w uu oo >- A TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. A TOPOGRAPHICAL of INCLUDING"ITS AGRICULTURE, MINES, AND MANUFACTURES MEMOIRS OF EMINENT NATIVES; STATISTICAL TABLES ; AND EVERY SPECIES OF INFORMATION CONNECTED WITH THE LOCAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTY. With a SUCCINCT ACCOUNT of the RISE and PROGRESS of the STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERIES. COMPILED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC SOURCES, BY WILLIAM PITT, Autlm of the Agricultural Surveys of the Counties of Stafford, Worcester, $c. under Authority of tht Board of Agriculture. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LY3IE : PRINTED BY AND FOR J. SMITH, AND SOLD BY HIM, HIGH-STREET, NEWCASTLE J ROGERS, STAFFORD ; LOMAX, LICHFIELD; SMART, WOLVERHAMPTON ; AND THE DIFFERENT BOOKSELLERS, IN STAFFORDSHIRE ; ALSO BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. 1817. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES CHETWYND, VISCOUNT INGESTRE; LORD TALBOT, BARON OF HENSAL; A PEER OF THE REALM J LORD LIEUTENANT OF THE COUNTY OF STAFFORD; PRESIDENT OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, &C. THIS VOLUME, IS VERY RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS LORDSHIP'* MOST OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, WILLIAM PITT. Wttverhampton, April, 1817. SUBSCRIBERS. A. A.NGLESEY, the Most Noble the Marquis of, large paper, ANSON, the Lord Viscount, (10 copies,) Acton, Mr. John, Newcastle, /. p. Adam, Benjamin, Esq. Tunstall, Adams, William, Esq. Cobridge, Adams, Mr. William, Hanley, Adams, Mr. Benjamin, London, Adams, James, Esq. Brymbo-hall, Wrexham, Ainsworth, Nicholas, Esq. Newton, near Middlewich, Allen, Mr. Joseph, Newcastle, Alsop, George, Esq. Uttoxeter, Allsopp, Samuel, Esq. Burton-upon-Trent, Alsop, Mr. Cotes Lodge, Amphlett, Mr. William, Pepperhill, Salop, Ashcroft, Mr. Thomas, Barlaston, Askin, Mr. William, Cheadle, Astbnry, James, Esq. Meaford, Astbury, William, Esq. Lincoln's Inn, London, Aston, Mr. Joseph, Wombourne, Atcheson, N. Esq. F. s. A. London, /. p. Atcheson, Mr. Robert, London, Atkinson, John, Esq, Maple-Hayes, Audley, Mr. John, Newcastle, A. B. B. Bacchus, George, Esq. London, Bacon, Mr. William, Wolverhampton, Badnall, Richard, Esq. Leek, Badnall, Mr. Joseph, ditto, MS96559 viii LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Bagnall, Mr. William, Trent-Hay, Bagnall, Mr. Daniel, Bilston, Bagshaw, Samuel, Esq. Newcastle, Baker, William. Esq. Fenton, Baker, Mr. Hanley, Baker, Mr. R. Bookseller, Tamworth, Ball, Mrs. Hougher-Wall, Ball, Mr. John, Abbots Bromley, Bamford, Mr. William, Rugeley, (2 copies,) Barber, John V. Esq. Walsall, Barber, Sawmel, Esq. ditto, Barnes, Edward, Esq. Shareghill, Barker, Mr. Radford, Barratt and Son, Messrs. Bath, (Z copies.) Basford, Mr. Stephen, Bilston, Basnett, Rev. J. B. Cloughs, Bass, Michael, Esq. Uttoxeter, Bate, Mr. Thomas, Penn, Bathwell, Mr. Thomas, Bnrslem. /. p. Batkin, Miss Eliz. Whitehall, Bayley, Mr. Joseph, ditto, Bayley, Mr. Robert, Macclesfield, Bayliss, George, Esq. Kelsall, Bedford, William, Esq. Birmingham, Bedford, Mr. Thomas, Wolverhampton, Belcombe, H. S. M. D. Newcastle, /. p. Bell, James, Esq. Uttoxeter, Bennett, John, Esq. Diinsdale, Bennett, Mr. Penkridge, Bent, William, Esq. Stonyfields, I p. Bent, Richard, M. D. Basford, Berks, Mr. Thomas, Keel, Best, Rev. Thomas, Uttoxeter, Bevan, Rev. Mr. Trysail, Bate, Mr. Newcastle, Best, Mr. Norris, jun. Bilston, Birch, Mr. R. Tettenhall Wood, Bird, Rev. William, Church Eaton, Bishop, William, Esq. Stafford, Bishton, George, Esq. Brocton, LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. ix Black well, Mr. John, Cobridge, Blagg, John, Esq. Cheadle, Blair, James, Esq. ditto, Blount, Edmund, Esq. Bellamont, Blunt, Rev. John, Blurton, Booth, Hugh, Esq. Clayton, Booth, Mr. William, Hanley, Boughey, Sir. J. F. Bart. M. P. Aqualate-Hall, /. p. Bourne, Ralph, Esq. Fenton, 1. p. Bourne, John, Esq. ditto, Bourne, William, Esq. Cheadle, Bourne, Mr. James, jun. Dudley, Bo wan, Mr. John, Bilston, Botham, Mr. Samuel, Uttoxeter, Bradburne, Rev. T. Pipe-Hill, Brandon, Thomas, Esq. Cheadle, Brassie, Mrs. Chester, /. p. Brewster, Mr. Joseph, Breewood, Brierley, Mr. Thomas, Macclesfield, Brindley, Mr. Joseph, Longport, Bristol, Mr. Andrew, Newcastle, Brittain, Mr. J. ditto, Broade, Mr. P. B. Fenton- Vivian, Brocklehurst, Wm. Esq. Macclesfield, Brocklehurst, Johu, Esq. ditto, Brook, Mr. Wolverhampton, Broomhall, Mr. Newcastle, Broughton, Rev. H. D. Broughton-Hall, Brown, Hugh, Esq. Cheadle, Buckeridge, Charles, D. D. Lichfield, Buckle, Mr. Wolverhampton, Bucknall, Mr. George, Albrighton, Bulkeley, Colonel, Huntley-Hall, near Cheadle, Burgess, Mr. Joseph, Folly, Brougham, Mr. Stephen, Bookseller, Burslem, Beckett, John, Esq. Pipe-gate, /. p. C. Caldwell, James, Esq. Linley-Wood, x LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS, Cale, Mr. George, Wolverhampton, Calkin, Mr. James, London, Campbell, Capt. Salop Militia, Carless, Rev. E. Wolstanton, Cartledge, Mr. James, Burslem, Case, Henry, Esq. Shenstone, Case, Mr. Manchester, Chadwick, Charles, Esq. Mavesyn Ridvvare, Chadwick, Mr. Charles, Leek, Chambers, Mr. John, Ettingsall, Chamberlain, Mr. William, Fordhouses, Chawner, Mr. Thomas, Cheadle, Child, Smith, Esq. London, Child, Baddeley, Esq. Lambeth, Chinn, Henry, Esq. Lichfield, Chetham, Mr. J. L. Lane-End, Chetwode, Sir John. Bart. M. P. Oakley- Hall, 1. p. Chetwynd, George, Esq. Brocton-Lodge, Clare, Rev. John, Bushbury, . Clarke, Edward, Esq. Rickerscote, Clarke, Mr. James, Newcastle, Clarke, Mr. Aldridge, Clarke, Mr. George, Wolstanton, Clayton, Mr. William, Poynton, Cheshire, Clews, John, Esq. Newcastle, Clews, Mr. James, Cobridge, Clive, Mr. J. H. New-Fields, Clough, Mr. Ralph, Stoke, Clowes, William, Esq. Port-Hill, Clutterbuck, Lewis, Esq. Ford-House, Coare, George, Esq. London, Collins, John, Esq. Stafford, Cook, Mr. Newcastle, Coombe, Mr. T. G. Newcastle, L p. Cooper, Adjutant, N. s. L. M. Newcastle, Condliff, Mr. T. Tunstall, Corbett, Mr. R. Bilston, Copeland, William. Esq. London, Cornforth, Mr. Chapel- Ash, Corser, John, Esq. The Oaks, near Wolverhampton, LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. xi Cotterill, Rev. T. Lane-End, Cotton, Mr. C. Burslera, Cotton, Mr. Benjamin, ditto, Conpland, Charles, Esq. Leek, Coxon, Mr. Hanley, Coyney, Captain, Weston-Coyney, Creswell, Mr. Edward. Bilston, Crewe, Mr. John, Newcastle, Crockett, Henry, Esq. Little-Onn, Crockett, J. M. Esq. ditto, Crook, Mr. Thomas, Manchester, Crosby, Mr. John Monro, Newcastle, Crowley, Mr. Wolverhampton, Cruso, John, Esq. Leek, Crnso, John, jun. Esq. ditto, Crutchley, Mr. K. K. Wolverhampton. Curtis, Mr. Walsall. D, DUDLEY AND WARD, the Right Hon. Lord Visconnt, /. />, Daintry, J. S. Esq. Macclesfield, Dale, Mr. John, Stafford, Daniel, Mr. James, Bnrslem, Darwall, C. H. Esq. Walsall, Davids, Rev. Ince, Aldridge, Dean, Mr. William, Bilston, Delves, Court, Esq. Denman, Mr. Wolverhampton, Dent, John, Esq. Stone, Desvoeux, Rev. Henry, Burton, Devey, Mr. H. Penkridge, Dicken, Mr. John, Bnrslem, Dickenson, Mr. S. Lewis, Brineton, Dodson, Mr. George, Lichfield, Downing, Mr. Henry, Dudley, Drayton, The Book Society, Drewry, Mr. Joshua, Stafford, Dudley, Mr. Edward, Wplseley-Bridge, Duffort, Mr. Stoke, xiv LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Hand, Mr. John, Leek, Hardera, Mr. David, Macclesfield, Harding, Rev. Thomas, High-Offley, Harley, Mr. Thomas, Lane-End, Hart, Thomas, Esq. Uttoxeter, Harvey, Mr. John, Lane-End, Hassells, Charles, Esq. Newcastle, Hatfield, Mr. George, ditto, Hatton, Mr. John, ditto, Hawkins, Mr. William, Stafford, Hawson, Thomas, Esq. Smethwick-House, Hayes, Mr. Samuel, Newcastle, Heape, Mr. Wolverhampton, Heath, Dr. Fakenham, Norfolk, Heath, Rev. William, Inkborough, Worcestershire, Heath, Mr. Thomas, Hanley, Heath, Mr. William, ditto, Heath, Mr. Thomas, Bnrslem, Heathcote, R. E. Esq. Bank-House, Warrington, Heaton, Mr. C. Endon, Hellier, James Shaw, Esq. Woodhouses, Henshall, Mr. Newcastle, Hewitt, Mr. Charles, Lichfield, Hicken, Rev. William, jun. Audmore, Hill, Mr. Joseph, Newcastle, Hill, Mr. Robert, ditto, Billiard, Mr. T. H. Leek, Hinckes, Mr. Samuel, Willenhall, Hinckes, P. T. Esq. Tettenhall, Hinckes. Rev. Josiah, Tettenhall Wood, Hinton,Mr. Hanley, Hodgkiss, Mr. Joseph, Bloxwich, Hodgson, Benjamin, Esq. Uttoxeter, Holdgate, Mr. Thomas, Stoke. Holland, Mr. R., Streethay, near Lichfield, Holland, Mr. C. A. Burton, Hollins,Miss,Shelton, Holyoake, Francis, Esq. Tettenhall, Hordern, Mr. Henry, Saredon, Horton, Mr. Thomas E. Prior's Lee, LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. xv Hordern James, Esq. Wolverhampton, Hordern, Mr. Joseph, Saredon, Hordern, Miss, Shareshall, Hordern, Mr. Thomas, ditto, Howe, Mr. John, Leigh, Howorth, John, Esq. Cliff-Park, near Leek, Hubball, John, Esq. Stafford, Hubbard, George, Esq. Cheadle, Holme, J. M. D. Ball-Haye, Hulse, Mr. James, Newcastle, Hussey Phineas, Esq. Wyrley-Hall. I. Jacob, Mr. Henry, Birmingham, James, Mr. John, Walsall, James, Mr. Richard, ditto, Jefferies, Mr. Coven-Mill Farm, Jenkins, Captain, Sedgley, Jesson, Mr. Wolverhampton, Illidge, Mr. Thomas, ditto, Johnson, J. Esq. Great-Hay wood, Jones, Mr. John, Burslem, Jones, Mr. Betley, Jones, Mr. Edward, Coseley, Inge, Rev. Charles, Rugeley, Ingleby, Joseph, Esq. Cheadle, Johnson, Mr. Ralph, Burslem. Joynson, Mr. Hanley, Ironmonger, Mr. Newcastle, Jones, Rev. Trevor, Lichfield, /. p. K. Kay, Thomas, Esq. London, Kealy, Mr. J. F. Newcastle, /. p. Kearns, Mr. Newcastle, Keates, Mr. James, Endon, near Leek, Keeling, Mr. Hanley, Keeling, Mr. James, Shelton, Keen, William, Esq. Stafford, Kemsey, Rev. Matthew, Breewood, Kempson. Rev. Breewood School, Kilmister, G. R. Esq. Leek, Kinnersly, W. S. Esq. Newcastle, /. p. Kinnersley, Mr. Clement, Uttoxeter, b xvi LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. L. LICHFIELD AND COVENTRY, the Hon. and Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of, /. p. Lander, W. Esq. Rugeley, Lane, John, Esq. Bromley, Lane Joseph, Esq. Green-Hill, Laugharn, Thomas Esq. Leek, Lathbury, Mr. Burton-upon-Trent, Lathbury, Mr. Richard, Sudbury-Hall, Lavvton, C. B. Esq. Lawton-Hall, Lawton, Rev. J. Lawton, Lawton, Mr. William, Burton, Lay, Mr. Joseph, Leek, Lea. Mr. William, Leacroft, Cannock, Leech, James, Esq. Newcastle, Leek, Mr. Edmund, Deepmore, Lees, Mr. John, Longport, Leigh, J. Esq. Consall- Wood, near Cheadle, Leigh, Rev. C. Newcastle, Leigh, Mr. J. Manchester, Lester, Mr. T. M. Newcastle, Levett, Rev. Richard, Milford, Lingard, Mr. John, Wolverhampton, Lister, J. Esq. Armitage, Lister, Thomas, Esq. Armitage, Littleton, E. J. Esq. M. P. Teddesley, /. p. Loch, James, Esq. London, Locker, Mr. Burslem, Lomax, Mr. Lich field, Lovell, Mr. George, Kings's Sutton, Northamptonshire, Lowe, Mr. Thomas, Cheadle. M. Machin, Mr. Joseph, Burslem, Main waring, Edward, Esq. Whitmore, Malbon, Dr. Congleton, Malkin, Mr. Shelton, Mallabar, Mr. Edward, Uttoxeter, Mander, Mr. John, Wolverhampton, Mare, Matthew, Esq. Great- Fenton, Marsh, Richard, Esq. Lloyd-House, Mather, Mr. Thomas, Leek, Maydew, Mr. Thomas, Cobridge, Mayer, Mr. Thomas, jun. Newcastle, Mayer, Mr. Joseph, Hanley, Miller, Mr. William, Dunstall, LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Mills, Thomas, Esq. Leek, /. p. Mills. Mr. James, Macclesfield, Milner, Mr. Edward, Cheadle, Minshull, Mr. John, Stone, Minton, Mr. Herbert, Stoke-upon-Trent, Molineux, Mr. R. Ryton, Shropshire, Molineux, Rev. William, Wolverhamptoa, Molineux, George, Esq. ditto, Monckton, Hon. Edward, Somerford, Moore, Mr. Shirley wich, Mott, John, Esq. Close, Lichfield, Mottershaw, T. Esq. Silkmore House, Mousley, Mr. T. jun. Leek, Morris, Mr. S. E. Burton, Moreton, Miss, Wolstanton, Moreton, Mr. John, Wolverhampton, Mytton, Mr. ditto. N. Nairne, Fosham, Esq. Wednesbury, Newcastle and Pottery Library, The Newcastle Book Society, The Newbury, Mr. B. C. W. Hanley, Nichols, Edward T. Esq. Swithamley-Hall, Nichols, John, Esq. F. s. A. London, Nichols, J. B. Esq. F. L. s. ditto, Nickisson, William, Esq. Newcastle, Noble, Rev. Mark, Rector of Barming, Kent, Northall, Mr. W. K. Wolverhampton, Northen, F. H. M. D. Newcastle, Norris, Mr. J. P. Westminster. O. Oakden, Mr. John, Kingsley, Okeover, Rev. C. G. /. p. Oldershaw, Mr. John, Tarvin, near Chester. P. Paget, Mr. Burslem, Palmer, Mr. Enoch, Newcastle, Parkes, Mr. C. Wright, Woodeaton, Parker, Miss H. Apedale, Parker, Mr. D. Shrewsbury, /. p. Parker, Mr. W. H. Walsall, Parker, Mr. John, Rushall-Hall, Peak, Mr. Keel, xviii LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Peak, Mr. Joseph, Newcastle, Peak, Mr. George, ditto, Peake, Mr. S. Silverdale, Peake, Mr. William, Castle-Croft, Pearson, John, Esq. Tettenhall, Pearson, O.K. Esq. Macclesfield, Pearson, Mr. Joseph, Wolverhampton, Peel, Sir Robert, Bart. M. p. Upper Grosvenor-street, London, 1. p. Peel, the Right Hon. Robert, M. p. Stanhope-gtreet, ditto, /. p. Pennant, David, Esq. Downing, Petit, L. H. Esq. Petit, Rev. J. H. Hilton-Hall, Perkins, T. 13. Esq. Rickerscote, Perks, Mr. George, Wolverhampton, Perry, Mr. Edward, Longport, Phillips, Mr. Bushbwry Hill, Phillips, Mr. J. E. Newcastle, Pigot, Dr. Chester, Plant, George, Esq. Newcastle, Podmore. Mr. John, jun. Lincroft House, Poole, James, Esq. Finney Green, /. p. Poole, Mr. Wolstanton, Porter, Sinckler, Esq. Leek, Porter, Rev. Robert, Draycott, 1. p. Ponlson, Mr. John, W r ood House, Pountney, Mr. Richard, Low Hill, Powys, Rev. Edward, Westwood, Pratchett, Richard, Esq. Birmingham, Pratt Mr. John, Saredon Mill, Pratt, Mr. John, Lane Delph, Price, W. T. Esq. Wolverhampton, Proud, J. F. Esq. Wolverhampton, Proud, Mr. Bilston, Prowse, Mr. Hanley. Q. Quintin, Mr. H. Hillsfield Hall. R. Reed, Rev. Joseph, Wolverhampton, Richards, Mr. Joseph, Coven, Ridgway, John, Esq. Cauldon Place, Riley. Mr. John, Burslem, Riley. Mr. Richard, ditto Riley, Mr. William, Moat Hall, near Wolverhampton ? Rhodes, Mr. Josiah, Newcastle, Roberts, Mr. Dudley, LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. xix Roberts, Mr. John, Macclesfield, Robinson, C. B. Esq. Hill Rid ware, Robinson, Mr. T. S. Uttoxeter, Robinson, Mr. Ralph, Newcastle, Robinson, Mr. C. Brown Hills Cottage, Robinson, Mr. Dudley, Rogers, Spencer, Esq. Longport, Rogers, Mr. Bookseller, Stafford, Round, Mr. B. Wednesbury, Rowley, John, Esq. Bower End, Russel, Jesse, Esq. Ham Hall. S. STAFFORD, the Most Noble the Marquis of, 1. p. STAMFORD AND WARRINGTON, the Right Hon. the Earl of, 1. p. Salt, Mr. George, Betley, Sant, Mr. Aaron, Burslem, Savage, Mr. J. Wolverhampton, Scarlett, Mr. William, Penkridge, Scott, Sir Joseph, Bart. Barr Hall,/, p. Scott, John, Esq. Great Barr, Scott, Mr. Newcastle, Scott, Mr. Bookseller, Burton, Sergeant. Mr. John, Cheadle, Shaw, Mr. J. Newcastle, /. p. Shaw, Mr. Charles, ditto, /. p. Shaw, Mr. Job, Uttoxeter, Shelley, Mr. Newcastle, Shenstone, Mr. Standeford Mill, Sherratt Samuel, Esq. Walsall, Sherratt, Mr. Thomas, Newcastle, Sherratt, Mr. R. R. Blythford, Shufflebotham, Mr. Wm.Leek, Simpson, Mr. Derby, Simpson, Mr. Thomas, Wolverhampton, Simpson, Rev. A. Madeley, Simpson, Mr. Nicholas, Shelton, Slaney, Rev. Richard, Penkridge, Sleath, Rev. Dr. Repton, Leicestershire, Sleigh, Richard, Esq. Leek, Sleigh, John, Esq. ditto, Smith William, Esq. Southwell, Nottinghamshire, Smith, Richard, Esq. Tibbington, Smith, Robert Esq. Appleby, Leicestershire, Smith, John, Esq. Fenton, Smith, Mr. John, Springfields, Smith, Mr. Sampson, Cheddleton, xx LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Smith, Mr. Thomas, Cheadle, Smith, Mr. J. P. Burton, Snape, Rev. William. Newcastle, Sneyd, Walter, Esq. Keel Hall, Sneyd, William, Esq. Ashcombe, Sneyd, Edward, Esq. Byrkley Lodge, Soars, Mr. Benjamin, New borough, Sorton, Mr. William, Newcastle, Sparrow, John, Esq. Bishton, Sparrow, Mr. J. F. Burslem, Spode, Josiah, Esq. Mount, near Stoke, 1. p. Smart, Mr. Wolverhamplon, Stanley, Mr. William, Burslem, Stanley Mr. John, Prestvrood, Steedman. George, Esq. Mill Meece, Steele, Mr. R. Newcastle, Stevenson, Ralph, Esq. Cobridge, Stokes, Thomas, Esq. Bilston, Storr, Captain, Staffordshire