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

ILAM,  nearly 5 miles N.W. by N. of Ashbourn and 12 miles E.S.E. of Leek, is a small, secluded village, picturesquely seated in the vale of the Manyfold, and within half a mile of its junction with the deepest, narrowest and most romantic part of Dovedale. The parish of Ilam contains only 244 inhabitants and about 2,300 acres of land, including the hamlets of RUSHLEY, 1 mile NW; and CASTERN and THROWLEY, on opposite banks of the Manyfold about half a mile from each other, and one and a half mile N.W. of Ilam. Castern hall belongs to F. Hurt Esq., and Throwley Hall to S.Crompton Esq.; but both are occupied by farmers, though the latter is a large ancient mansion, formerly occupied by the Meverels and afterwards by the ancient family of Oliver Cromwell. Jesse Watts Russell Esq. owns most of the parish and is lord of the manor. He resides at ILAM HALL, a large and elegant mansion in the Tuscan and Gothic styles of architecture, with towers and turrets, erected on the site of the old hall in 1821 by the present owner, who purchased the estate and advowson of the church of the late John Port Esq.,  father of the present vicar. The hall is a delightfulfully situated on a gentle eminence, with two verdant terraces and a pleasant lawn in front, terminated by the churchyard. Behind the hall, on the south-west bank of the Manyfold, a flourishing wood of oak, elm, ash etc. rises in the form of an amphitheatre; and above it is a secluded acclivity, crowned by a coppice, which may be seen at the distance of several miles. The river, after emerging from its subterraneous channel a little above the east end of the pleasure grounds and plantations,  falls in two natural cascades near the mansion; and about half a mile below, it mixes its waters with the Dove, near the defile leading into that deep and narrow part of Dovedale, which extends between the lofty hills of Bunster and Thorp Cloud to Alstonfield, presenting for a distance of three miles rugged and precipitous cliffs, rising almost perpendicularly from the water’s edge to an amazing altitude, broken into rude cones, pyramids, spires, caverns and a thousand fantastic forms, and having the appearance of being rent asunder in some violent convulsion of nature. The diversified and magnificent scenery around Ilam hall is already briefly described… but it must be seen to be duly appreciated;  and for the convenience of the tourists who come here to view the wonders of nature, Mr. W. Waterfall, about 20 years ago, established the Izaak Walton Hotel,  at the junction of the vales of the Manyfold and the Dove, and near the hills of Bunster and Thorp Cloud. This hotel is large and commodious, commands an enchanting prospect, and has its name from an eminent angler who frequently visited his friend, Cotton, the poet, at Beresford Hall, where their fishing house may be seen. Near Ilam Bridge is a beautiful monumental fountain in memory of the late Mrs. Russell. The Church (Holy Cross) is a small but beautiful Gothic structure, rebuilt in 1618, and a large portion of the west end is thickly shrouded with ivy. It contains the tomb of St Bertram, a pious and self-denying devotee, who is said to have confirmed the truth of his religious faith by many surprising miracles in this country and whose “well and ash” in this neighbourhood were formerly much venerated, “and taken great care of by the common people”. An octagonal chapel, lighted with stained glass windows, was added to the church about 20 years ago by J.W. Russell Esq., who deposited in it a beautiful white monument in memory of his late lady’s father, the late David Pike Watts Esq.,  who is represented on his death bed in the act of taking leave of his daughter and her three children. This much admired monument is one of the finest works of the late eminent sculptor, Sir Francis Chantrey. J.W. Russell Esq. rebuilt the Vicarage House in the Elizabethan style about 20 years ago,  and is patron of the vicarage which is valued at £355, and has been held since 1801 by the Rev. Bernard Port, M.A..   Mr. Russell liberally supports two Free Schools for boys and girls, and provides the children with stationery and part of their clothing. The parish wake is on the Sunday after September 20th.

ILAM PARISH

Those marked 1 reside at Brook, 2 Castern, 3 Damgate, 4, Rushley, 5 Slade house, 6 Stapleshouse, 7 Throwley Hall, 8 Woodend, and the others in Ilam

POST OFFICE at Thomas Marsh’s
Letters via Ashbourne
Russell Jesse Watts Esq., Ilam Hall
Port Rev Bernard M.A., vicar of Ilam, & rector of Honily, Vicarage
Hodgkinson, Susan, Free schoolmistress
Lennox George, gardener
Marsh Thomas, shopkeeper
Mason John, florist
Mellor Joseph, parish clerk
Oakden John, free schoolmaster
Robottom Joseph, gamekeeper
Turner William, blacksmith
Waterfall, William, Izaak Walton Hotel, Dovedale

FARMERS
2 Coxon Joseph, Castern hall
7 Fowler Richard
1 Hickenbotham Martha
Hodgkinson William
8 Howson Edward
3 Massey Antony
5 Maulton William
6 Oakden Henry
3 Oakden Thomas
7 Parramore F.A
7 Phillips John
Sutton Daniel
2 Taylor Francis