History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Shropshire [1851]

The principal residents in Hawkstone are Rowland Viscount Hill, Hawkstone Park; Rev. William Blackley, domestic chaplain; William Carling, butler; Mrs. Morgan, housekeeper; Frederick Nieman, gardener; John Hopkins, farmer; and Thomas Holding, farmer.

HOPTON AND ESPLEY,

a township in the parish of Hodnet, one mile south from the church, contains 969a. 2r. 16p. of land, and in 1841 had twelve houses and 77 inhabitants; the tithes have been commuted for £183. 12s. 7d. There are only three farms in this township, two of which are the property of Viscount Hill, and the other is the property of A. C. H. Percy, Esq.

The principal residents are Samuel Cartwright, farmer, Hopton; George Gill, farmer and land agent to Viscount Hill, Hopton; John Liversage, farmer, Espley.

KENSTONE,

a township and small village one mile W.W. by S. from Hodnet, contains 858a. 0r. 9p. of land, mostly a bold undulating district, the high grounds of which are covered with thriving plantations. The land is chiefly the property of Viscount Hill; Mr. George Clay is the owner of one farm. The Primitive Methodists have a small chapel near the verge of the township, on the turnpike road leading from Hodnet to Wem. The tithes have been commuted for £73. 1s. 8d. At the census of 1841 there were twenty houses and 104 inhabitants.

Directory.—James Cartwright, farmer; Martha Ellis, farmer; George Clay, farmer; Richard Powell, farmer, Hopley Hill; William Gregory, carpenter and joiner.

LOSSFORD, OR LOSTFORD,

a small township two and a half miles N. from Hodnet, with a few scattered houses, near the turnpike road from Hodnet to Market Drayton, contains 438a. 0r. 9p. of land, which is the property of Richard Corbet, Esq., and Miss Mary Murhall; the latter resides at a neat residence of modern construction, on an acclivity near the turnpike road. In 1841 here were 11 houses and 64 inhabitants. A small stream intersects the township, and tradition says that a person was formerly lost here in fording the stream, and hence the name of Lost-ford, now corrupted to Lossford, has been given to the township.

Directory.—Thomas Glassey, farmer; John Lodmore, farmer and cheese factor; John Merry, farmer; Miss Mary Murhall, farmer.

MARCHAMLEY

is a township and small village pleasantly situated on elevated ground, commanding fine prospects of the surrounding country, one mile N.W. from Hodnet, and six miles S.W. from Market Drayton. The township contains 1424a. 0r. 29p. of land, and in 1841 here were 84 houses and 441 inhabitants; the tithes have been commuted for £217. 2s. 9d.; Viscount Hill is the principal landowner in the township. The village is situated near the entrance to Hawkstone Park, some portions of which are within the bounds of this township. The poor of Marchamley and the other townships comprising the parish of Hodnet participate in the benefit arising from the several charities noticed with the township of Hodnet. The farm premises of Viscount Hill, who holds a considerable extent of land in his own hands, are situated at Marchamley.

Directory.—Thomas Cotton, farmer; Jane Lane, shopkeeper; Robert Graham, farmer and architect and builder; Richard James, police constable; John Martin, joiner; John Powell, farmer, The Well House; Samuel Vaughan, blacksmith; Samuel Whittaker, farm steward to Viscount Hill.

PEPLOW,

a township and small rural village in the parish of Hodnet, three miles S. from the parish church, contains 1,388a. 2r. 30p. of land, which is the property of Viscount Hill. At the census of 1841 there were 28 houses and 220 inhabitants. The tithes have been commuted for £532. 19s. 9d. The hall is a spacious brick mansion, which was originally built by the Pigott family; it is now the residence of Captain George Hill. On the north side of the hall is a private chapel, an ancient structure mantled with ivy, where the residents at Peplow usually attend divine service, which is performed by the rector or curate of Hodnet. Not far from the chapel is a neat school and residence for the teacher, which was built and is supported by Viscount Hill. The township is watered by the river Tern, the meadow lands on the banks of which are enriched by that river occasionally overflowing its banks; a little below the village it turns a corn mill. The land for the most part in this locality is flat, it has been greatly improved by superior cultivation, and is generally highly productive.

Directory.—Captain George Hill, Peplow Hall; Ralph Brett, corn miller; John Cartwright, farmer; Thomas Casewell, farmer; Samuel Deakin, farmer; Richard Everall, farmer; James Gray, farmer, Hall Green; Samuel Hughes, blacksmith; Thos. Liversage, blacksmith; John Ravencroft, farmer; Samuel Shuker, shoemaker; George Topham, farmer, maltster, and butcher; Elizabeth Williams, schoolmistress.

WESTON UNDER RED CASTLE

is a township and chapelry in the Wem division of the North Bradford Hundred, the rest of the parish being returned in Drayton division. The village is delightfully situated near the verge of Hawkstone Park, four miles E. from Wem, and in 1841 there were 76 houses and 348 inhabitants. The township contains 2,210 acres of land, of which 576 acres are in woods and plantations, and 15 acres in roads. Rateable value, £2645. 4s. 10d. The tithes are commuted for £195. 17s. 6d. Viscount Hill is the principal landowner and lord of the manor; Philip Hill, Esq., is also a landowner. The country around Weston is pleasantly diversified with hill and dale, richly clothed with timber, and the scenery beautifully picturesque. Here are extensive quarries of free stone, which is much used for building purposes; blocks of immense size are frequently raised from the quarries. The Chapel is a neat structure of free stone, with a tower containing a clock; it was rebuilt in 1791, with funds raised by subscriptions, towards which Sir Rowland Hill, Bart., gave the munificent sum of £720. The organ was purchased by subscriptions in 1838, and cost upwards of £100, of which £83. 2s. were given by various benevolent individuals, and the remainder was given by General Lord Hill, together with the communion plate. The font is of Grinshill free stone, and exhibits some fine workmanship. A neat marble tablet dated 1809 remembers George Downward and his wife Elizabeth. The living is enjoyed by the Rev. John Hill. The National School is a neat modern erection, with a residence for the teacher, built and endowed by the Hill family, of Hawkstone, (see charities noticed with Hodnet), 54 boys and 20 girls attend; the teachers have each a stipend of £20 per annum. The Citadel is a stately pile of building in the castellated style of architecture, situated on a bold eminence, commanding delightful views, and beautified with park grounds richly clothed with timber. It is the residence of the Rev. John Hill, M.A. Hawkstone Hotel is a commodious and handsome structure elegantly fitted up, and situated near the entrance to the park. From its contiguity to Hawkstone, the magnificent seat of Viscount Hill, it is frequented by immense numbers, who annually visit this delightful locality. Wixhall is a hamlet in this township, the acres of which are returned with the parish. Viscount Hill is the chief landowner; Phillip Hill, Esq.; C. D. Hill, Esq.; J. H. Sandford, Esq.; Mr. E. Evanson, and Clara Beddow, are also freeholders.

