Benthall, Shropshire
Historical Description
Benthall, a parish in Salop, on the right bank of the Severn, near Iron Bridge station on the G.W.R., 1 mile N of Broseley, and 2¼ miles E of Much-Wenlock. Post town, Broseley (R.S.O.) Acreage, 843; population, 377. Lord Forester is the lord of the manor and sole landowner. Benthall Hall, the ancient seat of the Benthall family, built in 15S5, adjoins the church, and during the Commonwealth was held as a point of great strategic importance. There are several potteries, and also a manufactory of tobacco pipes. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Hereford; net value, £87. Patron, the Vicar of Much-Wenlock. The church, erected in 1667, consists of chancel, nave, and tower, and contains monuments to the Benthall and Browne families.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
Ancient County | Salop | |
Ecclesiastical parish | Benthall St. Bartholomew | |
Liberty | Borough of Wenlock | |
Poor Law union | Madeley |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
Findmypast, in association with the Shropshire Archives have the Baptisms, Banns, Marriages, and Burials online for Benthall
The register dates from the year 1640.
Churches
Church of England
St. Bartholomew (parish church)
The church of St. Bartholomew, erected in 1667, is a building of rubble and cement, consisting of chancel and nave and a western tower containing one bell; there are monuments to the Browne, Benthall, Harries and Colley families: the private chapel, which stood in front of the Hall, was destroyed during the Great Rebellion, the Hall being then garrisoned for King Charles I.; the church was enlarged and improved during 1893-4 at a cost of £300 by the late Lord Forester.
Civil Registration
For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Benthall from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Benthall (St. Bartholomew))
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Shropshire (Salop) is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Benthall are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Shropshire newspapers online:
- Shrewsbury Chronicle
- Wellington Journal
- Eddowes's Journal, and General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality of Wales
- Ludlow Advertiser
- Salopian Journal
Visitations Heraldic
The Visitation of Shropshire, 1623 is available on the Heraldry page.