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CUTTLESTONE
HUNDRED
Cuttlestone was one of the smallest of the
Hundreds. It shared its boundaries with Shropshire in the West, Seisdon Hundred in the
South, Offlow Hundred in the East, and Pirehill Hundred in the North.
The area it covered was only 20 miles by 12 miles and was mainly all farm land apart
from the extensive heath of Cannock Chase. The Hundred was divided into two by the River
Penk, which ran through the middle from South to North and eventually joins the River Sow
near Stafford. The Hundred had the, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal also the
Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal to provide transport of Goods. The Railways also
crossed the Hundred, these were, The London and North Western, which crossed the centre.
The Trent Valley and Shropshire Union Railways skirted the North of the Hundred.
The main Minerals in the area were Coal and Ironstone, which lay in
extensive fields around Rugeley and Wyrley.
The Cuttlestone Hundred was divided into East and West Divisions and had
2 market towns. These were Rugeley and the ancient town of Penkridge. In 1851 The Hundred
consisted of, 17 Parishes, 1 extra parochial place, 6 Chapelries and about 40 Townships,
Villages and Hamlets.OFFLOW
HUNDRED
The Offlow Hundred was one of the largest of
the five areas, it was in the South East of the County of Staffordshire. The Hundred had
wide variations in employment environments, including excellent farming pastures in
the North of the Hundred around the lowland vales of the Trent, Tame and Dove Rivers,
these areas produced well fed cattle and cheese production. The Higher lands between the
Watling street and the River Trent produced vast amounts of vegetables, including onions
and carrots especially around the Lichfield area. The very fertile soil of this area also
produced excellent crops of Corn and Barley.
The Offlow Hundred was about 30 miles long and an average width of 10 miles. The
Southern parts of the Hundred were more Industrialised. The areas around Walsall,
Wednesbury, Tipton and West Bromwich were more highly populated and employed many in the
Coal Mining, Iron Manufacture and associated Industries.
There were 5 Market Towns in the Hundred, namely Walsall, Wednesbury, Tamworth,
Burton-upon-Trent and in the centre the City of Lichfield. There were 38 Parishes, 7 extra
parochial places and about 100 townships, villages and hamlets in 1851.
PIREHILL HUNDRED
Pirehill was the northern Hundred of
Staffordshire, it contained the Potteries towns of Stoke-upon Trent and
Newcastle-under-Lyme which were noted for there fine earthenware and china production. It
was one of the larger Hundreds being 28 miles in length and between 8 and 15 miles in
width. It included the Boroughs previously mentioned also part of the Borough of Stafford.
It was divided into 43 Parishes which had aprox 150 towns, villages and hamlets. It
contained 10 Market Towns, Stoke,Stafford, Newcastle, Burslem, Tunstall, Hanley &
Shelton, Longton, Stone, Eccleshall and Abbots Bromley.
In 1801 Pirehill had a population of 64,946 which in the next 50 years increased to
150,000 by 1851. Most of the increase being in the Potteries, in the Parishes of Burslem,
Stoke and Wolstanton.
SEISDON HUNDRED
This was the smallest of the five Hundreds
although it was a highly populated one. It was in the South West of the County and took
its name from the village of Seisdon, which is just south west of Wolverhampton.
It was a area which was rich in minerals such as Coal, Ironstone and Limestone and
was extensively littered with numerous mines and ironworks.The area was celebrated for its
manufacture of locks, bolts, hinges and a vast array of metal wares. It also had very
large glass works in and around the Dudley and Stourbridge (Worcestershire) areas.
Wolverhampton was its largest town (now a City) and may have been thought of as the
capital of the Hundred. It contained numerous towns,villages and hamlets and 18 Parishes.
In more modern times it has become known as the Black Country.
TOTMONSLOW HUNDRED
This was the North Eastern Hundred of Staffordshire and covered the
Staffordshire moorlands of the Leek and Cheadle areas. There are very few industries in
the bleak and mountainous region. There were many deposits of Coal, Lime and Stone in the
area.
The Hundred was an oval shape stretching from the three Shires of Stone across east
to Uttoxeter and North to Flash. It contains the market Towns of Leek, Longmore, Cheadle
and Uttoxeter and also 70 Townships comprising of thirty parishes.
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{ References from : History, Gazetteer and Directory of
Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851} were used in the text of this page.
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