Militia, Swinnerton, John, Esq. Newcastle, Swinuerto.'i. Mr. B. ditto, Sutton, Rev. T. Sheffield, Yorkshire. T. TALBOT, the Right Hon. the Earl of, 10 copies. Talbot, Mr. John, Wolverhampton, Tarratt, Mr. Joseph, ditto, Taylenr, Cresswell, Esq. Burleigh Villa, Taylor, Herbert, Esq. Uttoxeter, Taylor, Mr. James, Han ley, Taylor, Mr. Joseph, Made ley Heath, Taylor, Mr. W 7 illiam, Macclesfield, Taylor, Mr. William, Newcastle, Thacker, William, Esq. Muchall Hall, Thomas, Mr. Edward, Burton, Thompson, George, Esq. Rough Hills, Timmis, Mr. T. Wolverhampton, Tindall, Rev. William, ditto, Toft, Mr. Thomas, Hanley, Toilet, George, P>q. Betley Hall, J. p. Tomlinson, John. Esq. Cliff Ville, Tomkinson, Mr. S. Burslem, Tristram, Mr. J. B. Shelton, Trubsliaw. Mr. Little Hay wood, Turner, Mr. H. Oulton Hall, Turner. Mr. John, jun. Newcastle, Turner, Mr. Samuel, jun. Stone, LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. xxi Turner, Mr. James, Leek, Turner, Mr. Thomas, Newcastle, Tnrnock, James, jun. Esq. Stafford, Turtle, Mr. James, Newcastle, 1. p. Twemlow, Thomas, Esq. Peats Wood, Twemlow, Francis, Esq. Betley, Twigg, Mr. Joseph, Burslem. U. VINCENT, the Right Hon. the Earl of, /. p. Vickerstaff, Mr. Ralph, Burslem, Underbill, Mr. J. Wolverhampton. W. Wainwright, Mr. Fradley, Walford, John, Esq. Hill Hall, Walhouse, Moreton, Esq. Hatherton, Walkden, Mr. Joseph, Hall Hill, Walker, Mr. Randle, jun. Wolverhampton, Walker, Rev. Thomas, ditto, Walker, Mr. Thomas, Burslem, Walker, Mr. Randle, Penn, Walklate, Mr. Richard, Lane End, Walthall, Mr. P. jun. Newcastle, Warburton, Mr. B. Cohridge, Ward, Thomas, Esq. Newcastle, Ward, John, Esq. Burslem, Ward, Mr. J. H. Wolverhampton, Watson, Holland, Esq. Congleton, Wear, Mr. William, Hanley, Webster, Mr. Stafford, Webster, Mr. George, Macclesfield, Wedgwood, Mr. Joseph, Basford Bank, Wenman, William, Esq. Wolverhampton. Wheeldon, Mr. Wolverhampton, Wheeler, Trevor, Esq. Whitaker John, Esq. Macclesfield, White, Rev. H. Lichfield, White, Mr. Thomas, Newcastle, /. p. Whitehonse, Mr. Edward, Ettingsall, Whitgreavtf, T. F. Esq. Moseley, Wigan, Edmund, Esq. Lapley, 2 copies, Wilkinson, Mr. Joseph, Macclesfield, Willatt, Mr. Burslem, Williamson, H. H. Esq. Lougport, Wilson, Mr. Jonathan, Macclesfield, 2 copies, XX11 LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Winterbottora, Mr. J. K. Stockport, Cheshire, Wicksted, Charles, Esq. Betley Hall, Wolverhampton Library, Wood, Enoch, Esq. Burslem, Wood, John, Esq. Brown Hills, Wood, Mr. Joseph, Tean, Wood, Mr. Thomas, Barlaston, Wood, Mr. Thomas, Wolverhampton, Woodford, Mr. John, ditto, Woolfe, Mr. Benjamin, Leek, Wolferston, Mr .S. Pipe, Statfold, /. p. Woolston, Rev. W. Adderbury, Oxfordshire, Wright, Rev. T. Andley, Wright, Mr. Richard, Lichfield, Wrottesley, Henry, Esq. M. P. Y. Yates, Mr. Blymhill, Yates, Mr. Attorney, Wilmslow, Yates, Mr. James, Hanley, Yates, William, Esq. Shelton, Yeoman, Rev. Thomas, Stoke, Yonge, Weston. jun. Esq. Madeley, Young, Mr- William, Cheadle. Davenoort, John, Esq. Longport. PREFACE. jLT is now two years since the Publisher of the following Work first circulated his proposals; and during that time several individuals have been employed in collecting materials for such a comprehensive HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF STAFFORD, as might embrace every object connected with the ancient as well as the modern state of this division of the Kingdom. The utmost solici- tude of the Publisher has been excited by his earnest desire to produce a valuable Record of his native County, which might gra- tify not only the Subscribers, but the general reader of Topography ; and he trusts that his efforts will prove equally satisfactory and successful. In the regular order of the Work, a brief sketch of the Ancient and General History of the County is first given, comprising Dr. Wilkes's View of Staffordshire from the time when the Romans invaded Britain to the year 1735; the Ancient and Modern Names of Places ; and the General Topography of the County. A descrip- tion of the five Hundreds or Divisions of the County then follows, containing the History of whatever is remarkable either in the antiquities or the modern state of particular places; descriptive sketches of local and picturesque beauty, whether natural or arti- ficial ; and occasional brief biographical anecdotes of ingenious or eccentric individuals. Among remarkable and celebrated places, the City of Lichfield is entitled to particular notice, for its having been the birth-place of many eminent men. The Publisher has carefully collected such c xxir PREFACE. documents as might afford a full, satisfactory, and perspicuous record of this metropolis of Staffordshire ; with a complete list of the Prelates who adorned it by their virtues and munificence du- ring the long series of nearly twelve centuries. The many impor- tant public events which occurred in this ancient city in the course of ages, afford several illustrations of the political and ecclesiasti- cal history of England ; and the description of its present state, its magnificent Cathedral, and the fertile and beautiful country in its vicinity, present a combination of instructive and amusing facts to the reader. From this scene of ecclesiastical magnificence, the History progressively proceeds in the description of those manufacturing towns and districts to which Staffordshire has for ages owed so much of its wealth and celebrity. The iron manufactories of Wol- verhampton, Walsall, and Wednesbury, with the Coal Mines at Bilston, and other places, are described ; and a brief account given of the curious and valuable manufactures of Soho, near Bir- mingham. In the description of Uttoxeter, the reader will find the history of that town curiously illustrated by a chronology of remarkable events during four centuries and a half; and the sketch of Leek contains an account of the present state of the silk manufacture in that town. The POTTERIES, productive as they have long been of a manufac- ture of the greatest national importance, occupy a prominent part of the Work; and their history, from original documents, collected on the spot, will be found worthy the attention not only of the manufacturer and the merchant, but of the man of taste and the philosopher. The Medallic history of Staffordshire has not been overlooked ; and the " Sketch of its Coinage" will be read with interest. It was contributed by a gentleman who ranked high in the numismatic science. PREFACE. xxv The Botanical History of the County, and that of its inestimable Mineralogy, follow in regular order; its Zoology is also described in detail; and the Corinthian column of its Topographical Archi- tecture terminates in numerous illustrations of MAN, in those "Biographical Sketches of Eminent Natives of Staffordshire/' which will doubtless gratify the self-love and the patriotism of every native of the County who reads this authentic record of their ingenuity, wisdom, and heroism. A very complete History of the Agriculture of Staffordshire fol- lows the Topographical part; and the produce of the soil, under various modes of cultivation, is faithfully detailed from actual ob- servation. An Account of the different resident Noble Families who derive their honours from names of places in the County, interspersed with historical and characteristic anecdotes, concludes the Work. Such is the HISTORY op STAFFORDSHIRE now offered to the attention of the public; and the Publisher cannot conclude, without expressing his warm and grateful acknowledgments to those nu- merous Subscribers who have so liberally patronized his publica- tion ; several of whom have supplied him with documents commu- nicative of much valuable information upon the various subjects which the Work embraces. It would have afforded him great pleasure had he been permitted to give the names of several gen- tlemen who have thus kindly assisted him in his first effort to obtain public patronage as a Publisher; but that native and retiring mo- desty, which is the constant attendant of true merit, has left him no appeal from their sentence. It only remains for him to return them his sincere thanks for their favours and their support. If his Book should be deemed worthy the notice of criticism, the Publisher must plead the general issue. He is aware that it will be found " fruitful in error ;" but all who are acquainted with the subject, will allow, that error is inseparable from such a work, than which none is more liable to inaccuracies, that all the dili- xxvi PREFACE. gence of research, or the severest exercise of judgment, cannot possibly guard against. The candid reader will readily enter into the feelings of the Publisher, when he confesses, that, after the lapse of two years, almost exclusively devoted to the production of his County History, and during which time he has encountered many unexpected and formidable difficulties, he is fearful of having led his Subscribers and the Public to form too sanguine expecta- tions of his book, and which all his exertions have not been able to realize. He, however, throws himself upon their indulgence. If even the negative merit of industry be conceded, he must feel himself more than rewarded ; but if his book should fall under the lash of a too rigid censor, he will submissively kiss the rod. Newcastle-under-Lyme, March 10, 1817. A TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. GENERAL AND ANCIENT HISTORY. STAFFORDSHIRE, which lies about the middle of the Island, was formerly much covered with wood, as appears from the remains of the extensive forests of Sutton Coldfield, Cannock-wood, and Needwood Forest, in which, according to tradition, the Druids or priests of the people, performed their religious duties, prior to the arrival of the Romans in Britain. Barr Hill, situated on the west side of Sutton Coldfield, runs nearly north and south. At the north end stands the town of Aid- rich, so called from aid (old), and rice (a station or jurisdiction) ; and at the south end is Barr, a village connected with Aldrich. Near this place is a common, which to this day retains the name of Druid-heath, with a pool at the east end of it ; and near to this pool is a small area, encompassed with a trehle* ditch, which, from not being sufficiently large for an army, is supposed to have been a seat of the Druids. Two or three hundred yards south, is a perfectly -round hill, encompassed with a single ditch, and rising to the height of seven or eight feet ; this Dr. Wilkes conjec- tures to have been a summer seat of the Arch-druid : a similar area, about two miles distant, and adjoining the old Roman road of Street-way, being drier and more lofty, might possibly be his winter residence. The Druids, we are told, gave notice of their days of sacrifice by fires made upon high hills ; for this purpose, and for the observations said to be made by the Druids upon the heavenly bodies, Barr-hill was peculiarly adapted : a clump of trees, calle4 * Neither the Greeks nor Romans ever used treble ditches, so that the above must be referred either to the Britons or their Druids. Although Julius Csesar asserts that the Druids worshipped a plurality of gods, jet Mr. Cook has pretty plainly shewn that they taught and believed the religion of the Patriarchs; that pillars, a large oak or groves of oak, or large stones, served them instead of temples ; and that they believed in one God, and in a resurrection. The Druids and their doctrine undoubtedly originated in the East: they continued in this Island until they embraced Christianity, every attempt of the Romans tp destfoy them having proved ineffectual. A 2 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Ban* Beacon, now grows upon its summit. Many remains of Druitl- ical temples are still in existence where they were constructed of stone, as at Abery and Stonehenge ; but from the circumstance of those in this county having been formed of wood, they nave long ago perished from time or accident. Barrows or Lows there are many, but whether of British origin or not, cannot now with cer- tainty be ascertained. Few or no places of habitation of the Britons, fenced like the works of Caractacus with large stones, have been found in this county, except indeed those at Wrottesley and Wilbrighton may be deemed such ; but there are several fortifications of earth, cast up into high banks, with entrenchments round them, that may be presumed British : and this presumption is strengthened by the testimony of Tacitus, who tells us, that the Iceni chose a place for fight fenced with a bank of earth, having a narrow entrance to keep off the horse: an ancient fortification, situated about a quar- ter of a mile to the westward of Over Stonall, called Castle Old Fort, nearly answers this description, being encompassed with a double trench 160 paces in diameter, between double entrances, and which Plot thinks a British rampart from its ancient name ; and there is no account of any action there of later date. Near Seisdon, on the borders of Shropshire, is Apewood Castle, a very ancient and lofty fortification, situated on a round promontory, and continued for a mile in length : this too, Dr. Plot believes to have been a British work, raised for defence against invaders. To these may be added, the large fortification of earth in Beaudesert Park, which Mr. Pen- nant asserts to be of British origin. The great stone standing in a leasow near the Comptons, in the parish of Kinfare, by some called Bolt-stone, by others the Battle- stone, having two chops in the top of it, and measuring above two y ards high and near four yards in circumference, may be numbered amongst the British antiquities ; as likewise the great stone in a field south of Cannock Church : the Britons erecting such monu- ments upon civil as well as religious occasions. Caesar acquaints us that the Britons had iron only in such small quantities, that they made their money of it; and there is reason to believe they often headed their warlike instruments with stone instead of metal, as a dart was found at Leek headed with flint, curiously jagged at the edges, with teeth like a sickle; and flints have likewise been found shaped like arrow-heads: stone axes and hammers, doubtless British, have also been met with on the Wever-hills and on Morredge. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 3 Dr. Plot describes a noble antiquity near Wrottesley, as the foundation of some ancient British city or fortification of great ex- tent : it occupies a circuitous space of three or four miles, and in- cludes parts of Wrottesley, Patshull, Pepperhill, and Bonnegal Parks, and some parcels of the commons of King's-wood and Westbach Foundations of old walls, large door-hinges, and an antique dagger, have been found here; and from the circumstance of some of the stones being squared, Dr. Plot inclines to think it rather some ruined city than a fortification only.* The ROMAN Conquests in this Island were divided generally into higher or Western, and lower or EasteriuBritain, (separated from each other by a line that was carried through the Island), and dis- tinguished by the names of Britannia Prima, Secunda, Flavia, &c. Flavia or FJavia Caesariensis, comprised all the central counties, in- cluding of course Staffordshire, which was possessed before the ar- rival of the Romans by the Cornavii of Ptolemy, [Camden agrees with Ptolemy,] to whom belonged, amongst other towns, EtocetumorWall, near Lichfield : Uriconium or Wroxeter, is supposed to have been another principal place of the Cornavii, who occupied Shropshire as well as Staffordshire. This, together with the surrounding country, fell under the dominion of the Brigantes, previous to the Roman in- vasion. Roman Britain is divided naturally into eastern and wes- tern by a chain of hills, running from the Highlands of Scotland and joining the Peak of Derbyshire, the Moorlands of Staffordshire over Cannock-heath and Sutton Coldfield to the range of Edgehill in Warwickshire, and the Chiltern-hills in Buckinghamshire: this extensive range of hills may be termed the backbone of the Island. There are considerable traces in this county of what are called Roman Roads, The principal road of this description is the Street- way, or as Camden, and all authors since his time call it, the Watling- street: it was called Street-way either because it run-in a straight line, or because it was covered with strata of sand and gravel. f Its course is almost due east from Crackley-bank, where it enters this county, and separates it for about two miles from Shropshire, through Weston, and by Stretton (Pennocrucium), over the river * The same author mentions a stone found in the ruins, that, after ten loads of stone had been hewn from it, required thirty-six yokes of oxen to draw it. The great cistern of the 'malt-house at Wrottesley was made from it, and which, though left very thick at the bottom and sides, is so capacious, that it will wet thirty-seven strike of barley at onetime. t Bede calls such made roads, strata or covered. A 2 4 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Penk to the Spread Eagle, where it crosses the road from Wol- verhampton to Stafford; hence it turns a point to the south, over Calf-heath to the Four Crosses (a very ancient inn,) and continues to Norton and Wyrley Common; it then soon enters Ogley-hay, Caimock-heath, and continues due east two or three miles to Muck- ley Corner, passing an old entrenchment called Knave's Castle; from Muckley Corner, where it crosses the road from Lichfield to Walsall, it continues due east through Wall (the ancient Etoce- tum,) about a mile east of which its line seems interrupted, but af- terwards continues east by south through Weeford and Hints to Fazeley, where it leaves the county, after having passed nearly thirty miles in a direction east to one point southerly> and in some parts, for many miles together, in a perfect right line. There were two Roman Stations on this road : one df them is placed at Wall, where are now to be found numerous fragments of antiquity, such as Roman bricks, pavements, &c. ; and barricades of wood have been lately dug up> evidently military, having the ends cut off by axes (saws not being then in use,) the wood quite black and almost petrified, from the immense lapse of time it had remained in the earth : coins of Nero and Domitiaii have also been found. The other station has been fixed by some at Penkridge, from its similarity of name to Pennocrucium; but this place being two miles north of the Watling-street, some antiquaries have placed it at Stretton, as agreeing in distance with the old Itinerary of Anto- nine. This point remains unestablished by the discovery of any Roman vestiges. Another Roman road, called Ikenild-street, enters this county from the south at Hockley-brook, near Birmingham, and passes through the parish of Haudsworth to Sutton-park, which it crosses near two miles, after having gone over part of the Coldtield. It again enters the Coldfield, and passing Little Astr.i and Shenstone, crosses the Watling-street to the east of Wall, and passes by Street-hay, Whichnor, and Braunston, leaving Burton-npon-Trent about a mile to the east, and continuing by Stretton, it crosses the Dove into Derbyshire, being about twenty-five miles from its entrance into Staffordshire near Birmingham. This is a convex well-formed road, it iid rectilinear in great lengths: upon Sutton Coldtield and in Sut- ton-park, it is visible in its original state, not having been much injured by carriages: its course through this county is from north by east to north-east. In Sutton-park is a very ancient bathing- spring called Rowton-well, probably a work of the Romans. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 6 A seeond Watling-street, also of Roman origin, enters Stafford- shire on the north at Rudge-heath, and runs first south and then south-west by the two New Inns across the forest of Kinver to Stour- ton, and on to Stourbridge-heath, where it enters Worcestershire ; but it does not appear whether this road began at Wroxeter or Chester : it was probably made by the Romans under Agricola, when he lay at Chester, or perhaps by Vespasian, when he lay at Wroxeter.* There are two Roman Camps upon this road. One of them, and the largest, occupying an area of twenty-five acres, is situated on a hill at Chesterton; the other is on a fiat just under Ashwood Lodge, near Green's-forge : they are both square, very perfect, and lie on the south-east side of the road. Chesterton Camp is situated on a hill about eleven miles from Wellington, on the old Watling-street, and is perhaps as complete a Roman camp as any on the Island : a brook runs close under it on the south and south-west, on which sides the face of a perpendicular rock renders it inaccessible except at the gateway, where a cut has been made for the horse to go to water, and the passage of troops from the road, which is two or three hundred yards distant : the gateways are yet visible, and the bank is generally called the W'alls of Chesterton. This place, though now included in Shrop- shire* is within the ancient limits of this county. f It is upon record, that Ostorius fortified the rivers Sabrina and Antona before he marched against the Brigantes: these rivers are supposed by some writers to have been the Severn and Avon, and by others the Avon and Tern, which latter river rises at Maer, in * This road, I presume, crossed the Street-way at the place called the Cock at Watling-street, which therefore gave this name to both roads : part of it goes over a fiat called the Wihners or Wild-moors, and being subject to inun- dations, is willi difficulty traversed in winter. It is now the line of road from Chester or Shrewsbury to Bath and Bristol. + Frontinus says-, the Romans learnt the art of laying out a camp from that of Pyrrhas King of EpSris, which fell into their hands j that they mride great improvements upon his plan ; and that whenever a new camp was to be formed, it was always constructed uppn one uniform plan, and proportioned to the num- ber of soldiers intended to occupy it. The tent of the commanding officer was always in the centre, and a spacious area left about it, where rewards ami punishments were publicly distributed : this tent was called Praeto- ri.nn, it being at first set apart for the Prrelor. In Britain the Romans had their summer and winter camps : the former in high and airy situations, the latter in low and wanner parts of the country ; they were laid out in a kind of streets, and horse aad foot were so disposed as not to iutertere or incommode each other. 6 A TOPOGRAPHICAL this County, and running south-west, through a flat, swampy, mossy country, falls into the Severn nearly opposite Wroxeter. The camp at this place, which was twenty times larger than any other in this part of the Island, together with two fortified rivers, would effectu- ally prevent any annoyance from the Britons to the north and west, and the necessity of keeping this post must have been apparent so long as that part of the country remained unconquered. Roman coins of almost every Emperor from Claudius to Valentinian, have been found there.* Stukeley says: "Two miles beyond Etocetum, on the top of a hill, is Knave's Castle, on the south side of Watling-street, a small tumulus enclosed within three ditches ; an entrance on the south side ; it has been hollowed on the top. This is a vast moor or com- mon full of heath : the Watling is very fair and straight, and in many places the ridge is perfect for a great length. A little west of the bridge, under which the Penk crosses the Watling, are a few houses belonging to Stretton, on an eminence : this is thought to be Pennocruciurn. This village of Stretton is a little north of the road, and a mile south is Breewood, a town on a branch of the Penk, which they say has been an old city, where King John kept his court ; a little brook called Horsebrook runs a pasture or two below the road, and parallel to it ; the Penk is here a full river ; the Watling is here east and west ; the old Roman city no doubt was by the road side near here, and perhaps by Horsebrook. Bree- wood may have been a Roman town, but it is too far out of the road to have any connection with Watling-street, and Penkridge is too miles and a half off, so that it can have no claim. This town must have borrowed its name from the river, as that from the Roman city. Penkridge stands by the side of a large marsh made by the river. The church is built of good stone : a remarkable stone cross in the street." Mr. Dickenson, who, in November 1796, surveyed this part of the road with the eye of an antiquary, says : " Not a doubt remains with me at present of the site of Uxacona having been at the mo- dem village of Ocon-yate. One great difficulty occurred, viz. the * A Romy Ranulph, the first Earl of Stafford, about a mile west of the town; though some accounts say, that castle was of older date, and that Ranulph merely re-edified it. oil the Watling-street, near Hints, now a rock of stone, which, with two others at Kingswinford, Dr. Plot thinks Roman petrified barrows j one at Catshill, two on Calf-heath, and one on inclosed grounds east of Great Saredon. The' same writer wotices a Low near Bushbury, three on Mori-edge, others near Okeo-ver and Malhfield, one near Colwich Common, and another larger one at the other end of this common called Row-low, probably the place of sepulture of some petty king, Row-low importing rcyale sepulchrnm ; one in. Arbour -close, north-west of Okeover Chapel ; three on the Wevcr-hills, and three others called Queen-low, Gallows-knoll, ami Astlow Cross. To these ma) be added, the Lows on Ribden, Reeden, and Cauldon-hills, also Cock-low, and some others on the hills near Warslow, on Ecton-hill, on a hilly pasture betwixt that and Oncott, those near the town of Leek, and many others in diffe- rent parts of the county : there were also Lows on Wombourn Common. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 11 It seems pretty certain that the town or Castle of Chesterton- under- Ly me (as Camden calls it), given by King John to Randall last Earl of Chester, must have been a place of note before the Conquest, as, so long ago as the reign of Henry the Third, it was going to decay, when the Earl of Lancaster built another, surround- ed by a great pool, which he called the new castle. This castle was built at the north-west of the present town of Newcastle, but of the castle itself there is little or none now remaining.* The next considerable antiquity of this kind, is Heyley Castle, near Betley, built upon a lofty rock, w ith the same stone that was dug from the ditches. It was given (says Camden) by Harvey Lord Stafford to Henry de Adithley, in the reign of King John, which Henry seems to have built this castle. Other records say, that the heirs of William de Betley gave the land of Heyley to the said Henry, who was possessed of Aldithlege, now Audlejv in this neighbourhood ; where also have been traces of a castle, built by some of this family, or of the Verduns, before them. The origin of Terley* Castle, near Drayton, and of Stourton Castle, in the south of the county, is unknown ; but they are both believed to be of great antiquity. Stourton Castle was the birth- place of Cardinal Pole. The Castle of Chartley is said to have been built in 1218, (2 Hen. in.) by Randall Blunderville, third Earl of Chester ; and in the reign of Edward the First. Walter de Longton, Bishop of LiehfieldjSome authors say built, others repaired, Eccleshall Castle. In the beginning of the reign of Edward the Second, Alveton Castle, east of Cheadle, was built by Theobald de Verdun; and not long- after, in the same reign, "the goodly castle of Caverswall, west of Cheadle, was built by Sir William de Caverswall, of masonry:'* a house surrounded by a deep moat stands upon the site of this castle. Entrenchments are to be found in several parts of this county : the small one at Essingtoa-wood, and those called the Moats, near * Newcastle doubtless had its origin, and was named, after this decayed Cattle, tlit-re being no account of such town in Domesday-book, or any other records of this county, before the building of that new castle. t The Lords of TeHey enjoy the odd custom of taking: nn amercement for bastards born within the lordship. The cognizance of the Bishop and eccle- siastical court, and the discos ery of the fattier, is avoided, on oath being made that the bastard was begotten within the manor, and pajing ten shillings to the lord : a bastard brought here, on paying ll. 19s. lid. to the lord, entitled the parents to the same privileges. 12 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Kinnerston (anciently Rodbaston), are inclosed with double trenches. Indeed, the number of moated houses now remaining 1 (often five or six in one parish,) sufficiently prove the necessity that existed, during- the Barons' Wars, and other troublesome times in England, for country families residing in castellated mansions. Of Battles fought in ancient times in this county, the old writers assert that the Danes were totally overthrown at Testenhall or Th eaten hall, now Tettenhall, by the Mercians: the site of 'this battle is unknown, but it is said to have been "so very terrible, that it could not be fully described by the most exquisite pen." Another bloody battle was fought at Wednesh'eld, noticed in the account of that place. A stone is set up on Blore-heaih, near Drayton, but in Stafford- shire, in memory of a g'reat battle in 1549, when the Earl of Salis- bury defeated the King's troops (Henry vi.) commanded by Lord Audley, and killed 2400 men, together with their gallant leader, and all his principal officers. Queen Margaret (as the tradition goes) viewed the battle from the tower of Mucclestone Church; whence she fled (says Leland) upon the defeat, by the advice of John Hales, Bishop of Lichfield, to Eccleshall Church, and he protected her there. The Earl of Salisbury enjoyed his victory but a short time : he was taken prisoner by the Lancastrians at Wakefield, in 1640, and beheaded there, after the battle. The inhabitants of Checkley have a tradition of a battle that was fought a quarter of a mile east-north-east of their church, in a place called Naked Fields, from the bodies of three bishops slain in the battle lying there naked for some time after the fight .* three tall pyramidal stones stand close together in the church- yard, as a monument to these bishops. There are similar monu- mental stones in the church-yards of Leek, Draycott, and Chebsey, which are supposed to be of Danish origin. In the year 895 (says Dr. Wilkes) the Danes came up the Severn as far as Bridgnorth, and committed great ravages. We hear no more of them for thirteen years, when they raised a great army, and fought two bloody battles with King Edward, who. totally defeated them with the loss of many thousand men : these were the battles of Tettenhall and Wednesfield.* * It was customary with the Danish kings to address their anriies from ele- vated spots of ground, and it is \vry probable that the litlle hill called King's Standing, upon Ikenild street, Button Coldfield, was thrown up about this liuie: although upon a Roman load, it is evidently not Roman. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. W From the time of the establishment of the Heptarchy, Staffordshire Blways formed a part of the kingdom of Mercia. Alfred, who may justly be called the first English monarch, about three years before his death, drove the Danes from Bridgnorth, and they never after- wards troubled him. He now proceeded to divide his kingdom into shires or counties, hundreds and tythings : this division was specified in a book called the Roll of Winchester, where Alfred kept his court; but, although often referred to by ancient writers, no copy of this book has been preserved. This part of Mercia then took the name of Staffordshire, from Stafford, a town situated near the middle of it, and so called from a shallow 7 place in the river Sow, on which it stands, that could be passed by the help of a staff only. The whole Saxon Heptarchy was once divided into hides of land, which division included only the cultivated part. Antiqua- ries rate the hide of land at one hundred acres of arable (the mea- dows and woodlands not being included) and a hide of land was as much as one team of oxen could manage in a year : Mercia con- tained 30,000 hides.