Читать книгу History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Shropshire [1851] - Samuel Bagshaw - Страница 189

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a township, chapelry, and scattered village, five miles N.N.E. from Shrewsbury. In 1801 had 141 inhabitants, and in 1841, a population of 264 souls, and 55 houses. The township contains 1181a. 3r. 3p. of land, more than two-thirds of which is the property of John Bishton Minor, Esq., of Astley House; besides whom, Mr. Richard Minton and Mrs. Wildig are proprietors. There is also a farm belonging to the trustees of the charities for St. Chad’s parish. Gross rental £1,936. 13s. 5d. Rateable value, £1,763. 13s. The Episcopal Chapel, a neat stone fabric in the Gothic style, was repaired and beautified in 1837, when a new tower was added at the west end. The entrance, formerly on the south side, exhibits the Saxon style of architecture. In the interior is a neat marble tablet, in memory of the Minor family, of Astley House. A new font was added at the time the tower was built. The living is a perpetual curacy, returned at £56, in the patronage of the corporation of Shrewsbury, and enjoyed by the Rev. William Vaughan. In the church yard are the following lines, on a grave stone in memory of Rowland Deakin, who died in 1751, aged 95 years:—

“Many years I’ve seen, and

Many things I’ve known:

Five kings, two queens,

And a usurper on the throne;

But now lie sleeping in the dust.

As you, the reader, shortly must.”

The governors of the Free Grammar School, in Shrewsbury, are the impropriators of the tithes, which are commuted for £211. Astley House, a handsome mansion, beautified with pleasure grounds and shrubberies, and pleasantly situated a short distance from the church, is the residence and property of John Bishton Minor, Esq. The Primitive Methodists have a chapel in this township, situated on the Hadnal road. The particulars of the several charities, founded by the will of Joseph Jones, in 1729, will be found noticed with the parish of Atcham. Out of the residuary rents of the estates, held in trust for the purposes mentioned in the testator’s will, £10 per annum is applied in educating poor children of this chapelry, and £6 per annum paid to the minister of Astley chapel, for reading prayers and preaching in the said chapel every first and last Sunday in the month, and administering the sacrament four times during the year. It appears when Mr. Jones made this bequest, that divine service in Astley chapel was only held every third Sunday in the month.

Minor John Bishton, Esq., Astley House

Adams Edward, farmer

Adams James, farmer

Barker James, shoemaker

Birch William, farmer, Braidway House

Davies Charles, butcher

Dodd William, blacksmith

Hughes John, shoemaker

Minton John, farmer

Minton Richard, farmer

Minton Samuel, farmer

Minton Thomas, farmer

Moreton Ann, butcher

Morgan John, farmer

Oliver Rev. William, Astley Lodge

Powell John, farmer, New House

Stanley Thomas and Richard, brick and tile makers

Williams Richard, provision dealer and victualler, Dog Inn