From the Cheltenham Examiner, Wednesday, March 11th, 1885

Three miles from Andoversford, and about equidistant between the high roads which, forking off there, run to Stow on the Wold and Northleach respectively, there is the little village of Salperton. Although thus remotely situated, there was a time, so antiquaries assure us, when the village occupied a far more important position. Long before the Roman hosts had made their appearance in Gloucestershire, Salperton was on a road, which came from Droitwich through Worcestershire, entered this county near Ashton-under-Hill, probably ran by Dumbleton and Toddington to Hayles, past Hawling, Salperton and Hazleton, crossed the Foss Way between North Leach and Stowell Park, crossed another Roman road, the Ikenield-street, at Coln St. Aldwyns, and then pursued a southward course to the coast of Hampshire. This ancient road is known by the name of the Salt Way, or the Salter`s Way : whether because it was used for traffic of salt from Droitwich is a debatable question. It is now visible only here and there ; one of its most conspicuous stretches is on the slope of the Cotswolds near Hayles Abbey ; but on a map published at the beginning of this century it may be traced pretty plainly. Nor is its former position on a British trackway the only connection which Salperton has with prehistoric times. Scattered about in its immediate neighbourhood are some long and round tumuli, made by those long-headed and round headed ancestors of ours, the former of whom, so far as we at present know, were the earliest dwellers upon our wolds. Close to Notgrove station, only a few minutes` walk from Salperton, is one of these interesting ancient burial places, in which Mr. G.B. Witts, on exploring it, found, among interesting relics, one of which is almost unique- a black oval bead, or amulet, which had adorned the neck of a woman about the hill-side at Salperton we don`t know how many thousands of years ago, but long, long before the dawn of the historic period. Just outside Salperton Park, too, there is a camp which dates back to ancient times. In his admirable *Archeological Handbook of the County of Gloucester*, Mr. Witts describes this camp as rectangular in form, measuring eighty yards by sixty yards, the defended area being close upon an acre. The intrenchments consisted of a single mound and ditch, now nearly obliterated, with the exception of the four angles and the whole of the north side. By whom the camp was built is a matter of conjecture ; its regular shape favours the idea that it was made by the Romans, but it may have had a British origin, for clever and industrious as the Roman invaders were in the construction of defensive works, they were not above adopting and adapting those which had been used by those whom they conquered.

It is not until we come to Norman times that the written record throws much light upon the history of Salperton. When the Conqueror called his "witan" together at Goucester in 1085, he had, we are told, a very "deep speech" with them about the land, how it was peopled, and so on, and afterwards he sent men into every shire, "and caused to be ascertained how many hundred hides were in the shire, or what land the King himself had, or what dues he ought to have in twelve months from the shire." The chronicler further tells us that the King caused to be written "what or how much each man had who was a holder of land in England, in land or in cattle, and how much money he might be worth ; so very narrowly he caused it to be traced out that there was not one single hide, nor one yard of land, nor even - it is shame to tell, though it seemed to him no shame to do - an ox, nor cow, nor a swine, left, that was not set down in his writ." Taken by itself there is little of interest in the Doomsday record of Salperton. The interest begins when we learn something of the people whose names we have but bare mention in the famous Survey. Gloucestershire with the exception, probably, of the Forest of Dean, was in those times within the See of the Bishop of Worcester, and his lordship held a good deal of land in the county, including the manor of Bishop`s Cleeve, of which, says the Doomsday Book, "one Ralph holds four hides in Salperton :" that is, he held about five hundred acres, or nearly one half the present area of the parish. Who Ralph was, we know not ; but about one owner of land in Salperton about this time some interesting particulars are given us by Mr. Alfred S. Ellis. This landowner was one Hugh l`Aisne, or, as his name is once written in the Survey, "Asinus," the latter a nickname by which he seems generally to have been known. Mr. Ellis tells that how Hugh came by his nickname does not appear, but "the Normans seem to have had a propensity for giving the most undignified epithets to persons who appear not only been exclusively known by such, but were obliged, for the sake of identity, to use these themselves in documents. The particulars of Hugh "Asinus" which Mr. Ellis has collected, and which he gives in his learned paper on "The Doomsday Tenants of Gloucestershire," are in substance these:

