Longville, Lushcott, and part of East Wall

LONGVILLE, LUSHCOTT, AND PART OF EAST WALL

The townships of Longville in the Dale and Lushcott, with part of East Wall (otherwise in Rushbury parish), formed a detached part (1,496 a., 605 ha.) of Eaton-under-Heywood parish (fn. 1) that was transferred to Rushbury civil parish in 1883. (fn. 2)

Longville stands on the watershed between Ape Dale, which drains south-west to the Onny, the whole of which seems to have been called Longfieldsdale in 1272, (fn. 3) and the dale that drains north-east by Plaish brook (fn. 4) to the Severn: neither the name Longville, meaning long open land, (fn. 5) nor the description 'in the Dale' is therefore wholly apt. The hamlet of Lushcott (Lussa's cot) (fn. 6) stands near the head of the northeast dale, East Wall near the head of Ape Dale. The upper parts of the two dales are bounded on the south-east by Wenlock Edge and in the opposite direction by the high land of Plaish (in Cardington) and Gretton (in Cardington and Rushbury).

Boundaries between the townships have not been ascertained, but the parish boundary surrounding them coincides on the west and south with the headwaters of Lakehouse brook, on the south-east with Wenlock Edge, and on part of the north with a tributary of Plaish brook; here and there field edges mark the boundary. The townships lie mainly on boulder clay, and northwest of Longville is an area of higher ground once wooded. (fn. 7)

No distinct medieval population figures are available for the townships, Longville and Lushcott probably being taxed with Millichope in 1327. (fn. 8) By 1256 there was at least one dwelling at the Lakehouse near East Wall. (fn. 9) In the earlier 16th century there seem to have been about eight farms in Longville and three in Lushcott, (fn. 10) presumably with cottages as well. In 1642 the Protestation was taken by 11 men in Longville and 8 in Lushcott. (fn. 11) In 1672 hearth tax was paid on 14 houses (the 3 biggest with three hearths each) in the two places, (fn. 12) and in 1676 there were 40 adults. (fn. 13) In 1805 there were at least 16 cottages. (fn. 14) The population was 97 in 1841 and 86 in 1891. (fn. 15) Longville hamlet is compactly built along both sides of the early 18th-century road from Church Stretton to Bridgnorth, where it ascends Wenlock Edge. Lushcott, at a junction of lanes, consists of little more than two farms.

The Stretton-Bridgnorth road was turnpiked in 1765, (fn. 16) and a new and easier route up the Edge, paid for by subscription, was made c. 1832. (fn. 17) Longville railway station on the Wenlock Railway Co.'s new line from Buildwas to Craven Arms (along the foot of Wenlock Edge) was opened in 1867. Passenger services ceased in 1951 but Longville, thereafter the southern terminus, retained freight traffic; the line closed in 1963. (fn. 18)

The Station Inn at Longville opened soon after the railway came and was renamed the Longville Hotel in the 1920s and the Longville Arms later. (fn. 19)

ESTATES.

Longville and Lushcott were part of Wenlock priory's manor of Eaton-underHeywood, and the priory had two farms at East Wall. The Crown sold the manor and the farms at East Wall in 1544 to John Pakington, (fn. 20) whose successors John and Gilbert Lyttelton sold most of Longville, Lushcott, and apparently the farms at East Wall. (fn. 21)

In 1563 the Lytteltons sold three farms (c. 430 a.) in LONGVILLE and Lushcott, with their great tithes, to John Adams of Harley, Thomas Adams of Acton Burnell, and Thomas Hill. (fn. 22) Hill (d. 1619) was succeeded by his daughter Alice, and she by her husband William Wilkes (d. 1636), whose heir was their son Thomas. (fn. 23) John Adams (d. by 1580) was succeeded by his spinster daughters Elizabeth and Dorothy, who sold their property that year to their sister Mary, also apparently unmarried. (fn. 24) Thomas Adams (d. 1593) left his estate to his wife with remainder to his daughters Joan Newnham and Avise Adams. (fn. 25) In 1625 Joan, to whom Avise's share had passed by 1623, settled a moiety on her son William, the rest to be his after her death. By will proved 1735 a later William Newnam left his estate, comprising three farms in Longville and their great tithes, to his wife. By 1746 the estate had recently been sold by his representatives to William Lutwyche of Lutwyche. (fn. 26)

Richard Corfield, grandson of Richard Corfield of Corfield, Chatwall, and Longville, had a son John (d. 1592). John had property in Longville, perhaps his great-grandfather's, and was succeeded in it by his son Thomas (d. 1598). At least some of the property was acquired by the Corfields' kinsmen, the Lutwyches, from 1590. Edward Lutwyche (d. 1614) held a messuage and 170 a. (fn. 27)

By 1567 one farm at Longville (108 a.) and its tithes had been sold to Ralph Corfield, brother of the younger Richard. From Ralph (d. 1573) the property passed to his wife Alice until their son William (d. 1661) was of age. William's grandson William Corfield sold his Longville property in 1710 to William Burroughs of Lincoln's Inn. (fn. 28)

