Dowles

Dowles
Dowles Manor
Dowles Location within Worcestershire
Civil parish	Upper Arley
District	Wyre Forest
Shire county	Worcestershire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Hereford and Worcester
Ambulance	West Midlands
List of places UK England Worcestershire 52°23′09″N2°19′50″W / 52.3857°N 2.3306°W / 52.3857; -2.3306

Dowles is a hamlet in the civil parish of Upper Arley, in the Wyre Forest district, in the county of Worcestershire, England. It is about 3 miles from the town of Kidderminster. The parish was divided into two parts by the Severn. ^[1]

History

Dowles gets its name from Dowles Brook, which ran through the parish. ^[2] It was transferred from Shropshire to Worcestershire on 30 September 1895. ^[3] In 1931, the civil parish had a population of 113. ^[4] On 1 April 1933, the parish was abolished and merged with Upper Arley, Kidderminster Foreign and Bewdley. ^[5]

Notable structures

• Dowles Manor, constructed c.1600. The Manor House within Dowles, owned the majority of the land. ^[6]
• Dowles Church, a demolished church dedicated to Saint Andrew, of which only a graveyard and ruins of a Parish House remain. Built as part of Dowles Manor's estate on its historic land. ^[7]
• Dowles Bridge, constructed c.1860 for the Severn Valley Railway across the River Severn, takes its name from the hamlet.

References

1. "Parishes: Dowles". British History Online. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
2. "Dowles Key to English Place-names". The University of Nottingham. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
3. "Kidderminster Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
4. "Population statistics Dowles AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 30 September 2023.
5. "Relationships and changes Dowles AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
6. says, Stan price (20 August 2018). "The Charles Archive: Dowles Manor House - Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service". www.explorethepast.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
7. "Dowles – Worcestershire & Dudley Historic Churches Trust" . Retrieved 17 April 2024.