Pontesbury, Shropshire Family History Guide

Pontesbury is a large parish of 11,000 acres, extending from the Shrewsbury side of Hanwood, less than 4 miles from Shrewsbury, to Asterley, some 10 miles from the town, with the parish of Church Pulverbatch on the south and that of Ford on the north. The village of Pontesbury lies 7½ miles from Shrewsbury and 15½ from Montgomery. The chief part of the parish is in the manor of Ford, comprising the townships of Arscott, Asterley, Boycott, Cruck Meole, Cruckton, Edge, Farley, Ralston, Hinton, The Lea, Little Hanwood, Newnham and Polemere, Pontesford, Plealey, Sascott and Siberscote. Part of Onslow is within the liberties of Shrewsbury; Oakes is an independent manor, in the hundred of Condover, as is Longden, a chapelry of Pontesbury, in the hundred of Ford. The manor of Pontesbury itself is not of large extent. The parish is in the hundred of Ford, the rural deanery of Pontesbury, Archdeaconry of Ludlow, and Diocese of Hereford¹.

Parish church: St. George

Parish registers begin: 1538

Nonconformists include: Baptist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Independent/Congregational, Primitive Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan Methodist.

Table of Contents

Adjacent Parishes

Parish History

Pontesbury

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

PONTESBURY, a village, a parish, and a sub-district, in Atcham district, Salop. The village stands near an affluent of the river Severn, adjacent to the Shrewsbury and Minsterley railway, 8½ miles SW of Shrewsbury; is a seat of petty sessions and a polling-place; and has a station on the railway, and a post-office under Shrewsbury. The parish contains also the townships of Arscott, Asterley, Boycott, Cruckmeole, Edge, Fairley, Halston, Little Hanwood, Hinton, Lea, Newnham, Nox, Oaks, Plealey, Pontesford, Sascott, and Sibberscott, the villages of Longdon and Cruckton, and the hamlet of Onslow. Acres, 10,667. Real property, £21,580; of which £253 are in mines and £129 in quarries. Pop. in 1851, 3,363; in 1861, 3,466. Houses, 700. The property is sub-divided. Lead ore is worked. The living is a threefoldrectory in the diocese of Hereford. Values, £800, £735, and £473. Patrons, respectively the Rev. W. Harrison, Queen’s College, Oxford, and R. Cholmondeley, Esq. The church of the three rectories is good, and has a tower; and was formerly collegiate for three prebendaries and other officials. The donative of Longdon is a separate benefice. There are an Independent chapel, a Baptistchapel, and charities £27; and the parish shares in Eaton-Bishop school. The sub-district contains also twoother parishes. Acres, 12,052. Pop., 3, 866. Houses, 790.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

PONTESBURY (St. George), a parish, in the union of Atcham, hundred of Ford, S. division of Salop, 7 miles (S. W. by W.) from Shrewsbury; containing 3311 inhabitants, of whom 1471 are in the first division, 966 in the second, and 686 in the third. The parish is intersected by the road from Shrewsbury to Montgomery, and comprises 10,673 acres, of which 6320 are arable, 3460 meadow and pasture, 345 wood and plantations, 239 in homesteads and cottages, 217 common, and 92 uninclosed. Its surface is undulated, presenting in one part an insulated rocky hill and a woody ravine; and the soil varies considerably: the timber consists chiefly of oak, ash, fir, and Carolina poplar. There are some thin strata of coal; and lead, though not dug in the parish, is smelted in large quantities. The living is a rectory, in three portions: the first is valued in the king’s books at £17. 13. 4.; net income, £800; patron, the Rev. Ham Harrison: the second also at £17. 13. 4.; net income, £825; patrons, the Provost and Fellows of Queen’s College, Oxford: and the third at £8. 10; net income, £483; patron, W. E. S. Owen, Esq. The church formerly had a dean and three prebendaries; it was rebuilt in 1828, at a cost of £5200, raised by rate and subscription, and is in the early English style, with a tower 90 feet in height. A chapel of ease, in the same style, was built at Cruckton, by subscription, in 1840, at an expense of £900; and at Longdon is a chapel with 140 sittings, which forms a separate incumbency. There is a place of worship for Baptists.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848

