married Walter de Beauchamp then owner of Elmley Castle. Walter's father Hugh (Hugue) de Beauchamp, had been the companion in arms of William the Conqueror and obtained large estates in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire. He was the founder of the house of Beauchamp. In 1287 Little Witley manor was appended to Great Witley manor, which was under the Cooksey family, as part of a marriage trust agreement. Recent times A Cooksey heiress was married to Sir William Russell of Strensham in 1499, and Great Witley manor remained in Russell hands for over a hundred and fifty years. The Russells replaced the thirteenth century manor house at Great Witley with a grander edifice that was to later develop into Witley Court. Little Witley manor followed the descendancy of Great Witley manor until the twentieth century when the estate was broken up and sold off in 1920. Following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 Little Witley Parish ceased to be responsible for maintaining the poor in its parish. This responsibility was transferred to Martley Poor Law Union. References External links Little Witley village website Little Witley Film Society Holt and Little Witley, Worcestershire – history essays Villages in Worcestershire Civil parishes in Worcestershire