In 1785 the part of the Lutwyches' estate that was offered for sale included 494 a. in Longville. (fn. 29) Soon afterwards a share of the family estate owned by Sarah Winford (née Lutwyche) was sold to Thomas Whitefoot, tenant of one of the farms, but much of the estate descended with Wilderhope (in Rushbury) and belonged to the Bensons of Lutwyche in 1910 and 1934. (fn. 30) In the 1980s the National Trust acquired Longville coppice. (fn. 31)

Sir H. W. Bayntun (d. 1840), to whom the Lutwyches' Wilderhope estate came, owned two farmhouses in Longville hamlet. (fn. 32) Fairly central was Longville Farm, a 1½ storeyed, timber framed, T plan building of the 17th century. The other house (later Station Farm), at the east end of the hamlet, is an 18th-century stone building with brick additions and a 19th-century gothic stone porch.

The Butchers owned over 300 a. around Longville in 1842 and 1910, (fn. 33) and their estate included two farmhouses in the hamlet: Home Farm (opposite Longville Farm), a 17th-century building refronted in the early 19th century, and what became the Station Inn, a three storeyed stone building of 1793. (fn. 34)

In 1563 the Lytteltons sold a farm at LUSHCOTT, with its tithes and share of Longville wood, to John Cock or Cox, (fn. 35) whose family had been tenants since 1515 or earlier. (fn. 36) Cock or a namesake sold the farm in 1596 to Edward Lutwyche. (fn. 37) In 1785 Lushcott farm (268 a.) and coppices (28 a.) were offered for sale with other Lutwyche family estates (fn. 38) but apparently descended with Wilderhope: Sir H. W. Bayntun had Lushcott farm and in 1851 his daughter Mrs. C. E. M. Boodé conveyed it to M. G. Benson (whose father Ralph had had 30 a. there in 1842) perhaps in exchange for other property. (fn. 39) With 462 a. R. B. Benson, of Lutwyche, was sole landowner in Lushcott in 1910. (fn. 40) In 1937 G. R. Benson sold Little Lushcott farm (60 a.) but failed to sell Lushcott farm (144 a.). (fn. 41)

Lushcott Farm contains some later 16th-century timber framing but is essentially an early 18th-century brick building of five bays and 2½ storeys. Alterations and additions were made in the later 19th century and c. 1960 a timber framed range to the rear was demolished. (fn. 42)

About 1564 the Lytteltons sold land and tithes in Longville and Lushcott to Richard Lawley (d. 1567) of Strensham (Worcs.). Lawley devised two thirds of the estate to his bastard son Francis Lawley or Cotterell and the rest was shared by Richard's five coheirs. Between 1570 and 1573 one of those, John Adys of Frampton on Severn (Glos.), bought up Francis Lawley's share and at least three of the other four shares. (fn. 43)

In 1577 Adys sold land and tithes in Longville and Lushcott to John More, rector of Great Comberton (Worcs.), (fn. 44) who had owned property in Lushcott since 1564 or earlier. (fn. 45) More (d. 1586) left his Longville and Lushcott estate to his nephew Thomas More (d. 1620) (fn. 46) and it descended with Lower Millichope to Thomas More (d. 1689). (fn. 47) More's property in Lushcott included Hockums house, later Oakham Farm. (fn. 48) That was perhaps sold c. 1686 by More's son Henry to Arthur Weaver (d. 1687). Weaver left lands that he had bought in Longville and Lushcott to his grandson Thomas Weaver, (fn. 49) whose property included Oakham farm. (fn. 50) That farm (129 a.) and another at Longville of 126 a. were probably among the property that Thomas's nephew Arthur Blayney (d. 1795) left to Henry Leigh Tracy, Viscount Tracy (d. 1797), husband of Blayney's late cousin. Lord Tracy's son-in-law Charles Hanbury-Tracy offered them for sale in 1805. (fn. 51) Oakham was owned by John Lowe's executors in 1842 (fn. 52) and by R. B. Benson in 1910. (fn. 53) G. R. Benson put it up for sale in 1937. (fn. 54) The farmhouse is late 19th-century.

About 1565 Thomas and Anne Mynton sold lands and tithes in EAST WALL and Longville to Richard Lee (d. 1591). (fn. 55) The Lees of Langley already had interests in East Wall: Richard Lee had land in fee before 1517, (fn. 56) while Ralph Lee (perhaps Richard's brother) was tenant of one of the former priory's two farms in 1544 and 1550. (fn. 57) From Richard (d. 1591) the Lees' property, later East Wall farm, descended until 1819 with Acton Burnell. (fn. 58) In 1819 Sir E. J. Smythe offered a 167-a. farm in East Wall for sale. (fn. 59) In 1842 it was owned by the Lindops, the Hopwoods, Silvester James, and Elizabeth Gilbert. (fn. 60) Later it became part of Abraham Haworth's East Wall estate, (fn. 61) on the dispersal of which, in 1925, it was bought by the Hendersons, owners in 1990. (fn. 62) East Wall Farm, called New House Farm in the late 19th century, (fn. 63) is a big brick house of 1872.

