Early 15th Century

Bilston was inhabited by a few families of inportance, their dependants and servants making at that time a population of 200 persons. There was in Bilston 15 tenements, the owners whereof do according to custom collect ye lords rent, yearly in their appointed turns.

From a scroll in existence in 1698

This telleth who shall be Balys in Bilston Thom Foxall (with 14 others)

The Founding of St Leonards Chantry in the reigh of Henry VI 1458 by Sir Thomas de Erdington in Bilston Chapel.

In 1458 this Chantry was founded when John Mollesby Gent, Clement Foxall, William Pipe, John Atte Lee, William Perry (and others) did surrender all their lands lying in a field called Windmill Field in Bilston, and three crofts called the Prisons, Pagebirch and Moxallbirth (?) to the use of Sir Thomas de Erdington, Knight, according to the custom of the manor which land was given to Thomas Clarke Curate to the Chantry of St Leonards with other lands.

Document written in the reign of Elizabeth I

Ye inhabitants of Bilston do not pay any Tithe Laye in kind, but a certain yearly sum of money by composition as followeth.

For ye ancient medowying as wel according to ye ancient customas ye sed composition.

For grounds converted to mowing

Deed written about the end of the reign of Elizabeth I

This copy hold is held at the very will of the Lord of the Manor each tenent paying a fine at every alientation abd a quit rent annually in lieu of service. The heir succeeds the ancestor by payment of the customary fees. Fifteen tenants paid chief rent to the Lord of the Manor they collecting their rents from their undertenants. Copy as follows.

1699

Occupiers of the fifteen customary tenants were as follows:

John Foxalls residence was later than that of John Perry and stood on the site of the present Wesleyan Chapel.

During the Civil War, Charles Osborn was Curate of Bilston. The Family of the Levisons held a little property in Bilston for several generations and this passed to the Levison-Gowers on thier union by marriage.

When, Sir William Brereton visited Wolverhampton he dispatched Captain Foxall to the estate of the Gowers at Bilston with instructions to levy contributions on it through the estate agent. In a rare tract headed "Lord Gower a Traytor" we have this entry touching his visit.

"Wee departed from Wolverhampton earlie in ye morning and went to Bylston where ye traytor Lord Gower has some possessions. We took some valuable goodes and also idolatrous ornaments from the Stewart Will. Tomkys, whom we captured, and from whom we endeavourede to gett some information, but though we tormentede him, wee could learn nothing, and it well nigh cost him his life, seeing that Captain Foxall could harde forbeare running hym thro' with ye sworde".

The Perry's claim an honourable distinction among the ancient families of the town for their territorial importance and for the magisterial and manorial dignities sustained by them through a succession of centuries.

In 1535 Edward Perry, steward to the Lord of the Manor, married Eliz. Kempon and their son Thomas was educated at Oxford and took his degree. In 1570 he married Mary Wrottesley and their grandson, William Perry married a daughter of Walter Foxall a family of ancient standing in the town. Their son, John Perry was Chapel-warden in Bilston in 1669.

1490

An early instance of coal mining took place in 1490 when three Bilston men named William Tomkys, Thomas Jackson and Nycolas Foxall made a search for coal. They began their operations in Moorfields and success crowned their labours. Their first shaft was square in shape supported on the sides by scantling timber. The coal was raised by a common windlass. This mine continued to be worked for  many years when it passed into the hands of John Homkys son of William in whicjh family it remained until 1640 when it was purchased by Mr. Purshouse.