Those marked * reside at the hamlet of Wixhall.

* Ashley Ann, The Hall

* Ashley Samuel, farmer

* Ashley Thomas, farmer

Blakeway Richard, coachman

Clewes Richard, grocer, draper, & provision dealer

Denham James, Esq., architect

Evanson Edward, beerhouse keeper

Farnandez Mariano, vict., Hawkstone Hotel

Gill George, Esq., land agent and steward to Lord Hill

Hamer Mrs.

Higginson William, blacksmith

Hill Rev. John, The Citadel

Holding Thomas, Abbey Farm

Izzard Susannah, schoolmistress

Jones John, shoemaker

Lester Samuel, farmer

* Lewis Edward, quarry master

Lewis Samuel, tailor, The Heath

Lewis Thomas, mason, The Heath

Lewis William, mason, The Heath

Massey William, The Berry Farm

Phillips John, shoemaker, The Heath

* Powell Ann, farmer

Robinson Thomas, gamekeeper

Snape John, park keeper

Vigers John, Hawkstone Farm

Watson Joseph, shoemaker

Whalley James, The Hermitage Farm

* Williams Enoch, wheelwright and machine maker

Williams William, schoolmaster

WOLLERTON

is a straggling but pleasantly situated village a little more than a mile E.E. by N. from Hodnet. At the census of 1841 there were 46 houses and 231 inhabitants; the township contains 1,334a. 2r. 6p. of land, the principal owners of which are A. C. H. Percy, Esq., Viscount Hill, Walter Minor, Esq., Mr. Richard Whitfield, Mr. William Massey, Mr. John Beacall, Mr. Samuel Brayn, and Mr. Thomas Pritchard. There is a small Independent Chapel with a residence for the minister, situated on rising ground not far from the turnpike road leading from Hodnet to Market Drayton; it was built about half a century ago, and will accommodate about 120 hearers; the congregation is under the pastoral care of the Rev. Daniel Davies. The tithes of Wollerton are commuted for £196. 1s. 1d. The township is watered by the river Tern, on the banks of which there is a corn mill.

Directory.—Walter Minor, Esq.; Betty Blockley, farmer; Rev. Daniel Davies, Independent minister; Richard and John Cartwright, farmers, maltsters, and corn millers; John Hope, wheelwright; Phillip Hughes, blacksmith; Samuel Hughes, blacksmith; Margaret Icke, beerhouse keeper; John Lester, farmer; William Massey, farmer; William Massey, jun., farmer; James Pickering, cooper; William Powell, farmer.

IGHTFIELD,

a parish and village in the Whitchurch division of the hundred of North Bradford, four miles and a quarter S.E. by E. from Wem, contains 2,800 acres of land, mostly a strong soil, which produces good crops of grain. In 1801 there were 209 inhabitants; 1831, 301; and in 1841, there were 70 houses and 361 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,959. The principal landowners are Lord Kilmorey, Messrs. Corsers, Mr. John Walmsley, Mr. Isaac Forrester, Miss Morton, Mr. Samuel Lea, the Misses Hinton, Rev. John Justice, George Harper, Esq., and the representatives of William Skitt; besides whom there are several smaller freeholders. The Church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is situated on an eminence, and has a lofty square tower, ornamented with pinnacles. It is an ancient structure in the Gothic style of architecture, much delapidated, and fast falling to decay. The body of the church is divided into two compartments, and has a pitched roof, supported by octagonal stone pillars with pointed arches; the caps of the pillars are curiously carved. The tower contains four bells; and from its summit a most delightful and extensive prospect over the fertile plains of Shropshire is seen. The living is a rectory, valued in the king’s book at £7. 19s. 4½d., in the patronage of H. Justice, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. John Justice, M.A. The tithes were commuted in 1839 for the sum of £657. 16s. 5d., of which the sum of £320 was apportioned to the rector. The estate of Lord Kilmorey in this parish is tithe-free, but he pays a small modus, and keeps a portion of the north compartment of the church in repair. Kempley House is an ancient residence, and was formerly surrounded by a moat, which may still be traced.

Charities.—Several sums of money, amounting in the whole to £113, left by ten several donors, were laid out in the year 1819 in the purchase of certain premises, for the purpose of converting the same into a poor-house. The sum of £5. 10s. has been since paid annually as the interest of the charity money out of the parish rates, and disposed of as follows:—The sum of £1 is divided annually among poor widows of this parish; 18s. are expended in penny loaves, and distributed every Sunday amongst poor old persons most constantly attending the church; and the residue is distributed among the most necessitous poor of the parish, in sums varying from 4s. to 8s.

Bentley William, farmer, The Heath

Bentley William, jun., farmer

Blackmore John, farmer

Burgess Geo., farmer, Dairy House

Dickin Robert, farmer

Ebrey John, butcher

Gresty William, maltster and farmer

Haynes Thomas, tailor

Heath John, farmer

Hinton John, farmer and butcher

Jones Elizabeth, farmer

Justice Rev. John, M.A., The Rectory

Langford Enoch, shoemaker

Langford Joseph, bricklayer

Langford Joseph, victualler, Lamb Inn

Shelley John, farmer, The Hall

Shucker William, blacksmith

Skitt Wm., farmer, Kempley

Tyler Thomas, shoemaker and parish clerk

Wainwright John, shopkeeper

Walmsley Samuel, farmer

Wharton John, shopkeeper

Wiggin Richard, farmer

Williams Richard, beerhouse-keeper and blacksmith

Wilson George, wheelwright

Wilson John, wheelwright

Worrall Josh., farmer, Yew-tree House

LEE BROCKHURST

is a small parish and village, two miles and a half S.E. from Wem, in the Whitchurch division of the hundred of North Bradford. In 1801 there was a population of 137 souls; 1831, 151; and in 1841 there were 31 houses and 165 inhabitants. The parish contains 564a. 2r. 21p. of land, of which 216a. 3r. 36p. are arable, 75 acres meadow, 10a. 2r. sheep walks, 61a. 2r. woods and plantations, and about eleven acres in gardens and homesteads. Of the total acreage 374a. 3r. 23p. are titheable, and the remainder tithe-free. Rateable value, £588. 11s. 3d. The principal landowners are Viscount Hill, John H. Walford, Esq., Mrs. Brooks, and Samuel Long Waring, Esq. The tithes are commuted for £74; John H. Walford, Esq., is the impropriator. The turnpike road from Whitchurch to Newcastle intersects the parish, which is bounded on the south-east and south west by the river Roden, the stream being crossed by two stone bridges. At Lee Bridge there is a respectable and commodious inn, the Corbet Arms; near to which are immense rocks of red sandstone, the soil on the summits of which is planted with fir and other timber trees. On the top of one of these rocks a tower has been erected, from which a most extensive and picturesque view of the country is obtained. The whole district has a bold undulating surface, finely wooded, and the scenery towards Hawkstone, the fine domain of Viscount Hill, is truly magnificent. An Obelisk has been erected by the tenantry of Besford and Lee Bridge, as a token of esteem and respect to their landlord, Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., and to commemorate the coming of age of his eldest son, Vincent Rowland Corbet, Esq., August 11th, 1842. It bears the following inscription:—

“May there be Corbets and Hills this obelisk to pass,
So long as time and it doth last.”

