Transcribed from the 1909 Shropshire Parish Register Society edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

The Register of Ratlinghope.

Ratlinghope is a parish situate on the road from Shrewsbury to Bishop’s Castle, four miles west from Church Stretton and twelve miles south from Shrewsbury, in the hundred of Purslow, rural deanery of Bishop’s Castle, archdeaconry of Ludlow, and diocese of Hereford.  The township of Gatten is in Ford hundred.  Its area is 5,456 acres, of which 3,756 are arable and pasture, 200 woodland, and about 1,500 common.  The population in 1901 was 197.  The surface is hilly, and the soil is sand and clay, on a rocky subsoil.  An old Roman road, the Portway, runs between Ratlinghope and Church Stretton, and is continued along the crest of the Longmynd in a north-easterly direction.  In the neighbourhood are some British camps and tumuli.

Ratlinghope, in Domesday Rotelingehope, means the hope or valley of the children of Rotel, “Rotel” being the Saxon name from which the County of Rutland was called.  At the time of the Domesday survey, Rotelingehope was a manor of two hides, which were waste, and was held by Robert fitz Corbet of Earl Roger de Montgomery.  In Edward the Confessor’s reign, Seuuard had held it.  Robert fitz Corbet was a younger brother of Roger, the builder of Caus Castle; he left two daughters, his heirs, Sibil (or Adela), and Alice.  Sibil, who had been one of Henry I.’s mistresses, married Herbert fitz Herbert, whilst Alice became the wife of William Botterell.  Before 1209 Ratlinghope was acquired by Walter Corbet, an Augustine Canon, and a relative of Prince Llewelyn ap Jorwerth, who gave him a letter of protection.  Walter Corbet founded here a small cell or priory of Augustinian Canons of St. Victor, in connection with Wigmore.  Nothing is known of its history, but at the dissolution there was a Prior and 29 Canons; and the possessions of the Priory, valued at £5 11s. 1½d., per annum, were sold in May, 1546, to Robert Longe, citizen and mercer of London. [ia]

In 1845 the manor and advowson of Ratlinghope were purchased by Robert Scott, Esq., of Great Barr, M.P. for Walsall, and at his death in 1856 they passed to his son John Charles Addyes Scott, Esq., who died in 1888, and on the death of his widow in 1907, their son, James Robert Scott, Esq., became lord of the manor and patron of Ratlinghope.

Stitt and Gatten, two miles north-west, were members of the Domesday manor of Ratlinghope.  Between 1204 and 1210, William de Botterell confirmed a moiety of Stitt to Haughmond Abbey.  Robert Corbet, of Caus, also gave to the Canons of Haughmond his culture of Gateden, and an assart situate near their culture of Gatteden.  There was a church at Stitt in the reign of Henry II., but since the dissolution of Haughmond Abbey nothing more is heard of it, and its district with Gatten was annexed to the parish of Ratlinghope.  W. E. M. Hulton-Harrop, Esq., is lord of the manor of Gatten, which, he inherited in 1866 from his maternal grandfather, Jonah Harrop, Esq.

The Church of St. Margaret, at Ratlinghope, is a small stone building, consisting of nave and chancel, with south porch, and a wooden bell turret.  The original Church erected in the 12th century was no doubt the Priory Church also.  The Rev. D. H. S. Cranage says that the mediæval Church may have entirely disappeared, and that there are no details which prove that the present building is not entirely of post-Reformation date. [ib]

The south and only door was made in 1625, and erected by Humfrey Bigge and Thomas Bright, then Churchwardens.  The roof may be of the same date.  There are two fonts.  In 1341, Ratlinghope Church was in the Deanery of Clun.  It was afterwards held to be in the Deanery of Pontesbury.  It is not named in the Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1534-5.  Until the dissolution of the Priory it was considered as extra-parochial and extra-diocesan.

p. ivThe Church was served by the Canons until the dissolution; and no Incumbent seems to have been instituted by the Bishops of Hereford until 1555.  The following is the most complete list of the Incumbents we have as yet been able to make out:—

1549.  Sir Lances Philson, clerk, curate.

1555.  Laurence Johnson, a Canon of Wigmore, presented by Philip and Mary, and instituted 15th February, 1555.

1587.  Richard Davis, curate, presented by William Whittingham, gent.  His salary was £7 13s. 4d.

1755.  William Williams, curate.

1758.  George Hodges, born at Shrewsbury 1720, educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford, B.A. 1743.  Rector of Woolstaston 1770-1780.

