Strensham (St. John the Baptist)

STRENSHAM (St. John the Baptist), a parish, in the union, and Upper division of the hundred, of Pershore, Pershore and E. divisions of the county of Worcester, 4½ miles (S. W. by S.) from Pershore; containing 304 inhabitants. This place, which is pleasantly situated on the river Avon, between the hills of Malvern and Bredon, is renowned in history for the siege it sustained against the parliamentary forces, and for the signal bravery displayed here by the then lord of the manor, Sir William Russel. The parish comprises 1878 acres of rich land: the soil consists of light earth, loam, and marl, with various modifications; blue lias and gravel abound in every part, and in some places fossils and minerals are met with. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £12; net income, £200; patron, John Taylor, Esq.: the tithes were commuted for land in 1814. The church is a noble structure, containing many memorials of the Russel family, among which are some fine specimens of Italian sculpture, in Parian and other marbles. In the parish are nine almshouses, endowed by Lady Ann Russel, and her father Sir Francis Russel; the income is about £43. Samuel Butler, author of Hudibras, was born here in 1612.