AUDLEY, a parish in the northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, comprising the chapelry of Talk o' th' Hill, the townships of Audley, Bignall-End, Eardley-End, Knowl-End, and Park-End, and the liberty of Halmer-End, and containing 2940 inhabitants, of which number, 583 are in the township of Audley, 5 miles (N.W.) from Newcastle under Line. The living is a discharged vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of Talk o' th' Hill annexed, in the archdeaconry of Stafford, and diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, rated in the king's books at £6. 13. 4., and in the patronage of G. Tollet, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. James, is an ancient edifice having a tower crowned with pinnacles. Near the village is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists.

This parish abounds in mines of excellent coal and iron-stone: the Grand Trunk canal crosses its eastern extremity, where it passes under the Horncastle tunnel, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight yards in extent. A free grammar school, in which about fifty children are educated, was founded in 1622 by Edward Vernon; it has an annual endowment amounting to £125. 18. Another school, for teaching writing and arithmetic, is endowed with £2 per annum. On the summit of a steep rock, near the western boundary of the parish, are the remains of Heyley Castle, built by the barons of Audley; and near the village are vestiges of an ancient intrenchment. Audley gives the title of baron to the family of Touchet.

BIGNALL-END, a township in the parish of AUDLEY, northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, containing 308 inhabitants.

EARDLEY-END, a township in the parish of AUDLEY, northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, 5 miles (N.W.) from Newcastle under Line, containing 192 inhabitants.

HALMER-END, a liberty in the parish of AUDLEY, northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, containing 553 inhabitants.

KNOWL-END, a township in the parish of AUDLEY, northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, containing 208 inhabitants.

PARK-END, a township in the parish of AUDLEY, northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, containing 88 inhabitants.