Feckenham - History

History

The village has been previously known as Feccanhom (9th century), Feccheham (11th century), Fekkeham, Fekeham (12th century), Feckeham, Feckaham, Fecham (13th century), Flechenham (16th century), and Feckyngham in the 16th and 17th centuries. Its history goes back to Roman times when the village developed from its position on the ancient saltway track between Alcester and Droitwich which later became a Roman road, (now the modern B4090 road), and on the early stretches of the Bow Brook. In the year 840 CE Feckenham Manor was given by Ethelric to Wœrferth, and it is mentioned in the 11th century Domesday Survey. The area was once substantial forest covering much of Worcestershire and was used by Norman royalty for hunting. In the Middle Ages, Feckenham was the administrative centre for the royal forest and it grew into a thriving town while today's nearby large town of Redditch was still a small village. Due to its location in the forest, the village was visited by all the early kings of England who had a lodge in the park of Feckenham Manor. Several entries in Pipe Rolls and Patent Rolls between the years 1166 and 1169 relate to the repair of the king's houses in the manor, and there was a royal hunting lodge near the village. The remains of one ancient hunting lodge are believed to lie beneath the village recreation ground.

In 1629 following a survey of royal forests, Feckenham reverted to common land and was greatly deforested; the manor land was sold by the crown to Lord Coventry in 1632.

As a result of the Local Government Act, in 1894 the civil parish was formed out of the part of Feckenham parish that was in the former Redditch Urban District, and was divided into Feckenham Rural and Feckenham Urban districts, and the communities of Headless Cross and Crabbs Cross became part of Redditch Urban District Council.