Burford

is an extensive parish in the Overs hundred, comprising the townships of Burford, Buraston with Whetmore, Nash, Tilsop, Weston, and Whitton, Greet, and Stoke, which have an area of 8,537a. 2r. 19p. of land, of which 312 acres are in hop grounds. Rateable value, £9,875. 18s. 9d. At the census of 1841 there were 212 houses and 1,031 inhabitants; population in 1801, 819; and in 1831, 1,086 persons. The parish is bounded on the south by the river Teme, which is here crossed by a handsome stone bridge of six arches; the river here separates Salop from Worcestershire. The township of Burford is situated one mile west of Tenbury, and contains 1,510a. 2r. 1p. of land, the rateable value of which is £2,683. 3s. 3d. In 1841 here were 67 houses and 297 persons; population in 1801, 215; in 1831, 365. George Rushout, Esq., M.P., is lord of the manor and the principal landowner. In 1839 springs of strongly impregnated saline water were discovered in the immediate locality of this place. The water is similar to that of Cheltenham, except that there appears to be double the quantity of saline matter in the fluid, one pint of which, on slow evaporation in a shallow vessel, produced an ounce of crystalline salt. The analysis of one of the springs is as follows:—Chloride of sodium 923.52 grains, of calcium 461.9, of potassum 38.63, of magnesium 41.81; sulphate of magnesia 1.57, protoxide of iron 4.82; silica 4.54, and bromine and iodine .84;—total, 1,476.89 grains. Convenient and elegant buildings have been erected for the accommodation of the numerous visitors who frequent the baths. In the immediate vicinity of the baths are several good inns. The situation is remarkably salubrious, and the scenery beautifully picturesque and varied. Coaches from Ludlow to Bewdley, Kidderminster, Dudley, and Birmingham, pass and repass twice a day, calling at the Swan Inn and the Royal Oak Hotel.

The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a handsome stone edifice with a square tower. It contains some interesting tombs and monumental tablets. On the north wall of the chancel is a very elegant tryptych to the memory of Edmund Cornwall, Baron of Burford, who was sheriff of Shropshire in 1580; on the outer part are the representations of the apostles, and in the inner compartment are the figures of Edmund Cornwall, his father and mother, and below a representation of the baron in his winding sheet. He is said to have been 7 feet 8 inches in height. The triptych was painted in 1588, by Melchior Salaboss, better known by the name of Gherardino Milanese. This very beautiful work of art is in admirable preservation, and with two others in different parts of the kingdom are the only triptychs in England. There is a recumbent figure, beautifully carved in oak, to the memory of the Princess Elizabeth, daughter of John of Gaunt, and sister of Henry IV., who died and was buried at Burford in the year 1426. There is also a recumbent figure of wood to the memory of Edmundas Cornewalle. An ancient tomb remembers Elizabeth Devroke, daughter of Sir Walter Devroke, Knight, who lived to see seventeen score and more children raised from her body, she died in 1508; besides which there are various memorials which our limits will not allow us to notice. In the chancel are two beautiful stained glass windows. The organ was the gift of the Misses Rushout, in 1846. The tithes have been commuted for £1,644. 18s. 11½d. The bishop of the diocese has recently divided the parish into three divisions, and assigned to each rector a separate districts, namely—Buraston and Nash chapelry to the rector of the first portion, Whitton chapelry to the second, and the district of the Mother Church to the rector of the third portion. Handsome residences have recently been built for the rectors of the second and third portions. Burford House is a beautiful and commodious structure, the seat and property of George Rushout, Esq., M.P.

Charities.—John Turner, by will, dated 1753, bequeathed £100, the interest thereof to be distributed to the poor of the parish. John Knowles, by a codicil to his will proved in 1814, bequeathed £200, the interest of which was to be distributed to the poor in bread at Christmas and Whitsuntide annually.

Boraston is a township, chapelry, and pleasant village one mile and a half N.E. of Burford, which in 1841 had 41 houses and 199 residents. In this chapelry are the townships of Boraston and Whetmore, which have an area of 1,386a. 0r. 36p. of land, the rateable value of which is £1,765. 6s. The principal landowners are John Dalleyway, Esq., Mr. Edward Good, Rev. H. Mac Laughlin, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Edmund Edwards, Mr. John Benbow, and several others. Boraston Chapel is an ancient edifice with a short tower. The tithes are commuted for £470, of which £250. 14s. 4d. is apportioned to the rector of the second portion, and the remainder to the rector of the first portion, Hubert Mac Laughlin, M.A., is the incumbent of the first portion of the parish.

Greet is a small township three miles N.W. by W. of Burford, containing seven houses and 115 persons in 1841. The principal landowners are J. H. Hope, Esq., and Thomas Hodgkiss, Esq.

