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Kingswinford History

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

KINGSWINFORD
Description and History from 1868 Gazetteer

KINGSWINFORD, a parish and small town in the N. division of the hundred of Seisdon, county Stafford, 3 miles W. of Dudley, its post town, 3 N. of Stourbridge, and 13 N.W. of Birmingham. The parish, which is considerable, is situated on the Stafford and Worcester canal, and contains the hamlets of Bromley, Pensnett, Street End, Worsley, Wall Heath, and Holly Hall.

It formerly belonged to the Saxon kings. Quarrybank, Brockmoor, and Pensett are now separate parishes taken out of this parish under Sir Robert Peel's Act. Here are extensive coal and iron mines, potteries, glass and wire works, brick and tile kilns, malting, nailmaking, &c., which give considerable employment to the inhabitants. It contains Stourbridge union poorhouse and a savings-bank.

The living is a rectory in the diocese of Lichfield, value £950. In addition to the parish church there are six district churches-viz: St. Mary's, Brierley Hill, Hart's Hill, Brockmoor, Pensnett, and Quarry Bank. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, at the death of the rector, in 1831, became locally the parish church of Kingswinford by Act of Parliament, and the old church was made a chapel-of-ease, adjoining the new parsonage, at Wordsley. The parochial charities produce about £21 per annum.

Here are National and infant schools. The Independents, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists have each a place of worship. Prestwood House is the principal residence. The Earl of Dudley is lord of the manor. At Kingswinford and Clent the inhabitants are exempt from serving on juries.

Holbeche House, the ancient seat of the Littleton family, was the retreat of Catesby and other conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot. At Ashwood Heath, which is traversed by the Roman road, are remains of a camp.

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