Wood Cottage and Pottersload, Severn Valley Country Park, Chapel Lane, Alveley Shropshire WV15 6NG. on archaeology e a
September 2019 V 1.0
Archaeological Assessment Project Code: A0210.1 Report no. 0217 Wood Cottage and Pottersload, Severn Valley Country Park, Chapel Lane, Alveley Shropshire WV15 6NG. September 2019 V 1.0
Report no. 0217 Archaeological Assessment
Aeon Archaeology 25, Mold Road Broughton Chester CH4 0PQ
Wri en by: Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA
on archaeology Checked by: Josh Dean BA ACIfA e a
Project Code: A0210.1 Date: 27/09/2019 Client: Shropshire Council Outdoor Partnerships Team [email protected] Wood Cottage and Pottersload, Severn Valley Country Park, Chapel Lane, Alveley Shropshire WV15 6NG. September 2019 V 1.0
Copyright Declara on:
Aeon Archaeology grants permission for the material presented within this report to be used by the archives/repository with which it is deposited, in perpetuity, although Aeon Archaeology retains the right to be iden fied as the author of all project documenta on and reports, as specified in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (chapter IV, sec on 79). The permission will allow the repository to reproduce material, including for use by third par es, with the copyright owner suitably acknowledged.
Disclaimer:
This Report has been prepared solely for the person/party which commissioned it and for the specifically tled project or named part thereof referred to in the Report. The Report should not be relied upon or used for any other project by the commissioning person/party without first obtaining independent verifica on as to its suitability for such other project, and obtaining the prior wri en approval of Aeon Archaeology. Aeon Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability for the consequences of this Report being relied upon or used for any purpose other than the purpose for on archaeology which it was specifically commissioned. The en tlement to rely upon this Report rests solely with the
e person/party which commissioned it and does not extend to any other person/party. Aeon Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability for any use of or reliance upon this Report by any a person/party other than the commissioning person/party.
Project Code: A0210.1 Date: 27/09/2019 Client: Shropshire Council Outdoor Partnerships Team [email protected] Figures
Figure 01: Loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload. Scale 1:20,000 at A4.
Figure 02: Loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload. Scale 1:5,000 at A4.
Figure 03: Loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload. Scale 1:2,500 at A4.
Figure 04: Loca on of non-designated monument points from the Shropshire Historic Environment Record. Scale 1:10,000 at A4.
Figure 05: Loca on of non-designated monument polygons from the Shropshire Historic Environment Record. Scale 1:10,000 at A4.
Figure 06: Lidar data of Severn Valley Country Park (1m DSM).
Figure 07: Loca on of Severn Valley County Park on Saxtons Map of Shropshire 1577.
Figure 08: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on Rocque’s Survey of the County of Shropshire 1752.
Figure 09: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on ‘Parts of Alveley Parish 1770 Based on a Survey of Estates of Lancelot Lee Esq’.
Figure 10: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on the ‘Map of Shropshire by Cary - 1793’.
Figure 11: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on ‘A New Map of Shropshire Divided into Hundreds - 1805’.
Figure 12: Po ersload depicted on ‘Baugh’s Map of Shropshire - 1808’ and the approximate loca on of Wood Co age.
Figure 13: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on J. Cary’s map of Shropshire - 1812.
Figure 14: Po ersload depicted on Greenwood’s Map of the County of Salop - 1827 and the approximate loca on of Wood Co age.
Figure 15: Po ersload and Wood Co age depicted on the 1 inch Ordnance Survey map of 1833.
Figure 16: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on Foxhall’s Transcript of Highley Tithe Map - 1839.
Figure 17: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on J. Cary’s map of Shropshire - 1864.
Figure 18: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on Cruchley’s Road and Railway Map of the County of Shropshire - 1875.
Figure 19: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1883.
Figure 20: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1883.
Figure 21: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1901.
Figure 22: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1902.
Figure 23: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1925.
Figure 24: Loca on of Po ersload on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1926. Plates
Plate 01: View of Wood Cottage, from the south. Scale 1.0m
Plate 02: View of Wood Cottage showing location of wall lines, from the south. Scale 1.0m
Plate 03: View of Wood Cottage showing northern east-west wall, from the east. Scale 1.0m
Plate 04: View of Wood Cottage showing southern east-west wall, from the east. Scale 1.0m
Plate 05: Ferry agreement between Katherine Sophia Monk and Joseph H Knowles in 1929. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 06: Cottage agreement between Katherine Sophia Monk and Joesph H Knowles in 1929. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 07: Ferry agreement between Katherine Sophia Monk and Joseph H Knowles in 1936. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 08: Approximate location of Pottersload, from the north. Scale 1.0m
Plate 09: Approximate location of Pottersload, from the northwest. Scale 1.0m
Plate 10: Isaiah and Mary Davies of Pottersload. Courtesy of Gerry Scriven.
Plate 11: Gertrude Davies in backyard at Pottersload cottages. Courtesy of Gerry Scriven.
Plate 12: Pottersload cottages. Courtesy of John Oliver.
Plate 13: Hilda Davies in front of Pottersload cottages. Courtesy of John Oliver.
Plate 14: Joseph H Knowles. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 15: Looking across the river to Wood Cottage. Courtesy of the Knowles family.
Plate 16: View of Pottersload cottages in 1936 as the Miners’ Bridge was under construction. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 17: View of Miners’ Bridge under construction with ferry seen in foreground. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 18: Artists impression of Pottersload. Courtesy of Gerry Scriven.
Plate 19: Hall Close in about 1880. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 20: Lease of Possession of the Scite of the Manor of Alveley 4 April 1690 (1496/23)
Plate 21: Petition for the repair of footpath from Alveley to Potters Load Ferry 1899 (CP10/13/1)
Please note: The plates have been edited by Severn Valley Country Park, June 2020.
1.0 INTRODUCTION, AIMS AND PROJECT DESIGN ...... 2 2.0 METHODS AND TECHNIQUES ...... 3 2.1 Archival research ...... 3 2.2 Site walkover ...... 3 2.3 Project archive ...... 3 3.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND...... 4 3.1 Topographic Description ...... 4 3.2 Statutory and non-statutory designations ...... 4 3.2.1 Non-designated monument points from the Shropshire Historic Environment Record (figure 04 and 05) ...... 4 3.2.2 Listed Buildings...... 5 3.2.3 Scheduled Ancient Monuments ...... 5 3.2.4 Areas of Archaeological Potential ...... 5 3.2.5 World Heritage Sites ...... 6 3.2.6 Events ...... 6 3.2.7 Historic Parks and Gardens ...... 6 3.2.8 Registered Battlefields ...... 7 3.2.9 Historic Landscape Areas ...... 7 3.2.10 Lidar (figure 6) ...... 7 4.0 THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT ...... 8 5.0 SOURCES ...... 22 APPENDIX 1: SCHEDULED AND NON-SCHEDULED SITES WITHIN THE SEVERN VALLEY COUNTRY PARK...... 24
Aeon Archaeology | 1.0 INTRODUCTION, AIMS AND PROJECT DESIGN 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION, AIMS AND PROJECT DESIGN
Aeon Archaeology was commissioned by the Outdoor Partnerships Team at Shropshire Council, hereafter the Client, to carry out an archaeological assessment and field visit of two former properties known as Wood Cottage and Pottersload, located within Severn Valley Country Park, Chapel Lane, Alveley, Shropshire WV15 6NG (centred on NGR SO 75267 83795 and SO 75020 83920 respectively) (figures 1-3).
Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) has been secured by the Client as part of the HLF ‘Our Heritage’ project for desk-based research into both properties followed by a community excavation of Wood Cottage (to be carried out by Aeon Archaeology starting 7th October 2019) as part of the Severn Valley Lives in the Landscape project.
The overall project aim is to research and investigate the lives of previous generations who lived and worked at Severn Valley Country Park and present this in an inspiring and informative way to park visitors;
• Industries in the valley (mining and sandstone quarrying) • River transport (trows used to navigate this stretch of the Severn) • Historic river crossings (the site of Potters Loade ferry was within the park) • Social history (capturing and presenting the stories and family history of local people who used to live and work in the valley)
A specification brief for the desk-based research of both former properties and the community excavation of Wood Cottage was undertaken by the Senior Archaeological Advisor (Mr Hugh Hannaford MCIfA) at Shropshire Council in August 2018. This document outlined the aims and objectives of both phases of work.
