Studley
Encyclopedia
Studley is a large village
and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district
of Warwickshire
, England
. Situated on the western edge of Warwickshire near the border with Worcestershire
it is 4 miles (6 km) southeast of Redditch
and 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Stratford. The Roman road
of Ryknild Street, now the A435
, passes through the village on its eastern edge, parallel to the River Arrow
. The name derives from the Old English leah, being a meadow or pasture, where horses, stod, are kept.
Studley is sometimes claimed to be the largest village in England
, however, this is incorrect as it is not even the largest village in Warwickshire, both Polesworth
and Bulkington
are larger. The United Kingdom Census 2001
reported Studley's population
as being 6,624.
mostly as part of the lands of William son of Courbucion; who was appointed Sherrif of Warwick soon after 1086; where it reads, "In Ferncombe Hundred in Stodlei (Studley) 4 hides
. Land for 11 ploughs. In lordship 2; 3 slaves. 19 villagers with a priest and 12 smallholders have 9 ploughs. A mill at 5s; meadow, 24 acres; a salt house which pays 19 packloads of salt; woodland 1 league
long and 1/2 league wide. The value was and is 100s. Swein held it freely."
A further holding is listed as part of the land of William Bonavallet "William holds 1 hide in Stodlei from William. Land for 2 ploughs. In lordship 1 plough. Meadow 4 acres; woodland 3 furlongs
long and 2 furlongs wide. Value 10s. Godric held it freely."
It is the site of both a castle
, not the 19th century house called Studley Castle
, and the remains of a medieval priory
. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 12th century by Peter Corbizun but was closed at the dissolution
under Henry VIII
and was used as a source of stone for other local buildings. Nothing remains today apart from the use of the name priory in a few local building names such as Priory Farm, which now much modernized, embodies a few fragmentary portions of a conventual building. A gabled west wall of stone rubble contains the remains of a large 14th-century window. A few medieval sculptured fragments are built on to the walls.
and surgical needle making industry.
This specialisation started when Elizabeth I permitted a number of Huguenot
refugees to settle here, bringing this rare craft with them. Their expertise enabled English needle manufacture to catch up with French methods and Studley was a leading area in this advance, gaining a European and even worldwide reputation.
From the 19th century precision made surgical needles were in demand and with advances in manufacturing technology such was the demand that over 3,000 workers were employed. In 1977 the old factory where needles were made was burnt down, and the production of "Aero" needles moved to a nearby site. The original factory site now contains a supermarket
, other retail outlets, and housing. One of the streets in the village is named "Crooks Lane", ostensibly because the crooked needles from the original factory were dumped at the end of this lane, but the road was there before the village had a needle factory.
, whose current Member of Parliament is Nadhim Zahawi
of the Conservative Party
. It is included in the West Midlands
electoral region of the European Parliament and the six members are; Mike Nattrass
(UK Independence), Liz Lynne
,(Liberal Democrat), Malcolm Harbour
(Conservative), Michael Cashman
(Labour), Philip Bradbourn
OBE (Conservative) and Nicole Sinclaire
(UK Independence).
, which is now the A435, Alcester-Birmingham main road.The fact that the church and the site of the castle are about half a mile away on the opposite side of the river indicates that the original settlement was, at some distance from the Roman road. At Washford, half a mile north of Studley village, the main road bears right from the Rykneild Street and continues through the hamlet of Mappleborough Green and up Gorcott Hill, which marks the northern extremity of the parish. The Rykneild Street (which between Washford and Ipsley diverges considerably from its original line) was, until the end of the 18th century, the main road to Birmingham; the present road between Spernall Ash (on the southern boundary of Studley parish) and Digbeth in Birmingham was turnpiked by an Act of 1721.
of The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin consists of a chancel, nave, south aisle, and west tower. It features a 12th century north wall and window of Norman
date, fine surviving examples of opus spicatum
or herringbone
masonry, a medieval rood screen
, Elizabethan era
table and dug out chest, Jacobean era
pulpit and brasses and other points of interest.
The survey of the clergy by the puritans in 1586 described the then vicar, Thomas Penford as; "dumbe & vnlearned, a verie aged man, he can scarce reade, yet he hath learning enough for 2 benefices ; for he reapeth the fruite of Studley & Coughton both, he hath of late gotten him a certaine hireling to serue his turne at both places, one Robt. Cathell a seelie Welshman that can scarce reade English distinctlie. The valew of both is better then xx by the yeare".
s which also serve alcohol
) and it has been suggested that the village has the second-highest number of pubs per head of population (second only to Blackpool
).
As well as boasting a number of football teams, including Studley BKL and Studley Juniors, founded a few years ago by Kevin Sanders and Mike Imms, (formed when the Redditch United Youth Teams broke awake and were taken on by Studley BKL, the village also gives its name to Studley Musical Theatre and Operatic group which has been going for over 100 years. They perform twice a year, once in April in a spring show, performing Oliver in 2010 and Fiddler on the Roof in April 2011 and a summer concert.
