Billingsley, Shropshire
| Billingsley | |
|---|---|
 The Cape Of Good Hope public house, Billingsley |
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 Billingsley
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| Billingsley shown within Shropshire | |
| Population | 208 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SO712843 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRIDGNORTH |
| Postcode district | WV16 |
| Dialling code | 01746 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Shropshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | http://billingsley-pc.gov.uk |
Billingsley is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is located 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Bridgnorth and lies in the diocese of Hereford.
The village is situated on the B4363 road, south of Deuxhill. Between the two parishes flows the Horsford Brook. The village itself is in an area covering approximately 1302 acres. The eastern boundary of the village is formed by the Borle Brook. The parish is directly above coal measures that belong to the Wyre Forest Coalfield.
The name ‘Billingsley’ is a Saxon name and is said to mean 'the clearing of the sword'. It is argued that it was called this due to the shape of a wood clearing by Saxons who first settled there in the 7th century. Billingsley is not named in the Domesday Book because it was actually a detached portion of the Manor of Morville. It was granted to the Abbey of Shrewsbury by Earl Roger de Montgomery. Then in 1147, it passed hands from Shrewsbury Abbey to the Abbey of Seez in Normandy. After this it passed to the de Beysin family, Morehall family, the Clopton family and the Harewell family. Billingsley was predominately an agricultural village whose inhabitants led a fairly relaxed rural life. However, there is evidence to show of iron working.
In the 17th century, the woods were being occupied for the making of charcoal. In the 18th century, coal and ironstone were being mined. In the mid-1790s, Billingsley was exchanged hands to Sir William Pulteney who was the MP for Shrewsbury. He owned many estates throughout the country and was particularly interested in exploiting the mineral reserves that lay in Billingsley. The colliery struggled and in 1802, MacNab (one of Pulterney’s associates) fled the country for fear of his creditors. Then in 1811, Billingsley’s industrial period ended with the bankruptcy of George Stokes.
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Wikipedia