1769.  David Richards, signs in 1767-70 as “Minister,” and afterwards as “Curate.”

1778.  Thomas Williams.

1782.  Richard Lloyd, curate.

1795.  John Hawkins.

1833.  Edward Homfray, died 24th June, 1856.

1857.  Edmund Donald Carr, B.A. Emmanuel College, Cambridge.  Rector of Woolstaston 1865-1900.  Died June, 1900.

1866.  William George Clutton Nottley, Rector of Alpheton, Suffolk, 1876-8.

1876.  William Henry Whitworth, M.A. and sometime fellow and tutor of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

1885.  Henry Anderton.  Vicar of Hopton Cangeford 1881, and of Garway 1883-4.  Resigned in 1891, and went to live at Chester.

1891.  Arthur William Benjamin Walmsley Watts, B.A. Selwyn College, Cambridge.  Resigned 1892.  Rector of Coates, 1901.

1892.  Thomas Baker Aston, M.A. Christ Church, Oxford, Curate-in-Charge.  Rector of Habberley since 1869.  There was no Incumbent from 1892 to 1895.

1895.  William Perry Ireland, M.A. Merton College, Oxford.  Vicar of Peter’s Marland, 1897.

1896.  Thomas Robert Glenn, L.Th. Univ. of Durham.  The present Incumbent.

The Inventory of Church Goods made 11th August, 1549, shows that there were then at Rotlynchope “one chalyce off sylver parcell gilt, and one cruete of pewter, one vestment of crule, one crismatory, one altare cloth, one towell, and two bellys.”  In 1553 there remained “to bellys, [one chalice of silver] with the patent thereunto”; and another return of 1553 gives “a chales of sylver, ij belles.”  The Religious Census of Shropshire made in 1676, states that there were at Ratlinghope (in Pontesbury Deanery) 128 Conformists, no Papists, and 3 Nonconformists.  These were the number of inhabitants over the age of sixteen.  In 1727 William Mitton was patron of the perpetual curacy.

The Parish Register Abstract of 1831 contains the following account of the Ratlinghope Registers:—

“Ratlinghope R.  Nos. I., II.  Bap., Bur., 1702-1793, Marr., 1702-1752.  No. III., Bap., Bur, 1794-1812.  No. IV., Marr., 1755-1812.”  The Registers have been very badly kept, all the earlier ones are missing, and those of the earlier ones that remain are in a bad state of preservation.  Nos. I. and II. are now altogether lost; they were apparently in existence in 1876, when the Rev. W. G. C. Nottley made a list of the Registers, and placed it in the box in which the Registers were kept.  Sometime between 1876 and 1896 these Registers disappeared, together with Mr. Nottley’s list.

p. vThe Marriage Register 1755-1812 (No. IV. above) was formerly bound in boards covered with parchment, but one board has disappeared, leaving the parchment torn and crumpled, with a large hole in the centre, and the whole book is in a dilapidated condition.  The marriage entries are on the first twelve leaves which are loose and damaged.  It is a folio book, containing the usual printed forms.

The Baptisms and Burials, 1794-1812 (No. III. above) simply consists of three loose sheets of parchment, folded, making twelve pages, without any cover.  The writing in places is nearly obliterated, and difficult to decipher.

The transcripts at Hereford, which commence in 1660, are fairly complete, and it would be very desirable that these should be copied and printed, so as to make this Register more perfect.

The Registers were copied by Miss Hulton-Harrop (now Mrs. Rowan Robinson), and were collated in 1903 by the late Rev. F. W. Kittermaster, and have been seen through the press by the Rev. W. G. D. Fletcher.  They are now printed, by permission of the Rev. T. R. Glenn, the present Incumbent, at the cost of W. E. M. Hulton-Harrop, Esq., of Gatten Lodge and Lythwood Hall, who has generously presented these Registers to the Society.

