Minsterley, Shropshire

Description
Minsterley, a village, a township, and an ecclesiastical parish in Westbury parish, Salop. The village stands on the river Rea, under the Stiper Stones Hills, at the terminus of the Shrewsbury and Minsteriey branch of the L. & N.W.R., 10 1/2 miles SW of Shrewsbury; was once a considerable place, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Shrewsbury, and a railway station. A stock fair is held on the second Monday in each month, and a cattle fair on the second Monday in Sept. The township comprises 2773 acres; population, 798. The manor belongs to the Marquis of Bath. Minsteriey Hall, an old timbered mansion, is situated in prettily wooded grounds, and is now a farmhouse. The lead mine of Snailbeach is within the parish. It was formerly most productive, but the yield has greatly declined. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Hereford; gross value, £127. Patron, the Marquis of Bath. The church is an old brick edifice, with a bell-turret. The church plate is of beaten silver, very massive, and dated 1691. The mission church of St Luke at Snailbeach is a stone edifice with a circular apse. There are Congregational and Primitive Methodist chapels at Minsteriey, and Baptist and Primitive Methodist chapels at Snailbeach.