Westbury

is a parish and considerable village situated on the Shrewsbury and Montgomery turnpike road, nine miles S.W. by S. of the former place, and twelve miles N.E. of the latter. It comprises the townships of Marsh district, Newton, Stretton, Vennington, Wallop, Westbury, Westley, Whitton, Wigmore, Winsley, and Yockleton, which have an area of 18,347 acres of land. Rateable value, £10,810. The woodlands are 197 acres, and roads 67½ acres. Edward William Pembroke Smithe Owen, Esq., is lord of the manor and the principal landowner. Colonel John Wingfield and John Michael Severne, Esq., are also considerable proprietors. The rent charge is £1,459. 16s. 5d. Population in 1801, 1,991; 1831, 2,228; and in 1841 there were 314 houses and 2,412 persons. Westbury, anciently written Wesberie, was held in the reign of the Confessor by Ernui, and was free. Roger, the son of Corbet, held of Earl Roger most of that tract of land lying in the hundred of Ford, with parts of Chirbury and Condover hundreds, which in the whole consisted of 39 manors or hamlets, and for his seat he built the Castle of Cause. It is thought that Roger Corbet or his son espoused the cause of his patron, Robert de Belesme, against Henry the I., and upon incurring the king’s displeasure, forfeited his inheritance, which was given to Pain Fitz John. In 2nd Henry III. the king commanded the Earl of Chester to restore to Thomas Corbet the Castle of Cause and all his lands. In 30th Henry III. the said Thomas Corbet had a grant of free warren in Cause and two years after, the grant of a fair to be kept on the eve, the day, and the day after, the translation of Thomas the martyr. The site of the castle is lofty and commanding; it stood on an isolated ridge, rising abruptly from a deep ravine on one side, and sloping towards a vast valley bounded by the Stiperstones on the other. The castle is in a state of complete dilapidation. There is a colliery in this township, and bricks and tiles are also made near the village.

The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a square tower, in which are five bells. The interior is neatly pewed, and consists of nave, side aisles, and chancel. There are many neat tablets in the church. The living is a rectory divided into the two portions of Westbury in Dextra and Westbury in Sinistra. The former portion is rated in the king’s book at £13. 9s. 4½d., now returned at £643, and the latter at £11. 12s. 8½d., is now returned at £556.

Charities.—John Topp, by deed, dated 1716, left a yearly rent charge of £30 issuing out of certain lands in Vennington, upon trust, to dispose of the same yearly in the education of poor children of the parish of Westbury, and in putting out such children apprentices. Letitia Barnster, by indenture, dated 1726, left for the benefit of the poor of the parish a small parcel of land fourteen yards in length and six yards eight inches in breadth. On this land a school was built in 1736, and a residence for the master has since been built upon land belonging to E. W. P. S. Owen, Esq.

On the tables of benefactions in the church are noticed charities left by twenty several donors for the benefit of the poor, amounting to the sum of £153. 13s. 4d. This sum, with an additional £6. 6s. 8d., was expended in the year 1710 in the purchase of three parcels of land in the parish of Worthen, containing about 17 acres, the rent of which amounted to £43. 10s. per annum at the time the Charity Commissioners published their reports. One-fourth of these rents are distributed in bread to the poor of the parish on Good Friday, and the residue given away on St. Thomas’s day in clothing, fuel, and money, as is most advisable.

Newton is a small township in Westbury parish, one and a half mile N.E. by E. of Westbury, containing twenty inhabitants. Robert Corbet Jones, Esq., is the sole landowner. Marsh is one and a half mile N.E. by N. of Westbury. The principal landowners are Mr. William Howells, Mr. John Turner, and John Wood, Esq. Stretton and the Heath is situated two miles N.E. of Westbury, and contains 290 inhabitants. The landowners in this township are Mr. J. Cadwallader, Mr. S. Dovaston, Mr. R. James, Mr. William Millman, Mr. Timothy Oakley, Mr. Rd. Evans, Mr. Rd. Hughes, and Mr. R. H. Gwynn. Vennington is a township 1½ miles S.W. by W. of Westbury, which contains 313 persons. The Rev. Mr. Parr is the principal landowner. Wallop is a small township containing 77 inhabitants, situated two miles west of Westbury. John Michael Severne, Esq., is the sole landowner. Westley, a township two and a half miles east of Westbury, contains 88 persons. The principal landowners are Mr. R. Butler, Mr. E. Butler, Richard Gardner, Esq., Mr. John Gardner, Mr. John Smith, and Mr. Rogers. Whitton has a population of 38 persons, and Mrs. Topp is the sole landowner. Wigmore township lies two miles N.W. of Westbury, and contains 63 inhabitants. The freeholders are Mr. Edward Davies, Mr. John Davies, Mr. John Dorricott, Mr. Richard Hillhouse, and Mr. Thomas Randles. Winsley township is situated two miles from Westbury, and contains 15 inhabitants. Mr. John Blakeway Tipton and Mr. John Phillips are the principal landowners. Yockleton is a township containing 231 inhabitants, and situated two miles N.E. of Westbury. The principal landowners are Colonel Wingfield and Thomas Nichols, Esq.

