Lapley in 1817

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

LAPLEY.

Lapley is a parish of Cuttlestone west, situated to the south of Bradley, and containing the township of Wheaton-Aston. The soil of Lapley is various, in some places light and mixed loam, and in others, especially towards Lapley-wood, thinner and colder clay. A rivulet comes from Wheaton-Aston, and another from Marston, which separately and together water the skirts of this parish, and enable the farmers to form good meadows on the banks.

According to the population returns in 1811, this parish, including Wheaton-Aston, contained 141 inhabited houses, 154 families; 353 males, 393 females : total 746 persons. Lapley was formerly a market-town, according to Dr. Wilke's Antiquities. The market is stated by him to have been held on Tuesdays.

Algar, a Saxon nobleman, founded a priory in this parish in the year 1146, which afterwards rose to great importance. In the Nomina Villarum, 9 Edward II. the prior of Lapley is repeatedly nominated to manage the concerns of Lapley and Wheaton-Aston. This priory was suppressed in the reign of Henry V. In the Civil wars, this edifice was fortified and garrisoned, Captain Smith being appointed Governor; and in 1643, £8 13s 7d was levied weekly in the surrounding district for the maintenance of the garrison. It was afterwards taken by the Oliverians, and the fortifications demolished by an order dated March 19, 1645 :
" Ordered, that the inhabitants of Lapley, Aston, Marston, Mitton, Stretton, Bradley, Winston, and Bickford, shall forthwith pull down the works and fortifications about Lapley Church, and every constable within the aforesaid places is required to send six men every day till they be finished."

The Church of Lapley, which is a much larger edifice than is necessary for the present population of the parish, is dedicated to All Saints. It is a vicarage in the patronage of the Swinfen family, who purchased it, with a good landed estate, from Sir Theophilus Biddulph, many years ago. The ancient farm-house on the Swinfen estate, is a strong building in a commanding situation, and was doubtless the Governor's residence when the place was fortified.

Bickford is partly in Lapley, and partly in Penkridge parish. The principal land-owners in Lapley, besides the Swinfen family, are Edmund Wigan, Esq. and Mr. Hall.

Wheaton-Aston is a considerable township in Lapley parish, containing 109 houses, 122 families; 273 males, 306 females: total of persons 579. The soil in this township is generally a good mixed gravelly loam, and the land on the banks of a brook which runs through it is well adapted for meadows.

The village of Wheaton-Aston contains several farm-houses and tenements. Nearly one-half of this village was burnt down some years ago, by the thatch which covered the roofs of the houses taking fire. It was soon re-built, and the new houses tiled.

The Chapel, which is a chapel of ease to Lapley, is a brick building, with a house adjoining it at one end. The vicar of Lapley is the minister of Wheaton-Aston.

On a large open space near this chapel, a may-pole is erected, where the country people amuse themselves with rustic gambols on May-day, and at wakes and festivals.