Longdon in 1817

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

LONGDON.

Longdon. This large village is situated on the turnpike-road between Lichfield and Stafford; four miles from the former, and twelve from the latter, in the deanery of Tamworth. It is remarkable for its great length, and consists of a number of scattered houses. This gave rise to the couplet: "The stoutest beggar that goes by the way, Cannot beg through Long' on a summer's day This village was formerly remarkable for the number of gentlemen's seats in its vicinity, no less than seven families of rank and opulence having formerly made this place their residence.

The manor of Longdon is of great extent. It belonged to the church in the time of the Saxons, and in the 20th of William the Conqueror, AD 1086, to the Bishop of Chester. In the time of Henry II. Longdon was part of the forest of Cannock, and given by that king to the church of St. Chadde, and Walter Bishop, and his successors. It is recorded in the curious hundred-roll in the time of Henry III "that the Bishop of Chester held this manor with its members, and the town of Lyth (Lichfield), in barony, of the King, and had there a free Court, and held plea of all things usual, together with that of forbidden distress; and had waif and view of frank pledge, without the cognizance of the sheriff. And the Bishop and his bailiff were wont to attend at the two great hundred courts, and there to demand his own free court, till the coming of the Bishop Alexander (about 1224), who withdrew himself from thence."

In 1292, the ancient family of Tromyn, of Cannock, held Beaudesert under the Bishop. On the 29th of September, 1546, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry surrendered to Henry VIII his manors of Longdon and Heywood, with their appurtenances, and accepted in their stead £183 a-year. The king, by his letters patent, bearing date the 26th of October the same year, granted the same to Sir William Paget, Knight. According to a curious rental of Sir William Paget's estate, made in 1549, this manor of Longdon produced a clear rent of £78.18s.8d.; Longdon itself being about £40 which then consisted of the manor of Beaudesert, with appurtenances, valued at £13. 10s. particularly a mine of coal then valued at £4 per annum, and a smith-mill situated in the ancient park, and 48 messuages, with the appurtenances, and a mill called Longdon-mill.

Beaudesert, formerly the palace of the Bishops of Chester, and now the mansion of the Marquis of Anglesea, is situated on the side of a lofty eminence, in an advanced part of the forest of Cannock, about a mile south-west from Longdon church. The mansion is a magnificent edifice of stone, built in the form of a half H; it is sheltered in the rear by rising grounds, adorned with a variety of trees, and enveloped in groves of the most perfect and luxuriant growth. The greatest part of it was re-built by Thomas Lord Paget, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and various additions have been since made by his successors. The principal entrance is under a light gothic portico, which leads into a large and handsome hall, eighty feet by twenty-one, with a lofty arched ceiling, a large music gallery at the east end, and a beautiful gothic window at the west end, and adorned with the arms of the first Sir William Paget, and Preston, whose daughter he married. On a pillar in a corner of the hall, is fixed a piece of copper ore of a conical shape, from the Anglesea mine, upwards of 1200lb. weight.

The dining-room, large drawing-room, and lesser drawing-room, are spacious, and proportionate to the hall. In the lesser drawing- room is a portrait of the first Lord Paget, by Holbein, and a painting of the House. The library contains a valuable collection of books and MSS. and among others, the register of Burton Abbey. Among the modern improvements belonging to this mansion, the stables and coach-houses are most worthy of observation. They are built of beautiful white stone, in the form of a crescent, and situated at a convenient distance from the mansion, in a romantic valley. Beyond these buildings, the extensive gardens display all the beauties of horticulture; both the soil and situation are well adapted to the production of the most valuable herbs, roots, fruits, and flowers, and the walks and pleasure-grounds around the house present that charming variety of scenes to the rambler's eye, which are so grateful to the imagination. The park, where herds of deer ramble at will, contains an extensive succession of hills and valleys, abounding with excellent springs, and reminds the observer of the magnificent and picturesque scenery of Needwood Forest.

Upon the very summit of Castle-hill, in the rear of the mansion and on the verge of Cannock-chace, are traces of an ancient camp. It is encompassed with a rampart and two ditches, which are nearly circular, except on the south-east side, where it is straight. The extent is 270 paces in diameter; the two entrances are opposite to each other, and before that on the east are several advanced works. From its elevated situation, and the advantage of commanding an extensive view, it was well calculated for the purposes of observation and temporary defence. From Castle-hill, in clear weather, may be seen the counties of Stafford, Derby, Leicester, Warwick, Worcester, Salop, Chester, Montgomery, and Flint. The boundary line which separates the hundreds of Offlow and Cuddlestone, runs across part of this hill, and divides Beaudesert-park into two equal parts.

