Part 55

THE COUNTY COURT for law proceedings on actions and claims not exceeding £50 comprehends the following places, viz.:—Wem 4, Preston Brockhurst 3, Grinshill 4, Clive or Cliff 3, Yorton 4, Tilley 1, Sleap 2, Nunnerley 2, Loppington 3, Northwood 5, part of Whixall 8, Newtown 4, Ightfield 8, Corra 8, Prees 5, Darliston 6, Marchamley 6, Weston under Red Castle 4, Lee 3, Aston 1, Lacon 1, Edgboulton 6, Stanton 6, Shawbury 6, and Burton 6. The figures refer to the mileage from Wem. _Judge_, Uvedale Corbet, Esq., Aston Hall, near Shiffnal; _Treasurer_, William B. Collis, Esq.; _Clerk_, Henry John Barker, Esq.; _High Bailiff_, Mr. Thomas Griffiths, jun.

THE LOCK-UP is a small brick structure situated in Grove-street; prisoners on committal are sent to Shrewsbury. William Freeman is the superintendent.

THE MARKET HOUSE is a brick fabric with stone finishings, supported by arches and pillars in the front. The county court is held in the spacious room over the market. Mr. Thomas Griffiths is clerk of the markets.

THE STAMP OFFICE is in Market-street. Mr. George W. Poole, distributor.

THE EXCISE OFFICE is at Mrs. Sand’s, the White Lion Inn, High-street.

THE COURT HOUSE for magisterial purposes is situated in Noble-street; the magistrates who usually attend the petty sessions here are Sir Robert Chambre Hill, Bart.; Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, Bart.; A. C. Heber Percy, Esq.; Thomas Dickin, Esq., and George Bowen, Esq. William Lucas, Esq., is clerk to the magistrates.

THE GAS WORKS are situated in Grove-street; they were established in 1835 by Messrs. Thomas and Burton, since which they have been transferred to the mortgagee, Mr. Craig. The gasometer will hold 4,000 cubic feet of gas. A charge of 10s. per 1,000 cubic feet is made to the consumer for this luminous vapour. Mr. John Brown is the secretary and manager.

THE NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK OF ENGLAND has a branch bank here, situated in High-street. Mr. John Daniel Lloyd is the manager.

The traffic of Wem is facilitated by a branch of the Ellesmere canal, which terminates near to Edstaston, about two miles from Wem. It is chiefly used for the conveyance of coal. Mr. John Brown, coal, slate, lime, and guano merchant, has a wharf here.

The Wem corn mill is an extensive modern erection of brick, situated on the river Roden; the machinery is of a superior construction; it is occasionally worked by steam power, but the water power is constructed so as to work the machinery without any delay after the rise of the water. Mr. J. Boughey is the proprietor.

The following account of the state of Wem during the civil war is chiefly extracted from Garbet’s interesting history of that town. When the war broke out in 1642 the populace were in general in favour of royalty; the persons of most distinction in the county who supported the parliament were Mr. Mitton, Mr. Mackworth, and Thomas Hunt, Esq., M.P. for Shrewsbury. The above gentlemen, attended by Richard Baxter, a famous dissenting minister, having got a small body of troops about the latter end of August, 1643, settled a garrison at Wem, being the first which the parliament had in this county. To fortify the town a rampart or wall of earth was thrown up, which began at Drayton gate, and ran along the side of Sandland’s yard, and about fourscore yards into Cordwell, where it formed an angle, defended by a wooden tower; then it turned towards the mill, crossing a meadow and a road just below Oliver’s well, and passed along the side of the parsonage garden, till it came to the Shrewsbury gate. It then crossed the alleys to the corner of the school garden, whence it turned through the tan pits on the east side of the brook to Ellesmere gate. Thence it extended along the Noble-street garden to two houses, then in the fields where a guard was kept, and from those houses to the Whitchurch gate, and thence over Shenton’s field it came up to Drayton gate. The ditch was about four yards wide and of a proportionate depth, but probably narrower in those places where the land could be flooded, for the low grounds were laid under water from Woodhouse’s croft to Cordwell. The earth thrown out of the ditch made the wall or rampart, which was strengthened by palisades placed so thick that a whole coppice in Lacon was cut down for this purpose. All the houses and buildings without the rampart were burnt to prevent their giving shelter to the enemy. As soon as the king had notice of a garrison having been placed at Wem, he sent Lord Capel to Shrewsbury, as lieutenant-general of Shropshire; the parliament sent Sir William Brereton, a Cheshire gentleman, to oppose him. Lord Capel, at the head of 5,000 men, made an attack upon Wem before its works were finished. At the same time Sir William Brereton, with his Cheshire forces, drew near the town to support and defend it. By a manœuvre Lord Capel induced General Brereton to return to Nantwich, and in the meantime he attacked Wem, which was but ill provided against an assault, the gates were without hinges, being only reared up, and only forty soldiers remained in the town, the rest of the forces consisted of the rabble of the town, among whom a number of women particularly distinguished themselves, and gave occasion for the following rhyme:—

