ERCALL MAGNA
A brief journey through time
The Place
The People
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This is the extract for Ercall Magna from the 1871 Cassey and Co.'s Directory.
High Ercall is a village in large parish, and come pricing the hamlets of Cold Hatton, Cotwall, Moortown, Crudgington, Sleap, Slafford, Ellerdine, Haughton, Isombridge, Osbaston, Poynton, Roden, Rowton, Tern and Walton, 8 miles from Shrewsbury, 6 from Wellington, and two from the Crudgington station in the northern division of the county, Wellington division of the South Bradford hundred, Wellington union and diocese of Lichfield. That the ancient British poet, Llywarc Hen, was acquainted with Shropshire, the names, streams, and localities which he introduces into his elegies are proofs. Among other places he mentioned Ercal.
“The sod of Ercal is on the ashes of fierce men, of the progeny of morial.”
From the circumstances that about a mile south of high Ercall. Between
three and 400 paces from the eastern side of the River Roden, there is
a depressed mound, 36 yards wide and 90 long, with angles rounded, and
encircled by a fosse 6 feet deep and 29 wide, it has been conjectured
that High Ercall is alluded to by the poet in the above quotation.
“With the manor of High Ercall”, Eyton eloquently observes.
"Are associated some of the greatest names in Shropshire history.
Here the co-heirs of Hamo Peverel retained their last hold on the county
which had nursed their fortunes. Here the Chancellor Burnell, never sated
with acquisition, reconsolidated in himself a seigneary, which he had
severed for more than a century. In later times, Ercall was the Caput
of those vast estates which formed the heritage of the Newports - a
heritage
than which none greater accured to any single Shropshire family since
the advent of the Normans."
High Ercall came into the hands of Henry I. upon the forfeiture of Earl
Robert, when the king invested Hamo Peverel in his manor, which descended
to his collateral heirs.
The de Hadleys, otherwise de Ercalls, and descending from William de Hadley
I, and Seburga, natural daughter of Hamo Peverel, continued for 200 years,
to be the vassals of the mesne of High Ercall. To the Ercalls succeeded
the Caverswells, who became Lord's of High Ercall about the year 1345.
The church of St Michael is a fine old building, with a lofty square tower.
It was much injured in the parliamentary war, but was substantially repaired
afterwards, and in 1864-5 it underwent a thorough restoration, at a cost
of about £1600. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £526,
with residence, in the gift of the Duke of Cleveland. A mission church
has been created for the hamlets of Crudgington, Sleap, and Slafford.
There is an endowed school for boys, the yearly income is £90, and
a separate school for girls and infants. There is also an hospital, founded
by Francis, Earl of Bradford, for six aged men, with an income of £64;
the other charities amount to £45 yearly. The Duke of Cleveland
(Lord of the Manor), the Duke of Sutherland, J. Tayleur, Esq, and Patrick
Hunter, Esq, are the principal landowners. The soil is principally loam
and marl on red sandstone. The area of the parish is 11,799 acres and
the population in 1861 was 1,969; gross estimated rental, £19,562;
rateable value £17,944. The hamlets of Cold Hatton, Ellerdine and
Rowton form a distinct district for the ecclesiastical purposes, with
a chapel of ease.
Post Office - Evan, Davies Perry, postmaster. That arrives through Wellington
at 8:30 a.m.; box closes at 4:30 p.m.
Railway station, Crudgington, Daniel Houldey, stationmaster.
High Ercall
Bucknil, Rev. George M.A. Vicarage.
Forrester, George Townsend Esq.
Hogg, Rev. Christopher Haynes, M.A.
Steedman, Mrs. The Grove.
Williams, Rev Sydney Herbert P.C.L.
Birch, John, farmer, Rodenhurst Hall.
Anthony, James, schoolmaster.
Bourne, John, brick and tile manufacturer, Long Waste.
Delves, Mary, Tayleur Arms Inn, Long Waste.
Hampton, George, Miller and farmer, Ercall Mill.
Lockley, William, blacksmith, Long Waste.
Mansell, Thomas, farmer, Ercall Park.
Owen, William, Joiner.
Parry, Evan Davies, grocer.
Ridgway, William, blacksmith.
Smallman, Ann, Cleveland Arms Inn.
Steedman, Edward Blakeway, farmer, The Hall.
Cold Hatton
Ball, John, Tailor.
Clay, Richard, butcher.
Colley, Edward, Tailor.
Icke, Hobert, farmer.
Nicklin, Samuel, boot and shoe maker.
Pitchford, William, farmer, Potford.
Ridgway, George, blacksmith.
Shakeshaft, John, farmer.
Tudor, William, Wheelwright.
Vaughan, John, relieving officer.
Webb, John, Seven Stars Inn, and farmer, brewer, and maltster.
Cotwall
Gough, Richard, Wheelwright.
Juckes, Mary, farmer.
Moortown
Allen, Sarah, farmer.
Atcherley, Elizabeth, farmer.
Crudgington and Sleap
Bennett, Thomas, farmer and timber merchant.
Humphrey, William, blacksmith.
Jenkins, John, farmer. Sleap.
Madeley, Thomas, builder and contractor.
Rider, William, farmer.
Steward, Thomas Launcelot, farmer.
Ellerdine
Hamer, Mr George, Windy Oak.
Buttery, William, boot and shoemaker and shopkeeper.
Cartwright, James, boot and shoemaker.
Cliff, Thomas, farmer, Heath.
Cotterill, John, farmer, New house.
Dickin, Mrs Mary Ann, farmer.
Dickin, Thomas, farmer.
Foulkes, William, Oak Inn, Heath.
Foulkes, William Junior, butcher.
Hamer, William, farmer, Windy Oak.
Higginson, William, farmer.
Jefferies, William, Wheelwright.
Morris, William, shopkeeper.
Shakeshaft, William, farmer.
Taylor, John, farmer.
Haughton
Brisbourne, Thomas, farmer.
Leeke, John, farmer.
Isombridge
Bromley, Jerehiah, farmer.
Dixon, Tom, farmer.
Lee, Thomas, Steedman & C., Marsh Green.
Osbaston
Brookes, John, farmer.
Colley, Benjamin, farmer.
Poynton
Breeze, John, surveyor of roads, The Invention.
Breeze, Mrs Esther, farmer and landowner.
Hamer, Robert, farmer.
Madeley, Thomas, farmer.
Morgan, John, farmer, Poynton house.
Roden
Hunter, Patrick Esq.
Cowell, Thomas, farmer.
Stanway, Richard, farmer, New farm.
Rowton
Adney, John, farmer.
Bailey, Mr Thomas.
Bailey, Mrs Frances, farmer.
Brookes, George F., farmer.
Butery, John, smith.
Lewis, Richard, builder & C.
Vickars, George, smith.
Tern
Juckes, Thomas, farmer.
Walton
Breeze, John, boot and shoemaker.
Brookes, George (ex RE. Off), farmer.
Hughes, William, Tailor and Draper.
Juckes, William, butcher.
Webster, John F., farmer, Walton Hall.
Webster, Mrs Margaret, farmer, Walton Hall.
Wilding, James, farmer.