Local History
Rushall
Rushall is a village and parish on the Lichfield road, one mile NE of Walsall,
containing about 1800 acres of land, abounding in excellent coal and limestone,
the latter much celebrated for its superior quality, taking a polish almost
equal to marble, and raised from mines nearly 80 yards below the surface.
The recent large increase in population has occured chiefly in Ryecroft, on the
north side of Walsall, where the inhabitants are chiefly miners.
The most attractive objects in Rushall are the ruins of the ancient Manor house, which,
during the wars of the Roses, and of those between Charles I and Parliament, was
strongly fortified and defended by a numerous garrisons. During the civil wars,
a Mr Pitt, of Wolverhampton, attempted to bribe Captain Tuthill to betray the
garrison of Rushall, but his treachery was discovered, and he suffered death for
it in 1640. The present Rushall Hall, is a modern house built near the ruins and is
occupied by Mr Cowley.
The manor anciently belonged to the family of Boweles, who passed it to that of Grobbere,
and afterwards to the Harpurs, one of whom, John Harpur, Esq, endowed the vicarage, and
rebuilt the church about the year 1444. Early in the 17th century, the manor became the property of the
Leighs, from whom it passed to the late Rev Edward Mellish, whose executors, W &
G Mellish, B Gurdon and W Tritton, Esqrs, are now the principal proprietors and lords of the manor.
Daw End and the Butts are two hamlets within half a mile of Walsall. The limestone mines
of this parish are situated at Daw End, where there is also a branch of the Wyrley &
Essington Canal.
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]
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