Worfield
Worfield is a village and civil parish in Shropshire in the West Midlands, England. It is northwest of London and west of Wolverhampton. It is north of Bridgnorth and southeast of Telford. The parish, which includes the hamlets of Ackleton, Barnsley, Burcote, Chesterton, Hilton and Wyken, is an extensive one that lies on the River Worfe. The population of the parish at the 2021 census was 2,225.
The manor of Worfield is mentioned in the Domesday Book, where it formed part of the Seisdon Hundred of Staffordshire and was held by Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury.
History
The earliest evidence of settlement recorded in the parish is not in Worfield itself but at Chesterton, a hamlet to the east of the village. The people living in the parish between 600 BC and 47 AD were part of the Celtic tribe, Cornovii. The economy of the parish started with the Cornovii tribe and was based on agriculture, breeding, and trading cattle. The area also gained considerable wealth from controlling the South Cheshire salt-making industry.Literary connection
Stableford, within the parish, was home to the parents of novelist P.G. Wodehouse after previously living in Dulwich, south London. Wodehouse returned there during holidays from boarding school between the ages of 14 and 21, before the family relocated to Cheltenham. He came to know the area quite well, and it became one of the major sources for composite settings for his novels; he is thought to have based the fictional village of "Worbury" on Worfield and "Eckleton" on Ackleton, another hamlet of the parish.Schools
Worfield is home to the Worfield Endowed CE Primary School, established in 1846. Situated on the main high street leading to St. Peter's Church, the school benefits from the scenic surroundings, with the River Worfe running through its grounds. As a Church of England school, it emphasizes a Christian-based education.The nearest secondary school is Bridgnorth Endowed School, approximately five miles away from the centre of Worfield.
St Peter's Church
St. Peter's church is thought to be of Saxon origin and founded by Mercian Earl, Leofric, certainly existing since the 12th Century.The church is perhaps best known for its fine spire, which at one stage was seriously deteriorating along with the six church bells in the tower that were deemed too dangerous to ring. A huge amount of fundraising took place to restore the spire and bells to their present-day condition.
Although there have been changes to the church over the centuries, some of its original features still remain. The original wooden doors leading into the church date back to the 12th Century. These doors are historically important as they are the earliest evidence of the use of ironwork for decoration. The doors in St Peter's Church are one of the only five picture doors left in England.
The most prominent features of the interior are the Bromley tombs. The earliest was built for George Bromley, a prominent judge of the Elizabethan period and brother of Thomas Bromley, the Lord Chancellor. He acquired property through marriage to Joan Waverton, heiress to the Hallon estate, to the west of Worfield. The later and more impressive tomb was built for their second son, Edward Bromley, another important judge who was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer and is portrayed in judicial dress.
There are a variety of war memorials inside the church:
- Shield-shaped metal and wood plaque to a man who died of fever serving in the 1885 Egyptian campaign and two men who died in the Boer War.
- Brass tablet to four Old Boys of the former Worfield Grammar School killed in the Boer War, incorporating an image of a chalice to represent one the school additionally donated to the church.
- Wall tablet to Second Lieutenant Eden Marindin, KSLI, died of wounds in World War I.
- Brass wall tablet to Major Frank Harvey Corbett, Royal Field Artillery, killed in World War I, with his battlefield grave marker cross removed from his burial place in France.
- Stone plaque with a marble surround to men of the parish who died serving in World War I.
- Stone plaque to those who died in World War II.
Climate
The nearest weather station is at Wyken, just away from Worfield. The climate in Worfield is characterized by seasonal variations, with average highest temperatures ranging from 7 °C in January to 21 °C in July and August. The average lowest temperatures occur between January and February, reaching 0 °C.The precipitation pattern follows a similar trend, with the wettest months being between October and March. The average annual precipitation is relatively consistent, providing a temperate climate suitable for year-round activities.