The parish of Longdon abounds with coal, particularly that valuable and elegant species termed cannel, which admits of a fine polish, and is worked into a variety of useful and ornamental articles, particularly inkstands, candlesticks, etc. It also is excellent fuel, and when placed edgewise on the fire, it so easily admits combustion that it presently flames as bright as a candle. The veins of coal are 20, 30, and even 40 fathom deep; the upper stratum is generally cannel, and the lower inferior coal raised for common use.

The family of Paget is ancient. Lewis Paget, Esq. was one of the gentlemen of Staffordshire who, in 1486, signed a certificate relating to the office of Master of the game at Cankewood; but the first who attained to the dignity of the Peerage was William Paget, a man of eminent abilities. He was born in London, was educated in St. Paul's school, and received his academical education in Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He afterwards went to study in the University of Paris; and in consequence of his learning and accomplishments, he was afterwards employed by Henry VIII in important public missions. That Sovereign bequeathed him a legacy of £300 instituted him one of his executors, and appointed him one of the Council to his successor, Edward VI. In 1549, he was called by writ to the House of Peers, by the title of Lord Paget, of Beaudesert, in Staffordshire, and took his place in Parliament on the 3d of December, being then Comptroller of the Household, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. But so uncertain is human greatness, that this meritorious Nobleman was committed to the Fleet in 1551, and soon afterwards removed to the Tower by the influence of the Duke of Northumberland. The Duke of Somerset, the friend of Lord Paget, was also committed to the Tower, and soon afterwards tried, condemned, and beheaded, being charged with a design to murder the Duke of Northumberland, and some other Noblemen at Paget-house. It was expected that Lord Paget would be implicated in this charge, but the Duke of Northumberland contented himself with depriving him of his public employments. On the 22d of April, 1652, he was divested of the ensigns of the Garter, on pretence of defect in blood. On the 16th of June following, he was fined £6000 in the Star-chamber, but in February ensuing he had a discharge for the payment of £2000 and in March, 1553, he obtained a grant from the King to him and his posterity for ever of the arms borne by the family.

On the accession of Queen Mary, he was sworn of the Privy Council. She also restored to him the Order of the Garter, and bestowed on him divers grants. When Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1558, Lord Paget, at his own request, was permitted to quit the public service, for "he was a strict zealot of the Romish Church.'' He died on the 9th of June, 1563, aged 57, and was buried at Drayton, in Middlesex. A stately monument to his memory was erected above the choir in the cathedral of Lichfield, which, together with that beautiful church, was destroyed during the Civil war. In 1688, William Lord Paget was Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the county of Stafford, and appointed Envoy Extraordinary to the Emperor of Germany. His Lordship died at an advanced age in London, on the 26th of February, 1713, and was succeeded by his son Henry, who, on the 19th October, 1714, was created Earl of Uxbridge by Queen Anne. His only son and heir, Thomas Catesby (Lord Paget), was elected to two Parliaments in the time of George the First, and is classed among the few noble authors who have distinguished themselves by their productions in the English language. In 1734, he published a poem, in quarto, entitled an Essay on Human Life, which was more remarkable for good sense than poetic beauty. He also published a political pamphlet in 1740, and several poems and essays, in one volume octavo, of which only a few copies were printed, to be given away to his friends. Perhaps it would be much to the advantage of modern literature, if the Noble authors of the present day were equally modest and circumspect. His Lordship died at Drayton, near Uxbridge, in January, 1742. Henry, the second Earl of Uxbridge, was born in 1719, and dying unmarried in 1769, the barony of Burton and earldom of Uxbridge became extinct, but the Barony of Paget descended to Henry Bayley, in right of his mother. Henry Bayley Paget, the late Earl of Uxbridge, was born June 18, 1744; married April 11, 1767, to Jane, daughter of Arthur Champagne, dean of Clonmacnoise, in Ireland, and succeeded to the barony of Paget on the 17th of November, 1769. The issue of his Lordship's marriage has been seven sons and five daughters, of whom the eldest son, Henry William, was born May 17, 1768.

The late Earl was exalted to the earldom of Uxbridge May 19th, 1784; and his conduct as a public character was eminently conspicuous and patriotic. He was Colonel of the Staffordshire Militia, and devoted much of his attention to the discipline of that fine regiment, while his example incited his sons to distinguish themselves by deeds of heroism in the service of their King and country. At the commencement of the war with the French Republic in 1793, his Lordship's eldest son, Lord Paget, raised a regiment of infantry, and was distinguished for his bravery as its leader in several engagements on the Continent. His second son, the Hon. William Paget, served in the navy, and rose by his merit to the rank of Captain of his Majesty's ship Romney. In an engagement between that ship and the French frigate La Sibylle, fought on the 18th of June, 1794, and which lasted an hour and ten minutes, this gallant young officer evinced the most undaunted courage. He not only compelled the French to strike their colours, but captured the frigate and three merchantmen. The untimely death of this naval hero was soon afterwards a subject of public regret.