As early as 1046. twenty years before the conquest, William fitz Osbern had founded an abbey at Lyre, and we find 'Hugo Asino' witnessing the charter of William fitz Osbern, when Earl of Hereford, granting the monks their lands in England. He was also one of the witnesses to the charter of William confirming to the abbey of St. Evroult the gifts of Fulk, late Dean of Evreux. He was, in all probability, a feudatory of that baron in Normandy, and a man advanced in years at the time of the Survey. He was surviving 1095-1101, as his name as 'Hugo Asinus' occurs in the list of those who had tenants in the towns of Gloucester and Winchcombe. He evidently came over with William fitz Osbern and settled in the west under him,and on the Welsh marches was actively employed in the defence of the border under his lord, now Earl of Hereford. In the county of Hereford he held *in capite*, Kentchester and some twenty other manors, in which 'his original feoffer.' says Mr. Eyton, seems to have been William fitz Osbern, the Earl. At the date of the Survey he was claiming the great lordship of Radnor, then held by the king, declaring to the commissioners that when Earl William gave him the lands of Turchil, he also gave him Raddrenove. Hugh also held Knighton and Norton, which the survey included in Shropshire. Turchil, whose lands in Herefordshire were granted to Hugh, had held Brockworth, in Gloucestershire, of King Edward. This, Hugh acquired with the rest. He also obtained, in this county, the lands of Wluuard, in Shipton, Salperton, and Bagendon ; one Gilbert held of him the last named. He, probably, did not become a tenant in capite until the forfeiture of Roger, the second Earl of Hereford, in 1074. All we know about his family is that he had a daughter, who seems to have been a nun at the Abbey of St Mary, at Winchester, for that church held lands of him at Kennet, in Wilts.

Salperton Church, like the majority of the churches on the Cotswolds, had its foundations laid back in Norman times, and the present edifice contains several pieces of Norman work - the chancel arch, and two windows on the N. side of the chancel, and two windows on the S. now filled up with masonry. According to Atkyns, the Gloucestershire historian, Robert de Chando, who came over with the Conqueror, gave the advowson of the church to the monks of Lyra. Subsequently the impropriation passed into the possession of the Nunnery of Stodely, at the dissolution of which it was granted to Richard Andrews and Nicholas Temple. When Atkyns wrote it belonged to the College of Winchester, which also held the manor of Salperton. About a century-and-a-half ago, the manor was leased from the college by a W. Cossley, of Bristol, and he also became possessed of the impropriation. The latter he sold to the Earl of Westmoreland, from whom it was purchased by Mr. Thomas Browne, and for some generations past the impropriation and the manor have belonged to the Browne family. When the Chantry Commissioners visited Salperton in the reign of the "godd Kynge of Englonde, ffraunce, and Irelonde," Edward VI., they found a chantry existing there, certain land, of the value of two shillings a-year, having been given "to ffinde a lampe there," which money was distributed to the poor. The registers go back imperfectly to 1617. Among the entries we may mention Francis Cooke, aged 104, died March ye 18th 1712. 1698, ------, son of Mary Harriss, a poor travelling woman, was baptised May 8th. 1729, deceased, Thomas Toombs, an eminent member of the church.

