A guide to Strensham
B&Bs | Budget | Cottages | Hostels | Self Catering |
Events in Strensham Now better known as a Service Area on the M5 motorway the village that lends it its name has a far greater history; Strensham is the first village in Worcestershire when coming up the motorway from Tewkesbury. The village is first mentioned in 972 in a charter granting the lands to the Abbey of Pershore, the name seems to derive from the Old English "Strengisho" meaning Strongs Hill of Strongs homestead. By the 13th century the Russell family were the largest landowners and they held sway for 400 years, they built a fortified and moated manor house at Lower Strensham. During the Civil War the castle was besieged by the Parliamentary army and despite staunch defence by Sir William Russell, than the Governor of Worcester at the time, the gained control and raised the castle to the ground, only the moat now remains behind Moat Farm. The Russell`s moved to Upper Strensham and built a new house, Strensham Court; Upper Strensham is now the principle area of settlement. Sir Francis Russell founded six Almshouses in 1697 but these fell into disrepair in the 1950`s after the last residents left, they were restored in 1985 into three cottages. About a mile away set in a knoll overlooking the River Avon and the Bredon Hills is the parish church of St.John, externally it is a fairly plain with a 14th perpendicular west tower but inside it is one of the hidden treasures of Worcestershire. There no less than thirteen brasses and monuments to the Russell family dating back to 1375 each depicted in period costume; a west gallery with 23 painted figures of saints dating from the 15th century although they were "touched up" in 1876; a double decked Pulpit; circular Norman Font and some early 16th century pews. There is also a monument to Samuel Butler - who is buried in Westminster Abbey - one of Britain's finest poets and artists who was born in Strensham, he is most famous for his fiercely anti-puritan poem Hudibras. So gentle reader, if, when stopping off at the Service area spend a little time at Strensham it will be worth your while.
Budget
Premier Inn Tewkesbury (Strensham) *book online*