Abbots Bromley

Abbots Bromley is a village and civil parish within the English county of Staffordshire, England.[1][2] A notably affluent part of the county, Abbots Bromley was rated the best place to live in the Midlands by the Sunday Times in 2013 and again in 2016.[3] The village is a regular entrant and often winner of the Staffordshire Best Kept Village Competition which takes place across the county each year. Originally organised by the Community Council of Staffordshire there is a best-kept village award for a large and small village in each of the county's Districts and Boroughs. Whilst down the years the East Staffordshire district prize has been awarded to Abbots Bromley on a number of occasions the overall county title continues to elude. In August 2017 the village won the double honour of winning both the best kept village and community council trophy award, a double not achieved for many years. This double was repeated again in 2018. In 2019 the competition was taken on by The Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Abbots Bromley won for the third consecutive year.[4] Through the competition Abbots Bromley maintains a healthy rivalry with nearby Yoxall, also a regular winner in the East Staffordshire section.

Abbots Bromley

Parish Church of Saint Nicholas
Abbots Bromley
Location within Staffordshire
OS grid referenceSK080245
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townRUGELEY
Postcode districtWS15
Dialling code01283
PoliceStaffordshire
FireStaffordshire
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament
Websiteabbotsbromley.com

The village is world-renowned for its annual Horn Dance, an ancient tradition which attracts visitors from far and wide.

Location

The village sits within the Postal Area of the nearby settlement of Rugeley which is the closest town to the village at 6.2 miles (10.0 km) from Abbots Bromley. The village and civil parish lie within the East Staffordshire District. The village is 11.6 miles (18.7 km) north of the city of Lichfield and is 6.8 miles (10.9 km) south west of Uttoxeter.[5] The nearest railway station is at Rugeley which is 5.8 miles (9.3 km) south west of the village. The Blithfield Reservoir[6] is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from the centre of the village. Within the parish there are the natural features of Bagot's Wood and the largest remaining part of the Needwood Forest. Phil Drabble's Goats Lodge nature reserve is also in the parish.

Population

In the census of 2011, Abbots Bromley had a population of 1,799 people living in the civil parish.[7]

Schools

The village is home to The Richard Clarke First School, run by Staffordshire County Council for pupils aged 4–9. The school is rated as good by OFSTED with outstanding features. The village is part of the three tier school system, now quite rare in England.[8] From age 9-13 pupils go to Oldfields Hall Middle School in Uttoxeter and then from age 13-16 (or 18 if students opt to stay on in the sixth form) to Thomas Alleyne's High School also in Uttoxeter.

The village was also the home of one of the original Woodard Schools, and the first in the Woodard Group for girls Abbots Bromley School (formerly known as Abbots Bromley School for Girls and before that the School of S. Mary and S. Anne). In 2015 the school opened a new International College on the former St Mary's site. The school closed in July 2019 temporarily before a sale and new investment was secured in April 2020. The School is set to fully re-open under new ownership in September 2022.[9]

Parish Council

Nine Parish Councillors, elected every four years represent the community.[10] Every year the Council elects a chair (currently Cllr C Whorwood) and vice chair. The Parish Council is supported by the Parish Clerk. Meetings are usually held in the village hall at 19:00 on the last Wednesday of every month (except August and December due to holidays). All meetings are open to the public. One Parish surgery is also held every other month on a Saturday morning in the Church House to enable Parishioners to bring any local issues to the attention of a Councillor so that it can be reported to the full Parish Council meeting. Following the election of new Parish Councillors in May 2015 the council began the process of developing a Neighbourhood Plan, administered through a sub-group of the Parish Council.[11]

Other local representation

Abbots Bromley is part of the Bagots Ward on East Staffordshire Borough Council and is currently represented by Conservative Borough Councillor Greg Hall.[12] The former leader of the County Council, Conservative Councillor Phillip Atkins represents the Parish as it forms part of the Uttoxeter Rural Ward on Staffordshire County Council.[13] The village is part of the parliamentary constituency of Lichfield and is currently represented by Conservative Michael Fabricant, MP.[14]

History

The first historical record of the village dates from 942, when the manor of "Bromleage" was given to Wulfsige the Black. The will, dated 1002, of Wulfric Spot, Earl of Mercia, gave the village to the Abbey of Burton upon Trent. There is some evidence that the current settlement was a planned town – there is evidence of burgess plots, a grid pattern of streets and a wide market place.

Domesday Book

Abbas Bromley is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086–7 as Brunlege, when it was part of the land of St Mary of Burton.[15]

Royal Charter

In 1227, a weekly market was confirmed by Royal Charter at the site of the Buttercross (recorded in 1339, the present structure said by Pevsner to date from the 17th century), which survives to the present. The current, triangular market place is now grassed over and serves as a village green and the focus for events on Horn Dance Day.