Stone House farm presumably represents Wenlock priory's other East Wall farm, (fn. 64) and perhaps the 248 a. with tithes in Longville and East Wall which William Littleton conveyed to Adam Littleton in 1599. Adam (d. 1612), rector of Rushbury, was succeeded by his son Richard (d. 1654). (fn. 65) Richard's brother John (d. 1693) (fn. 66) probably followed him, and John's son Samuel was in possession in 1708. Samuel died in or before 1720 (fn. 67) and the estate probably passed to his son John and later to the family of John's wife Anne Milner. (fn. 68) Edward Milner (d. 1803) of Shipton left a life interest in the farm to his wife Etheldra, with remainder to their son Richard (d. 1847). In 1858 Richard's illegitimate son Richard Childs (later Childs Milner) sold the 45-a. farm to John James, a Manchester tobacco merchant, (fn. 69) its owner in the 1870s. (fn. 70) It was later part of Abraham Haworth's East Wall estate, sold in 1925. (fn. 71) The farmhouse is a late 18th-century ashlar building of three bays and three storeys.

The Lakehouse was probably owned by Lawrence Ludlow (d. 1538). (fn. 72) Samuel Edwards (d. 1738) of West Coppice owned it, and it descended with Thonglands (in Munslow) until 1792 when Dudley Ackland sold the 30-a. farm to to John Davies, who sold it to Thomas Hamer in 1810. The Hamers owned it for a century or more. (fn. 73)

ECONOMIC HISTORY.

In 1262 the prior of Wenlock had 19 a. of assarts in Longville and 35 a. in Lushcott, (fn. 74) and in 1384 a ½-virgate holding in Longville included an additional acre of 'new land'. (fn. 75) Locations of medieval arable lands are uncertain but there may have been some along the way from Lushcott to Oakham (Hoccum) (fn. 76) and south of Longville. (fn. 77) In the early to mid 16th century arable land, probably including openfield land, in Longville was put down to pasture. (fn. 78)

Until 1301 the townships were in the Long forest, and their stretch of the Edge wood (the wooded scarp of Wenlock Edge) was perhaps the 'Langsetewud' whose underwood and oaks were well kept in 1235. (fn. 79) Besides Edge wood, (fn. 80) commoners probably also had access to a large wood, indicated by the name Wood Farm, on the high ground north-west of Longville; nearer to Longville that high ground may have been heathland with some birches. (fn. 81) Commoners from the whole of Eaton-under-Heywood may have had access to Hargreaves, part of the Hay wood. (fn. 82) About 1563 the townships' stretch of the Edge wood was inclosed by agreement between the commoners, (fn. 83) but some access to Lower wood (in Easthope) may have remained for Lushcott tenants in 1785. (fn. 84) In the north land sloping down to the stream marking the Cardington parish boundary remained wooded in 1990. (fn. 85)

In 1785 the Lutwyche family estate included more than half of Longville and Lushcott, c. 830 a., of which c. 40 per cent was arable, 45 per cent grassland, and 15 per cent woodland. (fn. 86) In 1842 the percentages for the whole of the two and a half townships were 40, 56, and 4. (fn. 87) At one time flax or hemp had probably been grown extensively near Lushcott. (fn. 88)

A cattle market was laid out opposite the Longville Hotel in the early 20th century, and monthly sales of store cattle and sheep were held until c. 1945. (fn. 89)

In 1666 Dr. Timothy Baldwyn (kt. 1670) had a 16-year lease of Lushcott's mineral rights from Edward Lutwyche; (fn. 90) it is not known if any minerals were worked. Limestone was later quarried from Wenlock Edge. (fn. 91)

Some time before 1842 there were brick kilns at East Wall and Lushcott. (fn. 92)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Longville and Lushcott formed part of Eaton-under-Heywood manor in the Middle Ages, being reckoned members of it in 1255. (fn. 93) There is no certain record that Wenlock priory had an interest in East Wall until 1514-15; (fn. 94) possibly it had an interest in the tithes there in 1495-6. (fn. 95)

Rushbury civil parish, to which the townships were transferred in 1883, was in the same poorlaw union, highway district, rural (sanitary) district, and district as Eaton-under-Heywood C.P. (fn. 96)

CHAPEL OF EASE.

Chapel field west of Lushcott, remotest of the parish's settlements from Eaton church, was so called in 1842 (fn. 97) and may have been the site of a chapel.

NONCONFORMITY.

There was a dissenters' meeting house at Longville in 1781. (fn. 98) Primitive Methodists met at East Wall and Lakehouse in the 1830s and 1840s (fn. 99) and a chapel was built at Lakehouse 1857-8. (fn. 100) The meeting apparently throve in the 1860s but usually had fewer than 10 members 1880-1910. (fn. 101) The chapel was sold in 1936. (fn. 102)