Adbaston,(Staffordshire) 1835-1940

Adbaston
1851-1940

In 1835, Adbaston is not mentioned in Pigot's directory for that year, but by 1851, White, in his directory, has this to say:-
Adbaston parish, on the western verge of Staffordshire, adjacent to Shropshire, and 5 miles W. of Eccleshall, is in the Newport Union, and comprises four townships of Adbaston-cum-Knighton, Bishop's Offley, Flashbrook, and Tunstall, which support their poor conjointly, and contain about 5330 acres of land, though they have only 610 inhabitants.

The soil belongs to a number of proprietors, several of whom reside here on their own estates; but the Dean of Lichfield is improprietor of the tithes, and patron of the church; and the Bishop is lord of the manor, the tenants of whom owe suit at his lordship's court of Eccleshall, each paying 1d., or if amerced for non-attendance, 4d.

In Adbaston, there are only a few scattered houses. The church (St. Michael,) is an ancient structure with a lofty tower containing four bells. It stands near the Hall, and the ivy-mantled Parsonage House. The perpetual curacy, valued at Ł100, is in the incumbency of the Rev. J.H. Bright, M.A. The poor have a few small yearly payments, arising from charitable bequests.

By a memorandum, dated 1786, it appears that land, purchased with Ł90 poor's money, was then let for Ł4. 12s. per annum. This land was in several small parcels, which, under the management of a Mr. Jackson, (who for a long succession of years held the office of churchwarden,) were so mixed up with his fields, that there is now no means of distinguishing them, and no rent is paid for them, except 20s. for half an acre, called Gospel Croft.

    In 1724, John Wright bequeathed to Bishop's Offley, two rent charges, viz., 50s. to be distributed in bread, and Ł4 for the teaching of the poor children. The former is charged on land at Eaton-upon-Tern, and the latter on a farm called Howell Pool.

    Adbaston School receives an annuity of Ł18. 16s. 1d. from the County Rates. On what account this payment is made we could not discover; perhaps it is for the use of some of the land above-named, and now occupied as the road to some county bridge. The present school is conducted on the national system, and was built in 1843.

    BISHOP'S OFFLEY is a small village 1 1/2 miles N. of the parish Church, and includes the hamlet of Outwoods, or Outlands, where Wm.Wakeley died in 1714, aged 125 years! Here is an Independent Chapel, built in 1845.

    FLASHBROOK forms the southern division of the parish, being about 2 miles S. by W. of the Church. It includes a few scattered farm houses and cottages, and also the ancient seat of BATCHACRE, which is now occupied by a farmer, but formerly had a spacious park, and was considered extra-parochial, until 1816, when after an expensive law-suit, it was declared rateable to the poor of Adbaston.

    KNIGHTON, a small ancient village, upon an abrupt declivity, is on the borders of Shropshire, 6 miles N. of Newport, in which town, a richly endowed free school possesses here an estate of 1000 acres, bequeathed to it by the founder, a Mr Adams, who amassed a large fortune as an haberdasher, in London. This school estate is extra-parochial, and consequently pays nothing either to the poor or the church. About 2 miles S.W of Knighton is Ellerton Grange, the pleasant seat of V. Vickers, Esq., the lessee of the tithes.

    TUNSTALL township has a few scattered farm houses, half a mile E. of Adbaston, and is mostly high land, with a fine prospect to the south.

By 1868/70, Kelly adds that the church is an old building in the Perpendicular style, that it contains sittings for about 250, that in the chancel are some curious old carved tablets, and the window is a fine specimen of ancient stone carving. The the living (value Ł100, as in 1851), is still held by the Rev. John Henry Bright, M.A., of St. John's College Cambridge.
    There are several benefactions for the poor; and there is given away annually Ł4 in bread on the first four Sundays in the year.

