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Shiffnall in Salop County England History and GeographySHIFFNALL, a parish in the Shiffnall division of the hundred of BRIMSTREE, county of SALOP, comprising the market town of Shiffnall, the chapelry of Priors-Lee, the townships of Hatton and Woodside, and the hamlet of Oakengates, and containing 4411 inhabitants, of which number, 1463 are in the town of Shiffnall, 17½ miles (E. by S.) from Shrewsbury, and 143 (N.W.) from London. This place, formerly called Idsall, appears to have been of greater note than it is at present, although the origin of its name and history is involved in obscurity. It belonged to Earl Morcar prior to the Conquest and, at a period considerably later, it was the property of the family of Dunstanville, one of whom, Walter de Dunstanville, by the special command of Henry III., resided in the marches of Wales, to protect them against the ravaging incursions of the Welch. It afterwards came into the possession of the Badlesmeres, who obtained from Edward I. a market for two days in the week, and two yearly fairs. Bartholomew de Badlesmere having been executed for his participation in the battle of Boroughbridge, it subsequently became the property of various persons of distinction, among whom were the families of Bohun, Tiptoft, Ap Rees, Mortimer, Talbot, &c. The town is supposed to have been destroyed by fire, and subsequently built on its present site, to the cast-ward of the church, it being, prior to its destruction, situated to the westward; and a book printed towards the end of the fifteenth century, entitled 'the Burnynge of the town of Idsall, alias Shiffnall,' is said to be in existence, though very scarce. It is situated on the high road from London to Holyhead, in a country abounding with coal and iron-ore, and is indifferently paved and not lighted, but the inhabitants are supplied with good water from wells: there are two paper-manufactories, and the coal and iron mines in the neighbourhood are worked on an extensive scale by a company at Priors-Lee. A subscription library has been established. The market is on Tuesday; and there are fairs on the first Monday in April, August 5th, and November 23rd, for hops, horses, and cattle of different kinds. A petty session is held monthly by the magistrates, and a court leet annually. The living is a vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of Priors-Lee annexed, in the archdeaconry of Salop, and diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, rated in the king's books at £15. 6. 8., and in the patronage of George Brooke, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is a large ancient cruciform structure, with a tower in the centre; the prevailing style of architecture is the later Norman, with many modern alterations, and the four pointed arches supporting the tower are good specimens of that style: the chancel, in which are two round-headed windows (now blocked up), with slender-shafted columns and decorated capitals, is evidently of earlier date, and is separated from the tower by a large semicircular arch, which is a fine specimen of the early Norman style: the roof of the nave, composed of oak richly carved, is covered by a plaister ceiling, added in 1810, when the church underwent a thorough repair: there are some ancient monuments, and a tablet to the memory of one William Wakeley, stating that he died in 1714, having lived in the reigns of eight kings and queens. The Baptists and Independents have each places of worship here. A free school, founded in 1595, by John Aaron, had, from other endowments, an income of £13. 17. 4., which was paid to the master until 1816, when an addition was made from a fund raised by subscription, making the income £30 per annum, and the National system was adopted; about one hundred and thirty children of both sexes are instructed. Three exhibitions to Christ Church College, Oxford, founded, in 1689, by Edward Careswell, are attached to this school, but the course of education pursued not qualifying the scholars for the University, the benefit of them is enjoyed by a private classical school, the master of which is nominally classical master of the free school. Six poor girls are clothed and instructed in reading and working, from a small endowment by Beatrice Jobber, and there are some minor bequests for the benefit of the poor. In a field near the town are the remains of a military station, consisting of a circular mound with a ditch. Shiffnall was the birthplace of Dr. Beddoes, a physician eminent as well for his literary attainments as for professional skill. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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