A portion of the church - the chancel arch, and the windows in the N. and S. of the chancel- is, as we have said, Norman work. With the exception of two windows in the south wall, which are later, the remainder of the building is of fourteenth century date. Atkyns records that shortly before his time the tower was blown down "level to the church." It was subsequently rebuilt, but unless something is speedily done, that will be the only part of the church left standing. "The walls are unsafe, the roof threatens to fall in, as that of the porch has done, the woodwork of the tower is very faulty, and the stonework wants pointing ; the interior is equally dilapidated, and the rain comes through the ceiling." This is not an exaggerated picture : it is a plain, unvarnished statement of fact, quoted from an appeal, which the Rev. H. Kenrick Adkin, the recently appointed Vicar, is making for help towards the restoration of the church. A proposal to restore a church not unfrequently causes regret rather than arouses sympathy. But in this case restoration really means preservation as well as restoration. The Norman windows long blocked up and covered with ivy will be opened. The tower arch concealed by lath and plaster and a singing gallery will be restored to its original state. Never was a church in greater need of the services of architect and builder, and never was a stronger claim made for help than Mr. Adkin makes on behalf of a poor agricultural parish. The strictest supervision will be exercised in the expenditure, and a few friends have promised material assistance, among them being Mr John C.P. Higgs of the firm Higgs and Rudkin, architects, who has kindly volunteered his services as architect. The patron has also undertaken to thoroughly renew the roof, but, at least, £600 is required, towards which about £230 has been subscribed up to the present. With two or three exceptions every family in the parish has given something. All would rejoice to see the church put into a good state of repair, and many specially desire it because of the long period with which their families have been associated with it. In proof, and as showing how country people stick to their birth places, we may mention that such names as Anthony Oakey, William Freeman, Timbrell Curtis, Hart, occur all through the registers, their descendants either still live or have lived until a few years ago in the parish. "Will you kindly send a little help to a poor agricultural parish ?" is Mr. Adkin`s appeal in a circular which he has issued. The urgency of the appeal is eloquently emphasised by a visit to Salperton and its Church.

The patron has undertaken to thoroughly renew the roof, but we can only hope to complete our work by the help of generous friends of the Church, and those who take an interest in ancient buildings.

At least £600 is required to reseat and restore the Church. £375 has already been received, and the Diocesan Society has granted £40.

The Church, the only place of worship in the village, is falling into decay, the walls are unsafe, the roof threatens to fall in, as that of the porch has done, the woodwork of the tower is very faulty, and the stonework wants pointing. The interior is equally dilapidated, and the rain comes through the ceiling.

The work of restoration is now rapidly approaching completion, and the builder must be paid, but of the sum necessary to do so, £200 is still wanting.

The inhabitants of the Parish being all agricultural labourers can do little, the income of the living is very small, thus, unless help be given from without, this little Church in which God has been worshipped for more than 700 years, must fall to the ground.

Donations of Work, &c., for a Sale of Work, would be thankfully received. A font, Communion Table, Linen, and Rails, and a Flagon are urgently needed. Will any charitable person give one or the other of these articles as a memorial of a relative or friend ?

A TRIFLE from all to whom I send this circular would enable us to do this work; hoping therefore for the return of this circular, and if possible a small donation,

I am, yours faithfully,
H. KENRICK ADKIN, Vicar.

If you receive this application twice, you are begged to pardon the oversight.
Please Address :-
22, Lansdown Terrace,
Cheltenham.
1884 + 1885

PRINTED BY C.R. ILES, CHELTENHAM

1879-1884
Curate of St John`s, Cheltenham
1884-1897
Vicar of All Saints, Cold Salperton
1897-1899
Licensed Preacher, Diocese of Gloucester
1899-1909
Vicar of Crudwell, Wiltshire
also of Hankerton, Wiltshire from Apr 1904-1910
c1910- May 1921
Vicar of Horfield, Bristol
Acting Chaplain, Horfield barracks
18 Jan 1922
Appointed Honorary Canon of Bristol Cathedral

A plaque in the nave commemorates his renovation of Salperton church.

Crockfords gives the living of All Saints in 1885 as follows:
Private Patronage, 45 acres value £65, Patron £8, Queen Anne`s Bounty £13, Gross Income £86, Net £60. Church Accommodation 100, Population 140.

