About Bearley
Bearley is located some 5 miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon on the A3400 road to Birmingham. The Parish is bounded by Wootton Wawen and Langley in the north, Snitterfield in the east, Aston Cantlow in the west and Wilmcote to the southwest. There is a stream by the western boundary running out of Edstone Lake. The land of the Parish rises gradually from 216 ft. at Bearley Cross to 370 ft. southeast corner of the Parish.
The majority of the dwellings are along Snitterfield Road with the 12th century church St Mary the Virgin immediately adjacent to the Bearley Green at the historic rural heart of the village. The rest of the dwellings are at Bearley Cross where the Alcester to Warwick Road running east to west crosses the A3400 as well as the Great Western Railway from Stratford-upon-Avon to Warwick.
The name Bearley recorded as “Byrlei” or Burlei” in the Survey of the 1086 in the Domesday Book, derives from Old English “burh + leah” meaning woodland clearing near a fortified place. The survey records that the settlement consisted of “5 hides” with each hide formed by an area of land large enough to support a family. In the 1100’s the land was owned by Monks of Bordesley Abbey and a small church was built in the highest part of the village close to the hides.
Bearley has a predominantly rural and restrained character. Buildings are openly sited around the church
of St Mary the Virgin in a very loose-knit manner. The church acts as a central pivot and its lych-gate, although small is visible for a considerable distance. Buildings lie back from the church often concealed by trees and hedges. The character of the village is dominated by relatively large open spaces with tall mature trees, which are given more importance due to the loose-knit structure of the village.
Although many buildings are generally modest with simple detailing they nevertheless have the picture postcard character of a Warwickshire village. The 16th, 17th and 18th century buildings listed buildings of the village are often timber framed and located around the church. Later buildings are built in warm orange and red local brickwork in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1982. The housing along Grange Road, School Lane, Church Lane and Snitterfield Road outside the core of the village around the church is of linear character while the 1982 Bearley Green development consisting of 50 houses set back from Snitterfield Road by the Green is the only major departure from this tradition. The existing character of the village is largely determined by open spaces within the largely oblong village habitation pattern of development and the surrounding Green Belt land.
Although many buildings are generally modest with simple detailing they nevertheless have the picture postcard character of a Warwickshire village. The 16th, 17th and 18th century buildings listed buildings of the village are often timber framed and located around the church. Later buildings are built in warm orange and red local brickwork in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1982. The housing along Grange Road, School Lane, Church Lane and Snitterfield Road outside the core of the village around the church is of linear character while the 1982 Bearley Green development consisting of 50 houses set back from Snitterfield Road by the Green is the only major departure from this tradition. The existing character of the village is largely determined by open spaces within the largely oblong village habitation pattern of development and the surrounding Green Belt land.
Although Bearley does not have a shop and a post office there are a number of local businesses operating from the village and there is a Sports and Social Club and many village organisations engaging in a variety of activities and football and cricket is played in the sports field adjacent to the village hall. Bearley Park on Grange Road provides sports and play facilities for all ages.
