WOLSTANTON, a parish in the northern division
of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD;
comprising the chapelry of Thursfield, the townships
of Chatterley, Chell, Chesterton, Knutton, Oldcott,
Rainscliff, Stadmerslow, Wedgwood, and Wolstanton,
the hamlet of Brerehurst, and the liberty of Tunstall
Court, and containing 8572 inhabitants, of which number,
958 are in the township of Wolstanton, 1 mile
(N. by E.) from Newcastle under Line. The living is
a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Stafford, and diocese
of Lichfield and Coventry, rated in the king's books at
£32. 3. 9., and in the patronage of Walter Sneyd,
Esq. The church is dedicated, to St. Nicholas. There is
also a chapel, called New chapel, the living of which is a
perpetual curacy, endowed with £200 private benefaction,
and £400 royal bounty, and in the same patronage.
The Grand Trunk and Sir N. Gresley's canals pass
through the parish, and the former is here conducted
under a tunnel one mile and a half in length. Six
poor children are educated for £2 a year, bequeathed
by John Turner, in 1696. Wolstanton is in the honour
of Tutbury, duchy of Lancaster, and within the jurisdiction
of a court of pleas held at Tutbury every third
Tuesday, for the recovery of debts under 40s.