A bath has been cut out of the red sandstone rock, which is supplied with an abundance of fine spring water. The Church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a plain unpretending structure of venerable appearance; the interior is neatly pewed, and consists of nave and chancel, and contains a small gallery. A neat tablet remembers John Henshaw, Esq., and there are several tombs in the church-yard in memory of the Heatleys. The living is a perpetual curacy, returned at £74, in the patronage of John H. Walford, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. William Walker. The parish register is in good preservation, and dates from the year 1566. Near the church is a barrow or tumuli, where it is stated human bones have been found.

Directory.—Mrs. Brookes; Miss Harris; Samuel Heatley, farmer, The Hall; John Holding, shopkeeper and shoemaker; William Ikin, farmer, Cranberry farm; Mary Ikin, schoolmistress; Richard Powell, farmer; Richard Powell, jun., farmer; the Misses Skitt; William Staples, huntsman to the Albrighton Subscription Hunt, and victualler, the Raven and Hand and Corbet Arms.

MORETON CORBET

is a village and parish seven miles N.N. by E. from Shrewsbury, and four and a half miles south-east from Wem. The parish contains the township of Moreton Corbet and part of the townships of Preston Brockhurst and Besford, and comprises 2,140a. 1r. 17p. of land, of which 200 acres are in woods and plantations. In 1801 there was a population of 180 souls; in 1831, 679; and in 1841 there were 37 houses and 226 inhabitants. Rateable value, £2,765. 8s. Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., is lord of the manor, impropriator, and owner of the whole parish. The land is of a superior quality; the soil is a mixture of sand and loam. There is a fine breed of sheep kept here, and several of the farmers have large flocks. The tithes have been commuted for £400. The township of Moreton Corbet contains 607a. 3r. 1p. of land, of which 214 acres are woods and plantations.

Moreton Corbet Castle stands a short distance from the church, and presents a noble pile of ruins, magnificent in decay. A considerable portion of the walls is still standing, but its roof has been many years demolished. In early times it was the stately mansion of the Corbets. Several dates may be discovered in different parts of the building, but the date of its erection is uncertain; it is probable that only a portion of the original design was ever completed; and it has by no means the appearance of having been intended for a fortress, for the windows are large, and unlike those of castles in general. It was garrisoned in 1644 by the parliament against Charles I. The king having possession of Shrewsbury and several places in the neighbourhood, the parliament sent part of the garrison from hence against Shrewsbury, which soon after surrendered to their forces. This castle is said to have been partly burnt during the civil wars, since which it has gradually sunk into insignificance and dilapidation. The present noble owner is descended from an ancient and honourable family, who have been seated in this county from the time of the conquest, when Roger Corbet held large possessions under the Earl of Shrewsbury. Sir Vincent Corbet was created a baronet in 1641, whose descendant, Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., now resides at Acton Reynald. Mr. Blakeway gives the following tradition of the Pilgrim of Moreton:—“The real progenitor of all the Shropshire Corbets had but one son that we know of, William, who left issue. Ebraid and Simon occur as granting lands in Wentnor to the Abbey of Shrewsbury, but we know nothing of them. William Corbet is stated to have made Wattlesborough his residence, and no doubt dwelt in that ancient castle, of which, however, there are no remains so old as his age. He had three sons, Thomas Corbet of Wattlesborough, Robert of Caus, and Philip. Several circumstances concur to show that the former was the eldest, though Robert became much the more considerable personage. A tradition still subsists that the heir of Moreton Corbet went to the Holy Land, and was kept in captivity so long that he was supposed to be dead. In consequence of this his younger brother engaged to marry, that he might continue the line. On the morning of his marriage, says the tradition, a pilgrim came to the house to partake of the hospitalities of that festal occasion. After dinner he revealed himself to the assembled company as the long-lost elder brother; but when the bridegroom would have surrendered the estate, he declined the offer, and desired only a small portion of the land, which he accordingly received. Such incidents are related of other families, and were perhaps not unfrequent in a romantic age; and some were doubtless feigned. I am inclined to think the present has a basis of truth, for we are assured that Thomas Corbet of Wattlesborough went beyond sea, and left his lands in the custody of his brother Robert; and this may have given rise to the tale I have just related. The primogeniture of Thomas is established by the armorial bearings of his posterity,—the single raven. The descendants of Robert bore two such—a proof that they were a younger line; but they were barons of the realm, an elevation never attained by the Wattlesborough branch: and Caus, the seat of their barony, appears to have been carved out of the elder line, Westbury, where it lies, having been granted by Earl Roger to their progenitor, Roger, son of Corbet. All these coincidences, with the tradition above mentioned, afford it some support. Moreton, indeed, has in this case been made prematurely the scene of the transaction.”

The Church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, is a handsome structure of free stone, in the decorative style of English architecture, with a square tower. The interior has a very beautiful and chastened appearance, and the tablets and monuments to the Corbet family exhibit some very elaborate workmanship. A monument to Vincent Corbet, the third baronet, who died in 1670, is richly decorated with festoons of oak leaves, finely executed in marble. The four corners are held up by ravens, in allusion to the armorial bearings of this ancient family, and surmounted by their crest, the elephant and castle. The latter is said to have been the armorial bearings of the Scottish Oliphants, one of whom was taken prisoner by a Corbet, in a war between the two kingdoms. The living is a rectory, valued in the king’s book at £5. 3s. 6d.; now returned at £376; in the patronage of Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., and incumbency of the Rev. Robert F. Wood, M.A., who resides at the rectory, a good residence situate near the church. There are 39a. 2r. 26p. of glebe land. The National School, a spacious stone building, is supported by Sir A. V. Corbet. About eighty children attend. The poor of this parish are entitled to a yearly sum of £1. 5s., the gift of Andrew and Elizabeth Downes, which is now paid out of certain lands in Ollerly lane, in the manor of Wem. Various benefactions left for the benefit of the poor, in the whole amounting to £86. 5s., were formerly placed out at interest; but in 1821 the amount was laid out in building some cottages for the poor, upon land rented for this purpose by the parish officers. The parishioners having found that no benefit had been derived from the use of these houses, prevailed on Sir Andrew Corbet to take the land with the cottages thereon, and to repay them the sum they had expended, which was again put out at interest for the benefit of the poor.