“The women of Wem and a few musketeers, Beat the Lord Capel and all his cavaliers.”

The principal attack was made at Drayton gate; and old Vicars, in his “God’s Ark overtopping the World’s Waters,” says, “The great slaughter and execution which were performed upon the enemy when they set upon Wem, there being six cart loads of dead men carried away at one time, besides the wounded; and as it is said, there were fifteen found buried in one grave. Little execution was done upon our men; we lost not above three in the town—Major Marcow, one soldier, and one boy.” Of the king’s party he enumerates Colonel Wynn, slain; Major Vaughan, wounded; one of Winter’s captains shot in the back; Captain Davison, taken prisoner, since dead; Captain Manley, Captain Ellis, and Colonel Scriven, wounded. As the troops of Brereton approached, Lord Capel drew off his forces and returned to Shrewsbury. In 1644 the garrison of Wem seems to have been better provided for their defence. Prince Rupert, on his march to Chester, seemed determined to attack Wem; but having taken a view of the place from the Trench farm, he slighted it, saying, “It is a crow’s nest that will not afford each of my men a piece of bread.” At this time the greater part of Shropshire was for the king; but after the fatal battle of Naseby he lost ground in almost every part of the kingdom. Major-general Mytton was governor of Wem, the garrison whereof took Ercall House, belonging to Lord Newport; Apley Castle, belonging to Mr. Charlton; Moreton Corbet House, belonging to Sir Andrew Corbet; and Shrawardine Castle, the seat of the Bromleys. The plunder brought into Wem during these unhappy disturbances contributed greatly to induce an appearance of prosperity.

The dreadful fire which happened March 3rd, 1677, is a remarkable era in the history of Wem. It was occasioned by a girl suffering a lighted caudle to ignite the thatch of her parents’ dwelling. The season being dry and the wind boisterous, the devouring flames were speedily carried along the High street, Cripple street, and the Horse Fair, consuming every edifice except the free school. In Noble street it extended as far as the Draw well house, and in Milk street as far as the Rector’s barn. The church, the market house, seven score houses, and treble the number of outbuildings were burnt. The wind blew the burning thatch and shingles to a vast distance, so that in one hour the town was completely enveloped in flames. The loss of the property consumed was estimated at £23,677. 3s. 1d.

