England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Bishampton St James

The Parish

The parish of Bishampton lies in southeastern Worcestershire not too far from its border with neighbouring Warwickshire. Bishampton is located roughly 4 miles northeast of the small market town of Pershore and lies within an area devoid of significant numbered main roads, the closest such road being the A44 road linking Evesham with Worcester and which lies over 3 miles south of Bishampton. Bishampton is a rather linear and mid-sized village running mainly from north, wherein lies the church, southwards for well over a half mile with properties lining either side of that lane or along an eastward running lane. The area around is almost totally farmed with a mixture of both major methods used, today arable is increasing at the expense of traditionally pastoral western England. Bishampton is drained westwards by the Whitsun Brook which turns south on meeting the Piddle Brook, both meet the Avon at Wyre Piddle; the Avon turns once more westwards until the Severn is joined and southward running resumes until the Outer Bristol Channel is met. Bishampton is sited at around 40 metres above the sea in rather gentle terrain where land rises in an abandoned river cliff, now a  belt of trees, to the east reaching 105 metres at nearby Church Lench. At just over 1,800 acres Bishampton parish was fairly typically sized for its area and would have supported a population of around 400 parishioners. In Domesday times Bishampton was an equally modest rural manor held by the Bishop of Worcester and offering 7 ploughs, some meadows and had a mill.

The Church

St James' church sits almost as the northern most property in the village set off the main northward running lane, it heads for Flyford Flavell, on a short dead-end extension, Church Lane. Whilst the church undoubtedly has early origins and small pieces of various eras remain most of the main body relates to a rebuild in 1870. Whether such traces are original and in situ is debatable, the most likely explanation is re-use. Pevsner notes a pair of round-topped 12th century Norman Romanesque styled windows in the nave and a pair of 13th century Early English Gothic styled windows in the chancel. These tiny fragments indicate what we might have seen had the work of the Victorians not been so intense. Truely medieval but from the later Perpendicular era is the impressive western tower which adorns the church but even that feature carries 19th century pinnacles atop its battlements. Church Lane turn sharp left outside the churchyard and in the apex of that corner there is room for a car or two to safely park outside the gates, the churchyard, itself, is devoid of any significant obstacles for the photographer.