As part of the archaeological assessment an area centred on the Severn Valley Country Park was utilised for a search of the Shropshire Historic Environment Record (HER). This provided a background historical narrative of the area and included source material from the Shropshire Archives and Record Office, Shrewsbury. Information on statutorily protected sites including Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, World Heritage Sites, and Historic Battlefields was obtained from Historic England.
The following report conforms to the guidelines specified in Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-based Assessment (Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, 2014).
Acknowledgement is given to Susie Comaish, Project Officer: Severn Valley Lives in the Landscape who undertook much of the preliminary archival information for the project; and to Margaret Sheridan and Bill Scriven of the Alveley Historical Society.
Po ersload
Wood Co age
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2019
Figure 01: Loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload. Scale 1:20,000 at A4. Aeon Archaeology Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2019
Figure 02: Loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload. Scale 1:5,000 at A4. Aeon Archaeology Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Ordnance Survey © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Licence number 100022432
Figure 03: Loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload. Scale 1:2,500 at A4. Aeon Archaeology Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk 2.0 METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
2.1 Archival research
The archaeological assessment involved the study of the following records:
• The regional Historic Environment Record (Shropshire HER, Historic Environment Team, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND) was examined for information concerning the study area. This included an examination of the core HER, and secondary information held within the record which included unpublished reports.
• The Shropshire Archives and Record Office (Castle Gates, Shrewsbury SY1 2AQ) was examined for information concerning the study area which included the Clun Township map and schedule, the County Series Ordnance Survey maps, and associated published secondary information.
• Information about World Heritage Sites, Listed Buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments was obtained from Historic England.
• Results from previous archaeological work within the area was also reviewed.
2.2 Site walkover
The site walkover was carried out on 3rd September 2019 by Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA, archaeological contractor and consultant at Aeon Archaeology. The weather conditions were ideal for the field search being both bright and clear. All archaeological sites and viewpoints were photographed using a digital SLR (Canon 600D) set to maximum resolution.
2.3 Project archive
A full archive including plans, photographs and written material was prepared. All plans, photographs and written descriptions were labelled and cross-referenced using Aeon Archaeology pro-formas. A draft copy of the report was sent to the Client and upon written approval from them paper and digital copies of the report will be sent to the regional HER and will be lodged with the Oasis archaeological online database. Copies of all notes, plans, and photographs from the assessment are stored at Aeon Archaeology under the project code A0210.1 with the originals being lodged in a suitable repository to be agreed with the archaeological curator.
3.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
3.1 Topographic Description
The site of Wood Cottage lies within thick woodland between two footpaths within Severn Valley Country Park (NGR SO 75267 83795). The upstanding remains include a rectangular building orientated roughly north-south and measuring approximately 4.0m in length by 2.0m in width. The extant walls measure c1.0m in width by c0.1m in height and are constructed from unbonded, medium sized sub-rounded cobbles. The historic maps depict an associated paddock / enclosure with an outbuilding lying to the immediate east of the dwelling, although this area lies within thick woodland and the degree to which upstanding remains persist is unclear. Furthermore, the degree to which remains of the former dwelling and enclosure / outbuilding persist at foundation level is currently unknown but will be addressed during the targeted excavation to be undertaken by Aeon Archaeology in October 2019.
The site of Pottersload is believed to be located within the vicinity of an existing footpath within the Country Park (NGR SO 75020 83920). It is currently understood that no upstanding remains of Pottersload persist and that it was demolished in its entirety when Alveley Colliery became operational in the 1940s.
The bedrock geology is of the Halesowen Formation – a mudstone, siltstone and sandstone sedimentary bedrock which formed approximately 308 to 310 million years ago in the Carboniferous Period, in a local environment previously dominated by rivers. The superficial deposits are Power House Terrace Deposits (river Severn) – a sand and gravel which formed up to 2 million years ago in the Quaternary Period, in a local environment previously dominated by rivers (British Geological Survey).
3.2 Statutory and non-statutory designations
3.2.1 Non-designated monument points from the Shropshire Historic Environment Record (figure 04 and 05)
The Shropshire Historic Environment Record (HER) maintains a register of non-designated archaeological sites represented as single point data, line data or as polygons. These are identified through their Monument UID number. These include sites which are of archaeological/historical interest, artefact find spots, documentary evidence, and locations of past events such as archaeological projects.
There are 9 non-designated monument points/lines and 11 monument polygons located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area (see appendix I). The Shropshire HER provides the following information regarding the Pottersload site:
(i) The post-medieval Potters Load (MSA3676):
Monument type:
Farmstead (post-medieval) Pottery Works? (post-medieval)
Potters Load or Pottersload is shown on the east bank of the Severn on three early 19th century maps. The later OS maps (OS 1884 to 1954) show that the settlement lay alongside the road to the ferry (PRN 20826). The buildings are not shown on the 1966 OS 6” map, although the boundary enclosing the former buildings is still shown on the edge of the Alveley Colliery spoil tip (PRN 07049). The settlement was almost certainly a farmstead, and is unlikely to have been a pottery works as previously recorded. In the 17th century a farm owned by Palmer in Highley was known as “Potters” and “load” means a track down to the river. It is possible that the road or track was known as “Potters load”, from which the settlement/farmstead took its name. A field which the track also runs through is named “Pottersload field" on the 1939 Tithe Apportionments for Highley.
The site of Wood Cottage is not recorded on the Shropshire HER.
3.2.2 Listed Buildings
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport holds a List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, considered to be of national importance. Compiled under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the List includes structures from boundary walls and telephone boxes to cathedrals. Listing gives statutory protection and restrictions apply. Consent may be required for works to, or that affect the setting of, a Listed Building and the Local Planning Authority conservation officer should be consulted if in doubt.
There are no Listed Buildings located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area.
3.2.3 Scheduled Ancient Monuments
Scheduled monuments are those considered to be monuments of national importance. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 supports a formal system of Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC) for any work to a designated monument. Any works within a Scheduled area will require SMC; this includes non-invasive techniques such as geophysics or field-walking.
There are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area.
3.2.4 Areas of Archaeological Potential
The shape and form of a modern town is the product of hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. Much of its history is to be seen in its historic buildings or its street plan. Elsewhere it may survive as buried archaeological deposits. These remains are highly vulnerable to destruction by modern development.
Although there has been a great deal of work at major towns and cities such as Chester and York, the minor historic centres have been less well studied. The HER in partnership with English Heritage carried out a survey of the archaeological potential and historic development of 37 historic towns in Shropshire, Halton and Warrington.
The survey was divided into three phases ‐ data gathering, assessment and strategy. During data gathering a wide range of sources was examined, collated and entered on to the Shropshire Historic Environment Record Database. This data was assessed and used to write a component based summary of the history and archaeology of each town. This information was mapped on to a Geographic Information System, enabling the production of period based time‐slice maps for each town.
Finally a strategy for the protection of the historic features of each town was devised, identifying, where possible, an Area of Archaeological Potential based on the assessment. The strategy reports are intended to act as Supplementary Planning Document to the archaeological policies in the Local Development Framework. They include a defined Area of Archaeological Potential consisting of one or more Archaeological Character Zones.
There are no Areas of Archaeological Potential located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area.
3.2.5 World Heritage Sites
World Heritage Sites are places that the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has inscribed on a list of international sites because of their outstanding universal value, the importance of which is so great as to transcend national boundaries. Countries with world heritage sites are required to afford the highest level of protection to these places, which means not only looking after the sites themselves but also their setting. This inevitably results in some constraints upon development within or adjacent to world heritage sites.
There are no World Heritage Sites located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area.
3.2.6 Events
There has not been any formal archaeological assessment or mitigatory response exclusively involving either the site of Wood Cottage or Pottersload. The latter has however been the subject of some study via amateur historians and a summary report undertaken by Susie Comaish has been utilised to contribute to the historical narrative of Pottersload.
Further background information concerning both former dwellings was obtained from Ancestry.co.uk, newspaper archives on britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk, the Alveley Historical Society website, Alveley Family History Facebook page, and the Broseley Local History website.
