South Littleton

South Littleton
District	Wychavon
Shire county	Worcestershire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	EVESHAM
Postcode district	WR11
Dialling code	01386
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Hereford and Worcester
Ambulance	West Midlands

South Littleton is a village and civil parish located in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire, England.

South Littleton is located midway between Evesham and Bidford on Avon. South Littleton is the largest of the littletons, with North and Middle being smaller. South Littleton has around 1200 inhabitants. North and Middle between them have about 700 inhabitants.

The villages are served by 2 Parish Councils; South Littleton and North and Middle Littleton and there are Anglican Churches in South and Middle and a Quaker Chapel in South. The Littletons First School is in South which also has a large Recreation Ground, Allotments and thriving Bowling and Tennis Clubs. There is also a Village Shop and Post office and a Fish & Chip Shop all on Main Street South Littleton.

The parish of North and Middle Littleton occupies a strip of land roughly 1 mile wide running from the river Avon in the west to Buckle Street (the Roman Ryknild St) in the east. The landscape changes from river meadows on the flood plain of the Avon up the steep scarp of Windmill Hill then down the dip slope to the villages and finally in the east into a shallow saucer-like basin.

Human activity in this area dates from the Neolithic times but the first settlements were probably Romano-British. The Roman Roads have been accredited; the more important of these is Ryknild Street but another ran along the ridge above the Avon before turning east to join Ryknild Street. Three other settlements of Romano-British origin were at Ullington, Blakes Hill and Littleton Pastures and were probably occupied until the end of the 4th century

After the Romans departed it seems that the area was abandoned. In the Domesday Book, however the Littletons are mentioned twice. "Littletune", which seems to be North Littleton, had 18 inhabitants farming land owned by Evesham Abbey. St Nicholas Church in Middle Littleton is probably of 12th century origin but was rebuilt in the 13th. The Tithe Barn, now the property of the National Trust dates from the early 14th century and is a truly magnificent farm building.

During the Middle Ages most of the dwelling houses would have been of simple construction and have not survived. The most impressive of the surviving houses is Middle Littleton Manor House which was built of local stone in the Jacobean style probably in the 17th century. Later stone built houses have survived and give character to the villages

The parish developed as an agricultural area and by the end of the 19th century 13 people were listed as market gardeners and 10 as farmers. This was the situation until the late 1940s but now only a small minority of parishioners work on the land. Today the villagers of North and Middle Littleton tend to be commuters or retired people.

South Littleton is also the location of HMP Long Lartin, a maximum security prison for adult males.