August, 1659, granted to John Sanders and others a stone house, with a
garden and plot of land adjoining, situated at Hawe’s Acre; and also
certain cottages adjoining the parish church of Claverley, and a messuage
and farm known by the name of Lindridge farm, in trust; the stone house
and garden to remain as a free-school, to be called The Free School of
Richard Dovey, at Claverley; and as to the messuage, farm, and cottages
before mentioned, the trustees were directed, with the yearly profits
thereof, to keep in repair the school premises, and to pay the
schoolmaster yearly, at Michaelmas and Lady-day, £8, in equal portions,
towards his maintenance; to pay to the best scholar to be elected by the
feoffees, the minister, and the schoolmaster, the sum of 20s. to be an
under-teacher in the said school; and also to place in some room of the
cottages adjoining the church-yard, a poor man, and allow him a stipend
of eight shillings yearly to whip out dogs and awaken sleepers during
divine service in the church; and 12s. to the trustees for their pains.
It appears that the cottages, having become untenable about the year
1784, were taken down; and a new building convenient for a school having
been erected upon the site, the school was removed to it, and has since
continued to be kept there. Upon the removal of the school, the old
premises were exchanged for a parcel of land more convenient in situation
to the new school-room. It appears, however, that a substitution has
since taken place of another parcel of land, in lieu of that which was
first given in exchange to the charity, and that upon the parcel so
substituted timber has been cut, and other acts of ownership exercised
from time to time by the agents of the Glynne family; while on the other
hand no acknowledgment of ownership has been made to the charity. The
premises at Lindridge, to which an allotment of about two acres was added
about ten years ago, under the powers of an enclosure act, consist of
about 42 acres of land, producing a yearly rental of £26. 53. _Richard
Bennett_, _Esq._, by will, 22nd March, 1794, gave the sum of £100, to be
paid at the expiration of six months after his decease, and directed the
same to be placed out at interest, and the yearly proceeds applied for
the benefit of the free-school of Claverley. This legacy remained in the
hands of the Glynne family, as the personal representatives of the
testator, at an annual interest of five per cent. when the Charity
Commissioners published their report. This interest being added to the
rent of the farm makes an annual income of £31. 5s.; from which the
following disbursements are made:—To the schoolmaster, £21; coals for the
school, 10s.; annuity for awaking sleepers, 10s. 6d.; chief rent, 1s.
4d.; average of school repairs, £2. 12s. The twenty shillings which were
allowed by the founder for one of the boys to act as usher, do not appear
to have ever been paid, nor do we find that the trustees have taken
advantage of the 12s. per annum allowed for their pains. The expenditure
left a surplus of £6. 11s. 2d. per annum, which, with a sum of £14
produced from a sale of timber from the school estate in 1819, had
increased to £195. 2s. 9½d., and was then in the hands of Edward Gatacre,
Esq., one of the trustees. _John Dovey_, in 1695, gave a rent charge of
10s. per annum, and directed the amount to be given to one of the poor
scholars. _John Sanders_, in 1702, devised certain lands, subject to the
payment of £5 per annum, to be laid out in clothing poor boys in the free
school. The property thus charged with the payment is now possessed by
the Glynne family, whose agent supplies clothing to an amount much
exceeding the annuity charged upon the lands. The scholars are appointed
by the trustees of the school from among poor children of the parish, and
are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and are also each provided
with a coat, waistcoat, and breeches (of blue cloth), and a hat.
_William Perry_, of Broughton, by will dated 9th December, 1674, after
reciting that his father had given the sum of 3s. 4d. to be yearly
distributed at Christmas and Easter among the poor of the parish in
wheaten or mun corn bread, gave a like sum of 3s. 4d. to be distributed
in bread at Whitsuntide and All Saints for ever. And for the maintenance
of the dole, (and of bread to the amount of 6s. 8d. also to the poor of
Worfield), he granted a rent charge of 13s. 4d. yearly, issuing out of
certain lands in Claverley and Worfield. It is recorded on one of the
benefaction tables in the church at Claverley that William Perry of
Broughton, by will left 14s. a year for ever to be distributed in bread
amongst the poor of the parish at four times in the year. There is
reason to believe that William Perry here referred to was a descendant of
the former, but we are unable to discover whether this was an original
grant of his own, or whether it included the 6s. 8d. which had before
been granted by his ancestors in the same manner as the first William
Perry had by his will embraced the previous donation of his father Roger.