* The Hyde-farm, near Breewood, and Hyde- ley, near Stafford, are so called from this method of dividing land. From the first division of this county it has always been in five hundreds, Offlow, Totmanslow, Pirehill, Seisdon, and Cuddlestone: the two first had their names from Lows or bury ing-places; the third is named from a hill near Stone; the fourth from a village, the importance of which is now forgotten ; and of Cuddlestone nothing remains but a bridge over the Penk, a mile above Penkridge, called Cuddlestone-bridge. The NORMAN CONQUEST (1060) forms a most important period in the history of this country. A total change of circumstances took place, and many ancient families had the mortification of seeing their manors and lands distributed amongst Norman favourites, and themselves reduced from affluence to poverty. Besides the royal demesnes in this county, the Conqueror gave Hugh de Mont- gomery Earl of Arundel, thirty manors; Robert de Stafford, eighty- one lordships; Henry de Ferrers, seven manors, besides the castle and borough of Tutbury; arid to William Fitz Ansculph, twenty- five manors : these great barony divided their baronies into lesser * The hide of land was then valued at about GJ!. or Is. per acre upon 120 acres; when ahove that price, it was considered us a mark of the extra vngance of the times, and the ambition of the laity : but whether this was the annual rent, or fee-simple, does not appear. 14 A TOPOGRAPHICAL portions, to be held by others upon the same tenures as they held them from the Crown. Staffordshire appears to have been little disturbed during the Barons' Wars ; though Sir William Handsacre lost his life in a skirmish with his neighbour Sir Robert Maveryn, who was slain, in his turn, with the gallant Percy, in 1403, near Shrewsbury : the two families afterwards settled the dispute by intermarriage. The battle of Blore-heath, in 1459, has been alluded to. This county shared the evils of the Civil Wars of Charles the First. The siege of Lichheld was followed by a battle on Hopton- heath or Salt-heath, about four miles north-by-east of Stafford* which, after four hours fighting, terminated in the death of the Earl of Northampton and defeat of the Royalists : the Parliament forces were commanded by Sir William Brereton and Sir John Cell. The day after this battle, which was fought March 19, 1642, Wolverhampton was taken by the troops under Sir William Brereton, and a great quantity of arms and some ammunition fell into the hands of the victors. In September, 1643, Sir William Brereton besieged Eccleshall Castle, and defeated Colonel Hastings, who attempted to relieve it, killing and taking two hundred horse : the Colonel, who was wounded, escaped to Tutbury CastJe. According to a Parliament account, dated December 2, 1643, Hastings was again defeated, by the Moorlanders, who fell upon him in his march from Ashby- de-la-Zouch, and killed about one hundred men : one hundred and fifty horse, a hundred arms, all their baggage, and most of his captains and officers, were taken prisoners, himself escaping back to Ashby. The castles of Tutbury, Dudley, and Stourton, were all at this time held by the Royalists, and the King had a garrison at Patshull. On the llth of June, 1644, Dudley Castle, which had been gallantly defended by Lieutenant-colonel Beaumont, was re- lieved by a party of his Majesty's forces sent from Worcester : the rebels left one hundred men dead on the field, and two majors, two captains, three lieutenants, and fifty privates, were taken prisoners: the loss on the King's side was inconsiderable. After ordering the demolition of Stafford Castle, (December 22, 1643) the Parliament Committee dispatched Colonel Rudge- ley to Newcastle to raise troops for the defence of the county, and to employ them for the safety of that town and Leek, or for the assistance of Sir William Brereton, in Cheshire: the dilapidation HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 15 of Keel-house and of the house of Mr. Fitzherbert at Swinncrton, was soon afterwards resolved upon by the Committee. February 14, 1644, Captain Stone, under the orders of Sir Wil- liam Brereton, marched against Patteshull-house, which had a Popish garrison, and was strongly fortified; taking advantage of the drawbridge being down, he suddenly surprised the sentinels, fell on the garrison, killed many of them, and took the governor, (Mr. Astley) several gentlemen of quality, two Jesuits, and sixty men prisoners, together with the arms, ammunition, &c. On Sunday June 15, 1645, (after the battle of Naseby), the King left Ashby-de-la-Zouch for Lichfield, where he slept that night ; next day his Majesty marched to Wolverhampton, and on Tuesday to Bewdley. After a long route through Herefordshire, Wales, and Shropshire, we again find him (August 10) at Lichfield. The King was subsequently defeated at Chester, (Sept. 24), and it is well known his affairs soon after came to ruin. The battle of Worcester, fought September 3, 1651, proved equally fatal to the affairs of Charles the Second ; and it is generally believed, had the King fallen into the hands of Cromwell or his party, he would have been sacrificed to their fury. It is intended here to record only the general heads of the King's escape, so far as this county was the scene of action, referring for details to the histories of those times. The Royalists being totally routed, the King was compelled to seek shelter in flight : he was accompanied by Lord Wilmot, Colonel Gilfard, and some other of his faithful adherents. Colonel GiiTard, who was a catholic gentleman of Staffordshire, and well acquainted with the country, conducted the King to White Ladies, where, hav- ing cut his hair short, and assumed the garb of a peasant, he dismis- sed his retinue, and committed the safety of his person to one Richard Pendrell, who resided at Boscobel. There were three brothers of the Pendrells: Richard and John were labouring men at or near White Ladies, and William was a tenant of the Fitzherberts of Boscobel. Though death was denounced against all who conceal- ed the King, and a great reward promised to any one who should betray him, this noble peasant remained unshaken in his fidelity. The King passed the first day of his concealment (Thursday) with Pendrell in a neighbouring wood, where they pretended to employ themselves in cutting faggots ; and when it grew dark, they set out for Madeley in Shropshire, with the intention of passing the Severn into Wales, but learning that all the fords and passes of 16 A TOPOGRAPHICAL that river were strictly guarded, the King was secreted in a barn belonging to a catholic gentleman named Wolf, of Madeley, where he continued till night-fall, and then returned with Pendrell to Bos- cobel. Next morning, for a better concealment, the King, toge- ther with Colonel Carless, who commanded for his Majesty in the late battle, mounted a large oak, in Boscobel Wood, where they sheltered themselves among the leaves and branches for four-and- twenty hours. On Sunday night Pendrell conducted the King, upon a miller's horse, to the house of Mr. Whitgreave,* a catholic gentleman, at Moseley, where he was received with every mark of loyalty and respect : here he remained till Tuesday night, when bis Majesty took leave of his faithful host, and was taken by Lord Wilmot to Bentley, the residence of Colonel Lane, about four miles from Moseley towards Walsall. During the King's stay at Moseley he occupied Mr. Huddleston'sf (the priest of the family) cham- ber, from whence was a direct passage into a secret hiding-place that still exists, and in which Mr. Huddleston had been often compelled to take shelter in those times : in this hole his Majesty bid himself upon an alarm of the approach of the rebels, but Mr. Whitgreave had the address to prevent a search for the King. On Monday night, Lord Wilmot left Moseley, and went back to Bentley, to consult with Colonel Lane upon measures to be taken for his Majesty's safety. A scheme was here formed for his journey to Bristol. Colonel Lane having a relation in that city, he ob- tained a pass for his sister and a servant to visit him. The King, disguised as a servant, rode before Miss Lane, and reached Bristol in safety ; but no vessel being ready to sail, his Majesty sought a temporary security at Colonel Wyndham's, in Dorsetshire. At length, a vessel was procured at Brighthelmstone, where, after * The lateT. H.F. Whitgreave, esq. who died in January, 1816, was the great-grandson of the preserver of Charles II. : he has left heirs male. Three generations of this family have lasted from 1651 to 1816, or 165 years, which is 47 years to a generation, and may be reckoned three lives to a century. The late Mr. Whitgreave died in the same mansion in which the King was sheltered. t It appears, from some anecdotes of the Rev. John Huddleston, lately published, that Richard Pendrell, the honest and loyal protector of Charles II. died February 8, 1671. Mr. Huddleston was the Kind's constnnt companion at Mr. Whitgreave's, and when his Majesty departed, he took solemn leave of him, with assurances of his friendship. Mr. Huddleston afterwards retired beyond sea, and became a Benedictine monk ; but returning, upon the Restoration, he was appointed one of Queen Catharine's chaplains, and was always except- ed by name in proclamations or edicts issued against the Catholics. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 17 various adventures, the King arrived on the 14th of October, took shipping, and next day was safely landed at Feschamp, in Norman- dy. Upon the King's restoration, 1669, he rewarded all his faith- ful preservers with pensions. In the year 1745 an alarming' REBELLION made its appearance in this part of the country. About 8000 Scots rebels marched from Edinburgh to Carlisle, which place surrendered to them on the 15th of November. Having greatly increased their numbers, they pene- trated south to Lancaster, and afterwards to Manchester : here they formed a regiment of the malcontents, passed the Mersey, and advanced to Congleton, but suddenly turned to the left as far as Derby. The Duke of Cumberland, who was dispatched against the rebels, had his advanced-guard at Newcastle-under-Lyme, and a battle was daily expected in that neighbourhood. The alarm which these movements created was but of short duration : the rebels deemed it prudent to hasten back to Scotland. They were followed by the. Duke, and the memorable battle of Culloden, (April 16, 1746) > again restored the country to peace and tranquillity. The domestic history of the present auspicious reign is remark- able for the great improvement of the country by turnpike roads, opening an easy conveyance from place to place; by navigable canals, carried over natural rivers and under mountains ; and by the great improvements in manufactures and agriculture, in con- sequence of these public-spirited exertions. These improvements, and those of the mines, and other resources, compared with the natu- ral and original state of the country, form the pbject and subject of this work. MARKET-TOWNS, (Ancient and Modern.) Market Towns. Market Days. 1. Stafford .. Saturday 2. Lir.hfield .. Friday 3. Wolverhampton JVednes. 4. Walsall Tuesday b. Btirton-upon-Trent Thursday 6. Uttoxeter . . Wednes. 7- Newcastle . . Monday 8. Leek .. IFtdnes. 9. Stone .. Tuesday 10. Cheadle .. Saturday 11. Eccleshall .. - Friday 12. Rugeley . , Tuesday Market Towns. 13. Tamworth 14. Tutbury, (dec.) 15. Abbots Bromley 16. B re e wood 17- Penk ridge 18. Cannock, (dec.) 1.9. Bet ley, (dec.) 20. Wediiesbury 21. Bursleni 22. Hanley 23. Lane-End 24. Longuor Market Days. Saturday Tuesday Tuesday Friday Tuesday Saturday Monday Saturday Saturday A TOPOGRAPHICAL A LIST OF THE PARISHES* OF STAFFORDSHIRE, In the respective Hundreds. SEISDON HUNDRED CONTAINS TWENTY-ONE PARISHES: 1. Amblecot and Brierleyhill 12. Kingswinford 2. Arley Over 13. Pattinghaiu 3. Bilston 14. Patteshull 4. Broome 15. Penn 5. Bobbington 16. Rowley- Regis 6. Byshbury 17. Sedgeley 7. Codsall 18. Tettenhall 8. Cleat 19. Trysull 9. Enville 20. Wolverhainptou 10. Himley 21. Wotnbourne. 11. Kinfaie # By the term Parish is here meant, a tract of land hav.ing a place of worship, and united i some degree by a common or mutual interest, without regarding the ecclesiastical constitu- tion, or dependance upon a mother church. OFFLOW HUNDRED 1. Alrewas 2. Aldridge 3. Armitage 4. Barr 5. Barton-under-Needwood 6. Bloxwich /. Burton-upon-Trent 8. Clifton Campville 9. Darlaston 10. Draytou Bassett 11. Edingale 12. Elford 13. Fairvvell 14. Hammerwich 15. Hamstall Ilidware 16. Hanbury 17. Harlaston 18. Haselour 19. Handsworth 20. Harborne 21. Hints 22. King's Bromley 23. Liehfield St. Chadd's 24. Licfefield St. Mary's 25. Lichfield St. Michael's 26. Lougdou CONTAINS FIFTY-TWO PARISHES 27. Marcbington 28. Mavesyn Ridware 29. Newborough 30. Norton-under-Cannock 31. Pelsall 32. Pipe Ridware 33. Rollestou 34. Ilushall 35. Shenstone 36. Smethwick 37. Statfold 38. Tamworth 39. Tattenhill 40. Thorpe Constantine 41. Tutbury 42. Tipton 43. Walsall 44. Weeford 45. Wednesbury 46. Westbromwicli 47- Wednesfield 48. Wittington 49. Whichnor 50. Wiggington 51. Willenhall 52. Yoxall. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 19 CUDDLESTON HUNDRED CONTAINS TWENTY-THREE PARISHES*. 1. Acton 13. Haughton 2. Baswich 14. Lapley 3. Brcevvood 15. Norbury 4. Bednall 16. Penkridge 5. Blymhill 17- Rugeley 6. Bradley, juxta Stafford 18. Shareshall 7. Cannock 19. Sheriff Hales 8. Castlechurch 20. Stretton 9. Coppenhall 21. Weston-untfer-Lizard 10. Dunston 22. Wheaton Astou 11. Forton 23. Church-Eaton. 12. Guosall PIREHILL HUNDRED CONTAINS FORTY-SEVEN PARISHES 1. Abbot's Bromley 25. Madeley 2. Adbaston 26. Maer 3. Ashley 27. Marston 4. Audley 28. Milwich 5. Barlaston 29. Mucclestone 6. Betley 30. Newcastle 7- Blirhfield 31. Norton-in-the-Moors 8. Blurton 32. Sandon 9. Biddulph 33. Seighford 10. Buck nail 34. Stafford 11. Bursletn 35. Standon 12. Chcbsey 36. Stone 13. Colton 37. Stowe 14. Colwich 38. Stoke-upon-Trent 15. Eccleshall 39. Svvinnerton 16. Ellenhall 40. Ranton 17- Broughtoa 41. Talk-on-th'-Hill 18. Fradswell 42. Thursfield 19. Fulford 43. Tixall 20. Gayton 44. Trentham 21. Hanley 45. Wtston-upon-Trent 22. High-Offley 46. Whitmore 23. Keel 4/. Wolstanton. 24. Lane-End TOTMANSLOW HUNDRED CONTAINS FORTY PARISHES: 1. Alstonefield 4. Blore 2. Alveton 5. Bradley-in-lhe-Moors 3. Baguall 6. Bramshall 20 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Paiishes. Parishes. 7- Butterton 24. Ilatn 8. Caldon 9. Gallon 10. Cavers wall 11. Checkley 12. Cheadle 13. Cheddleton 25. Ipstones 26. Kingston 27. Kinnersley 28. Leek 29. Leigh 30. Longnor 14. Croxden 15. Dilhorne 31. Mayfield 32. Oakover 16. Draycott-in-the-Moors 33. Onecote 17. Endon 34. Meerbrook 18. Elkstone 35. Rocester 19. Ellastone 36. Sheen 20. Flash 37. Warslow 21. Gratwich 38. Waterfall 22. Grindou 39. Wetton 23. Horton 40. Uttoxeter. 