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Cannock History

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

CANNOCK
Description and History from 1868 Gazetteer

 

CANNOCK, a parish in the eastern division of the hundred of Cuttlestone, in the county of Stafford, 4 miles to the S.E. of Penkridge. Stafford is its post town. It is a station on the Rugeley and Walsall branch of the South Staffordshire railway.

The parish, which is of great extent, embracing an area of about 10,775 acres, has recently been divided for ecclesiastical purposes into two districts, Cannock and Great Wyrley. It comprises the townships of Cannock Wood, Hednesford with Leacroft, Huntington, and the ancient chapelry of Great Wyrley. Cannock Chase, formerly a vast forest, covering about 25,000 acres of ground, in which the Mercian, and afterwards the Norman kings had a castle, is now a heath, with little wood except on the northern edge. From the higher grounds, especially Castle Hill, there are extensive and beautiful prospects. Castle Hill is the site of an old camp, and near it was Radnor Abbey, founded by Queen Maud in 1140, but soon after removed to Stoneleigh. Coal and Cannock stone (a species of ironstone) are obtained here.

Some of the inhabitants are employed in the manufacture of edged tools. Public rooms have lately been erected, comprising a spacious lecture or concert-hall, a smaller room underneath used for magistrates' meetings, a reading-room, and a branch of the Manchester and Liverpool District bank.

The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Lichfield, value £180, in the patronage of the dean and chapter. The church is dedicated to St. Luke, or, according to others, to St. Michael. The living of Great Wyrley is a perpetual curacy, value £130, in the patronage of the Incumbent of Cannock.

The Independents and Wesleyans have chapels in the town. There are a flourishing middleclass grammar school, with from 30 to 40 boarders, and a National school at Cannock, and another National school recently built at Hednesford. The curacy of Cannock was held by the noted Dr. Sacheverell.

Within Cannock Chase is Beaudesert Park, the ancient seat of the Marquis of Anglesea. The mansion, partly rebuilt in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, stands on a hill side, sheltered by hills and woods, and commands a view over nine counties. The marquis takes the title of baron from this place. Annual fairs are held in the town on the 8th May, the 24th August, and the 6th October, chiefly for the sale of cattle.

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