Shropshire Routes to Roots

Trade directories: History and Description of Drayton (Slater's Directory, 1850)

History and description of Drayton, 1850 [Shropshire Archive reference: Slater's Directory, 1850]

DRAYTON
WITH THE VILLAGE OF HODNET AND NEIGHBOURHOODS.

DRAYTON, or MARKET DRAYTON, is a market town, in the parish of Drayton in Hales - which latter is partly in the hundred of Bradford North, in the county of Salop, and partly in the northern division of the hundred of Pirehill, county of Staffords; 151 miles N.W. by N. from London, 19 N.E. by N. from Shrewsbury, 20 N.W. from Stafford, 12 W.S.W. from Whitmore, a first class station on the London and North Western Railway, and 18 S.W. from Newcastle-under-Lyme, which town is about a mile and a half from the line of the North Staffordshire Railway, situated on the north-western bank of the river Tern. In Domesday book this place is called Draitune; and the manor belonged successively to the abbot of St. Ebrulph, in Normandy, and the abbot of Combermere, in Cheshire; and it was from the latter that it received the grant of a market and a fair. Blore heath, about two miles from the town, was the scene of a sanguinary battle between the houses of York and Lancaster; the latter, with a force of ten thousand men, being defeated by the Yorkists, with only half that number. At one period, the town enjoyed considerable business, and had one of the best markets in this district, but in consequence of the construction of the Grand Trunk canal its trade declined. Under the head of manufacturers, all that can be mentioned is that for hats and hair-cloth; there is also an iron foundry and two rope-walks. The petty sessions for the Drayton division of the hundred are held here; and the town is included in the twenty-seventh circuit of the County Court towns, under the new act (passed August, 1846) for the recovery of debts to any amount, not exceeding £20. - this court is held monthly, at the Corbet Arms. The inhabitants of the Staffordshire portion of the parish have the privilege of proving wills before a steward or a judge, appointed by the lord of the manor, which custom is recorded to have existed prior to the year 1680.

The parish church of Saint Mary, supposed to have been erected, with the exception of the steeple, in the reign of Stephen, consists of a nave, aisles, a chancel, and a square tower; the latter supported by buttresses, and ornamented with battlements and pinnacles; the living is a vicarage, in the patronage of Richard Corbet, Esq.; the Rev. James Lee is the present incumbent. Christ church, Little Drayton, first opened for divine service, in 1847, was erected partly by subscription, and partly by the aid of the incorporated society for building and enlarging churches and chapels, who granted £325, and Mrs. Nunneley, a benevolent lady, resident in Drayton, contributed the magnificent sum of £1,000. It is a neat structure, consisting of a nave, chancel and aisles: the living is a perpetual curacy, at present enjoyed by the Rev. Edward Cheere. The situation of the parsonage is remarkably pleasant, and commands a fine and extensive view over a delightful country. The charities comprise a free grammar school, founded and endowed in 1554, by Sir Rowland Hill; several bequests for clothing the poor, an apprenticeship fund, and a school, conducted upon the national plan. There are several seats and many handsome residences in the neighbourhood of Drayton, and the country around is fertile, diversified by hill and dale, and fine open plains. The market, formerly of greater note than at present, is held on Wednesday; and the fairs on the Wednesday before Palm Sunday; the Wednesday before 22nd of June, September 19th, and October 24th, for horned cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, and hempen and woollen cloth. The fairs, more recently established, are held on the first Wednesdays, in February, May and August, and the last Wednesday in November. The parish of Drayton in Hales contained, in 1831, 4,619 inhabitants, and in 1841 (including Tyrley, in Staffordshire, 732), 4,680.

HODNET is a parish, in the hundred of Bradford North - the village a small one, is situated 6 miles S.W, from Drayton, on the Shrewsbury road. The parish church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a very ancient structure: the living is a rectory; the present incumbent is the Rev. S.H. Macauley. Fairs are held on the Monday before the second Wednesday in March, May 4th, and the Monday after the 24th October. The parish of Hodnet contained, in 1831, 2,091 inhabitants, and in 1841, 2,185.

POST OFFICE, Beast market, DRAYTON, Richard Grant, Post Master. - Letters from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Chester, Newcastle &c. arrive every morning at four, and are despatched at half-past nine at night. Letters from Whitchurch, Ellesmere, Chester &c. arrive every night at nine, and are despatched at twenty minutes past four in the morning.

The Box closes at half-past eight in the evening.
The Money Order Office is open daily from nine in the morning, till six in the evening, (Sundays excepted).

POST OFFICE, HODNET, Edward Jones, Post Master. - Letters from all parts arrive (from MARKET DRAYTON), every morning at eight, and are despatched thereto, at six in the evening.