Among the eminent individuals of which Wem has been the birth place or residence, may be enumerated the benevolent Sir Thomas Adams, before mentioned, the founder of the Grammar School. WYCHERLEY, one of the most eminent wits and comic poets of his day, was born here in 1640; he married the Countess of Drogheda, but after her death, from law suits with her relatives, he became embarrassed in his circumstances. He married a second wife a few days before his death, which happened in September, 1815. JOHN ASTLEY, Esq.: This artist, from the peculiarity of his good fortune, rather than by his exertions as an artist, has obtained a memorial in biographical history. He was born at Wem, and when of age to assume a profession he was sent to London, and placed as a pupil under Mr. Hudson; when he left him he visited Rome, and on his return from thence he went to Dublin, where he practised as a painter for about three years, and in that time acquired three thousand pounds by his pencil. On his coming over to England, and painting his way back to London, in his own post chaise, with an outrider, he loitered, with a little pardonable vanity, in his native neighbourhood, and visiting Knutsford assembly with another gentleman, Lady Daniel, a widow then present, was at once so won by his appearance, that she made arrangements to sit for her portrait, and then made him the offer of her hand; a boon which he did not think it prudent to refuse. This lady, by marriage articles, settled the whole of the Duckinfield estate upon him, after the death of her daughter by Sir William Daniel. Mr. Astley eventually became possessed of these estates, and died at his house, Duckinfield Lodge, Cheshire, November 13th, 1787, and was buried at the church in that village. JOHN IRELAND, the author of “Illustrations of Hogarth,” and other esteemed works, was also born at Wem.

CHARITIES.—_Francis Chambre_, by his will, dated December 26th, 1676, charged certain lands with the payment of 40s. per annum, to be disposed of for the benefit and repairs of the chapel at Newton, or for the augmentation of the salary of the third school-master at Wem, or to both, at the discretion of his kinsman, George Chambre of Loppington, and the Rev. William Chettoe, and their heirs for ever. The premises charged with this payment are now the property of Mr. Dickin, who pays £2 to the schoolmaster and chapel warden every alternate year.

In 1703 _Richard Corbet_, _Esq._ granted a yearly rent charge issuing out of two farms at High Hatton, and directed that £4 thereof should be laid out every alternate year in buying six cloth coats or gowns for six poor people, four to be chosen from the parish of Wem, and two from Loppington; the said persons to be housekeepers reduced to poverty by misfortune; that £4 should be laid out every alternate year in clothing three poor boys of the parish of Wem, to be set out apprentices to husbandry; that 20s. per annum be paid to a writing master for teaching four poor boys writing and arithmetic. And he further directed, that every alternate year the said rent charge of £10 should be laid out in binding two boys, of the parish of Wem, apprentices to handicraft trades. The sum of £9 to be disposed of in one year, and £11 the next year, and so on from year to year. The yearly sum of £10, with some additions thereto, varying according to circumstances, is paid by Sir Andrew Corbet, the owner of the estate at Hatton. The objects of the charity are selected by the trustees, who meet about February every alternate year for the purpose, and 21s. is paid on that day towards the expenses of such meeting.

_William Hinton_, and _Dorothy_, his wife, in consideration of £101. 1s. 6d., conveyed to certain trustees and their successors two pieces of land in Whixall, called the Stanley End Pieces, to the use of the poor of the parish of Wem. Of the above, £50 was the gift of _Thomas Spendelow_ during his lifetime, who directed the proceeds thereof should be laid out in bread every Lord’s day for the poor inhabitants of the parish. There has been no subsequent conveyance to trustees, and the churchwardens have from time to time let the property, which consists of two fields, containing rather more than seven acres, now let at a good rent of £12 per annum. There is also an allotment on Whixall Moss, given in lieu of a right of turbury, which is let for 5s. per annum. The rents are carried to the account of the churchwardens of Wem quarter, and out of this account there is paid, in respect of the rents above mentioned, and for Sir Andrew Corbet’s charity hereafter mentioned, 4s. a week, amounting to £10. 8s. per annum, which is disposed of in bread, and £3 of which is distributed in money. The sum of £3 is divided by the churchwardens and vestry clerk, together with £2 paid in respect of the Hon. Richard Hill’s charity, in small sums among the poor.

