The residents in Sugdon are Wm. Thomas Davies, farmer; James Powis, bricklayer; Longwaist Hamlet, John Bourne, brick and tile agent for the Duke of Cleveland; Jane Dunn, schoolmistress; James Dyke, coal agent; William Lockley, blacksmith; James Reeves, shopkeeper; Thomas Tudor, coal agent, The Wharf.
STIRCHLEY
is a small parish and village five miles S. E. from Wellington, and three miles W. from Shiffnal, which in 1801 contained 189 inhabitants; 1831, 271, and in 1841, 301; at the latter period there were 61 houses, which are mostly scattered; there are a number of cottages in the immediate vicinity of the church, which are small, ill ventilated, and most miserable hovels; this, however, is not the character of cottages generally in this locality, or indeed in the county, for on the whole we conceive them to be far superior to cottage residences in most other counties. The parish contains 833a. 0r. 36p. of land, the principal owner of which is R. H. Cheney, Esq.; the Duke of Cleveland, Robert Burton, Esq., and Beriah Botfield, Esq., are also proprietors. A considerable part of land is held in lease by Beriah Botfield, Esq., who has extensive collieries and ironworks in the parish. The Church is a small fabric dedicated to St. Mary, and consists of nave, chancel, and north transept, with a gallery over it built by the Botfield family, for the use of their own workmen. There are ten pews in the body of the church, and two in the chancel,—the whole has a very primitive appearance. The church was formerly lighted with small pointed windows, but these have all been made up, and a large window void of taste and of unmeaning character has been added to the east end to supply their place. The chancel is divided from the nave by a Saxon arch of exquisite workmanship, which modern renovators have attempted to improve by adding sundry coats of lime wash. A neat marble tablet has been erected in memory of Thomas Botfield, Esq., who died in 1801, and of his wife, Margaret, who died in 1803. The living is a rectory valued in the king’s book at £6. 5s. 10d., now returned at £274, in the patronage of the Phillips family, and enjoyed by the Rev. Hugo Moreton Phillips, M.A., who resides at the rectory, situated near the church, and has 45a. 3r. 38p. of glebe. There is a parochial school which is chiefly supported by B. Botfield, Esq., and the rector. There is a Wesleyan Chapel on the Dawley road, which is just within the bounds of Dawley Magna township. The Shropshire union canal intersects this parish. Gross estimated rental of the parish, £2,500. 15s. 6d.; rateable value, £2,364. 8s. 6d. Stirchley Hall is a good residence a little west from the church.
Thomas Clowes, in 1748, gave to the poor of this parish the sum of £20 per annum, to be disposed at the discretion of the churchwarden and overseer. This annuity has long been paid by the tenant of Stirchley Hall estate, formerly the property of Mr. Clowes, and which he charged with the payment of the same.
Richard Cookes, in 1799, demised certain premises in Stirchley for the term of 1,000 years, at the yearly rent of 17s., payable to the lessor, his heirs and assigns. This rent has for a great many years been paid to the overseers of this parish for the use of the poor, and it is supposed to have been assigned for their benefit by Richard Cookes, the lessor, but at what time or under what circumstances they first became entitled to it there is no evidence to show. The term is at present invested in Mr. Darral, who has improved the premises by building to the annual value of £13.
Botfield Beriah, Esq., iron master and colliery proprietor
Barnard Richard, vict., Rose and Crown
Blakemore Thomas, farmer
Blocksidge John, schoolmaster and parish clerk
Hayward Sarah, shopkeeper