40 ^ PIREHILL 47 / CUDDLES!" ON' 2$ V Total in i 59 i 183 21 ) Parishes. ANCIENT AND MODERN NAMES OF PLACES. [From Domesday to the present Time.] Ancient Name. Modern Name. Ancient Name. Modern Name* Abetone Apeton Befecote Btfcot Ache or Acle . . O a/ten Belintone Blllington Aclei Oakley Bercheswic Baswich Acoure Oakover Bernulvestone . . Barlaston Actorie Acton Bertone Barton Aldidelege And Icy Bertone Abb . . Burton-nn- Trrnt Almcntone Ammington Bertone f fiiterton, ittar A Ire was Alrewas I Jl^ston Alrewic AMritlge Bctelege .. Bettey Alverdeston Ah ton Bidolph Blddulph Alvidclege Alvclnf Bigeford Bickford Antstanefelt .. Alfstomfald Bilesroch Bilbroo/c Antie On (flighty lift fcJBilleslune Billion Badehale Badnal Bi.scopsberie Byshbwy Balttedelege .. Baiter icy Bispestone B't.shton B;trc:mlerslein Burslem Blidevelt BUthfitld Barro, Baira . . Bnrr Blocheswic Bl" imich Bcdchald Be dual Blora Store, near Ham HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 21 Ancient Name. Modern Name. Ancient Name. Modern Name. Bradelie Bradelsy Comegrave Congreve Bramelie Gera rd's Brom ley C o n to u Comton Branselle Bramshall Cote Cotes or Co ton Brantestone Branston Cotewalderstone Cot wait on Bresmuudescote Bescofe Covebale Copnal Bretlie Bradley Cove Coven Breude Brteivood Covelau Coivley Brigeford Bridgeford Crachemers Crakemarsh f Broughton, or Cressvale Cresswell Broctone i L Brockton Crotewich Gratwich Bromelie , Kings Bromley Cuchesland Cooksland Brotone Broton Cudulveston Cuddles ton Brumhelle Bromhall Cuneshala Consall Brunitone Brine ton Denstone Dtnston BrunU'ge Abbot's Bromley Derlaveston Darlaston Bubintone Bobbington Dochesig Doxy But Uenole Jjucknall Do.lington JDcrington Cell (lot! 6 f Caldon or Dorveslau JDodsley \ Cauldon Draicote Draycot Catcsj)elle Cospel End Draitone JJrayton Cavreswell Caversivall Drecjetonc I) ri net on Cedda, Cedla . . Cheadle Duhnesdene Dimsdale Celle Chell Dulveme Dilhorne Cerletone . . Cliarlton Duuestone .. Dnnston Certelie Chartlcy Ecleshelle EC cle shall Cef vernest Charncs Ectone Acton Trnssel Cesteford Seignford Eclboldestone .. Adbaston Cetterville Chat/till Edelachestone . . Ellaston Chebbesie Chebsfy Edgerslv Agardsley Clieltetone Chedleton Efnefeld Enville Cbenestelte Kni.ghfley Elacbestone Ellaston Chenestetone . . Chesterton Eleford Elford Chenevare Kinver Elveton Ellsrton Grange Chenwardeston Kinnerston Eltnelecote Amhlecote Cbinesteton Knightley Euedien Endon Chingeslie Kingsley Erlicle Yurlet Clnocbesdene or > Croxden Ernelege Arlcy Crocbestone . . Esserungtone ,. Es.iington CUitone or Clo- tone \ Clayton Estendone Estone Essmgton Aston Claverlege Clareley Esirenone Stretton Clistone Clifton Etinghale Ettingshall Codesliale CwUaU 17. f ff r ater and Coltone Colton Etoue I Church-Eaton A TOPOGRAPHICAL Ancient Name. Modern Name. Ancient Name. Modern Name. Esselic .. Ashley Lecefelle .. Lichfidd Felede Fold Lege . . Leigh Fentone Fenton Levehale Levedale Fenlestone Feathtrstone Levintone Lointon Fernelege Farley Linehala Linehill Fletesbroclte . . Flashbrook Litelbeck . . Littlebench Fortesbroke Forsbrook Locheslei Loxley Fraiforde Frceford Longenalrie Longnor Frodeswelle Frodsivell Lutiude Littewood Fuleford Fulford Madelie . . Madeley Gaitone Gayton Madevelt . . May field Geneshale Gnosall Melevvich Milwick Gestreon Ingestre Mera Matr Gragelie Crackley Bank Mera . . Mare Grendone Grendon Merchameton Marchington Hadesacre Handsacre Mess (Mill Meece of Ha5 \vode Hayivood ' L Cold Meece Halas Hales f Marston, near Haltone Hilton ertone \ Laplty Halstone Haughton Met ford May ford Hancese . . Hanchurch Mocklestone Mucclestone Hantone fjrolvtrhampton Modredeshale . . Moddershall Hargedon Hat her ton Moleslei Moscley Haspeleia Aspley Moretone Mtcrton Helcote Hilcot Moretune AJoreton Heldulvestone . . Hilderstone Mortone (More ton near Heltone Abbey Hilton I Coton Heneford Handford Morve . . Morfe Heutone Haiinton Mulewich . . Milnich Heolla Hcyley Mutotie . . Mitt on Hereborgestone Horsley Nievetone Newton Hetone Htaton Nordlege Norley Himelie Himley Normanscote Normacot Hintes Hints Northberie Norbury Honeswarde Handswortk Nortone Norton Horeborn Harborne Offeleia .. Officy Hortone Horton Ope was Hoppas Horulveston Hfirlaston Oreton . . Oilierton Hotone Hopt&n Overtone . . Orton Humerwich Hammerwic/i Oxelie . . Oxley Hultedoue Hixon Pademore . , Padmor Iltone Hilton Paginton Packington Laplie Laplcy Pancriz Penffridfra Lee Lttk Peccleshala . . Patcshull HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. Ancient Name. Modern Name. Ancient Name. Modern Name. Penne Penn Sulvertone Sivinnerton Pendeford . . Penford Talc .. Talk-on-t/i-Hill Peleshale . . Pels/tail Tamahore Tamhorn Perio Perry Tamworde Tamworth Per tone .. Perton Tene . . Tean Pinchetel .. Penkhull Ti bin ton Tipton Podmore Podmore Tiche shale .. Tixall Rantone . . Ranton Abbey Tichbrock Stichbrock Redbaldeston Rodbaston Tillingtone . . Tillington Richardescote Ricarscot Tittesoure Tit tensor Riduuare Pipe Ridware Torp . . Thorp f Hamstall and Totenhala . . Tettenhall i vare t MavesynRidwareToteberie . . Tut bury Rigge Ridge Trent ham Trent ham Rischall . . Rushatl Treslie . . Trysutt Risetone Rushton Tricescote . . Trescot Rolvestone Rolleston Tunestall . . Tuns/all Rowecestre Rocester Turgaveston fl^olgasten Rudierd Rudyerd Turvoldesford . . Thursfield Rugehala Rudge Ullaveston . . TVollaston Rugelie . . Rugeley Ulseley .. Wolseky Ruscote Roughcote Wadnesberie . . IVednesburp Sandone Sandon Waleton -.. JValton Saredone Sardon Wamburne PVombourne Scelfield .. Shelfield Wareslie . . Worslow Scelfiton . . Shelton Weforde .. TVeeford Sceon . . Sheen r TVeston t near Sceotestan Shussions Westone .. < Ingestre and Segeslie Sedgeley * Under- Lizard Seisdone t . Seisdon Westwic . . JVightwick Seiche more Silkmore Wicenore . . fJ^hichnor Selte . . Salt Wigeton WPigginton Seneste Shenstone Wilbreston TVilbrighton Sibeford Seighford Winehala .. WiUenhatt Slindone . . Slindon Wireleia .. fTyrby Smedwick Smethwick Witestone flFhiston Stafford .. Stafford Witemore JVhitmore Stagrigeshale Shareshall Witmere . . TVitmoor Staneshope Stanshop Wodetone . . Wood -Eaton Stantone Stanton Wodnesfelde . . TVednesfield Stoca Stoke, near S/oweWlstanetohe Wolstanton Stratone . . Stretton Wrfield .. JVorfield Suenesford Kingswinford Wotochesede Uttoxeter Sueueshed , . Swi neshed Wrotolie JVrottesley. 24 A TOPOGRAPHICAL SHERIFFS OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [From the earliest Accounts to the present Time.-] HENRY I. Nicholas de Stafford. HENRY II. Milo de Gloucester. Robert de Stafford, of Stafford Castle: he was allowed 29/.'l8*. for stock- ing the King's manors : six years. Alexander Clericus : eighteen years. Thomas Noel, of Rantoti and Ellen- hall : eight years. RICHARD I. Thomas Noel. Thomas de Cressewell, of Cressewell. Hugh, Bishop of Coventry, assisted by others : three years. Hugh Pardolf : two years. Hugh de Chaucumb, of Chaucumb, Northamptonshire : two years. JOHN. Jeffery, and Hugh de Erdington, of Erdington, near Birmingham : five years. Thomas de Erdington, and Thomas de Alta Ripa, of Cheshire : two years. Thomas de Erdington : nine years. HENRY III. Ranulph, Earl of Chester, and Hen. deAdith1ea,of Audley: four years. Ranulph, Earl of Chester, and Philip de Kinton : three years. Ranulph, Earl of Chester, of Chart- ley Castle. John Bonet : three years. Henry de Adithlea, and Robert de Leia, of Leigh. Henry de Adithlea : four years : William de Bromley, of Gerard's Bromley, being his deputy. John Extraimis, or Stranger, and Robert de Haga, of Hay : four years. lobert de Acton, of Acton. fohn Extraneus, or Stranger, for ten years successively : Justice also of Chester. Thomas Corbet, of Barlaston : two years. John Grendon, of Shenston and Grendon : six years. Hugh de Acovere, of Okeover : two years. William Bagod, of Bromley Bagot : three years. William de Caverswell, of Cavers- well, and James de Aldahel. James de Aldahel, supposed of Aud- ley : seven years. EDWARD I. Ralph Mortimer : three years. Bogo de Knovill : three years. Roger Springhuse : seven years. Roger Springhuse, and Lionel Ramescley : three years. Robert Corbet, King's Bromley. William Tittley : six years. Ralph de Schirle, of Shirley, coujity of Derby : three years. Thomas Corbet, Barlaston : two years. Richard de Harlegh : two years. Walter de Beysin: two years. John de Acton. John de Dene. EDWARD II.' Roger Trumvin. Johannes Extraneus. Hugh de Crofts, of Croft's Castle, Herefordshire: two years. Hugh de Audley, of Audley : 3 years. W T illiam de Mere. Robert de Cheyne ; Sheriff also of Shropshire : but for sonic offence he was fined, his lands and goods HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. seized for the king, and his body attached. Roger Trumwinne : two years. Robert de Grendon, of Grendon, county of Warwick : three years. John de Swinnerton, of Swinnerton : two years. Henry de Bishbury, of Bishhury : three years. EDWARD III. John de Hinkele, and Henry de Bishbnry : two years. John de Hinkele : two years. Henry de Bishbury : two years. Richard Peshale, of Peshal and Horsley : two years. John de Hinkele, Stoke, near Stone. Simon de Ruggeley, of Rugeley. Richard de Peshale, and Simon de Ruggeley: four years. Adam de Peshale. Thomas de Swinnerton : two years. John de Aston. Henry, Earl of Derby, of Tutbury Castle : seventeen years. John de Swinnerton. Robert de Grendon. John de Perton. Philip de Lutteley, Lutteley: 4 years. Henry Pius, Pyott, or Pye. John de Perton, of Perton, near Wolverhampton : two years. John de Gresley, of Colton. Nicholas de Stafford. John de Verdon, of Alveton Castle. John Bassey, or Basset, of Cheadle. Nicholas de Stafford. Peter de Cares we ll,Caverswall Castle. Walter de Hopton. William de Careswell. RICHARD IT. Brean Cornwall, of Hereford. William Calleson. John de Verdon. Roger de Wirley, of Hamstead. William de Walsall, of Walsall : two years. Humphrey Stafford, of Grafton, Worcestershire. William de Walsall. Roger de Mavesyn, of Mavesyn. Adamar de Lichfield. William Chetwynd, Ingestre. Humphrey de Stafford. William de Walsall. John Delves, Apedale or Hilderston. John Swinnerton. William de Shareshall, of Shareshall. Adamar de Lichfield. Robert Fraunces, Foremark, Derby. Robert Mavesyn. William Walsall : three years. HENRY IV. William de Shareshall, Shareshall. Robert Mavesyn, Knight, and Wil- liam Newport, Knight, ofWeston- under-Lizard. Robert Fraunces, Foremark. Humphrey Stafford : two years. William Newport. William Walsall. William Newport, Knight. Robert Fraunces. T. Aston, Knight, of Haywood. John Delves. Thomas Giftard, of Chillington. HENRY V. John Bassett, of Blore or Cheadle. Robert Babthorpe. John Delves. Richard Vernon,of Harlaston. John Meveral, of Throwley. William Trussel, of Cubblesdon. Humphrey Haiton. John Delves : two years. HENRY VI. Thomas Gresley, Knight. Hugh Erdeswick, Esq. Sandon. N.Montgomery, Leigh and Cubley. John Bagot, Esq. of Blithfield. A TOPOGRAPHICAL Roger Aston, Esq. Richard Vernon, Esq. Philip Chetwynd, Esq. Thomas Griffith, Esq. Whichnor. Nic. Montgomery, Knight. Roger Aston, Esq. Ralph Egerton, Esq. Wrine-hill. Thomas Stanley, Esq. Elford. Robert Strelley, Knight. Nic. Peshale, Esq. Philip Chetwynd, Esq. Ralph Bassett, Esq. Thomas Stanley, Esc. Thomas Gresley, Esq. Hum. Lowe, Esq. Tymmor. Ralph Archer, Esq. Statfold. William Mytton, Esq. Mitton. Nic. Montgomery, Knight. Thomas Blount, Esq. Fald. John Griffith, Knight. Hum. Blount, Esq. Thomas Ferrars, Esq. of Tarn worth Castle : two years. Hum. Swinnerton, Esq. John Stanley, Esq. Elford. Thomas Astley, Esq. PatshuH. Robert Aston, Esq. Richard Bagot, Esq. Blithfield. Th. Cotton, Esq. Hamstall Ridware. John Delves, Esq. John Cotes, Esq. Cotes. William Mytton, Esq. Hugh Egerton, Esq. John Stanley, Knight. EDWARD IV* Walter Wrottesley, Esq. John Harcoutt, Esq. : two years. Hum. Peshale, Esq. John Stanley, Knight. Thomas Bassett, Esq. John Harcourt, Esq. John Acton, Esq. Acton, John. Stanley, Knight, Elford. Rand. Brereton, Knight. Henry Beaumont, Knt.Wednesbury. Walter Griffith, Knight. William Bassett, Esq. George Stanley, Esq. John Stanley, Knight. John Aston, Esq. Hugh Egerton, Esq. Richard Bagot, Esq. Nic. Montgomery, Esq. John Aston, Esq. William Basset, Knight. Hum. Stanley, Knight. RICHARD lit. Nic. Montgomery, Esq. T. Wolseley, Knight, Wolseley. M. Constable and H. Stafford, Knts. HENRY VII. Hum. Stanley, Esq. Hugh W T il lough by, Esq. William Harpur, Esq. Hugh Peshale, Esq. Thomas Gresley, Knight. Rand. Okeover, Esq. Roger Draycot, Esq. Paynesley-hall. Richard Wrottesley, Esq. Hum. Stanley, Knight. : Richard Harcourt, Knight. John Mytton, Esq. John Draycot, Esq. Thomas Gresley, Esq. William Harpur, Esq. John Ferrars, Knight. John Aston, Esq. Richard Wrottesley, Esq. William Harpur, Esq. John Draycot, Knight. William Smith, Esq. : two years, Lewis Bagot, Knight. John Mytton, Esq. . .. . Aston, Knight. HENRY VIII. J. Giffard, Esq. Thomas Nevil, Esq. Shenstone. John Egerton, Esq. John Mytton, Esq. Thomas Gresley, Esq. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. William Chetwynd, Esq. Thomas Nevil, Esq. Richard Wrottesley, Esq. John Giffard, Esq. Ralph Egerton, Esq. Edward Grey, Knight, Enville. Lewis Bagot, Esq. John Giffard, Knight. William Smith, Knight, of Elford. Edward Littleton, Esq. Pilatou. Edward Grey, Knight. John Giffard, Knight. John Blount, Esq. of Blount's-hall. John Vernon, Esq. Edward Aston, Knight. Thomas Giffard, Esq. John Giffard, Esq. William Wrottesley, Esq. John Vernon, E*q. Harlaston. Phil. Draycot, Knight. Edward Aston, Knight. William Chetwynd, Esq. John Dudley, Knight. George Gresley, Knight. John Vernon, Esq. Edward Littleton, Esq. Edward Aston, Knight. John Giffard, Knight. William Basset, Knight. T. Fitzherbert, Esq. Swinnerton. George Gresley, Knight. John Harcourt, Knt. Ranton Abbey. Walter Wrottesleyi Esq. EDWARD VI. Francis Meverel, Esq. John Fleet wood, Esq. Colwich Priory. William Snead, Esq. Bradwell. Edward Littleton, Knight. William Basset, Knight. George Blount, Knight. MAKY. Thomas Giffard, Knight. T. Fitzherbert, Knight. Peter Draycot, Knight. Edvvaid Aston, Knight. John Harcourt, Knight. William Siiead, Knight. ELIZABETH. Hum. Wells, Esq. Horecross. Ralph Bagnal, Esq. Newcastle. John Leveson, Esq. Treiitham Priory. William Gresley, Esq. Edward Littleton, Knight. Ralph Okeover, Esq. John Schrimshire, Esq. Aqualate. Simon Harcourt, Esq. John Wrottesley, Esq. John Fleetwood, Es^. Richard Bagot, Esq. Walter Aston, Esq. of Tixall. \ Trentham, Esq. Rocester Abbey. George Blount, Knight. John Giffard, Esq. Thomas Horewood, Esq. Ralph Adderley, Esq. Blakehaugh. Ralph Snead, Esq. Richard Bagot, Esq. John Chetwynd, Esq. Thomas Trentham, Esq. Walter Aston, Knight. Edward Littleton, Esq. John Grey, Esq. Thomas Gresley, Esq. Edward Leigh, Esq. of Rushall. Ralph Okeover, Esq. Walter Leveson, Esq. William Basset, Esq. John Bowes, Knight, of Elford. Robert Stanford, Esq. of Rowley, near Stafford, and Perry-hall. Edward Aston, Esq. Thomas Leveson, Esq. Fran. Trentham, Knight. Edward Littleton, Knight. Henry Griffith, Esq. Ralph Snead, Esq. T. Horewood, Esq. Stourton Castle. William Crompton, Esq. Stone Park. Walter Wrottesley, Esq. Walter Bat?ot, Esa. 28 A TOPOGRAPHICAL William Chetwynd, Esq. Win. Skevington, Esq. Fisherwick. Edward Leigh, Esq. W alter Bagot, Esq. JAMES r. Walter Bagot and Ed. Leigh, Esqs. William Whovvvood, Knight, of Saudweil and Stourton Castie. Gilbert Wakering, Knight. Edward Brabazon, Knight. Walter Chetwvnd, Esq. James Sehrimshiie, Esq. W. Heveningham, Esq. Aston. Simon Weston, Knight, Rugeley. Fran. Trentham, Esq. Thomas Meverel, Esq. of Bold. Thomas Littleton, Knight. Richard Fleetwood, Bart. John Persliale, Bart. John Offley, Knt. Madeley Manor. Hugh Wrottesley, Esq. Thomas Schrimshire, Esq. Henry Leigh, Esq. Edward Winsor, Esq. Ralph Snead, Esq. W, Comberford, Esq. of Comberford. William Skevington, Esq. Edward Stanford, Esq. CHARLES I. Thomas Parker, Esq. of Park-hall. Hervey Bagot, Bart. William Bowyer, Knt. Knipersley. John Bowes, Esq. Elford. John Cotes, Esq. Woodcot. William Wollaston, Esq. Thomas Broughton, Esq. Thomas Whorwood, Knight. Henry Griffith, Bart. Hum, Wyrley, Esq. Richard Pyot, Esq. Streethey, and Hum. Wyrley, Esq. Edward Littleton, Bart. Pilaton. John Skevington, Esq. John Skrimshire, Kniuhf, Aqualale John Beilot,Esq. Moneton John Agard, Esq. of Fald. Edward Moseley, Bart. William Comberford, Esq. Simon Rudgiey, Esq. : two years. Edward Mainwaring, Esq. Whitmoie. Thomas Kinnersley, Esq. of Loxley. Walter Chetwynd, Esq. CHAKLKS II. Edward Seabright, Bart. John Offlev, Esq. Madeley. Jollirfe, Esq. Caverswell. Gerard Skrimshire, Esq. Robert Ducie, Esq. of Sheustoue : two years. Brome W T horwood, Esq. Stourtou Castle. Thomas Wilbraham, Esq. Thomas Chetwynd, Esq. Rowland Cotton, Esq. or Ralph Okeover, Esq- Jonathan Cope, Esq. Ranton Abbey. Humble Lord Ward, Himley, and Shilton, Esq. Wednesbury. Brian Broughtoti, Bart. Biuughtou. John Belloe, Esq. Joh. Bowyer, Knight and Bart, of Knipersley. William Sneyd, Esq. Keel. Joh. Wyrley, Knight, Hamstead. Francis Leveson Fowler, Ebq. Walter Wrottesley, Bart. Joh. Whitehall, Esq. Pipe Ridware. Edwin Skrimshire, Esq. Rowland Cotton, Esq. Crakcmarsh. Richard Creswall, Esq. Henry Gough, Esq. Perry-hall. William Lawton, Ebq. Thomas JollifF, Esq. Joh. Wilson, Esq. Thomas Alien, Esq. Simon Unwin, Esq. Clougli. Richard Amphlet, Esq. Edward Mainwaring, Esq. Joh. Offley, Esq. Edward Littleton, Etq. