SHELVOCK ONS - Shelvock Geography & Geomorphology

Ruyton of the Eleven Towns (Ruyton-XI-Towns) is in north Shropshire, England 3 km (2 miles) west of Baschurch, 12.5 km (8 miles) NW of the county town of Shrewsbury, and in the area of the Welsh Borders. The eleven mediaeval towns, mostly situated to the north and west of Ruyton, some of which still survive as hamlets or farms today, were Coton, Eardiston, Felton, Haughton, Rednal, Ruyton, Shelvock, Shotatton, Sutton, Tedsmore, and Wykey. It is a Peculiar¹ of the Manor of Ruyton in the church Diocese of Lichfield and forms part of the Oswestry Hundred².

Including other nearby villages and hamlets that have early occurrences of the SHELVOCK family name, the area is situated to the west of the River Perry, a main tributary to the River Severn. The Severn forms an approximate border to the south. Shelvock was a Domesday Manor (i.e. in existence and recorded in 1086) probably dating back to Saxon (post C6th Roman) times, later to be owned by the THORNES family.

The boundaries of the Manor of Shelvock as walked on 24 June 1775 by Mr. Wm Owen Esq., Mr. Dixon, gent, Mr. Oliver, Attorney at Laws, Edw. Tannatt steward to Mr. Owen, Thos Birch and Wm Edwards, labourers;

"Beginning at the Long Oak - young oak near the hedge of a yard to a house called the Court House of Thos Lewis, basket maker, leading down Long Oak Lane to the Gamester's Lane Gate and along Gamester's Lane to the S. corner of the Farm of the Heath, along the farm's ring fence to Knockin to Ruyton Turnpike Road, along the said road to the gate that opens to the Shrewsbury Turnpike Road; from that gate along the hedge of Shotatton Township to the corner of the Lue Bank Common where it goss along a ditch near the Shrewsbury Road by the Ten milestone for c.240 yards beyond the milestone, where it turns left along another ditch c.500 yards to a small turbary c.40 yds over near a piece of land belonging to Coton called the Heath Leasow, from the turbary to the hedge is c. 12 yds where there is a rundlet oak. It follows the Coton Farm to the Little Heath along the hedgeside by Coton Gate to a gate opening into the S. side of Ruyton Park beyond the Turnpike Road, then along the hedgeside of the Park towards Shotatton to a lane at the S. corner of the Park; then along the W. side of the Park to the road from Shelvock to Ruyton where there is a gate and a wicket opening into Ruyton Park, along the ring fence of Shelvock Farm to the Wigmarsh which continues the ring fence to Hellbridge gate and following the watercourse to the Walbrook, along the hedge side to the Long Oak."

Shelvock Today - Location & Pictures

Shelvock can be found on Ordnance Survey (OS) Landranger maps (Sheet 126). The farm, which is rumoured to be haunted, is on the site of the old Manor of Shelvock. The OS reference is SJ371240 2.5 km north west of Ruyton-XI-Towns, just east of a minor crossroads at the hamlet of Elbridge.
The full Easting & Northing: 337167 / 324110:

On modern maps, Shelvock comprises Shelvock Hill (maximum elevation of 137m), Shelvock Plantation, Shelvock Coppice & Shelvock (Farm). Shelvock is a flat/topped hill as shown on the above map, and may have been the site of an Iron Age farming settlement, although there is no evidence for this except for the early naming of a place that must have had some local importance. Today, Shelvock Farm is situated on the lower northern extension to Shelvock Hill. Either feature could be the origins of the shelf with oaks, but most probably the main hill itself which now has a triangulation point and a mobile telephone mast.

Shelvock Farm viewed from the SW
(Photo courtesy of Harry SHILVOCK of Halesowen)

In June 2000, this webauthor made his own visit to Shelvock and some of the pictures are included below. Regrettably, visits to the farm itself are not encouraged by the owners and it was not possible to get more detailed pictures. If you have any you'd be prepared to share, please let me know.

Above: The main entrance to Shelvock, probably built of local Shelvock Freestone. The 1890 Gatehouse has long since disappeared.
The driveway by the farm is part of a public right of way.
Opposite the entrance is a small disused quarry that was probably the source of the local stone.

Above: The geomorphology of the northern end of the "shelf" is still apparent today.
The larger tree on the left, on the highest point of the shelf, is an oak!
(Note: A processed image of this view provides the Shelvock music album cover and the favicon for this website.)

Above: A rear view of the farm.
The C19th farmhouse is to the right, behind what appears to be significant ruins of the old original manor.
The barns and farm outbuildings are of a style that date back to the original C16th/C17th manor farm.
In the centre of the farmyard is an ancient dovecote (slight left of picture centre).
(The 2002 "Shropshire Buildings at Risk Register" notes that the Game House or Ash House north east of Shelvock Farmhouse, was rated Priority C and judged to be in poor condition.)

- SHELVOCK LOCATION: GEOGRAPHY & GEOMORPHOLOGY -

Shelvock - One of the Eleven Townships of Ruyton, Shropshire

Shelvock Today - Location & Pictures

External Links to more Images of Shelvock: