Market Drayton in 1841
Drayton-in-Hales, or Market Drayton, is in the north-eastern extremity of the county, near the borders of Staffordshire, and in that portion of the hundred of North Bradford known as the Drayton Division. The population of the entire parish (which is partly in Staffordshire) was, in 1831, 4,619. There seems to be little known of the history of this place. The parish church was built in the reign of Stephen. The town is watered by the river Teme, and is supposed to have been formerly much larger, as many old foundations have been traced in the vicinity. The market held here was formerly one of the largest in the district. There are eight fairs in the course of the year. There are manufactories of paper and of hair-seats for chairs, &c. ; but the number of labourers employed in manufactures in this parish were returned in 1831 as only 8. The living is a vicarage, of the net annual value of £173. The church was formerly a Gothic structure, but its character was destroyed by repairs effected in 1787.
There are seventeen daily-schools, only one of which has a small endowment, and by the aid of which, assisted by payments from the parents, 16 boys are taught. In all the other schools the children are taught at the expense of the parents. One is a national school, containing about 50 boys and 20 girls. The number of children in the remaining fifteen schools is about 350. In addition to these are four Sunday-schools, one in connection with the Established Church, and the remainder with Methodists and Calvinists.
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