Ipstones in 1872

IPSTONES, a village, a parish, and a sub-district in Cheadle district, Stafford. The village stands on the slope of a lofty eminence, above the river Churnet, the Uttoxeter canal, and the North Stafford railway, 2 miles NW of Froghall railway station, and 4 N of Cheadle; and has a post-office under Stafford, and fairs on 24 March and 6 Nov. The parish contains also the township of Morridge, and part of the hamlet of Foxt. Acres, 5,642. Real property, exc. of Morridge and Foxt, £11,010, of which £6,207 are in mines; inc. of Morridge and all Foxt, £14,214, of which £7,407 are in mines. Pop. of the parish, in 1851, 1,292; in 1861, 1,904. Houses, 373.

The increase of pop. arose from the extension of ironstone mining operations. The property is much sub-divided. Belmont Hall is a chief residence. The scenery includes cliffs of much height and beauty, and has recently been much improved by plantations. Gritstone, of good quality for grindstones, is largely quarried. The ironstone mined here is of a very peculiar and highly valuable quality.

The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Lichfield. Value, £130. Patrons, Freeholders in trust. The church is plain, and has a tower; and it contains an enamelled pedigree and several monuments of the Sneyd family. There is a small church at Foxt. There are also chapels for Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists, an endowed agricultural school, and charities £9. The sub-district contains also the rest of Foxt hamlet, and two other parishes. Acres, 20,677. Pop., 6,118. Houses, 1,251. 

An 1872 Gazetteer description of the following places in Ipstones is to be found on a supplementary page.

• Foxt
• Morridge

[Description(s) from The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72) - Transcribed by Mike Harbach ©2020]