"Audley, is an irregular built village, seated on a commanding eminence, in the Union and 5 miles NW of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Its parish contains 4474 inhabitants, and about 8100 acres of land, divided into seven townships, Audley, Bignall-End, Eardley-End, Halmer-End, Knowl-End, Park-End, and Talk-o'-th'-Hill. In the parish are several extensive coal mines, which gave employment to a great number of inhabitants. For the conveyance of the coal, Sir Nigel Gresley's canal was cut from the mines in Apedale to Newcastle and has since been extended to the Potteries. Sir Thomas FF Boughey of Aqualate Hall, is lord of the manor, and owner of a great part of the soil. Bignall-End township has a number of scattered houses and cottage, one mile E of Audley, and several collieries. Eardley-End township commences one mile N of Audley, and extends to the borders of Cheshire. Halmer-End township, or liberty, comprises a number of scattered houses, and the village of Alsager's Bank, two miles S by E of Audley. Knowl-End township, one mile SW of Audley, has a number of straggling houses, and the hamlet of Shraley- Brook. Park-End is a small township, half a mile W of Audley. Talk-on-the-Hill, or as it is vulgarly called, Talk-o'-th'-Hill, is a large village 5 miles N by W of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is the head of a township and chapelry."
[ From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851 ]
Church History
"The Parish Church, St James, is a fine Gothic Structure, which was restored and partly re-built in 1846. The Rev. E Gilbert is patron of the vicarage and the Rev. CP Wilbraham, BA, is the vicar, and has a good vicarage house.
Talk-o'-th'-Hill Church (St. Martin), is a neat brick ediface which was re-built in 1794, and enlarged in 1832, when the tower was again re-built. The vicar of Audley is patron of the perpetual curacy, in the incumbency of the Rev. GA Moore, BA."
[ From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851 ]
Church Records
1. Church of England Registers
The parish register of the parish church of St. James commences in 1538. The original registers for the period 1538-1875 and Banns 1823-1857 are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office. Bishops Transcripts, 1674-1857 (with many gaps) are deposited at Litchfield Joint Record Office (also includes Talke entries). A Transcipt of the registers for the period 1538-1712 has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH. The original registers of Talke-o'-th'-Hill, St. Martin, which was formerly a chapelry to Audley, St. James, commencing in 1830, are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
2. Nonconformist Church Registers
The following original registers are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office:
- Alsagers Bank, Epworth Methodist Church, Marriages 1919-1979
- Audley, Red Street Methodist, Marriages 1957-1966
- Halmer-End, Wesley Place Methodist, Marriages 1925-1974
- Talke, Coal Pit Hill Primitive Methodist, Marriages 1922-1951
- Talke, John Street (later Thomas Street) United Methodist, Baptisms 1897-1955
- Talke, New Road Wesleyan Methodist, Baptisms 1846-1967, Marriages 1922-1960
- Talke Pits, High Street Wesleyan Methodist, Marriages 1916-1963
- Talke Pits, King Street Methodist, Baptisms 1869-1973, Marriages 1951-1974
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