THE HUNDRED OF STOTTESDEN. (continued 3)
Reading edition
Chorley is a township pleasantly situated one and a half mile north-east by north of Stottesden, containing with Northwood 1,210a. 2r. 17p. of land, the rateable value of which is £1,402. 7s. 5d. In 1841 there were in this township 21 houses and 114 inhabitants. The tithes were commuted in 1847 for £63. 14s. 7d., and the sum of £50. 8s. 7d. was apportioned to the vicar of Stottesden, £12 to Mr. Hincksman, and £1. 6s. to the Duke of Cleveland, Thomas Crump, Esq., is lord of the manor, and principal landowner. Lord Sudeley, Mr. John Hinckesman, W. L. Childe, Esq., Mr. John Gittins, and several others are also proprietors.
Duddlewick is a small township one mile north west by west of Stottesden, which in 1841 had 4 houses and 36 inhabitants, and contains, with the township of Hinton, 932a. 0r. 6p. of land. The tithes are commuted for £127. 10s. The Duke of Cleveland is the principal landowner. Thomas Crump, Esq., is also a proprietor.
Harcourt is a township 1½ mile south east by east of the parish church, containing, with Bardley, 1,800a. 0r. 20p. of land, the rateable value of which is £2,004. 0s. 2d. The tithes are commuted for £232. 19s., of which £83 7s. 8d. is apportioned to the vicar of Stottesden, and £140. 3s. 6d. to the impropriators. There are six houses and 34 inhabitants in this township. W. L. Childe, Esq., is lord of the manor and sole landowner.
Hinton, a small township one mile north west of the church, contains, with Stottesden and Duddlewick, 1,916a. 2r. 3p. of land, of which 1,070a. 2r. 25p. are arable: 823a. 0r. 19p. meadow and pasture: and 22a. 3r. 33p. are roads and waste. The tithes are commuted for £169. 13s., of which £84 is apportioned to the vicar of Stottesden; £64 to the respective landowners; £12. 13s. to the Duke of Cleveland, and £9 to William Whitesides, Esq. The Duke of Cleveland is sole proprietor of this township.
Ingwardine is a small township three miles north west by west of Stottesden, containing 4 houses and 20 souls. The tithes are commuted and apportioned to the vicar of the parish for £110. This township, with that of Lowe, contains 652a. 0r. 34p. of land, the freeholders of which are the Rev. G. D. Pardoe and Mr. Johnson.
Kingswood is a rural village with twenty-three houses and ninety-seven inhabitants, situated six miles south west by south of Stottesden, from which place it is separated by the parishes of Kinlet and Neen Savage intervening. It contains, with the hamlet of Button Oak, 1,392a. 1r. 31p. of land, a great portion of which is woodland, of which 524a. 2r. 2p. are woods belonging to Lord Ward, and 588a. 2r. 29p. belonging to Sir Edward Blount, bart., who are the principal landowners. Mrs. Elizabeth Doolittle, Mr. Frier, Mr. Joseph Mole, Mr. Thomas Trow, the Misses Lewis, and Mr. Boycott are also proprietors. The tithes have been commuted for £22. 14s, 10.
Lowe township, situated 2½ miles north west by west of Stottesden, contained at the census of 1841 one house and 10 persons, and with the township of Ingwardine, has 652a. 0r. 34p. of land, of which Mrs. Goulder is sole proprietor.
Newton is a township 2 miles north of the parish church, which in 1841 had three houses and 23 souls, and contains, with the townships of Wrickton, Overton, and Walkers Lowe, 2,186a. 1r. 17p. of land, of which 125a. 3r. 26p. are arable: 904a. 3r. 17p. pasture, and 21a. 2r. 14p. are roads and waste. The tithes of these townships have been commuted for £180. 10s., of which the vicar of Stottesden receives £95, and the remainder is paid to several impropriators. George Peach Aston, Esq., is the sole proprietor of Newton.
