The earliest records we have of our Allen family in England take us to Shropshire, England. Shropshire is one of England's largest but least populated counties. It is bisected by the River Severn. Some medieval market towns are still there. Here John Allen, my third great grandfather, was born about 1783 in the area of Shifnal, Shropshire, England. He married Frances and they had a son Thomas. Thomas Allen was born May 28, 1809 in Shifnal, Shropshire, England. He was christened there on June 1, 1809.
Shifnal was probably settled by the Saxons in the middle of the 7th century. In the later Saxon period Shifnal, or Idsall as it was then known, was an important ecclesiastical centre; its church had priests who traveled round to the people of Kemberton, Sheriffhales, Ryton, Sutton Maddock, Stirchley and Dawley before they had churches of their own. The present large and beautiful church was built in the late 12th century on the site of this Saxon church and was added to in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries.
The Domesday book of 1086 shows that Shifnal was a relatively prosperous and well-populated community. In 1245 the lord of the manor, exploited this prosperity and obtained a market charter from Henry III. He added to the original settlement of Idsall along Church Street and around the church by laying out a long market street now called Broadway, Bradford Street and Park Street. This market street became known as Shifnal.
In the second half of the 16th century Shifnal was the scene for an early technological venture when a blast furnace was established near the manor house. But Shifnall's real prosperity came at the end of the 18th century when it catered to the coaches and their passengers on the road from London to Shrewsbury and the Irish mail coaches on their way to Holyhead. In the early 19th century as many as eighteen coaches a day stopped in Shifnal to change horses and pick up and set down passengers.
Shifnal was probably settled by the Saxons in the middle of the 7th century. In the later Saxon period Shifnal, or Idsall as it was then known, was an important ecclesiastical centre; its church had priests who traveled round to the people of Kemberton, Sheriffhales, Ryton, Sutton Maddock, Stirchley and Dawley before they had churches of their own. The present large and beautiful church was built in the late 12th century on the site of this Saxon church and was added to in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries.
The Domesday book of 1086 shows that Shifnal was a relatively prosperous and well-populated community. In 1245 the lord of the manor, exploited this prosperity and obtained a market charter from Henry III. He added to the original settlement of Idsall along Church Street and around the church by laying out a long market street now called Broadway, Bradford Street and Park Street. This market street became known as Shifnal.
In the second half of the 16th century Shifnal was the scene for an early technological venture when a blast furnace was established near the manor house. But Shifnall's real prosperity came at the end of the 18th century when it catered to the coaches and their passengers on the road from London to Shrewsbury and the Irish mail coaches on their way to Holyhead. In the early 19th century as many as eighteen coaches a day stopped in Shifnal to change horses and pick up and set down passengers.
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