_The Hon. Richard Hill_, in 1726, bequeathed £100 to the poor of the parish of Wem, to be applied as the minister and churchwardens should think fit.—_Rowland Whittingham_, in the same year, bequeathed £10 for the objects of the said charity. With these two sums, and £2 advanced by the overseers, three messuages were purchased adjoining the church-yard. These premises were pulled down in the year 1822, and the site added to the church-yard. Before this period, the rents never exceeded £5 or £6 a year. The sum of £2 has been since paid out of the church-rate collected for Wem quarter, and £1 out of the rate collected for each of the other three quarters. When the charity commissioners published their report there was a sum of £40 in the hands of Thomas Wilkinson, which is understood to have been left many years ago by Mr. Minshull of Tilley. Mr. Wilkinson pays 40s. yearly as the interest thereof, of which 20s. is paid to the minister of Whixall, 10s. among the poor of Wem, 5s. among the poor of Tilley and Trench, and 5s. to the poor of Hollingwood End.

_Sir Richard Hill_, by his will bearing date January 1st, 1808, bequeathed £300 in trust to pay the interest of £100 to the poor of each of the parishes of Hodnet, Prees, and Wem, in such proportions as his brother John Hill, during his life, and after his decease, the owners of his mansion house, at Hawkstone, should think fit. The interest on the sum of £100 is paid by Sir Rowland Hill to the poor of each of the parishes of Hodnet and Prees. Nothing however was paid when the charity commissioners visited Wem, in respect of the legacy for Wem, nor had they any evidence to show the principal had ever been paid. If the payment of the principal cannot be proved, we apprehend that Sir Rowland Hill is accountable for it as the representative of the testator.

_Sir Andrew Corbet_, in 1817, gave the sum of 25 guineas, the interest to be given to the poor of the parish. This sum was applied in rebuilding the church, and the sum of 25s. is paid out of the church-rate as the interest thereof, which sum is expended in bread for the poor.

_Mary Hankey_, by will 1818, bequeathed £40, to be placed out at interest, and laid out in bread, to be distributed every Easter Sunday among poor housekeepers of the parish of Wem, at the discretion of the churchwardens.

Upwards of two hundred years ago there were three common fields belonging the town: they consisted of arable land, and were divided by stones or other land marks, so that each proprietor knew his own ground, which he ploughed and sowed, but when harvest was gathered in, their cattle ranged in common and fed promiscuously. The cross field took its name from a cross erected on that road, as was usual in popish countries. The chapel field extended towards Horton, and the middle field towards Edstaston road.

A LIST OF STREETS, LANES, AND PLACES IN THE PARISH OF WEM.

Back street, High street

Bank house, Ireland

Bow street, Market street

Brunswick house, Islington

Brunswick row, Islington

Chapel street, Market street

Church street, Mill street

Court house, Market street

Cripple street, Noble street

Crown street, Back street

Dark lane, High street

Draw well lane, Back street

Ellesmere road, Ireland

Grove house, Grove street

Grove street, Bow street

High street, May pole end

Hibernia cottages, May poll end

Ireland, Grove street

Islington, Whitchurch road

Islington cottages, Islington

Islington crescent, Islington

Islington house, Islington

Islington row, Islington

Maiden lane, High street

Market street, High street

Market house, Market street

May pole end, Drayton and Aston road

Mill street, Salop road

New street, Islington

Noble street, Back street

Roden lodge, Mill street

Rose cottage, New street

Salop road, Tilley

Union Buildings, Market st

Wembrook place, Islington

Well house lane, Dark lane

Whixall road, Ireland

POST OFFICE.—_At Miss Jane Deakin’s_, _Market-street_. Letters arrive at 6 20 A.M. and are despatched at 7 20 P.M.