Northwood is a small township 1½ mile north west of Stottesden, which had, at the census of 1841, three houses and 16 persons. It contains, with the township of Chorley, 1,210a. 2r. 17p. of land, the principal proprietors of which are Thomas Crump, Esq., Mr. John Hincksman, and Lord Sudeley. The vicarial tithes are commuted for £18. 4s. 6d., and the rectorial for £12.
Oreton is a township two miles south of the parish church, containing 68 houses and 275 inhabitants. It contains 580a. 1r. 37p. of land, of which upwards of 300 acres are in common and waste. In this township are extensive lime works and stone quarries. The tithes are commuted for £100. 5s. 8d., of which £38. 10s. are apportioned to the vicar of Stottesden, and £61. 15s. 8d. to the Duke of Cleveland. George Compson, Esq., is lord of the manor and principal landowner. Rev. G. D. Pardoe, Mr. John Page, Mr. Edward Wyer, Mr. Wm. Page, Mrs. Page, Mr. Preston, and Mr. Wm. Wheeler are also small proprietors.
Overton is a township and small village 2¾ miles north of the parish church, containing 3 houses and 22 souls. It has, with the townships of Wrickton, Newton, and Walkers Lowe, 2,186a. 1r. 17p. of land. The tithes are commuted for £24. 10s. 11d. Hamilton Tennant, Esq., is sole proprietor of this township.
Pickthorn is a township, one mile north-west of the parish church, containing 560a. 0r. 37p. of land, and had at the census of 1841 four houses and 16 inhabitants. The tithes are commuted for £61, of which £19 is apportioned to the Vicar of Stottesden, and £42 to William Henry Cresswell, Esq.
Prescot township, situated two miles south of Stottesden, contains, with the townships of Walton and Bagginswood, 804a. 2r. 34p. of land. The tithes are commuted for £47, of which £44. 19s. is apportioned to the vicar, and £2. 1s. to Mrs. Botfield. Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Botfield are the principal landowners.
Walton is a township, one mile and a half south-east of the church, containing 804a. 2r. 34p. of land, with the townships of Prescot and Bagginswood, and had at the census of 1841 one house and 12 inhabitants. The tithes are commuted for £47. The Duke of Cleveland is the principal freeholder; W. L. Childe, Esq., is also a proprietor.
Wrickton is a scattered township, two miles and a half north-west by west from the parish church, having at the census of 1841, 21 houses and 123 inhabitants. It contains, with the townships of Walkerslowe, Overton, and Newton, 2,186a. 1r. 17p. of land. The tithes are commuted for £95. 1s. 4d., namely, from Wrickton township, £33 18s.; Walkerslowe, £26. 14s.; Overton, £24. 10s. 11d.; and Newton, £9. 18s. 5d. The principal freeholders are Mrs. Haynes; Mr. Thomas Lowe; Panton Gardner, Esq.; and Mr. John Maddocks.
Charities.—There was formerly a sum of £30. 6s. 8d. in this parish, called the poors’ stock, the origin of which is unknown, and which, with some additions raised by subscription, made the sum of £45, which was lent to the trustees of the turnpike road from Bewdley to Prescott, and secured by a mortgage on the tolls in the year 1763, at an interest of four per cent., in respect of which two pounds five shillings are annually paid and distributed to the poor of Stottesden on St. Thomas’s day. Thomas Morris, by will, in 1723, bequeathed to the poor of the parish of Stottesden the sum of 20s. yearly, issuing out of his estate at Bardley, in this parish. George Rushbury and Richard Rushbury, in 1703, granted to trustees a piece of land in Stottesden, containing one acre or thereabouts, in trust, for the erection thereon of an almshouse to lodge some of the poor impotent persons of the said parish. An almshouse was accordingly erected, the expense of which, amounting to £35, was defrayed from the poor rates and contributions from the parishioners. The house consists of five distinct dwellings, with a garden to each, which are inhabited by the poor belonging to the parish. James Rushbury, by will, dated 1717, gave the sum of £100, to be laid out by his executor in the purchase of land, the yearly rents and profits thereof to be distributed in the following manner, viz.: £3 yearly towards maintaining an orthodox parson at Wombridge, who should read divine service and preach yearly on the day of the testator’s death; 20s. yearly to the poor of the parish of Wombridge; and 20s. yearly to the poor of the parish of Stottesden. The Rev. Samuel Meredith, by will, dated 1756, devised all his messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever, to his godson Charles Hinckesman, his heirs and assigns, he and they paying thereout (among other things) the sum of £120 to the minister, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor of the parish of Stottesden, upon trust, that they should place the same out at interest, and apply it in educating and teaching poor children of the said parish to read. This legacy has never been received, the present proprietor of the estate alleging that it is void under the statute of mortmain.