The sum of 14s. is however all that is now paid, or that we can find any
trace of having ever been received. It is paid out of the rents of lands
in Broughton, formerly the property of the Perrys.
_Thomas Whitmore_, of Ludstone, in 1679 gave to the poor of the parish of
Claverley £5 per annum, payable out of a tenement in Claverley, and he
appointed the same to be received by the inhabitants for the time being
of his then dwelling house in Ludstone, and to be by them distributed
among the necessitous poor. The amount is usually distributed among
fifty poor persons.
_Margaret Fregleton_, of Powk Hall, by will left 10s. yearly to be given
amongst ten poor widows not chargeable to the parish. There is reason to
believe this legacy to be the same which is referred to and secured by
the will of Mrs. Margaret Hill, dated 7th January, 1728, when she charges
all her lands in Claverley with the payment of 10s. yearly to ten poor
widows of Claverley, as directed by her mother’s will, and also paying
thereout £2. 10s. per annum, on St. Thomas’s day, to be distributed among
fit objects of charity, by the minister and churchwardens. The premises
charged with the payment came into the possession of the Glynne family,
by whose agent the rent charge is paid.
_Thomas Acton_ in 1734 gave the sum of £100 to be laid out in the
purchase of lands, and the rents and profits to be yearly paid by the
churchwardens for the time being, to five decayed labourers, and five
poor widows belonging this parish. This legacy was laid out in 1741 in
the purchase of about seven acres of meadow land in the parish of Hopton
Wafers, which at the time of the purchase produced a rent of £3. 8s., but
are now let for £15 per annum. There was timber on the land at the
period the charity commissioners published their report, to the value of
£100, which it was intended soon to dispose of.
_John Fenton_, by his will bequeathed £30, and directed that with the
interest thereof bread should be purchased, and on every Sunday a
distribution made to six poor widows belonging the parish of Claverley.
In 1777 this bequest was expended in the erection of three small
tenements at the back of the workhouse, fronting the Holloway, for the
use of the parish as habitations for the poor, and the overseer of the
poor covenanted to distribute six penny loaves every Sunday according to
the intentions of the donor.
_Mrs. Mary Hodgkiss_ in 1774, by will gave £100, and directed the
interest thereof to be on the 19th of March in every year distributed by
the churchwardens among twenty poor widows of this parish.
_Thomas Farmer Thornes_ in 1779 bequeathed £30 to the churchwardens of
Claverley, the interest thereof to be distributed in bread annually to
poor housekeepers. This sum and an accumulation of interest making in
the whole £47. 18s. 1d. was subsequently laid out in building a parish
workhouse, the parish officers agreeing to provide out of the poor’s
rates the interest of that sum.
_Mrs. Sarah Taylor_ left a legacy of £50 many years ago to the poor of
this parish, to be under the management of the trustees of the Free
school. This gift was placed in the hands of Mr. Farmer Taylor, he being
one of the trustees of the School. The interest was distributed with a
private charity of Mr. Taylor’s.
_Edward Barker_, by will in 1702, charged a piece of land situate at
Aston with the payment of 10s. yearly; 5s. thereof to be given to the
minister of Claverley, for a sermon on New Year’s day, and 5s. to buy
bibles for poor children.
_Richard Dovey_, the founder of the free school, in 1660 left certain
lands lying in Broughton, for the better maintenance of the parson of
Claverley. The lands which are supposed to have been left consist of 6A.
0R. 21P. at Broughton, and now produce a rental of about £10 per annum,
which is received by the minister for his own use.