The principal residents in Moreton Corbet are Eleanor Bennett, school teacher; Robert Broughall, farmer; John Harris, farmer; John Harris, jun., farmer; Mrs. Ann Henshaw, the Castle; Richard Henshaw, the Castle Farm; William Lawley, blacksmith; Rev. Robert Faulkner Wood, M.A., the Rectory.

PRESTON BROCKHURST

is a scattered village and township, partly in the parish of Shawbury, and partly in the parish of Moreton Corbet, three and a quarter miles south-east from Wem. At the census of 1841 there were 21 houses and 138 inhabitants, of which 2 houses and 17 persons were returned as in the parish of Shawbury, and the remainder in this parish. The township contains 1,482a. 1r. 23p. of land, much improved by superior cultivation. The village is delightfully situated on the turnpike road from Shrewsbury to Hawkstone; the vicinity has a bold undulating surface, richly wooded, and pleasingly diversified with rural scenery. Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., is lord of the manor and sole proprietor. The Hall is a fine specimen of ancient architecture, with projecting gables and bay windows, and was in early times the seat of a branch of the Corbet family. It is lofty and spacious, and entered by a fine old porch, above which is a watch tower; the whole has a venerable yet interesting appearance. The interior contains some fine specimens of elaborate oak carving; the entrance hall is of panelled oak, and the antique staircase is also of oak, of massive and beautiful workmanship, the whole of which is in excellent preservation. Preston Wood covers an area of 204a. 1r. 20p. acres of land.

Brayne Richard, farmer, the Hall

Darlington Thomas, vict., the Elephant and Castle

Deakin James, butcher

Edwards William, farmer, Bridleway-gate

Evans John and Son, blacksmiths and agricultural implement makers

Evans John, farmer, Shawbury house

Huxley Richard, farmer, the Grove

Lewis Thomas, maltster and vict., Corbet Arms

Morgan Mr. Thomas

Snape Thomas, shopkeeper and gamekeeper

Travar John, sawyer

Travar Richard, joiner and cabinet-maker

Travar Samuel, wheelwright and van proprietor

Windsor Thomas, farmer, Wainhouse

MORETON SAY, OR MORETON SEA,

is a parish which comprehends the townships of Betchley, Longford, Moreton Say, Styche, and Woodlands, and contains 4,804a. 1r. 30p. of land, of which 53a. 2r. 13p. are woods and plantations, roads, and waste; the soil for the most part is a strong tenacious clay: in other parts a fertile loam prevails. In 1801 the parish contained 683 inhabitants; in 1831, 679; and in 1841, there were 126 houses and 770 inhabitants. Rateable value of the whole parish, £5,299. 8s. Rent charge, £645. The middle and the northern verge of the parish bordering on Cheshire, present a bold undulating surface, and from the high grounds a most beautiful prospect of the surrounding country may be seen. Richard Corbet, Esq., and John Tayleur, Esq., are joint lords of the manor. The village of Moreton Say is pleasantly situated three miles west from Market Drayton, and in 1841 had 42 houses and 202 inhabitants. Rateable value of the township, £1,928. 11s. The population are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits, and the land in this locality has been greatly improved by draining and superior cultivation. The principal landowners are John Whitehall Dod, Esq., M.P.; the Earl of Powis; and John Tayleur, Esq. The Church is a venerable fabric, with a tower surmounted by a wooden turret. The structure underwent a complete reparation in 1788, at a cost of £386. 8s., which was raised by private subscriptions. The chancel is ornamented with a beautiful stained glass window, of exquisite workmanship. The walls of the chancel are decorated with implements of war, taken by the late Lord Clive in his campaign through India; there are also six beautifully designed marble tablets, in memory of the predecessors of Lord Clive, of Styche Hall; a fine tomb of elaborate workmanship, with three full sized figures in a recumbent posture, remembers the Grosvenors of Eaton, and is dated 1619. A beautiful mural monument, chastely executed, has been erected in commemoration of John Bostock, Esq., who died in 1623. There is also a tablet of curious workmanship in memory of Elizabeth Rotton, with others to the Corser, Redshaw, Woolley, and other families. In the churchyard is a magnificent altar tomb of marble, to the memory of Sir John Markham, who died in 1778. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the rector of Hodnet, and enjoyed by the Rev. Robert Upton, M.A. The tithes have been commuted, and £555 apportioned to the rector of Hodnet, and £90 to the incumbent of Moreton Say. There are 48a. 2r. 39p. of glebe land. The parsonage is an ancient structure a short distance from the church. There is a school here, which is chiefly supported by the minister and a few benevolent individuals.

In the parliamentary returns of 1786 several sums of money are mentioned as having been given to the poor of this parish, amounting in the whole to £199. 10s., which sum is stated to have been laid out in the purchase of £250 stock in the four per cents. There is reason to question the accuracy of this statement, as we find that most of the charities recorded (many of which do not exceed £5) are supposed to have been distributed as soon as received. There was, however, a close called the Poor’s Field, containing about seven acres, the rent of which was given away to the poor; but whether this field was purchased with any part of the charities bequeathed to the parish, or derived from any other source, is not now known. This field was sold about seventy years ago, with the consent of the parishioners, by the churchwardens and overseers, to Archdeacon Clive, the then incumbent of Moreton Say, who gave for it £250 stock in the four per cents., producing £10 a year, being the rent at which the close was then let. The dividends of this stock now amount to £8. 15s., with £1. 5s. added from the poors’ rate, to make up £10, is expended in bread, and given away among poor persons attending divine service at the church.

Directory.—Francis Grocott, farmer, Calverhall; Johnson and Moore, farmers, Styche farm; William Lea, farmer and corn miller; Samuel Minor, farmer, Moreton Hall; William Overton, farmer, Higgins Wood; William Parker, farmer, the Wood; Thomas Peplow, farmer; Rev. Robert Upton, M.A., the Parsonage.

BETCHLEY

is a township and scattered village, pleasantly situated one mile south from Moreton Say, which in 1841 had 16 houses and 101 inhabitants. Rateable value, £684. 16s. The acres and tithes are included in the returns given of the parish. The Earl of Powis and George Corser, Esq., are the landowners. The soil is mostly a cold clay, but has been much improved by draining and by freely using bone-dust as a fertilizer.

The principal residents are Thomas Baker, farmer; Mrs. Cartwright, farmer; William Humphreys, farmer; and Samuel Sharratt, farmer, Oldfields.

LONGFORD,

a township and village, delightfully situated on elevated ground, two miles S.E. by E. from Moreton Say, in 1841 contained 53 houses and 262 inhabitants. The land produces good crops of wheat and barley, and there is some fine grazing land; the soil is chiefly strong. The Market Drayton, Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, and Newport turnpike roads intersect the township. The scenery around is beautifully varied and picturesque. Gross estimated rental, £1,537. 14s. John Tayleur, Esq., is lord of the manor and a landowner; besides whom the Rev. Thomas Henshaw Jones, Mr. Charles Warren, Mr. Samuel Hudson, Richard Corbet, Esq., John Hazledine, Esq., and others are also proprietors.

