Harlaston
Encyclopedia
Harlaston is a village and civil parish
in Staffordshire
, England. It lies on the River Mease
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of Tamworth
. There is an Early English church, dedicated to St Matthew, and a public house
, the White Lion.
Harlaston is a conservation area, and has won the Staffordshire Best Kept Small Village award 5 times.
origin. Certainly, a corn mill is mentioned in the Domesday Book
.
Until 1845 Harlaston was a chapelry
of the parish of Clifton Campville
, after which date it became an independent ecclesiastical parish.
In 1851 the population was 221, on about 1400 acres of land. There were 2 lords of the manor, Captain Theophilus Levett and W Chettle, though much of the land belonged to other people.
of Harlaston became part of Tamworth Poor Law Union in 1836
. In 1866 it also became a civil parish in its own right, becoming part of Tamworth Rural District
in 1894. During the boundary changes
of 1934, the parish was extended to incorporate Haselour, becoming part of Lichfield Rural District
. In 1974
it became part of the new non-metropolitan district
of Lichfield
.
Electorally the parish is part of Mease and Tame ward of Lichfield District, and lies within the parliamentary constituency of Tamworth
.
The Church is mainly built of red brick in Norman and Early English styles. There is a tower with three bells and a clock. The upper part of the tower is half-timbered – this is said to be unusual for Staffordshire. A small spire was added in the 19th century.
The Manor House dates back to 1540. It is of traditional timber construction.
The Homestead dates back to 1773. It was built by William Mercer, a harness
maker. It may have once also been the village pub, the Whip and Saddle.
For local government purposes Haselour was extra-parochial until 1858, when it became a civil parish within Lichfield Poor Law Union. In 1894 it became part of Lichfield Rural District
; in 1934 the civil parish was incorporated into Harlaston.
Listed Grade II* are Haselour Hall and its associated chapel. The manor house of Haselour Hall, with its traditional half-timbered Tudor
appearance, dates back to the 16th century. The chapel dates from the 14th century, and was restored in the 1880s, but is now in poor condition and is on the English Heritage
at risk register.
The now-closed Elford railway station
was originally named Haselour.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England. It lies on the River Mease
River Mease
The River Mease is a lowland clay river in the Midlands area of England. It flows through the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire and forms the administrative border between these counties for parts of its length....
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. There is an Early English church, dedicated to St Matthew, and a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, the White Lion.
Harlaston is a conservation area, and has won the Staffordshire Best Kept Small Village award 5 times.
History
The name Harlaston comes from Old English, and means either Heoruwulfs farm or Heorulafs farm. It has been suggested that the church goes back to the 11th century and is of Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
origin. Certainly, a corn mill is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
.
Until 1845 Harlaston was a chapelry
Chapelry
A chapelry was a subdivision of an ecclesiastical parish in England, and parts of Lowland Scotland up to the mid 19th century. It had a similar status to a township but was so named as it had a chapel which acted as a subsidiary place of worship to the main parish church...
of the parish of Clifton Campville
Clifton Campville
Clifton Campville is a village and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. It lies on the River Mease, about east of the City of Lichfield, west of Measham and north of Tamworth. In 2001 the parish had a population of 764....
, after which date it became an independent ecclesiastical parish.
In 1851 the population was 221, on about 1400 acres of land. There were 2 lords of the manor, Captain Theophilus Levett and W Chettle, though much of the land belonged to other people.
Governance
The townshipTownship (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of Harlaston became part of Tamworth Poor Law Union in 1836
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
. In 1866 it also became a civil parish in its own right, becoming part of Tamworth Rural District
Tamworth Rural District
Tamworth was a rural district in the English Midlands from 1894 to 1965.It was created under the Local Government Act 1894 from Tamworth rural sanitary district, and was one of a handful of rural districts to cross county boundaries, with part in Staffordshire and part in Warwickshire...
in 1894. During the boundary changes
Local Government Act 1929
The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales....
of 1934, the parish was extended to incorporate Haselour, becoming part of Lichfield Rural District
Lichfield Rural District
Lichfield was a rural district in the county of Staffordshire, England from 1894 to 1974.It was enlarged in 1934 by gaining part of Staffordshire that has been administered since 1894 as part of Tamworth Rural District, which was otherwise in Warwickshire....
. In 1974
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
it became part of the new non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of Lichfield
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
.
Electorally the parish is part of Mease and Tame ward of Lichfield District, and lies within the parliamentary constituency of Tamworth
Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tamworth is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
.
Landmarks
Harlaston includes a number of historic buildings. Listed Grade II* is the parish church of St Matthew; grade II listings include the Manor House, as well as several other houses, mileposts, and a telephone box.The Church is mainly built of red brick in Norman and Early English styles. There is a tower with three bells and a clock. The upper part of the tower is half-timbered – this is said to be unusual for Staffordshire. A small spire was added in the 19th century.
The Manor House dates back to 1540. It is of traditional timber construction.
The Homestead dates back to 1773. It was built by William Mercer, a harness
Horse harness
A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
maker. It may have once also been the village pub, the Whip and Saddle.
Other Settlements
Haselour is an ancient manor and hamlet about a mile west of Harlaston. The name Haselour comes from Old English and means hazel ridge. In 1851 it was described as having a population of 29 people in 5 houses, and covered 570 acres (230.7 ha). The area was extra-parochial and the people were served by the chapel at Harlaston.For local government purposes Haselour was extra-parochial until 1858, when it became a civil parish within Lichfield Poor Law Union. In 1894 it became part of Lichfield Rural District
Lichfield Rural District
Lichfield was a rural district in the county of Staffordshire, England from 1894 to 1974.It was enlarged in 1934 by gaining part of Staffordshire that has been administered since 1894 as part of Tamworth Rural District, which was otherwise in Warwickshire....
; in 1934 the civil parish was incorporated into Harlaston.
Listed Grade II* are Haselour Hall and its associated chapel. The manor house of Haselour Hall, with its traditional half-timbered Tudor
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
appearance, dates back to the 16th century. The chapel dates from the 14th century, and was restored in the 1880s, but is now in poor condition and is on the English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
at risk register.
The now-closed Elford railway station
Elford railway station
Elford railway station was a railway station serving the village of Elford and the manor of Haselour Hall in Staffordshire, opened by the Midland Railway in 1850....
was originally named Haselour.