Offlow

[7] The importance of the hundreds declined from the 17th century, and most of their functions were extinguished with the establishment of county courts in 1867.

In 1839 the Staffordshire magistrates decided to adopt the County Police Act 1839 for the southern division of Offlow South.

[9] Offlow Hundred consists of south-east Staffordshire extending from the River Dove to the environs of Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

It is bounded on the north and north-east by Derbyshire, on the south and south-east by Warwickshire, and on the west by the other four hundreds of Staffordshire.

It has extensive plains, broken only by gentle undulations, except on its southern and western borders, where some of the hills rise rather abruptly.

The lowlands in the valleys of the Trent, Tame, and Dove have been frequently inundated by these rivers, to form rich pastures, celebrated for cattle, and the production of cheese.

The market towns within the hundred are Burton-upon-Trent (Burton-on-Trent parish had three other townships in Derbyshire), Tamworth(Tamworth borough was partly in Warwickshire, in which county it had 4 townships), Walsall, Wednesbury, and Lichfield, but the latter formed a county of itself, though locally situated in the centre of Offlow.

The court was held in Walsall, before a steward appointed by the High Sheriff of Staffordshire, at the old Town Hall building.

Offlow tumulus in parish of Swinfen and Packington ,2½ miles south of Lichfield.
Looking north towards Offlow hill
Offlow Hundred in 1610
Extent of Offlow North and South in the Lichfield area (19th C)
Orange:Offlow North, Mauve:Offlow South, Brown:County of the City of Lichfield - outside Offlow
Offlow Hundred (19th century)