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 29 Charles Skrimshire, Esq. Matthew Floyr, Esq. Hints. William Inge, Esq. Thorpe. JAMES II. Walter Chetwynd, Esq. Jonathan Cope, Esq. Walter Wrottesley, Bart. Philip Draycote, Esq. of Painsley. WILLIAM AND MARY. William Cotton, Esq. William Ward, Esq. Job. Newton, Esq. Grosvenor Dyson, Esq. William Jolliffe, Esq. William Bagnall, Esq. Joh. Taylor, Esq. Job. Chetwynd, Esq. William Murhall, Esq. Joh. Chetwode, Esq. Oakley. Walter Launder, Esq. Oswald Moseley, Esq. Rolleston. Benjamin Jolliffe, Esq. Thomas Nabbs, Esq. Stafford. ANNE. Joh. Babington, Esq. Thomas Okeover, Esq. Matthew Ducie Moreton, Esq. Thomas Crompton, Esq. Stone. William Trafford, Esq. James Wood, Esq. Joh. Jarvis, Esq. Darlaston. Edmund Arblaster, Esq. Longdon. Walter Moseley, Esq. Leigh Brook, Esq. of Haselover. Edward Littleton, Esq. Harry Grey, Esq. Enville. - GEORGE I. Oswald Moseley, Esq. Thomas Birch, Esq. J. Turton, Esq. Orgreave. T. Whitby, Esq. Creswell. Thomas Brown, Esq. Ralph Sneyd, Esq. Keel. Hum. Hodgetts, Esq. John Turton, Esq. * Henry Goring, Esq. of Kingston. Scott, Esq. Townsend, Esq. Hussey, Esq. GEORGE II. Edward Wilson, Esq. Joh. Newton, Esq. King's Bromley. Joh. Arden, Esq. Longcroft. William Robins, Esq. R. Williamson, Esq. Stafford. W. Faulkner, Esq. Rugeley. C. Kinnersley, Esq. Loxley. Joh. Hodgetts, Esq. Prestwood. R. Adderley, Esq. Colon. Jolliff, Esq. Richard Fowler, Esq. Penford. William Inge, Esq. Richard Davenport, Esq. Ellaston. Joh. Dolphin, Esq. Shenston. William Murhall, Esq. Sir Robert Lawley, Bart. Canwell. Thomas Webb, Esq. Blakenall. Samuel Hellier, Esq. Wooduouse. Ch. Bosville, Esq. Biana. George Hunt, Esq. Rocester. Joh. Jems, Esq. Joh. Wyrley Birch, Esq. Hamstead. Edward Busby, Esq. of Barton-umitr- Needwood. Henry Vernon, Esq. Hilton. T. Bradney, Esq. Penn. Richard Drakeforti, Esq. Staffoid Castle Church. Thomas Mills, Esq. Leek. J. B. Leigh, Esq. Rushall. J.T. Chetwode, Esq. Oakley. W. Acton Moseley, Esq. R. Whit worth, Esq. Batchacre. Sir Nigel Gresley, Bart. Mere. GEORGE in. Joh. Dolphin, Esq. Slienston. J. Smith, Esq. Fenton. Sir Edward Littleton, Bart. J. Sneyd, Esq. Bishton. William Armett, Esq. Heaton. 30 A TOPOGRAPHICAL J. Hodgetts, Esq. William Inge, Esq. Edward Main waring, Esq. F. Eld, Esq. Seighfoid. C. Kinnersley, Esq. Loxley. John Marsh, Esq. Woinbourn. Thomas Hoo, Esq. Barr. Sir Thomas Broughton, Bart. Thomas Whitby, Esq. John Williamson, Esq. of Stafford. John Turton, Esq. Sugnall. John Swiufen, Esq. Swinl'en. E. Walhouse Okeover, Esq. R- Floyer, Esq. Hints. P. Keay, Esq. Abbot's Bromley. Ch. Toilet, Esq. Betley. R. Gildart, Esq. Norton. Sir John Heathcote, Longton. T. Sleyenson, Esq. Stafford. T. Parker, Esq Park-hall. T. Whieldon, Esq. Fenton. T. Fletcher, Esq. Newcastle. T. L. Fowler, Esq. Penford. John Sparrow, Esq. Bishton. M. Walhouse, Esq. Hatherton. Simon Debank, Esq. Leek. G. Molineux, Esq. Wolverhampton M. Boultoa, Esq. Soho. T. Swinnerton, Esq. Butterton- Henry Vernon, Esq. Hilton. Sir Robert Lawley, Bart. Richard Dyott, Esq. Fieeford. Jos. Scott, Esq. Barr. H. Farmer Qakover, Esq. Thomas Bam bridge, E*sq. R.)beit Paiker, Esq. Park-hall. George Birch, Esq. Richard Jesson, Esq. John Heyligier Burt, Esq. William Phillips luge, Esq. John Lane, Esq. William Gary, Esq. Cannock- Theophilus Levett, Esq. Henry Webb, Esq. James Beech, Esq. Thomas Mottershaw, Esq. Walter Sneyd, Esq. Sir Oswald Moseley, Bart- Henry Crockett, Esq. John Smith, Esq. Fenton. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR STAFFORDSHIRE. 1542. John Dudley and Philip Draycot, Knts. 1547. William Paget and John Harcourt, Knts. 1552-3. William Devereux and Walter Aston, Esqs. 1553. Thomas Giffard, Knt. and Edward Littleton, Esq. 1554. John Draycot, Knt- and Thomas Gray, Esq. 1554-5. Thomas Giffard and Edward Littleton, Knts. 1556. Brian Fowler and Francis Meverell, Esqs. 1558. Ralph Bagnall Esq. and Simon Harcourt, Knt. 1563. Simon Harcourt and John Gray, Esqs. 15/1. John Gray and Thomas Trentham, Esqs. 1572. John Fleetwood and Thomas Whorwood, Esqs. 1585. Edward Dudley and Edward Leigh, Esqs. 1586. John Gray and William Basset, Esqs. 1588. Walter Harcourt and Thomas Gerard, Esqs. 1592. Walter Harcourt and Christopher Blount, Knts. 1697. Edward Sutton, alia* Dudley, Esq. and C. Blount K* HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 31 1601. Thomas Gerard and John Egerton, Knts. 1603. Edward Littleton and Robert Stanford, Knts. 1614. Edward Littleton and William Bowyer, Knts. 1620. William Bowyer, Knt. and Thomas Crompton, Esq. 1623. William Bowyer and Edward Littleton, Knts. 1625. Simon Weston, Knt. and William Bowyer, Esq. 1628. Harvey Bagot and Thomas Crompton, Knts. 1640. Edward Littleton, Bart, and William Bowyer, Knt. 1640. Edward Littleton, Bart, and Harvey Bagot, Knt. 1653. George Bellot and John Chetwood, Esqs. 1654. Charles Wolseley, Bart, and Thomas Crompton, Esq. 1656. C. Wolseley, Bart. Thos. Crompton and Thos. Whitgrave, Esqs. 1658-9. Thomas Whitgrave, Knt. and Thomas Crompton, Esq. 1 660. Edward Bagot and William Snead, Esqs. 1 66 1. Sir Thomas Leigh and Sir Randolph Egerton. 1678. Sir Walter Bagot and Sir John Bowyer. 1681. The same, The same. 1685. The same, and Edward Littleton, Esq. 1688. The same, and John Grey, Esq. 1690. The same, The same. 1695. Henry Pagett, Esq. The same. 1698. Edward Bagot and Henry Pagett, Esq. 1701-2. The same, The same. 1705. The same, The same. 1708. Sir John Wrottesley, The same. 1 710. William Ward and Charles Bagot, Esqs. 1713. Henry Vernon and Ralph Sneyd, Esqs. 1714. William Ward, Esq, and Lord Pagett. 1722. W. Leveson Gower, Esq. The same. 1727. The same, and Sir Walter Bagot. 1734. The same, The same. 1741-7. The same, The same. 1754. William Bagot and Henry Thynne, Esqs. 1761. Right Hon. Lord Grey and Win. Bagot, Esq. L.L.D. 1662. The same, The same. 1763-8. The same, The same. 1778- Sir Wm. Bagot, and Sir John Wrottesley, Barts. 1782. Sir J. Wrottesley, Bart, and Viscount Lewisham. 1793. Lord Granville Leveson Gower, and Sir Edward Littleton, Bart. 1796. The same, The same. 1802-7. The same, The same. 1812. The same, Edward J. Walhouse, Esq 1815. Right Hon. Earl Gower, The same (now Littleton)- A TOPOGRAPHICAL , s fi4lIMJ 3 831103 HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 33 B 02 . 1L "3 JSJ :^. ^ pJ , 5-g-S TS Si-G cq illl-j 3 ^ " GO o Oi JJ O O ^O >O Oi CN ' 3 C'S'^-?^ = a, S 8-5 .. ^ 3 o - Sa^a -a . ? c* cs a s ^ 2 S g SP ^^ -a -5 lillsl -s ! ,s o 13 *- a s c $ c - ||2 225 34 A TOPOGRAPHICAL GENERAJL TOPOGRAPHY. WITH the exception of Carmock-heath, the middle part of the county is for the most part level : this immense waste swells to a considerable elevation, from which issue many streams, that flow in all directions, and afterwards unite in the Trent. East of Caunock-heath, and all the way to the Tame, is a tract of light soil, or sandy and gravelly loam ; and east of that river, is ElforcU Wiggintpn, Haselqr, Harlaston, Scieitcott, Thorp-Con- stantine, and Clifton Campville, on a strong or mixed loam, or useful corn and pasture land. Between the Trent and the Dove is Need- wood Forest (lately inclosed), and as far up as Uttoxeter, is a tract of strong or loamy soil ; and again, west of Stafford and Penkridge, and on to Eccleshall and the borders of Shropshire, is a strong or mixed marl or loam. The country south of Cannock-heath is a mixed gravelly loam ; but the part south and west of Wolverhamp- ton is a lighter soil. To the north of Dudley, and again near Wal- sall, are considerable tracts of limestone, some jn elevated cliffs, and others in strata beneath the surface, either in detached parts or solid rock : the limestone in both place* is proved to be nearly upon the same level, by canals communicating between them, and into the heart of the works, at 500 feet abt>ve the level of the sea. Some of the cliffs are considerably above that level, and the under- strata beneath it : petrified marine substances are found both im- bedded in the solid rock, and in the fissures between the strata. The North-west of the county from Stone, through Newcastle to Talk-on-th'-hill, and thence to Betley and Drayton, is gene- rally loam, with a varied understratum of sand, gravel, marl, or gritstone rock ; the soil, being the happy medium between the steri- lity of sand and the harshness of clay, is adapted either to tillage or pasture. The country is inclosed with quicksets well planted, the timber trees are luxuriant and of flourishing growth, the meadow and grazing lands covered with a good herbage, and the corn crops have generally a promising appearance : upon the whole, this dis- trict may be termed a fine country, though not without some spots of inferior land. Near Maer-heath, and Ashley Common, may be HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 35 found a thin black peat-moor soil, and on the hilly parts, poor sand, gravel, or rock. The Southern part of the county has some peculiarities, and is less level than the middle. The limestone hills, and cliffs of Sedg- ley and Dudley Castle, rise to two or three hundred feet above the surface, and furnish an inexhaustible supply of that material ; while Rowley Regis exhibits a striking singularity, being in itself an insulated mountain, composed of a species of granite or prime- val stone, ending in various peaks or summits, but covered with a rich vegetable earth. The loftiest point, called Turner's Hill, s the most elevated ground in the south of Staffordshire : the other highest points of Rowley Mountain, are Oakham and Corney- hills. The base of this mountain is composed of an extremely hard, rusty-blue coloured substance, called Rowley rag-stone, not at all gritty or calcareous : it lies in an infinite number of fragments, some of them of immense size, both beneath, and upon, the sur- face. Large quantities of it are carried to Birmingham, and other places, for paving and repairing roads. The rock called Rowley hail-stone is of great size, and similar quality. The surface-soil is a good marly loam, retentive of moisture even in its elevated situation, and produces a good herbage of grass. The roads in this parish are rocky precipices, and most of the heavy carriage is performed upon the backs of horses. The hills of Clent, to the south-west of Rowley, are composed of stone-trash (traccia arenacea,) or innumerable small fragments of broken rock-stone intermixed with a red sandy loam: the lower ground partakes more of a marly or loamy quality. The stone- trash apparently goes to a great depth, and by quickly imbib- ing rain, renders the soil porous and liable to burn in hot summers, except where the moisture is retained by the marly loam abounding in the surface-soil. A considerable part of Clent hills is sheep-walk, though covered generally with a fine turfed herbage : these hill-summits nearly equal those of Rowley in height, and seem capable of the turnip and barley culture. There is a great deal of waste land in this part of the county, producing heath, fern, sheep's fescue, matt grass, white galium, and sheep's sorrel. Kinver is on a light gravelly soil with a grit-rock bottom, of various quality, more or less fertile : the precipice of Kinver-edge has al- ready been noticed. Some progress towards improvement is making in a considerable tract of land in this neighbourhood, inclosed some years ago. West of Kinver, the soil changes into a strong clayey 36 A TOPOGRAPHICAL or marly loam, more or less harsh or friable, including Enville, Bobbington, and Over Areley, (on the Severn.) Here the hills are often rocky, with small fragments upon and near the surface, in some parts quartzose, in others gritty : the surface-soil changes in colour from red to grey, with all the shades between : the cul- tivation the same as on other strong lands. Enville is famous for black cherries, and the Wake held here is called Cherry Wake. The pleasure-grounds of Enville (the magnificent seat of the Earl of Stamford and Warrington) are extensive, and well-stocked with timber trees and underwood of every description, amongst which the oak preponderates in great profusion, and is of kindly and vigor- ous growth : these grounds command some beautiful and extensive prospects. Over Areley was formerly famous for fruit, especially apples, but the orchards have been suffered to decline : some re- cent attempts have been made towards restoring them, and the soil and aspect are well adapted for the purpose. The North part of the county, called the Moorlands, is situated to the north and north-east of a line conceived to be drawn from Uttoxeter to Newcastle-under-Lyme, and includes about one-sixth of the county : it is bounded on the east by the Dove, which sepa- rates it from Derbyshire, as the Dane parts it from Cheshire. The face of this portion of the county is various, but in general hilly, with large tracts of uncultivated land. The first market-town from Uttoxeter is Cheadle, situate in a pleasant vale of good mixed soil, but surrounded by large and barren hills, composed of huge heaps of sterile gravel. Cheadle-park, now in cultivation, abounds in mines of coal of great value ; but the hills are generally on an understratum of sand or sandy rock, and covered with heath (erica vulgaris,) broom, whortle-berries, mountain carex's, cinque- foils, cestus's, matt grass, and knap weeds, all of diminutive growth : these barren wastes are very extensive. The commons or wastes between Cheadle and Oakamoor, called High Shutt, Ranger, and Alveton-common, consist of an immense number of rude heaps of gravel, with an understratum of soft sandy rock, thrown together without order or form, or rather into every form that can be conceived.* A little to the north of Oakamoor, so called from being covered with dwarf oaks, the limestone country begins : it extends up Dove- dale to near Longnor, and includes, from the Dove to Morredge, * This barren tract, impracticable to the plough, might be improved into \voodland and plantation, and some open spots of the most favourable aspects HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 37 a breadth of fifty or sixty square miles. The quantity of lime- stone here is inexhaustible, and in many places of immense thick- ness. This is the best part of the Moorlands : the soil seems to have a natural aptitude for producing a fine herbage of grass.