HALESOWEN - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"HALESOWEN, a parish, post, and market town, partly in the lower division of the hundred of Halfshire, county Worcester, and partly in the Halesowen division of the hundred of Brimstree, county Salop, 7½ miles S.W. of Birmingham, 4½ E. of Stourbridge, and 5 S. of Dudley. The parish, which is very considerable both in extent and population, is situated in a vale watered by the river Stour, which has its source in the neighbouring hills. The North-Western railway and the Dudley canal pass in the vicinity. The manufacture of steel is extensively carried on at Congreaves, and there are some coal-pits in the parish.

It contains the townships of Cradley, St. Kenelm, Langley, Oldbury, Hill, Hasbury, and eleven other townships The manor was given by John to the Bishop of Winchester, who built a Premonstratensian priory here, the remains of which are still visible. Its revenue at the Dissolution was returned at £337 15s. 6d. The town of Halesowen is said to have been formerly a borough, though it does not appear to have returned members to parliament.

It consists principally of one street, with several cross streets, irregularly built. It is well paved and lighted with gas, and has many good houses and shops. Gun-barrels, anchors, anvils, edge tools, spades, &c., are extensively manufactured. Petty sessions are held at the New Inn every Wednesday. The police station was erected in 1847. The soil is chiefly clay and loam. There are lime and brick kilns, and red sandstone is quarried.

The living is a vicarage* [the asterisk denotes that there is a parsonage and glebe belonging to the living] in the diocese of Worcester, value £680. The church, dedicated to SS. Mary and John the Evangelist, is an ancient structure, with a fine tower crowned with a spire, and containing eight bells. In the interior are tombs of Shenstone the poet, and of Miss Powell, with an epitaph by Shenstone. The church stands within the churchyard at the N.W. side of the town, and was thoroughly restored in 1838.

In addition to the parish church there are five district churches, viz: at Oldbury, St. Kenelm, Romsley, Cradley, The Quinton, and Langley, the livings of which are all perpetual curacies* [the asterisk denotes that there is a parsonage and glebe belonging to the living] varying in value from £156 to £116. The charities produce about £271 per annum. The Independents, Primitive and New Conne ion Methodists, have each a place of worship. There are free grammar, National, infant, and Sunday schools.

The Grange is the principal residence. Lord Lyttelton is lord of the manor. In 1804 an earthen vessel containing many valuable Roman coins, was discovered at Cakemoor, but a few only were preserved. Several celebrated men have been natives of this parish, as Shenstone the poet, whose paternal estate was Leasowes. The grottoes where he studied are still to be seen at Birchill House. Dr. Adam Littleton, author of the Latin Dictionary, and William Caslon, the celebrated type-founder, were also born here. Market day is Saturday, and a fair is held on Easter Monday and Tuesday."
"CAKEMORE, a township in the parish of Halesowen, formerly in the hundred of Brimstree, in the county of Salop, but now in the hundred of Halfshire, in the county of Worcester, not far from Hales Owen."
"HASBURY, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 1 mile S.W. of Halesowen, and 5 miles E. of Stourbridge. The surface is hilly, but productive. The river Stour rises in the immediate vicinity. There are quarries of red sandstone, and kilns for lime-burning and bricks."
"HAWN, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 2 miles from Halesowen, and 7 S.W. of Birmingham. It is situated near the river Stour and the Dudley canal."
"HILL, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 2 miles from Halesowen, and 35 S.E. of Shrewsbury. It is situated near the small river Stour and the Netherton canal. The soil is chiefly a rich loam, producing abundant crops."
"HUNNINGTON, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 3 miles S. of Halesowen, and 6 N. of Bromsgrove. Lord Lyttelton is lord of the manor."
"ILLY, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 7 miles S.W. of Birmingham. It is situated near the river Stour and the Dudley canal."
"LANGLEY, a township and district parish in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 5 miles W. of Birmingham, its post town, and 3 from Dudley. It was made an ecclesiastical district in 1845, and is now a district parish. There are extensive collieries, alkali works, &c. The living is a perpetual curacy* [the asterisk denotes that there is a parsonage and glebe belonging to the living] in the diocese of Worcester, value £150, in the patronage of the crown and bishop alternately. The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. A temporary church was licensed by the Bishop of Worcester for Divine service at Round's Green in 1853. The Independents and New Connexion Methodists have each a chapel. There is a Sunday-school. Patrick Allan Fraser, Esq., is the lord of the manor."
"LAPAL, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 2 miles from Halesowen, and 7 S.W. of Birmingham. It is situated near the river Stour and the Dudley canal. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the hardware trade."
"LEASOWES, a demesne in the parish of Halesowen, county Worcester, 7 miles S.W. of Birmingham. It is situated near the river Stour, and the grounds were laid out by the poet Shenstone, whose seat it was."
"LUTLEY, a hamlet in the parish of Halesowen, lower division of the hundred of Halfshire, county Worcester, 2 miles W. of Hales Owen, and about 6 S.W. of Dudley."
"RIDGACRE, a township in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, 4 miles E. of Stourbridge, and 8 S.W. of Birmingham. The village, which is considerable, is situated in the vale of the river Stour, near the Dudley canal. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the collieries and iron mines."
"ST. KENELM, a chapelry in the parish of Halesowen, hundred of Brimstree, county Worcester, 2 miles S.W. of Halesowen. This place derives its name from Kenelm, King of Mercia, who, in 819, when seven years old, was murdered by his sister, Quendreda, and buried in Clent wood. It includes the townships of Hunnington and Romsley. The living is a donative curacy in the diocese of Worcester, value £125, in the patronage of the Vicar of Halesowen. The church is a small structure, of the time of Henry III., with a pointed tower, and old Saxon door, belonging to the former church. Over the S. entrance is some ancient sculpture, and on the S. wall a sculptured figure of a child crowned, said to represent St. Kenelm, who was canonised after his death.
"WARLEY-SALOP, a township in the parish of Halesowen, county Worcester, formerly in Salop, 8 miles S.W. of Birmingham, near the river Stour and Dudley canal."
"WARLEY-WIGHORN, a hamlet in the parish of Halesowen, county Worcester, 3 miles N.E. of Hales-Owen."

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