Church Eaton in 1817

Description from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)

CHURCH EATON.

Church-Eaton is a parish in Cuttlestone west, and contains the townships of High Onn, Little Onn, and Marston. In 1811, this parish contained 126 inhabited houses, 156 families; 403 males, 401 females: total 804 persons. The soil is of a good fertile quality, consisting of good loam in the upland and meadows.

The village of Church-Eaton contains one street, with several houses, and some detached farm-houses in its vicinity. It is situated four miles and a half to the west of Penkridge. The Church is an ancient fabric in the Saxon style of architecture. The tower is low, and the interior of the church very neat and clean. This church is dedicated to St. Edith, and is a rectory in the patronage of Earl Talbot, and the present rector is the Hon. Mr. Talbot, of that family.

Wood Eaton is a small hamlet to the NW of Church Eaton, and contains a few farm-houses and smaller tenements. The manor is the property of Lord Talbot, and the land fertile, being a good loamy soil, on a marl bottom, and well adapted to either tillage or pasture.

High Onn, a township and hamlet in this parish, contains several good farms and farm-houses. The soil is excellent for corn, beans, or pasture. The principal part of this township is the property of Thomas Giffard, Esq. of Chillington. Matthew Parkes, Esq. also occupies his own estate here, and part of the Giffard estate.

Little Onn is a township east of High Onn, and contains Little Onn Hall, the elegant mansion of Henry Crockett, Esq. The estate adjoining the manor is the property of Mr. Parkes.

Marston is another township in this parish. It contains some farms belonging to Henry Crockett, Esq. Orslow is a capital estate belonging to Lord Bradford; and Shushions, another productive corn-farm, is the property of the Littleton family, of Teddesley, which has long been occupied by one of the Crockett family. A brook which comes from Gnosall, separates this parish on the N.E. side from Bradley, passing on and falling into the Penk below Cuttlestone bridge.