OLD SWINFORD - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"OLD SWINFORD, a parish partly in the S. division of Seisdon hundred, county Stafford, but chiefly in the lower division of Halfshire hundred, county Worcester, 1 mile S.E. of Stourbridge, 4½ miles S. of Dudley, and 7 N. of Kidderminster. It is a large and populous parish, situated near the canal and the river Stour, and includes the town of Stourbridge and the townships of Upper Swinford, Ambleside, Lye, Wollaston, and Wollescott. Manufacture of iron and glass is carried on to some extent, and fireclay is procured from a depth of 100 yards. The population of the parish in 1861 was 22,958. [See Stourbridge.]
The living is a rectory* [the asterisk denotes that there is a parsonage and glebe belonging to the living] with the curacy of St. John's, Stourbridge, annexed, in the diocese of Worcester, value £781. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is old, and has a lich-gate. In addition to the parish church are the district churches of Stourbridge, St. Thomas, Lye, Amblecote, Wollaston, the livings of which are all perpetual curacies, varying in value from £200 to £100. The parochial charities produce about £3,159 per annum, of which sum £462 belong to the free grammar school, and £2,352 to Foley's Blue Coat school, or hospital for 70 boys; the school buildings are situated on the road to Bromsgrove. There are, besides several other endowed schools, National, infant, and denominational schools.
"UPPER SWINFORD, a township in the parish of Old Swinford, hundred of Halfshire, county Worcester.
"WOLLASTON, a township and ecclesiastical district in the parish of Old Swinford, county Worcester, 1 mile. N.W. of Stourbridge, on the river Stour and Stourbridge canal."
"WOLLESCOTE, a township in the parish of Old Swinford, county Worcester, 1 mile S.E. of Stourbridge."
"WORDESLEY, a hamlet in the township of Stourbridge and parish of Old Swinford, county Worcester, 2½ miles N.W. of Stourbridge, on the Stafford branch canal, near the river Stour."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]