W. G. D. FLETCHER.

Oxon Vicarage,
Shrewsbury,
May, 1909.

p. 1VOLUME I.

Marriages, 1755-1813.

[The parties are of Ratlinghope, and the Marriages by banns, except where otherwise stated.]

VOLUME II.

Baptisms and Burials, 1794-1812.

p. iRATLINGHOPE.  INDEX LOCORUM.

Compiled by F. A. Roberts.

[An Asterisk (*) denotes that the place occurs more than once on the page.]

Alpheton, co.  Suffolk, iv.

Bishop’s Castle, iii.

Cambridge, Emmanuel Coll., iv; Selwyn Coll., iv.

Caus, iii.

Chester, iv.

Church Pulverbatch, 4*. see also Churton and Pulverbatch.

Church Stretton, iii*, 3.

Churton, 1.

Clun, iii.

Coates, iv.

Condover, 2.

Durham, iv.

Edgton (Edgstone) 1.

Ford, iii, 1.

Garway, iv.

Gatten (Gateden, Gatteden), iii*, v.

Great Barr, iii.

Habberley, iv.

Haughmond Abbey, iii*.

Hereford, iii, iv, v.

Hopton Cangeford, iv.

Hyssington, 2.

London, iii.

London, Westminster, iv.

Longmynd, iii.

Ludlow, iii.

Lythwood, v.

Madeley, 3.

More, 4.

Norbury, 3.

Oxford, Christ Church, iv*; Corpus Christi Coll., iv; Merton Coll., iv.

Oxon, v.

Peter’s Marland, iv.

Pontesbury, iii, iv, 3.

Pulverbatch, 1, 4*.

Purslow, iii.

Ratlinghope (Rotelingehope, Rotlynchope), passim.

Rutland, co., iii.

Shrewsbury, iii*, iv, v.

Shropshire, iii, iv.

Smethcott (Smethcot), 1, 2.

Stapleton, 2.

Stitt, iii*.

Walsall, iii.

Wentnor, 2*, 3.

Westbury, 3, 4.

Wigmore, iii, iv.

Woolstaston, iv*.

Worthen, 1, 3.

p. iiINDEX NOMINUM.

[An Asterisk (*) denotes that the name occurs more than once on the page.]

Irregularity:—Christian name omitted: . . . Charles, 8.

Ambler, Jas., 4, 11*; My., 4, 11.

Amiss, Sar., 8.

Ancritt, Sar., 2.

Anderton, Hy., iv.

Andrews (Andrus), Andrew, 7; Ann, 3*, 4, 5, 6; Eliza, 10; Hannah, 5; Jn., 2, 4, 6; My., 1*, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; Prise., 8; Rich., 1; Sar., 1, 2*, 4*, 6*; Thos., 1, 3, 7, 9; Wm., 1, 2, 3, 5*, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Andrus, see Andrews.

Aston, Thos. Baker, iv.

Bady (Beady), Eliz., 10; Marth., 8; Sar., 8, 10; Thos., 8, 10.

Batfield, Chas., 8; Hannah, 8.

Beaumond, Elean., 4.

Beddoes (Beddow), Jn., 3, 9; My., 3, 9*.

Bennett, Benj., 11; Marth., 11*.

Bigge, Humph., iii.

Bishop, Abig., 7; Amia, 8; Eliz., 7, 8, 9, 11; Job, 2; Jn., 7, 8, 9*, 11; Marth., 2, 11; My., 3.

Botterell, Wm. de, iii*.

Bowen, Margery, 1; My., 1.

Brazenor, Hannah, 10; Jn., 10.

Brees, see Preece.

Bright, Thos., iii.

Bromley, Benj., 9*; Frances, 9*; Sar., 9; Wm., 9.

Brown, Sar., 4; Sus., 4.

Bufton, Chas., 7, 8, 9, 10, 11; Edw., 11; Eliz., 7; Jas., 8; My., 7, 8, 9, 10, 11; Thos., 9, 10.

Butler, Sar., 2.

Carless (Careless), . . . 8; Charlotte, 5; Clement, 3, 4, 9; Eliz., 2, 5, 6, 8; Jn., 2, 5, 6*, 8; My., 3, 4.