The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, Robert Masfield esq., Valentine Vickers esq., and Captain Turton. The soil is clay; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are corn. The population in 1861 was 593; the area is about 4,100 acres.
    OUTLANDS is a hamlet of Offley, and BATCHACRE, of Flashbrook.
Ellerton Grange, the seat of Samuel Holmes Sleigh, esq., a curious old mansion, and formerly a monastery, is beautifully situated on the borders of Shropshire.

In 1880 the Shropshire Union canal now passes through the parish.
In the church of St. Michael, Reginald D. Adbaston was interred, about 1470; and his arms, with those of his wife, still remain in the windows of the church. 'The register dates from 1601.'
    The living is a vicarage, yearly value Ł300, with residence, and held by the Rev. William Jackson M.A., of Trinity College, Dublin. Ł4 is still being distributed in bread on the first four Sundays of the year.

At Knighton, there are no manorial rights; and the principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, Robert Masefield esq., J.C. Burton Borough esq., J.P.Lauder esq. & Donaldson Hudson esq.
'The area is 4,560 acres.' The population in 1871 was 562.

In 1900 The church of St Michael at Adbaston, besides its tower with four bells, now has a priest's bell, and, a clock.
Miss Newton 'has now spent nearly Ł3,000 upon the church':-
The stained east window was placed by Miss Newton in memory of her mother, whose remains lie in the chancel, which has also been restored chiefly at Miss Newton's expense; "Reginald Dominus de Adbaston" was interred here in 1440; his arms, with those of his wife, still remain in the windows of the church, which was restored in 1888 by Miss Newton, and further restored and reseated with oak in 1890, at a total cost of Ł1,800, and re-opened by the Bishop of Shrewsbury, 29 Oct. 1890; the tower was restored in 1893, and in 1894 a south porch of stone and carved alabaster, (was) presented by Miss Newton.
    'The register dates from 1600'. The living, of the vicarage, net value now Ł271, includes 3 acres of glebe and residence, and has been held since 1887 by the Rev. Thomas Lapp Butler M.A. of Trinity College Dublin.

    All Saints Mission church, at BISHOP'S OFFLEY was opened in 1894; it was formerly a Nonconformist chapel.
    There is a Primitive Methodist chapel at OFFLEY MARSH, erected about 1872.
There are several small benefactions for the poor: Ł2. 10s is given away annually in bread on the first three Sundays in the year.
   At KNIGHTON, there is a reservoir for supplying the Shropshire Union canal.

The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; Colonel Robert Taylor Masefield C.B., J.P., of Ellerton Hall, Newport, Salop; John Sydney Burton Burough esq. J.P., of Chetwynd Park, Newport, Salop; William Heath Lander esq.; Donald Hudson esq. and William Stephen Shoobridge esq. J.P., of Aldbury Hall, Much Hadham, Herts.
'The area is 4,610 acres'. The population in 1891 was 568.

In 1912 Kelly adds another item to the extensive list presented by Miss Newton: a new oak pulpit.
The incumbent at the church is now the Rev. Robert Large M.A, of St. John's College, Cambridge, who has held the living since 1905.
The annual benefaction for the poor, of Ł2. 10s distributed in bread on the first three Sundays of the year, still stands.
    The Lea, pleasantly situated at TUNSTALL, is the property of Leonard Knollys Haywood Shoobridge esq., J.P. and is at present occupied by the Misses Challinor.
    The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; Colonel Lawrence, of Ellerton Hall, Newport, Salop; John Sydney Burton Burough esq., of Chetwynd Park, Newport, Salop; William Heath Lander esq. of Tibbertson; Ralph C. Donaldson-Hudson esq. of Cheswardine, and Leonard Knollys Haywood Shoobridge esq., J.P.
    The chief crops are barley, oats, and turnips. The area is 4,610 acres of land and 28 of water. The population in 1901 was 533.