_William Whitmore_, _Esq._, of Apley, in 1724 gave the sum of £200 to be
laid out for the perpetual augmentation of the curacy of the parish
church of Claverley, which with the further sum of £200 advanced by the
governors of Queen Anne’s bounty, was applied to the purchase of about
forty-four acres of land in the parish of Higley, for the benefit of the
incumbent. The premises produce £49 per annum, which the minister of
Claverley receives.
It appears that the rent of a piece of land called the School House bank,
containing about two acres, has been for many years appropriated to the
repair of the church, but we have been unable to discover the source from
which it was derived. It was sold in 1818 by the parishioners to Sir
Stephen Glynne for the sum of £120, and the amount was applied in
building the workhouse before mentioned, and interest at the rate of five
per cent, amounting to £6 per annum is now paid by the overseers to the
churchwardens, by whom it is applied to the repairs of the church. The
rent of a small cottage which produces one pound per annum, the origin of
which is involved in similar obscurity, is also applied to the same use.
ASTON, a small township in the parish of Claverley, is pleasantly
situated about a mile east from the parish church. At the census in 1841
there were 22 scattered houses and a population of 126 souls. Aston
Hall, a good brick house built in 1842, is the residence of John Wilson,
Esq. The old hall was formerly a seat of the Brindleys, and their
descendants the Skinners, men of high consequence in the city of London.
BEOBRIDGE, a township in the parish of Claverley, is situated about a
mile south from the parish church, and in 1841 had eleven houses and
sixty one inhabitants. William Wilson, Esq., and Thomas H. Windle, Esq.,
are the land owners. The acres and the tithes of the several townships
are included in the returns for the parish of Claverley. The directories
of the several townships will be found alphabetically arranged after the
township of Claverley.
BROUGHTON township and small village is situated about a mile and a half
south from Claverley, and at the census of 1841 had twelve houses and
eighty inhabitants. There was a chapel here prior to the reformation
subject to the church of Claverley.
DALICOTT, a township in the parish of Claverley, delightfully situated in
a salubrious district richly beautified with pastoral scenery, is about a
mile and a half north-west from the parish church. The land is the
property of George M. Kettle, Esq. At the census in 1841 there were
three houses and twenty inhabitants. Dalicott House is a pleasantly
situated mansion, commanding extensive views over a luxuriant country of
great diversity and beauty; it is a handsome brick structure, the
residence of George Mackenzie Kettle, Esq.
FARMCOTT township and small rural village is situated about a mile south
from Claverley, and in 1841 had 39 houses and 191 inhabitants. The land
is the property of Thomas Wilson, Esq.
GATACRE, a pleasantly situated village and township in the parish of
Claverley, in 1841 contained 23 houses and 125 inhabitants. The
landowners are Edward Lloyd Gatacre, Esq., and Edward Farrer Acton, Esq.
GATACRE HALL, a well built and commodious brick mansion delightfully
situated, is the residence of Edward Lloyd Gatacre, Esq., whose ancestors
were seated here, and in possession of the manor, in the reign of Edward
the Confessor. The ancient mansion, which was remarkable for the
peculiarity of its construction, has been taken down some time. Camden,
in speaking of this house, observes, “It was built of dark grey free
stone coated with a green vitrified substance about the thickness of a
crown piece. The hall was nearly exactly square, and most remarkably
constructed at each corner; in the middle of each side and in the centre
were immense oak trees hewn nearly square and without branches, set with
their heads on large stones laid about a foot deep in the ground, and
with their roots uppermost, which roots with a few rafters formed a
complete arched roof. The floor was of oak boards three inches thick,
not sawed but plain chipped.” GATACRE PARK, a handsome mansion, the seat
and property of Edward Farrer Acton, Esq., J.P., and deputy lieutenant of
the county of Shropshire, is a brick structure pleasantly situated,
beautified with tasteful pleasure grounds, and was erected during the
year 1850. It stands on the site of an ancient Elizabethan structure,
which was rased to the ground in 1849; it was in this house that the Earl
of Derby took shelter immediately after the battle of Worcester, and
shortly before he was brought to the scaffold in his way to Newport.
Several swords were found on taking down the house, one of which is in a
state of good preservation.