Carr, Edm. Donald, iv.

Clark (Clarke), Ann, 2; Edw., 1; My., 1.

Coles, Bromley, 1; Eliz., 1.

Cook (Cooke), Eliz., 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11; Geo., 5; Jn., 9; Marth., I, 3; Rich., 11; Rob., 1, 4; Sar., 3; Thos., 4, 5, 7, 8*, 9, 11; Wm., 7.

Corbet, Adela, iii; Alice, iii*; Rob., iii; Rob. fitz, iii*; Rog., iii; Sibil, iii*; Walt., iii*.

Corfield, Benj., 11; Eliza, 11; Hannah, 11.

Coxsell, Jas., 3; My., 3.

Cranage, Rev. D. H. S., iii.

Crockat, Ann, 8*; Thos., 8*.

Crump, Eliz., 4, 10*; Rich., 4, 10.

Davis (Davies), Ann, 1*, 3, 9; Cath., 2; Jane, 3; Jn., 5; Jos., 2; My., 1; Morris, 3, 6, 9; Rich., iv, 1, 8; Sam., 18; Sar., 3, 6, 9*; Sus., 2; Thos., 3, 6.

Dod (Dodd), Cath., 2; Jane, 2; Jn., 2; Thos., 2.

Dolphin, Jn., 4*; My., 4.

Doveson, Ann, 3.

Edward the Confessor, iii.

Edwards, Eliz., 3, 8; J., 2; Jos., 8*; Sar., 3, 8.

Evans, Edw., 10; Evan, 3; Marth., 3; My., 10, 11; Sam., 11*; Thos., 10.

Everall (Everal), Ann, 3, 5*, 6, 7, 8, 9*; Edw., 3, 4, 5*, 6, 7*, 8, 9, 10; Edw. Burley, 10*; Eliz., 6, 8; Jane, 3, 4; Jas., 9; Joan, 2; Jn., 4, 5, 8, 11; Marth., 1, 2, 5, 9*, 10*; My., 4, 5*, 6, 7, 8*, 9, 10*; Morris, 2; Prisc., 9; Rich., 5; Rob., 2, 9*, 10*; Sam., 6; Sar., 9; Thos., 4, 5, 6*, 7, 8, 9, 10*; Wm., 4, 7.

Finch, Jn., 3; Reb., 3.

Fletcher, Rev. W. G. D., v*.

Fox, Marth., 3; Sar., 3.

Glenn, Rev. Thos. Rob., iv, v.

Goff (Gough), Ann, 2, 3; Edw., 2, 3.

Gravner, Reb., 3.

Griffiths, Ann, 9; Chas., 11; Edw., 9; Marg., 11; Sus., 9; Thos., 11.

p. iiiGroves, Ann, 2, 4, 5*, 6, 7, 8; Edw. Medlicott, 5*; Emma, 8; Harriet, 4; My., 2, 7; Prisc., 2, 6; Sam., 4, 5*, 6, 7, 8; Wm., 5.

Gwilliam (Guilliam), Ann, 4; Cath., 2; Chas., 1; Eliz., 5; Hannah, 1; Jas., 5; Jane, 4, 5; Jn., 4, 5; Jos., 4; My., 1, 5, 9, 11; Rich., 9, 11*; Sar., 2; Sus., 2, 5; Thos., 4, 9.

Haberley, My., 2.

Harries (Harris, Harriss), Elean., 4, 10; Letitia, 11; My., 1; Rich., 1; Sam., 11; Sar., 1; Wm., 4, 8.

Harrington, Sar., 9.

Harrop, Jonah, iii.  see also Hulton-Harrop.

Hawkins, Jn., iv.

Hayward, Eliz., 1; My., 2; Rob., 7.

Henley, Jane, 2.

Henry I., iii.

Henry II., iii.

Herbert, Herb. fitz, iii.

Hill, Elean., 10; Thos., 6.

Hodges, Geo., iv.

Home (Holmes, Homes), Eliz., 1, 3; Jn., 3; Marth., 1, 2; My., 2.

Homfray, Edw., iv.