An archaeological assessment was undertaken by the Shropshire County Council Archaeology Service (SCCAS) in 2003 (Rep. 229) on the Highley to Alveley Bridge, to assess the known or potential archaeological resources, and recommend management and mitigation strategies in advance of the demolition and replacement of the bridge. The assessment comprised a desk based study and a walk over survey. The desk based assessment identified four features of interest; the former ferry crossings at several points along the river, providing a crossing between Highley and Alveley since the mid-18th century; Pottersload, described as a settlement, but likely to be a farmstead; Alveley colliery; and the Highley to Alveley Bridge itself. Principal among the features identified and surveyed, were the remains relating to the former mid-20th century Alveley colliery, including the bridge, a former tramway and trackways, various earthworks and embankments, and a 1960 aerial ropeway. This report has been utilised to contribute to the historical narrative of the Severn Valley Country Park and in particular the site of Pottersload.
3.2.7 Historic Parks and Gardens
Historic England holds a Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. These Registered landscapes are graded I, II* or II, and include private gardens, public parks and other green spaces. They are valued for their design, diversity and historical importance. Inclusion on the Register brings no additional statutory controls, but there is a presumption in favour of conservation of the designated site. Local authorities are required to consult Historic England on applications affecting sites Registered as grade I or II* and the Garden History Society on sites of all grades.
There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area.
3.2.8 Registered Battlefields
Historic England's Register of Historic Battlefields identifies 46 important English battlefields. Its purpose is to offer them protection through the planning system, and to promote a better understanding of their significance and public enjoyment.
There are no Registered Battlefields located within the Severn Valley Country Park assessment area.
3.2.9 Historic Landscape Areas
The Shropshire Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) project mapped the historic character of the county’s landscape using modern and historic editions of the Ordnance Survey maps, together with a limited but consistent range of additional sources. This resulted in the definition of over 30,000 individual survey units and 58 different historic landscape character types.
The results help us to understand how the landscape of the county has changed and evolved over time. The report also details the way in which the emerging results were applied during the life of the project, helping to illustrate how HLC provides a vital starting point for those seeking to manage the direction of future landscape change.
The Severn Valley Country Park assessment area dos not lie within a registered historic landscape.
3.2.10 Lidar (figure 6)
Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is an airborne mapping technique, which uses a laser to measure the distance between the aircraft and the ground. Up to 100,000 measurements per second are made of the ground, allowing highly detailed surface and terrain models to be generated at different spatial resolutions.
The Lidar data of Severn Valley Country Park shows the site of Wood Cottage as a rectangular structure orientated roughly north-south.
To the east of the suspected location of the former Pottersload site an apparent rectangular enclosure appears to be shown to the immediate northeast of the footpath. This feature closely resembles the depictions of the Pottersload site on the Ordnance Survey 25” maps of 1883, 1901 and 1926, being orientated northeast-southwest with a stepped internal partition. It is therefore suspected that the Pottersload site may lie further to the east than originally thought based on cartographic sources, and it is possible that upstanding remains of the Pottersload enclosure are extant within the forest.
© Shropshire Council - Ordnance Survey © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Licence number 100022432
Figure 04: Loca on of non-designated monument points from the Shropshire Aeon Archaeology Historic Environment Record. Scale 1:10,000 at A4. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk © Shropshire Council - Ordnance Survey © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Licence number 100022432
Figure 05: Loca on of non-designated monument polygons from the Shropshire Aeon Archaeology Historic Environment Record. Scale 1:10,000 at A4. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Lidar anomaly Suspected - possible Po ersload site Po ersload site
Wood Co age
Figure 06: Lidar data of Severn Valley Country Park (1m DSM). Aeon Archaeology Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk 4.0 THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The following historical summary was provided by Margaret Sheridan, Hononary member of Alveley Historical Society:
Alveley history spans many centuries. The church of St Mary the Virgin was built in 1140, with many of the houses surrounding it dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The main 'life-blood' of the village for many years was farming and other related occupations such as wheelwrighting, blacksmithing etc. Later came stone quarrying and coal mining. During the 1700 and 1800s the river was the main artery, there were cottages down by the water and some families even lived on the water. The riverbanks were a hive of industry - Trows and Barges transported goods, people and livestock. Red quarry stone from Alveley and nearby Arley, was transported downriver to construct Worcester Cathedral, and other large churches.
There were ferries for people to cross from Alveley to Highley, and other ferries at Hampton Loade and Arley. The water was very important to village life, with streams, watermills and waterfalls situated along the water course throughout the parish, their remains can be still seen today, at Daddlebrook, Paper mill and Crowsmill.
Alveley is often remembered for its coal. During the early 1800s demand for coal grew and many small local collieries were opened. With the arrival of the severn valley railway in 1862, came great opportunities, the coal industry boomed and a shaft was sunk at highley in 1874, and a railway line connected to transport coal to local towns and industries including kidderminster carpet factories etc. As years went by and demand for coal increased a new shaft was sunk on the Alveley side in 1935, and a concrete bridge spanning the river bank from alveley to highley constructed. Coal mining became 'the heart beat' of Alveley, and men came for miles each day to work 'down the pit'..As Alveley's population grew, there was a demand for extra housing, and its first council housing estate was built just after the war, which later became known as 'peacock hill'.
The pit closed in 1969 leaving unemployment and a ravaged landscape, the land was left untouched for nearly twenty years, but due to a landscape reclamation scheme, the spoil tips and surrounding area were converted to a country park and 'The Severn valley country park' was opened in June 1992.
One of Alveley's most loved monuments is 'the buttercross', a solitary sandstone cross situated a mile away from the village on a quiet country lane. Loved by generations of alveley families and believed to date from the 1300's when the black death struck the village The cross was the village boundary where food and goods were left for the villagers to collect. In later years, it was used as an open air meeting place and market, where local farmer and smallholders met to 'barter' and exchange goods. It may have originally have been known as 'barter cross' but due to word of mouth and dialect became 'butter cross'... Another place often talked about in Alveley history is Cotton Hall, a large Georgian mansion and country estate famed for its connections to the confederate Robert E Lee and his family.
Another jewel of Alveley history is the 'The Three Horse Shoes Inn' which was first licensed in 1406, and is reputed to be the oldest inn in Shropshire. Also well remembered by many is 'The Nautical William' which was situated on the main road, and attracted people for many miles, with many a summer’s day enjoyed at the adjacent Fenn Green bathing pool.
Alveley colliery MSA3678
The Highley Mining Company began sinking shafts at Highley in the 1870s, hitting the Brooch coal seam at c. 270m. The pit was always profitable, and was highly mechanized, with underground electricity and coal cutters. By the 1930s, the underground works were heading beneath the River Severn towards Alveley, and a new shaft was sunk here for coal and man winding in 1935, and was connected with the Highley pit by 1937. Output was gradually transferred from Highley to Alveley, and by 1940 Highley pit was closed. Coal was taken across the Severn from Alveley to a screening plant on the west bank of the river by a rope- worked tramway over a concrete bridge. The tramway was replaced in 1960 by an aerial ropeway. In 1947 the colliery was taken over by the National Coal Board (NCB), and in the 1950s it was employing 1000 men and producing 300,000 tons of coal annually. Geological and economic problems forced the closure of the pit in 1968. The colliery is now an industrial site, although a number of the mine buildings survive. The spoil tips were landscaped to create the Severn Valley Country Park, in which the study area is situated. The tramway to the screening plant on the west bank of the river is now marked by a woodland track, and the site of the former screening plant itself is now a picnic area (Pearce, 1995).
Highley to Alveley Bridge (component of MSA3678)
The Highley to Alveley bridge was built in 1936-7 by the Highley Mining Company to connect its Alveley Colliery on the east bank of the river with the Highley Colliery and the Severn Valley Railway. The bridge was designed by the British Reinforced Concrete Engineering Company (BRC), and was to be a continuous structure supported on two abutments and two intermediate piers, giving a central span of 46m and side spans of 15m. The bridge was not a road bridge, but rather was intended to carry two narrow-gauge tub tracks, and so it consisted of two concrete girders carrying the tracks set 3m apart. A light decking was provided along each side for pedestrians. The bridge was built by Thomas Beighton Ltd., and was completed in 1937 at a cost of £6,000. It has been claimed that the bridge was the first in the country to be constructed by cantilever methods (Pearce, 1995, p65). When the collieries closed in 1968, the bridge was sold by the NCB to Shropshire County Council. The bridge remained in use as a footbridge until its replacement in 2006 (Blackwall, 1985, p87-8).
