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Shareshill

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"Shareshill is a small but neat village, pleasantly situated on an eminence, six miles N by E of Wolverhampton, comprising within its parish 594 inhabitants and about 4200 acres of land, divided into the two townships of Shareshill and Great & Little Saredon. The parish includes part of Cannock Chase, and has only about 3000 enclosed acres, of hilly but fertile land. Lord Hatherton is lord of both manors, but the greater part of the soil belongs to a number of other proprietors, the largest of whom are the Rev. JL Petit, General Vernon, and Alexander Hordern, Esq.
Shareshill is supposed to be a place of great antiquity, from the vestiges of two encampments on the north and south side of the village, which, being of square form, are conjectured to be of Roman construction. In the 1st of Henry IV, Sir William de Shareshill, resided here, and was sheriff of the county.
Great & Little Saredon are two hamlets, forming one township, the former seven and a quarter and the latter six and a half miles N by E of Wolverhampton, near the Cannock branch of the River Penk, which, as well as a smaller stream which divides Saredon from Shareshill, abounds in trout and other fish. The latter stream flows from Essington Wood, and has upon its banks the large corn mills of Saredon and Deepmoor. "
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]

 

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Census

The population of Shareshill parish was as follows:
1831 -- 520
1841 -- 594

A surname index of the 1851 census of Shareshill parish is included in the Staffordshire 1851 Census Surname index, Volume 12, Penkridge, published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.

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Churches

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Church History

"The Church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was rebuilt of brick many years ago, except the tower, which is very ancient. It was repaired and beautified in 1842.
Lord Hatherton is patron of the perpetual curacy, in the incumbency of the Rev. GB Clare, BA.
In Saredon is a small Independent Chapel, built in 1840."

[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851)

The church of St Mary was formerly known as St Luke.

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Church Records

Church of England Registers
The register of St Mary (formerly St Luke) commences in 1565. The original registers for the period 1565-1982 (Bapts), 1565-1982 (Mar) & 1565-1951 (Bur), and Banns for the periods 1754-1820 & 1823-1964 are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
Bishops Transcripts, 1687-1868 (with many gaps) are deposited at Lichfield Record Office.

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Description & Travel

A transcription of the section on Shareshill from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)

You can see pictures of Shareshill which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for Shareshill from the Topographical Dictionary of England (1859)

The transcription of the section for Shareshill from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

The transcription of the section for Shareshill from the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72)

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ945065 (Lat/Lon: 52.656197, -2.082743), Shareshill which are provided by:

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Military Records

A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Shareshill

A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Great Saredon & Little Saredon

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

The parish of Shareshill became part of Penkridge Union following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834.

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Taxation

A transcription of the Hearth Tax Returns 1666 for Shareshill

A transcription of the Hearth Tax Returns 1666 for Sardon Magna (Great Sardon)

A transcription of the Hearth Tax Returns 1666 for Sardon Parva (Little Sardon)