Rushall
An ancient settlement meaning 'a place in marshy ground where rushes grow'.The high quality limestone which lies very near the surface at Rushall was first exploited by the Romans who valued it for their elegant villa's and bath houses.
Again during the Industrial Revolution the use of limestone in the smelting of iron led to an expansion in its mining. New settlements developing in the Daw End, Hay Head and Linley workings. Eventually the Hall's park workings collapsed and flooded to create the Park Lime Pits, which today is a nature reserve.
Although Butts (an ancient area set aside in many English towns and villages where men in the middle ages were obliged to practise their archery skills), and Ryecroft are technically part of the parish of Rushall, they developed more as suburbs of Walsall. Rushall proper was established on the Lichfield Road at its junction with Pelsall Lane, Daw End Lane and Coalpool Lane (Station Road). Here a toll-bar was set up when the road was turnpiked in 1766.
| Sometime during the 300 years from their inception, the Settlement Documents relating to the occupants of Walsall Borough and Foreign have been lost or destroyed. It was therefore with delight that I came across the following list in one of the parish books belonging to Rushall, now in the safe keeping of Stafford Record Office - I hope it helps some of you to trace the movements of your forebears before they arrived at Rushall.
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List of Rushall Settlements listed on 2nd June 1766 in a Parish Book kept at Stafford Record Office.
Not to be republished without permission.
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Name
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Date
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From
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Thomas Days
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1714
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Walsall
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John Royley
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1718
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Foreign
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William Brode
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1723
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Norboro
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John Thickbroom
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1724
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Foreign
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William Collier
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1724
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Borough
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Aaron Royley
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1730
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Foreign
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Thomas Kendrick
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1737
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Foreign
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Edward Perry
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1737
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Foreign
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John Reynolds
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1738
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Foreign
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Richard Philips
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1739
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Pelsall
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Edward Riddle
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1740
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Foreign
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Henry Conoways
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1740
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Shenstone
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Richard Couper
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1740
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Bromsgrove
|
John Myat
|
1741
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Shenstone
|
Thomas Allen
|
1742
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Wolverhampton
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Thomas Rathbone
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20 Sept 1711
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Walsall Borough
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John Royley
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3 June 1718
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Walsall Foreign
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Henry Lloyd
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1 June 1720
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Walsall Foreign
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John Spurrier
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13 June 1721
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Walsall Borough
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Joseph Povey
|
5 Jan 1721
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Walsall
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Thomas Moore
|
9 Jan 1722
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Odd Rode ?
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William Broad
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5 July 1723
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Newbold Astbury
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John Holdcroft
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26 Mar 1723
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Norton
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William Shatwell
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3 July 1723
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Newbold Astbury
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Phillip Holland
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3 March 1723
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Walsall Borough
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William Collier
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13 Sept 1724
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Walsall Borough
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Sarah Birches
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16 Nov 1724
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Hinsbury
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John Thickbroom
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8 June 1724
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Walsall Foreign
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George Whitall
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8 May 1727
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Chilvers Coton
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Samuel Hide
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27 Feb 1730
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Wednesbury
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Aaron Royley
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8 Mar 1730
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Walsall Foreign
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William Smith
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4 Dec 1731
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Walsall Borough
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Edward Perry
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18 Aug 1737
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Walsall Foreign
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Thomas Kendrick
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14 June 1737
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Walsall Foreign
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John Reynolds
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13 Mar 1738
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Walsall Foreign
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Richard Phillips
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12 Apr 1739
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Pelsall
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Richard Cooper
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10 Sept 1740
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Bromsgrove
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Edward Bidworth
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28 Oct 1740
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Walsall Foreign
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Henry Conway
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21 Dec 1740
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Shenstone
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John Myatt
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9 Jan 1741
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Shenstone
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Nathanial Pooton
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8 Mar 1741
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Tamworth
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Thomas Allen
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11 Sept 1742
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Wolverhampton
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Samuel Westley
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20 Oct 1759
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Walsall
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John Becketts
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23 Nov 1763
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Walsall Foreign
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John Swan
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6 Dec 1763
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Penkridge
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The 12th century records the first Rushall Hall, the 15th century seeing it being rebuilt by the GRUBBERE family, from whom it eventually passed to the HARPURs. The legendary LEIGH family taking over in the 16th century.
