page_title: Albrighton, Bridgnorth
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Albrighton, Bridgnorth / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Parish church of St Mary Magdalene, Albrighton, east Shropshire, seen from the south
context_page_description: Albrighton is a large village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is located 7.5 miles northwest of Wolverhampton and is best described as a dormitory village for the city. It is 11.3 miles from Bridgnorth and used to be within the now defunct Bridgnorth district; it is now part of the Shropshire Council unitary authority.
  The village has a railway station, which is on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line. Very close by is RAF Cosford and the M54 motorway. The village is the most easterly settlement in Shropshire. Immediately to the north is the hamlet and parish of Donington separated from Albrighton by Humphreston Brook.
context_section_description: Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Albricston(e) or the home/farm of Albric/Aethelbeorht, it received its charter in 1303, which was renewed in 1662 for rather unusual reasons. The charter declared that "because Albrighton (then) adjoined Staffordshire on the east, south and west sides, felons and other malefactors fled Staffordshire to escape prosecution because there was no resident justice of the peace in that part of Shropshire".
  The parish church, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene was completed around 1181, and some rebuilding work was done in 1853. It is built of red sandstone in the Norman style. The church contains an alabaster monument to Sir Craig Wilson, as well as the Albrighton Mace donated to the village in 1663, by Lady Mary Talbot. The east window of the church dates from the 14th century.  The church also contains the family tomb of the Talbot Family, including the final resting place of Charles Talbot and Francis Talbot, among others.
  The church is separated from the extremely close parish church of St Cuthbert (Donington) by Humphreston Brook. The story is that two sisters disagreed about the nature of the architecture of the church and so resolved to build their own churches right next to each other.
  Humphreston Brook was dammed by a local miller in the 17th century and it now provides the boundary between the two parishes and feeds into Donington Pool which is also part of the Donington and Albrighton Nature Reserve. Blakeway refers to the pond as being called Hall Pool as it was adjacent to Hall Orchard, which was a burial ground for Roman Catholics by the church of St Mary Magdalene.
  The High Street has not been altered too much over the years. The half timbered inns, Georgian facades and lime trees still make the street picturesque. Some sources say the lime trees were planted in the 19th century by a Dr Orson Bidwell, others say a former Earl of Shrewsbury was responsible. In all probability both of them planted trees and so may many other people if a tree was damaged or failed. The diary of John Howell, tenant farmer of Beamish and House Farm gives the year of planting as 1832.
  For most of the 14th century and into the 15th the manor of Albrighton, together with Ryton, was held by the Carles, Careles or Careless family. The Carles were connected by marriage to the Lestranges (Lords Strange of Blackmere) and the Talbots. Albrighton left the control of this family with the marriage of an heiress to a member of the Corbet family in the reign of Henry VI.
  The Earl of Shrewsbury is the premier Earl of England and, until 1918, was the biggest land owner in Albrighton. They were originally the Talbot family (later Chetwynd-Talbot), many of whom are buried in Albrighton Church. George Talbot, 9th Earl of Shrewsbury was a Catholic priest and so never married. He died in 1630 aged sixty-three and was buried in the family tomb at the parish church of Albrighton.
  Early in the 17th century, Albrighton was noted for making buttons and then in the 18th century clock making flourished. By 1880 it was bricks, but by and large, agriculture was the main industry before the building of the railways.
  Albrighton was granted Borough status in 1303 on account of its remoteness from Shrewsbury, Shropshire's county town. That was renewed in 1662 but it seemed to lapse again by the 19th century. A Mace confirming its borough status was discovered for auction at Sotheby's and this was purchased for £359 in 1948. The money was raised by local subscription under the guidance and perseverance of the Rev E E Wright. The Borough status meant that there was a Justice of the Peace who could order the arrest of criminals. A small jail and stocks stood somewhere near to the Crown, whilst a room above it was used for various village meetings and transactions. There was also a Toll House nearby. A press article in 1884 discussing the history of the village's regular fairs stated that they were 'held on a wide open space called the Cross, where the cross roads are in the middle of the [village]. The Market Hall stood in the midst of the s
caption: The church of St Mary Magdalene, Albrighton
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