Weston-upon-Trent in 1817

Description from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)

WESTON-UPON-TRENT.

Weston-upon-Trent is a small village situated on the banks of the river Trent, about a mile to the north of Ingestre Hall. The Grand Trunk canal passes through this village, and the turnpike-road between Stafford, Stone, &c. This village is apparently prosperous, and contains two inns, and several smaller tenements. 

The Church is an ancient structure, in the Gothic style of architecture, and was built in 1685, as appears by an inscription on a stone over the southern entrance. This edifice is of stone, with a low strong tower, ornamented with large open Gothic windows, and partly covered on the southern side with a flourishing ivy tree. A spire about twenty feet high rises from the centre of this tower, and is terminated by a vane. Two large yew trees, one of them with the " high top dry with bald antiquity" stand among the tomb-stones in the church-yard, and are picturesque objects. 

Weston church is a curacy : the Rev. Benjamin Johnson is the present minister. 

The principal part of the fertile parish of Weston-on-Trent is the property of Earl Ferrers.

The population of this parish in 1811, was as follows : 52 houses, 52 families; 209 males, 185 females. Total of inhabitants, 394. 

The situation of the village of Weston is particularly pleasant, and affords a delightful view of a variety of interesting objects. The ancient village church with its airy spire ; barges constantly passing along the canal, towed by horses; the turnpike-road, with a handsome stone bridge of one large arch over the Trent ; a cornmill, at work in a field on the right of the road towards Stafford, and about a mile distant on the same side ; the woody elevations of Sandon Park, with an obelisk to the memory of that great statesman Mr. PITT, on an airy summit environed by trees ; on the left near the bridge, Weston-hall, now a farm-house, in rather a neglected state, and the environs of Ingestre Park, covered with clumps and groves. 

At a short distance from Weston, the old salt-works of Shirley-wich are worthy of attention. The works are now occupied by Mr. Moore, and a small branch is cut from the Grand Trunk Canal, for the conveyance of coals to, and salt from, the works. The brine, from which the salt is made, is raised from a saline spring into a large reservoir by a water-wheel, which works a double pump. This wheel is worked by a stream of water which flows from the high ground at Chartley. The quantity of brine daily used is about 600 hogsheads, from which 520 bushels of salt is made, of half a hundred weight to the bushel, or thirteen tons per day. The proportion of salt in the brine is about one-fourth. The whole process of the manufacture is gone through in 24 hours :the water is evaporated, and the salt is formed in squares of about half a hundred weight each. These squares are neatly formed, dried in kilns, and will bear conveyance without packing. The loose salt is packed up in baskets and bags. The pans in which the brine is boiled are made of wrought iron. Eight of these pans are kept boiling. About 20 families of 100 persons are principally employed in this business, and all live at Shirley-wich, which is also the residence of Mr. Moore. The quantity of salt produced every year is about 160,000 bushels of half a hundred weight each; the duty paid to Government is fifteen shillings per bushel, and the salt is sold at sixteen shillings per bushel. Thus only one shilling is allowed for the owner of the estate, and the manufacturer, including the expense of machinery, the rent of the premises, and the interest of capital. The quantity of coal used is about one hundred tons per week, and the quantity of salt made is about 80 tons weekly, or 4,160 tons a year. 

The salt spring is supposed to be inexhaustible, and only varies a few feet with the vicissitudes of the seasons. Some years ago the quality of the brine was weakened, as is conjectured, by the breaking-in of fresh water. A number of men were employed for some weeks to lower the brine in the shaft, and endeavour to discover the cause, but without effect. The brine could not be materially reduced, and it has remained ever since at the present standard. 
From the incident, however, it seems that the works might be ruined by a sudden influx of fresh water into the reservoir, but the spring has existed in great strength for some centuries, and may continue so for ages to come. This saline water in its natural strength is destructive to vegetation, and if accidentally let into the fresh water stream, will destroy the fish as far as the Trent. 

As the duty is remitted on the salt used in bleaching, a similar indulgence might be granted to the agriculturist, and it is very probable that salt properly applied would powerfully promote vegetation. For this purpose foul or impure salt might be used, and the revenue protected from fraud, as there is a regular attendance of revenue officers at the works. Brine and other ingredients might be mixed with dung-hills and composts, and chymistry might improve agriculture. 

An elegant mansion has just been erected by Mr. Moore, near Shirleywich.