The Church is an ancient structure, dedicated to St. Andrew, consisting of nave, chancel, and side aisles, with a massive square tower, ornamented with a clock, and the heads of rude figures of a grotesque character. The interior is neatly pewed. The living is a vicarage valued in the king’s book at £11. 18s., now returned at £330, in the patronage of the Duke of Cleveland, and enjoyed by the Rev. Edward Egremont, M.A., who resides at the vicarage, a good residence a short distance from the church. The Duke of Cleveland, Lord Berwick, and Mrs. Jenkins, are the impropriators of the rectoral tithes, which were commuted in 1840 for £606. 6s. The vicarial tithes have been commuted for £248. 14s.
Charities.—Thomas Alcock, who died in 1627, gave twenty marks yearly towards the support of a free grammar school for the instruction of youth of the parishes of Wroxeter and Uppington. An addition was made to this endowment by the will of Richard Stevinton in 1652, whereby he gave a rent charge of £13. 6s. 8d., issuing out of his lands in Arleston, in the parish of Wellington. There is a school and schoolhouse situate at Donnington, and six acres of land adjoining thereto, but it is not known from whom this property was derived. The school premises have been greatly improved at the expense of the master, and are worth about £12 a year. The school has been considered as free for classical instruction only to forty children of the inhabitants of Wroxeter and Uppington, but there is no document showing that the number of free scholars is thus limited; and it is to be observed that the benefaction of Richard Stevinton was for the use of a master who should teach English as well as Latin. Scholars educated in this school are entitled to the benefit of two of the exhibitions founded by Edward Careswell, an account of which has already been noticed with the Royal Free Grammar School at Shrewsbury.
From an entry made in the churchwarden’s book in 1765, it appears that the sum of £61 belonging to the poor of Wroxeter, and which had formerly been placed out at interest, was called in, and laid out in building and repairing the church, and that £2 was to be paid yearly as the interest thereof. This has been regularly paid from the churchwarden’s account, but it appears to have been an inadequate sum to be allowed as the interest of £61.
In the same book there is an entry also made in the year 1765, stating that £20 given by Edward Wellings, to buy Bibles for poor children of Wroxeter, at the discretion of the minister was laid out for the same purpose. In respect of this gift 10s. is paid annually, and laid out in the purchase of Bibles.
The Rev. Roger Clayton, in 1327, invested £100 in the purchase of £113. 10s. stock, three per cent. consols, in compliance with the wish of his late brother William Clayton, in trust, to apply the interest for the benefit of the poor of Wroxeter. A memorandum was drawn up and placed in the parish chest, dated 16th October, 1827, and signed by Roger Clayton and Richard and Edward Stanier, acknowledging the stock to have been purchased for the aforesaid object.
Donnington is a township and pleasant village situated a mile and a half E. from Wroxeter; the Duke of Cleveland is the landowner and lord of the manor. The population of the several townships in this parish are included in the returns for Wroxeter. The Charlton Hill corn mill is situated in this township; it was erected by the farmers in the surrounding neighbourhood to grind their own corn. The grammar school noticed with the charities of the parish is situated at Donnington.
Dryton, a small township near the banks of the river Severn, is also the property of the Duke of Cleveland, and is situated two miles and a quarter S.S. by E. from Wroxeter.
Eyton-on-the-Severn, a township two miles S. from Wroxeter, takes its name from its situation near the Severn. The land here is highly fertile, and the meadow lands have a rich herbage. It is also the property of the Duke of Cleveland.
Norton, a small township, has a few scattered houses on the Shrewsbury and Wellington turnpike road, about a mile N.E. from Wroxeter. The land is mostly arable, producing good wheat and barley. Lord Berwick is the sole proprietor of this township.
Rushton township is situated three miles E. from Wroxeter, near the western verge of the Wrekin. The land here has an undulating surface, with a stiff soil. The Duke of Cleveland is the landowner. The acres, rateable value, tithes, and population of the above townships are included in the returns for Wroxeter.