Burton-upon-Trent in 1859

BURTON-UPON-TRENT (ST. MARY AND ST. MODWEN), a parish, and the head of a union, partly in the N. division of the hundred of OFFLOW and of the county of STAFFORD, and partly in the hundred of REPTON and GRESLEY, S. division of the county of DERBY; comprising the township of Winshill, in Derbyshire, and the townships of Branstone, Burton-Extra, Horninglow, and Stretton; and containing 8136 inhabitants, of whom 4863 are in the market-town of Burton, 24 miles (E.) from Stafford, and 124 (N.W. by N.) from London. This place derived its name from having been a Saxon burgh of some importance, and its adjunct from being situated on the river Trent.

In the ninth century, St. Modwena, who had been expelled from her monastery in Ireland, came hither, and having obtained an asylum from King Ethelwulph, in reward for a miraculous cure that she is said to have performed on his son Alfred, erected a chapel, and dedicated it to St. Andrew: the site, still called St. Modwena's Garden, is the only part visible. In 1004, Wulfric, Earl of Mercia, founded an abbey for monks of the Benedictine order, which, from the vestiges still to be traced, appears to have been one of the most considerable in the kingdom: it was a mitred abbey, richly endowed and invested with extensive privileges, and its revenue, at the Dissolution, was £356.16.3. The remains consist principally of some fine Norman arches that formed part of the cloisters, which included an area 100 feet square, and of part of the entrance gateway, now converted into a shop. In 1225, a large portion of the town was destroyed by an accidental fire.

In the reign of Edward II., Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, posted himself at Burton, and endeavoured to defend the passage of the river against the king; but being unsuccessful in his attempt, he fled with his forces into Scotland. During the parliamentary war, the town and neighbourhood were frequently the scene of action between the contending parties. Burton is pleasantly situated in a fertile vale, on the western bank of the Trent, which is navigable from Gainsborough for vessels of considerable burthen, and over which is a noble bridge of freestone, 512 yards in length, consisting of 37 arches, built prior to the Conquest, and substantially repaired in the reign of Henry II. The town, consisting principally of one street, parallel with the river, is well paved, lighted with gas, and plentifully supplied with water; the houses are in general modern and well built. There is a subscription library and news-room; and assemblies and concerts take place occasionally in the town-hall.

The principal branch of trade is that of brewing ale, for which the town has been highly celebrated for more than a century, large quantities being sent to London and other places; and there are cotton-mills, with power-looms, employed in the weaving process. An ancient watermill, in the vicinity of the town, noticed in the Norman survey, is partly appropriated to the grinding of corn, and partly used as a manufactory for safes: a few articles in iron are also made, particularly screws. A company was formerly established for regulating the navigation of the river; but a canal has been constructed, which joins the Grand Trunk canal, and affords a more direct medium for the transport of goods. Here is a principal station of the Birmingham and Derby Junction railway, which passes on the west side of the town. The market is on Thursday; and fairs are held on February 5th, April 5th, Holy-Thursday, July 16th, and October 29th, for cattle and cheese; the last continues six days, and is a great horse fair.

The government is vested in a high steward, deputy-steward, and bailiff, appointed by the Marquess of Anglesey, lord of the manor, who holds a court leet and view of frankpledge in October, at which the police are appointed. The bailiff is a justice of the peace, having concurrent jurisdiction with the county magistrates, and acts also as coroner; and the corporation formerly had power to try and execute criminals, and to hold courts of pleas to any amount. The Genter's court is held every third Friday, before the steward, or his deputy, for the recovery of debts not exceeding 40s. The inhabitants, by virtue of letters-patent granted in the 11th of Henry VIII., are exempt from serving the office of sheriff, and from being summoned as jurors at the assizes and sessions for the county. The town-hall is a handsome building, erected at the expense of the Marquess of Anglesey, and containing, in addition to the offices for transacting the public business, a handsome suite of assembly-rooms. 

The LIVING is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Marquess of Anglesey, the impropriator; net income, £192. The ancient church formerly belonged to the abbey, and was made collegiate by Henry VIII.: having been greatly damaged in the parliamentary war, it was taken down, and the present edifice, a handsome structure with a tower, though less embellished than the former, was erected on its site, in 1720. A district church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was erected in 1823, on land given by the Marquess: it is a very handsome structure, in the decorated English style, and highly ornamental to the town. It was built and endowed by the executors of Isaac Hawkins, Esq.; and the living, which is a perpetual curacy, with a net income of £261, is in the gift of the Marquess. A church has also been erected at Newhall, in the parish, by the Rev. J. Clay and J. Clay, Esq.; and a chapel was built at Stretton, in 1839, by subscription. A lectureship, of the value of £31 per annum, is in the patronage of the bailiff and principal inhabitants. There are places of worship for General and Particular Baptists, Independents, and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists. 

The free grammar school was founded in 1520, by William Beane, abbot, and endowed with land producing at present £450 per annum; Richard Allsop, in 1728, bequeathed property, with which land was purchased, now worth £24 per annum, to found a school for the instruction of boys; and a national school, established in 1826, is supported by subscription. Almshouses were founded and endowed, in 1634, by Mrs. Ellen Parker, for six widows or maidens; and others were founded, in 1591, for five unmarried women, and endowed by Dame Elizabeth Pawlett, the present income of which is about £80. There are various other charities, the principal of which, by Mrs Almund, yields about £72 per annum. The poor law union comprises 53 parishes and places, 13 of which are in the county of Stafford, and 40 in that of Derby, and contains a population of 28,878: the workhouse stands at the north-western extremity of the town, in the township of Horninglow, and was built, in 1839, at a cost of £8000. Near Branson is a chalybeate spring. Isaac Hawkins Browne, a poet of minor celebrity, was born here about 1705. 

 

An 1859 Gazetteer description of the following places in Burton upon Trent is to be found on a supplementary page.

• Branstone
• Burton Extra
• Horninglow
• Stretton

 

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