Ruyton of the Eleven Towns

is a place of great antiquity, and though now considered as a village only, it was formerly a borough of honourable account. “Edmund, Earl of Arundel, in the 5th of Edward II., obtained a grant of a market on a Wednesday at his manor of Ruiton, in the Marches of Wales, and a fair to be kept yearly, on the eve of the day of St. John the Baptist, and for three days following.” The charter is confirmed by Richard II. and Henry VI., and grants that the burgesses may have certain customs and laws as freely as the burgesses of Shrewsbury. Fairs are held the second Monday in April, July 5th, and second Monday in November. The market has long been obsolete. Ruyton is pleasantly situated two and a half miles west from the Baschurch railway station, ten miles N.W. from Shrewsbury, and nine miles S.E. from Oswestry. The township contains 1,717a. 3r. 22p. of land, and in 1841 there were 142 houses and 658 souls. Rateable value, £1,865. 4s. 5d. The land rises into bold swelling hills, thickly studded with plantations, and watered by the river Perry. The following are the freeholders in this township:—Samuel Bickerton, Esq.; Robert Broughton, Esq.; Robert S. Comberbach; John Comberbach; George Davies; Edward Davies; Mrs. Edwards; Rev. George Evans; Richard Griffiths; Thomas Griffiths; David Hiles; Thomas Hall; the Hon. Ths. Kenyon; John Kough, Esq.; Henry Kent; Edward Leeke; Miss Middleton; Saml. Minton; Richard Minton; Robert Peel; John Price; William Rodgers; John Thomas; and John Walford, Esq.

The Church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, has been built at different periods. The chancel is very ancient, and the tower is massive and lofty. The south side of the fabric was built about the year 1696, and the north side was re-built and enlarged in 1845, when 96 additional sittings were obtained, which, in consequence of a grant from the Incorporated Society for building and enlarging churches, the whole are declared free and unappropriated for ever. Previous to the alterations there were 294 sittings, of which 30 were free. The body of the church has a double pitched roof, supported by lofty pointed arches, and the ceiling is of dark oak, which gives the interior of the edifice a very interesting appearance. There are several neat mural monuments to the families of Kinaston, Hunt, Evans, and others. The Kinastons were formerly numerous in the parish. In the churchyard are some fine tombs, beautifully chiselled, remembering some of the principal families who were formerly residents in the parish. The living is a vicarage, valued in the King’s book at £5. 18s., now returned at £313. The patronage is vested in the Lord Chancellor. Rev. George Evans, M.A., is the incumbent, and resides at the vicarage, which is pleasantly situated on an eminence. The tithes were commuted in 1839, when £94 was apportioned to the vicar, and £105 to the impropriators. There are 44a. 1r. 11p. of glebe land. The National School, a good building, with a residence for the teacher, was built in 1819, by subscription, and a grant of £60 from the National Society. It is endowed with £438. 11s. 10d., of which £200 is secured on the Oswestry House of Industry, and £238. 11s. 10d. are invested in government securities, Mrs. Margaret and Mrs. Anne Kinaston gave the site, and left £20 towards the repairs of the school. The Independents have a neat chapel and a residence for the minister, built in 1833. The congregation is under the pastoral care of the Rev. David Harris. The Primitive Methodists have also a chapel here. There is a small Lock-up in the village. The following are the principal houses in the township:—Ruyton Park, the residence of the Hon. Charles Nowell Hill; the Villa, a modern erection of brick, the residence of Robert Broughton, Esq.; west from the church is the residence of R. S. Comberbach, Esq.; the Hall, a pleasantly situated house with projecting gables, is occupied by the Rev. L. Slater, the officiating minister; the residence and boarding school of the Rev. David Harris, lies nearly a mile north-west from the church; the residence of Samuel Harmon, Esq., is also a good house.

Post Office.—At Mary Cooper’s. Letters arrive from Shrewsbury at 9.45 A.M., and are despatched at 4 P.M.

Alexander Elizabeth, farmer

Benbow Joseph, vict., Admiral Benbow Inn

Bickerton Samuel, farmer, Park

Bickley Miss, dress maker

Broughton Robert, surgeon, The Villa

Bullock Richard, corn miller and baker

Brown John, farmer

Comberbach Charles, farmer

Comberbach John, corn miller, New Mills

Comberbach Robert Suker, Esq.

Comberbach Thomas R., grocer and draper

Cooper James and Mrs., National School teachers

Cooper Mary, postmistress

Cooper Sarah, farmer

Cooper William, saddler and harness maker

Cooper William, bailiff

Corden Thomas, farmer, The Lawn

Croft John M., surgeon, The Cottage

Davies George, shoemaker

Davies Robert, butcher

Evans Rev. George, M.A., The Vicarage

Evans Mrs., gentlewoman

Fisher Charles, inland revenue officer

Foulkes Joseph, joiner and cabinet maker

Foulkes Joseph, farrier and horse breaker

Griffiths David, blacksmith

Griffiths Richard, farmer

Griffiths Richard, maltster and shopkeeper

Harmon Samuel, Esq.

Harris Rev. David, boarding school

Harris John, farmer, The Hill

Hiles Richard, maltster

Hill Hon. Charles Nowell, Ruyton Park

Jones George, farmer

Jones John, wheelwright

Jones Mrs., dressmaker

Jones Robert, saddler and harness maker

Jones Robert, quarry master, Queen’s court

Leek Edward, shoemaker

Llawalling Mary, vict., Talbot Inn

Lloyd John and Son, blacksmiths

Maddocks Thomas, farmer

Minton Mr., assistant overseer

Minton Thomas Rowland, butcher

Minton William Rowland, machine manufacturer

Morris Edward, shoemaker

Morris John, shoemaker

Morris Thomas, farmer

Parry William, mason

Pickering Miss

Price John, brazier and painter

Price Mary, draper and bonnet maker

Price William, tailor and draper

Roberts John, farmer

Slater Rev. Leonard, M.A., The Hall

Stant Thomas, builder and contractor

Thomas John, bricklayer

Stokes Joseph, cooper and undertaker

Tanswell Henry, hairdresser

Taylor John, carrier to Shrewsbury

Tomlinson Edward, wheelwright

Tomlinson Edward, farmer

Tomlinson Miss, dress maker

Timmis Lydia, vict., Commercial Inn

Timmis Thomas, farmer and maltster

Timmis Thomas, jun., farmer, The Hill

Vaughan William, farmer, The Lodge

Wace Charles R., solicitor, office, Powis Arms

Wilde Robert M., tailor, Blackbow hill