Ardens Grafton

Ardens Grafton is a hamlet or small village in the Stratford on Avon district of Warwickshire, England, situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Alcester and 14 miles (23 km) west of the county town of Warwick. It has a main street and consists mostly of houses constructed of local stone with tiled roofs, with the exception of two properties, 'Manor Cottage' and 'Chapel House' both of which have timber-framed walls and a thatched roof. Two other buildings retain fragments of ancient framing.[1] During the reign of Edward III in 1347 the village was recorded as Grafton Inferior while neighbouring Temple Grafton(where population details can be found), 0.50 miles (0.80 km) to the East, was named Superior[2] Other designations used during the Middle Ages were Nether Grafton, Grafton Inferior or Grafton Minor whilst the larger village of Temple Grafton was distinguished as Over Grafton, Grafton Superior, Church Grafton, or Grafton Major. A reference to 'Temple Grafton alias Ardens Grafton' occurs in 1650.[1]

Ardens Grafton
Ardens Grafton
Ardens Grafton Location within Warwickshire
OS grid reference	SP1154
District	Stratford-on-Avon
Shire county	Warwickshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ALCESTER
Postcode district	B49
Dialling code	01789
Police	Warwickshire
Fire	Warwickshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Stratford-on-Avon

History

Grafton Minor occurs in a grant to Evesham Abbey by Ufa, Sheriff of Warwickshire, dated 973. As it is included among Ethelwig, Abbot of Evesham's acquisitions ('Alia Graftun') it may in the meantime have been lost by the monastery, and with Temple Grafton seized by the Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, quasi lupus rapax, (like a ravaging wolf) after Ethelwig's death. It is most probably to be identified with the 3 hides and 1 virgate in 'Graston'[1] which Domesday records among the possessions of William Fitz-Corbucion; Leuric and Eileua held it of him and before the Conquest they had held it freely. "Leofric and Aelfeva hold 3 hides and 1 virgate in Graston (Ardens Grafton). Land for 2 ploughs. In lordship 1; 2 slaves; 1 villager and 3 smallholders with 1 plough. Meadow 4 acres. The value was 40s; now 30s. They also held it themselves freely."[3]

Governance

Ardens Grafton is part of the Bardon ward of Stratford on Avon District Council and represented by Councillor Robert Vaudry, Conservative. Nationally it is part of Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency), whose current Member of Parliament is Nadhim Zahawi of the Conservative Party. It is included in the West Midlands electoral region of the European Parliament, following the 2014 elections the seven members are; Daniel Dalton and Anthea McIntyre (Conservative), Neena Gill and Sion Simon (Labour) and Jim Carver, Bill Etheridge and Jill Seymour (UK Independence).

Geography

Arden and Temple Grafton are above the escarpment

The land rises to an altitude of over 300 ft. in the northern part of the parish and slopes down to about 180 ft. by the river-bank at Hillborough, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south. The hamlet stands on the edge of the hill, commanding views across the valley to Bredon Hill and the Cotswolds.[1]

Education

The nearest Primary School is Temple Grafton Church of England Primary School having 102 pupils on its roll.

School	Compulsory education stage	School website	Ofsted details
Temple Grafton Church of England Primary School	Primary	Temple Grafton Church of England School	Ofsted details for unique reference number 125647

The nearest secondary schools are located in Alcester 4 miles (6.4 km) or Stratford-upon-Avon 6 miles (9.7 km).

References

1. 'Parishes: Temple Grafton', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 3: Barlichway hundred (1945), pp. 94-100.Date accessed: 26 August 2011.
2. William Dugdale, The Antiquities of Warwickshire, 1656
3. Domesday Book for Warwickshire, Phillimore edited by John Morris ISBN 0-85033-141-2