Barton-under-Needwood in 1859

BARTON-UNDER-NEEDWOOD, a parochial chapelry, in the parish of TATENHILL, union of BURTON-UPON-TRENT, N. division of the hundred of OFFLOW and of the county of STAFFORD, 6 miles (S. W. by W.) from Burton; containing 1459 inhabitants. This place is the head of one of the five wards into which the ancient royal forest of Needwood has been divided, and comprises 3798a. 24p. of land, through which the Grand Trunk canal passes. Courts leet and baron are held in October; and fairs on May 3rd and Nov. 28th. 

The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £135; patron and appropriator, Dean of Lichfield. The chapel, dedicated to St. James, is a handsome building in the later English style, erected in the reign of Henry VIII. by Dr. John Taylor, a native of the place. Thomas Russell, in 1593, gave a rent-charge of £50.10. for the establishment of a free grammar school, in which about sixty-five boys are instructed on Dr. Bell's plan; and a school for girls is partly supported by an endowment of £20 per annum.

[Description(s) from The Topographical Dictionary of England (1859) by Samuel Lewis - Transcribed by Mike Harbach ©2020]