Malvern Chase

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Malvern Chase

Malvern Chase was a royal chase that occupied the land between the Malvern Hills and the River Severn in Worcestershire and extended to Herefordshire from the River Teme to Cors Forest.[1]

The following parishes and hamlets were within the Chase: Hanley Castle, Upton-upon-Severn, Welland, Longdon, Birtsmorton, Castlemorton, Bromsberrow, Berrow, Malvern, Colwall and Mathon.[1]

History

In his book The Forest and Chase of Malvern,

Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, a renowned general in the reign of Henry V
who was killed in the French wars."

His son,

Ann, married to the celebrated Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the "king-maker" who leaving two daughters, his were, as heiresses, divided between them. One was matched to the unfortunate Edward, Prince of Wales, son of Henry VI. and Queen Margaret, killed in the rout after at Tewkesbury
.

She was married afterwards to Richard Duke of Gloucester

Castle and Manor of Hanley, the parks of Blackmore, Hanley, and Cliffey, all lying in the bosom of the Chace, together with the market town of Upton-upon-Severn
; and so these possessions thus unjustly obtained by Henry remained Crown lands till about the year 1630.

Attempted disafforestation and riots

Western Rising.[3]

Nevertheless, a decree was issued in 1632 for the "disafforestation of the Chace of Malvern, and for freeing the lands within the bounds, limits, and jurisdictions thereof, of and from the game of deer there and the forest laws." By this decree (to obviate all disputes) one-third part only was to be severed and divided by commissioners, but the other two parts "shall remain and continue unto and amongst the commoners, and be held by them according to their several rights and interests, discharged and freed from his Majesty's game of deer there, and of and from the forest laws, and the liberties and franchises of Forest and Chace, in such sort as by the said decree it doth and may appear."[2]

Further disputes with landowners resulted in clarifications that any land that was disafforested had to be in proportion to the quality of the land as a whole, so that the common was not the most meagre land.

Legal status after 1660

King Charles II confirmed the settlement.[2] Commissioners were to judge any further requests for encroachments. The Chace was gradually eroded until the 1800s, when campaigners and renewed interest in the Malvern Hills resulted in the Malvern Hills Act 1884 which appointed Malvern Hills Conservators to preserve the area and govern its land use.

Further reading

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Southall, Mary (1822). A description of Malvern, and it's concomitants. G. Nicholson. pp. 77, 78.
  2. ^ a b c Lees, Edwin (1877). The Forest and Chase of Malvern. Transactions of the Malvern Naturalists' Field Club. pp. 16/17.
  3. OL 4742314M
    , 0520036816

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