Church Stretton, Shropshire Family History Guide

Church Stretton with All Stretton and Little Stretton is an Ancient Parish and a market town in the county of Shropshire.

Other places in the parish include: All Stretton, Minton, Botevyle and Little Stretton.

Parish registers begin: 1661

Nonconformists include:

Table of Contents

Adjacent Parishes

CARDING MILL VALLEY Church Stretton Shropshire

Shropshire Church Stretton Old Carding Mill

Church Stretton Parish Registers

Church Stretton Parish Registers 1661-1812 Shropshire Parish Registers Diocese of Hereford Vol. 8 (1911) Author: Shropshire Parish Register Society. General editor; 1900-1906, W.P.W. Phillimore; 1907- W.G.D. Fletcher. Publisher: Privately printed for the Shropshire Parish Register Society. – This book is a free download from Parishmouse

Parish History

Church Stretton

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1851

Stretton-Church, a parish and market-town in the hund. of Munslow, union of Church-Stretton, county of Salop; 13 miles south-south west of Shrewsbury, and 14 north-north-west of Ludlow. The parish contains the townships of All-Stretton, Little Stretton, and Minton. Acres 11,790. Houses 275. A.P. £5,370. Pop., In 1801, 924; in 1831, 1,302. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Hereford; rated at £15 10s.; gross income £600. Patron, in 1841, the Rev. R. N. Pemberton. The church is a handsome cruciform structure. Here are 2 infant and 3 daily schools: one of the latter — the Free school — is partly supported by funds accruing from bequest, and partly by payments from the children. There is also a Sunday school, taught gratuitously. Other charities, in 1830, about £40 per annum. Poor rates, in 1838, £295 10s. A workhouse has been erected here, for the union of Church-Stretton, by the poor-law commissioners, capable of accommodating 80 persons. The Church-Stretton poor-law union comprehends 14 parishes, embracing an area of 61 square miles; with a population returned, in 1831, at 5,730. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £2,296. Expenditure, in 1838, £1,648; in 1840, £2,148 4s.

The town is romantically situated in a valley enclosed by lofty mountains. It consists principally of one street, and possessed, until lately, a curious market-place and town-house of the Elizabethan age. A small woollen manufactory has been established, and some business is done in malt; but the inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agricultural pursuits. Large flocks of sheep are pastured on the neighbouring hills. Thursday is market-day; and fairs are held on Tuesday before Shrewsbury March fair, May 14th, July 3d, (wool,) September 25th, and the last Thursday in November. The air of this picturesque spot is remarkably salubrious; and there are several excellent trout-streams. On the summit of Caer Caradoc is an ancient encampment defended by steep ascents, and strengthened by double and triple intrenchments. It was one of the military stations of Caractacus, and supposed, at one time, to be the place where that chief fought his last battle. On the western side of the town are the Longmynd-hills, which command an admirable panoramic view of a wide extent of country.

Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1851.

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Church Stretton. A market town in the upper division of the hundred of Munslow, a vicarage, in the diocese of Hereford, the deanery of Wenlock, and archdeaconry of Salop. 248 houses, 1,226 inhabitants. 13 miles south south-west of Shrewsbury. Fairs May 14, and September 25. Market on Thursday. Lat. 52. 34. N. Long. 2.54. W.

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

All Stretton

Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

All-Stretton, included in Church-Stretton.

Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850

Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Allstretton. A township in the parish of Church Stretton, and in the upper division of the hundred of Munslow. 1 mile north of Church Stretton.

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

Botevyle

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

A township in the parish of Church Stretton, and in the hundred of Munslow. 2 miles north-east of Church Stretton.

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 Stretton

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Little Stretton. A township in the parish of Church Stretton, and in the upper division if the hundred of Munslow. 1 mile south-west of Church Stretton.

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

Minton

Shropshire Gazetteer 1824

Minton. A township in the parish of Church Stretton, and in the upper division of the hundred of Munslow. 2 ½ miles south-west of Church Stretton.

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

Parish Records

FamilySearch

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Poll Books

Poll Book 1865, Church Stretton Shropshire

Below are the names of those that voted in the election of July 1865 between Col. The Hon. P. E. Herbert, Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., and R. Jasper More, Esq.

Poll Book of the Election, July 1865 for the Southern Division of Shropshire.

