, Kemerton Court
Kemerton Court
Kemerton Court is the principal manor house of the village of Kemerton, near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.The manor was granted by King Henry III to Sir Robert de Musgrove in 1240...
, and Bell’s Castle, which was remodelled in the 19th-century for Edmund Bell, a reputed ex-smuggler.
The parish includes several important wildlife sites including the Kemerton Lake Nature Reserve and sections of the Bredon Hill Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
, which are managed by Kemerton Conservation Trust
Kemerton Conservation Trust
Kemerton Conservation Trust is a registered charity which aims "to conserve wildlife and places of beauty in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and adjoining counties for the public benefit." Much of the Trust’s activity takes place in the area surrounding Bredon Hill in south...
. Well known residents of Kemerton have included the anarchist publisher Charlotte Wilson
Charlotte Wilson
Charlotte M. Wilson was an English anarchist who co-founded Freedom newspaper in 1886 with Peter Kropotkin, and edited, published, and largely financed it during its first decade...
and the bestselling author John Moore
John Moore (author, British)
John Moore was a best-selling British author and pioneer conservationist.He was born in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire in 1907 and died in Bristol in 1967...
.