HEATHTON, a township and village in the parish of Claverley, is situated
about a mile and a half S.E. by E. from the parish church. On the
eastern verge of the county is Long Common, which here divides Salop and
Staffordshire. Some remains of a military encampment may still be traced
upon this common, supposed to have been a Danish fortification; about
thirty years ago several skeletons were discovered, and weapons of war
have from time to time been found. The township contains 840A. 2R. 32P.
of land, and at the census of 1841 had 52 houses and 208 inhabitants.
HOPSTONE, a township and village in the parish of Claverley, is situated
about a mile N. from the parish church. At the census in 1841 there were
43 houses and 188 inhabitants. G. M. Kettle, Esq., is the landowner.
Hopstone was long the inheritance of the Ridley family.
LUDSTONE, a township in the parish of Claverley, situated about a mile
N.E. from the parish church, at the census in 1841 had 13 houses and a
population of 95 souls. Ludstone was in early times part of the
possessions of the deans of Bridgnorth, but after the reformation was
purchased by the Leveson family, and now belongs to Thomas C. Whitmore,
Esq., and Mrs. Emma Fox. The manor house, now Ludstone Hall, a curious
and interesting structure of the domestic architecture of by-gone days,
was built in the early part of the reign of Charles I., by the Whitmore
family. It is surrounded by a moat, and partly by a brick wall of about
eight feet in height. This was long the seat of a branch of the Whitmore
family; it is now occupied as a farm house by Mr. William Stokes. In
this township was born Sir Francis Jones, Knight, whose family had an
estate here till within the last sixty years. Sir Francis Jones was of
the haberdasher’s company, and lord mayor of London in 1620. Ludstone
also gave birth to Richard Yate, an ingenious poet, and almost
self-taught scholar of great talents, which he very frequently displayed
in the _Gentleman’s Magazine_ from the year 1734 to 1767, and generally
on the most abstruse subjects. He was the instructor of the Right Rev.
Dr. Percy, late bishop of Dromore. He died at Roughton in June, 1680, at
the advanced age of 82. On the south-east extremity of this manor lies
the Danesford Brook, so called from the marauding Danes, who were in the
habit of crossing this brook when they commenced their summer incursions
to the banks of the Severn, and passed over carrying extermination and
plunder into every part of the county.
SHIPLEY is a township in the parish of Claverley, two miles and a half
N.E. from the parish church, comprising 500A. 1R. 18P. of land, and at
the census of 1841 had six houses and forty inhabitants. Thomas Boycott,
Esq., is the landowner. This place is pleasantly situated on the
Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth turnpike road.
SUTTON township is situated about half a mile N.E. from Claverley, and at
the census of 1841 contained three houses and 17 inhabitants.
WOUNDALE, a township and village in Claverley parish, a little more than
a mile from the church, at the census in 1841 had 24 houses and 114
inhabitants; the land is the property of Farmer Taylor, Esq., who resides
at a pleasantly situated mansion of brick, stuccoed. The acres and
rateable value of the several townships in this parish will be found
included in the returns of Claverley.
POST OFFICE.—_At Mr. Thomas H. Perry’s_. Letters arrive at 8 A.M., and
are despatched at 7.25 P.M.
CLAVERLEY DIRECTORY.