Directory.—George Harding, Esq., estate agent and steward to Richard Corbet, Esq., Tern Hill House; Joseph Harris, farmer; Samuel Harris, farmer; John Hazledine, Esq., Tern Hill; John Hill Stephenson, farmer; Samuel Hudson, farmer; Joseph Johnson, blacksmith and victualler, the Lion; Joseph Sillitoe, farmer, Tern Hill; James Wood, beerhouse-keeper.

STYCHE AND WOODLANDS,

a township and village on the northern verge of the county, bordering on Cheshire, at the census of 1841 contained 24 houses and 145 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,148. 7s. The soil is mostly a strong clay; there is some good meadow land in the township. The Earl of Powis and Lord Kilmorey are the landowners. Styche Hall is an elegant mansion of brick, with stone quoins and stuccoed, which produces a light and handsome appearance. It is situated on a gentle elevation, and being lofty and spacious, and approached by a fine portico, gives it an imposing aspect. The front of the mansion opens into a fine extent of park-like grounds. The offices and stables are behind the hall, and form a spacious quadrangle. Styche is now the seat of Henry B. Clive, Esq., M.P., for the borough of Ludlow. The celebrated Lord Clive, the founder of the present noble family of Powis, was born at Styche. He was the son of Richard Clive, Esq., and received his education first at the free-school in Drayton, and afterwards at Dr. Stirling’s school, Hempsted. He subsequently became a celebrated commander in the East India Company’s service, and contributed to the prosperity of the company in a most unexampled manner. He represented the town of Shrewsbury in parliament from 1760 to 1774, but rarely spoke in the house, though upon special occasions he displayed great powers of elocution. By his will he bequeathed £70,000 to the invalids in the Company’s service.

Directory.—Henry B. Clive, Esq., Styche Hall; Thomas Akers, farmer, Shavington Park; Samuel Beeston, farmer, Nobridge; Thomas Betterley, farmer, Shavington; Richard Caldicot, farmer. New-street Lane; Charles Gregory, farmer, Barnetts; John Horton, beerhouse-keeper; Abraham Price, farmer; Thomas Sharratt, farmer, New-street Lane.

BEARSTON

is a township and small village, pleasantly situated four miles and a half N.E. from Market Drayton, in the parish of Muckleston, which is mostly comprised within the bounds of the Pirehill Hundred, in the county of Stafford. The Church is also in Staffordshire, and situate about a mile to the north of Blore Heath. It is an ancient structure, with a lofty tower, from the top of which Queen Margaret witnessed the slaughter at the battle of Blore Heath. The townships comprised in this county are Bearston, Dorrington, Gravenhanger, and Woore. The township of Bearston contains 1,084a. 1r. 6p., of land. The soil for the most part is a strong loam, in other parts it is of a light sandy nature, particularly near the banks of the river Tern. In 1841 there were 17 houses and 101 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,196. 4s. 5d. Gross estimated rental, £1,319. 9s. 8d. The land is the property of Thomas Kinnersley, Esq., except one farm, the property of the Rev. Hugh Ker Cokburne. The river Tern here divides the county from that of Stafford, on the banks of which is the Bearston Corn Mill, occupied by Mr. Bruckshaw, whose residence is just within the bounds of this county.

Directory.—John Benbow, farmer; Thomas Bennion, farmer; George Bruckshaw, farmer, maltster, and corn miller, Bearston Mill; Robert Tilsley, farmer.

DORRINGTON,

a small village and township, in the parish of Muckleston, five miles and a quarter N.N.E. from Market Drayton, in 1831 contained 35 houses and 188 inhabitants. The township contains 965a. 0r. 35p. of land. Gross estimated rental, £1,296. 3s. 6d. Rateable value, £1,181. 2s. 1d. Sir J. W. L. Chetwode, Bart., is the principal landowner. Miss Birchall is also a proprietor. Pipegate is a hamlet, a little to the east of Dorrington. Irelands Cross, a hamlet on the turnpike road to the north of Dorrington. Here is the old Workhouse; a plain brick structure, now unoccupied. Adjoining the workhouse are four small tenements, called The Almshouses, which are stated to have been built at the expense of the parish. The inmates have no income, and they have been so long in undisturbed possession, that they now claim them as their own.

Directory.—Thomas Ball, victualler, Fox and Hounds; Sarah Benbow, farmer; Elizabeth Birchall, farmer; Mary Goodall, farmer; Henry Hopwood, farmer; Jane Latham, beerhouse-keeper; Mary Lindop, farmer; Henry Taylor, manager to Miss Birchall; Robert Timmis, farmer; Matthew and William Wildig, joiners, builders, and brick-makers, Irelands Cross.

GRAVENHANGER,

a township six miles N.N.E. from Market Drayton, contains 1,144a. 2r. 9p. of land. Gross estimated rental, £1,745. 9s. 7d. The principal landowners are William Barber, Esq., Thomas Eld, Esq., Messrs. Wilkinson, Mr. Samuel Sherrard, Miss Elizabeth Birchall, George Kendrick, Esq., Executors of the late Mr. Latham. The Hall is an ancient residence, occupied by Mr. John Beeston. Gravenhanger Moss is a tract of land of about twenty acres unenclosed.

The principal residents are John Beeston, farmer, The Hall; Ralph Bennet, farmer; Henry Buckley, beerhouse-keeper; Samuel Foxley, victualler, Crow Inn; Robert Huntback, farmer; Jane Latham, farmer; Thomas Latham, farmer; John Lea, farmer; Charlotte Morrey, farmer; James Sandbach, farmer, Brooklands; Samuel Wilkinson, farmer.

WOORE

is a chapelry and considerable village, pleasantly situated at the north-east extremity of the county, seven miles N.N.E. from Market Drayton. The village contains many good houses, a neat church, and a respectable hotel, and stands on a salubrious acclivity, which commands extensive views of the surrounding country. The township contains 1,000a. 2r. 26p. of land, and in 1841 there were 98 houses and 372 persons. Gross estimated rental, £1,810. 15s. 2d. Rateable value, £1,632. 17s. 9d. The principal landowner is George Kendrick, Esq. Mr. Smith, Mr. Richard Clough, and the Devisees of the late Mr. Latham, are also proprietors.

The Church is a neat structure, dedicated to St. Leonard, and has been built about twenty years. The cost of the fabric was £1,300. The living is a perpetual curacy, returned at £100, in the patronage of the Kendrick and Kinnersley families alternately; incumbent, Rev. John Hawksworth, M.A., who resides at the Parsonage, a neat residence a short distance from the church. The old church was taken down on the erection of the present structure, and stood near the site of the parsonage house. The National School was built by voluntary subscriptions and a grant from the national society in 1832. At the present time, forty boys and sixty girls and infants attend. The master has £15 per annum paid him, for which fifteen children are educated free; the children of cottagers pay one penny per week, and an additional charge is made for farmers’ children. The Manor House, a handsome residence embosomed in foliage, was unoccupied when our agent visited Woore. The Primitive Methodists have a small chapel here. Fairs are held on the last Thursday in April and November.