* * * * *

Aston John, gentleman, Market street

Barker Henry John, Esq., Salop road

Barker Charles Frederick, Esq., Market st

Barker Mr. Thomas, Salop road

Barlow Henry, tallow chandler and soap boiler, Market street

Beetenson Charles, Esq., Noble street

Boughey John, Salop road

Boulton Rev. William, Grove street

Brown Thomas Dickin, Esq., New street

Burd Mrs., Bow street

Cartwright Miss, Church street

Cotgrave Miss, Chapel street

Clay George, gentleman, New street

Deakin Miss Jane, Market street

Dickin Roger Spencer, Esq., Grove street

Dickin Thomas, Esq., Noble street

Dickin Mr. Thomas, Grove street

Dickin Mr. Richard Parker, Grove street

Dixon Rev. Wm., Noble street terrace

Edwards Edward, bookkeeper, Market st

Everall John, gentleman, Grove street

Ferrett Henry, inland revenue officer, Back st

Forgham Mrs., Noble street

France Thomas, Noble street

Gough Mrs., Back street

Gough Robert, gentleman, Back street

Gough Mr. Samuel, Market street

Greenwood Joseph, gentleman, Chapel st

Griffiths Henry, porter dealer, Market street

Griffiths Richard, draper, High street

Gwynn Edward, Esq., Noble street

Gwynn Samuel Betten, Esq., Noble street

Gwynn Miss, Grove house

Hanmer Thos., relieving officer, Wem union

Heatley William, Esq., Market street

Ireland Mrs., Islington house

Jones William, Chapel street

Jones Miss, Chapel street

Jones Samuel, cattle salesman, Back street

Kindillow Wm. Nail, governor union house

Kynaston Mrs. Mary, High street

Lee Henry, Esq., Chapel street

Lee Mrs. Mary, Chapel street

Leeke Miss Mary Ann, New street

Littlehales Fred., clerk, county court office

Lloyd John Daniel, gentleman, High street

Lucas William, Esq., Noble street

Mason John, skinner, Ireland

Meredith Charles David, registrar, Islington

Meredith Mrs., Islington

Meredith Rev. Charles David, Crescent

Merest Rev. John William D., The Rectory

Morris Henry, gentleman, Islington Crescent

Morris Mrs., Islington Crescent

Nickson Mrs., Chapel street

Oldham Charles, Esq., Tilley house

Owen William, Esq., New street

Parkes Mrs., The Crescent

Parkes Mr. Richard, Islington Crescent

Pattinson Rev. Joseph, Islington villa

Pearson Mrs. Sarah, Grove street

Phillips Mr. George, May pole end

Poole Mr. George Wright, Market street

Prince Captain Charles, Market street

Pritchard Rev. Mr., Chapel street

Ravenshaw Richard, bank clerk, New street

Sadler Rev. John, Islington

Smith Mrs. Wycherley, New street

Smith John, tea dealer, Noble street

Snape Walter, gentleman, Creamore road villa

Stockhall Henry, attorney’s clerk, Market st

Thomas Thomas, gentleman, Islington

Walford John Henshaw, Esq., Roden lodge

Walker Mrs., Back street

Walmsley Thomas, Esq., Cripple street

Walmsley George, gentleman, Hawkstone rd

Walmsley Mr. John, Hibernia cottage

Wilkinson Mr. William, Ellesmere road

Williams Sir John Bickerton, Knight, The Hall

Wilson Joseph, Esq., New street

Academies.

_Marked * take boarders_.

British School, Dark lane, Thomas Hickson Taylor, master; T. H. Taylor, mistress

* Cooke Miss, Noble street

* Foncier Miss, Noble street

* Grammar, Grove street, Rev. William Boulton, M.A., principal; Benjamin Burd, English master

Infants’, Chapel street, Mary Green

* Meredith Mrs. Hannah, Bow street

National, Back street, Thos. Grainge, master; Mary Ebrey, mistress

* Strutt Miss, Noble street

Accountants.

Burd John, Mill street

Wycherley Thomas, Noble st

Attorneys.

Barker Charles Frederick, Market street

Barker Henry John, clerk to county court; office, Market street

Brown Thomas Dickin, New street

Burd Jonathan, Market st

Lucas William, clerk to magistrates, Noble street

Owen William, clerk to the Wem union, and superintendent registrar, New street

Auctioneers & Valuers.