* The Weaver-hills are of considerable extent, and composed of immense heaps of limestone, covered with a good calcareous earth capable of being improved into arable and pasture land : they are inclosed in large tracts by stone walls, but not subdivided, and large breadths have never undergone the least improvement. These hills are very lofty, and nearly as high as the Moorland or Derby- shire Peak-hills, which may be seen from their summits : the fall even from the foot of them to the highest parts of the Dove or the Churnet, is very great ; and those rivers are here very rapid. f Stanton Moor, to the east of these hills, is a considerable waste on a limestone surface : the limestone is intermixed with gyp- sum or alabaster. Lime being much used here as manure both on ploughed land and turf, large quantities of it are burnt in this neighbourhood: it hashouse, at the corner of Market-street, stands a stuccoed house, supported in the front by pillars, and memorable for being the birth-place of Dr. Johnson. The markets-house is a light and convenient building of brick, erected on the spot formerly occupied by the market-cross. In Boar-street stands the Guildhall. It is a neat edifice of stone, with a pediment adorned with the city arms, an escutcheon representing a landscape with three Kings, and many other martyrs slain, and a view in bass-relief of the Cathedral. The hall in front is spacious, and in the rear are apartments in which the members of the Corpo- ration transact public business. Underneath is a gaol, in which debtors and felons apprehended within the limits of the county of Lichfield are confined. The play-house was erected in Boar-street in 1790. It is a small structure, with some ornamental stucco-work in front, and is now the property of a society of gentlemen. At the south-west corner of this street is a free-school, founded and endowed by Thomas Minors, Esq. in 1670, " to teach thirty-four boys of this city to read the psalter and bible in English." Westward of this school are the gates leading to the Friary, which was formerly a monastery belonging to the Franciscan Friars. It was founded in the year 1229, by Alexander Stavenley, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. This monastery was destroyed by a fire, which consumed the greater part of the city, in 1291, but the church belonging to the institution was preserved. In 1545, the monastery and church were totally demolished, and the present mansion erected. It has since been the residence of several of the most respectable gentlemen in this part of the county. In the reign of George II. this mansion was the seat of Michael Rawlins, Esq. and the Duke of Cumberland had his head-quarters here, during the time the army was stationed at Lichfield, in the Rebellion, 1745. On the east side of this mansion a curious monument was discovered, in 1746, of which Dr. Wilkes gives the following ao 104 A TOPOGRAPHICAL count: "October 14, 1746, Mr. Michael Rawlins, living at the Friars in Lichfield, having occasion to build a wall, and set down a pair of gates, as he was sinking for the foundation of the former, and making holes for posts, on which to hang the latter, found a grave-stone, about six feet under the surface, with a cross-fleury standing on four steps, cut in the middle, and round the edges the following Monkish verses. There is no date ; but a coffin, with bones in it, lay immediately under the stone, which he removed and fixed in an old niche of the building, which he has converted into a stable. By the letters, this stone seems to have been made not very long before the dissolution of the house, for they are an old English letter, and very legible. I took down the words thus : " Ricardus Mercator, victus morte noverca, Qui cessat mercari, pausat in hac ierarca : Extulit ephebus, paucis vivendo diebus, Ecclesiam rebus sic & variis speciebus; Vivat et in Coelis nunc mercator Micaelis!" The following translation appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine : " Richard the merchant here extended lies, Death like a step-dame gladly clos'd his eyes ', No more he trades beyond the burning zone, But, happy rests beneath this sacred stone. His benefactions to the church were great, Though young he hasten'd from this blest retreat. May he, though dead, in trade successful prove, Saint Michael's merchant in the realms above." Bridge-street, now called Bird-street, is a spacious handsome street, with several good private houses, shops, and the two prin- cipal inns. A bridge, at its northern extremity, affords a passage across the pool, and separates it from the precincts of the Close. Next to Bridge-street is Bacon-street, which was nearly all burnt to the ground during the sieges of the Close in the Civil war. St. John-street is remarkable for two public institutions, both founded by Bishop Smith, in 1492. The first and most important of these is the Free Grammar School, with appropriate buildings, on which Henry VII. settled the revenues of the Hospital of Den- hall at Wyrehall, in Cheshire. This school was further endowed by Edward VI. and is memorable for having been the Alma Mater in which Addison, Woolaston, Ashmole, and Johnson, received the rudiments of their education. The hospital of St. John, formerly a monastery, is situated opposite the school. It was re-built by Bishop Smith, who endowed it as an hospital for the support of a master, two presbyter chaplains, and ten poor men. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 105 In Bacon-street, there is an hospital for fifteen poor women, re- built and endowed by Dr. Milley in 1504, on the site of an original structure erected by Bishop Heyworth, for the same purpose. THE CLOSE AND CATHEDRAL. On the northern side of the city, beyond a beautiful sheet of translucent water which forms the boundary, the Close gradually rises into a gentle eminence, presenting to the admiring spectator, in all the majesty of gothic magnificence, the extensive Cathedral, with its ensculptured western front, and its three " heaven-directed spires." The admirer of human ingenuity cannot view this vast and beautiful pile without emotions of enthusiasm ; and however we may ridicule the imposing pomp of Popery, we must confess that such costly and elegant edifices, erected to the glory of the Deity, were well calculated to excite sublime devotional ideas in the minds of the uninstructed multitude. The Close, in which Lichfield Cathedral or Minster stands, was originally inclosed by a ditch, but by whom, or at what period, is not ascertained. Dr. Wilkes dates the origin of the Cathedral as far back a* the year 657 ; but Fuller is of a different opinion, and asserts that Offa, King of Mercia, in 785 exalted Lichfield to an archiepiscopal See. " At this time (785) the archbishoprick of Canterbury was in part removed to Lichfield, five essential things concurring to that great alteration. " 1. The puissance and ambition of Offa, King of Mercia, com- manding in chief over England. He would have the brightest mitre to attend the biggest crown. " 2. The complying nature of Pope Adrian, except any one will call it his thankfulness, to gratify King Offa for the large gifts re- ceived from him. " 3. The easy and unactive disposition of Lambert, Archbishop of Canterbury ; unless any will term it his policy, that finding himself unable to resist (a pope and a prince overmatch for a prelate), he would not strive to keep what must be taken away from him. " 4. The commodious situation of Lichfield, almost in the navel of the land, and where should the highest candlestick stand (the metropolitan Cathedral) but in the midst of the table ? whereas Kent itself was but a corner (whence it taketh its name), and Canterbury seated in the corner of that corner, a remote corner thereof. O 106 A TOPOGRAPHICAL " 5. The antiquity of Lichfield in Christianity, where the British church suffered a massacre from the Pagans three hundred years before St. Augustine's coming to Canterbury, witness the name of the place, being another Helkath-hazzurim, or Field of Strong Men, where so many worthies died for the testimony of the truth. " On these and other considerations, Adulph was made the first and last Archbishop of Lichfield (though others make Hum- bert and Higbert his successors in that dignity), and six suffra- gans, viz. Worcester, Hereford, Leicester, Sidnacaster, Helm- ham, and Dunwich, subjected to his jurisdiction. Yet was not the archiepiscopal See removed (as some seem to conceive), but com- municated to Lichfield, Canterbury still retaining its former dignity, and part of its province. " Anno Domini 799. Offa being dead, down fell the best pillar of Lichfield church, to support the archiepiscopality thereof. And now Canterbury had got Athelard, a new Archbishop, who had as much activity to spare as his predecessor Lambert is said by some to want. Wherefore he prevailed with Kenulph, King of Mercia, and both of them with Leo, the new Pope, to restore hack the archi- episcopal See to Canterbury, which in the next century was perfectly effected."* From the ninth to the twelfth century little is recorded respecting Lichfield Cathedral, and the See during three centuries appears to have been of so little importance as to be sometimes united to that of Chester, and at others to that of Coventry, according to the will or caprice of successive Bishops. When Bishop Clinton succeeded to this See in 1127, he not only enlarged the Cathedral, but fortified the Close, and conferred many immunities on the prebendaries. His adventurous spirit, however, hurried him among other enthu- siasts into the Holy war, and his untimely death deprived Lichfield of the benefits which it would have obtained from his munificence had he continued a resident. At that remote period, the Cathedral was built of timber ; but in 1269, Henry III. granted permission to the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield to get stone for building their church out of the forest of Hopwas. There is no record of the time employed in the erection of this fabric, but it must have been several years. Indeed, from the obscurity of Monkish historians, who were then the annalists of the age, there is no certain account in existence by which we might learn when and by whom the present beautiful edifice was erected. It * Fuller's Church History, Book II. p. 104. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 107 was completely finished in Bishop Heyworth's time, who was ap- pointed Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry in the year 1420. The principal contributor to the embellishment of the Cathedral was Bishop Langton, who laid the foundation of St. Mary's Chapel, and left money to complete it. Several other zealous friends of the church, whose names are unrecorded, doubtless contributed to promote the completion of this stately and beautiful edifice, and it was only by the efforts of successive prelates during the lapse of several ages that it was brought to perfection. All the pomp of Popish superstition was subverted by the Refoi - mation ; and at the Dissolution, the costly and venerated shrine of St. Chadd, and several images of exquisite workmanship, were re- moved from Lichfield Cathedral. A celebrated writer on Ecclesi- astical history, says, " in the time of William Heyworth, the Ca- thedral of Lichfield was in the vertical height thereof, being (though not augmented in the essentials) beautified in the ornamentals thereof. Indeed, the west front is a stately fabric adorned with ex- quisite imagerie, which I suspect our age is so far from being able to imitate the workmanship, that it understandeth not the history thereof. But alas ! it is now in a pitiful case indeed, almost beaten down to the ground in our Civil dissentions. Now, lest the church should follow the castle, and vanish quite out of view, I have at the cost of my worthy friend (Elias Ashmole) here exemplified the portraiture thereof."* Whatever zeal the Protestants, in the first era of the Reforma- tion, might evince in the removal or destruction of shrines, cruci- fixes, images of saints, and other objects of Popish idolatry, they did not attempt to deface the exterior of Lichfield Cathedral, which continued for upwards of two centuries in all its magnificence, an object of admiration to travellers, and the principal architec- tural ornament of Staffordshire. But when Charles the First, by unconstitutional and arbitrary measures opposed the Parliament, and levied imposts without controul, a most sanguinary Civil war ensued, and the Close and Cathedral of Lichfield were exposed to three destructive sieges. These events are of too much importance in this history to be overlooked, and the following authentic parti- culars will not only demonstrate the deplorable state of ruin to which this noble pile was brought, but prove illustrative of the manners of that age. " The situation of the place on an eminence, surrounded by water * Fuller's Church History, Book IV. p. 175. 108 A TOPOGRAPHICAL and by deep ditches, and fortifted with walls and bastions, rendered it unhappily a proper place for a garrison. In the year 1643, Sir Richard Dyott, and some of the principal nobility and gentry of the country, under the Earl of Chesterfield, more remarkable for their loyalty to their sovereign than their experience in the arts of war, garrisoned this Cathedral, when it underwent the attack rendered memorable by the death of Lord Brook, commander of the Parlia- mentary forces. The loss, however, of that furious fanatic, and professed enemy to the church, gave but little respite to the gar- rison, the siege of which was continued, and soon after taken by Sir John Gell, as appears in the following curious account : " The attempt upon Lichfield Close made by Robert Lord Brook, wherein he lost his life, the manner whereof is not a little remark- able, which was thus. This Lord being strangely tainted with fanatic principles by the influence of one of his near relations, and some schismatical preachers, though in his own nature a very civil and well-humoured man, became thereby so great a zealot against the established discipline of the church, that no less than the utter extirpation of episcopacy, and abolishing all decent order in the service of God, would satisfy him ; to which end he became the leader of all the power he could raise for the destruction of the Cathedral of the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield, in order whereunto, when he had marched within half a mile of Lichfield, he drew up his army, and there devoutly prayed a blessing upon his intended work, withal earnestly desiring that God would, by some special token, manifest unto them his approbation of their design, which being done, he went on and planted his great guns against the south-east gate of the Close, himself standing in a window of a little house near there to direct the gunners in their purposed battery : but so it happened, that there being two per- sons placed in the battlements of the chiefest steeple to make shot with long fowling-guns at the cannoneers, upon a sudden accident which occasioned the soldiers to give a shout, this I^ord coming to the door (compleatly harnessed with plate armour cap-a-pie) was suddenly shot into one of his eyes ; but the strength of the bullet so much abated by the glance thereof on a piece of timber, which supported a pentiss over the door, that it only lodged in his brains, whereupon he suddenly fell down dead.* Nor is it less notable that this accident fell out upon the second day of March, which is * The spot on which he fell is now distinguished by a pavement of white peb- bles, and a marble tablet with an inscription in memory df the event. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 109 the festival of that some-time famous Bishop St. Chadd, to whose memory Offa, King of the Mercians, first erected this stately church, and devoutly dedicated it."* After the fall of Lord. Brook, Sir John Gell assumed the chief command of the besieging army, which continued the siege with such vigour that the garrison surrendered on the 5th of March upon condition, " that their Earl and Governor, (the Earl of Chesterfield,) should surrender the garrison, called the Close of Lichfield, forthwith, upon condition of free quarter to all in general within the said Close ; and for any other terms to cast themselves upon the mercy of the Parliament." Accordingly, the Royalists were made prisoners of war, and the Parliamentary troops took possession of the Close, where they left a strong garrison. These soldiers were guilty of the most indecent outrages in the Cathedral, where they demolished the monuments, pulled down and destroyed the carved work, broke the windows, and destroyed the records. Colonel Russel, the Governor of the garrison, carried away the communion-plate, and whatever moveables he found of value in the Cathedral. In the month of April following, Prince Rupert, after the reduc- tion of Birmingham, came with a strong body of forces to Lichfield, and besieged the Close, which was bravely defended by the garri- son. But Prince Rupert erected batteries in Gay field, an eminence north of the Cathedral, and which commanded the Close, and he also sprung a mine under the wall and effected a breach, which he entered, but after a sanguinary conflict was repulsed with great loss. In consequence of the loss suffered by the garrison in de- fending the breach, Colonel Russel agreed to capitulate on honour- able terms on the 21st of April, 1643. Prince Rupert then appointed Colonel Henry Bagot the Governor of the Close, who kept possession till the 10th of July, 1646. The unshaken fidelity of the citizens of Lichfield to the cause they espoused was truly memorable and praise-worthy ; and when Charles I. was in his greatest adversity, they still maintained their loyalty, and sympathized with their Sovereign. Of the truth of this assertion there is a sufficient record, for after the battle of Naseby, in 1645, in which the royal army was defeated, the King came to Lichfield on Sunday June 15, when the following Address was immediately presented to him by the Corporation of Lichfield : * Shaw's History and Antiquities of Staffordshire, Vol. I. p. 238. 