Cannock in 1859

CANNOCK (ST. LUKE), a parish, in the union of PENKRIDGE, E. division of the hundred of CUTTLESTONE, S. division of the county of STAFFORD, 8 miles (N. by W.) from Walsall; containing 2852 inhabitants, of whom 1125 are in the township of Cannock. This place, in ancient times, was a forest or chace belonging to the Mercian kings, and is supposed to have derived its name from Canute, the first Danish king of England, the extensive heath, on the western verge of which it stands, having been the favourite chace of that monarch. 

The parish, situated on the road between Walsall and Stafford, comprises by computation 20,000 acres, about half of which is still uninclosed on Cannock Chace, a heath about 12 miles long, and from 3 to 5 wide. There are collieries at Wyrley, Church-Bridge and other places within a short distance of the village, in some of which is found a peculiar description of ironstone, called Cannock stone, which oxygenates so rapidly, as to be capable of much useful application; and a fine white gravel is found, excellently adapted to ornamental walks. The Grand Junction railway passes through Penkridge, about four miles from the village of Cannock, and a canal was lately cut, at a great expense, by Mr. W. Gilpin, from Church-Bridge, to meet the Trent and Mersey canal at Galey, three miles distant. 

The village is supplied with water by means of a conduit and leaden pipes from Leacroft, about a mile distant, constructed by Bishop Hough. There are manufactories for edge-tools at Church-Bridge and Wedges-Mill, which afford employment to about 200 persons; the coal used is supplied from the immediate neighbourhood. There is a market on Tuesdays; and fairs are held on May 8th, Aug. 24th, and Oct. 18th, principally for cattle and sheep.

The LIVING is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield, the appropriators, and has a net income of £144 : the tithes have been commuted for £1217. 6.; a good glebe-house has been recently built, to which are attached a few acres of land. The church is a very ancient edifice of stone, in the early English style. The parish is remarkable as having been the first curacy held by the famous Dr. Sacheverell. There is a place of worship for Independents.

A school, founded by John Wood, was, in 1727, enfeoffed with land by Thos. Wood, the income of which is £8 per annum; and John Biddulph, Esq., gave a meadow for the use of the master. In 1725, Mrs. M. Chapman bequeathed a small sum for education; the endowment altogether produces about £20 per annum, with a house and two acres of land. A national school has been endowed by Mrs. Walhouse, mother of Lord Hatherton.

Castle Ring, situated on the summit of Castle Hill, near Beaudesert Park, the seat of the Marquess of Anglesey, part of which is in the township of Cannock, is supposed to have been a British encampment, and is nearly a circular area of eight or ten acres, surrounded by a double trench occupying three or four acres more; and near it are the remains of a moat, inclosing an oblong square of about three acres, named the Old Nunnery, where a Cistercian abbey was founded in the reign of Stephen, which was shortly after removed to Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire. A similar inclosure at a small distance is called the Moat Bank. 

 

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

• Cannock Wood
• Cheslyn Hay
• Great Wyrley
• Hednesford
• Leacroft
• Little Wyrley

 

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