On the decease of the late Earl of Uxbridge, 13th March, 1812, his eldest son, Henry William, succeeded to his titles and estates. But notwithstanding the extensive domains and ample revenue which invited him to ease and security, this heroic Nobleman, the enthusiastic votary of glory, continued in his career of military honour and success, and by a series of important services, achieved amid perils and privations, he realized that renown which shall illumine a page in his country's history to the latest records of time: "Patriots have toil'd and in their country's cause Bled nobly, and their deeds as they deserve Receive proud recompence, we give in charge Their names to the sweet lyre, th' historic muse Proud of the treasure marches with it down To distant time; whilst Sculpture in her turn Gives bond in stone, and ever-during brass To guard it and t'immortalise her trust."

Among a variety of brilliant achievements by which the military life of this great warrior has been distinguished, it would be difficult to point out the most memorable. When in the disastrous retreat of the unfortunate Sir John Moore, his Lordship charged a superior number of the French pursuing cavalry, dispersed their squadrons, and captured their commander, General Lefebvre, he demonstrated the superior prowess of British cavalry, led by a skilful and intrepid officer; but when at the sanguinary and decisive battle of Waterloo, he engaged in the gallant enterprize of assailing Buonaparte himself, surrounded by his bravest troops, he signalized his heroism, and though he fell mutilated on the field of honour, he established his claim to public esteem on the imperishable basis of superior merit. A grateful country has, by the voice of its Senate, testified its high sense of his worth, while his Prince, by additional honours, enrolled him among the ornaments of the State. He was created Marquis of Anglesea on the 23d of June, 1815. His titles are, Henry William Paget, Marquis of Anglesea, Earl of Uxbridge, Lord Paget, Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Anglesea, Keeper of Carnarvon Castle, Ranger of Snowdon Forest, Vice-Admiral of North Wales, Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthen. His principal seats are Beaudesert, and Sinai Park, in this county; Drayton, in Middlesex; Stabridge, in Dorsetshire; and Place Newyth, in the Isle of Anglesea, where he is possessed of an immense property in his valuable copper mines.

On Monday, November the 6th, 1815, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, accompanied by the Duke of Clarence, arrived at Beaudesert, on a visit to the Marquis of Anglesea, and next day the Royal Brothers were joined by the Austrian Archdukes John and Lewis, who were then making the tour of this country. An intimation of His Royal Highness's intention to visit the Marquis of Anglesea having been received at Beaudesert, the Earl of Uxbridge, Lord Yarmouth, Lord Graves, Sir Arthur Paget, and Gen. Sir E. Paget, with nearly two hundred of the Noble Marquis's tenantry on horseback, proceeded to Lichfield to make the necessary arrangements for the reception of the Royal Visitors.

The Staffordshire regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry, under the command of the Hon. Edward Monckton, formed at the entrance of the city, and awaited the arrival of His Royal Highness. It having been 125 years since the neighbourhood of Lichfield was honoured with the presence of a reigning Prince of England, the most lively interest was excited in all classes of people, who seemed anxious to afford another proof of that loyalty and attachment to the reigning family, which has ever distinguished the ancient and respectable city of Lichfield. His Royal Highness reached Lichfield about six o'clock, changed horses at the George Inn, and proceeding rapidly through the city, was met at Longdon by the Marquis's tenantry, headed by his keepers, (a particular form of the ancient system, and probably indicative of his Lordship's right of free-warren over Cannock-chace), and conducted to the Hall, amidst the acclamations of assembled thousands. A detachment of the Yeomanry Cavalry escorted His Royal Highness from Lichfield to Beaudesert. Addresses to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, from the City of Lichfield, and the Town of Burton-upon-Trent, having been previously prepared, the Deputations were introduced by the Noble Marquis into a spacious dining-room, where they were most graciously received by His Royal Highness, who stood up in the centre, with General Bloomfield on his right, in waiting. On the right, were the Duke of Clarence, with the Marchioness of Anglesea, and the whole of the female part of the Marquis's family: in the background was the Marquis of Anglesea, having on his left the Earl of Uxbridge, Lords Yarmouth and Graves, etc the whole standing.

The Addresses having been read, His Royal Highness was pleased to return most gracious answers, and the Deputations withdrew to partake of an elegant repast prepared by the Marquis. During their stay, the Royal Visitors joined in the sports of the field, or the joys of the banquet, with all the amenity of private life; and on departing, expressed themselves highly gratified with their reception at Beaudesert. Thus terminated a scene of princely hospitality, which reflected equal honour upon the Illustrious Guest and the Noble Donor : a Prince who, by his wise councils, had raised himself and his country to the highest pinnacle of earthly glory: a Warrior, who had fought and conquered on the deathless plains of Waterloo, and whose gallant services mainly contributed to the success of that ever-memorable struggle for the independence of nations.

