314 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



contains 17 houses, 17 families; 52 males, 48 females: total of in- 

 habitants, 100. The Rev. James Ellerton is curate. 



Creswell, the family-mansion and estate of the Rev. Edward 

 Whitby, is extra-parochial, and situated two miles to the north-west 

 of Stafford, near the turnpike-road between that town and Eccles- 

 hall. The soil of this farm is an excellent loam, with fertile mea- 

 dows on the banks of the Sow. 



SEIGHFORD, including Aston and Doxey townships, is a parish, 

 situated about three miles north-west of Stafford, on a brook which 

 flows from Latchford-pool and falls into the Sow. The village of 

 Seighford consists of a few scattered houses well-thatched. The 

 general face of the country is level, and it is in a high state of 

 cultivation. 



The Church is small ; the nave is built of stone, and the chancel 

 and a small belfry, of brick. It is dedicated to St. Chadd,and is 

 a vicarage : the Rev. Edward Whitby is the present incumbent. 



The parish of Seighford, including the village of Bridgford, 

 contains 138 houses, 144 families ; 420 males, 446 females : total 

 of inhabitants, 866. 



RONTON is a small parish and village, situated between four and 

 five miles west of Stafford, and three miles east of Eccleshall. It 

 was the demesne of Goderick, a Saxon nobleman, at the time of the 

 General Survey, and afterwards held by him of William de Noel. 

 Camden says, the Harcourts, an aaeient and noble Norman family, 

 received it by inheritance from the Noels. 



Ronton Abbey was founded by Robert Fitz-Noel, in the reign of 

 Henry the Second, and was a Priory of canons regular of St. Au- 

 gustine. It was afterwards made a cell to the Abbey of Haghman, 

 in Shropshire, by the founder, who placed the canons in it, under 

 the rule and obedience of the church of Haghman. This Priory 

 paid to the Abbey of Haghman a yearly pension of 100 shillings. At 

 the time of the Dissolution, it was valued at 90. 2s. lld. per 

 annum. 



The principal remains of this Abbey, which are yet standing, con- 

 sist of the high tower of the church, part of its walls, and a small 

 part of the cloisters. The church is but small, and thatched. A 

 tenement is erected on part of the site of the ancient abbey. The 

 church is dedicated to All Saints, and is a vicarage, formerly be- 

 longing to the abbey. The King is patron. The Rev. Thomas 

 Harding is vicar, and the Rev. William Hicken, jun. curate. 



The land in the parish of Ruutou .consists of a good strong loam] 



