Shropshire Routes to Roots - Shropshire places - Wem
by Samuel Garbet
The Boundaries, Extent, Soil, Tenure and Valuation of Tilley.
Tilley is a contraction for Tilleley, which signifies the field or estate of Tillie, who seems to have been a Norman adventurer under the command of William Pantulff, baron of Wem. Sire Tillie is in the list of the great men who came in with William the Conqueror; the name might be common then to several others. In the 24th of Edward I. Tilleley is mentioned as one of the members of Wem. In ancient times Tilley was a considerable manor, for the manor of Beslarve, in the county of Salop, was dependent on it. In 1561, Thomas Poyner held of the lord of Wem, the manor of Beslarve, as member of his manor of Tilley, by homage, fealty, and appearance at his courts. When a subsidy of a fifteenth part of their moveables was granted to the king, the manor of Beslarve, (being half a knight's fee) was always charged 4d. towards the payment of the said fifteenth with the tenants of the township or hamlet of Tilley. This township is bounded on the north by Wem, on the east by Aston and Preston Brockhurst, on the south by Clive and Broughton and part of middle, on the west by Noneley and Sleap. Its length from the One-house in Preston to the borders of Noneley is about two measured miles; its breadth from Wem to its southern boundary is about a mile and a half. The soil between Tilley and Wem is gravelly, towards Roo-wood sandy, and in all other parts has a great mixture of clay; it is equally fit for tillage and the dairy; the manure used upon it is chiefly muck and marl with some lime. At the time of the survey in 1561, Thomas Poyner, of Beslaw, was the only freeholder; all The inhabitants of Tilley were copyholders or tenants by lease or at will: at present the Trench and Park estates are freehold, so are Vernon's, Sir Rowland Hill's, and Hayward's, except some fields lately bought, the rest are still copyhold. In respect to the land-tax, this township is valued at £285. per annum, which at 1s. in the pound the assessment would be £14.5s.
The Brad Meadows, now let at sixteen pounds a year, were held 200 years ago by the Rector Dacres, together with the Alleys of Wem, at the yearly rent of 16s. They lie along the river Roden near to the mill, and now belong to William Dymock, of Wrexham, esq.
The Trench Farm was leased to Robert Richardson in 1532, at the annual rent of ten pounds. The lease was for 90 years, to commence in 1542, and to end in 1632. Thomas, Earl of Arundel, gave this estate to his fifth son, William, Lord Stafford, who paid for it in the subsidy in 1642. Daniel Wycherley, gentleman, bought it of Lord Stafford for £800. and at his demise it fell to the Poet Wycherley, who just before his death settled it as a jointure upon his young wife, who married, for her second husband, Captain Shrimpton, and surviving him is now in possession of it; it is divided into two farms, of which, the largest with the ancient messuage is held by Thomas Ireland, the other by John Ebrey. ---In the survey of the Trench Farm, in 1561, there is a close mentioned, called the Castle Stead, that is the place of the castle, whence it appears that a castle has been built there, which must have been in the Saxon times, for Pantulf, the Norman, fixed on Wem. for the scite of his castle, and no other was built in this parish by his successors.--- Near to Ebrey's house, a little above Tilley Green, on a fine eminence there are visible remains of a Roman camp; it is an oblong square, and contains two acres of ground; notwithstanding the plough has been levelling it for so many years, the rampart and trench are on every side apparent, and in some places as plain and distinct as if they had been made in the last civil war. This I take to have been the scite of the manor house, for the Saxon lords always chose to build their castles on Roman camps, on account of the strength of such places and the fortifications already raised. Without doubt the Roman Vallum occasioned this to be called Trench Farm.
The Pools was formerly a wood called the Great Pollys and the Little Pollys, lying between the Trench Farm and the Clive Wood; it was purchased by Daniel Wycherley, gentleman, of one Trevor, and has since had the same proprietor as the Trench farm, part of which has been added to it.
