BARSTON: Solihull Parish #10 of 16

BARSTON – Beornstan’s Farm Lastly this week we come to Barston, which sits in the green belt east of Solihull, wrapped in a great loop of the River Blythe at the western edge of the Meriden Gap. It’s a small rural parish, with a conservation area at its heart and within easy reach of Birmingham and Coventry. The name appears in early records as Bercestone, Bertonstone and Berstanton. Scholars link it to the personal name Beornstan, who was probably an early landholder. Later writers also connect Barston with the Barton surname, which is well rooted in this old Warwickshire landscape. In Saxon times Barston’s territory was wider, taking in much of what later became Berkswell, set within the old Forest of Arden. The River Blythe and its tributaries gave water meadows and pasture, so farming shaped daily life long before written records fixed the place on paper. Barston was firmly on the map in Domesday Book. It was in the hundred of Coleshill and had about thirty eight households, with villagers, woodland and at least one mill. Lords included Thorkil of Warwick, Robert d’Oilly and Robert the bursar. Barston’s manor passed through powerful hands. One estate gave way to the Knights Templar, linked to nearby Temple Balsall; then to the Knights Hospitaller after the Templars were suppressed. Under Henry VIII the land went to Catherine Parr, then to families such as the Fishers of Escot. The parish is best known today for St Swithin’s Church, standing on high ground above the Blythe. A medieval chapel burned down in 1721 and the present brick church rose soon after as a replacement, later gaining Victorian Gothic details. ---- Barston Hall is the eighteenth century vicarage and the Bulls Head, with its older rear range is the local pub. Further out lie the Malt Shovel, the Barston Memorial Institute, Barston Lakes, and a fifteenth century packhorse bridge. People have left their mark here as much as buildings have. The Fisher family funded church work and appear on its bells and memorials. More recently, the footballer Robbie Keane lived in Barston whilst at Coventry City. Supposedly there’s an underground passage linking St Swithin’s church to the Templar site at Temple Balsall. Its said to run beneath the Blythe, though historians doubt it. Even so it’s a really interesting bit of folklore which I’d love to try and prove. Walking Barston’s lanes today, you can still sense the past. Old fields, medieval orders and Georgian brickwork sit side by side in this quiet corner of the West Midlands, once graced by a famous footballer. Lets have a look at it. **** #Barston, #Solihull, #WestMidlands, #Birmingham, #Coventry, #Canals, #Golf, #Halls, #Churches, #Bridges, #Pubs, #Warwickshire, #RobbieKeane, #CoventryCity, #Templars, #Legends, #Fords, #Rivers, #BeautySpots, **** Some of the following music tracks may appear in this video: Brendan Perkins - “Foxsnow” (B. Perkins)    • Foxsnow   Brendan Perkins - “Mickey's House” (B. Perkins)    • Mickey's House   The Keyhouse - "Voices" (H. Flunder)    • Voices   The Keyhouse - "Circles" (H. Flunder)    • The Keyhouse - Circles (official audio)   Helen Flunder - "Sun" (H. Flunder)    • Helen Flunder - 'Sun' (Official Audio)   Helen Flunder - “Angels” (H. Flunder)    • Helen Flunder - Angels (Official Audio)   Helen Flunder - “C Song” (H. Flunder)    • Caistor and the Lincolnshire Wolds   Ending Song made by Suno AI I have me a Facebook page too!   / the-village-idiot-226069228730989   And now an INSTAGRAM - @andythevillageidiot Come and join The Village People! (Subscribers only!)   / 1037756120085304   Please consider buying me a coffee to support the channel! The more I get the faster I'll get to your parish! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thevilla... Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @thevillageidiot