Just outside the village on the Birmingham Road is Studley Cricket Club, home to a thriving social and sports club, members of the Birmingham and District Premier League, (top of the regional midlands structure). The club is open all year round with a growing social membership and has relaunched its junior section for 2011.
currently ranked 22nd in the Professional Darts Corporation
Order of Merit counts Studley as his home town.
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...
and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district
Stratford-on-Avon (district)
Stratford-on-Avon is a local government district of southern Warwickshire in England.The district is named "Stratford-on-Avon" to distinguish it from its main town of Stratford-upon-Avon where the district council is based, although this name often causes confusion .The district is mostly rural and...
of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, 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...
. Situated on the western edge of Warwickshire near the border with 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...
it is 4 miles (6 km) southeast of Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
and 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Stratford. The Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
of Ryknild Street, now the A435
A435 road
The A435 is a main road in England running between Birmingham and Cirencester .-Birmingham to Alcester:...
, passes through the village on its eastern edge, parallel to the River Arrow
River Arrow (Worcestershire)
The River Arrow rises on Beacon Hill in the Lickey Hills Country Park in the Lickey Hills in the north of Worcestershire, England, and heads generally south eastwards to become a major tributary of the River Avon...
. The name derives from the Old English leah, being a meadow or pasture, where horses, stod, are kept.
Studley is sometimes claimed to be the largest village in England
Largest village in England
Several places claim to be the largest village in England. This title is disputed as there is no standard definition of a village and size might be determined by population or area....
, however, this is incorrect as it is not even the largest village in Warwickshire, both Polesworth
Polesworth
Polesworth is a large village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 8,439, inclusive of the continuous sub-villages of St Helena, Dordon and Hall End directly to the south...
and Bulkington
Bulkington
Bulkington is a large village and former parish in the Nuneaton and Bedworth district of Warwickshire, UK. In the 2001 census it had a population of 6,303. It is located around north-east of Coventry, just east of the towns of Nuneaton and Bedworth and south-west of Hinckley...
are larger. The United Kingdom Census 2001
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....
reported Studley's population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
as being 6,624.
History
The manor of Studley is recorded twice 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...
mostly as part of the lands of William son of Courbucion; who was appointed Sherrif of Warwick soon after 1086; where it reads, "In Ferncombe Hundred in Stodlei (Studley) 4 hides
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
. Land for 11 ploughs. In lordship 2; 3 slaves. 19 villagers with a priest and 12 smallholders have 9 ploughs. A mill at 5s; meadow, 24 acres; a salt house which pays 19 packloads of salt; woodland 1 league
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
long and 1/2 league wide. The value was and is 100s. Swein held it freely."
A further holding is listed as part of the land of William Bonavallet "William holds 1 hide in Stodlei from William. Land for 2 ploughs. In lordship 1 plough. Meadow 4 acres; woodland 3 furlongs
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
long and 2 furlongs wide. Value 10s. Godric held it freely."
It is the site of both a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, not the 19th century house called Studley Castle
Studley Castle
Studley Castle is a 19th century country house at Studley , Warwickshire which is now occupied as a hotel. It is a Grade II* listed building.The manor of Studley was owned by the Lyttleton family and was bequeathed by Philip Lyttleton to his niece Dorothy, who married Francis Holyoake...
, and the remains of a medieval priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 12th century by Peter Corbizun but was closed at 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...
under Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
and was used as a source of stone for other local buildings. Nothing remains today apart from the use of the name priory in a few local building names such as Priory Farm, which now much modernized, embodies a few fragmentary portions of a conventual building. A gabled west wall of stone rubble contains the remains of a large 14th-century window. A few medieval sculptured fragments are built on to the walls.
Economy
Studley is also known for being the site of a sewing needleSewing needle
A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The first needles were made of bone or wood; modern ones are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel- or 18K gold plated for corrosion resistance. The highest quality embroidery needles are plated with two-thirds platinum and...
and surgical needle making industry.
This specialisation started when Elizabeth I permitted a number of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
refugees to settle here, bringing this rare craft with them. Their expertise enabled English needle manufacture to catch up with French methods and Studley was a leading area in this advance, gaining a European and even worldwide reputation.
From the 19th century precision made surgical needles were in demand and with advances in manufacturing technology such was the demand that over 3,000 workers were employed. In 1977 the old factory where needles were made was burnt down, and the production of "Aero" needles moved to a nearby site. The original factory site now contains a supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, other retail outlets, and housing. One of the streets in the village is named "Crooks Lane", ostensibly because the crooked needles from the original factory were dumped at the end of this lane, but the road was there before the village had a needle factory.
Governance
Studley is a ward of Stratford on Avon District Council and represented by Councillors Paul Beaman and Hazel Wrght, Liberal Democrat, and Mike Weddell, Conservative.http://democracy.stratford.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1 Nationally it is part of Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency)Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency)
-By-elections:-Notes and references:...
, whose current Member of Parliament is Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon since 2010, after the retirement of previous MP John Maples....