STOTTESDEN DIRECTORY.
Alltree John, farmer, New House
Bytheway Edw., shoemaker, shopkeeper, carrier, and parish clerk
Bytheway John, butcher and farmer
Brookes Joseph, farmer, Woodhouse
Cleeton Edward, farmer
Cleeton Emma, farmer, Hardwick
Elcock John, farmer
Gittins John, farmer, maltster, and wheelwright
Hancox John, joiner
Hyde Mrs., The Hall
Hyde Thomas, farmer, The Hall
Jones Dorothy, blacksmith and victualler, The Cock
Jones John, blacksmith
Jones Mrs.
Lane William, wheelwright
Maddison Rev. Chas. John, The Vicarage
Millichap Richard, farmer
Nott Henry, cooper
Page Thomas, farmer
Price John, beerhouse and shopkeeper
BARDLEY DIRECTORY.
Beach James, shoemaker
Deverell William, farmer, Knowle Bays
Edwards Richard, farmer
Gittins William, wheelwright
Gregory Thomas, shoemaker
Lateward John, farmer, The Hall Orchard
Lateward Mr. Robt., Lambert
Millington Thomas, farmer, Headcroft
Nuth William, schoolmaster
Pugh John, farmer, Ribbly
Smith Thomas, farmer, The Lower Farm
BUTTON OAK DIRECTORY.
Bevan Edward, beer retailer
Giles John, farmer and vict., Button Oak Inn
CHORLEY DIRECTORY.
Those marked * reside at High Green.
Birkin Benjamin, farmer
Birkin Sarah, farmer
* Cooke Thos., beer retailer
* Corfield William, engineer and blacksmith
Crump Thomas, Esq., The Hall
* Downes Henry, shoemaker
Jordin Joseph, farm bailiff
Page John, farmer
Powell William, farmer
* Richards Thos., shopkeeper
Wall Richard, wheelwright
DUDDLEWICK DIRECTORY.
Dorrell William, farmer, The Hall
Hyde Thomas, farmer
Meredith John, miller and farmer
Pugh John, farmer
HARCOURT DIRECTORY.
Benbow Edward, farmer
Deverell William, farm bailiff
HINTON DIRECTORY.
Hyde John, farmer
INGLEWARDINE DIRECTORY.
Amies Edward, farmer
Pardoe Rev. G. D., The Hall
KINGSWOOD DIRECTORY.
Band Richard, miller and farmer
Doolittle James, farmer
Doolittle Samuel, maltster
Doolittle William, farmer
Mole Joseph, farmer
Parkes Thomas, farmer
LOWE DIRECTORY.
Bishop William, farmer
NEWTON DIRECTORY.
Fletcher John, farmer
NORTHWOOD DIRECTORY.
Brown William, farmer
Medlicott William, farmer
ORETON DIRECTORY.