A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833

Pontesbury, co. Salop.
P. T. Shrewsbury (153) 8½ m. SW b W. Pop. 2458.
A parish in the hundred of Ford; living, a rectory in the archdeaconry of Salop and diocese of Hereford, the first portion valued in K. B. 17l. 13s. 4d., the second 17l 13s. 4d. and the third 8l. 10s.; ann. val. P. R. 41l.; church, recently enlarged by the aid of the Incorporated Society, ded. to St. George; patrons (1829) of the first portion, the Rev. Ham. Harrison; of the second, Queen’s College, Oxford; and of the third, W. E. Owen, Esq. Here is also a place of worship for Baptists. The petty sessions for this hundred are holden here. Here are extensively worked lead-mines.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. The Irish and Welsh articles by G. N. Wright; Vol. III; London; Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand; 1833.

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Pontesbury. A parish in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford, a rectory divided into three portions, and remaining in charge, in the diocese of Hereford, the deanery of Pontesbury, and archdeaconry of Salop. 404 houses, 2,458 inhabitants. In the parish of Pontesbury there was one female upwards of 100 years of age. 7 ½ miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Arscott or Ascott

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Arscott; or Ascott. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 2 ½ miles north-east of Pontesbury, 4 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Asterley

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Asterley. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 8 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Auston

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Auston. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 6 miles south-west of Shrewsbury
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Boycot

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Boycot. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 7 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Cruckton

Lewis Topographical Dictionary of England 1845

Cruckton, a township in the parish of Pontesbury, union of Atcham, hundred of Ford, county of Salop, 4 miles (S.W. by S.) from Shrewsbury; containing 155 inhabitants. A church, dedicated to St. Thomas, being a chapel of ease to the second portion of the rectory of Pontesbury was built by subscription in 1840, at an expense of £900; it is in the early English style, and contains 280 sittings, of which 160 are free.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Wales by Samuel Lewis Third Edition Published London; by S. Lewis and Co., 13, Finsbury Place, South. M. DCCC. XLV.

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Cruckton. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 4 miles south-west by west of Shrewsbury. Cruckton quarter of the parish of Pontesbury contains 57 houses, 377 inhabitants. Cruckton Hall is the seat of Thomas Harries, Esq.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824.

Cruck Meole

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Cruck Meole. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 4 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Edge

Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

Edge, a township in Pontesbury parish, Salop; 7 ½ miles WSW of Shrewsbury. Real property, £3,460. Pop., 372.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Edge. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. Edge quarter of Pontesbury, contains 63 houses, 374 inhabitants. 6 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Farley

Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

Fairley, a township in Pontesbury parish, Salop; 7 ½ miles SW of Shrewsbury. Pop., 19.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Fareley. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Halston, Hinton and Farley

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Halston, Hinton and Farley. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. Farley is 7 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Hinton

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Hinton. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 6 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Little Hanwood

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Little Hanwood. A township partly in the parish of Hanwood, or Great Hanwood, in the liberties of Shrewsbury, and partly in the parish of Pontesbury, in the hundred of Ford. 3 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Longden

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Longden. Including Longden Upper and Lower, one of the quarters of the parish of Pontesbury, in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. A chapel. 75 houses, 387 inhabitants. 5 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Newnham

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Newnham. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 5 miles south-west of Shrewsbury, the residence of J. Niccols, Esq.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Nox

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Nox. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 5 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Plealey

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Plealey. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 5 ½ miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Polmere

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Polmere. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 5 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824

Pontesford

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Pontesford. A township in the parish of Pontesbury, and in the Pontesbury division of the hundred of Ford. 7 miles south-west of Shrewsbury.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824