Ruyton-XI-Towns, Shropshire Genealogy

England   Shropshire   Shropshire Parishes

Parish History
In 1848 - ''RUYTON-in-the-Eleven-Towns (St. John the Baptist), a parish, in the hundred of Oswestry, N.division of Shropshire, 8 miles (N. W.) from Shrewsbury. There is a place of worship for Independents''.

Ruyton-XI-Towns (sometimes Ruyton of the Eleven Towns), is a village and parish in Shropshire, England and forms part of the Borough of Oswestry.

The village was created by the Fitz Alan family in the early 13th century when they built a castle there. This castle became the manor for the eleven local townships of Coton, Eardiston, Haughton, Rednal, Ruyton, Shelvock, Shotatton, Sutton, Tedsmore, West Felton and Wykey. Some of these still survive as hamlets today.

Lying in a vulnerable position in the Welsh Marches, disputed territory between England and Wales, the castle was destroyed in 1202, rebuilt by 1313, and destroyed again later by the armies of Owain Glyndŵr.

The parish church of St. John the Baptist is an ancient stone structure with a tower, but the original building is thought to date back to the 1130s. It was restored and enlarged in 1845

Census Records
The parish of Ruyton-XI-Towns was part of the Oswestry Registration District.

Church Records
The following records of Ruyton-XI-Towns are available on the IGI:

Ruyton in the Eleven Towns parish registers 1719 to 1812 at Internet Archive - free.

Bishop's transcripts held at Lichfield Record Office Bap 1630-1858 Marr 1630-1837 Bur 1630-1858 Missing all events 1852-1853

Civil Records
The parish of Ruyton-XI-Towns became part of the Oswestry Registration District on its formation in 1837. Entries for births, marriages or deaths in Ruyton-XI-Towns will appear in the GRO Indexes as: