Armitage in 1817

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

ARMITAGE.

This village is situated on the southern bank of the Trent, opposite Mavesyn-Ridware. It is about two miles east of Rugeley, and five north-west of Lichfield. The parish is divided into two hamlets, Handsacre and Armitage.

Armitage was formerly called Hermitage, from a tradition that a hermit resided in a sequestered spot between the church and the river Trent. The hamlet and manor of Armitage contains the church, and gives name to the parish, of which it forms about three- fifths. It is said to have been formerly "famous for tobacco-pipes made from clay found at Stile Cop." When hearth money was collected in this county, in 1660, the constablewick of Handsacre and Armitage paid for 68 hearths £6. 16s At the contested election for the county, in 1747, nine freeholders voted from this parish.

The church, which is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is situated on a dry, pleasant, rocky eminence, which commands a delightful prospect of the vale of Trent northward, while to their east are visible the lofty hills of Charnwood Forest, in Leicestershire. This church is a most beautiful and picturesque object, built of stone, very ancient, and somewhat ruinous, in its external and internal appearance. The steeple is fourteen feet square, and forty-three feet high. It contains three bells, with the following inscriptions: 1st. Gloria in exelsis Deo, 1627 2d. Mr. Joseph Lycet, churchwarden, 1627; Mr. William Bryan." 3d. "I to the church the living call, And to the grave do summon all, 1727."

Hawksyard was an ancient manor within Armitage, held under Handsacre. The mansion was the seat of gentlemen for several ages, but it is not known to a certainty who were the successive possessors. It does not appear at what period the family of Rugeley first became lords of Hawksyard. Hawksyard-hall stood about three furlongs west from Armitage church, in a low swampy situation, not far from the Trent. Hawksherd Park is now called Armitage Park, which is adorned with a neat hunting-seat, built in the rustic style, and surrounded by a beautiful and picturesque domain, to which the Grand Trunk Canal is no inconsiderable embellishment. Thomas Lister, Esq. is the present possessor.

Handsacre, another hamlet in the parish of Armitage, is thus mentioned in the Conqueror's survey. "Hadsacre: the arable land is five carucates. Robert holds it." Hubert de Handsacre lived in the reign of Henry I and was lord of Handsacre. It continued in the possession of this family till 1452, when it devolved by marriage to other families. Near the turnpike-road, a little southward of the village of Handsacre, stands some remains of the ancient manor-house, surrounded by a moat. The structure was originally large, raised on a foundation of stone, and what is termed by antiquaries "half timbered," exhibiting many gable ends, with heavy stacks of chimneys. A farm on the opposite side of the road, is said to have been Handsacre-park; and a small cottage by the side of the old road, is reported to have been the Park-lodge.

About two hundred yards north from the hall is Church Croft, nearly two acres; and in the adjoining Mill-croft there is an oblong square, 187 yards long by ten or eleven wide, evidently the site of some building pointing east and west. On this spot some sacred edifice formerly stood, from which the adjacent church croft took its name.

Handsacre Mill stood on Longdon brook, about 200 yards north-west from the hall, and gave name to the present Mill-close, where the foundations of the building, with one of the millstones, and a part of the wheel, still remain.

Verdon' s Manor was a part of Handsacre, which formerly belonged to the ancient family of Verdon, but was granted, in 1318 by Sir Robert de Verdun, to Robert, son of Sir Henry Mauveysyn, Knight, and Margaret his wife.