We are in the process of upgrading the site to implement a content management system.
Adbaston
"Adbaston parish, on the western verge of Staffordshire, adjacent to Shropshire, and 5 miles W of Eccleshall, comprises the four townships of Adbaston-cum-Knighton, Bishop's Offley, Flashbrook & Tunstall, which support their poor conjointly, and contain about 5330 acres of land and 610 inhabitants. In Adbaston, there are only a few scattered houses. The Bishop of Lichfield is lord of the manor.
Bishop's Offley is a small village one and a half miles N of the parish church, and includes the hamlet of Outwoods, or Outlands, where William Wakeley died in 1714, aged 125 years.
Flashbrook forms the south division of the parish, being about two miles S by W of the church. It includes a few scattered farm houses and cottages, and also the ancient seat of Batchacre, which is now occupied by a farmer, but formerly had a spacious park, and was considered extra-parochial until 1816.
Knighton, a small ancient village, upon an abrupt declivity, is on the borders of Shropshire, six miles N of Newport. About two miles SW of Knighton is Ellerton Grange, the pleasant seat of V Vickers, Esq.
Tunstall township has a few scattered farm houses, half a mile E of Adbaston, and is mostly high land, with a fine prospect to the south."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]
Cemeteries
Monumental Inscriptions for Adbaston, St Michael have been transcribed and published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
Census
The population of Adbaston parish in 1831 was 601; in 1841 it was 610 divided as follows: Adbaston, 39; Bishop's Offley, 201; Flashbrook, 109; Knighton, 137; Tunstall, 124.
Church History
"The Parish Church, St Michael, is an ancient structure, with a lofty tower containing four bells. The Dean of Lichfield is patron of the perpetual curacy, in the incumbency of the Rev JH Bright, MA.
In Bishop's Offley is an Independent Chapel, built in 1845."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]
Church Records
Church of England Registers
The parish register of the parish church of St Michael commences in 1600. The original registers for the period 1600-1943 (Bapts), 1600-1967 (Mar) & 1600-1916 (Bur) are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
Bishops Transcripts, 1660-1856 (with gaps 1686-9, 1695-9 & 1721-7) are deposited at Lichfield Record Office.
A transcript of the registers for the period 1600-1839 has been published in two volumes by the Staffordshire Parish Register Society and reprinted by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
Nonconformist Church Registers
The original registers of Offley Marsh Primitive Methodist Chapel, Marriages 1926-1942 are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office:
Description and Travel
Historical Geography
Maps
- This place shown on a Google map.
- Google Streetview
- StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps.)
- Open StreetMap
- Bing (was Multimap)
- OldMaps (Old Ordnance Survey maps.)
- Old Maps Online (Other old maps.)
- National Library of Scotland (Best site for old maps)
- Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
- English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
- Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
- Elgin Road Works
- GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)
- All places within the same township/parish shown on a Google map.
- Nearby townships/parishes shown on a Google map.
- Nearby places shown on a Google map.
Poor Houses, Poor Law etc.
The parish became part of Newport Union following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834.