is a parish in the lower division of the Munslow hundred, which embraces the townships of Onibury and Walton, and contains 1,900 acres of land, the principal owner of which is Earl Craven; the other part is the property of the Hon. R. H. Clive. At the census in 1801 there were 359 inhabitants; 1831, 438; 1841, 368: at the latter period there were 73 houses. Rateable value £2,311. 17s. The village of Onibury is pleasantly situated on the east bank of the river Oney, and on the turnpike road leading from Shrewsbury to Ludlow: 24 miles S. from the former, and five miles N.W. from the latter. The Shrewsbury and Hereford line of railway, now in course of formation, will intersect the parish, and cross the turnpike on a level with the road. A portion of the village south east of the river is in the respective parishes of Stanton Lacy and Stokesay. A saw mill has been erected by Lord Craven on the river Oney. In the time of Edward the Confessor, Oniberie was in the possession of the bishop of Hereford, and after the conquest Roger de Lacy held it of him. The manor and patronage of the church was long possessed by the Burnels, and eventually passed, in marriage, to the Lovels, in whose family it remained till the attainder of Lord Lovel, in the time of Henry VII. It was subsequently held by the Mainwarings and Barkers, and about the year 1620 came into the hands of Lord Craven, the ancestor of the present proprietor, by purchase. There was formerly a park at Onibury, which is now divided into farms. Wootton, an ancient mansion of considerable extent, in the Elizabethan style of architecture, and moated, has recently been taken down. It was formerly the seat of distinguished families, and the park above mentioned was in all probability connected with this mansion. The Church is rather a plain structure of the early English style, with a tower at the west end containing four bells. The living is a rectory, valued in the king’s book at £8. 17s. 8½d.; in the patronage of Earl Craven, and enjoyed by the Rev. J. J. Hodges. The tithes have been commuted for £330. There is a good rectory house, and ninety acres of glebe land. The Parochial School is a small structure built by subscriptions in the year 1836, and situated at the south-east corner of the church-yard. The school is free to the children of the parish, and those resident in the immediate neighbourhood, and is supported by subscriptions and a rent-charge of £6. 13s. 4d., left for educational purposes by William Norton, in 1593. The township and small village of Walton, situated about a mile from Onibury, in 1841 had fifteen houses and ninety-five inhabitants; it comprises 625 acres of land, which are the property of Earl Craven.
Directory.—Samuel Amies, farmer, the Park; Philip Bach, farmer; Herbert Blakeway, farmer, Wootton; William Bright, schoolmaster; William Coston, farmer; Ann Jones, vict., the Griffin; Rev. John J. Hodges, the Rectory; Benjamin Pugh, farmer; Thomas Matthews, wheelwright; William Watkins, blacksmith; Mr. Thomas Wells, Onibury cottage; Thomas Wells, agent to Earl Craven. The residents at Walton are William Blakeway, farmer; Samuel Botfield, shoemaker; Thomas Hotchkiss, farmer.
RICHARDS CASTLE,
a parish in the lower division of the Munslow hundred, comprises the townships of Moore and Batchcott, Overton, and Woofferton, and is partly in this county, and partly in Herefordshire. The parish contains 4,512 acres of land; and at the census of 1801, 509 inhabitants; 1831, 586; 1841, 656. The village of Richards Castle is delightfully situated about three miles from Ludlow, in the county of Hereford. It was anciently called Gayton, and was a place of considerable importance until the reign of Henry III. “Richards Castle,” says Leland, “standeth upon the top of a very rocky hill, well wooded, and at the west end of the parish then. The keep, the walls, and towers of it stand, but going to ruin. There is a poor house of timber in the castle garth for a farmer. It belongeth now to the king; it belonged of late to the Lord Vaux; after to Pope. There is a park impaled.” Robert de Mortimer, in the reign of King John, had the grant of a fair and market at this place, both of which have long been obsolete. The castle was built before the conquest. At the doomsday survey it was held by Osborn Fitz-Richard, whose granddaughter married Robert de Mortimer, from whose family it passed in like manner by an heiress to the Talbots, who possessed it till the reign of Richard II. King Edward VI. granted the manor to the Bishop of Worcester. In the fifteenth century T. Bradshaw obtained it of the bishop on a long lease, and his grandson sold the lease to Richard Salwey, Esq., in whose representatives it is now vested. Some parts of the keep and walls of the castle are still remaining, but are so embosomed in foliage as scarcely to be discovered until they are nearly approached. Camden says, “Beneath this castle nature, which nowhere disporteth itself more in showing wonders than in waters, hath wrought forth a pretty well, which is always full of little fish-bones, or, as some think, of small frog-bones, although they be from time to time drawn quite out of it, whence it is called Bone Well.” This curious phenomenon is still in existence, and is the frequent resort of the curious, particularly in the spring and autumn, when the bones are found in great abundance. On the declivity of a hill near the castle, the Royalists, amounting to nearly 2,000, were defeated by an inferior number of Parliamentary troops, under the command of Colonel Birch.