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Rushall Hall c.1894.
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The opening of the Daw End canal assisted greatly in the transport of limestone from the many local mines.
The influx in miners expanding the population from 405 in 1801 to 1,946 in 1851.
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| Timeline |
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1086
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Domesday assessed that the village of 8 households and a mill were worth 10 shillings.
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1220
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Church at Rushall described as a chapel of Walsall.
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1440
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Church rebuilt by John Harper.
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1643
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Prince Rupert attacked Rushall Hall home of Parliamentarian Colonel Edward LEIGH. The Hall was stoutly defended by Lord Leigh's wife.
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1671
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Death of Sir Edward LEIGH.
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1747
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Walsall to Lichfield Road turpiked by Act of Parliament.
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1801 Census
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Population: 405
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1847
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Church school opened.
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1851 Census
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Population 1,946
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1861
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Population: 2,842
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1871
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Population: 3,702
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1891
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Population: 2,006
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1897
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Clock and drinking fountain set up in village square.
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Religion |
St Michael, Rushall.
{Registers date from 1686}
Registers at:
Stafford Record Office.
Lichfield Joint Record Office.
Walsall Local History Centre.
Visit Other Web Sites
 St Michael, before 1867.
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Other Places of Worship.
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Daw End
1931-1982
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Rushall Congregational Church.
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MOSELEY DOLE - Rushall 1801.Molseley's Dole is reputed to have begun in the mid 15th century, when Thomas Molesley bequeathed land at Bescote, Warwickshire, the revenue from which to be given each year on the anniversary of his death for the benefit of his soul and that of his wife Margaret.
Subsequently one penny (1d) per member of a household was paid to all those living in the Borough and Foreign of Walsall. By the 18th century this took place annually on the 1st January, thus providing a mini census of heads of household and each houshold's inhabitants on that night.
1s. (one shilling) = 12d. (12 pennies)
1d = 1 penny.
Name
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Amount Paid.
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Name
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Amount Paid
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Name
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Amount Paid
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EMERY widow
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2d
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Rushall Parish:
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Butts:
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EDGE, W
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3d
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HOMER Mrs
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4d
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SMITH Jos
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1s 2d
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HARRISON, W
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8d
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BENNET Jos.
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6d
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HOLMES, W
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10d
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TAVERNER, T
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10d
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BENNET B.
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2d
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LEES, Jos
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8d
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HENNEY, Ed
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4d
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BENNET W.
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7d
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ROBERTS
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2d
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GREENSEL, Rd
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7d
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NEVIL W.
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2d
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PERRY, W
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9d
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HOPKINS, Jos
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1d
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PARSON Jos.
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1s. 5d.
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FREEMAN, Cs
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6d
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ALLEN, W
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7d
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EDDON Jn.
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6d
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FOX, Jn
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1s 2d
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BAGNALL, Wm
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5
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FLETCHER J.
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2d
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GLOVER, J
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1s 2d
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JACKSON, Ed
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6d
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JONES
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8d
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SHAW
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4d
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MOUSLY, Jn
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6d
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HARVEY, W.
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5d
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CLARKE widow
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4d
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FLETCHER, Hugh
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6d
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DAYSON, Ts.
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8d
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JONES
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3d
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BUTTERY, Rd
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3d
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LEWIS, Js
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8d
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ARROWSMITH, W
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3d
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HOLMES, Rd
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4d
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MARTEN widow
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8d
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10d was paid amongst the rest.
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Daw End:
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WHITEHALL, Js
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7d
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HOLMES Jn
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STRONGITHARM, G
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3d
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PERRY widow
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7d
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PHILIPS, Cs
|
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THAWLEY, G.
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4d
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OAKES widow
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7d
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PALMER, J
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ROWLEY, G.