Boddy George, blacksmith
Chatham George, saddler
Clayton Samuel, lime and quarry master
Davies John, farmer, Lower House
Haycocks James, beerhouse and shopkeeper
Jones John, farmer, Middle House
Martin Mary, wheelwright
Martin John, wheelwright
Page Mrs., Stocking House
Page Wm., farmer, Upper House
Page Wm., farmer, Stocking Farm
Preston Thos., lime master and farmer
Trow Edward, beer retailer and shopkeeper
OVERTON DIRECTORY.
Baker William, farmer
Fletcher Thomas, farmer
FICKTHORN DIRECTORY.
Fletcher Thomas, farmer
PRESCOTT DIRECTORY.
Gittins Elizabeth, farmer
Preeton Thomas, miller and farmer
WALKERSLOWE DIRECTORY.
Colebach George, farmer
Wyer Richard, farmer, Manor House
WALTON DIRECTORY.
Farmer George, farmer, The Hall
Oakley Richard, farmer
Page John, farmer, The Heath
WRICKTON DIRECTORY.
Cox John, farmer, The Hall
Haynes Mrs., The New House
Maddocks John, miller and farmer
Passey George, farmer
Wellings Humphrey, blacksmith
TASLEY
is a parish and scattered village in the Chelmarsh division of the Stottesden hundred, two miles N.W. from Bridgnorth, which contains 1,120 acres of land, and at the census of 1841 had 18 houses and 83 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,243. 13s. Gross estimated rental, £1,328. 7s. The land has an undulating surface, and in some parts a strong soil, which produces tolerable crops of grain; the meadow land is generally of an inferior quality, and cold. The Earl of Shrewsbury is the most considerable landowner, the other principal proprietors are Edward Farrer Acton, Esq.; the Earl of Liverpool; the Executors of the late William Clayton; Mr. Newell; Thomas C. Newport, Esq.; and Edward Edmonds, Esq. Edward Farrer Acton is lord of the manor. In the 18th of Edward II. Reginald de la Leigh gave lands in Tasseley towards the endowment of a chantry in Bruges. The Bridgnorth race course is situated in this parish. The Leasows, the property and residence of Captain Edward Edmonds, is a handsome modern erection of brick, pleasantly situated, and surrounded by rural scenery. The Church is a small structure rebuilt in 1840, consisting of nave and chancel, with a turret in which are two bells. There is a gallery, the front of which is ornamented with antique oak carvings, and there is a beautiful screen which separates the chancel from the nave. The font is very ancient, and there is a small organ upon the gallery. The living is a rectory in the patronage of Edward Farrer Acton, Esq.; incumbent, Rev. John Postlethwaite. The tithes have been commuted for £212, and there are 8a. 2r. 37p. of glebe land. When the church was rebuilt 115 additional sittings were added to the original number, and in consequence of a grant from the Incorporated Society for building and enlarging churches, 62 of that number were declared free and unappropriated for ever. A handsome tablet remembers Rowland Hill, Esq., who died in 1766. There is also a neat tablet in the chancel in memory of the Rev. William Moore, M.A., late rector, who died in the year 1848.
Directory.—Samuel Arthur, farmer and vict., Boar’s Head; William Clayton, farmer, Henley; Mr. William Cleaton, Tasley Cottage; John Corbet, farmer; Robert Corbet, farmer, Race-course; Edward Edmonds, Esq., The Leasows; Joseph Giles, farmer, Church Farm; Enoch Gwynn, basket maker; Thomas Lees, farmer, Hundred House; Henry Yapp, butcher.
