Daywell

is a village and township two and a half miles north from Oswestry, and two and a half miles N.N.W. from Whittington, having in 1841 71 houses and 328 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,212. 4s. 6d. There are 1,134a. 2r. 18p. of land in the township, of which Joseph Venables Lovett, Esq., is a considerable owner; the other principal owners are John Wynn Eyton, Esq., Rev. E. Edwards, Mr. Joseph Bickerton, Mr. John Gardener, and Mr. Robins. The celebrated Watts Dyke makes its appearance at Gabowen in this township, and may be traced from thence into the parish of St. Martin. The extent between this dyke and Dyke Offa’s, which crosses the hills above Selattyn, is about four miles. The intervening space between these dykes is said to have been a common mart, where the English and Welsh met to carry on commercial intercourse with each other; but if either party transgressed these bounds, they were exposed to the severities of war. Upon Watts Dyke at a place called Bryna Castle, near to Gabowen, is the site of an old Watchfort, and another a little further on towards St. Martin’s. Bryna Castle consists of a few cottages a quarter of a mile N.E. from Gabowen; here the Independents built a small chapel in the year 1831. Belmont is a delightfully situated mansion in a fine park, the seat and property of J. V. Lovett, Esq. At Gabowen there is a railway station on the Shrewsbury and Chester line of rails, which is 18 miles N.N.W. from Shrewsbury, and 24 miles S.E. from Chester. There is also a branch railway from here to Oswestry. Upper Hengoed is a scattered district of houses at the north extremity of the township. The Primitive Methodists have a chapel here, built in 1839.

Those with * affixed reside at Upper Hengoed.

Bickerton Joseph, farmer, Rose Cottage

Cartwright Eli, shopkeeper

* Cound Thomas, shoemaker

Edwards David, farmer, Preese Henlle

Evans Thomas, farmer

Figg Francis Fowler, station master, Gabowen

Furmstone Mrs. Amelia, Rose Cottage

Gardener John, farmer, Bark House

Haycock Thomas, farmer

Howell Thomas, farmer

Jones Thomas, farmer

Jones Thomas, shopkeeper

Lovett Joseph Venables, Esq., Belmont

Morgan Richard, shoemaker

* Morris Thomas, maltster

* Phillips Mrs. Mary, Stone Cottage

Philips Philip, tailor

Price John, maltster and vict., Cross Foxes, Gabowen

Roberts Edward, farmer, Pentre Kenrick

Stewart Mrs. Alexander

Taylor Mr. Peter Poole, Green Bank Cottage

* Weston Edward, beerhouse keeper

Weston Owen, farmer

Williams Edward, farmer

Ebnall

township contains 1,033a. 2r. 32p. of land, and is situated four miles N.N.E. from Oswestry, and twenty-three and a quarter miles north from Whittington; in 1841 here were 51 scattered houses and 240 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,000. 2s. The principal landowners are John Venables Lovett, Esq.; Thomas Broughall, Esq.; Thomas George Warrington Carew, Esq.; Mr. Robins, Mrs. Ann Owen, Mr. Edward Griffiths, and others, are also proprietors.

The Farmers are James Boodle, William Croft, Prees Henlle; Josiah Holland, Ann Owen, Elizabeth Owen, John Owen, Mary Price, and William Woollam; Thomas Davies, carpenter and wheelwright; John Eaton, blacksmith; Mr. Edward Griffith, Moor Wharf Cottage; John Jones, shoemaker.

Fernhill,

a small township one and a quarter mile north from Whittington, contains 274a. 3r. 4p. of land, and in 1841 had nine houses and 65 inhabitants. Rateable value, £265. 18s. Thomas Lovett, Esq., is sole proprietor in this township, and resides at Fernhill Hall, a neat mansion of free stone, which stands on the knoll of a hill, and commands some beautiful views of the surrounding country; the hall is surrounded with pleasure grounds and shrubberries, and the park is beautifully wooded with thriving plantations. The river Perry flows through this township; it is formed of several small streams which have their rise in the high grounds of Selattyn, and have their confluence in this township.

The principal residents are Thomas Lovett, Esq., Fern Hill Hall; Edmund Edmunds, farmer; William Broughall, farmer; and Richard Edwards, corn miller, Oak Mill.

Frankton,

commonly called Welsh Frankton, is situated three miles east from Whittington; the township contains 931a. 1r. 14p. of land, and in 1841 here were 54 houses and 275 persons. Rateable value, £85. 14s. 6d. The chief land owners are Edmund Wright, Esq., Thomas Broughall, Esq.; Joseph Dutton, Esq.; William Francis Oswell, Esq.; Mr. Landford and Mr. Thomas Danily. The high grounds in this township command a most extensive and delightful view of the fertile plains of Shropshire. A small chapel of ease stands on the road side leading from Oswestry to Ellesmere; there is a school adjoining, and a little higher up the road near the summit of the hill is a neat Independent chapel. The Shropshire union canal takes its course on the eastern verge of this township, where there are four locks, and a fall of about forty feet.

Directory.—Farmers, Thomas Danily, William Drury, John Nicholas, Stephen Walley; William Edwards, beerhouse and shopkeeper; Elizabeth Hodnet, schoolmistress; William Jenks, boat builder; William Francis Oswell, Esq.; Edward Teggin, blacksmith; Thomas Teggin, beerhouse keeper; Thomas Williams, provision dealer.

Henlle,

usually called Hentley, is situated one mile and a half north from Whittington, and four and a half miles N.E. from Oswestry. The township is returned as having nine houses, 43 inhabitants, and 396a. 1r. 13p. of land. Rateable value, £340. 9s. 6d. The land owners are Thomas Lovett, Esq.; Mr. John Duckett, Mr. John Jones, and Mr. Thomas Hughes.

Farmers, Thomas Brookfield, John Danily, and maltster, Edward Davies, and Walter Munslow; Mr. John Duckett is also a resident here.

Hindford,

a small township with 196a. 2r. 10p. of land, lies a little more than a mile north from Whittington, and has 20 houses and 91 inhabitants. Rateable value, £241. 1s. 6d. Edmund Wright, Esq., and Mr. Broughall are the principal proprietors. The Chester and Shrewsbury railway intersects the township, and is crossed by a bridge on the road leading to Old Marton.

The resident farmers are Edward Edwards, William Jackson, and Thomas Parry; William Jackson, butcher.

Old Marton

township, three miles N.E. from Whittington, has four houses, 23 inhabitants, and 496a. 2r. 3p. of land, which is the property of Richard James Griffiths, Esq., Rev. George Salt, and Mr. Jones. Mr. John Pridden, who was born at Old Marton Hall, was one of the many instances in which integrity and perseverance have introduced their votaries to ease and affluence. His father dying when he was only twelve years old, and his mother marrying again, he was subjected to the most unmerciful and cruel treatment of a step-father. Having endured his unmerited sufferings for several years, he bade adieu to his unpropitious home, and arrived in London in March, 1748, where he soon found protectors in Mr. Nourse and Mr. Manley, the latter of whom he succeeded in business as a bookseller, where he soon found himself supported by a numerous and respectable set of friends, and eventually rose to wealth and affluence. To do good was his delight; to communicate happiness to all around him was his unceasing aim. He died in 1807, and left two sons and three daughters.

The resident farmers in Old Marton are Thomas Brayne, Stephen Burrows, and Amelia Jones.