Nash is a township and chapelry two and a half miles north of Burford, which in 1841 had 23 houses and 115 persons. The chapelry comprises the townships of Nash, Tilsop, and Weston, which have an area of 2,377a. 2r. 35p. of land. The Church is a small structure with a square tower surmounted by a wooden spire. The south window is beautified with stained glass. The tithes are commuted for £560. Nash Court is a handsome brick mansion, the seat and property of George Pardoe, Esq. It is surrounded by beautiful pleasure grounds, and the park is richly timbered. Court of Hill, the ancient seat of the family of Hill, is now the residence of Major Arthur Charles Lowe.

Stoke is a small township four miles N.W. of Burford, containing 23 houses and 115 inhabitants. The principal landowner is P. P. Williams, Esq. Stoke Hall is a handsome residence surrounded with park-like grounds, the seat and property of Philip Penrey Williams, Esq.

Tilsop, a scattered township three and three quarter miles north of Bridgnorth, in 1841 had 61 houses and 226 inhabitants. The principal freeholders are Mr. Benjamin Bridgman and Mr. John Pugh. Tilsop and Nash school was erected in 1846 by voluntary subscriptions; about forty scholars attend.

Weston township, three miles N.W. by W. of Burford, at the census of 1841 had ten houses and 41 residents. The tithes are commuted for £46. 11s. Major A. C. Lowe is the sole landowner.

Whetmore, or Whatmore, is a small town containing seven houses and 24 persons. The principal freeholders are Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Wilks, and George Pardoe, Esq. Captain Rushout, Mrs. Mary Beddoes, and Mr. Foxall, are also proprietors.

Whitton, a chapelry four miles N.W. by N. of Tenbury, embraces the townships of Greet, Stoke, and Whitton, which have an area of 1,582 acres of land, the rateable value of which is £674. 10s. The principal landowners are Mrs. Lucy Botfield, the Ludlow Corporation, and the Rev. Charles Adams. The Church is a plain structure with a square tower. The Rev. Caleb Whiteford, M.A., is the incumbent. The tithes are commuted for £327. Whitton Court, a fine old mansion in the Elizabethan style of architecture, was formerly the seat of the Charlton family. It contains some fine specimens of carved oak.

Burford Directory.

Berrington John, farmer, Venns

Davies and Edwards, brick and tile makers

Davies William, Dean Park

Edwards Edmund, farmer

Edwards Jno., miller & farmer

Giles William, farmer

Grove William Henry, vict., Swan Inn

Holmes Thomas, gentleman, Park Villa

Jones George, Bank Farm

Joyce Rev. J. W., rector

Morris John, farmer, The Lodge

Rushout George, Esq., M.P., Burford House

Smallman Hy., vict., Rose & Crown

Tenbury, Gas Co.’s Office

Tranter John, wine & spirit merchant, vict., Royal Oak Hotel, Commercial and Posting House

Wall Mary, Rockhill Mill

Weaver Wm., Wall House

Webb John, fly waggon proprietor, from Ludlow and Worcester daily.

Williams Philip Penrey, Esq., Stoke Hall

Boraston Directory.

Bowden Thomas, cooper

Down Thomas, blacksmith

Good Edmund, miller

Good Edward, farmer

Howells William, mason

Mac Laughlin Rev. Hubert, The Rectory

Meakin Thomas, farmer

Reynolds William, farmer

Rudge Rev. William

Sayer Benjamin, farmer

Smallman Esau, farmer and vict., Peacock Inn

Smallman William, farmer

Greet Directory.

Griffiths John, farmer

Grove Joseph, farmer

Nash Directory.

Brown William, wheelwright

Cork John, farmer

Hardwick Vincent, farmer, Hartall

Holt Letitia, farmer, Underhill

Hotchkiss Samuel, farmer

Jones John, farmer, Batch

Jones Thomas, farmer, The Shire

Lowe James, farmer, Greenway-head

Lowe Major Arthur Charles, Court of Hill

Morris Joseph, farmer, Shirebourne

Nott Mrs., Hartall

Pardoe George, Esq., Nash Court

Price Wm., farmer, Cliffords

Quaterman John, schoolmr.

Stoke Directory.

Wall Mary, farmer

Williams Philip Penrey, Esq., The Hall

Tilsop Directory.

Bridegman Benj., farmer

Pugh John, farmer

Ricketts George, farmer, The Wood

Robinson George, farmer, Cottrills

Weston Directory.

Godfrey Benjamin, farmer, The Court

Tantram Thomas, farmer, Old Furnace

Whatmore Directory.

Farmers.

Beddoes Mary

Brown Richard

Meakin Richard

Mytton James, & miller

Potts George

Powell William, carpenter

Weaver Joseph

Wilks Mary

Whitton Directory.

Adams Rev. Charles

Amies Francis, wheelwright

Bill James, farmer, Whiteway Head

Bill John, farmer

Swift John, farmer, Whitton Court

Town Benjamin, shopkeeper and parish clerk

Whiteford Rev. Caleb, The Rectory

Whiteman Saml., wheelwrt.