Rugely in 1841
Rugely is in the eastern division of Cuttlestone hundred, nine miles east-south-east from Stafford on the road to Lichfield. The town, which is near the north-eastern border of Cannock Chase, is irregularly laid out, but is remarkably clean and of respectable appearance ; some of the streets of later formation are lined with houses of a superior character. The church has been rebuilt of late years, but the tower and chancel of the old church still remain : the chancel is used for a schoolroom. There is an Independent meeting-house ; and at Brereton, about a mile south-east of the town, is a Wesleyan chapel. The parish has an area of 7,120 acres, with a population, in 1831, of 3,165. There are some iron-works in the town, and at Brereton, in the parish, are some coal-pits. The market is on Tuesday, and there are three yearly fairs, one a large horse-fair, and another a large horse, cattle, and sheep fair. The Grand Trunk canal passes the town ; and the Trent, which however is not here navigable, flows about a quarter of a mile to the north-east of it. There is a railroad from the Brereton coal-pits to the canals. The living is a vicarage, in the peculiar jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of Lichfield, of the clear yearly value of £213, with a glebe-house. There were in the parish, in 1833, two dame-schools, with 40 children ; a well-endowed grammar-school with 48 boys ; another school, with a small endowment, with 60 boys; a national school, and a charity school with 24 boys and 125 girls ; six other day-schools, with 30 boys, 15 girls, and 64 children of sex not distinguished ; two boarding and day schools, with 52 girls and 17 boys ; and two Sunday-schools, with 210 children. |