Acton Edward Farrer, Esq., Gatacre park
Gabert Christopher, Esq., Rose Cottage
Gabert Rev. George Hilder Betterton, M.A., vicar, the Vicarage
Gatacre Edward Lloyd, Esq., Gatacre hall
Haslehust Thomas, Esq., surgeon, Powk hall
Kettle George Mackenzie, Esq., Dalicott house
Lea Mrs. Wolryche, Ludstone house
Stokes Mr. William, Ludstone hall
Taylor Farmer, Esq., Chykenell
Widdell Thos., Esq., Wood Field
Wilson John, Esq., Aston hall
Wilson William, Esq., Beobridge cottage
Ash Wm., miller and farmer
Austin Joseph, carpenter and joiner
Bate Daniel, millwright
Beasley Charles, schoolmaster (National)
Bishton George, shoemaker
Brazier Helen, schoolmistress
Brown Charles, shoemaker
Chapman James, accountant
Corns Mrs. Elizabeth
Crowder John, butcher and farmer
Crowder Joseph, painter, plumber, and glazier
Crowder Miss Ann
Davenport John, tailor
Evans Mr. William, Digbeth cottage
Evason Benjamin, tailor, draper, and tea dealer
Evers Henry, beerhouse
Evers William, shoemaker
Halfman Dinah and Mary, dressmakers
Halfman George, inland revenue officer
Harles Job, vict., the Crown
Jackson Richard, shoemaker
Page John, miller, Ashford mill
Parbut Mary, shopkeeper
Perry Helen, schoolmistress
Perry James, blacksmith
Perry Joseph, farmer and maltster
Perry Mrs. Elizabeth
Perry John, saddler and harness maker
Perry Thos. H., postmaster
Pickrill John, shoemaker
Preece Francis, shoemaker
Pritchard John, beerhouse
Rushton Francis, carpenter, joiner, builder, and vict., Glynne Arms
Weaver William, registrar of births and deaths, and vict., King’s Arms
Weston John, tailor
Whythse Elizabeth, grocer
Williams Benjamin, butcher
Wilson Thomas, saddler and harness maker
ASTON DIRECTORY.
Bryan Mr. Joseph
Farrington John, farmer
Griffiths Thomas, wheelwright
Hill Wm. Thomas, farmer
Perry John, farmer and timber merchant
Wilson John, farmer, maltster, house and estate agent, and appraiser
Aston hall
BEOBRIDGE DIRECTORY.
Brinsford Samuel, farmer and corn miller, Lower Beobridge
Brown Edward, wheelwright, Lower Beobridge
Cox Joseph, farmer, Upper Beobridge
Rea Benjamin, blacksmith, Broad Oak
Thomas Thomas, farmer, Lower Beobridge
Wilson William, Esq., Beobridge cottage
Wilson William, farmer, Upper Beobridge
Windle Thomas H., Esq., Lower Beobridge
BROUGHTON DIRECTORY.
Edmonds Joseph, farmer, the Bank
Harley Edward, beerhouse keeper
Webster Thomas, farmer
DALICOTT DIRECTORY.
Kettle George Mackenzie, Esq., Dalicott House
Malpass Joseph, farm bailiff
FARMCOTT DIRECTORY.
Darley Richard, farmer, Sytch house
Edwards Mr. Vincent
Head John, shoemaker
Lees William, corn miller, Sytch house mill
Preece William, farmer
Thomas John, farmer, timber merchant, and wheelwright
Wilson Thomas, farmer
GATACRE DIRECTORY.
Acton Edward Farrer, Esq., J.P., and deputy lieutenant for Shropshire
Gatacre Edward Lloyd, Esq., Gatacre hall
Griffiths William, farmer, Gatacre park
Woolrich Henry, farmer, the Valley
HEATHTON DIRECTORY.
Booth William, tailor
Brandford Samuel, painter, plumber and glazier
Crowder Martha, asylum keeper
Davenport James, tailor
Heynes Benjamin, farmer
Lloyd Charles, vic., Swan Inn
Munday William, shoemaker
Plimley John, vict., Old Gate
HOPSTONE DIRECTORY.
Brazier Richard, Wheelwrigt
Broughall George, farmer, corn miller, and maltster
Felton William, shoemaker and beerhouse keeper
Pound Thomas, blacksmith
Ridley Samuel and Edward, corn millers, residence Bridgnorth
LUDSTONE DIRECTORY.
Lea Mrs. Wolryche, Ludstone House
Morris Francis, farmer
Smith William, farmer, Upper Ludstone
Stokes William, farmer, Ludstone Hall
SHIPLEY DIRECTORY.
Bott Samuel, farmer
Farmer Alexander, farmer
Francis Robert, farmer
Lakin Charles, vict., Talbot Inn
Miles Matthew, cattle dealer and shopkeeper
Stokes Mary, farmer
Whatelan Benjamin, beerhouse keeper
SUTTON DIRECTORY.
