Birlingham
Birlingham is a village and civil parish in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire. The village is south of Pershore, located in a bend of the River Avon.
Toponymy
The name Birlingham is derived from the Old English Byrla–inga–hamm, meaning "Land, in a river-bend, of a man called Byrla". It has been recorded as Byrlingahamm and Berlingeham.History
Roman Britain
Romans are believed to have settled in Birlingham during the Roman occupation of Britain, suggested by the discovery of a Roman brooch within the village. It is possible that there was a crossing point near the village at Swans Neck, though no evidence has been found of this.Late Middle Ages
The Swan Inn, the village's public house, is believed to date back to the 16th century.Governance
The village of Birlingham is primarily governed by Birlingham Parish Council, then by Wychavon District Council. It falls within the West Worcestershire constituency.Geography and demography
Birlingham is surrounded on the north, south and east sides by a river-bend known as Swans Neck, part of the River Avon. The village is located on a floodplain. Bow Brook passes by the village's west side.Nearby villages include Defford and Eckington.
In 2001, the parish had a population of 325, compared to a population of 373 in 1991.