Munslow is a hundred of

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. It was formed with the amalgamation of the Anglo-Saxon hundreds of Patton and

Culvestan Culvestan was a hundred of Shropshire, England. Formed during Anglo-Saxon England, it encompassed manors in central southern Shropshire, and was amalgamated during the reign of Henry I (1100 to 1135) with the neighbouring hundred of Patton to ...

during the reign of Henry I (1100 to 1135). Hundreds in England had various judicial, fiscal and other local government functions, their importance gradually declining from the end of

manorialism Manorialism, also known as the manor system or manorial system, was the method of land ownership (or " tenure") in parts of Europe, notably France and later England, during the Middle Ages. Its defining features included a large, sometimes fort ...

to the latter part of the 19th century. The hundred is named after the village of

Munslow Munslow is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is situated on the B4368, northeast of the small town of Craven Arms, in the Corvedale, at around above sea level. The village formed part of and gave its name to the ...

, where the hundred's judicial and administrative functions were mostly carried out. The 'hundred house' for Munslow hundred was originally located in neighbouring Aston Munslow, but from the Tudor period was located in Munslow itself.

Geography

The hundred was divided into "upper" and "lower" divisions (the "lower" division being considerably larger). The hundred reached from All Stretton to the north, down the valleys of the rivers Onny, Corve and

Teme The River Teme (pronounced ; cy, Afon Tefeidiad) rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown, and flows southeast roughly forming the border between England and Wales for several miles through Knighton before entering England in the vicinity of ...

, to the

Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire ...

border south and west of Ludlow.GENUKI
Shropshire hundreds (Gregory, 1824) Three towns came to exist in the hundred — Ludlow (established alongside Ludlow Castle in the early 12th century), Church Stretton (granted a market charter in 1214) and Craven Arms (which grew as a railway town in Victorian times). The hundred has no detached parts, although the part consisting of Richard's Castle, Ashford Carbonell and Ashford Bowdler was practically detached, until the transfer of the remainder of Ludford in 1895. The liberty of Wenlock had three true enclaves within Munslow (the main part of the parish of Eaton together with Millichope, secondly the parish of Shipton, and a tiny third enclave being the township of Norncott) until reform of its borough in 1836 incorporated these parts into Munslow.GENUKI Miscellaneous, Shropshire
''The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland'' (1868)

Formation

The

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

records that following the Norman conquest of England, many of the

manor Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...

s in the hundreds of Culvestan and Patton came to be owned by Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, including the manors of Corfham and Aston. Corfham was already by 1066 (when it was held by

King Edward King Edward may refer to: Monarchs of England and the United Kingdom * Edward the Elder (–924) * Edward the Martyr (–978) * Edward the Confessor (–1066) * Edward I of England (1239–1307) * Edward II of England (1284–1327) * Edward III o ...

) the '' caput'' (the centre of administration) for both Culvestan and Patton. It is believed that by the 12th century the ''caput'' for both hundreds was moved to Aston, northwest from Corfham Castle on the other side of the River Corve. Aston was near the

tumulus A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or '' kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones ...

known as Munslow and the place later became known as Aston Munslow. The hundreds of Shropshire were greatly reformed throughout the 12th century, and one of the earliest changes to be made was the formation of Munslow. During the reign of Henry I (1100 to 1135) the hundreds of Culvestan and Patton were formally merged (having been paired by a common ''caput'' for some time) and the new hundred formed was named Munslow. The new hundred included most of the manors of Culvestan (not Huntington, which went to Stottesdon) and Patton (not Madeley or Beckbury, both which went to Brimstree — nor Acton, which went to Stottesdon). In addition a number of manors from the hundred of Leintwardine (which was being dissolved) were transferred, with a boundary between the new hundreds of Munslow and Purslow taken to be the

Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman R ...

running from Wistanstow south to the Herefordshire border (and explains why Rowton and Shelderton were in different hundreds to the rest of their respective parishes). Also brought into Munslow was a part of the parish of Richard's Castle, causing a division between Shropshire and Herefordshire there that still exists.

