BRAILES

Brailes, which lies a few miles south east of Shipston-on-Stour on the road to Banbury is fairly extensive in area. The parish comprises the two villages of Upper and Lower Brailes. The former is on Brailes Hill and the latter on the other side of the valley through which runs a stream called Sutton Brook. The church of St. George is said to be the largest in south Warwickshire. The last of the Sheldon family, Henry James Sheldon, who died in 1901 is buried in the churchyard. Tragedy struck the parish in 1876-1877 when thirtyseven children died of diphtheria. Winderton and Chelmscote are hamlets.

DIOCESE: Worcester. HUNDRED: Kington. UNION: Shipston-on-Stour.

ADJOINING PARISHES: Compton Wynyates, Swalcliffe (Oxon.) Whichford, Sutton-Under-Brailes, Barcheston, Honington, Idlicote, Whatcote.

Parish Registers: Christenings: 1570-1964 Marriages: 1570-1937 Burials: 1570-1955 Confirmations 1779-1888. Winderton Marriages: 1880-1973.

Bishop's Transcripts : Begin 1608 WOR

IGI: Christenings: 1570-1810 & 1813-1859 Marriages: 1570-1642,1653-1753 & 1760-1876. Widely available; BMSGH(PS)

Marriages: 1578-1598, 1654-1701, Burials: 1577-1598, CMB 1786-1912 BIR Christenings: 1653-1701, Marriages: 1654-1701, Burials: 1653-1701 STR
Banns 1823-1876 SoG
RC Chapel Christenings: 1778-1844, Marriages: 1785-1792,1820-1865, Burials: 1785-1790, 1819-1912 SoG

NONCONFORMIST: Roman Catholic: see Source Material and C,M&R Vol.2.
Christenings: 1778-1844 Marriages: 1785-1865 Burials: 1785-1912 M Christenings: 1779-1881. Quaker: see Source Material Methodist: Z 1905-1972

MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS: Yard, mainly older stones STR
St.George and Winderton, St.Peter and St.Pauls BMSGH.m/fiche , WAR , SoG , BIR

PROBATE RECORDS: WOR (A study of 16th and 17th century wills for Brailes and Winderton: undertaken by the Shipston-on-Stour Local History Society).

CENSUS RETURNS: All WAR
1851 BIR
1851 BMSGH SI v.13 SoG , BIR
1881 BCP , BMSGH(PS)

INDEXES
Burial 1653-1837
Marriage 1760-1837
Poor Law c1690-1860

MANORIAL RECORDS: 1773-1827 STR various documents 1401-1752 BIR
Letter re purchase of manor 1629. Brailes, Whichford and Ascott Quit Rents etc 1788-1812.

OTHER SOURCES: Farming Diaries of Albert Spencer 1877-1918.
Plan of William Sheldon's estate 1763.
Pedigree of the Prestige family of Brailes 1509-1841.
Rentals and accounts from the Earl of Northampton's estates at Winderton.
The Land Where I Belong, A.Seymour 1968, the author farmed at Mill Farm, Long Compton 1939-1960.
Brailes, A Felden Community 1550-1800 (Thesis 1977).
Focus on Brailes, Focus Vol.1 No.1 July 1978.
W.I.Scrap Book 1965.

[Last updated: 18th March 2013 ]