Dissolution of the Monasteries

The village remained affiliated to the Abbey till the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1545. Henry VIII gave Bromley Abbatis to Sir William Paget, Clerk of the Signet and Privy Councillor. The village was known as Paget's Bromley for several centuries, (distinguishing it from the part of the parish in the hands of the Bagot family, still known as Bagot's Bromley) but eventually the influence of the Paget family declined, and the name reverted to Abbots Bromley.

Industry

Despite being an agricultural centre on account of its market and fairs, Abbots Bromley enjoyed some industrial success. In the 16th century it was a major centre for glass manufacture.[16] In 1606 it gained a grammar school, now Richard Clarke First School.

Decline

Despite nineteenth century efforts to connect the village to the expanding railway network the North Staffordshire Railway received an act of parliament to build a branch line from Stowe-by-Chartley which was never taken advantage of. Abbots Bromley remained comparatively isolated and in decline, losing its market, fairs and economic status.

20th century

By the 1950s the village faced economic decay and an ageing population. It was also comparatively late in receiving mains electricity and gas services. More recently it has become a dormitory settlement for surrounding urban areas such as the West Midlands conurbation and Derby. There has been some new development as well as the restoration of historic buildings, with a Millennium Hall perhaps the most noted recent example.

Historic buildings

The village has a large number of listed buildings, and its historic core has conservation area status, reflecting its pre-industrial townscape. Of these, the half timbered Church House,[17] The Goats Head Inn,[18] which is claimed to be the original town hall, and the Schoolhouse[19] (Richard Clarke's 1606 Grammar School) are some of the most noteworthy. The Market Cross (Buttercross) has been designated a scheduled Ancient Monument.[20]

  • Listed Buildings in Abbots Bromley
  • the Butter Cross, A scheduled Ancient Monument.
  • The Grade II listed Bentilee Park Farmhouse
  • The Grade II listed Hurst Farmhouse.
  • The Grade II listed Coleridge House, School of St Mary and St Anne.

Listed Buildings in Abbots Bromley
  • Dwellings at No's 5, 6, 7, 8, High Street, Grade II, Hall Hill Lane[21]
  • Bagot's Bromley Monument, near Bromley Farmhouse, Grade II[22]
  • Bank House, Grade II, High Street.[23]
  • Barn and Cartshed close to Park Lodge, Grade II.[24]
  • Barn in Goose Lane, Grade II.[25]
  • Barn, Hurst Farm, Grade II.[26]
  • Barn, High Elms Farm, Grade II.[27]
  • Batkin House, Harley Lane, Grade II.[28]
  • Bentilee Park Farmhouse, Grade II.[29]
  • Bromley House, Grade II.[30]
  • Cael Cottage, Grade II.[31]
  • Cedar Cottage, Grade II.[32]
  • Chesterton House, Grade II.[33]
  • Saint Nicholas Parish Church, Grade II.[34]
  • Church View Farmhouse. Grade II.[35]
  • North West Leafields Farm, Associated building and structures. Grade II.[36]
  • Coleridge House School, Grade II.[37]
  • Croft's House, Grade II.[38]
  • Crofts Cottage, Grade II.[39]
  • Dandelion Cottages and Associated structures, Grade II.[40]
  • Falcott Inglenook, Grade II.[41]
  • Georgian House, Grade II,[42]
  • Gilleon's Hall, Grade II.[43]
  • Goats Lodge, Grade II.[44]
  • Granary and Associated structures at Hurst Farmhouse, Grade II,[45]
  • Grange Farmhouse, Grade II.[46]
  • Narley Farmhouse, Grade II.[47]
  • Heatley Green Farmhouse, Grade II.[48]
  • Dwelling on Market Place, Grade II.[49]
  • Dwelling Owned by Goodwin, Grade II.[50]
  • Inglenook Oak Cottage, Grade II.[51]
  • Lancsuss House, Grade II.[52]
  • Laurel Cottage, Grade II.[53]
  • Leacross Cottage, Grade II.[54]
  • Leafields Farmhouse, Grade II.[55]
  • Lychgate to the parish Church Saint Nicholas, Grade II.[56]
  • Manor Farmhouse, Grade II.[57]
  • Maxstoke House, Grade II.[58]
  • Middleton House, Grade II[59]
  • five different Milepost in the parish, Grade II.[60]
  • Mount Pleasant Farmhouse, Grade II.[61]
  • Norfolk House, Grade II.[62]
  • Norman Villa, Grade II.[63]
  • Northwood House, Grade II.[64]
  • Park Lodge, Grade II.[65]
  • Parkside Farmhouse, Grade II.[66]
  • Premises of C. Taswell, Grade II.[67]
  • Newsagent Premises of J.M. Meadows, grade II.[68]
  • Butchers Shop Premises of V.G. Wilson, Grade II.[69]
  • Rose House, Grade II.[70]
  • Saint Helens, Grade II.[71]
  • Assorted structures Bentilee Park Farm, Grade II.[72]
  • Assorted structures Leafields Farmhouse, Grade II.[73]
  • Sunny Brae and Sunny Mead, Grade II.[74]
  • Bagot Almshouses, Grade II.[75]
  • Bagot Arms, Grade II.[76]
  • Bakery, Grade II.[77]
  • Big House, School, Grade II.[78]
  • Butter Cross, Grade II.[79]
  • St. Mary and St. Anne school, Grade II.[80]
  • Coach and Horses Public House, Grade II.[81]
  • The Cross, Dwelling, Grade II.[82]
  • The Green, Grade II.[83]
  • Hurst Farmhouse, Grade II.[84]
  • The Maltings, Dwelling, Grade II.[85]
  • Old Schoolhouse, Grade II.[86]
  • Royal Oak Public House, Grade II.[87]
  • Town End Farmhouse, Grade II.[88]
  • Gilleon's Hall, Associated structures. Grade II.[89]
  • War Memorial, Grade II.[90]
  • Wheelwright House, Grade II.[91]

