Parishmouse Free Resources For Family Historians

Dudley – a market town, having two parishes, St. Edmund and St. James; 6 miles N.N.E. from Stourbridge, 10 from Birmingham, and 120 from London; containing 3184 inhabited houses, entirely surrounded by Staffordshire. The castle, which now consists only of dilapidated fragments of different styles of architecture, was once very extensive, occupying nearly an acre of ground. During the civil wars, in 1644, it was gallantly defended by Lieutenant-Colonel Beaumont, for three weeks, against the Parliament army, and at length released by the King’s troops. At the restoration it was dismantled, and the site sold, after which, both the castle and town came by female descent to the ancestors of the present Lord Visc. Dudley and Ward. In 1750, a fire destroyed great part of the castle, occasioned, it is supposed, by some coiners, who carried on their nefarious practices in this place to avoid detection. Part of the keep has lately been fitted up by Lord Dudley. Here are 2 churches, both united in one vicarage. A new church has lately been erected at the north end of the town, on the site of the old one, at a very considerable expense, great part of which was raised by subscription. In the town are several meeting houses for various denominations of dissenters, 3 good charity schools, and no less than 7 Sunday schools.

Dudley has been raised to its present importance from the vast number of coal mines in its vicinity; indeed, for six miles round there is one continued strata of coal, and this accounts for the number of iron and glass manufactories in the neighbourhood. The market is on Saturdays. Fairs, 8th May, 5th Aug. and 2nd Oct. St. James’s is a vicarage, with St. Edmund’s annexed; Rev. L. Booker, L.L.D. incumbent; instituted 1812; patron, Lord Visc. Dudley and Ward. Population, 1801, 10,107 – 1811, 13,925 – 1821, 18,211.

Source: Worcestershire Delineated: Being a Topographical Description of Each Parish, Chapelry, Hamlet, &c. In the County; with the distances and bearings from their respective market towns, &c. By C. and J. Greenwood. Printed by T. Bensley, Crane Court, Fleet Street, London, 1822.