Post Office.—At John Hitchen’s. Letters arrive from Market Drayton at 9 A.M., and are despatched at 4.30 P.M.

Baddiley Gregory, grocer

Bradbury William P., farmer and victualler, Swan Hotel

Brooke George, farmer

Buckley Thomas, grocer

Burslem Thomas, tailor

Collier George, cabinet and chair maker

Clough Richard, farmer

Clough Wm., schoolmaster

Dunkley Rev. John, curate

Goodall William, farmer, Woore Hall

Hayward Mr. John

Hawksworth, Rev. John, M.A. The Parsonage

Hitchens John, Post Office

Hough David, farmer

Hulse Mr., farmer

Jackson George, blacksmith

Latham Mr. Thomas

Lander George, butcher

Lewis Abraham, tallow chandler

Lewis John, shoemaker

Lindop John, victualler, The Falcon Inn

Minor Henry Robert, farmer

Morrey Richard, cooper and victualler, Coopers’ Arms

Morrey Thomas, shopkeeper

Mullington Mary, school-mistress

Nickson William, saddler

Rowley William, tailor

Salt John, surgeon

Taylor James, farmer

Vickers Richard, farmer

Watmough Charles, surgeon

Wayte Henry, shopkeeper

NORTON IN HALES,

a parish and village situated three and a half miles N.E. by N. from Market Drayton, at the census of 1841 contained 64 houses and 312 inhabitants. In 1801 there was a population of 269 souls, and in 1831, 311. The parish contains 1,845 acres, the gross estimated rental of which is £2,732, 16s. 8d. Rateable value, £2,475 1s. 8d. The tithes are commuted for £305. P. Sillitoe, Esq., is the principal land owner, the other chief owners are William Church Norcop, Esq., Mrs. Heath, and Rev. Hugh Ker Cokburne, the latter of whom is lord of the manor. At the Domesday survey Nortone in Odenet hundred was Held by one Helgot. The Church is an ancient structure dedicated to St. Chad, consisting of nave and chancel, with a handsome square tower at the west end, embattled and ornamented with pinnacles; the chancel is of much older date than the rest of the church. There is a magnificent monument of Derbyshire alabaster, with full length figures, of Sir Rowland Cotton and his lady, in a recumbent posture; it is dated 1686; the Cottons had a seat at Etwall in Derbyshire, and Bellaport in this county. Over the tomb is an ancient helmet. There is also a neat tablet in memory of the Cotton family in the chancel. The church will accommodate about 100 hearers, and there is a gallery at the west end which holds about fifty children. The old antique font of rude construction is now disused and stands under the tower; a small new font has recently been added and placed in the chancel. The pews belonging to the rector and the lord of the manor are handsomely carved. The curfew bell tolls at eight o’clock from Michaelmas-day to Lady-day, a practice still continued in many of the rural villages of this county. The living is a rectory valued in the king’s book at £5. 9s. 4d., now returned at £330, in the patronage of W. Silver, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. Frederick Silver, M.A., who resides at the Rectory, a good stuccoed house pleasantly situated near the north-east side of the churchyard. There are eleven acres of glebe land. The Primitive Methodists have a small chapel in the village. Bellaport House, the occasional residence of the lord of the manor, the Rev. Hugh Ker Cokburne, is delightfully situated on high grounds, and commands views of great extent and beauty. Brand Hall, a good brick mansion, the property of P. Sillitoe, Esq., was unoccupied when our agent visited Norton.

Charities.—The National School is a small structure, where about fifty children are educated. In 1751 Margaret Higginson left £50 towards founding a school at Norton; Sir Rowland Cotton gave a house of two bays and a barn for the use of the schoolmaster, and Ralph Pilsbury left £6 towards teaching one child. It is supposed that the money given by Mrs. Higginson was laid out in the purchase of land, though no deeds can be found relating thereto. The property belonging the school consists of the school, with a yard and garden, containing 1r. 9p., and an allotment of 21p. added at the inclosure. The schoolhouse with a garden containing 19p., and two closes containing 5a. 0r. 20p., producing together a yearly rental of £12. There is also a yearly sum of 4s. 9d. paid by the churchwardens as the interest of £6 left by Ralph Pilsbury, the principal having been applied to the use of the church previously to the year 1746, from which period this payment has been made. In respect of this income the master instructs seven children.

William Shore, in 1675, gave a rent charge of 26s. 8d. per annum, issuing out of a meadow in Dorrington, for the use of the poor, and afterwards in consideration of a sum of £40 conveyed the said land in trust, that all the rents and profits should be disposed of for the benefit of the poor. The said £40 having been given by various donors for the good of the poor of this parish.

Several sums of money given by the Cotton family about the year 1694, amounting in the whole to £80, were laid out in the purchase of land and premises at Wem; the property consists of a house and about six acres of land, which are let for about £15. 12s. per annum. The income derived from the above estates forms one fund, which is distributed among poor parishioners on Good Friday and Christmas-day.

Richard Grosvenor left 20s. per annum to the poor. In the churchwarden’s accounts about the year 1756, there is an entry of £30 paid by Robert Davison for the purpose of exonerating the estate which then belonged to him from the rent charge, and the amount is carried to the general account of the church rate. No payment has been made in respect of this charity from the church rate, but we conceive that interest on the purchase money ought to be paid from this account, for the benefit of the poor.