Chestall, situated to the east of Beaudesert, was formerly the residence of the Rugeleys. At present the only mansion on the spot is a farm-house, which is the property of the Marquis of Anglesea.

Stonywell is situated about a mile south-east of Longdon Church. This mansion was formerly the residence of an ancient family, one of the descendants of which was memorable for his learning and piety. "John Stanywell or Stonywell," says Wood, "was born in the parish of Longdon, in Staffordshire, within which parish is a small hamlet, called Stonywell, from a well wherein is at the bottom a large stone, which seems to be no more than a little rock, whence springs the water that supplies that well. This person being much addicted to learning and religion when a youth, was taken into a monastery, and was bred a Benedictine monk. Thence he was sent to Gloucester College, in Oxon, where the monks of Pershore had an apartment for their novices to be trained up in academical learning; of which college he was, when in his elder years, Prior for a time, and was then noted among those of his profession for his learning and strict course of life. Afterwards, being Doctor of Divinity, he became Lord Abbot of the said Pershore, and at length a Bishop, (suffragan only as it seems), under the title Episcopus poletensis.

He paid his last debt to nature, after he had arrived to a great age, in the beginning of 1553, and was buried according to his will, in a new chapel built by him within the parish church of St. James, in Longdon, for the use of which chapel and parish he bequeathed all his books, his two chalices, his crewetts, holy water stock, vestments, albes, altar clothes, with other things belonging to his private chapel in Longdon."

The Stonywells continued to reside here for several ages: the ancient mansion is now destroyed, and a modern brick farm-house built for the use of the tenant.

Liswis-Hall was originally the property of an ancient family of the name of Liswis. the first record of whom is an old deed, without date. In the time of Henry III. Roger de Lisewis held a sixth part of a Knight's fee in Longdon, of the barony of the Bishop of Chester. "In 1356, William de Lysweys de Longdon, granted to his son Richard, and Margaret his wife, in frank marriage at the church door, all his lands, tenements, rents, and services, etc, in London, and all his demesne there, with suit of court, amercements, wards, marriages, reliefs, etc. belonging to that manor, and all the liberty in the forest of Cannock, granted to his ancestors. rendering to the said William, during his life, one mark of silver'' Richard Leswys left a daughter and heiress, Margaret, who carried this estate in marriage to John Legydd, with whose daughter it devolved to James Arblaster. In this family the estate continued till 1769, when Edward Arblaster, of Over Stonall, sold it to Francis Cobb, Esq. of Lichfield. Liswis-hall is a neat mansion, of brick, faced with stone, at a convenient distance from the turnpike-road, with a lawn and meadow in front, through which a serpentine river glides within its banks.

Hanch-Hall is situated on the turnpike-road leading from Lichfield to Abbot's Bromley, and about a mile east of Longdon-green. This ancient mansion was built in the reign of Edward I by one of the Astons, of Haywood, and was the residence of his successors for several generations. It afterwards came into the possession of a family of the name of Orme, the first of whom, William Orme, of Hanch-hall, married Grace, daughter of Nicholas Hurt, of Casterne, in this county. On his demise, in 1623, his son William succeeded to the estate, and suffered greatly for his loyalty to Charles I. during the Civil war.

"William Orme, of Longdon, gent. to settle the tithes of Upper Mayfield, of the value of £36 per annum for ever, upon such place as the Parliament shall appoint, for which he is allowed £360 so his fine of £1,395 is reduced to £1035. Yet afterwards, upon review, was increased £500 more, besides decimation ; the reason whereof was, that he did in effect garrison and furnish with provisions the close of Lichfield, (at the request of the church) upon the first besieging thereof; by which, and this being plundered before the relating, and oft marching with the King at his own charge, a personal estate of £2000 was consumed, he having no profits of his real estate of £500 per annum for four years, though betwixt 1637 and 1654, he had by one wife fourteen children. And farther, in revenge of his steady loyalty, was barbarously taken out of his bed, when sick of a palsie, and imprisoned at Stafford, so long as to bring him to distraction."

The Parkhursts afterwards possessed Hanch-hall, and Dormer Parkhurst, Esq. voted at the contested election for the county, in 1747. It was afterwards repaired and inhabited for a short time by Thomas Fowler, Esq. of Pendford.

Longdon Church is a large ancient gothic edifice of stone, with a handsome tower. On the south side is Bishop Stoniwell's chapel. It contains some mural monuments, particularly one with a long inscription, recording the loyalty and military services of the above- mentioned William Orme.

Dr. Plot mentions three remarkable instances of longevity in this parish, William May, aged 108, and his wife Joyce 98, who were buried on the same day; and good wife Nip, who lived to the age of 109.