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4d
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HARRIS Wm
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5d
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DAVIS, Jos
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HODGETTS widow
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1s. 0d
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KENDRICK Ann
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8d
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LATHAM, W
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PERRIN, Js.
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6d
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FLOYD, Ts
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2d
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LEWIS, S.
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8d
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WOODWARD, S
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6d
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SALT, W.
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10d
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DEANE widow,
(2 families)
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1s 2d
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LOWE, T
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8d
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TURLEY, Ed
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6d
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BROOKS, S.
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3d
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CLARKE, Jn
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7d
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CLARKE, J.
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6d
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KENDRICK Mrs
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5d
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PARKER widow
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1s. 1d
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MEANLEY, S
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8d
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|
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DEAN, Ts
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5d
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Rushall:
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MIDDLEBROOK, T
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5d
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MARTIN Mrs
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5d
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WHITE, W
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4d
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RUSSEL, J
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5d
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DALE, Ts
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4d
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COOPER, Js
|
6d
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SMITH, W
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11d
|
|
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DAVIS, F
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6d
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HILL, W
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4d
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YATES, W
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8d
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WATSON widow
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5d
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BRETT, C
|
2d
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WATSON, Js
|
7d
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WATSON, W
|
4d
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BROMALL, An
|
6d
|
|
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OAKES, Jn
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4d
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KENDRICK widow
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5d
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YATES, Mrs.
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10d
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ALLEN, Sam
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2d
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MEANLY, Rd
|
7d
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SHELDON, Jn
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7d
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HULME, Jos
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1s. 0d
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HAWKINS, Js
|
9d
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BALEMAN, Sl
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8d
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| 1841 Census (Heads of Household - part only) HO107/980/13
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Name
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Age
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Name
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Age
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Name
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Age
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George Stringer
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46
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John Davies
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45
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Lucy Emery
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50
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Sarah Lowe
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62
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John Garbett
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30
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Chas. Bickly
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55
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William Cowley
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68
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Samuel Nuttall
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30
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William Watson
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45
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Joseph Blunt
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35
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Joseph Davies.
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40
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Thomas Boot
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54
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John Povey
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40
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John Fox
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45
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Richard Rowley
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60
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Thomas Ecxelsure
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51
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William Hulme
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25
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Thomas Eaton
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60
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Humphrey Williams
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35
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James Meek
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35
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George Davies
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35
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John Pekeman
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65
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Stephen Bickly
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45
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Thomas Wilcox
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25
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John Stokes
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45
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William Thomas
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60
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James Jackson
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35
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William Birkin
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43
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Richard Garbett
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40
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George Smith
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63
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Jas Rider
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25
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Thomas Smith
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50
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Isaac Taylor
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30
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Ann Yates
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55
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| Old Highways and Byways |
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Dales Lane
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An old lane leading from Daw End to College Farm.
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Daw End Lane
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From the hamlet of Daw End.
Daw is a pet name for David.
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Floyds Lane
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An old road leading from Daw End to Park Lime Pits.
A Christopher FLOYDE of Rushall is recorded as having paid 2 shillings for one hearth in the 17th century Hearth Tax.
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Lichfield Road.
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The road leading from Walsall to Lichfield.
A turnpike was set up on the Rushall section c.1750.
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Linley
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An old limestone mining area.
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New Street
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Not so new - it is a least 160 years old and can be seen on an O.S. map of 1832.
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Park Road
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The road to Park Lime Pits from Daw End.
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Pelsall Lane
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A centuries old thoroughfare from Rushall to Pelsall, and probably as old as the two settlements themselves.
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Station Road formerly Coalpool Lane.
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The route to Harden, Coalpool and Goscote a toll bar was set up here when the Lichfield Road was turnpiked.
the railway did not arrive until 1849.
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Stubbers Green
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An ancient trackway between Aldridge, Shelfield and Pelsall, and once called Pelsall Lane at the Aldridge end.
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Winterley Lane.
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An old road joining Daw End to the Lichfield Road. The Winterley Limeworks were established here in the 19th century.
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