William Price Poole, coal, lime, slate, and brick dealer, Whixall Wharf
WILLASTON,
a small township in the parish of Prees, contains 767 acres of land, and in 1841 had 18 houses and 101 inhabitants. The soil in some parts is clayey, and in other places it is a mixture of sand and loam. Viscount Hill and John Whitehall Dod, Esq., are the landowners, the former is also the impropriator, and receives the large tithes, which are commuted for £109. 18s. 6d. The vicarial tithes are commuted for £21. 8s. 4d.
The principal residents are John Hussey, farmer, Cloverley; Robert Wilkinson, farmer, The Lawn; James Simons, farmer, and James Simon, jun., farmer.
SHAWBURY
is an extensive parish comprehending the townships of Acton Reynold, Besford, Edgebolton, Muckleton, Shawbury, Wytheford Magna, and Wytheford Parva, which together have an area of 7,222 acres of land, of which 600 acres are in woods and plantations. Rateable value, £8,486. 1s. Rent charge, £838. This parish, although chiefly in the North Bradford hundred, extends into the Shrewsbury liberty, and the hundred of Pimhill. In 1801 the parish had a population of 948 souls; 1831, 915, and in 1841 there were 212 inhabited houses and 1062 inhabitants. The soil, to a considerable extent, is a mixture of loam and sand, in other places a strong soil mixed with gravel prevails. The land has generally an undulating surface, and on the northern verge there are considerable eminences, in which is found a red grit stone. Shawbury is a delightfully situated village, containing some good residences on the Shrewsbury, Market Drayton, Wem, and Whitchurch turnpike roads, six miles S.S. by E. from Wem, and seven miles N.E. by N. from Shrewsbury. In the centre of the village there is a commodious hotel and family boarding house occupied by Mr. Welling, which is much frequented during the summer months by respectable families. The township contains 1,605a. 0r. 37p. of land, and in 1841 there were 55 houses and 279 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,854. 16s. Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., is lord of the manor and principal land owner; Rev. W. S. Marvin and Mr. Samuel Winnall are also owners.
The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure exhibiting some beautiful workmanship, and consists of nave, chancel, and side aisles, with a lofty square tower ornamented with twelve pinnacles; the tower contains six bells, has a clock and sun dial; in the chancel are two windows beautifully ornamented with stained glass; the altar piece and reading desk are of oak, elaborately carved, and there is an ancient font. There is a beautiful tablet of marble in memory of Philip Charlton, who died in 1845, and another commemorative of John Minor, Esq., and his wife, with the date of 1836. The living is a vicarage valued in the king’s book at £7. 1s. 5½d. in the patronage of Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart., and incumbency of the Rev. William S. Marvin, M.A.; curate, Rev. William Howell, M.A.; clerk, William Wright. The vicarial tithes are commuted for £397. 12s. and of the rectorial £247. 18s. was apportioned to Sir Andrew V. Corbet, Bart., £181. 10s. to Mr. Charlton, and £11 to Captain Horner. The vicarage is a pleasantly situated residence a little north from the church. There is a free school in the village which has an attendance of about thirty children. Shawbury heath contains 270a. 2r. 7p. of land, and Shawbury woods contain an area of 159a. 2r. 32p. Charlton Grange is situated in this township, and contains 433a. 3r. 27p.
Charities.—Elizabeth Corbet, by will, October 29th, 1702, bequeathed the sum of £200, and directed the amount to be laid out in land, and the yearly proceeds to be applied in feeding or clothing the poor, or in apprentice fees, as the vicar for the time being and her heirs should think fit. The amount was laid out as directed by the donor, and now produces a yearly rental of £45 which is divided into three equal parts, one portion applied in clothing the children of the national school, another in apprentice fees, and the remainder in a weekly distribution of bread.
Robert Wood gave £20, the interest to be distributed among the poor on St. Thomas’s day. Andrew Peplow gave £16 towards clothing the poor. Richard Wood £40, and Andrew Syth £10, for the benefit of the poor. Ralph Collins gave £80 towards the maintenance of a schoolmaster in Shawbury, and if there should be no schoolmaster then to the poor of the parish during each vacancy. Dame Rachael Corbet left £10, Sarah Venables £20, and an unknown donor £17 for the benefit of the poor. These several sums amounting to £213, are in the hands of Sir Andrew V. Corbet, bart., secured by two bonds. Of the interest amounting to £9. 6s. 6d., at four per cent, 14s. is paid annually in purchasing a coat for one poor man, £4 in respect of Collins’ charity to a schoolmaster, and the remainder is distributed on St. Thomas’s day amongst the poor, with some voluntary donations, in sums varying from 1s. to 3s. 6d.
John Minor gave £20, the interest to be distributed on St. Andrew’s day. This sum, together with £26. 5s. given by Sir Andrew Corbet, is in the hands of the Rev. W. S. Marvin, and £20 collected many years ago towards building a school house, making together £66. 5s., for which he gave a promissory note to the churchwardens, bearing date 2nd February, 1830, with interest at four and a half per cent. Of the interest, £1 is given away as Minor’s charity, 18s. are added to the subscriptions collected for the school, and the remainder is distributed on Candlemas day among the poor of the parish.