Dowles
{{Short description|Hamlet in Worcestershire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name= Dowles
| civil_parish = Upper Arley
| country= England
| region= West Midlands
|coordinates = {{coord|52.3857|-2.3306|display=inline,title}}
| os_grid_reference=
| post_town=
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| constituency_westminster =
| shire_district= Wyre Forest
| shire_county= Worcestershire
| hide_services= Yes
| population =
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|static_image=The B4194 road to Bewdley at Dowles near Bewdley, Worcs - geograph.org.uk - 3765174.jpg
|static_image_caption=The B4194 road in the former parish
|website=
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Dowles is a hamlet in the civil parish of Upper Arley, in the Wyre Forest district, in the county of Worcestershire, England. It is about 3 miles from the town of Kidderminster. The parish is divided into two parts by the Severn.{{cite web|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/worcs/vol4/pp262-265|title=Parishes: Dowles|publisher=British History Online|access-date=30 September 2023}}
History
Dowles gets its name from Dowles Brook, which runs through the parish.{{cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Worcestershire/Dowles|title=Dowles Key to English Place-names|publisher=The University of Nottingham|access-date=30 September 2023}} It was transferred from Shropshire to Worcestershire on 30 September 1895.{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/kidderminster.html|title=Kidderminster Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|access-date=30 September 2023}} In 1931, the civil parish had a population of 113.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10333210/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Dowles AP/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|access-date=30 September 2023}} On 1 April 1933, the parish was abolished and merged with Upper Arley, Kidderminster Foreign and Bewdley.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10333210|title=Relationships and changes Dowles AP/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|access-date=30 September 2023}}
Notable structures
- Dowles Manor, constructed c.1600. The Manor House within Dowles, owned the majority of the land.{{Cite web |last=says |first=Stan price |date=2018-08-20 |title=The Charles Archive: Dowles Manor House - Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service |url=https://www.explorethepast.co.uk/2018/08/the-charles-archive-dowles-manor-house/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=www.explorethepast.co.uk |language=en-US}}
- Dowles Church, a demolished church dedicated to Saint Andrew, of which only a graveyard and ruins of a Parish House remain. Built as part of Dowles Manor's estate on its historic land.{{Cite web |title=Dowles – Worcestershire & Dudley Historic Churches Trust |url=https://www.worcesteranddudleyhistoricchurches.org.uk/application-form-church-history/places/dowles |access-date=2024-04-17 |language=en}}
- Dowles Bridge, constructed c.1860 for the Severn Valley Railway across the River Severn, takes its name from the hamlet.
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:Hamlets in Worcestershire
Category:Former civil parishes in Worcestershire
{{Worcestershire-geo-stub}}