Wannerton

Wannerton is one of the 16 outliers or berewicks of Kidderminster which appears as a separate hamlet on the Subsidiary Roll of 1280.

In 736 Cynberht was granted by Ethelbald, King of the Mercians 10 cassates of land for the founding of a monastery, though in 816 Kidderminster is recorded as in the hands of the crown and continued so to Edward the Confessor and to King Harold prior to the conquest.

The Domesday Survey of 1086 notes: "William holding Kidderminster in lordship, with 16 outliers; Wannerton, Trimley, Hurcott, Franche, another Franche Bristitune, Habberley, Fastochesfelde, Wribbenhall, Ribbesford, another Ribbesford, Sutton, Oldington, Mitton, Teulesberge and Sudale. In these lands, including the manor, 20 hides. The whole of this manor was waste. In Lordship 1 plough; 20 villagers and 30 smallholders with 18 ploughs; a further 20 more ploughs possible. 2 male and 4 female slaves. 2 mills at 16s; 2 salt-houses at 30s; a fishery at 100d; woodland of 4 leagues. In this manor three free holds the land of one riding-man; he has 1 plough and a mill at 5 ora. To this manor belongs 1 house in Droitwich and another in Worcester which pay 10d. The whole manor paid £14 in revenue before 1066, after it paid £10.4s by weight. The King had placed the woodland of this manor in the Forest of Feckenham. Of this manor's land William holds 1 hide and the land of one riding-man. He has 1 villager and 8 smallholders who have 4f ploughs, value 11s. Also of this land Aiulf holds 1 virgate, 1 plough and 2 slaves there. Value 2s."

The Sheriff accounted to the King for the proceeds of the whole of Kidderminster until Henry II alienated to his "dapifer" or Steward, Manasser Biset sometime between 1156 and 1162.

The Lordship of Wannerton was enfeoffed under the Barony of Kidderminster Biset and passed to a family which took its name from the manor. During the 15th century three followed at least four generations of the name. John Wannerton who's father and grandfather had lived there had a son also John Wannerton, of

Worfield, Salop or Shropshire, who's daughter and heir Jane married Sir George Bromley, knight and justiciar of Chester. Jane outlived her husband and settled her estate with the manor on her grandson, Thomas Bromley of Bridgnorth who died without issue in 1609-10. Thomas had settled by will his estate on his widow Eleanor, but afterwards it reverted to Sir Edward Bromley of Sheriff Hales under the will of Thomas Bromley.

In 1677 William Bromley is recorded as in possession and in 1683 he conveyed the Lordship and Manor of Wannerton to Thomas Foley. Thomas was the son of Richard Foley of Stowbridge by his second wife, Alicia, daughter of William Brindley of Willenhall. Richard Foley had amassed a huge fortune during the civil war as an iron master and had settled at Great Witley, where Thomas Foley was then responsible for the construction of Witley Court, the Foley family seat.

Thomas Foley had married Grace Granville, 3rd daughter and co heir of George Granville, Lord of Lansdowne at Bideford but died November 1777 to be succeeded by his son, also Thomas. This Thomas Foley was MP for Herefordshire from 1767-1774 and for Droitwich from 1774-77 and appointed Postmaster General in 1783. He married Harriet Stanhope, 4th daughter of William Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Harrington but died in 1793 to be succeeded by his 3rd and only surviving son again Thomas.

This Thomas Foley was a Privy Councillor and Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire and had married Cecilia Olivia Geraldine Fitzgerald, 5th daughter of Robert Fitzgerald, 2nd Duke of Leinster. He died April 1833 and was succeeded by his son, Thomas Henry Foley. Thomas Henry Foley had been MP for Worcestershire 1830-1832 but sold the Manor of Wannerton with others in about 1836-1837 to William, 11th Lord Ward. William was created Earl of Dudley on 17th February 1860, had acquired Witley Court the chief seat of Foley's and enlarged it to a yet more substantial residence. He died May 1885 to be succeeded by his son, William Humble, the 2nd Earl. The Lordship of the Manor of Wannerton has continued to be held by successive Earls of Dudley until the present day.

Rights, customs and incidents

In Lordship 1 plough; 20 villagers and 30 smallholders with 18 ploughs; a further 20 more ploughs possible. 2 male and 4 female slaves. 2 mills at 16s; 2 salt-houses at 30s; a fishery at 100d; woodland of 4 leagues.

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• Calendar Close Rolls ................................ 1296-1302 ........................ Kew Record Office
• Chancery Inquisition Portmortem ............. 1281 ................................. " "
• Calendar Patent Rolls .............................. 1301-1307 ....................... " "
• Recovery Rolls ......................................... 1573 ................................. " "
• Feet of Fines Worcestershire .................... 1602
• Feet of Fines Divisional Co ....................... 1720
• Recovery Rolls ......................................... 1802

Wannerton was one of the outliers or berewicks of Kidderminster and was held with the lordship of Kidderminster before being alienated by Henry II to Manasser Biset, the king's dapifer, between 1156 and 1162. Its lordship was subsequently enfeoffed under the Biset barony and passed to a family using the name Wannerton. In the later medieval and early modern period it descended through the Wannerton and Bromley families. Thomas Bromley died without issue in 1609–10; under the relevant testamentary arrangements the estate ultimately reverted to Sir Edward Bromley of Sheriff Hales. William Bromley was in possession in 1677 and conveyed the lordship and manor to Thomas Foley in 1683. The manor descended through successive members of the Foley family until Thomas Henry Foley sold it, with other property, about 1836–1837 to William, 11th Lord Ward. The lordship thereafter descended with the Earls of Dudley, according to the supplied registry narrative.