Birtsmorton

{{Infobox UK place

| country = England

| coordinates = {{coord|52.01759|-2.29108|display=inline,title}}

| official_name = Birtsmorton

| population = 257

| static_image_name = Birtsmorton churcht.jpg

| static_image_width = 250

| static_image_caption = Birtsmorton Church

| shire_district = Malvern Hills

| shire_county = Worcestershire

| region = West Midlands

| civil_parish = Birtsmorton

| constituency_westminster = West Worcestershire

| postcode_district = WR13

| postcode_area = WR

| post_town = MALVERN

| dial_code = 01684

| os_grid_reference = SO799355

| london_distance = {{Convert|100|mi|km}}

}}

Birtsmorton is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills of Worcestershire, England, which at the 2021 census had a population of 257.{{cite web |title=Birtsmorton |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/westmidlands/admin/malvern_hills/E04010288__birtsmorton/ |website=City population |access-date=14 April 2023}} It is in the south-west of the county, not far from the borders with Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

History

The church is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul and dates from the 14th century.{{Cite web |url=http://www.achurchnearyou.com/birtsmorton-st-peter-st-paul/ |title=St Peter & St Paul, Birtsmorton - a church near you |access-date=2010-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513205023/http://www.achurchnearyou.com/birtsmorton-st-peter-st-paul/ |archive-date=2010-05-13 |url-status=dead }} There is a large manor house, Birtsmorton Court, which is used today as a wedding venue.[http://www.birtsmortoncourt.com/site/index.cfm Birtsmorton Court] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116155211/http://www.birtsmortoncourt.com/site/index.cfm |date=January 16, 2010 }} It was the home for many centuries of the Nanfan family, some of whose tombs are in the church.

In 1703, the Rev. Samuel Juice, a former rector, endowed a village school in Rye Street. British History Online "Birtsmorton". [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/worcs/vol4/pp29-33 Online reference]

Birtsmorton was the birthplace of the chairmaker Philip Clissett who lived in the parish from his birth in 1817 until about 1842.{{cite web|last=Rowell|first=T.A.|title=Philip Clissett, Chairmaker 1817-1913|url=http://www.philipclissett.co.uk|access-date=6 July 2013}}

Toponymy

The village belonged to the Le Bret family from the 12th century onwards. Bret means Breton. The same family name is associated with Westonbirt House near Tetbury, Gloucestershire.{{cite book

|last=Ekwall

|first=Eilert

|title=Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names

|others=3rd ed., reprinted with corrections

|publisher=Oxford University Press

|year=1951

|pages=316, 485}}

References

Category:Villages in Worcestershire

Category:Civil parishes in Worcestershire