The Old Park in this township, was so called to distinguish it from the New Park in Edstaston. At the survey, John Allinson held the herbage of it at the will of the lord of the manor, for the annual rent of 11s. 6d. the pannage was reserved to the lord of the manor, and was a casualty, there being some years plenty and other years a scarcity of mast; it has long been disparked, the wood fallen, and the land sold to several proprietors. This sale seems to have been by Sir Wm. Playters and Sir Richard Onslow about the end of the civil war. It is at present divided into five parts and has four messuages upon it, viz. 1. The ancient Park-house with a fourth part of the land was sold to Thomas Jenks, of Shrewsbury, goldsmith, from whom it was descended to his grand-son, Thomas, of Whitchurch, steward to the Duke of Bridgewater. ---2. Another portion was bought by Andrew Parsons Rector of Wem, who built upon it, and sold to Roger Spendlove, whose son, Thomas, conveyed it to Roger Acherley, esq. and he to the Vernons. It is now annexed to the principal estate in Tilley. ---3, A third share was likewise bought and built on by the said Andrew Parsons, who after his ejectment from the rectory, sold it to Roger Spendlove; and he gave it to his son, Peter, minister of Marbury, in Cheshire, from whom it came to the Bakers, the heiress of which family has, by marriage, carried it to one Walker, a butcher in Newport. ---4. The Roo-wood is a fourth part, which one Griffiths sold to Presland, of Shrewsbury, linen draper, and the assignees of Presland to the Hon. Richard Hill, from whom it descended to his nephew, Sir Rowland. About £8 a year in Noneley is now joined to it. ---5. The fifth part has no house upon it; it belonged to the Dymocks, and by the heiress of that family was brought to the Watkiss, of Shotten, gentleman, whose grand-son, John, does now enjoy it.
The first house on the left hand as we enter the town from Tilley Green, had formerly a large estate annexed to it, belonging to the Donnes; and the house on the other side of the street was possessed by the same family; from, the Donnes they passed to John and George Higginsons in 1561. Robert and Thomas paid for them in the subsidy in 1642. Robert, grand-son of the latter, was one of the plaintiffs against Daniel Wycherley, gentleman, and was bound for Mr. Smith, of Wem, mercer, in the sum £1000; this was the ruin of the family. Lawrence, son of Robert, succeeded to the estate in 1684, and died in 1696. John, son of Lawrence, a wild and wicked man, sold several parcels to Whitfield, Holbrooke, Hughes, Presland, &c. and about 1708, the whole remainder of the estate to Roger Acherley, of Stanwardine in the Fields. esq. who granted a lease of it for three lives to Mr. Athrington, vicar of Shawbury, from whom it was devolved on Mr. Binnell, parish clerk of Saint Alkmonds, in Shrewsbury. In 1747, John Higginson died in the work house at Wem. Mr. Acherley, having sustained a great loss by the south sea bubble, sold this estate, subject to the lease above, to his brother in law, Bow Walter Vernon, esq. whose son is the present owner.
The next messuage, with a low brick wall before it, belonged to the Haywards in the reign of Henry VIII. William Hayward, jun. was possessed of it in 1561. John and John, his son, were charged for it towards the subsidy in 1642. John, son of the latter, sold above half the estate, which was computed then to be worth about eighty pounds per annum. Thomas Spendlove, gentleman, was the purchaser about 1687. John, the present owner, is an ironmonger in Whitchurch; he has in some measure repaired the waste which his father had made; in his land there is a noted mineral spring, which has. a strong tincture of alum; the well is four square, planked on the sides and flagged at the bottom; William Price, late of Wem, mason, is said to have given flags and the work in consideration of his having been cured of the rheumatism by bathing in it; the water is reckoned good for sore eyes and all cutaneous eruptions. Mr. Hayward has three other small houses in this town.
Next to Mr. Hayward's, on the same side of the street, is a messuage and tenement which Thomas Spendlove, gentleman, bought of the Jebbs, and joined the land to his own estate, together with which it is now come to the Vernons.
Still keeping on the south side of the street, a neat half timbered house, with a high brick wall, presents itself to our view; the old estate belonged to the Thurlewynds in the time of Henry the VIII. In 1561, at the general survey, there were two messuages on it, and part of the estate belonged to Richard Thurlewynd, son and heir of William; and the remainder, being the greatest part, was held by his grand-mother, Alice, as her free bench. Before the civil war the Bosiers were in possession of this farm; Peter Bosier paid to the subsidy in 1612; of him Roger Spendlove purchased it at a very low price, and built the present house in 1605; his son, Thomas, made great additions to the estate, and in so flourishing a condition, that be was supposed to have £200 per annum in Clive and Tilley; but this fair estate was ruined by his being surety for his nephew, Thomas Spendlove, who was receiver of the land tax for the county of Stafford. He sold the reversion to his nephew, Roger Acherley, of Stanwardine in the Fields, esq. who, in 1720, suffered so much in the south-sea bubble, that he sold to Bowater Vernon, of Hanbury, in Worcestershire, esq. whose son Thomas, member of parliament for Worcester, now enjoys the estate.