Hordley (Hurdley), Margery, 1; Wm., 1.

Hotchkis (Hotchkiss), Ann, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11; Edw., 6; Elean., 11; Eliz., 9; Jer., 4; Marth., 2; Sam., 5; Sar., 7; Wm., 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.

Howells, Jane 2.

Hulton-Harrop, Miss, v; W. E. M., iii, v.

Humphreys (Humphries), Ann, 3, 6; Jn., 6; My., 3, 6; Thos., 6.

Ireland, Wm. Perry, iv.

Irish, Sar., 9; Thos., 9.

James, My., 3; Sus., 2; Thos., 2.

Johnson, Laurence, iv.

Jones, Ann, 1, 2, 3*, 4*, 6, 7*, 8, 9, 10*, 11; Cath., 3, 10; Eliz., 3, 6, 10; Frances, 4; Hannah, 8*, 10; Jn., 2, 7*, 11; Jos., 1; Marth., 2; My., 2*, 8, 11; Prisc., 10; Rich., 2*, 4, 11; Rob., 2, 6, 9; Sar., 3, 10, 11; Sus., 2; Wm., 2, 3*, 4, 6, 7*, 8, 9, 10*, 11.

Kittermaster, Rev. F. W., v.

Knight, Harriet, 3.

Langdon, Benj., 3; My., 3.

Lee, My., 2; Wm., 2;

Lewis (Lewiss), Ann, 5; Edw., 1; Eliz., 1, 2, 4*, 5; Jn., 6; My., 2, 4*, 5, 6*, 8; Sam., 6; Sar., 8; Wm., 4, 5, 6*, 8.

Llewelyn ap Jorwerth, Prince, iii.

Lloyd, Rich., iv.

Longe, Rob., iii.

Mansell, Edw., 4; Elean., 4.

Martin, Hagar, 4.

Matthews, Cath., 2.

Medlicott (Medlicot), Jas., 6*; Jer., 10; My., 2, 4, 5, 6*; Prisc., 4; Sam., 5; Sar., 3, 10*; Wm., 2, 4, 5, 6*.

Mitton, Wm., iv.

Morris (Moris), Jane, 2, 3; Mat., 2; My., 1*, 2; Thos., 1*.

Munslow, Ann, 3, 5; Eliz., 2, 3, 5*, 6, 7, 8*; Geo., 8; Hagar, 4, 10; Hannah, 3; Jas., 10; Jn., 6, 8, 11*; My., 8, 11*; Rich., 11*; Rob., 3, 5*, 6, 7, 8; Sam., 7; Thos., 2, 5; Wm., 4, 10.

Nottley, Wm. Geo. Clutton, iv*.

Overton, Edw., 11; Hannah, 11; Sar., 11.

Parry, Eliz., 4; My., 4, 5*; Thos., 4, 5.

Partridge, Elean., 4.

Pearce, Ann, 1.

Perkin, Ann, 9; Hannah, 9; Joan, 2; Sar., 1.

Philip and Mary, iv.

Philson, Sir Lances, iv.

Pinches, Ann, 3*, 5*, 6, 7*, 8*, 9, 10*, 11; Eliz., 6; Frances, 8; Jas., 6, 7, 9; Jn., 9; My., 3, 6, 7*, 9; Rich., 5, 6; Sam., 3, 5, 6, 7*, 8*, 9, 10, 11; Sar., 5*; Thos., 7*; Tim., 11; Wm., 9.

Pool, Marth., 2.

Postan, Reb., 3.

Poult, see Poulter.

p. ivPoulter (Poult), Abr., 11; Ann, 9; Eliz., 3, 9, 11; Hannah, 7*; Hy., 3; Jane, 3, 5, 6; My., 5; Sam., 3, 6, 11*; Sar., 3*; Thos., 3, 5, 6, 7*.

Preece (Brees, Price, Pryce), Ann, 1, 7, 9; Benj., 7; Cath., 1; Edw., 2, 9; Eliz., 1; Geo., 8; Isa., 6; Jn., 2, 5,* 6*, 7*, 8; Jos., 1; Marth., 2*, 6; My., 2, 3, 6*, 7*, 8; Rich., 6; Sar., 2, 3, 5*; Thos., 5, 6, 9.