Beech William, tailor, Norton Forge

Benton Thomas, farmer, Norton Wood

Blackhurst James, blacksmith and grocer

Bloore Thomas, wheelwright

Brookshaw George, blacksmith

Butters Snow, tailor

Churton Thomas, shoemaker, Forge

Clorley Thomas, parish clerk

Cokburne Rev. Hugh Ker, Bellaport House

Duckers Thomas, vict., The Crescent and Anchor

Eardly Richard, farmer, Bellaport Lodge

Eley William, butcher

Fox Henry, bailiff to Rev. H. K. Cokburne

Green Thomas, wheelwright, Norton Forge

Jones George, farmer

Jones Richard, farmer

Keay John, farmer and shoemaker

Leighton Daniel, farmer and maltster

Mate William, farmer, Norton Wood

Matthews John, farmer, Brand Common

Minshall William, shoemaker

Morris Richard, wheelwright and beerhouse

Randles William, grocer

Ratcliff Thomas, gardener, The Hall

Rowe Isaac, painter and glazier

Silver Rev. Frederick, M.A., The Rectory

Simcock Joseph, tailor

Snow Sarah, farmer

Spragg Samuel, gamekeeper

Walley Elizabeth, farmer

Wickstead John, master of National School

PREES

is an extensive parish and considerable village, situated on a gentle acclivity, four miles north-east from Wem, and fourteen miles north-east from Shrewsbury. The parish contains the townships of Calverhall or Corra, Darliston, Fauls, Mickley, Millen Heath, Prees, Sandford, Steele, Willaston, and the chapelry of Whixall, which together contain 14,160 acres of land, of which 2,657a. 1r. 10p. are in mosses, woods, covers, and heath land. In 1801 the parish had a population of 2,653 souls; 1831, 3,355; and in 1841 there were 638 inhabited houses 24 uninhabited, and 3,270 inhabitants. Rateable value, £17,466. 2s. 8d. The rectoral tithes are commuted for £1,041. 1s., and the vicarial tithes for £636. Some part of the land is mossy, others of a peaty nature, and in some instances gravelly; there is also a portion of clay soils, of a reddish colour. The township of Prees contains 3,854a. 3r. 11p. of land, and is intersected by the Ellesmere, Whitchurch, Newport, Shrewsbury, and Market Drayton turnpike roads. Rateable value, £5,474, 8s. 8d. In 1841 here were 302 houses and 1,473 inhabitants. The land has a bold undulating surface, and commands interesting views of the surrounding country. Prees is celebrated as the birth place of the Salopian hero General Lord Hill, and has acquired importance from its contiguity to Hawkston, the magnificent seat of Viscount Hill. In the 43rd of Henry III. the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield had a grant of a market here on a Tuesday, and of a fair on the eve, the day, and the morrow of St. Chad the Bishop, with the liberty of free warren. In the 35th of Edward I. the market was changed to Wednesday, but the markets were never of much consideration, and subsequently were discontinued. Two fairs are, however, still held, on the second Monday in April and the second Monday in October, for the sale of sheep and cattle, which are well attended by the farmers and graziers of the surrounding country. Viscount Hill is lord of the manor, and the principal landowner. Sir R. C. Hill, Bart.; George Harper, Esq.; John Dickin, Esq.; and a few others are also proprietors.

General Lord Hill, whose brilliant military services have acquired such general renown, was born at Prees, August 11, 1772. His lordship entered the army in the sixteenth year of his age, and commenced his military duty at Edinburgh. His friends being anxious for his early promotion, obtained permission for him to raise an independent company, which gave him the rank of captain in the army, in the year 1792. In the interval of his being attached to any particular corps, he accompanied Frances Drake, Esq., on a diplomatic mission to Genoa, from whence Captain Hill proceeded to Toulon, and was employed as aide-de-camp to Lord Mulgrave, General O’Hara, and Sir David Dundas, successive generals there. He was deputed by Sir David Dundas to be the bearer of the despatches to England relating to the evacuation of Toulon by the British. He was shortly after promoted to a lieutenant-colonelcy in the 90th regiment, and went through a great deal of arduous duty at Gibraltar, and had his full share in the memorable Egyptian campaign. In the action of the 13th of March Colonel Hill commanded the advanced guard, and received a wound in the right temple from a musket ball, the force of which was providentially averted by a strong brass binding in front of his helmet; the blow, however, was severe, and he was removed from the field of battle in a state of insensibility. After the return of the troops from Egypt, the 90th was ordered to proceed to Ireland, where Lord Hill continued to perform his regimental duty till he was appointed brigadier-general. Early in the summer of 1808 he joined the army in England, destined to act in the Peninsula. In the battles of Roleia and Vimiera he was fully employed, and gained the thanks and approbation of his comrades; and during the whole of Sir John Moore’s advance and retreat Lord Hill continued indefatigible in his exertions. His humanity and attention to the troops on their landing at Plymouth earned him the admiration of the inhabitants, and he was voted the freedom of the borough. About this time he became possessed of the seat and estate of Hardwick Grange, left him by his uncle, Sir Richard Hill, Bart. At the battle of Talavera Lord Hill was slightly wounded on the head, but his firmness and courage in repelling the successive attacks of the French, greatly contributed to the success of the day. The generalship and activity of Lord Hill in surprising and capturing a French corps under General Girard, in Spanish Estremadura, is deserving of commemoration. The force that Girard had with him consisted of 2,500 infantry and 600 cavalry, the whole of which were totally dispersed or captured. Among the latter were General Brune, the Prince d’Aremberg, several colonels, thirty captains and subalterns, and upwards of 1,000 soldiers, with the whole of their baggage, artillery, and commissariat. The enemy’s loss in killed was very severe, whilst from the activity and skilful manœuvres of Lord Hill, it was very trifling on the side of the British. Lieutenant-general Hill, during his detached command in Spain, was principally opposed to Soult, perhaps the most able general whom Napoleon employed in that country; and the acuteness of General Hill in foreseeing the intentions of that officer very materially contributed to the happy results of the action at Buzaco. In the memorable battle of Vittoria the centre of the allied army was commanded by the Duke of Wellington, and the right by Lord Hill. Here the enemy were completely routed, and the booty which was captured was immense. Besides the baggage horses, and other articles taken on the field, the value of the specie, plate, and jewels, was estimated at six millions of dollars. Of this sum only 100,000 dollars came to the military chest; the rest was divided by the troops on the spot. When Lord Hill occupied the valley of Bastan with an army of 3,000 men, he was attacked by a force of 14,000 men; but notwithstanding the superiority of the numbers, the enemy acquired but little advantage over these brave troops, during the seven hours they were engaged. At the conclusion of another brilliant achievement shortly after, the noble Wellington rode up to Lord Hill, and in the spirit of a great and candid mind said, “Hill, this is all your own.” The various other engagements in which Lord Hill took a prominent position, our limits will not allow us to notice. On his return to his native country, every token of honour was manifested by his grateful countrymen, and on his first visit to Shrewsbury thousands went out to meet him, and his lordship was presented with the freedom of the borough in a gold box. But the most splendid and durable token of gratitude and esteem is the column erected in Shrewsbury to his honour, which is the largest Doric column in the world. On the unexpected return of Napoleon from Elba, the allied sovereigns immediately flew to arms, on which occasion Lord Hill again obeyed the voice of his sovereign, and in the memorable battle of Waterloo, on the 18th June, 1815, his lordship gave fresh proofs of his skill, bravery, and intrepidity. In this conflict Lord Hill’s favourite charger was shot under him; and whilst he was on foot, completely exposed to the enemy, he was discovered by an officer of Lord Wellington’s staff, who procured him the horse of a French dragoon. For a full hour the officers of his lordship’s staff were in a state of the greatest consternation, and twice met under the apprehension that their beloved general had fallen. On the Duke of Wellington accepting office as prime minister, in 1828, Lord Hill was appointed commander-in-chief. The following are the titles and dignities which he bore:—Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Knight of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight of the Grand Cross of the Guelphic Order, Knight of the Order of Maria Theresa, Knight of the Russian Order of St. George, Knight of the Belgian Order of Wilhelm, Baron Hill of Almarez, Hawkstone, and Hardwick Grange.