Later transfers to Wenlock

The move to Munslow hundred was relatively short-lived for many places, with the growth of the franchise (or liberty) of WenlockBritish History Online
''The Liberty and Borough of Wenlock'' beginning in the 1189-1199 reign of Richard I — see the section in the Patton article. The resulting hundred of Munslow (following the removal of places to Wenlock) resembled quite closely the former hundred of

(with for example the upper division based on the former hundred's detached part in the vicinity of the Strettondale) as around half of the Patton element was removed.

Parishes in 1824

The following

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

es, or parts, formed the hundred in 1824, as recorded by ''A Gazetteer of Shropshire''. This represents the area covered by the hundred for much of its history, from circa 1200 to 1836. The Saxon hundreds which these places originated from prior to the formation of Munslow is given (♦ from Culvestan hundred; ‡ from Patton hundred; ¤ from Leintwardine hundred; ◌ from Cutestornes hundred).

Upper Division

* Acton Scott ¤ * Cardington (Broome, Holt Preen and Comley in Condover) ♦ (Cardington) ‡ (Gretton) ¤ (Plaish) *Church Stretton ♦ * Hope Bowdler ♦ * Rushbury ‡ *

Wistanstow Wistanstow is a village and parish in Shropshire, England. Wistanstow is located about south of Church Stretton and north of Ludlow. It is about north of Craven Arms. It is just off the main Shrewsbury-Hereford road, the A49. The large pa ...

(

Felhampton Felhampton is a hamlet in Shropshire, England. It is around north of Craven Arms, and south of Shrewsbury. The hamlet is located by the A49 road. See also *Listed buildings in Wistanstow Wistanstow is a civil parish in Shropshire, England. ...

, Strefford, Whittingslow and the eastern part of Wistanstow only; remainder in Purslow) ¤

Lower Division

* Abdon ‡ * Ashford Bowdler ♦ * Ashford Carbonel (Huntington and The Serpent in Stottesdon) ♦ * Bitterley (Lower Ledwyche and Middleton only; remainder in

Overs Over may refer to: Places *Over, Cambridgeshire, England *Over, Cheshire, England *Over, South Gloucestershire, England *Over, Tewkesbury, near Gloucester, England **Over Bridge *Over, Seevetal, Germany Music Albums * ''Over'' (album), by Pete ...

and Stottesdon) ♦ * Bromfield ♦ *

Clee St. Margaret Clee St. Margaret is a small village and civil parish in the Clee Hills area of Shropshire, England. It is seven miles north east (about a fifteen-minute drive) from the market town of Ludlow. It lies at approximately above sea level. The C ...

‡ *Clungunford (

Shelderton Shelderton is a hamlet in south Shropshire, England. It is located just southeast of the village of Clungunford and is part of that village's civil parish.Ordnance Survey mapping It was a medieval township and belonged to Munslow hundred. The ...

only; remainder in Purslow) ¤ * Cold Weston ♦ *

Culmington Culmington is a village and civil parish in south Shropshire, England, about east of Craven Arms and north of Ludlow. The village is about above sea level, beside the River Corve, just east of the B4365 road. The 2011 Census recorded the ...

♦ * Diddlebury ♦ * Ditton Priors (Ruthall only; remainder in Wenlock) ‡ * Easthope ‡ *

Holdgate Holdgate (or Stanton Holdgate or Castle Holdgate) is a small village in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Abdon and Heath. Its name is taken from its Norman lord Helgot who owned the village in 1086 along with 17 other p ...

‡ * Hopton Cangeford ♦ * Ludford (Holdgate Fee, Steventon and the Sheet only; remainder in Wolphy) ♦ *Ludlow ''borough♦ * Ludlow Castle ♦ *Munslow (Millichope in Wenlock) ♦ *

Onibury Onibury is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the River Onny in southern Shropshire, about northwest of the market town of Ludlow. The parish includes the hamlets of Walton and Wootton and was extended in 1967 to include p ...