Wood Cottage
The site of Wood Cottage lies within thick woodland between two footpaths within Severn Valley Country Park (NGR SO 75267 83795). The upstanding remains include a rectangular building orientated roughly north-south and measuring approximately 4.0m in length by 2.0m in width. The extant walls measure c1.0m in width by c0.1m in height and are constructed from unbonded, medium sized sub-rounded cobbles.
Wood Cottage is not depicted on Saxton’s Map of Shropshire 1577 (figure 07), Rocque’s Survey of the County of Shropshire 1752 (figure 08), the 1770 Parish map of Alveley (figure 09), the Map of Shropshire by Cary – 1793 (figure 10), the New Map of Shropshire Divided into Hundreds – 1805 (figure 11), Baugh’s Map of Shropshire – 1808 (figure 12), Cary’s map of Shropshire – 1812 (figure 13), or Greenwood’s Map of the County of Salop – 1827 (figure 14). It is however shown on the 1” Ordnance Survey map of 1833 (figure 15) where it is shown as a rectangular building orientated north-northwest to south-southeast with an adjoining rectangular enclosure to the immediate east. Although the map is of uncertain detail it appears to depict an adjoining outbuilding to the northeast corner of the dwelling as well as an outbuilding in the south-eastern corner of the enclosure. It is shown as lying on the northwest edge of Hallclose Coppice and to the immediate north of a forest trackway that links Pottersload in the northwest with the road connecting Little London and Hall Close in the east.
Wood Cottage is not depicted on the later Highley Tithe Map – 1839 (figure 16) but was not of sufficient detail for smaller properties to be shown. The dwelling is however referred to in the 1841 census where it is recorded that Robert Munks, an agricultural labourer, and family (5 occupants) are residing there. Wood Cottage is not recorded in the 1851 census but is shown in the 1861 census as being occupied again by Robert Monks and family (4 occupants) where he is again labelled as an agricultural labourer.
The dwelling is not depicted on Cary’s map of Shropshire – 1864 (figure 17) or on the later Cruchley’s Road and Railway Map of the County of Shropshire – 1875 (figure 18) but again this is due to the maps not being of sufficient detail. The property is however mentioned in the 1871 census which records Robert Monck and family (3 occupants) as being at the property and again he is recorded as being an agricultural labourer. By the production of the 1881 census Wood Cottage appears to be referred to as No.1 Potter’s Loade and is labelled as Wood Cottage on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1883 (figure 19) and on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1883 (figure 20). These maps depict the dwelling in detail and again show it as a rectangular building orientated north-northwest to south-southeast. A rectangular enclosure is shown to the immediate east with an outbuilding adjoining the north-eastern corner of the dwelling. A further outbuilding is shown at the south-eastern corner of the enclosure / paddock.
The dwelling is not recorded on the 1891 and 1901 census but is depicted on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1901 (figure 21) and on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1902 (figure 22). The former depicts the site as unchanged from the 1883 OS map but the latter does not depict the two outbuildings, although this is likely to be of the poor detail of the 6” map rather than due to demolition.
The dwelling is not recorded on the 1901 census but is recorded on the 1911 edition where it is recorded that Charles Beddoes and family (6 occupants) are residing there. Moreover, the entry records that it has five rooms and that Charles Beddoes is a ferryman.
Wood Cottage is again depicted on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1925 (figure 23) where it is again shown as a rectangular structure with enclosure to the east. The adjoining outbuilding is not depicted but the outbuilding in the south-eastern corner of the enclosure is shown. It is not clear whether the adjoining outbuilding had been demolished by this point in time or whether the map was not of sufficient detail to depict the outbuilding. This map also shows that the ferry had moved approximately 80m downstream (southeast) and closer to Wood Cottage. As a consequence a new footpath is shown on the 1925 map connecting Wood Cottage with the new ferry location.
The 1939 census records Joseph Knowles and family (7 occupants) residing at Wood Cottage and that Joseph is a ferryman. A second Wood Cottage is recorded on the 1939 census with William Turford and family living there. William is recorded as a labourer on Pit Bank although it is not clear which dwelling this refers to.
The exact date that Wood Cottage was constructed is unclear however we know from the 1” Ordnance Survey map that it was constructed by 1833. The following chronology of habitation at Wood Cottage is proposed:
c1833 Wood Cottage constructed 1841 Robert Munks and family. 5 occupants. Robert is an agricultural labourer. 1851 Wood Cottage is not listed 1861 Robert Monks and family. 4 occupants. Robert is an agricultural labourer. 1871 Robert Monck and family: 3 occupants. Robert is an agricultural labourer. 1881 Wood Cottage is called No.1 Potter’s Loade 1891 Wood Cottage is not listed. 1901 Wood Cottage is not listed. 1911 Charles Beddoes and family. 6 occupants. Charles is a ferryman. The cottage has 5 rooms. 1939 Joseph Knowles and family. 7 occupants. Joseph is a ferryman. A second Wood Cottage is listed with William Turford and family living there. William is a labourer on Pit Bank.
Plate 01: View of Wood Co age, from the south. Scale 1.0m. Plate 02: View of Wood Co age showing loca on of wall lines, from the south. Scale 1.0m. Plate 03: View of Wood Co age showing northern east-west wall, from the east. Scale 1.0m. Plate 04: View of Wood Co age showing southern east-west wall, from the east. Scale 1.0m. Figure 07: Loca on of Severn Valley County Park on Saxtons Map of Shropshire 1577. Aeon Archaeology Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 08: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on Rocque’s Survey Aeon Archaeology of the County of Shropshire 1752. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 09: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on ‘Parts of Alveley Aeon Archaeology Parish 1770 Based on a Survey of Estates of Lancelot Lee Esq’ Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 10: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on the ‘Map of Aeon Archaeology Shropshire by Cary - 1793’. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 11: Approximate loca on of Wood Co age and Po ersload on ‘A New Map of Aeon Archaeology Shropshire Divided into Hundreds - 1805’. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 12: Po ersload depicted on ‘Baugh’s Map of Shropshire - 1808’ and the Aeon Archaeology approximate loca on of Wood Co age. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 13: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on J. Cary’s map of Aeon Archaeology Shropshire - 1812. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 14: Po ersload depicted on Greenwood’s Map of the County of Salop - 1827 Aeon Archaeology and the approximate loca on of Wood Co age. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Figure 15: Po ersload and Wood Co age depicted on the 1 inch Ordnance Survey map Aeon Archaeology of 1833. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 16: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on Foxhall’s Aeon Archaeology Transcript of Highley Tithe Map - 1839. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 17: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on J. Cary’s map of Aeon Archaeology Shropshire - 1864. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 18: Approximate loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on Cruchley’s Road Aeon Archaeology and Railway Map of the County of Shropshire - 1875. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 19: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 25” Ordnance Survey map Aeon Archaeology of 1883. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 20: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 6” Ordnance Survey map Aeon Archaeology of 1883. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 21: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 25” Ordnance Survey map Aeon Archaeology of 1901. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 22: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 6” Ordnance Survey map Aeon Archaeology of 1902. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Wood Co age
Figure 23: Loca on of Po ersload and Wood Co age on the 6” Ordnance Survey map Aeon Archaeology of 1925. Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Po ersload
Figure 24: Loca on of Po ersload on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1926. Aeon Archaeology Richard Cooke BA MA MCIfA 25 Mold Road, Broughton, Chester CH4 0PQ Tel: 07866925393 / 01244 531585 www.aeonarchaeology.co.uk Plate 05: Agreement between Katherine Sophia Monk and Joseph H Knowles in 1929. Plate 06: Agreement between Katherine Sophia Monk and Joseph H Knowles in 1929. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society Plate 07: Agreement between Katherine Sophia Monk and Joseph H Knowles in 1936.
Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society Pottersload (MSA3676)
The site of Pottersload is believed to be located within the vicinity of an existing footpath within the Country Park (NGR SO 75020 83920). It is currently understood that no upstanding remains of Pottersload persist and that it was demolished in its entirety when Alveley Colliery became operational.
