STUDLEY, a parish in the Alceeter division of
the hundred of BARLICHWAY, county of WARWICK, 4
miles (N. by W.) from Alcester, containing 1338 inhabitants.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's
hooks at £8, endowed with £200 private benefaction,
£600 royal bounty, and £1000 parliamentary grant,
and in the patronage of R. Knight, Esq. The church is
dedicated to St. Mary. There is a place of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists. Studley is situated on the river
Arrow, and has a large manufacture of needles and fishhooks,
which affords employment to many of the inhabitants.
Eight children are taught free, and two are
annually clothed, x from a small income arising from
bequests by William Mortiboys, in 1733, and William
Ayres, in 1739; the school-house was built by subscription
in 1810. There are considerable remains of
a priory, founded, in honour of St. Mary, early in the
reign of Henry II., by Peter de Studley, who translated
hither a Society of Augustine canons, which he had
previously established at Wicton in Worcestershire: this
house, at the dissolution, had a revenue of £181. 3. 6.,
and at its gate William de Cantilupe erected an hospital
for the relief of poor impotent people.