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Badsey is a village and
Badsey has a long and rich history dating back to at least Roman times. In a charter of 709, the village was referred to as Baddesia (Baeddi's Island). The floods of 2007 remind us of how Badsey came to get its name when the village became an island for one night.
The Domesday Book of 1085 tells us that there were 12 villagers (likely to mean households or smallholdings) with 8 ploughs, 4 slaves and one widow living in Badsey. The reference to 8 plough teams implies that arable farming was already well established. The first stone church was probably built at Badsey in the 11th century. In the Middle Ages, the main landowner was the church. Following the dissolution of Evesham Abbey, the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, have been rectors and patrons of the parish since 1546, as well as being substantial landowners.
Agriculture has been the main occupation of the village for most of its history. At the beginning of the 19th century, the old open field system gave way to a more enclosed landscape which suited the agricultural revolution which was taking place, but changed the landscape irrevocably. The predominant occupation of the 19th century continued to be agriculture with over 70% of the working population was engaged in agriculture.
In the 1870s, the great agricultural depression began to hit the country, but for Badsey, this coincided with the advent of market gardening, introducing a new, prosperous chapter for the village. Whereas many villages at this time witnessed a drift of people away from the village to the town, the opposite was true in Badsey. Two big sales of farmland took place in 1866, which helped the spread of market gardening. The new landowners divided the land into strips which they then let to former farm labourers. These men started market gardening on their own account. By the time that three further sales of farmland took place in the early 1890s, the newly emerging market gardeners seized the opportunity to buy an acre or two of land. A housing boom took place as many new houses were built. The former "Ag Labs" now knew a wealth they could never formerly have expected. The opening of the railway station in 1884 opened up the markets and the Littleton & Badsey Growers' co-operative was founded in 1908 to assist market gardeners. Badsey and the Vale of Evesham became famous, particularly for the asparagus which was grown here. In a hundred years, the population of Badsey and Aldington had more than tripled as more people moved to the area to take up market gardening. By 1911, 80% of households were involved in market gardening.
During the Second World War the village became home to evacuees sent from the Handsworth New Road School in Birmingham. The decline in market gardening began after the Second World War. In common with villages elsewhere, there have been numerous changes in the post-war period, with significant housing development. There is a school, two pubs, a shop and post office, and a multitude of clubs and activities to choose from.
The old
The Manor House, Badsey, Worcestershire The village and
Church of St James, Badsey The village has a Spar shop (open 7 days a week) with a
8 April 2011 "The Wheatsheaf Inn" and the Round Of Gras.''Evesham Journal''
2 June 2011 "Pub regulars robbed at knifepoint"
History of BadseyBadsey OrganisationsChurch Website
* {{authority control Villages in Worcestershire
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
in the Wychavon
Wychavon is a local government district in Worcestershire, England, with a population size of 132,500 according to the 2021 census. Its council is based in the town of Pershore, and the other towns in the district are Droitwich Spa and Evesh ...
district of Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...
, England. It has two parks and a small first school located in the centre of the village.
Location
The village of Badsey is located about two miles east of Evesham, in theVale of Evesham
A vale is a type of valley.
Vale may also refer to:
Places Georgia
* Vale, Georgia, a town in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region
Norway
* Våle, a historic municipality
Portugal
* Vale (Santa Maria da Feira), a former civil parish in the municipa ...
. It lies close to the River Avon. According to the 2001 census the Badsey ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
had a population of 2,657.
Amenities and history
Badsey has a long and rich history dating back to at least Roman times. In a charter of 709, the village was referred to as Baddesia (Baeddi's Island). The floods of 2007 remind us of how Badsey came to get its name when the village became an island for one night.
The Domesday Book of 1085 tells us that there were 12 villagers (likely to mean households or smallholdings) with 8 ploughs, 4 slaves and one widow living in Badsey. The reference to 8 plough teams implies that arable farming was already well established. The first stone church was probably built at Badsey in the 11th century. In the Middle Ages, the main landowner was the church. Following the dissolution of Evesham Abbey, the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, have been rectors and patrons of the parish since 1546, as well as being substantial landowners.
Agriculture has been the main occupation of the village for most of its history. At the beginning of the 19th century, the old open field system gave way to a more enclosed landscape which suited the agricultural revolution which was taking place, but changed the landscape irrevocably. The predominant occupation of the 19th century continued to be agriculture with over 70% of the working population was engaged in agriculture.
In the 1870s, the great agricultural depression began to hit the country, but for Badsey, this coincided with the advent of market gardening, introducing a new, prosperous chapter for the village. Whereas many villages at this time witnessed a drift of people away from the village to the town, the opposite was true in Badsey. Two big sales of farmland took place in 1866, which helped the spread of market gardening. The new landowners divided the land into strips which they then let to former farm labourers. These men started market gardening on their own account. By the time that three further sales of farmland took place in the early 1890s, the newly emerging market gardeners seized the opportunity to buy an acre or two of land. A housing boom took place as many new houses were built. The former "Ag Labs" now knew a wealth they could never formerly have expected. The opening of the railway station in 1884 opened up the markets and the Littleton & Badsey Growers' co-operative was founded in 1908 to assist market gardeners. Badsey and the Vale of Evesham became famous, particularly for the asparagus which was grown here. In a hundred years, the population of Badsey and Aldington had more than tripled as more people moved to the area to take up market gardening. By 1911, 80% of households were involved in market gardening.
During the Second World War the village became home to evacuees sent from the Handsworth New Road School in Birmingham. The decline in market gardening began after the Second World War. In common with villages elsewhere, there have been numerous changes in the post-war period, with significant housing development. There is a school, two pubs, a shop and post office, and a multitude of clubs and activities to choose from.
The old manor house
A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...
, a Grade II* listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Ir ...
, still stands on the village High Street. It is half-timbered, black and white and today is a private residence, mainly from the 16th century, restored in the 1940s.www.britishlistedbuildings.co.ukThe Manor House, Badsey, Worcestershire The village and
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
is dedicated to St. James.www.britishlistedbuildings.co.ukChurch of St James, Badsey The village has a Spar shop (open 7 days a week) with a
post office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional ser ...
located inside. The two local pubs
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
are called the Wheatsheaf Inn''Worcester News''8 April 2011 "The Wheatsheaf Inn" and the Round Of Gras.''Evesham Journal''
2 June 2011 "Pub regulars robbed at knifepoint"
Notable residents
*Englishcricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
er Daryl Mitchell was born in Badsey.
*Comedian Alistair McGowan was also born in the village and attended Badsey First School.
*Conservative MP Nigel Huddleston
Nigel Paul Huddleston (born 13 October 1970) is a British politician serving as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury since September 2022 and as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade since October 2022. He served as Parlia ...
lives in Badsey.
See also
* Littleton and Badsey railway stationReferences
External links
History of Badsey
* {{authority control Villages in Worcestershire