The principal residents are Richard Betton, Esq.; George Boddy, blacksmith; Thomas Green, farmer; John Hammond, parish clerk; Rev. John Hayton; Richard Palmer, farmer; William Powell, farmer.
THE FORD HUNDRED
is bounded on the north by the Oswestry and Pimhill hundreds, on the west by Montgomeryshire, on the south by those of Purslow and Chirbury, and on the east by the Condover hundred and the liberty of Shrewsbury. It is divided into the Ford and the Pontesbury divisions. The Ford division contains the parishes of Ford, Cardiston, Minsterley, and Westbury; and part of the parishes of Alberbury, St. Alkmund, St. Chad, and St. Julian; and at the census of 1841 had 5,669 inhabitants. The Pontesbury division contains the parishes of Habberley and Pontesbury, and at the same period had a population of 3,436 souls.
ALBERBURY
is an extensive parish, comprising the townships of Alberbury, Benthal with Shrawardine, Amaston, Bulthey, Eyton, Ford (part of), Rowton, Stanford, Trefnant, Wattlesborough (part of), Winnington, Woolaston, which are situated in Shropshire; and Bausley, Coydway, Crew Green, Criggion, upper and lower, Middleton and Uppington, which are in Montgomeryshire. The entire parish contains 10,780a. 2r. 2p. of land, the rateable value of which is £7,731. This parish is beautifully diversified with picturesque scenery, and watered by the river Severn. At the census of 1841 there were 472 houses, and 1,861 inhabitants. Population in 1801, 1,204: and in 1831, 1,799, Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., Henry Lyster, Esq., and others are joint lords of the manor. Alberbury is a township and pleasant rural village eight miles west of Shrewsbury. In this quarter or district are the townships of Alberbury, Amaston, Benthal with Shrawardine, Eyton, Rowton, and part of the township of Ford, which have an area of 3,104a. 2r. 27p. of land; of which 1,277a. 1r. 20p. are arable, 1,532a. 0r. 16p. are meadow and pasture, 116a. 3r. 13p. are woods, and 67 acres are roads and water. The township, at the census of 1841, had 130 houses and 638 inhabitants. Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., is the principal landowner. John Lloyd, Esq., and All Souls College are also freeholders. A fair is held on the 8th of August.
The Abbey, of which but little now remains, is situated near the village, and called the White Abbey. It was founded by Fulk, the son of Warine, in the reign of Henry II., and was subject to the Black Monks of Grandmorst, in Limosin. At the suppression of the alien priories it was bestowed on Queen Joan, widow of Henry IV., and after passing through several hands it was granted to the fellows of All Souls College, Oxford. There were formerly a chapel within the site of this abbey, dedicated to St. Stephen, in which were interred the remains of Fulk Warine, its founder.
The Church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a venerable structure, with a square tower, in which is a peal of five bells. The interior consists of nave, chancel, and side aisles. The south compartment belongs to the estate of Loton. On the walls are various monuments and tablets to various deceased members of the Leighton family: to Dame Dorothy Leighton, who died in 1638; and to General Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., who died in 1828. The chancel is separated from the body of the church by one arch, and was rebuilt in the year 1845. On removing a tomb-stone in the south wall, the skeleton of a man was found quite perfect, but the coffin and grave clothes all gone. It was placed in a coffin, and interred in the same place. Several of the windows are ornamented with stained glass, and the altar is very beautiful. The patronage of the church is vested in the fellows of All Souls College, Oxford: incumbent, Rev. Richard Webster Huntley, B.A. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king’s books at £5. 10s. The tithes are commuted for £2,624, and apportioned to the fellows of All Souls College, Oxford, to the dean and chapter of Hereford, and the vicar of Alberbury. The Parochial School was founded and endowed with £3. 6s. 8d. per annum, by the fellows of All Souls College, Oxford: it is principally supported by the neighbouring gentlemen. Loton Park is a handsome brick mansion, the seat and property of Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., surrounded by a park well stocked with deer, and richly diversified with sylvan beauty.
Charities.—On the table of benefactions in the church are the names of twelve several donors, who left £169 for the use of the poor of this parish. This sum is supposed to have been applied in building a school or workhouse, and the yearly sum of £8. 5s. is paid as the interest thereof, which is distributed to the poor on Christmas day. Richard Lyster bequeathed the sum of £100, the interest thereof to be given to the poor. John Asterley in his lifetime gave £10 for the use of the poor of the township of Wattlesborough. John Morgan also left £10, the interest to be given in bread to the poor of this parish.
Amaston is a small township three miles south; Benthal is a township two miles north-east; and Little Shrawardine is a small township two miles and a half north-east, of Alberbury. Bulthey is a scattered township one and a half mile north-west by north of Woolaston, which contains 711a. 3r. 19p. of land; of which 371a. 3r. 19p. are arable, and 340 acres are pasture. Robert Gardner, Esq., is the sole landowner.
Bausley, or Balasley, is a scattered township and district, ten miles north-east of Welshpool, which comprises Upper and Lower Criggion, Crew Green, and Coydway, and has an area of 4,309 acres of land. Rateable value, £1,954. 17s. 7d. The principal landowners are the Rev. F. K. Leighton, who is lord of the manor; John Asterly, Esq.; Mr. Eddowes; Mr. Edward Bufton; Dr. Crawford; Sir Edward Desbrowe, Knt.; Rev. Edward Humphrey; Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart.; Isaac Swaine; Mr. John Ruscoe; and Mr. Williams. The township contains 1,684 acres of land, and at the census of 1841 there were 78 houses and 352 inhabitants. On the enclosure of Bausley Common, in 1832, the Vicar of Alberbury had allotted to him eleven acres of land, in lieu of small tithes. There are 31 acres of glebe land.