Harry Kenrick Adkin was born in 1851, in Abergavenny. His father was the Rev Henry Adkin who descended from a line of yeoman farmers of Hatherne in Leicestershire. His mother, Dorcas Kenrick, was the eldest child of John Kenrick, a banker of Wrexham and member of a prominent Unitarian family.

He married Georgina Elizabeth Knight, the daughter of James Peter Knight, headmaster of the Cheltenham School of Art, and Georgina Louisa Mills, on 9th January 1878.

For twenty years he was mathematics teacher at Glyngarth School, Cheltenham.

In 1909 The family name was changed to Knight-Adkin by deed poll.

He died in Bristol in 1928, followed two years later by his widow.

Harry and Georgina had five children, three boys and two girls.

James Harry Knight-Adkin, born 1878 and died 29 July 1948. A teacher at the Combined Services College in Windsor. He was a captain in the 4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, The Gloucester Regiment in the Great War. After leaving the army he taught at a school for the blind in Bristol. In addition to his teaching duties, he was a published war poet. He married Grace Evelyn Garner.

Rev. Walter Kenrick Knight-Adkin, born 17th August 1880, died 24th May 1957. A naval chaplain, he became Chaplain of the Fleet and Hon. Chaplain to HM King George V. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was Dean of Gibraltar. He married Elizabeth (Elsa) Cuff Napier on 20th Dec 1915. Their only child, Peter Napier Knight-Adkin, died in infancy.

Frederick John Knight Adkin, born 2nd Jun 1883, died 19th February 1964. After a year spent working as a writer and journalist in New York, he emigrated to Argentina in 1906, where he became a cattle farmer. He married on 14th Feb 1914, Jessie Nellie Scott Livingston, whose father, an American merchant, was descended from the Livingstons of Albany. They had six children, two boys, Kenrick Livingston and Peter Patrick who both died in infancy, and four girls; Noel Georgina, Elsa Elizabeth, Nelida and Ida Livingston. Noel and Elsa both served as Wrens in World War Two and neither married. Nelida married John Coysh, Assistant General Manager of the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Co. Ida married Carlos Lafin, industrial relations manager for Shell Argentina.

Georgina Noel Knight-Adkin born 1886 and died 24th Jan 1955. Worked in a munitions factory in Bristol during World War 1. After the war she set up a photographic studio, Noelfreda Studios with Freda Wills, at 27 Park Street, Bristol.

Violet Doris Knight Adkin was born in 1889 and tragically died of a stroke at the age of 19, on 15th Aug 1908 while visiting friends at Corston.

From the Cheltenham Examiner Sept 1894.

Harvest Festival,--On Sunday last the usual harvest thanksgiving services took place in this church. There were full congregations at both services. The sermons, both in the morning and in the afternoon, were preached by the Vicar (Rev. H. Kenrick Atkin), the subjects of them being "The Connection of Life with Death, and the Fruitfulness of Death" (John xii.,24), and "The Proof of God`s Love in Creation" (Hosea ii.,21,22). The church was beautifully decorated by ladies from the Hall and village, and from Hampden. Some neat and tasteful miniature sheaves, made and sent by one of the Hampden labourers, were very noticeable. Collections to the amount of £3 6s, were made in aid of the Cheltenham General Hospital and Dispensary.

From the Cheltenham Looker-On, July 1897

The Rev. H.K. ADKIN has resigned the living of Salperton, which he has held for the past thirteen years. It is in the gift of the Bishop of the Diocese, who has offered it to the Rev. A. C. Gabell, by whom it has been accepted.