To the east of the suspected location of the former Pottersload site the Lidar data appears to show an apparent rectangular enclosure to the immediate northeast of the footpath. This feature closely resembles the depictions of the Pottersload site on the Ordnance Survey 25” maps of 1883, 1901 and 1926, being orientated northeast-southwest with a stepped internal partition. It is therefore suspected that the Pottersload site may lie further to the east than originally thought based on cartographic sources, and it is possible that upstanding remains of the Pottersload enclosure are extant within the forest.
The following information has been obtained during searches of the Shropshire Archives and Record Office and through online sources. Much of this information is repeated from a summary history of Pottersload put together by Susie Comaish of Severn Valley Country Park who assembled the information as part of the HLF grant for the project.
Pottersload is first mentioned in the Alveley Parish Register 1651-1700 on the 19 December 1681 when Jane Jordan (daughter of John Jordan of Potters Load) is baptised. It is again mentioned in the same document on the 4 December 1683 and 19 March 1689 when John Jordan and William Jordan are baptised respectively (sons of John and Mary Jordan of Potters Load).
Pottersload is recorded in the Lease of possession of the scite of the manor of Alveley dated 4th April 1690 where it is referenced…..’also the passage over the river or water of Severne together with the boate there belonging at Potters load in Alveley’ (Shropshire Archives 1496/23).
Pottersload is again mentioned when the Manor at Alveley stated in the frankpledge of 22 October 1765 that a road for ‘waggons and horses could be laid from Alveley to Potter’s Loade for the use of the houses only’. It also stated that a gate should be placed in the corner of Potter’s Loade meadow and a fine of 10 shillings would be given if the gate was not installed within 6 months.
A frankpledge is a system of dividing a community into tithings or groups of ten men, each member of which was responsible for the conduct of the other members of his group and for the assurance that a member charged with a breach of the law would be produced at court.
The men named in the 1765 frankpledge were Edward Wilcox and George Colebatch. In the frankpledge of 20 October 1768, the same requests were made for the roadway and gate, but the fine had increased to 20 shillings if the gate wasn’t installed in the meadow. This time the men named are Samuel Wilcox, James Pitt and John Horn.
In the frankpledge of 27 October 1769, John Horn has been fined 20 shillings for not erecting the gate. He would be fined a further 30 shillings if that gate wasn’t erected in the following month.
In the frankpledge of 16 October 1770, the gate still had not been erected. John Horn had been fined 30 shillings and would be fined another 30 shillings if the gate wasn’t erected in the following month.
The following year (9 October 1771), the gate had still not been installed, and John Horn had been fined 30 shillings and once again he would be fined another 30 shillings if the gate wasn’t installed within the following month.
The Manor at Alveley then appears to cut its losses (or John Horn leaves the area) as the frankpledges for 20 October 1772, 5 October 1773 and 4 October 1774 state that there ought to be a gate erected at the corner of Potter’s Loade meadow, but the frankpledge does not name a local for this task.
Pottersload is not depicted on Saxton’s Map of Shropshire 1577 (figure 07), Rocque’s Survey of the County of Shropshire 1752 (figure 08), or on the 1770 Parish map of Alveley (figure 09). The latter does however name the field plot to the northeast as ‘Load Field’.
The first direct reference to crossing the river at Potter’s Loade is found in the Shrewsbury Chronicle on Saturday 16 August 1777. Rhea Hall in Highley is to be auctioned and the lot includes ‘right of free passage over the River Severn at Potter’s Load…..’
Pottersload is not shown on the Map of Shropshire by Cary – 1793 (figure 10) or on the New Map of Shropshire Divided into Hundreds – 1805 (figure 11), but is shown on Baugh’s Map of Shropshire – 1808 (figure 12). This map does not depict very much detail and does not show the road from Alveley to the Severn, but does show a rectangular pip on the eastern bank of the river labelled ‘PottersLoad’.
The later Cary’s map of Shropshire – 1812 (figure 13) does not show Pottersload but does show a road from Alveley to Highley crossing the Severn. By the production of Greenwood’s Map of the County of Salop – 1827 (figure 14) Pottersload is again depicted where it appears as a series of structures on both the north and south sides of the road.
The 1” Ordnance Survey map of 1833 (figure 15) depicts Pottersload in relative detail as a structure located between two footpaths, running to the immediate north and south and connecting the Severn in the west with Alveley in the northeast. The map appears to depict a rectangular dwelling orientated southwest-northeast and situated within a rectangular enclosure extending to the northeast and partitioned into two separate enclosures. The map also appears to show at least four small outbuildings or possibly animal pens against the south-eastern enclosure wall. A footpath is depicted running west-southwest from the dwelling to the eastern bank of the river where it is labelled ‘ferry’.
The Alveley parish tithe map of 1839 (figure 16) does not depict any of the buildings or enclosures at Pottersload but does show the location as being two plots both labelled as ‘Potters Meadow’.
In 1842, John Bacon was presented by his namesake, John Bacon of Bradley, Nr Bilston, Staffordshire, the Avley Jug. The jug has a number of inscriptions ‘JOHN BACON/AVLEY; Drink and be merry; And never be sad; 1842; Good luck to the farmer; Augst 20 1842.’ Ivan Noel Hume, the author of an article tracing the history of the jug, believes that John Bacon’s (of Hall Close) ownership of Potter’s Loade explains why he was presented with the gift. As ‘loade’ and ‘lode’ could be interchangeable Potter’s Loade could be a clay source. Hume says that as this has not yet been established, another other possibility could be that clay was transported over the river by the ferry. Hume also suggests that Potter’s Loade refers to a track leading to the ferry crossing from Potter’s Cross in Kinver.
Pottersload is next mentioned on the 18 Sept 1851 in the Worcester Journal which advertises a house, garden, new boat and ferry over the Severn at Potter’s Loade with applications to J. Bacon.
Later in 1864 (20 February- 5 March), for three weeks a house, garden with ferry over the Severn are advertised with enquires to Mr Fellows.
The dwelling is not depicted on Cary’s map of Shropshire – 1864 (figure 17) or on the later Cruchley’s Road and Railway Map of the County of Shropshire – 1875 (figure 18) both of these maps do however show the road from Alveley crossing the Severn at the point where Pottersload was located.
The 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1883 (figure 19) and the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1883 (figure 20) depict Pottersload in detail. These maps show Pottersload as a rectangular structure orientated northeast-southwest and divided into two dwellings. The building is shown within a rectangular enclosure also orientated northeast-southwest and situated between two footpaths to the north and south, which join in the west and run west-southwest to the river where it is again labelled ‘ferry’. Within the enclosure there appears to be small outbuildings adjoined to the dwelling at the south-western end and at the eastern corner, with a third small outbuilding showed detached and located to the northeast. Two possible further small outbuildings appear to be located against the south-eastern enclosure wall and may well be animal pens.
In 1895, on 26 October, at a meeting of Highley Parish Council reported in the Bridgnorth Journal, a motion to get the parish footpaths in good order was put forward. The paths would be improved by instalments starting with the ‘path from Glebe Cottage to Potter’s Loade Ferry.’ The Bridgnorth Journal on 21 December 1895 reported that the work to the path had been completed. The cost to Highley Council was ‘22s for labour and 12s for haulage of stones’. In 1899, there is a petition for the repair of the footpath from Alveley to Potter’s Loade (Shropshire Archives CP10/13/1).
Again in 1899, in his book ‘Nooks and Corners of Shropshire’, author H Thornhill Timmins visits the local area ‘retracing our steps to Alveley, we drop down to the ferry at Potter’s Load, a pleasant, sequestered spot where the ferryman’s picturesque cottage is the only habitation in sight’.
The 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1901 (figure 21) and the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1902 (figure 22) again depict Pottersload in detail. The site appears relatively unchanged from the earlier OS maps aside from a single small outbuilding is now shown against the south-eastern enclosure wall which appears to be sub-divided into three small pens, almost certainly being animal shelters or pig-stys.
Pottersload is mentioned again in the newspapers in 1901 (16th February) in an advert in the Wellington Journal for a boatman to take charge of Potter’s Loade ferry with applications to H.E. Monk.
The ownership of the ferry is linked to the residents of Hall Close Farm. The 1841 census shows John Bacon living at Hall Close Farm, he is still living here in 1851 and through to his death in 1857.
