Village History

Historic photo of a building with people stood outside

Looking over a gate to a historic photo of a house

Historic House with a person at the front door

About our village

If you have any photographs, especially historic ones, that you would be prepared to be included in this website and Parish Council publications please email them to pillertonpriors@gmail.com

Situated in relatively low, undulating Warwickshire countryside, north west of the high, wooded scarp-face of Edge Hill, seven miles from Stratford-upon-Avon and east of the Cotswold Hills is the village of Pillerton Priors and one mile to the east, its sister village Pillerton Hersey, jointly known as “The Pillertons”. The villages are more or less equal in size, being approximately 3 miles x 1 mile wide on average. Pillerton Priors is reported to be 1566 acres. The Fosse Way cuts across northern end of the village. The Pillerton’s share a Village Hall, located in Pillerton Priors, which is home for Parish Council Meetings, WI, Friends of St Mary's and many social and private events throughout the year.

The villages date to pre 11th Century and are mentioned in the Domesday Book and have been referred to previously as:

Pillardinton – according to Duigan
Pilhard – common Anglo Saxon name
Pillerton Parva – Domesday survey

Priors is recorded as being 375 ft above sea level and Hersey at 275 ft, which may account for more recent previous names of:

Over Pillerton and Nether Pillerton, or
Upper Pillerton and Lower Pillerton

During the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)

Pillerton was owned by Baldwin
He was succeeded by Hugh de Grentemaisnel
Ownership excluded land in Over Pilardinton, which was held by the Abbey of St Ebrulf in Normandy

William the Conqueror (1066-1087)

Gave Pillerton to Hugh – Earl of Chester

Henry I (1100-1135)

Gave Pillerton to Hugh de Hersey with the exception of the Abbey lands
Earl of Warwick challenged this and following several disputes Hersey retained Pillerton giving his name to the lower parish
In 1204 - Hugh de Gournay held Pillerton. When subsequently Hugh de Gournay was captured by King of France and to raise his ransome he had to mortgage the lands for 3 years.
The lands then changed hands several times.
Circa 1798 – both Pillertons, then owned by the Rutland family, were sold to Charles Mills of Barford
In 1823 The Manor at Hersey was also acquired by Charles Mills
Pillerton remained in Mills’ ownership for over 100 years
Post Great War Miss Mabel Mills sold most farms and cottages in small lots
In Priors she kept Cadbolds Farm and 2 cottages and in Hersey she kept Home Farm and 3 cottages at Bunkers Hill and 1 adjoining the school
Some tenants bought the farms they worked:
In Priors John Stockley and W H Penn
In Hersey Mr Mattinson, C F Shepherd and Mr Lewis
Miss Mills reserved the manorial rights for both
In 1937 Miss Phoebe Mills became Lady of the Manor

Churches

1211 – St Mary’s Church and Chapel of Blessed Mary, Over Pillerton, held by Hugh de Hersey’s son
1291 - Hersey Church valued at £13. 6. 8p
Church chancel is of mid 13th Century
One of best local examples of its period
There are 3 bells
The register for marriages and burial began in 1539 and included Pillerton Priors
Priors church – St Mary Magdalen
Little is known about the church, but in 1666 (the same year as the "Great Fire of London") the Church is reputed to have been burned down. The churchyard is still consecrated and in use, and a service is held there once a year, normally on the Sunday nearest St Mary Magdalen's Day which is 22nd July.
Around 1830 it is believed that the ruins were dug up and used for building, with some pieces of carved stone featuring in some cottages.
Chapel survived until 1672 when burnt down
Pieces of 3 bells and part of the clock found
Chalice kept by Gardners at Sandpits farm in 19th Century – present whereabouts unknown
Methodist Chapel built in 1863 by John Walton of Millfield Farm

Community

1786 – Returns of Parliament show £30 bequeathed to the poor of the parish from unknown benefactor
Endowment produced annual income of 17/6d.
Parish Council administered the fund known as “Poor’s Charity”
Remains of the fund was passed to Charity Commission in about 1995
Village worked together to raise funds for community facility
1980 – Pillerton Priors Village Hall built and run by the Village Hall Management Committee – volunteers from village. The hall is supported and maintained from fund raising events
2006 – Major renovations to Village Hall

Building History

Millfield Farm, included a windmill noted in Elizabethan records and known as Nolands Cottage
The oldest recorded house in the village is circa 17th Century farmhouse
During the 20th century the village boasted Smith Tea Rooms, School Room and a Sub Post Office

Roman Remains

With the Fosse Way running through The Pillertons it is not surprising that Roman relics have been unearthed in the area. However, unusual in this area was the discovery of a high status Roman House. Assisted by the Association of Roman Archaeology in 2002 the site was excavated, recorded and preserved.

Historical Records

Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust holds documents advertising the auction of properties in Pillerton including:

Barrel Hill Farm - valuable and well situated small mixed pasture and arable farm
Cadbold Farm – an excellent dairy farm
Millfield Farm – the most desirable grazing farm
The Keeper’s Cottage – attractive smallholding
Dickensbury – a most attractive smallholding
Sand Pits Farm – first class dairy or feeding farm
Windmill Hill Farm – pleasantly situated mixed farm
Village Shop and Bakehouse with accommodation land
Elder Tree Copse, Brick Kiln Gorse, Accommodation Land
Substantially built cottage
New Cadbold Farm – the desirable holding