Jackson Joseph, farmer, Sutton Mill
Smith James, farmer
WOUNDALE DIRECTORY.
Davies Edward, farmer
Penzer John, boot and shoe maker
Preece Thomas, vict., Red Lion
Taylor Farmer, Esq., Chykenell
DONINGTON
is a parish in the Shiffnal division of the Brimstree hundred, comprising
2,655 acres of land, and in 1801 had 289 inhabitants; 1831, 318; 1841,
380, and in 1851 81 houses and 352 inhabitants, of whom 197 were males
and 195 females. Rateable value, £3,977. The chief landowners are
George Jones, Esq., Francis Yates, Esq., and the Rev. Henry Edward John
Howard, D.D., dean of Lichfield. Donington is situated about four and a
half miles S.E. from Shiffnal, and has a scattered population; the houses
are in general of brick, well built, and commodious, and the cottages
have a neat appearance. At the Doomsday survey Earl Roger held
_Donitone_, and there was then a mill that rendered five horse load of
corn, a wood a mile and a half long, and half a mile broad, and in the
Wyke there were five salinæ that paid 20s. THIS CHURCH is a venerable
structure, supposed to have been built early in the fourteenth century;
it consists of nave and chancel, with a square tower, in which are two
bells. The interior has a neat appearance, and the pews are of oak. The
chancel is separated from the nave by a pointed arch, and the windows are
beautified with stained glass. The chancel contains several memorials,
among which is one to Edmund Waring, Esq., who died on the 30th January,
1682–3, aged 63 years. A brass plate remembers John Chapman, formerly
rector of Donington, who died in 1607. The living is a rectory valued in
the king’s book at £5. 6s. 5½d., now returned at £721, enjoyed by the
Rev. Henry Edward John Howard, D.D., dean of Lichfield, who resides at
the rectory, a spacious and handsome mansion of modern construction,
situated near the church. SHAKERLEY HOUSE, a good brick house situated
about half a mile north from the church, is the residence and property of
George Jones, Esq., iron master, who is also a considerable landowner in
this parish. The mansion is delightfully situated, and the pleasure
grounds are tastefully laid out.
CHARITIES.—_Sarah Manning_ charged her real estate in Shakerley with the
payment of 10s. annually to the poor of the parish of Donington. From a
deed in the possession of the owner of the Shakerley estate, dated 3rd
April, 1729, it appears that this annuity was charged on a butt or
section of land called Green Furlong, adjoining to the Kilsale Green, and
which was by the provisions of that deed to be conveyed by Thomas
Jellicorse and Jonathan Ruston, the trustees therein named, after the
death of Sarah Manning, to William Bishton. What is the particular piece
of land subjected to this payment cannot now be ascertained, but the
amount is paid as a charge on the Shakerley estate.
The poor have also an annuity of 10s., as a portion of a rent charge of
30s. per annum, given by Mr. Chapman, to be divided between the poor of
the parishes of Albrighton, Donington, and Boningale, as stated in the
account of the charities of Albrighton. The owner of the Shakerley
estate is not aware in what manner the payment of that rent charge was
apportioned, so as to subject him to this share of it, but he considers
it as a general charge on the Shakerley estate, and pays it accordingly.
These two sums are distributed among the most necessitous poor of the
parish.
Boulton John, farmer, Humphreston
Boulton William, farm bailiff, Sidnall
Cartwright William, farmer, Wood Farm
Dodd Rev. George, curate
Duncalfe William, farmer and surveyor, Chapel House
Holyoake George, Esq., banker, Nachley
Howard Rev. Henry Edward John, D.D., rector and dean of Lichfield, The
Rectory
Howell Joseph, shopkeeper
Jones George, Esq., iron master, Shakerley House
Jones John, Esq., ironmaster, White House
Lander Richard, jun., farmer
Miller William, farmer
Moore William, miller, Shakerley Mill
Radford Henry, blacksmith, Shakerley