Church Stretton Polling District

Church Stretton, Parish of

1016 Adams John

1017 Andrews Thomas

1018 Andrews Edward

1019 Bakewell Samuel Glover

1020 Beamand Thomas

1021 Beddoes John

1022 Beddoes William Minton

1023 Bradley Thomas dead

1024 Bradley John

1025 Bradley William see 2221

1026 Beetlestone George

1027 Belton John

1028 Bridgman William Henry

1029 Bright Richard

1030 Bullock Richard

1031 Cleeton Edward

1032 Cleeton William

1033 Climie Daniel

1034 Coles Thomas

1035 Craig Robert

1036 Davies George

1037 Downes Charles

1038 Downes John

1039 Dodd William

1040 Edwards Richard

1041 Evans Henry

1042 Everall Richard, see 1268

1043 Faulkner John

1044 Fleetwood Edward

1045 Galliers Thomas, see 1325

1046 George Henry

1047 Gibbons Thomas

1048 Gibbon Edward

1049 Gwynn Thomas Girdler

1050 Hammond Minton, see 1053

1051 Hammond Richard

1052 Hammond Thomas

1053 Hammond Minton, see 1050

1054 Howls William

1055 Heighway Thomas

1056 Heighway Edward

1057 Hide John

1058 Hide William

8059 [sic] Hince Charles

1060 Hotchkiss Edward

1061 Hoggins Thomas

1062 Hoggins John

1063 Icke Samuel

1064 Jones Benjamin

1065 Jones William (John, tendered)

1066 Kough Samuel Harley

1067 Langford William

1068 Lester William

1069 Lewis Edward

1070 Lewis William

1071 Lloyd John

1072 Lloyd Richard

1073 Lloyd Thomas

1074 Makelin John

1075 Mansell John, jun.

1076 M’Cartney Robert, see 1383

1077 Marsh William

1078 Marston Richard

1079 Marston William

1080 Mansell John

1081 Mansell John

1082 Minton Francis

1083 Painter Thomas

1084 Pearson George Barratt

1085 Robinson Edward

1086 Robinson George

1087 Eobinson Frederick

1088 Shepherd John Pike, dead

1089 Speake John

1090 Southam Thomas, junr.

1091 Smith John Halphead

1092 Teague Thomas

1093 Tomlinson William

1094 Wall Francis

1095 Whitehurst Joseph Cross

1096 Wilding Richard

1097 Wilson Hugh Owen

1098 Williams Samuel

1099 Williams Richard

Directory Transcriptions

Church Stretton Universal British Directory 1791

Is situated in the most hilly part of Shropshire, on the turnpike-road leading from Salop to Ludlow, 13 miles South of Salop, 12 miles West of Much-Wenlock, 16 miles North of Ludlow, and 10 miles East of Bishop’s-Castle. It has a very small market. On the hills, which nearly surround the town, an immense number of sheep are fed, which produce large quantities of good wool, which is sold the dealers in Yorkshire, and there manufactured into narrow cloths. The malting business is carried on here very extensively. The poor of the town are employed in making a coarse linen cloth, which is generally sold for the purpose of packing hops and wool.

The air of this place is remarkably healthy; the soil is a fine gravel; and there are several fine rivulets running from the hills which produce many excellent trout. Within two miles of the town is the hill called in history Cair Caradock, or Caractacus’s Mount, on the top of which the old British camp is still visible, with its double entrenchments, &c. The prospect from this hill, on a clear day, is delightful, and so extensive that several counties in England and Wales may be seen.
There is no regular post, though the post-road from London is within eight miles of the town. A news-man from Salop passes through every Friday to Ludlow, and returns to Salop on Saturday night, who generally brings the letters. Moxey’s stage-waggon, from Manchester to Hereford, passes through the town every Wednesday and returns on Saturday. The principal inn is the Talbot, but there are several convenient public-houses for the accommodation of travellers.
The church-living is in the gift of the Marquis of Bath, who is lord of the manor; the present incumbent is the Rev. John Mainwaring, formerly of St. John’s College, Cambridge. Most of the land about this town is copyhold of inheritance.
The following are the principal inhabitants of Church-Stretton:
Gentry.
Beddowes Thomas, Esq. (F.)
Davis William, Gent. (F.)
Gosnel Mr. Richard, (F.)
Lewis Mr. Richard, (F.)
Lewis Mr. John, (F.)
Luther Moses, Esq. (F.)
Minters Mr. Richard, (F.)
Waring William, Gent. (F.)
Clergy.
Mainwaring Rev. John, (F.) Rector
Willding Rev. Richard
Physic.
Bray Richard, Surgeon
Traders, &c.
Andrews Francis, Sadler
Broom John, Innkeeper (Crown)
Calley Thomas, Innkeeper (Talbot)
Child Edward, Blacksmith
Corfield George, Mercer and Grocer
Edwards John, Auctioneer
Edwards Joseph, Maltster & Innkeeper
Evasson John, Blacksmith & Innkeeper
Gough Thomas, Mason
Mills Thomas, Innkeeper & Shoemaker
Pinches Richard, Butcher
Phillips John, Parish-clerk
Robinson John, Wheelwright
Robinson Thomas, Mercer & Grocer
Reynolds John, Maltster
Speaks Francis, Maltster
Turner Catherine, Milliner
Usdale William, Cooper
Waring William, (F.) Maltster
Watkis Thomas, Currier
Weeks Thomas, Blacksmith
Williams Edward, Baker

There are several pleasant villages in the neighbourhood, the principal of which are All-Stretton, Cardington, Hopebowdler, Acton Scott, Rushbury, and Wistomstow, Longnor, five miles distant, on the Shrewsbury road, the pleasant seat of Robert Corbet, Esq.

Source: Universal British Directory 1791

Directories Available Online

Church Stretton Pigot’s Commercial Directory 1828-9 (Google Books)

Administration

County: Shropshire
Civil Registration District: Church Stretton
Probate Court: Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory)
Diocese: Hereford
Rural Deanery: Wenlock
Poor Law Union: Church Stretton
Hundred: Munslow
Province: Canterbury