In 1854 John Bacon writes his will in which his assets are listed. These include
‘the ferry, ferry boats and the right of passage over the River Severn situate at the Hall Close, Townsend, Potters Load and elsewhere…’
On John Bacon’s death in 1857, Michael Fellows of Pool Hall is his sole executor and in the 1861 census Michael Fellows is living at Hall Close Farm. Michael Fellows is at Hall Close Farm in the 1871, 1881 & 1891 census. On his death in 1897, Herbert Edward Monk, William Elcock and James Frederick Lloyd are listed in his will. In 1901, Herbert Edward Monk is living at Hall Close Farm.
It can be safe to assume that the three names listed in the adverts, J Bacon, Mr Fellows and H.E. Monk are John Bacon, Michael Fellows and Herbert Edward Monk, the respective owners of Hall Close Farm.
Looking to the census reports again, in 1841 Thomas Wilcox, his son Edwin and their family are living at Potter’s Loade. For both men their occupation is stated as ‘waterman’. The definition of water man is ‘a river worker who transfers passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries’. The first direct reference in the census to a ferryman is not until 1911 when Charles Beddoes and his family are living in Wood Cottage. Mr Beddoes’ occupation is given as ferryman.
In the census reports from 1851-1901 within the parish of Alveley, no person is shown as having the occupation waterman or ferryman.
Looking for information elsewhere, reported on 4 January 1867 in the Shrewsbury Chronicle, 3 men were charged with stealing a rabbit trap from the brick yard of Mr Humphreys of the Ferry House, Alveley. This suggests that Mr Humphreys could have been the ferryman although a Mr Humphreys can’t be found in the 1861 or 1871 census.
In 1889, reported in the Shrewsbury Chronicle on 17th May and reported in both the Wellington Journal and Bridgnorth Journal on 18th May, the death of Edward Crow sheds more light on who the ferry operators could be. Mr Crow had gone missing the previous month and his body was found in the river by Sarah Ann Beddoes. In giving evidence at the inquest held at The Three Horseshoes, Alveley, Mrs Beddoes said that she ‘lived at Potter’s Loade and herself and her husband had charge of the ferry boat there. She ferried a young man over the River Severn…..after which she discovered something floating down the middle of the stream. She put the boat towards it and found it to be the body of a man. She called the young man back whom she had ferried across the river, and with his assistance she succeeded in getting the body into the boat and ultimately removed it in a conveyance to The Three Horseshoes at Alveley.’
Sarah Ann Beddoes is shown in the census reports of 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901 as living in one of the cottages at Potter’s Loade. In 1871 and 1881, she is Sarah Ann Wood. Her husband is George Wood and his occupation is a stone quarryman. After George dies, Sarah marries Benjamin Beddoes. In the 1891 census, Benjamin has the occupation of coal miner. In 1901 Sarah Ann is still living in Potter’s Loade and she is head of the household. In all these listings in the census reports, Sarah Ann is not shown as having an occupation.
The Alveley Family History, Shropshire Facebook page has a photograph of the ferry from 1910. The caption to the photograph says the ferry was called ‘Harriet Fisher’. The 1841 census shows Harriet Fisher living at Hall Close Farm with John Bacon. On his death, she remains living at Hall Close Farm with Michael Fellows until, at least, his death in 1897. Harriet, herself, dies in 1900. It is possible in these final years she is living at Townsend. Harriet appears to be a prominent figure in the village as she plays an important role in the establishing of the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Alveley. In 1861, she laid the foundation stone and donated a stained-glass bull’s eye window, the painted glass fanlight and 2 bronze chandeliers. In 1864, she bought The Patch for £40. This is the land which surrounds the chapel today. Harriet then sells The Patch in 1887 to the ‘Primitive Methodist Model Trust Deed’ for the amount she paid for it.
In the diary of Mary Ann Lewis of Ironbridge, an exciting incident was reported:
“a glider came up the Severn on October 27th, 1923, went almost as far as Shrewsbury, came back on Sunday 28th…it struck the Free Bridge….catched (sic) the ferry wire at Potter’s Loade and overturned” From the Wellington Journal 3rd November 1923 under the headline “Exciting Incident on Severn” “Considerable interest was aroused in Highley and district on Saturday by the appearance on the river of a hydro-glider……..On Monday morning the boat left Bridgnorth full sail ahead, but unhappily the ferry crossing at Potter’s Loade, near Highley, proved to be its undoing. At this point there is a rope across the river, and although the designer and pilot, Mr. Davies, was aware of the fact, the conditions of the river rendered a collision unavoidable. The three occupants had an unexpected immersion, but they were not daunted. They swam after their upturned craft and clung to it, drifting along to the bank of the river. At the cottage close by were held out the hands of the Good Samaritan, and the passengers soon crossed the ferry.”
Pottersload is shown in detail on the 6” Ordnance Survey map of 1925 (figure 23) and on the 25” Ordnance Survey map of 1926 (figure 24). These maps depict the site as unchanged from the earlier OS maps, aside from two small outbuildings are shown against the south-eastern enclosure wall. Furthermore, the footpath to the Severn is no longer shown and the ferry has been moved about 80m downstream (southeast) closer to Wood Cottage. A small rectangular feature is still shown at the former location of the ferry and this is most likely an extant landing stage.
By 1929, Katherine Sophia Monk (daughter of Herbert Edward Monk, owner of Hall Close Farm) is the landlady of Wood Cottage and Potter’s Loade Ferry. Both the cottage and ferry are leased to Joseph H. Knowles at a weekly rent of 6 shillings for the cottage and 11 shillings for the ferry from 4 February 1929. The cottage and ferry can only to be rented together as if notice is given on one of them, it is automatically given on the other.
The rental agreement says that the tenant is responsible for all repairs, but the Landlady will pay for all materials used. The ferry cannot be used to transport coal except for use by the tenant and the tenants of Potter’s Loade cottages. The ferry must operate from 6am-9pm from Michaelmas (29th September) to Lady-Day (25th March) and from 6am-10pm from Lady- Day to Michaelmas.
On 26 September 1936, Miss Monk and Mr Knowles draw up another tenancy agreement. The terms of renting the ferry remain the same, until the Colliery Bridge (which was then under construction) is opened. After the bridge opens, no rent will be paid but all other terms (opening times etc. of the ferry) remain in place.
On the 1939 Register, Joseph Knowles is listed as living in Wood Cottage and his occupation is ferryman.
A newspaper article dated Wednesday 17th April 1940 in the Evening Despatch starts ‘the news that Potter’s Loade Ferry on the River Severn between Alveley and Highley, may be closing owing to falling off in users, will no doubt, have inspired a desire to go and see it.’ The writer of the article then describes a day trip to the Severn valley from Birmingham… ‘from [Birmingham], this makes about 25 miles which is just right for a leisurely run before lunch and it may be as well to have a meal in the village before setting off for the ferry. To get to the ferry you have to turn right down a lane out of the village road, but any villager will show you the way. Take your bicycle with you because I am going to ask you to spend a few coppers on the ferry in order to show cyclists’ sympathies are with the ferryman and we want him to keep at his job’.
A suggested chronology of the ferry operators:
• Thomas and Edwin Wilcox: 1840s & 1850s • Mr Humphreys: 1860s • Sarah Ann Beddoes, George Wood (d1883) and Benjamin Beddoes: 1870s-1900s • Charles Beddoes: 1901-1909 • Isaiah & Mary Davies: 1901 – 1936 • Charles William Newman, Ferryman of Potters Loade June 1916 (enlists to fight in WW1) • Joseph H Knowles: 1929-until ferry ceased running (1941) • Potentially 2 ferries running, one at Potters Load and one at Wood Cottage in the 1900s (Knowles and Davies)
The census reports from 1841 to 1939 provides the following entries for Pottersload:
1841 – 2 houses are occupied at Potter’s Loade Thomas Wilcox and family. 8 occupants. As already stated, Thomas is a waterman. John Preece and family. 6 occupants. John is an agricultural labourer.
1851 – 2 houses are occupied at Potter’s Loade Thomas Beddoes and family. 3 occupants. Thomas is an agricultural labourer. Robert Munck and family. 5 occupants. Robert is an agricultural labourer.
1861 – 2 houses are occupied at Potter’s Loade John Stanley and family. 7 occupants. John is an agricultural labourer. Thomas Wilcox is lodging with the Stanley family. He is a retired barge …… (the second word is difficult to transcribe). Richard Morris and family. 5 occupants. Richard is an agricultural labourer.