The Lufkins or Lovekins, being an ancient family, who still keep possession of the next messuage and estate; Margery, relict of William Lovekin, was tenant to the lord of the manor in 1561; and Jolin Lovekin paid to the subsidy, in 1642; his son Thomas, was one of the first feoffees of Wem. school, and was buried in 1661. Benjamin, son of Thomas, sold the estate called the Takings, (a small tenement) to Richard Corbet, of Moreton Corbet, esq. about 1711; and some other parcels belonging to the estate he lived on, to Hughes, of Threpwood, and Pay, of Wem. Thomas, son of Benjamin, the present proprietor, is a chair maker in Shrewsbury; his estate is mortgaged to Mr. Pierson, minister of St. Julians, in Shrewsbury, for £350.
Next to Lovekin's, on the same side of the street, is a messuage and estate which formerly belonged to Lewis Bevan, gentleman, who died in 1687; Elizabeth, his widow, in 1692, by marriage, carried the estate to Thornas Hughes, of Threpwood, gentleman, and added to it a field bought of John Higginson. The only daughter and heir of Hughes married William Dimock, of Wrexham, esq. who is the present owner.
Opposite to Dimock's is a messuage and estate of Sir Rowland Hill. Robert Whittield, settled here after 1642, and died in 1644; his son Robert, left the estate to his daughter, who married William Shaw, buried at Wem in 1707. Shaw's eldest daughter married one Simpson, who, about 1709, mortgaged the estate to the Hon. Richard Hill, who ejected Simpson, and granted a lease for lives to his steward, Mr. John Dickin, whose widow enjoys it at present.
Leaving the town of Tilley, I will next take notice, of some tenements within the Township, beginning near Wem:
The Mill-house was built by Andrew Parsons, rector of Wem, in 1656, and in the front has this date with the initial letters of his own and wife's name. It has passed through several hands, as the Bykers, Arnolds, Dolemans, Gills, Chettoes, to the present proprietor, William Jeffreys.
Opposite to the Mill house is a messuage and estate which, in 1677, belonged to Samuel Fermstone, of Brandwood, and was then £9 a year. Mr. Samuel Jones sold it to Thomas Hughes, of Threpwood, gentleman, who has since augmented it by the purchase of Brad-meadows, and parcels of Higginson's and Lovekin's estates. Hughes's only daughter and heir carried it, by marriage, to William Dimock, of Wrexham, esq. a distant relation to the champion of England.
The Wood-houses were two messuages made into one; Margery, relict of William Adams, was the possessor in 1561, at the same time her son, John Adams, was of the jury of survey. John, great grand-son of the last mentioned, paid to the subsidy in 1642, and was one of the feoffees of Wem. school. His daughter, in 1661, by marriage, brought the estate to Thomas Hayward, younger son of the family of Tilley. The great grand-son of this Thomas settled it on his wife just before his death in 1738. She joined with her husband, an excise officer, and sold it to Messrs. Henshaw and Walford, of Wem.
The One-house, near to Preston Brockhurst, belonged to the Masseys, of whom it was bought by Richard Corbet, of Moreton Corbet, esq. and settled it on his youngest son George, during his life.
Paunton Hill, (now Palms Hill) was so called from the Pantulffs or Pantoms, the first barons of Wem; here is a tenement which, in 1673, belonged to Rowland Dickin, whose grand-son, John Dickin, of Aston Hall, lately resigned to his own son.
There were formerly three common, fields belonging to this township, viz. 1. Brockley Field, which lies between Tilley and the Old Park. ---2. Tilleley Field, a little beyond the Wood-house, the boundary of which on that side is very visible; there are two pieces of land abutting on Aston Lane, which still retain the old name. ---3. Burley Field, between Hough Lane and MaInies Oak. Dimock has some ground belonging to this tenement, near Wem Mill, which still bears the name of Burley.
Tilley or Trench Green, is common or waste ground, about three quarters of a mile in compass. Here all the inhabitants have right of pasture, and the land owners of making brick, the clay being proper for that purpose.
Goo Lane reached from Wem Mill to Tilley., ---Hough Lane began from Millington's house and led to Burley Field. --- Woodhouse Lane is between Tilley and Wood-house. --- Aston Lane is between Wood-house and Aston. --- Paunton Lane is between Aston Lane and Paunton Hill. --- Stones Lane is between Tilley and Tilley Green. --- Trench Lane is between --- and the liberties of Shrewsbury.
Page created 12 December 2007 and last updated 13 December 2007