The following is a grant to the burgesses made by Lord Mortimer, in the 29th of the reign of King Edward:—“Know all men present and to come, that I, Hugh, the son of Robert Lord Mortimer, lord of Richards Castle, I have given, granted, and by this my present writing conferred, to all my burgesses of Richards Castle, and to all my tenants of the townships of Moor Batchcott and Whitbrook, and to all my tenants of the township of Overton, for their good services done to me in the time of the Welsh war, and for twenty pounds sterling to me in hand paid common of pasture for all manner of their cattle and beasts in my fields at Bury Hynton, at all times after the grain is carried thence, and in all my meadow called Shule Meadow, after the feast of St. John the Baptist, and also common of pasture for all their beasts in all my woods within the said lordship of Richards Castle, as well within the county of Hereford as within the county of Salop, at all times in the year (except my park called Morbeck, and my Heys, lying between the ditch called Farthings Lawnde, and one hedge called the Royard, which are inclosed, and parted in at all times of the year). I have also given and granted to my said burgesses and tenants sufficient house-boot, hay-boot, and fire-boot, with all other necessaries that belong to husbandries, to be yearly taken at all times of necessaries in the said woods, by the order and delivery of my bailiff or constable there for the time being; to have and to hold all the aforesaid common of meadow, pasture, and wood ground as aforesaid, to my said burgesses and tenants of the aforesaid village of Richards Castle, Moor Batchcott, Whitbrook, and Overton, of me and my heirs, the sum of twelve shillings at the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, viz., the burgesses of Richards Castle four shillings, the tenants of Moor Batchcott and Whitbrook four shillings, and the tenants of the township of Overton four shillings, for all manner of service, exaction, and demand; and if it shall happen that this my grant gains aid, withheld, or retained by me, my heirs, or by any person claiming under us at any time for the future, then I will and grant that all my said burgesses and tenants thereby, their own proper wills shall take and hold the aforesaid common in all the said meadows, pasture, and wood grounds aforegranted, and in all places thereby strength and virtue of the said deed: and I, the aforesaid Hugh, and my heirs, all the aforesaid common, together with house-boot, hay-boot, and fireboot, as aforesaid, (except as before excepted,) to the aforesaid burgesses of Richard Castle, and my tenants of Moor Batchcott, Whitbrook, and Overton, their heirs and assigns, for the consideration and rent aforesaid, against all nations whatsoever, will warrant and for ever defend; and that this my grant may be for ever ratified and established, I have hereunto set my seal.”
The Church is a fine structure, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, and stands contiguous to the castle; the tower stands a few feet from the body of the church, and had formerly a spire, which was burnt down. The windows contain some beautiful stained glass. The living is a rectory valued in the king’s book at £15. 1s. 3d. Patron, the Bishop of Worcester; incumbent, Rev. George Landon. The tithes have been commuted for £650, and there are 110 acres of glebe land of the annual value of £270. There are 2,324 acres of land in the township of Richards Castle, the rateable value of which is £1,652. 8s. Gross estimated rental, £1,862. 8s. 6d. The principal landowners are the representatives of J. Salway, Esq., Walter Stubbs, Esq., and William Moreton, Esq.
Moore and Batchcott is a township and pleasantly situated village two and a half miles from Ludlow, embracing 928 acres of land, the principal proprietors of which are Richard Betton, Esq., and the trustees of the Rev. J. Salway. Rateable value, £1,244. 12s. At the census in 4841 there were 37 houses and 206 inhabitants.
Overton and Woofferton is a delightfully situated township and village in the parish of Richard’s Castle, about two miles south from Ludlow, on the borders of Herefordshire. The township contains 1,260 acres of land, the chief owners of which are Francis L. Charlton, Esq., Richard Betton, Esq., and the representatives of the late E. Salwey, Esq. Rateable value, £1,677. 8s. At the census of 1841 Overton contained 18 houses and Woofferton nine houses, and together had a population of 137 souls.
Directories.—Richard’s Castle.—Edmund S. Davenport, Esq.; Samuel Davies, shoemaker; Miss Ann Child, Westbrook Cottage; John Hammond, vict., The Salwey Arms; Charles Mapp, farmer, Church House; Richard Mason, farmer, The Green; George Mason, farmer, The Rock; Henry Oseland, farmer and horse trainer, The Wood House; Richard Parker, farmer; Benjamin Ridley, farmer; Mary Taylor, vict., The Castle Inn; Mrs. Martha Taylor; Thomas Wheeler, farmer, The Merefield.
Moore and Batchott.—William B. Cooke, farmer; Thomas Froggat, farmer, The Leys; Rev. George Landon, rector of Richard’s Castle; William Parker, farmer; John Salwey, Esq., Moor Park; Thomas Summers, farmer; John Williams, blacksmith; William Wood, boot and shoemaker; Richard Woodhouse, wheelwright