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. It is included in the West Midlands
West Midlands (European Parliament constituency)
West Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elected 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. The constituency will also elect a "virtual MEP" who will be able to sit in the Parliament if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect...
electoral region of the European Parliament and the six members are; Mike Nattrass
Mike Nattrass
Mike Nattrass is an English politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing the West Midlands constituency for the UK Independence Party , elected for the first time in June 2004 and re-elected in June 2009....
(UK Independence), Liz Lynne
Liz Lynne
Elizabeth Lynne, known as Liz Lynne, is a British politician, and has been a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands for the Liberal Democrats since her election at the 1999 European election...
,(Liberal Democrat), Malcolm Harbour
Malcolm Harbour
Malcolm Harbour is a British politician. He is a Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands. He is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and the Chairman of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection.-Motor industry:Malcolm Harbour was...
(Conservative), Michael Cashman
Michael Cashman
Michael Maurice Cashman is a British former actor, now a Labour politician. He has been a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands constituency since 1999.- Acting :...
(Labour), Philip Bradbourn
Philip Bradbourn
Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP is a British politician, and Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands, for the Conservative Party...
OBE (Conservative) and Nicole Sinclaire
Nikki Sinclaire
Nicole Sinclaire is a European politician from the United Kingdom and is a current MEP.Educated at the University of Canterbury graduating with a Bachelor of Laws qualification. Sinclaire has worked for Lloyds as a 'problem troubleshooter' was employed as a Gateway store manager and worked in...
(UK Independence).
Geography
Studley is surrounded on the north, east, and west by hills rising to about 500 ft. The River Arrow flows across the south-west corner, through flat ground, but the country north and east of the stream is for the most part undulating and well wooded. The main village lies on the west bank of the river, along the Roman Rykneild WayIcknield Street
Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from the Fosse Way at Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire to Templeborough in South Yorkshire...
, which is now the A435, Alcester-Birmingham main road.The fact that the church and the site of the castle are about half a mile away on the opposite side of the river indicates that the original settlement was, at some distance from the Roman road. At Washford, half a mile north of Studley village, the main road bears right from the Rykneild Street and continues through the hamlet of Mappleborough Green and up Gorcott Hill, which marks the northern extremity of the parish. The Rykneild Street (which between Washford and Ipsley diverges considerably from its original line) was, until the end of the 18th century, the main road to Birmingham; the present road between Spernall Ash (on the southern boundary of Studley parish) and Digbeth in Birmingham was turnpiked by an Act of 1721.
Notable buildings
The parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin consists of a chancel, nave, south aisle, and west tower. It features a 12th century north wall and window of 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...
date, fine surviving examples of opus spicatum
Opus spicatum
Opus spicatum, literally "spiked work," is a type of masonry construction used in Roman and medieval times. It consists of bricks, tiles or cut stone laid in a herringbone pattern.-Uses:...
or herringbone
Herringbone
Herringbone can refer to:*A layout of airline seating – see Herringbone seating*A bonding pattern of brickwork, also known as opus spicatum*A weaving pattern of tweed or twill cloth – see Herringbone *A cross-stitch pattern...
masonry, a medieval rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
, Elizabethan era
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
table and dug out chest, Jacobean era
Jacobean era
The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of King James VI of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I...
pulpit and brasses and other points of interest.
The survey of the clergy by the puritans in 1586 described the then vicar, Thomas Penford as; "dumbe & vnlearned, a verie aged man, he can scarce reade, yet he hath learning enough for 2 benefices ; for he reapeth the fruite of Studley & Coughton both, he hath of late gotten him a certaine hireling to serue his turne at both places, one Robt. Cathell a seelie Welshman that can scarce reade English distinctlie. The valew of both is better then xx by the yeare".
Sports and leisure
Studley is often noted as having many pubs (17 within one square mile, plus numerous restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s which also serve alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
) and it has been suggested that the village has the second-highest number of pubs per head of population (second only to Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
).
As well as boasting a number of football teams, including Studley BKL and Studley Juniors, founded a few years ago by Kevin Sanders and Mike Imms, (formed when the Redditch United Youth Teams broke awake and were taken on by Studley BKL, the village also gives its name to Studley Musical Theatre and Operatic group which has been going for over 100 years. They perform twice a year, once in April in a spring show, performing Oliver in 2010 and Fiddler on the Roof in April 2011 and a summer concert.
Just outside the village on the Birmingham Road is Studley Cricket Club, home to a thriving social and sports club, members of the Birmingham and District Premier League, (top of the regional midlands structure). The club is open all year round with a growing social membership and has relaunched its junior section for 2011.
Education
Studley has 3 primary and one secondary school within the Warwickshire Local Education Authority (LEA) area.| School | Compulsory education stage | School website | Ofsted Office for Standards in Education The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England .... details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studley Community Infants School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
Studley Infants | |
| Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
St Marys Catholic Primary School | |
| Saint Mary's Church of England Church of England The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St... Primary School |
Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
||
| Studley High School | Secondary Secondary education Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university... |
Studley High School | |
Notable people
Andy Smith (darts player)Andy Smith (darts player)
Andrew Smith is a darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events. He uses the nickname Pieman for his matches...
currently ranked 22nd in the Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
Order of Merit counts Studley as his home town.