Dissolution of the College.
The College or Chantry of Battlefield continued for nearly 150 years, and divine service was no doubt duly celebrated by the chaplains, as directed by the foundation charter, and the will of the first master.
In 1534 an Act was passed, which gave the first-fruits and tenths to the king; and the Master of the College duly made a return of the annual value of the property belonging to the college, which consisted of lands in Aston near Shiffnal, and the tithes of St. Michael de Wyre, Idsall, Dawley, St. Julian Salop, Ford, and Albright Hussey, besides certain offerings, the total annual value then being £56 1s. 4d. Payments to the ministers of St. Julian and Idsall, and procurations, &c. came to £1 19s. 6d. The balance, amounting to £54 1s. 10d., being divisible amongst the master and chaplains, the master receiving £34 1s. 10d. and the five chaplains £4 apiece. The King’s tenth came to £5 8s. 2¼d.
In 1545 all chapels and chantries were given to the King. The possessions of the college were declared to be of the yearly value of £8 15s., and the house unlet was valued at 10s. a year. There were 12 oz. of plate, and some other goods. The Church was stated not to be a parish church, but to be within the parish of Albrighton Hussey. On Edward VI.’s accession to the Throne, the Lands belonging to the chantries were given to the Crown. The certificate then made by Sir Geo. Blount, Knt., states the net revenues to be of the value of £44 8s. 8d., of which the master received £19 6s., and 4 chaplains £5 6s. 8d. apiece, and the goods to be worth 13s. 4d.
The college was then dissolved, and the property sold to various purchasers. The site of the college, and cottages or booths near erected for the market there, the chapel and tithes of Albright Hussey, the tithes of Harlescot, and the Rectory of St. Julian’s were sold to John Cupper and Richard Trevor in 1550; land at St. Michael on Wyre to John Pykarell and John Barnard, and to Richard Palladye; and Aston near Shiffnal to Tho. Sydney and Nicholas Halswell.
The College is thus described in the Particulars for Grants made temp. Edward VI.:—
“The mansion or site of the said late College, with all houses edifices one dovecote one garden and two orchards within the said site and precinct, late in the tenure of the master and combrethren of the same late College; besides 2s. 4d. from the rent of a chamber called the Curates Lodging assigned and reserved to the procurator there, now in the tenure of Edward Shorde curate, valued and assessed by the Commissioner of our Lord the King there at 17s. 8d. per annum.”
“Certain Cottages or lez Bothes built upon land of Richard Hussey near the site of the said late College, placed there only in market time, with the outgoings tolls and other profits arising annually in the time of a market held there on the Feast of the Blessed Mary Magdalene, worth per annum 21s. 4d.”
“The same was given for certain yearly obits to be kept with the said late College. There be no woods upon any the premises.”
The Commissioners left Edward Shorde, one of the chaplains, to serve the church, with a chamber or lodging; and the following goods to carry on the services, a return of which was made in August, 1553,—3 bells, 2 great and a sanctus bell, 2 vestments, 2 altar cloths, a chalice with a paten parcel gilt weighing 10 ounces, a pair of small laten candlesticks, and a pair of cruets.
Albright Hussey Church having probably long before this fallen down, Battlefield Church became now, though without any definite settlement, practically the parish church for the old parish of Albright Hussey, and it has so continued ever since.