Price (Pryce,) see Preece.

Pugh, Ann, 5; Betty, 6; Elean., 7; Eliz., 1, 4; Hannah, 3, 10; Jane, 2; Jas., 3; Marth., 11; My., 4; Pet., 7; Rich., 4, 5, 6, 7*, 11*; Sar., 3; Sus., 4, 5, 6, 7*; Thos., 3, 10*; Wm., 1, 2.

Purslow, Jos., 2; My., 2, 9; Rob., 9.

Reese, Eliz., 3; Rheese, 3.

Richards, Benj., 7; Dav., iv; Eliz., 10; Jane, 7, 10; Jn., 9*, 10; Marth., 10; My., 6, 9*; Sar., 9, 10; Sus., 10; Wm., 6*.

Roberts, Ann, 3; Eliz., 10; Frances, 10; Thos., 3.

Robinson, Mrs. Rowan, v.

Roger de Montgomery, Earl, iii.

Rogers, Ann, 4*, 8; Elean., 6; Hannah, 7; Marth., 4; My., 3, 6*, 7*, 8, 10; Prisc., 2, 4*; Sam., 6; Wm., 2, 3, 4*, 6*, 7*, 8, 10.

Rutherford, Adam, 11*; Marg. Turnbull, 11*; Marth. Milnes, 11; Sar., 11*.

Sankey, Ann, 4, 5; Eliz., 2; Jn., 4; Marth., 2; Sar., 1.

Savage, Eliz., 4, 11; Jn., 11; Rich., 4, 11.

Scott, Jas. Rob., iii; Jn., Chas. Addyes, iii; Rob., iii.

Seuuard, iii.

Small, Cath., 1.

Spencer, Reb., 8, 9*; Rich., 9; Sam., 8; Thos., 8, 9*; Wm., 9.

Swinnert, Edw., 2; Jane, 2.

Thomas, Cath., 3; Jn., 1, 3, 10; Jos., 2; My., 1, 2, 7, 9; Sar., 7.

Tomkins, My., 2.

Tudor, Abr., 4; Ann, 2, 8*; Jer., 8*; Joan, 5; Jn., 2, 4, 6; Marth., 1, 2, 4, 6; My., 1; Rich., 6; Thos., 1.

Vaughan, Elean., 4; Jn., 4.

Wainwright, Sar., 11; Wm., 11.

Warwick, Harriet, 3; Jas., 3.

Watts, Arth. Wm. Benj. Walmsley, iv.

Weaver, Frances, 11; Rich., 11; Thos., 11.

Whittingham, Wm., iv.

Whitworth, Wm. Hy., iv.

Wigley (Whigley), Hannah, 1.

Wild, My., 1.

Wilks (Wilkes), Ann, 8; Eliz., 10; Reb., 3, 6*, 7*, 8, 9, 10; Rich., 6; Sam., 3, 6*, 7*, 8, 9*, 10; Thos., 7.

Williams, Ann, 3; Elean., 7, 8; Jn., 3*; Marth., 3; Thos., iv, 7, 8*; Wm., iv, 7.

INDEX RERUM

British Camps and Tumuli, iii.

Dugdale’s Monasticon, cited, iii.

Haughmond Abbey, connexion with Ratlinghope, iii.

Ratlinghope, Church, Account of, iii, iv.

,, Derivation of the name, iii.

,, History of, iii.

,, Incumbents of, iv.

,, Inventory of Church Goods, 1549 and 1553, iv.

,, Manor, History of, iii.

,, Priory of Augustinian Canons at, iii.

,, Registers, Description of, iv, v.

,, Situation, iii.

Religious Census of Shropshire, 1676, iv.

Roman Road, the Portway, iii.

Transcripts of Registers at Hereford, v.

Wigmore Priory, iii.

Footnotes

[ia]  See Dugdale’s Monasticon, VI. 496-7.

[ib]  Architectural Account of the Churches of Shropshire, Vol. 1, p. 423.

[3]  This is clearly a mistake, and should be William Jones; for in the Banns the man’s name appears as William Jones, and by his mark, he signs the Register with William Jones.