1871 – 2 houses are occupied at Potter’s Loade. The houses are given numbers. No.1: Richard Morris and family. 4 occupants. Richard is an agricultural labourer. No.2: George Wood and family. 9 occupants. George is a stone quarryman.
1881 – 3 houses are occupied in Potter’s Loade. No.1 Potter’s Loade is also called Wood Cottage No.1: Robert Monk (born Kinlet 1799- son of Robert and Mary Monck) is an agricultural labourer. He and his wife Mary live at 1 Pottersloade with their daughter Caroline. No.2: George Wood (aged about fifty-two) is a stone quarryman. He and his wife Sarah (born Highley 1837- daughter of John and Lucy Kirkham) live at Pottersloade with their eight children; George (twenty-one), Alice (eighteen), James (fifteen), John (fourteen), Geoffrey (twelve), Elizabeth (nine), William (six) and Ada (three). Daughter Hannah (nineteen) is employed as a servant in Kidderminster. 2 of the people living in the house are lodgers – one is William Evans (a Brickmaker) the other is Charles George (a brickmaker). No.3: Richard Morris and family. 4 occupants. Richard is an agricultural labourer.
1891 – 3 houses are occupied No.1: Joseph Haddis and family. 7 occupants. Joseph is a railway platelayer. No.2: William Royall and family. 4 occupants. William is a coal miner. No.3: Benjamin Beddoes and family. 8 occupants. Benjamin is a coal miner.
1901 – 3 houses are occupied. No.1: Joseph Addis and family. 8 occupants. Joseph is a railway labourer No.2: William Royall and family. 10 occupants. William is a coal miner. No.3: Sarah Beddoes and family. 5 occupants. Sarah has no occupation listed. Her son, James Wood is a coal miner.
1911 - 2 houses are occupied. Old Boat House, Potter’s Loade: Isaiah Davies and family. 7 occupants. Isaiah is a colliery stoker. The house has 4 rooms. John Wright and family. 3 occupants. John is coal miner. The house has 3 rooms.
1939 Some of the 1939 register records are officially closed. There is the possibility of 3 additional families to those listed below living at Potter’s Loade. Isaiah Davies and family. 6 occupants. Isaiah is a labourer at the colliery. Joseph Wright is living on his own. Joseph is retired.
Drownings at Pottersload
In addition to the body retrieved from the river by Sarah Ann Beddoes, there are a number of other newspaper reports of people being found drowned in the river at Pottersload:
Saturday 15 February 1868 Bridgnorth Journal
Two of the daughters of William France of Potter’s Loade drowned in the river on the return from a family day out. The family were attending an event at The Ship Inn. In the early hours of the morning Mrs France told her husband she wanted the family to return home. Mr France thought it would be best to stay the night, but Mrs France insisted they returned home. The river was swollen and above its limits. Levi Price and Mr Addis at the request of Mrs France took her and her children across the river. They only had a shovel to paddle the boat. When the opposite bank of the river was reached the boat capsized. Mrs France and the 2 men were able to hang on to the boat, but the 2 children were swept down river. Of the 2 children, Eliza and Agnes, only Eliza’s body was found.
Wednesday 23 February 1870 Eddowes Journal
The body of Thomas Cheetham was found in the Severn at Potter’s Loade by 2 boys named Jones and Price. Mr Cheetham was a farmer from Billingsley and had been missing for a number of weeks. He had been last seen at the Unicorn Inn in Hampton Loade and it is suspected that he accidently fell into the river.
Saturday 10 October 1896 Bridgnorth Journal
An inquest was held at The Ship Inn into the suspected suicide of Edwin Tagg of Ironbridge. John Findley, a miner working at Highley colliery, speaking at the inquest said that he was in the ferry at Potter’s Loade when he saw a body floating in the river. He rowed towards the body and got assistance to help pull the body out of the water and on to the river bank. PC Middleton, who was the police constable in Highley was called. He searched the body for identification and noted there were marks on the body which he suspected were caused after death. PC Middleton estimated that the body had been in the river for 14 days.
Saturday 1 June 1901 Wellington Journal
An inquest was held at The Three Horse Shoes into the death of Samuel Lucas, a miner from Highley. His body was found in the Severn by Mrs Ada Evans when she was crossing the river in the ferry boat. The deceased had been seen the previous night by Mrs Evans and, also, James Bishop. Mr Bishop said he saw Mr Lucas dancing in the clubroom at The Bell at 9.30pm and he saw him again just after 10pm and he considered him quite sober.
Crime at Potter’s Loade
Residents of Potter’s Loade and other locals appear a number of times in the County and Borough Petty Sessions for committing crimes in the area:
Wednesday May 15 1839
Thomas Wilcox and Edwin Wilcox of Potters Load, Alveley (both Carriers) are listed as being insolvent debtors and are in Shrewsbury Gaol (The Jurist. 1839).
Friday 4 January 1867 Shrewsbury Chronicle
Isaac Jones, Edward Colley and Edward Hains were charged with stealing a rabbit trap from the yard of Mr Humphreys of the ferry house, Alveley. The defendants were followed along the road by PC Blower who took the trap from Hains. The defendants were sentenced to 7 days with hard labour.
Saturday 9 April 1892 Bridgnorth Journal
Benjamin Beddoes, a collier living at Potter’s Loade was summoned for being drunk in The Three Horse Shoes. PC Durnell saw Mr Beddoes sitting on a chair drunk. Mrs Beddoes gave evidence saying that her husband was not drunk as he had only had one pint. Mr Beddoes was fined 5 shillings and costs.
Friday 3 November 1893 Shrewsbury Chronicle
Sarah Beddoes of Potter’s Loade was summoned for stealing a gate valued at 5 shillings. The gate had been taken off its hinges and was later found in Beddoes garden. When being interviewed by PC Jones, Mrs Beddoes told him that she did not know what had struck her to do it. Mrs Beddoes was fined 1 shilling, ordered to pay damages of 2 shillings 6 pence and costs of 8 shillings 6 pence.
Friday 22 December 1893 Shrewsbury Chronicle
Solomon Bridgwater of Hampton Loade was ordered to pay a fine of £1 and costs of 6 shillings 6 pence or 14 days hard labour for poaching. He was found by PC Merrick who was on duty between Potter’s Loade and Hampton Loade. PC Merrick saw Bridgwater acting suspicious and engaged in examining traps. PC Merrick approached Bridgwater and said he suspected him on being on land in search of game. On checking Bridgwater’s pockets, PC Merrick found a recently killed rabbit.
Saturday 14 December 1895 Bridgnorth Journal
George Reynolds and Samuel Lloyd colliers from Highley were summoned for trespassing on land. The men were seen by PC Meyrick in a field between Potter’s Loade and Hampton Loade. They had a fox terrier with them and Reynolds was seen taking a rabbit from a burrow and putting it in his pocket. Lloyd also put something in his pocket, but it wasn’t seen what this was. The case was adjourned for a fortnight.
Saturday 28 December 1895 Wellington Journal
The result of the above case was a fine for each of the defendants of 10 shillings and costs.
Saturday 4 March 1899 Bridgnorth Journal
William Webb, James Vicarage, Bert Davies and Arthur Perkins (all miners from Highley) were summoned for trespass. PC Burton and PC Fletcher saw the 4 defendants with 2 dogs working the hedges and land alongside the railway line at Potter’s Loade. On seeing the officers, Webb ran up towards an old hedge and threw something down. On investigating PC Burton found a recently killed rabbit. The officers then searched the defendants who were now on the public footpath and found nothing on them. Webb was shown the rabbit and asked about it. Webb said that he knew nothing about it. At the inquest, Bert Davies suggested that PC Burton could have put the rabbit by the hedge himself. The chair at the Inquest said he was in no doubt of what had happened and fined each man 10 shillings and costs and suggested that they leave their dogs at home the next time they go for a Sunday walk.
Friday 20 December 1901 Shrewsbury Chronicle
George Browne, Chas Wren, Arthur Perkins and Edward Lucas (all miners from Highley) were summoned for trespass while in the search of rabbits. Browne was seen working the bushes with a dog on land at Potter’s Loade by PC Burton. When approached by PC Burton, Browne said he was looking for mistletoe. The following day, PC Burton saw Wren, Perkins and Lucas on the footpaths with a dog searching for rabbits each side of the fence. Wren and Perkins were each fined £1 and costs. Browne 10 shillings and costs and Lucas 5 shillings and costs.
