HISTORY IN CHADDESLEY
In Saxon times Chaddesley was originally named Cad Lea or the place of Chad. In the Domesday Book our parish is referred to as Cedeslai. Our church is a must visit and can be seen from the A448 (Bromsgrove – Kidderminster road). It is a Norman church and dates back to the 12th Century. Must sees are the remarkable font, carved in Celtic style, which dates back to the 12th Century. St Cassians also boasts two effigies, both of which are stone knights clad in chain mail. One has his feet resting on a dog and his hand on the hilt of his sword. The armour and chain main are terrific and extremely detailed. You can see each small link of mail. http//www.britainexpress.com.
A walk along Chaddesley village allows you to step back in time. There are plenty of buildings of historic and architectural importance, check out the impressive Talbot Pub which dates back to 1600, the Tudor House, the Old Grammar School (now a residential properties within the churchyard), the Lych Gate and the Old Police House, all give you a feel for a different era.
Harvington Hall dates back to the 14th and 16th century. It is a picturesque moated medieval manor house and is famous for a large number of secret priest holes, and is a maze of creaking floorboards and passages; it is truly a hidden gem. Visit www.harvingtonhall.com for more information. Next to Harvington Hall you will also find Saint Mary’s Church, the earliest Roman Catholic Church in the district. http://www.stmarysharvington.co.uk/
The Monarchs Way walk runs through the Parish. This was part of Charles II’s flight from Worcester in 1650. http://www.monarchsway.50megs.com/about.html/
If you want recent history, then take a look at the Chartist bungalow (Rosedean) dating back from 1945 and is an interesting snippet of social reform, or visit John Bonham’s grave (legendary guitarist from Led Zepplin) in nearby Rushock. http://johnbonham.co.uk
For more detailed information guide books are suggested walks are available to buy in the Church.
