From The Offleys to the Crewes
All Saints church dates from the 12th century but possibly on Saxon foundations. Further information is available from this link.
The estate at Madeley was leased to Sir Francis Poyntz, and upon his death, to his wife and then nephew until 1547.
In 1547 Thomas Offley (1501-1582) bought the manor at Madeley for £1080. He was a successful merchant in the wool and cloth trade. He was born in Stafford in 1505 and attended school in London. He was Lord Mayor of London in 1556. He died in 1582 and is buried in London at St. Andrew Undershaft Church.
He was succeeded by his son Henry Offley (?-1613). Henry married Mary, the daughter of Sir John White who had also been Lord Mayor of London.
Three John Offley’s then followed:
Sir John Offley (c.1584-1647) who left endowments in his will for two schoolhouses, one for boys and one for girls and that 10 almshouses should be built.
John Offley (c.1617-1658), was a friend of Izaak Walton (1593-1683). Walton dedicated the first edition of his famous book ‘The Compleat Angler’ to him. During the Civil War, Offley was suspected of aiding the Royalist cause and was imprisoned, along with his wife, in The Tower of London, in May 1650 while the charges were investigated. He was eventually discharged in July 1652.
John Offley (1650-1688), married Anne Crewe of Crewe Hall and the estates merged. The original manor house at Madeley was abandoned, and in the course of time became ruins. The Offley name was eventually dropped and became just Crewe and both estates merged. The almshouses and Sir John Offley school were founded in the 17th century, with the second Manor House further north by Manor Pool. The more recent manor is of Regency origin set in its own parkland.