Author: trand1li
Last saved by: mknow1cr
Company: staffordshire county council

WHITE’S HISTORY, GAZETTEER AND DIRECTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 1851

FORTON is a small scattered village, on the Eccleshall road, 7 miles S.W. of that town, and 1 and a half mile N.N.E. of Newport in Shropshire. Its parish is generally called, in legal documents, “Forton and Mere”. It contains 764 inhabitants, and 3760 acres of land, divided into the four hamlets of Forton, Meer, Sutton and Warton, which repair their highways separately but maintain their poor conjointly, in Newport Union. Sir Thomas F.F. Boughey, Bart., is lord of the manor, and owner of the whole parish, except 45 acres of glebe, and 143 acres belonging to R. Stewart, Esq. Sir T.F.F. Boughey has a handsome seat in the parish and is patron of the rectory, valued in K.B. at £20. 19s 2d., and in 18312 at £474. The Rev. J.F. Boughey is the incumbent, and has a  good Rectory House. The Church (All Saints) is an ancient stone building with a nave, north aisle, and a square tower, containing five bells. The windows were formerly decorated with painted glass, representing saints, and a variety of other devices, all of which were destroyed by two of Cromwell’s officers, during the civil wars, except one shield, which contained the arms of the Botetourt and Somery families who were anciently lords of this manor; and one of whom, in the reign of Edward II, repaired the church, after the roof had been destroyed by the fall of a lofty spire, which then surmounted the tower. It was again repaired in 1723, and a gallery was erected fourteen years ago. Here is the burial place of the Bougheys; and at the east end of the north aisle is a tomb to the memory of Sir Thomas Skrymsher, Knight, near which is an inscription recording the death of his grandson, who is said to have been one of the chief instruments in the preservation of Charles II, at Boscobel, inasmuch as he procured an asylum for the Earl of Derby, whilst the latter procured one for the king. The National School, built in 1843, is attended by about 60 children.

Aqualate Hall, the delightful seat of Sir Thomas F.F. Boughey, Bart., is a magnificent Gothic mansion, situated two miles S.E. of Forton, and the same distance east of Newport, being near to the borders of Shropshire, and on the south side of Aqualate-meer, a beautiful and extensive lake more than a mile in length, and half a mile in breath, and abounding in pike and other fish of very large dimensions, pike having been caught in it weighing 36lbs., and carp as heavy as 15lbs. Wild geese, ducks, and other aquatic birds resort to this water in great numbers. The hall was first erected by Sir Thomas Skrymsher, who died in 1633. From his family it passed in marriage to the Baldwyns, one of whom sold it to the late Sir John Fenton Boughey, who was created a baronet in 1798, and new-modelled, rebuilt and considerably enlarged the old mansion before he made it his residence. The extensive park and pleasure grounds around it present a pleasing variety of rural scenery, and are adorned with thriving plantations, and some of the finest oaks in the county. The lake or meer is supplied with water by several streams, and a small fountain at the foot of Aucks hill, an eminence planted with firs and supposed to have had its name from the Romans, who, it is believed, had some action in this neighbourhood, as there is a raised work at Meertown, which “ seems to be of their fashion”. In 1815, the remains of many skeletons were found in rows near Aucks hill, which appeared to have been laid in trenches upon each other. From these and other vestiges of entrenchments etc., as well as from the names of the places themselves, it is evident that Warton and Forton were occupied by contending armies, either in the times of the Romans or Saxons.

Meertown or Meer is a hamlet which dreives its name from the lake or meer just described, and has several neat houses in a retired situation, half a mile S of Forton. Sutton is a small village upon a commanding eminence, 1 mile N.E. of Forton, on the Eccleshall road, near which is a farm called the “Guild of Monks”, from its having belonged to the abbot of a Benedictine monastery at Shrewsbury. An estate here belonged successively to the families of Broughton, Seavington, Layton, Symonds, Bettenson, and Benbow.  Warton hamlet is about 1 mile E. of Forton.

In the following directory, those marked 1 are in Forton, 2 in Sutton, and the others in Meertown.

Boughey Sir Thomas Fenton Fletcher, Bart., Aqualate Hall
Boughey Rev. John Fenton F. Rectory
Hill Hon. Misses, Meertown House
2 Bradbury Lydia, victualler, Black’s Head
Dickens Captain John, Banks House
Easton Mr Alexander
1 Eaton Thomas, shopkeeper
1 Fieldhouse James, victualler, Swan
1 Jones Robert, mason and builder
Masefield Charlotte, gentlewoman, Banshee House
1 Smart Joseph, shoemaker & parish clerk
Talbot John, victualler, Plough
2 Taylor William beerhouse
1 Watkin Mr John
1 Watman George F & Mrs. National School
2 Wedge Francis, land agent
1 Whitmore Richard & Son, timber merchants, wheelwrights, blacksmiths & builders

Farmers
(* are malsters)
  
1* Bailey Robert
Booker Thomas, Guild of Monks
Derrington Thomas, Warton
2 Eccleshall Samuel (and beerhouse)
1* Fieldhouse John
2 Pearce John
2 Pickworth Jesse
2 Rhodes Samuel
1* Talbot Thomas
2 Wedge John
1 Wedge Thomas
2 Whitmore Alice
Whitmore John
1 Whitmore Richard