Harlaston
| Harlaston | |
| Staffordshire | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SK215109 |
| Location: | 52°41’46"N, 1°40’59"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 394 (2011[1]) |
| Post town: | Tamworth |
| Postcode: | B79 |
| Dialling code: | 01827 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Lichfield |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Tamworth |
| Website: | www.harlaston.org.uk |
Harlaston is a village and parish in Staffordshire. It lies on the River Mease, about five miles north of Tamworth. There is an Early English church, dedicated to St Matthew,[2] and a public house, the White Lion.
Harlaston is a conservation area, and has won the Staffordshire Best Kept Small Village award five times.[2]
History
The name Harlaston comes from Old English, and means either Heoruwulf's farm or Heorulaf's farm.[3] It has been suggested that the church goes back to the 11th century and is of Anglo-Saxon origin. Certainly, a corn mill is mentioned in the Domesday Book.[2]
Until 1845 Harlaston was a chapelry of the parish of Clifton Campville, after which date it became an independent ecclesiastical parish.[2]
In 1851 the population was 221, on about 1,400 acres of land. There were two lords of the manor, Captain Theophilus Levett and W Chettle, though much of the land belonged to other people.[4]
Landmarks
Harlaston includes a number of historic buildings. Listed Grade II* is the parish church of St Matthew; Grade II listings include the Manor House, as well as several other houses, mileposts, and a telephone box.[5]
The Church is mainly built of red brick in Norman and Early English styles. There is a tower with three bells and a clock. The upper part of the tower is half-timbered – this is said to be unusual for Staffordshire. A small spire was added in the 19th century.[2]
The Manor House dates back to 1540. It is of traditional timber construction.[2]
The Homestead dates back to 1773. It was built by William Mercer, a harness maker. It may have once also been the village pub, the Whip and Saddle.[2]
Other settlements
Haselour is an ancient manor and hamlet about a mile west of Harlaston. The name Haselour comes from Old English and means hazel ridge.[3] In 1851 it was described as having a population of 29 people in 5 houses, and covered 570 acres. The area was extra-parochial and the people were served by the chapel at Harlaston.[6]
Listed Grade II* are Haselour Hall and its associated chapel.[5] The manor house of Haselour Hall, with its traditional half-timbered Tudor appearance, dates back to the 16th century.[7] The chapel dates from the 14th century, and was restored in the 1880s, but is now in poor condition and is on the English Heritage at risk register.[8]
The now-closed Elford railway station was originally named Haselour.
References
- ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11124237&c=Harlaston&d=16&e=62&g=6463691&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1449590301359&enc=1. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "St Matthew's Church, Harlaston". Mease Valley Churches. http://www.measevalley.org.uk/harlaston.htm. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Key to English Place Names". Institute for Name-Studies. http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/ins/kepn/search.php. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
- ↑ "GENUKI: Harlaston". 29 May 2000. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/STS/Harlaston/index.html. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Listed buildings of Harlaston CP". Lichfield District Council. http://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/downloads/HARLASTON.pdf. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ↑ "GENUKI: Lichfield". 30 January 2001. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/STS/Lichfield/index.html. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- ↑ "Haselour Hall". http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~heveningham/page2.html. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- ↑ "Chapel east of Haselour Hall". English Heritage. http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/default.aspx?id=647&rt=1&pn=1&st=a&ctype=all&crit=. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
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