From the Cheltenham Looker-On, November 1897

From the Cheltenham Examiner, circa November 1885

In the early part of this year it was our privilege to tell the readers of this journal something about the little church of Salperton, in that time in an extremely dirty, dilapidated, and even dangerous state, and about to be restored. With great labour and earnestness, the then newly inducted Vicar, the Rev, H. Kenrick Adkin, was collecting funds for the work. The small, poor parish could do little to promote it; and as a sum of £600 was required, there was no alternative but to issue a general appeal. In March, when we visited Salperton, the response was already sufficiently encouraging to justify the commencement of the restoration, and today the pious task of rescuing a most interesting and ancient building from destruction is happily completed; although a balance of the cost, amounting to £150, still remains to be raised. Certainly, as one compares the structure as it is at present, with its past, the contrast is very striking. Not that the restoration has been at all of that ruthless and tasteless kind which from time to time has called forth, and justly so, the loud protests of the antiquary ; on the contrary, it has been most reverent, and only the mellowing touch of a few short years is needed to blend into picturesque harmony the new work and the old. But while it is as beautiful as ever in its quaintness and simplicity, while it is as typical as ever of an antique rural sanctuary, those charms of decay which doubtless appeal very strongly to the artist, but are inconsistant with true reverence for the house of prayer, have disappeared; the rank luxuriant ivy covering the walls, the moss-grown tottering roof, the crumbling stone, have given place to strength and brightness - strength that shall endure for centuries, and afford safe shelter to generations yet unborn. Church restoration carried out in this spirit, and adhering as closely as may be to the original architectural lines must surely always commend itself alike to the sentimental lover of the past and to the utilitarian and practical instincts of the present.

The extent of the renovation will be judged from the nature of the delapidations when the Vicar issued his appeal. Then the walls were unsafe, the roof threatened to fall in, as that of the porch had already done ; the woodwork of the tower was very faulty and the stonework wanted pointing ; the interior was equally in need of repair, and the rain came through the ceiling. All this has now been remedied, and, indeed, much more has been done to improve the building and enrich the services, thanks largely to special gifts. The roofing is entirely new, the cost of the materials being defrayed by a bequest for the purpose by Mr. Gore Langton : the north wall, which was in an almost ruinous condition, has been taken down and restored with an Early English window, previously blocked up, and with a second similar tracery, removed from the other side, and now merely outlined in the stone : the windows are filled in with cathedral-tinted glass ; the ugly singing gallery at the west end has been removed ; the church has been reseated with plain pitch-pine pews. on wooden-block flooring ; the stone paving of the chancel and the rest of the church has been renewed ; and, generally, both externally and internally, dust and decay have disappeared in favour of their opposites. In the course of the work, one or two discoveries of some interest have been made, as for instance, the finding of an ancient almery in the bay of one of the south windows, and of the traces of frescoes on different parts of the walls, the most conspicuous of these being a rough representation of a skeleton Death, with his dart in one hand and spade in the other, which looks down upon you from the tower wall. This fresco, however, though sufficiently quaint, is not presumed to possess the interest of more than about a century`s antiquity. Among various gifts to the church in its present season of rejuvenescence, are an oak lecturn, given by the Vicar, the base being the work and gift of Mr. Thomas Fluck ; a beautiful set of church books, given by Capt. Philp ; oak Glastonbury chairs and door, by Mr. Bolton, sculptor, of Bath-road, Cheltenham; and cushions and markers by the Misses Tarleton. It should also be mentioned that Mr. John C. P. Higgs, of the firm of Higgs and Rudkin, kindly gave his services as architect ; and that, curiously enough, the masonry has been carried out by the descendants of a family who rebuilt the tower of the church some years ago - for the strictly moderate and modest sum of £40 ! Thus restored and furnished, the little building is once more worthy of its sacred office, and none can visit it without feeling that, however humble, yet it is an eloquent memorial of old time ; that it is even prettier and more picturesque than the majority of village fanes ; that it is a beacon among the wild desolate hills which it would have been a shame and a sin to have allowed to perish.