In 1932 the church living is a vicarage, net yearly value Ł350, including 3 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Lichfield, and held since 1920 by the Rev. George Peter Theodore Johnson, of Lichfield College.
    There are several small benefactions for the poor, including a sum of Ł2. 10s. which is given away annually in bread on the first three Sundays in the year.
The Lea, owned by Leonard Knollys Haywood Shoobridge esq. J.P., is at present occupied by William D. Phillipps esq.
The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; Arnold Lawrence esq. and Leonard Knollys Haywood Shoobridge esq., J.P.
The population in 1921 was 558.

In 1940 ADBASTON is a parish, 7 miles from Newport (Salop) station on the London, Midland and Scottish railway and 5 from Eccleshall, in the Stafford division of the county, extending west to the borders of Shropshire, hundred of North Pirehill, petty sessional division of Eccleshall, rural district of Stafford, county court district of Newport (salop), and in the rural deanery of Eccleshall, archdeaconry of Stoke-on-Trent and diocese of Lichfield.

    The Shropshire Union canal passes through the parish, and at KNIGHTON there is a reservoir for supplying the canal.
    The church of St. Michael is a building in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and an embattled western tower with pinnacles, containing a clock and 4 bells: there is also a priest's bell: in the church is a tablet to William Wakeley, d.1714, at the age of 125 years, as appears from the register of deaths: the stained east window was placed by Miss Newton in memory of her mother, whose remains lie in the chancel, which has also been restored chiefly at Miss Newton's expense: "Reginaldus Dominus de Adbaston" was interred here in 1440; his arms, with those of his wife, still remain in the windows of the church, restored in 1888 by Miss Newton; the church was further restored and reseated in oak in 1890: the tower was restored in 1893, and in 1894 a south porch of stone and carved oak was erected and new oak pulpit, on a pedestal of alabaster, presented by Miss Newton: there are 250 sittings.

    An old preaching cross in the churchyard was restored and enlarged as a Memorial to those from the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18.

   The register dates from 1600. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value Ł350, including 3 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Lichfield, and held since 1934 by the Rev. Wilfred Cyprian Broughton Smith, of Lichfield Theological College and Durham University.

    All Saints Mission church, at BISHOP'S OFFLEY, opened in 1894, is a structure of brick and was formerly a Nonconformist chapel: it will seat 100 persons. There is a Methodist chapel at OFFLEY MARSH, erected about 1872, with 100 sittings.
    There are several small benefactions for the poor, including a sum of Ł2. 10s. which is given away annually in bread on the first three Sundays in the year.

    At KNIGHTON, one mile south-west, are 1,000 acres of land free of rate and tithe, left by William Adams, a member of the Haberdasher's Company in London, for the support of the Grammer School at Newport, in Shropshire.
    The Lea, pleasantly situated at TUNSTALL, is the property of M. Ingram esq. and is at present occupied by James Meakin esq.

    There are no manorial rights. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; Arnold Lawrence esq., M. Ingram esq.; T. Lander esq.; and the Haberdasher's Company.
    The soil is various; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are barley, oats, wheat, sugar beet and turnips.
The area is 4,610 acres of land & 28 of water; the population in 1931 was 625.

    By the Staffordshire Review Order, 1934, part of this parish was transferred to the parish of HIGH OFFLEY.

BISHOP'S OFFLEY is a hamlet 3 miles north-east and 6 from Norton Bridge station on the L. M. & S. Railway.
BATCHACRE, half a mile south; DOLEY, 1 mile north-west; FLASHBROOK, 2 miles south-west; OUTLANDS, half a mile west; OFFLEY MARSH, a quarter of a mile south, and TUNSTALL, .1 mile east, are hamlets.
    Ellerton Grange, now a farm house, formerly a monastery, is beautifully situated on the borders of Shropshire.

Post-Office, Adbaston. Letters through Stafford. Shebdon nearest M.O. & Woodseaves nearest T. office.
Post-Office, Bishop's Offley. Lettersfrom Stafford. Eccleshall nearest M.O. & T. office.
Letters for Flashbrook arrive from Newport (Salop).

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