Saturday 19 November 1904 Wellington Journal
Alice Wright, married woman of Potter’s Loade was summoned for drunkenness and fined 5 shillings and costs.
Saturday 16 October 1909 Wellington Journal
William Morris, labourer from Highley and Isaiah Davies, stoker from Potter’s Loade were charged with stealing an acetylene bicycle lamp valued at 13 shillings 6 pence. The lamp had been taken off a bicycle which had been left outside The Ship Inn. The lamp was found at Morris’s lodgings and he made a statement implicating Davies. The case against Davies was dismissed as the Magistrate didn’t consider there was enough evidence.
Saturday 28 May 1910
John Wright, miner from Potter’s Loade was summoned for stealing a fir tree valued at £1. A witness saw that the tree had been cut down and PC Gough was called. PC Gough and the witness followed the drag marks of the tree and it led them to John Wright’s house. The tree was found in 2 pieces in the defendant’s garden. The defendant said to PC Gough that he was going to use the top half of the tree to make a ladder. Mr Wright admitted taking the tree and offered to give it back or pay for it. Mr Wright was fined 5 shillings and ordered to pay 15 shillings in damages and costs.
Pottersload Construction
Although no upstanding remains of Pottersload are thought to exist, the form of the building is visible in the background of a photograph taken of the miner’s bridge under construction in 1935/36 (plate 20) and on an undated painting of the ferry (plate 22). These pictures show Pottersload as a rectangular building of one and a half storeys with a double pitched roof, gable dormer windows, and at least three chimney stacks – one over each gable and one towards the centre, all of which straddle the roof pitches. Although not completely clear, the 1935/36 photograph suggests that the by this point in time the building was clad in render and painted white – although it is possible that it was of exposed rubble that appears lighter in the photograph due to overexposure during the photography process.
The first mention of Pottersload is in the Alveley Parish Register dated 1681 and there appears to have been dwelling there since the late 17th century. The ferry crossing ceased operating in the 1940s after Alveley Colliery opened and the Miners’ Bridge was built, and the cottages at Pottersload were demolished in the 1950s.
Pottersload Name Evidence
The settlement was almost certainly a farmstead, but the HER information suggests that there may have been a pottery works here, seemingly on the basis of the place-name. However, in the 17th century a farm owned by the Palmer family in Highley was known as ‘Potters’ (Nair, 1988, p95), and ‘load’ can mean a track down to a river (there are local examples in Bridgnorth - Friars’ Loade and Shrewsbury - St Mary’s Water Load – now Lane) although ‘lode’ can also mean a rich source or deposit of a resource.
It has never been investigated whether there are any underlying clay deposits of useable pottery clay within the immediate environs; however the British Geological Survey records the superficial deposits within the area as sand and gravel, making it unlikely. Moreover, none of the inhabitants of Pottersload are recorded as potters on the census records.
It is more likely that the road or track itself was known as ‘Potters Load’, and that the settlement on the east bank of the river took its name from the road. A field on the west bank of the river through which this track ran is also named ‘Pottersload Field’ on the 1839 Tithe Apportionment for Highley (Foxall, 1978). Indeed, at various times the census records two dwellings at Pottersload (No 1 and No2) and by 1881 three dwellings are recorded at Pottersload – Wood Cottage being No 1 Pottersload.
Plate 08: Approximate loca on of Po ersload, from the north. Scale 1.0m. Plate 09: Approximate loca on of Po ersload, from the northwest. Scale 1.0m. Plate 10: Isaiah and Mary Davies of Pottersload. Courtesy of Gerry Scriven.
Plate 11: Gertrude Davies in backyard at Pottersload cottages. Courtesy of Gerry Scriven. Plate 12: Pottersload cottages. Courtesy of John Oliver.
Plate 13: Hilda Davies in front of Pottersload cottages. Courtesy of John Oliver. Plate 14: Joseph H Knowles. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 15: Looking across the river to Wood Cottage. Courtesy of the Knowles family. Plate 16: View of Pottersload cottages in 1936 as the Miners’ Bridge was under construction. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society.
Plate 17: View of Miners’ Bridge under construction with ferry seen in foreground. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society. Plate 18: Artists impression of Pottersload. Courtesy of Gerry Scriven.
Plate 19: Hall Close in about 1880. Courtesy of Alveley Historical Society. Plate 20: Lease of Possession of the Scite of the Manor of Alveley 4 April 1690 (1496/23)
Plate 21: Petition for the repair of footpath from Alveley to Potters Load Ferry 1899 (CP10/13/1)
5.0 SOURCES
Alveley Parish Register 1651-1700
Bagshaw, S, 1851 History, gazeteer and directory of Shropshire
Baugh, R. 1808 Map of Shropshire, 1 inch to 1 mile (552/8/924/2)
Baugh, R. 1818 Map of Shropshire (D3651/B/165/253)
Beresford, M, 1988 New towns of the middle ages
British Geological Survey website. www.bgs.ac.uk.
Cary, J. 1793. Map of Shropshire (MI603/1)
Cary, J. 1812. Map of Shropshire (CM/1/42)
Cary, J. 1864. Map of Shropshire (CM/1/23)
Chrisholm, H. 1911. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dodd, C. R. 1844. The Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland
English Heritage, 1991. Management of Archaeological Projects (MAP2)
English Heritage, 2006. Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE)
Foxhall, H. D. G. 1978. Transcript of Highley Tithe Map (1839)
Gelling, M, 1990 The placenames of Shropshire, 1: the major names of Shropshire
Greenwood, C and Greenwood J. 1827. Map of the County of Salop (5586/13/141)
Hannaford, H. 2003. The Highley to Alveley Bridge, Shropshire: an archaeological assessment report 229
Jurist, The. 1839. Reports of Cases Determined in Law and in Equity.
Kenyon, R L, 1917. The borough of Clun, Trans Shropshire Archaeol Soc
Pearce, A, ed., 1995: Mining in Shropshire, Shrewsbury
Roque, 1752. Survey of the County of Shropshire (CM/2/39)
Rowley, T, 1972. The Shropshire landscape
Shropshire Archives and Record Office: 1577 Saxtons Map of Shropshire
Shropshire Archives and Record Office: 1690 Lease of the Possession of the Scite of the Manor of Alveley (1496/23)
Shropshire Archives and Record Office: 1770 Parts of Alevely Parish based on a Survey of Estates of Lancelot Lee Esq
Shropshire Archives and Record Office: 1805 A New Map of Shropshire Divided into Hundreds (4434/6/1)
Shropshire Archives and Record Office: 1875 Cruchley’s Road and Railway Map of the County of Shropshire (CM/2/37)
Shropshire Archives and Record Office: 1899 Petition for the repair of footpath from Alveley to Pottersload ferry (CP10/13/1)
Shropshire Historic Environment Record (HER)
The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, 2014. Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment
APPENDIX 1: SCHEDULED AND NON-SCHEDULED SITES WITHIN THE SEVERN VALLEY COUNTRY PARK
Non-designated monument points within the Severn Valley Country Park as listed on the Shropshire HER (figure 04)
Mon UID Name Type MSA18948 Stanley Colliery MON MSA18949 Site of limekilns at Stanley MON MSA28186 Rhea Hall Farm MON MSA28187 Little London farmhouse MON MSA35771 Alveley Colliery Halt (Severn Valley Railway) MON MSA3662 Coal Shaft MON MSA3676 Potters Load MON MSA6211 Barn to North of Hall Close, Alveley BLD MSA6631 Rhea Hall Farm House, Highley BLD
Non-designated monument polygons within the Severn Valley Country Park as listed on the Shropshire HER (figure 05)
Mon UID Name Type MSA23204 Highley to Alveley ferry crossing MON MSA31184 The Ship Inn, Highley, including attached buildings to its rear BLD MSA32605 Quarry, Hallclose, Alveley MON MSA32606 Old quarry, Rhea Hall, Highley MON MSA32662 Old quarry, Stanley, Highley MON MSA32663 Old quarry, Stanley, Highley MON MSA32664 Quarry, 'Stanley Quarry', Stanley, Highley MON MSA35757 Highley Station (Severn Valley Railway) MON MSA3661 Highley Colliery MON MSA3674 Brick Works MON MSA3678 Alveley Colliery MON