The principal Estates in Aston.

Namptwich, gentleman, is partly opposite to Mr. Lloyd's. This family has been of long standing in this town, for they settled here 268 years ago. In the fourth Henry VII. John Watkiss was returned on a jury; at the survey in 1561, Thomas Watkiss had five messuages in this township; and three Williams followed him successively in a direct line. Samuel, son of the last, was the first that removed from Aston. The present gentleman, grand-son of the last, is possessed of a good estate in Cheshire.

The next messuage and tenement is freehold, and belongs to Thomas Walford, of Wem, gentleman. At the survey in 1561, this was the estate of John Moreton, being then copyhold; he was succeeded in it by his son George, and his grand-son Thomas, whose death happened in the beginning of 1654. About this time it was purchased by Mr. Samuel Smith, of Wem, mercer, who absconded in 1676, and by his bankruptcy ruined many families, who had put their fortunes in his hands, or engaged for him to others. Mrs. Mary Goodwin entered on this estate by virtue of a mortgage; which being discharged, Joseph Smith, mercer, son of Samuel, enjoyed it as long as he lived; but on some occasion, having submitted his writings to the perusal of Mr. Wilson, of Wem, attorney, he discovered that this estate was subject to his father's debt: on this information Mr. William Walford, of Lee Brockhurst,

The principal Estates in Aston.

sued for an old debt, and recovered this estate in 1722. His son is now in possession of it.

The Basnets have a copyhold messuage and tene ment in this town, which formerly belonged to the Husseys: Richard Hussey paid to the subsidy in 1642. In 1698, one of his descendants sold it to William Basnet, of Wichey, who was succeeded in 1708, by his son Roger; and Roger in 1719, by his grand-son Peter; and Peter in 1749, by his nephew Richard Basnet, of Hardiston.

Brockhurst, in 1561, was one of the five woods within the manor of Wem; it then belonged to William, Lord Dacre, and was distinguished from Preston Brockhurst, which was the property of Roger Corbet, esq. It continued a wood when the civil war broke out, for it was not charged to the subsidy in 1642. It is probable that the Playters and Onslow felled the timber, and sold the freehold land to Mr. Samuel Smith, of Wem, mercer, who, in 1676, became a bankrupt; in 1683, his son Joseph, mercer, had one moiety of it, and Sir Robert Cotton the other. In 1691 and 1692, the whole was in the hands of Mr. Joseph Smith; in 1693 it was divided between Lady Moore and Sir John Turner, baron of the Exchequer, mortgagees. In 1705, it was sold to John Hill, of Hawkstone, gentleman, whose son Sir Rowland Hill, is the present landlord of it.

The principal Estates in Aston.

The Hill is a copyhold farm, which formerly was part of that of Aston Hall, except a meadow that has been added to it. In 1684 it belonged to Mrs. Downes, of Lee; in 1691 to her niece, Mrs. Jane Bromfield, of Lee; in 1695 to William Newans, of Lee; in 1700 to Mr. Joseph Nixon, of the same town, who sold it to Mr. Bayley, of Besford, the present owner thereof. To the west of the house, about thirty years ago, were dug up a great many large stones, supposed to be the remains of a roman way, or perhaps of some ancient building or fort.

The messuage of Mr. Lawrence has been distinguished by three several names, viz. the Moat House, on account of the moat about it; the Woodhouse, on account of the wood near it; and Besse Hall. In the fourth Henry VIII. William Moreton, of Ludlow, sold this copyhold messuage and farm to Thomas Lawrence, of Aston. In the third Elizabeth, 1561, Thomas Lawrence, a descendant of the above, was possessed of it, by virtue of a copy, dated twenty-third Henry VIII; this Thomas Lawrence, or his son, sold his estate to the Hinkes, of Noneley. In the eighth Charles I. 1632, Thomas Hinkes, of Noneley, gentleman, granted it by deed (an unusual conveyance of copyhold lands) to his second son Francis, who was in Ireland, October 3, 1641, when the rebellion broke out there; he and his wife fled from the popish massacre, but left a young child

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The principal Estates in Aston.

behind them, whom the fond nurse would not part with. He survived the troubles of his own coun try, but had the misfortune to be drowned at Coteman's wear in 1663. His son Arthur, was one of the plaintiffs against Mr. Wycherley. In his advanced

age

he removed to Wem, where he died in 1719, leaving his estate to William Lawrence, brother to his second wife, whose son John now enjoys it, and. has considerably augmented it. In his new purchase is the alum well, which is good for sore eyes and cutaneous disorders.

The Wear estate took its name from Coteman's Wear, being near to it; it is copyhold, except some lands in Tilley that have been annexed thereto; it belonged to the Wingfields until they sold it to MR Blakeway, of Salop, mortgagee, by whom it has been lately sold to Caleb Powell, of Besford, who about the same time bought Malines' Oak, and other copyhold lands of Mr. John Whitfield, of Salop, surgeon, and joined them to this farm, which estate Mr. John Whitfield purchased a few years before he sold it.

The Farm of Astley of the Brook, between Wem and Lacon, consists of three parts, viz. The copyhold messuage, and lands annexed to it, set at £6. 10s. per annum, belong to Andrew Corbet, esq. being part of the Menloves estate; the Moors and

The River Roden, the Fields, the Green, and Lanes of Aston.

other copyhold lands, set at £11. per annum, belonged to Mr. Goldisbury, of the Rye Bank, being a lease from the Watkiss's; the remainder, set at £18. a year, is part of the freehold estate of Mr. Lloyd, of Crowsmere, which formerly belonged to the Astleys; the present tenant, Thomas Astley, is descended from Lawrence Astley, gentleman, younger brother of Richard, of Aston Hall, who paid to the subsidy in 1642.

THE RIVER RODEN, COMMON FIELDS, BARKER'S GREEN, AND ASTON LANES.

The River Roden passes through this township, and has a wooden bridge over it at Aston; the several parts of which are kept in repair by the principal inhabitants.

Aston had formerly three Common Fields, viz. Wem Field, part of which remains and forms the angle made by Soulton Lane when joined by that from Aston.-Winsorton Field, abutting on Soulton Lane and reaching almost to Astley's of the Brook; its name is still preserved in Winsorton Bank, near to the said Astley's house.-Barley Field, which lies between the River Roden and Sowford Lane, extending towards Soulton wood.

Barker's Green, is a small common near to Coteman's Wear; the clay here is good for making brick,