The re-opening ceremony took place on Friday, a day that was cold and damp and dirty. Nevertheless, there was a considerable gathering, including many friends of the Vicar from Cheltenham ; and when the three apparently-much-excited and decidedly unmusical bells had ceased to ring, the church was crowded to its utmost capacity. It was a charming sight, for in all the sills there was a wealth of simple growth, and window plants of the homeliest kinds, together with bunches of wild flowers and berries, nestled in soft beds of moss and ivy and yellow leaves. All this was noted and enjoyed ; but it was sadly cold. The proper name of the parish, by the way, is Cold Salperton : and on Friday, at any rate, it deserved its appellation. Yet, though the temperature was arctic, the service was warm. At about a quarter to twelve, the Lord Bishop of the diocese (who had walked from Notgrove), having robed in a neighbouring house, entered the church attended by a number of clergy, comprising the Revs. H. Kenrick Adkin (Vicar), W. H. Stanton (Rural Dean, and Rector of Hazleton), J. Sharpe (Vicar of Northleach), J. Tudor (Vicar of Compton Abdale), J. Alcock (Rector of Hawling), W.S. Fallon (Curate of St John`s, Cheltenham), T.K. Allen (Curate of the Parish Church, Cheltenham), A.C. Lawrence (Rector of Whittington), C. Spencer Bubb, and J.W.G. Hoghton (Curate of Aston Blank). Morning prayer was read by the Rev. H.K. Adkin and the lessons by the Revs. W.S. Fallon and W.H. Stanton, the Bishop reciting the prayers in the ante Communion service, and preaching the sermon. For this he took as his text, the words "Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood," Epistle to the Ephesians, 6th chapter, 12th verse ; preaching therefrom a very simple and impressive discourse. Before, however, dealing with the subject matter of the text, he said, I am very thankful, my dear friends -for the moment addressing myself more particularly to those of this parish- that I have found an opportunity of coming among you, and of sharing in your Christian joy in the fact of the restoration of this ancient church being now almost completed. We shall all see with interest the work that has been done. Most of us may observe that we are in a very old building, a building many hundreds of years old, and a building that, for a long time, I am told, has been in a state unfitted for the reverent worship of Almighty God. But now, by the energy of your good Vicar, and by the efforts you have all made, this house of prayer is restored to a state in every degree befitting its sacred character. So far as I can observe, the work has been done faithfully and well. there is much difficulty in dealing with a church which is very ancient and out of repair : great skill is needed in adapting the new to the old, and I venture to think that that skill has certainly been shown on this occasion. Both the chancel and the nave have been restored with due regard to what the church was in days long, long gone by. I am very thankful, therefore, to be present with you, and, I trust in God, we shall all of us help this morning in removing somewhat the debt which still rests upon the church. The offertory will of course be devoted to the fund for the restoration of the church, and will be collected, as all will wish, from the whole congregation, while I am reading the sentences in the offertory.

At the conclusion of the service (in which appropriate hymns had been sung), the Bishop and a large number of guests were hospitably entertained at luncheon by the Rev. W.D. Stanton, at Hazleton Rectory, and later on in the afternoon the company returned by carriage and rail to their several destinations. The sum realised by the collection in aid of the fund was £8 odd, leaving as has been already said, about £150 yet to be obtained. In addition to this, the Vicar earnestly wishes a further sum of £60 or so, to build a vestry ; and we would add upon our own responsibility, that a few more pounds to improve the warming of the building during these chilly months, would be money excellently applied.

Salperton is still a small farming village, tucked away in a fold of the Cotswold hills. The church is about a mile to the south, up on a ridge in the grounds of Cold Salperton Manor. The road from Cheltenham is still a narrow country lane and it is easy to imagine the Vicar making his way by pony and trap from his house in town for the morning service every Sunday. The church still serves the people of Salperton but since 1935 has had to share its vicar with a number of other villages in the area as part of the parish of Hazleton.

We have a scrap-book kept by James Knight-Adkin, which contains a wealth of fascinating information, newspaper cuttings, telegrams, old letters etc. The two newspaper articles and other cuttings and a copy of the appeal circular and of the final accounts were found in this treasury. The drawing at the top of column two was produced by the vicar`s father-in-law, James Peter Knight, to head the appeal.

Church photographs © Graeme Wall, 1996.