Traditions

The Horn Dance
The Horn Dance outside the Bagot Arms on 11 September 2006
Main article: Abbots Bromley Horn Dance

Abbots Bromley is known for its annual Horn Dance, an English folk dance dating back to the Middle Ages. The modern version of the dance involves reindeer antlers, a hobby horse, Maid Marian, and a Fool.[92] The dance takes place on Wakes Monday, the day following Wakes Sunday, which is the first Sunday after 4 September. It begins in the morning on the village green and passes to Blithfield Hall, returning to the village in the early afternoon with the dancers then making their way around the pubs and houses, eventually finishing with a service of Compline at the church.

Sport

Cricket Club

Abbots Bromley has a village cricket club[93] that has 1st XI 2nd XI and numerous junior squads.

Football

Abbots Bromley also has a fast developing men's senior football team, Abbots Bromley FC[94] They are nicknamed 'The Stags'. They were reformed after over 10 years in 2010. They play in the Stafford & District league in division 2 and play their home games at the Abbots Bromley School grounds named 'The Lowers'. The Stags main sponsors are Gallery 3, The Room Network & Edwin Ferneyhough Vehicle Sales. The president of the club is former Aston Villa & Stoke City footballer, Harry Burrows.

The club reached the Uttoxeter & District division 2/3 cup final in May 2012 but narrowly lost out to Cheadle Town End on penalties in front of a crowd of 150+. The Stags also narrowly missed out on promotion to the Uttoxeter & District first division in 2012 after finishing third, although improving their position the previous year (4th).

The Stags were finally promoted to division 1 the following year and completed the double by winning the subsidiary cup after beating The Three Tuns FC in the final 4-1 in a match played at the Oldfield sports ground, Uttoxeter. The subsidiary cup win was repeated in 2017 after a 6-2 victory against Stone Town FC at Abbots Bromley School that saw Will Ferneyhough hit 5.

The club remained in division 1 until 2018, a campaign that ended in relegation with a second bottom finish. A quick turnaround was necessary and that happened the following season with a second placed finish and promotion back to division 1, narrowly losing out by a point to Doveridge FC. A great season was confirmed with a fantastic 2-1 Division 2 League Cup final victory over Doveridge FC with the game plated at Hillsfield, Rocester FC in front of over 200 spectators.

The club's committee voted on a change of scenery for the 2019-20 season and transferred membership to the Stafford & District League with the club starting out in the third tier (Division 2).

President - Harry Burrows Chairman - Thomas Wheeldon Secretary - Mark Hurst (jr) Treasurer - Julie Wheeldon Team Manager - Mark Hurst (snr) Team Captain - James Stevenson Team Vice Captain - Matt Tracey Main Sponsors - Gallery 3 / The Room Network / Edwin Ferneyhough Vehicle Sales

Abbots Bromley netball teams train every Wednesday
Some of the members of the four senior netball teams

Netball Club

Abbots Bromley netball club is affiliated to England Netball and consists of players of all ages from Abbots Bromley and surrounding areas and trains using the facilities indoors and outdoors at Abbots Bromley School.

