POLESWORTH - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"POLESWORTH, a parish and market town in the Tamworth division of Hemlingford hundred, county Warwick, 4½ miles S.E. of Tamworth, its post town, and 4 N.W. of Atherstone. It is a station on the North-Western railway. The parish, which is extensive, is situated on the Coventry canal and on the river Anker. It comprises the chapelry of Warton, and hamlets of Dordon, Freasley, Hall End, and Quarry Hill, also the manors of Pooley and Bramcote.

Polesworth formerly had a Benedictine nunnery, of which ruins still exist; it was founded by King Egbert, whose daughter Editha was abbess, to whom on her canonisation it was dedicated. At the Conquest the nuns were dispossessed, and retired to their cell at Oldbury; but in the time of Stephen they returned to this place, and from Henry III. received the grant of a weekly market and an annual fair. At the Dissolution its revenue amounted to £109 6s. 6d. There are several extensive collieries, stone quarries, and clay pits, which employ a large number of the inhabitants. The market, which had fallen into disuse, has recently been renewed.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Worcester, value £502, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to St. Editha, is an ancient structure, with a square embattled tower containing five bells. There is also a district church at Warton, erected in 1541, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, value £122. The parochial charities produce about £874 per annum, chiefly arising from the bequest of Sir F. Nethersole, of which £454 goes to the vicar, and £401 to the free schools. There are also National and infant schools. The Independents and Baptists have each a place of worship. Pooley Hall and Bramcote Hall are the principal residences. Sir George Chetwynd, Bart., is lord of the manor, and chief landowner."

"DORDON, a hamlet in the hundred of Polesworth, in the county of Warwick, 3 miles N.W. of Atherstone. It is situated near the Coventry canal."

"FREAZLEY, a hamlet in the parish of Polesworth, county Warwick, 3 miles S.E. of Tamworth. Hall End is included in this township"

"HALL-END, a hamlet in the parish of Polesworth, county Warwick, 3 miles N.W. of Atherstone. It is situated on Watling Street, and is joined to Freazley."

"POOLEY, a hamlet in the parish of Polesworth, county Warwick, 4 miles N.W. of Atherstone. It is situated on the Coventry canal. The Manor House, built in the reign of Henry VIII., formerly belonged to the Marmions of Tamworth and to the Cokayns."

"WARTON, a hamlet in the parish of Polesworth, county Warwick, 4 miles N.W. of Atherstone. It is a meet for the Atherstone hounds. The living is a curacy in the diocese of Worcester, value £80, in the patronage of the vicar."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]