UPTON-ON-SEVERN - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"UPTON-ON-SEVERN, a parish, post and market town in the lower division of Pershore hundred, county Worcester, 10 miles S. of Worcester, and 5 W. of Defford railway station. It is a station on the Tewkesbury and Malvern railway. It is situated on the river Severn, which is here navigable for vessels of 100 tons burden, and is crossed by a bridge erected in 1853 in place of an older one destroyed by a flood in 1852. It is a polling place for the county elections, and is supposed to occupy the site of the Roman station Upocessa, mentioned by Ravennas.

Petty sessions are held at the police court once a fortnight. A manorial court is held occasionally. In 1651, prior to the battle of Worcester, Upton was occupied by Cromwell's troops. The streets are lighted with gas. The principal public buildings are a bank, town-hall, containing market house with assembly-rooms, and union poorhouse. A burial-ground, with chapels, lodge, &c., was opened in 1866, and is managed by a burial board. The Poor-law Union comprises 22 parishes and places. The surrounding country is well cultivated. The living is a rectory* [the asterisk denotes that there is a parsonage and glebe belonging to the living] in the diocese of Worcester, value £917, in the patronage of the bishop.

The church, dedicated to St. Peter, was rebuilt in 1758. The register dates from 1546. A grant of lands by Edward Hall produces upwards of £100 per annum, and is apportioned in three equal parts, to the repair of the church, the repair of the bridge, and to other necessary purposes in the parish. There are a National school for both sexes, and an infant school. The Baptists and Roman Catholics have each a chapel. Ham Court is the principal residence. Dr. J. Dee, the astrologer, was rector here for a time, and died in 1608. J. J. Martin, Esq., is lord of the manor. Market day is on Thursday. Fairs are held on Mid-Lent Thursday, Whit Thursday, 10th July, and the Thursday before 2nd October."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]