Post Office.—At Thomas Clark’s. Letters arrive at 8 A.M. and are despatched at 6 P.M.

Westbury Directory.

Bebb Thos., farmer, Wigmore

Birch Benj., farmer, Forest of Hayes

Corfield Richard, farmer

Clarke Thos., farmer & vict., Red Lion Inn

Clemson Thomas, farmer, Perton Woods

Cureton Rev. William, M.A., Chaplain to the Queen

Darrell Geo., undergrd. agent

Davies Richard, blacksmith and parish clerk

Dickenson Joseph, Esq.

Evans John, farmer, Wigmore

Hanley Wm., pump-maker

Harrison William, farmer and beerhouse, The Wood

Hayman Elzbth., shoemaker

Hayman William, shoemaker

Inions John, frmr., The Hall

Jasper Jas., carrier to Shrewsbury

Jones Sarah, grocer & draper

Mason Richard, stone-mason

Meredith Mrs.

Owen Jeremh., frmr., Sightly

Parr Rev. Thos., The Rectory

Perry Joseph, farmer, Wigmore Hill

Phillips John, Esq., Winsley Hall

Preece John, farmer, Wigley

Pugh John, farmer, Cause Castle

Randalls Thomas, victualler, The Bear, Wigmore

Reese Edward, farmer

Reeves Rev. J. Somerville, M.A., curate

Roberts Jos., farmer, Marsh

Sambrook Chas., mine agent

Sambrook Mrs., The Cottage

Smith John, frmr., Radbrook

Smout Richard, shoemaker

Smout Thomas, linen weaver

Smout Thomas, butcher and farmer

Trantham Edward, tailor

Webster Thomas, shoemaker

Wood John, Esq., Marsh Hall

Marsh Directory.

Davies Edward, farmer

Davies John, farmer

Dolphin Edward, farmer and butcher

Dorricott John, farmer

Edwards Thomas, maltster

Hills Wm., farmer, Irongate

Howell William, blacksmith

Kempster Richard, farmer, Woolaston Little

Perry Thos., beerhouse and shopkeeper

Turner Jno., victualler, Half-way House

Turner John, jun., farmer

Wilde George, shopkeeper

Wilde Sml., farmer, Wattlesborough Heath

Wood John, farmer

Newton Directory.

Pitchard Thomas, farmer

Williams William, farmer

Stoney Stretton Directory.

Brazenor Thomas, victualler, Elephant and Castle

Beddoe Robert, blacksmith

Cadwallader John, farmer, Heath

Cooper James, shoemaker

Griffiths Mrs., beerhouse and shopkeeper

Jones Elizabeth, shopkeeper

Morgan John, farmer

Nicholls Richard, glazier

Oakley Timothy, farmer

Padduck Robert, tailor

Parry John, farmer, Hinton

Pugh George, farmer

Richards Richard, shopkeepr

Tomkins Thomas, farrier

Tomlins Wm., wheelwright

Vennington Directory.

Dorricott Richard, farmer

Evans William, blacksmith

Gittins Samuel, farmer

Habberley George, wheelwright

Hanley John, shopkeeper and carrier

Knight George, farmer

Maddocks John, farmer

Mason Thomas, corn miller, farmer, and beerhouse kpr.

Wallop Directory.

Davies John, farmer

Gittins Samuel, blacksmith

Marsh Joseph, farmer, Napps

Morris Wm., farmer, Broomhill

Rydar Richard, farmer, Tilled House

Severne John Michael, Esq., The Hall

Westley Directory.

Gardner John, farmer

Gardner Richard, coalmaster and farmer

Whitton Directory.

Brayton Edward, farmer

Dickinson Joseph, farmer

Edwards Thos., frmr., Grange

Palmer Thomas, shoemaker

Parry Joseph, Field Farm

Topp Mrs., Whitton Court

Wilding Matthew, farmer and wheelwright

Winsley Directory.

Corfield William, farmer

Eddowes William, farmer, The Lakes

Morris David, farmer, Forest of Hayes

Nevett William, farmer, The Hem

Parry William, farmer, The Hurst

Yockleton Directory.

Beddoe Edward, shoemaker

Bland Joseph, blacksmith

Bromley Thomas, farmer, Lynches

Bromley William, butcher

Bromley William, farmer

Broughall Richard, farmer

Broughall Richd., grocer, &c.

Gittins George, butcher

Gittins Richard, farmer

Meredith John, Bank Farm

Nichols Thomas, Esq., The Hall

Tudor Mrs., The Villa