UPTON CRESSETT
is a parish and village pleasantly situated on an acclivity four miles and a half W.W. by S. from Bridgnorth. The family of Cressett, of ancient and honourable distinction, gave name to the place, and were seated at Cressett Hall, an ancient mansion in the Elizabethan style, built in the year 1580; it was formerly surrounded with a moat, traces of which are still to be seen; several of the rooms are wainscotted with oak. In the old lodge, now converted into a granary, is a spiral stair case, with blocks of solid oak. The parish contains 1,300 acres of land, which is the property of Mrs. Thursby. At the census of 1841 there were 53 inhabitants; 1831, 43, and in 1841 ten houses and a population of 56 souls. The Church is a small antique structure consisting of nave, chancel, and side chapel, with a small spiral turret in which is two bells; an arch of Norman character separates the nave from the chancel. In the side chapel is a brass memorial in memory of Richard Cressett, his wife, two sons and three daughters, dated 1640. The living is a rectory valued in the king’s book at £4 15s. 2½d., now returned at £125; incumbent, Rev. Henry Burton, M.A.
Directory.—Thomas Bishop, farmer, Upper House; Martha Churms, farmer, New House; William Corser, farmer, The Hall; George Giles, farmer, Upton Park; Richard Howells, farmer, Stapeley; Edward Morris, gamekeeper, The Rectory; Richard Porter, farmer, The Lodge.
WHEATHILL
is a small parish and retired village nine miles N.E. by E. of Ludlow, containing 1,094a. 2r. 16p. of land, the rateable value of which is £861. 6s. 5d., and gross estimated rental, £1,179. 12s. 6d. At the census of 1841 there were 24 houses and 140 souls; in 1801, 152, and in 1831, 123 inhabitants. The landowners in the parish are Viscountess Boyne, Mrs. Lucy Botfield, Mr. Richard Haynes, John Onions, Esq., and John Whitefoot, Esq. Wheathall appears to have been a place of importance in former times, for on the 28th of Edward I. Walter Hakett obtained a grant for a market on a Thursday, and of a fair on the eve and feast of the Holy Trinity, and the day after. These have long been obsolete. The Church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a small stone edifice consisting of nave and chancel, in which is a tablet of stone to the memory of Henry Holland, gentleman, dated 1684. The living is a rectory valued in the king’s book at £7. 5s. 7½d., now returned at £277., and enjoyed by the Rev. Bernard Churton.
Directory.—Samuel Breakwell, shopkeeper, farmer, and carrier to Bridgnorth; Harriett Bradnee, farmer, Townsend; John Bradnee, farmer, Townsend; Thomas Bytheway, beerhouse and blacksmith; Rev. Bernard Churton, The Rectory; Edward Duce, farmer, Weathall Green; William Griffiths, farmer, Lower Bromden; Richard Haines, farmer, Duns Living; John Hardwick, farmer, Wheathill House; Edward Hodnett, farmer, Besam; Richard Sambrook, farmer; and Thomas Thomas, farmer.
FARLOW
is a detached portion of the county of Hereford, but a chapelry annexed to the church of Stottesden, situated three miles S.W. of the parish church. In 1841 here were 301 persons, and in 1831 345 inhabitants. The township contains 1,419a. 3r. 35p. of land, and 20 acres of public roads. The Duke of Cleveland is the lord of the manor. The Church is an ancient edifice built of stone, with a tower in which are two bells. The living is a perpetual curacy annexed to Stottesden, in the patronage of the vicar, and incumbency of the Rev. David Williams, B.A. The tithes are commuted for £127. 14s. 11½d. There are three acres of glebe land. The Parsonage House, a short distance south of the church, is a modern erection, built of brick, in the year 1847, at the sole expense of the late Thomas Botfield, Esq., of Hopton Court, who also bequeathed by will the sum of £800 the interest to be invested in the three per cents., the interest thereof to be applied towards the augmentation of the salary of the curate of Farlow, on condition that there should be divine service performed twice every Sunday in the church.
Directory.—Thomas Bowen, wheelwright; Joseph Dolphin, farmer and vict., Maypole Inn; James Hauslow, blacksmith; William Harris, beerhouse keeper; George Hancox, shopkeeper and wheelwright; Charlotte Humphry, farmer; William Jones, farmer and corn miller; Mary Jordin, shoemaker; James Lane, farmer; Rev. John David Williams, B.A., curate, The Parsonage House.