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Rectory Lane, STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN, DY13 0TB

The Church House is a black and white building near the gate leading to St Bartholomew’s Church. It was built in 1536 as a village hall where ‘Church Ales’ and fund raising parties were held until banned by the Puritans in the 1650’s. This is only one of two surviving church houses in Worcestershire.

A historic half-timbered building adjoining St. Bartholomew's Church. A history of the building can be found at: http://www.churchhouseareleykings.org.uk/3.html

The inscription on this side reads:- "A pillar of remembrance of the men of Areley Kings who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1918". Elsewhere the Second World War is referred to, and the sentence "Who dies if England lives". Eighteen names are recorded on the memorial. Thirteen of these are from the World War I, and the other five are from World War II. The names are:- John Henry Calder, Brian Alistair Cook, Alfred Corbett, Charles Corbett, Harry Elcox, Leonard Evans, Basil John Fox, Joseph Henry Higgs, Frederick Mapp, Joseph Mapp, Stephen King Mapp, John Edward Millichip, Charles Samuel Mills, Claude Shaddock, Reginald Speake, William Oliver White, George Edwin White and George Charles Wilson. Image

The memorial commemorates both World Wars and dates from 1920. It was first erected in Areley Lane but in 1961 it was moved to its present position near Church House, due to a road widening scheme. It has now been here longer than it was in its former position. The memorial was unveiled by Bishop Fyson on the 1st September 1920. Bishop Philip Kemball Fyson (1846-1928) was not Bishop of Worcester, as one might perhaps expect, but had been an Anglican bishop of the diocese of Hokkaido in Japan. He returned to England in 1908 and was Vicar of Elmley Lovett in Worcestershire from 1908 to 1925. Performing the unveiling must have been particularly poignant for him as he lost one of his sons, Oliver Fyson, in World War I, who was a Private in the Canadian Infantry and died on the 23rd April 1915 aged 30. Image

The timber-framed house now serves as a church hall.

Timber-framed house with modern annexe, serving as a church and community hall.

For information about the building please see:- Image

Church House, on the right, according to tree-ring dating was built in 1536. It was used primarily for the Church Ales, where ale brewed by the churchwardens was sold to raise money for keeping the fabric of the church in good repair. These events usually included singing and dancing. By the middle of the 17th century, Puritanism was a very powerful religious force in England. The Puritans were very much focussed on religious worship and piety rather than people enjoying themselves. As a result Church Ales were discontinued. Consequently Church Houses were put to other uses and over the centuries many disappeared, so few remain today. This one has been used as a school and a stables. It was drastically renovated in 2005, having fallen into a poor state of repair. It re-opened in 2006 and is run by a charitable trust who let it out to various groups for functions. The Church House at Areley Kings is one of only two surviving in Worcestershire. Interestingly the other one at Claines, Worcester, now known as the Mug House, is today a public house. Image

The notice on the right reflects the fact that the theft of lead and other metals has been a perennial problem in this area in recent years. Churches and schools in particular have been repeatedly targeted. Image Image

Overlooking the churchyard.