♦ * Richard's Castle (Batchcott, Mitnell, Overton and Woofferton only; remainder in Wolphy) ◌ *

Stanton Lacy Stanton Lacy is a small village and geographically large civil parish located in south Shropshire, England, north of Ludlow. The River Corve flows through the parish, on its way south towards the River Teme, and passes immediately to the w ...

♦ * Stanton Long ‡ *Stoke St. Milborough ( Heath only; remainder in Wenlock, including Norncott) ‡ *

Stokesay Stokesay is a historic hamlet in Shropshire, England just south of Craven Arms on the A49 road, also fleetingly visible from the Shrewsbury to Hereford Welsh Marches railway line. Less than a mile to the north is the small town of Craven Arms an ...

(Rowton in Purslow) ♦ *

Tugford Tugford is a hamlet in Shropshire, England. It lies in the civil parish of Abdon and Heath (formerly Abdon), between Bouldon and Holdgate, on the boundary of the relatively flat Corvedale and the upland Clee Hills. The church of St Catherine d ...

‡

Borough of Ludlow

Ludlow was a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle ...

from 1461 to 1974 (a

municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in ...

from 1835; a

rural borough The Local Government Act 1958 (6 & 7 Eliz.2 c.55) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom affecting local government in England and Wales outside London. Among its provisions it included the establishment of Local Government Commissio ...

from 1967) which encompassed the same area as Ludlow's parish until the mid-late 19th century; its borough status meant it was largely autonomous from the hundred.

Hundred in 1831

The land area covered by the hundred of Munslow in 1831 was .

Enlargement in 1836

The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed the borough of

Wenlock Wenlock may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Little Wenlock, a village in Shropshire * Much Wenlock, a town in Shropshire ** (Much) Wenlock (UK Parliament constituency) ** Wenlock Priory, a 7th/12th-century monastery * Wenlock Basin, a canal basi ...

and several of its parishes, and parts of, which were detached parts of its liberty, were transferred to other hundreds in 1836. Munslow gained Eaton-under-Heywood (two detached parts) and Shipton (though not its tiny detached part of Skimblescott) to its Upper Division. The remainders of Stoke St. Milborough ( Cleestanton, Norncott, ''et al''.) and

(Millichope), as well as The Skirmage (a tiny

extra-parochial place In England and Wales, an extra-parochial area, extra-parochial place or extra-parochial district was a geographically defined area considered to be outside any ecclesiastical or civil parish. Anomalies in the parochial system meant they had no chu ...

which bordered onto Stoke St. Milborough; also written as 'Scirmidge') transferred to its Lower Division. These areas were returned to Munslow after having become part of the liberty of Wenlock in medieval times; they were in Munslow hundred upon its formation c. 1100 and derive from manors originally transferred to Munslow from Patton and Culverstan (only the manor of Cleestanton) hundreds.

Hundred in 1868

The land area covered by the hundred of Munslow was recorded in 1868 at with the Lower Division having and the Upper Division .

Enlargement in 1895

In 1895, around the same time as the hundred became defunct, and as a result of the same 1894 Act of Parliament, the Herefordshire element of the parish of Ludford joined Shropshire, which also meant a transfer from Herefordshire's Wolphy hundred to that of Munslow.Vision of Britain
Ludford CP

Present-day

Although never formally abolished, the hundreds of England have become obsolete. They lost their remaining administrative and judicial functions in the mid-to-late 19th century, with the last aspects removed from them in 1895 with the

Local Government Act 1894 The Local Government Act 1894 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 73) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level u ...

. The Act established a new system of local government within the counties, consisting of civil parishes and districts, both with elected councils. The districts steadily amalgamated and since 2009 Shropshire has only two, both unitary authorities, meaning the county currently has no level of local government between the county and the parish.

References

British history online
''A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 10: Munslow Hundred (part)...'' (1998)

External links

Vision of Britain
Munslow Hundred

(c. 1830) by Alex Middleton (2011) {{coord, 52.475, -2.7, region:GB_type:city, display=title Hundreds of Shropshire Church Stretton History of Ludlow