The Church, a venerable fabric of red sandstone in the Norman style of architecture, consists of nave, chancel, and side aisles, and a square tower, in which are six musical bells. The body of the church is of much older date than the tower, which is of modern construction. The church is entered by a fine old porch; the interior has a solemn and imposing appearance; and the chancel contains several beautifully designed monuments of exquisite workmanship: that to the memory of Sir John Hill, with figures in basso relievo, is a most admirable specimen of modern sculpture. Major-general Clement Hill is remembered on a neat tablet erected by his friends and comrades in the Madras presidency, and by the officers of the Royal Horse Guards, in testimony of their love for his person and esteem for his character. He was born at Prees, on December 6th, 1781, and died at the Falls of Guersoppa, and was buried at Hanowar, 22nd January, 1845. There are various other memorials, and over the charity box is a curiously-carved figure of the Saviour. The churchyard is elevated, and commands a fine view of Hawkstone hills and the distant country. There are several fine old yew trees of considerable girth. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king’s book at £10; now returned at £507; in the patronage of the Bishop of Lichfield, and incumbency of the Venerable Archdeacon John Allen, M.A. The rectoral tithes of this township are commuted for £329. 15s. 9d., and the vicarial for £83. 2s. 7d. The vicarage, a good residence, has been rebuilt on the site of a former edifice, by the present incumbent; the gardens and pleasure grounds are tastefully laid out.

The Independents have a small chapel in Prees, with a burial ground attached; the Rev. Samuel Minshall is the minister. The Primitive Methodists also have a small chapel here. There is a National School and an Infant School, which are numerously attended. Prees Hall, the property and residence of Sir Robert Chambre Hill, Bart., J.P., is a commodious, pleasantly-situated, and well built mansion of brick.

Charities.—The Right Hon. Richard Hill, by will, October 17, 1726, bequeathed £300 for the poor of the parishes of Hodnet, Prees, and Wem, to be applied for the benefit of such poor as the minister and churchwardens of each parish should think fit. With respect to the legacy left to the poor of this parish, it appears to have been laid out in the purchase of land, which now produces a yearly sum of £10. 10s. Sir Rowland Hill, in 1769, bequeathed to the poor of the parishes of Hodnet and Prees the sum of £200. Sir Richard Hill, by will, 1808, bequeathed £30 to his brother, John Hill, in trust, to pay the interest to the poor of the parish of Hodnet, Prees, and Wem, in such proportions as his said brother should think fit. Several sums of money, left by various donors, amounting in the whole to £140, in the year 1812 was placed in the hands of Sir John Hill, who gave a promissory note for the same; and the interest is distributed amongst the poor. Arthur Harper, by will, 1787, directed his trustees to pay the interest of £40 to the minister, churchwardens, and overseers of the parish of Prees, to be distributed among poor housekeepers of the township of Darliston. The yearly sum of £5. 4s. is paid as a rent charge issuing out of a field in Williston, called the White Bread Field. It does not appear from whose benefaction this arises. The amount is expended in bread and given among the deserving who attend divine service. Elizabeth Barbour devised certain lands, and directed the proceeds to be expended in bread and given amongst the poorest parishioners every Sunday. The property thus devised consists of 9a. 0r. 35p., with a small cottage, which was built by the vicar on the site of an old house destroyed by lightning. It is let for £12 a year, which is applied in carrying out the donor’s intentions.

Post Office at Mr. William Langford’s.—Letters arrive from Whitchurch at 9.10 A.M. and are despatched at 5.0 P.M.

Aldersea George Ora, farmer

Allen The Rev. Archdeacon, The Vicarage

Arthur Thomas Norway, Esq.

Bather Richard, farmer

Bather Stephen, Prees Corn Mills

Bather William, farmer

Barber Emma Mary Burd, dressmaker

Bayley Mary, school teacher

Bennett Arthur, tailor

Bootroyd John, decorative painter

Boote Thomas, farmer, Heath Bank

Blantorn Miss Mary

Boyd Allen, sergeant major

Chester William, shoemaker

Churton Joseph, watch and clock maker

Clay John, blacksmith

Colley Thomas, saddler

Croxon Richard, tailor

Darlington Abraham Edward, Esq.

Davies Charles, baker and confectioner

Dickin Elizabeth, vict., The Well House

Dickin Mrs. Elizabeth

Dickin John, gentleman, Platt House

Dickin John, Prees Wood Farm

Dickin John, cattle salesman

Dickin William Francis, Esq., The Hill

Dovey Richard, police officer

Drury John, corn machine maker

Drury Thomas, vict., The College Inn

Drury William, maltster

Dutton Joseph, farmer, Ferney Leys

Ebrey Robert, butcher

Eccleston William, carrier

Edwards Edward, house steward

Foulkes Richard, joiner and carpenter

Gregory Mr. John Paul

Handley John, carrier

Hares Robert, draper and druggist

Hares Samuel, gentleman

Hares Samuel, grocer and tea dealer

Hill Sir Robert Chambre, Bart., J.P., The Hall

Holding John, draper and grocer

Holding Mrs. Mary, Cruck Moor

Holding William, maltster

Hopwood Samuel, farmer

Ikin William, maltster, draper, and registrar

Jenkins Samuel, tailor and draper

Johnson Mr. William, The Fields

Kay Richard, basket maker

Longford Richard, postmaster

Lee Luke, schoolmaster

Maddocks Thomas, tailor

Minshall Rev. Samuel, Independent minister

Moore Thomas, blacksmith and farrier

Morray Thomas, shoemaker

Muller Mr. Charles, professor of music

Mumford Charles, gentleman

Paling John, butcher

Powell Joseph, farmer, Yew Tree

Powell Joseph, grocer and shopkeeper

Powell John, shoemaker, The Wood

Powell Mr. Thomas, The Villa

Powell Thomas, Manor House Farm

Powell William, bricklayer

Ray Thomas, vict., The Lion and Commercial Inn and posting house

Reaves John, shoemaker

Rightson Captain W.

Ruscoe John, Heath Gate Farm

Sandford Rev. H. R. P., curate

Shirley Captain John

Skitt Thomas, Lee Hall Farm

Spencer James, wheelwright

Stubbs Thomas, baker and confectioner

Whatmouth Miss Ann

Whitfield Mrs. Ann

Whitfield Miss Mary

Whitfield Mrs. Mary

Wilkinson Andrew, farmer, Prees

Wood Wilkinson Thomas, gentleman

Worrall Thomas, machineman & wheelwright

Vaughan Samuel, beerhouse

Academies.

Boarding School, The Hill Rev. Samuel Minshall, proprietor

National School, Luke Lee, boys; Mary Bayley, girls

Bakers & Flour Dealers.

Davies Charles, & confec.

Stubbs Thomas, & confec.

Basket & Bendware Maker.

Kay Richard