Burd John, Mill street

Franklin Josiah, Market st

Wycherley Thomas, and appraiser for the Wem county court, Noble street

Bakers & Flour Dealers.

Astley Mary, Back street

Harris George, Grove street

Kynaston Charles, Market st

Vaughan Thomas, High st

Watkin Sarah, High street

Weever George, Market st

Bankers.

_The National Provincial Bank of England Company_, draw on the London Joint Stock Bank, John Daniel Lloyd, manager

Blacksmiths.

Humphreys Wm., Noble st

Rogers Robert, Ireland

Watkin Thomas, Dark lane

Watkin William, Grove st

Wilkinson John, Market st

Booksellers, Bookbinders, and Stationers.

Cooke Mary, Draw well ter

Franklin Josiah, & printer, Market street

Boot & Shoemakers.

_Marked * dealers only_.

Bannister John, Back street

Forgham Jonathan, May pole end

Higgins Williams, Rookery, Ireland

Jenkins George, Grove st

Jenks John, Market street

* Owen Miss Ann, High st

Robins Henry, Market st

* Tomlins Charles, Market st

Watkin Richard, Chapel st

Weaver John, High street

* Wilkinson Thomas, Market street

Braziers & Tin Plate Workers.

Barlow Henry, Market street

Edge John, Bow street

Edge Samuel, Union place

Brewer.

Cooke Joseph, Draw well brewery

Bricklayers.

Beckett William, Cripple st

Hewes William, Back street

Morris John, New street

Richards William, Back st

Tomey Jonathan, Back st

Brick and Tile Merchants.

Barker Henry John, Northwood

Brown John, Grove street

Maddocks Samuel, Barker’s green

Builders.

Beddoe John, Wem brook pl

France Thomas and Son, Noble street

Prince Frederick and Son, Church street

Walton Thomas, Salop road

Butchers.

Astley Thomas, Noble street

Davies Benjamin, Grove st

Deakin Henry, Market street

Elkes George, Market street

Hales William, Bow street

Parkes John, High street

Watkin James, High street

Weaver Charles, High street

Weaver George, High street

Weever Frederick, Market st

Cabinet Makers.

Broomhall John, foreman, Cripple street

France Thomas, Noble st

France Thomas, jun., Noble street

Lee John, New street

Prince Frederick and Son, Church street

Carriage Builders.

Eaton George, May pole end

Prince John, Church street

Cheese Factors.

Richards John, Market st

Vaughan Thomas, High st

Chemists and Druggists.

Bickerton Samuel, High st

Lee Thomas, Market street

Micklewright George, Market street

Onslow Richard, & dispensing, Cripple street

Clothes Dealer.

Huntington John, Market st

Coal Agent.

Brown John, Grove street, and Edstaston wharf

Coal Dealers.

Jenkins George, Grove street

Ralphs Jane, Noble street

Wilkinson Thos., Dark lane

Confectioners.

Kynaston Charles, Bow st

Stockall John, Market street

Vaughan Thomas, High st

Watkin Elizabeth, High st

Weaver George, High street

Coopers, Turners, and Dealer in Bendware.

Crewe Joseph, High street

Drury William, Noble street

Corn Factor.

Richards John, Market street

Curriers & Leather Cutters.

Everall John, Grove street

Gough Robert, Noble street

Gough Samuel, Market st

Dyer—Silk, Woollen, & Cotton.

Yoad Samuel, High street

Farmers.

Barber Wm., May-pole-end

Clay George, New street

Cooke Joseph, Draw-well lane

Everall John, Lowe-hill lane

Forgham Thomas, Foxley

Forgham Wm., Well-house farm

Griffiths Thomas, Soulton lane

Jenks John, Market street

Jones John, Noble street

Parkes John, Market street

Richards John, Market street

Snape Walter, Creamore road