Notable people
  • Alice Mary Coleridge (1846–1907) a British promoter of girls' schools and instigated Abbots Bromley School for Girls
  • Stephen Smith (1874 in Abbots Bromley – 1935) an England international football player. He played 162 pro games for Aston Villa between 1893 and 1901
  • Phil Drabble OBE (1914 – 2007 in Abbots Bromley) an English countryman, author and TV presenter. He lived in – and wrote mostly about – the countryside of north Worcestershire and at Abbots Bromley, where he created a nature reserve.
  • Philip Lawley (1927 in Abbots Bromley – 2011) a British chemist, best known for demonstrating that DNA damage was the base cause of cancer
  • Harry Burrows (born 1941) an English former professional footballer who played 420 pro games, mainly for Aston Villa and Stoke City. He lived in Abbots Bromley after retirement where he is still the president of Abbots Bromley FC

See also

References
  1. OS Explorer Map 244: Cannock Chase & Chasewater: (1:25 000) :ISBN 0 319 46269 2
  2. Map Details retrieved 11 April 2013
  3. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/best_places/article1229835.ece
  4. "Best Kept Village Community Competition". The Community Foundation.
  5. - Staffordshire A-Z County Atlas: 2011 Edition: Scale:3.8 inches to 1 mile (5.9cm to 1km) ISBN 978 1 84348 748 7
  6. History of Reservoir Archived 12 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 11 April 2013
  7. Key Population statistics retrieved 11 April 2013
  8. "The National Middle Schools Forum". Current UK Middle Schools.
  9. "New Ownership Information". Abbots Bromley School.
  10. "Councillors Term of Office". Abbots Bromley Parish Council.
  11. "Abbots Bromley Neighbourhood Development Plan". Abbots Bromley Parish Council.
  12. "Borough Council (Bagots Ward)". East Staffordshire Borough Council.
  13. "Staffordshire County Council". County Councillor Details.
  14. "Member of Parliament for the Lichfield Constituency". Michael Fabricant MP.
  15. Williams, Ann; G H Martin. Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. London: Penguin. pp. 676, 1303. ISBN 978-0-14-143994-5.
  16. Crossley, DW (1972). "The Performance of the Glass Industry in Sixteenth Century England". Economic History Review. 25 (3): 421–433. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0289.1972.tb02185.x. JSTOR 2593430.
  17. Listed building status- Church House retrieved 12 April 2013
  18. Listed building status-Goats head Inn retrieved 12 April 2013
  19. Listed building status- Old School House retrieved 12 April 2013
  20. Historic England. "The Market Cross, Abbots Bromley (1012672)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  21. 4 Houses Listings retrieved 12 April 2013
  22. Bromley Monument Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  23. Bank House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  24. Barn and Cart shed listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  25. Goose Lane Barn Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  26. Hurst Farm Barn Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  27. High Elms Barn Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  28. Batkin House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  29. Bentilee Park Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  30. Bromley House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  31. Cael Cottage Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  32. Cedar Cottage Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  33. Chesterton House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  34. Parish Church Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  35. Church View Farmhouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  36. Leafield Farm Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  37. Coleridge House School Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  38. Croft House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  39. Crofts Cottage Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  40. Dandelion Cottages listings retrieved 12 April 2013
  41. Falcott Inglenook Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  42. Georgian House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  43. Gilleon’s Hall Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  44. Goats Lodge Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  45. Hurst Farm Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  46. Grange Farmhouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  47. Narley Farmhouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  48. Heatley Green Farmhouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  49. Market Place Dwelling Listed retrieved 12 April 2013
  50. Goodwin Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  51. Oak Cottage Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  52. Lancsuss House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  53. Laurel Cottage Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  54. Leacross Cottage Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  55. Leafields Farmhouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  56. Lychgate Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  57. Manor Farmhouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  58. Maxstoke House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  59. Middleton House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  60. Mile Post Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  61. Mount Pleasant Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  62. Norfolk House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  63. Norman Villa Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  64. Northwood House listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  65. Park Lodge Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  66. Parkside Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  67. C. Taswell Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  68. JM Meadows Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  69. Premises Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  70. Rose House Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  71. Saint Helens Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  72. Bentilee Listings retrieved 12 April 2013
  73. Leafields Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  74. Sunny Listings retrieved 12 April 2013
  75. Almshouse Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  76. Bagot Inn Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  77. Bakery Listing retrieved 12 April 2013
  78. Big House Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  79. Butter Cross Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  80. School Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  81. Coach and Horses Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  82. Cross Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  83. Green Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  84. Hurst Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  85. Maltings Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  86. Schoolhouse Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  87. Royal Oak Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  88. Town End Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  89. Gilleon Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  90. Memorial Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  91. Wheelwright Listing retrieved 13 April 2013
  92. "Abbots Bromley". Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  93. ABCC Cricket Club Website retrieved 14 April 2013
  94. Abbots Bromley FC retrieved 14 April 2013
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