110 A TOPOGRAPHICAL * MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN, < June 15, 1645. Though the sad report of the late ill success hath so oppressed our souls with grief, that we are rendered more apt to expresse our loyall affections in tears than words, yet the safety and presence of your sacred person (as dear to us as our lives) hath so much revived and restored us, that we have taken the boldness, though suddenly and rudely, in a few words, to present to you the most zealous affections and loyall services that a most obliged and gratefull people can possibly bear to a most gracious Sovereign. ' And as we are not so stupid as not to be sensible of God's corrections, where he is pleased so sharply to punish us for our sins, so we are not so unchristian-like as to despair of God's finall blessing upon a most just and righteous cause, nor so unmanly as to lay down our courage and confidence for one cross event, as knowing that man's necessity is God's opportunity, and that God's power is most glorified in man's weakness. ' And albeit the sunne may be for a time eclipsed, even by that plannett which itself enlighteneth, and for a time be obscured even by those clouds which itself drew from the earth into an higher region, yet the light and virtue of the sunne is not thereby made lesse conspicuous : eclipses and clouds last not always. Mendacia diu non fallunt : men will not always be worked into this sin of rebellion. Truth at last prevails; right never dieth ; but will shortly, by God's blessing (all clouds being dispelled), restore the sunne of this our firmament to his former splendour and glory, and therein his faithfull subjects to their former peace, plenty, and happiness, which is our daily prayer, and shall be our incessant endeavour to the utmost expence of our estates and blood. Nee plus obire possumus, nee fas est minus. More we cannot undergoe, less we may not. ' Sir, your most humble and loyall subjects, the bayliffs, sheriffe, and their mases, &c. citizens of this your citty of Lichfield, doe humbly, according to their duty, surrender into your Majesty's hands these ensigns of their authority, which they are resolved to beare from you and under you, or not at all, and, whether they live or die, to live and die your Majestie's most faithful and loyall subjects/ " His Majesty was pleased to answer that they were eminent for their loyalty, and required Richard Dyott to give them all thanks in his name. " Then he gave his hand to the head officers to kiss, and they HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. Ill with their chief gentlemen of the towne, waited upon his Majesty to his quarters."* In March, 1646, the Close was invested by the Parliament's army, under Major-General Lothian, and continued to harass the garrison till the 10th of July, when Colonel Bagot being satisfied that the King had not an army in the field, and that all the fortresses and garrison-towns in possession of the Royalists were besieged, he surrendered on very honourable terms. As this was the first Cathedral that was seized by the republicans, from the circumstance of its being situated in a fortified place, it was damaged more than any other, by the cannon of the besiegers and the fanaticism of the soldiers. According to the most moderate computation, the damage done to the Cathedral alone was estimated at o14,000. It continued in a ruinous and neglected state till the Restoration, when Bishop Hackett was appointed to this See. This magnanimous and pious prelate came to Lichfield in the beginning of the year 1662, and found his Cathedral in an indescribable state of ruin ; 2000 cannon-shot and 1500 hand-grenadoes having been discharged against it. He resolved to restore this venerable edifice to its former magnificence ; and the very morning after his arrival he roused his servants by break of day, and set his own coach- horses with teams, and hired labourers, to remove the rubbish. By his own contributions, the benefactions of the Dean and Chapter, and the money which he collected by a personal application to every gentleman in the diocese, this excellent and public-spirited man in eight years completely restored the magnificence of the Cathedral to the admiration of the country. When the Cathedral was finished, the Bishop consecrated it with great pomp and solemnity, and composed a service for the occa- sion. The following account of this memorable ceremony is truly interesting : "His Lordship being arrayed in his episcopal vestments, attended by the Dean, Dignitaries, Prebendaries, and other members of the church, accompanied by many of the nobility and gentry, the bailiffs, citizens, and civil officers of the city and county of Lichfield, with an immense concourse of people, entered at the great west doors of the Cathedral. The Vicars, Choristers, &c. first walked up the south aisle of the church, when the Bishop, with a loud voice, repeated the first verse of the 144th psalm. Afterward, the whole choir alter- nately sang the psalm to the organ. In the same order they pro- * Green's MSS. 112 A TOPOGRAPHICAL ceeded to the north aisle. The Bishop sang- the first verse of the 100th psalm, which was repeated by the whole company. Then the train passed to the body of the church, where the Bishop began the 102d psalm, which, when the Vicar's choral had concluded, he com- manded the doors of the choir to be opened, and, in the same form, first encompassed the south side. The Bishop began the first verse of the 122d psalm ; the company finished it, and, with the like cere- mony, proceeded to the north side, and sang the 131st psalm. "At the conclusion of the procession, Bishop Hackett went to the faldisdroy, in the centre of the choir, and, after praying privately, he with a loud voice called upon the people to join him in the Lord's Prayer, and other devotions, suitable to the awful occasion. He pronounced a solemn blessing upon the act in which they were en- gaged, and upon all that were present. Then followed the usual service of Morning prayer, two especial anthems being added, con- tributions made for the poor, &c."* The expences of the repairs of the Cathedral amounted to <9092. Is. 7d. of which Bishop Hackett contributed out of his own purse the sum of cl,683. 12s. DESCRIPTION OF LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL IN ITS MODERN STATE. The extent of this edifice from east to west is 411 feet in length, and from north to south 67 feet in breadth. It is adorned by three light and elegant spires ; the central spire is 25S feet 7 inches high, and the two others in the west front 183 feet. The south steeple contains ten bells. The west front is adorned with a rich variety of sculpture^ particularly several figures the subjects of which were taken from Sacred history. They are now rather indistinct, several of them having been injured during the sieges of the Close. It is to be re- gretted that the reddish stone of which the western front and its ornaments are composed, is porable and of a very perishable nature. It was, however, easily wrought by the sculptor, and as the stone was to be procured in the neighbourhood, any mutilations might be the more readily replaced. Bishop Hackett repaired such figures as had been defaced ; and although time has again considerably injured them, they present a variety of curious and interesting objects, the effect of which is peculiarly grand and impressive. On * Shaw's History and Antiquities of Staffordshire, Vol. I. p. 243. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 113 the top of the pointed roof, between the two spires, a statue of Charles II. was placed by Bishop Hackett on the spot where a figure of Adam formerly stood, and on both sides of the steeples were the figures of the Patriarchs. The next two rows of figures represent Judges, Prophets, and Prophetesses, and below them the Kings of Judah and Israel in various attitudes, and amongst others that of King David playing on the harp. Over the centre of the beautiful porch is the figure of a Bishop, supposed to be St. Chadd. Within the porch the four Evangelists are represented, holding the Gospels in their hands. On the two sides of the porch stood Moses and Aaron, and between the two great doors stands the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus in her arms. On the top of the central pillar, there is a figure of Christ between two Cherubs, with his arms open, inviting all those that are heavy laden to come unto him, and he would give them rest, as it is said in the gospel of St. Matthew, ii. 28. On the outside, the vacant spaces in the walls between the doors were filled with the statues of the twelve Apostles, but they were removed in 1749 by Dean Penny. The ornaments in sculpture around the doors were originally very ele- gant and beautiful, but they are now much defaced by violence and time. Over the west doors, a magnificent circular window was made at the expence of James II. In 1776, the Rev. Dr. Adden- brooke, who was Dean of Lichfield upwards of thirty years, adorned this window with painted glass. The northern and southern entrances are also adorned with a variety of ornaments, particularly the former, which is beautified with sculptured mouldings, three of foliage, and three of small figures in ovals. In one of the lowest is the representation of a Bishop baptizing a person kneeling before him. Antiquaries sup- pose that the former was intended to represent St. Chadd, the original founder of the Cathedral, and the latter Wulferus, whom he converted to Christianity. The roof of this Cathedral was formerly covered with lead, but it grew so out of repair that the Dean and Chapter were obliged to substitute slates on account of the smallness of the revenue left to maintain the grandeur of this ancient pile. The western doors open in the main body of the Church, which is lofty and spacious, supported by pil- lars formed by a variety of slender columns with foliated capitals. Along the walls of the aisles are rows of false arches in the gothic style, with a seat beneath each. The upper rows of win- dows are triangular. The length of the body of the Cathedral P 114 A TOPOGRAPHICAL from the west door to the choir, is 213 feet, the breadth 153 feet ; the breadth of the side aisles 67 feet, and the height of the nave 60 feet. In the year 1788, the present Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and the Dean and Chapter, circulated an address throughout the diocese, inviting individuals to contribute by subscription to the internal improvement of this Cathedral. Upwards of ,5000. was soon collected, but as the sum requisite, was, according to the estimate of Mr. Wyatt, the architect, nearly '6000. the borrowed sum of o1800. was added as a debt upon the edifice. The im- provements suggested by Mr. Wyatt were then speedily realized. The pulpit and pews in the nave were removed, the decayed brick floor taken up, and a new floor of Derbyshire Hopton stone laid instead of the former. The choir was also enlarged, by throwing it and St. Mary's Chapel into one, and it is now sufficiently capa- cious to contain the whole congregation. In the upper part of the choir are nine windows, three on each side, and three at the end. In the central window at the east end is a fine painting of the Resurrection, from a design by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The chaste but brilliant effect of the preternatural light, the graceful form of the ascending Saviour, and the animated expression of the counte- nance, have excited the admiration of all visitors, and the appro- bation of connoisseurs. In 1797, the groins, walls, and roof of the north transept under- went a thorough repair, the whole edifice was completely pointed, the middle spire taken down a considerable way and rebuilt with renovated beauty, and new buttresses erected to support the south transept. The Chapter-House is an octagon of two long and six short sides, ornamented with gothic arches : the approach to it is from the north choral aisle, through an arched passage : above it is the library, of the same form. It contains some curious manu- scripts, the most remarkable of which is called St. Chadd's Gospels, not because it was used by that venerable man, but because it was used in his church. It is said to be 1000 years old, but no anti- quary has hitherto been able to ascertain the fact : the writing is in ancient Saxon characters, illuminated with several drawings. There is also a manuscript copy of Pope Nicholas's Valor, a fairly- written folio of Chaucer's poems, illuminated, and a beautiful heraldic list of the Knights of the Garter, &c. This library con- tains a copy of the Koran, taken from the Turks at the siege of HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 115 Buda. There is also a considerable collection of printed books, chiefly on divinity. The Close contains several houses, built at a convenient distance from the Cathedral, so as to allow a sufficient space for passengers. The Bishop's palace is situated at the north-east corner of the Close : it is a spacious edifice of stone, adorned with the arms of the bishopric in front, with the date 1687. This palace is generally occupied by tenants, the Bishops having for ages chosen Eccleshall Castle for their residence. Westward of the palace stands the Dean's mansion, re-built in the reign of Queen Anne. The houses of the Prebendaries are situated in different parts of the Close. The vicarage consists of two small quadrangles of houses, situated in the north-west corner. Several other handsome buildings occupy the rest of the Close, the most remarkable of which is a building of brick, faced with stone, at the west entrance, erected by Andrew Newton, Esq. and liberally endowed by him, for the reception and support of twenty aged and necessitous widows, or unmarried daughters of clergymen. This structure is supposed to occupy the scite of the ancient Castle. From the first foundation of Lichfield Cathedral in 655 to the present year, 1816, or more than eleven centuries and a half, eighty Bishops, many of them men eminent for learning and piety, have been seated in the episcopal chair. The members of Lichfield Cathedral are a Dean, Precentor, Chancellor, and Treasurer ; a Sacrist, Sub-sacrist, Organist, eight Choristers, and two Vergers. The Cathedral is governed by the Dean and six Canons, who constitute the Chapter, and hold their court every alternate Friday to hear and determine causes. The Close is a peculiar jurisdiction, distinct from and indepen- dent of the city of Lichfield, and the county of Stafford, the Dean and Canons being sole justices within its precincts. According to the population returns of 1801, the three parishes ef Lichfield contained : Houses Inhabited. Families. Males. Females. Saint Mary, 444 498 1058 1364 Saint Michael, 187 227 450 457 Saint Chadd, 242 264 537 646 Total, 873 989 2045 2467 In the census for 1811 : Saint Mary, 450 487 1069 1313 Saint Michael, 214 237 476 518 Saint Chadd, 291 317 614 791 Total, 1)55 1041 2159 S622 116 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Before the Civil war between Charles I. and the Parliament, there were many handsome altar-tombs of Bishops, and other emi- nent characters, interred in this Cathedral, and above one hundred coats of arms, and other heraldic ornaments, in painted glass, in the windows, all of which were defaced or destroyed by the licentious soldiery belonging to the republican army. The Cathedral is now adorned with several modern monuments to the memory of indivi- duals, among which the following are most remarkable. On the north side of the west door, the large mural monument of marble, erected to the memory of Lancelot Addisou, reminds us of his eminent son, whose writings improved the morals and the lite- rature of Englishmen. On the south side a monument of mixed marble is inscribed to the memory of Gilbert Walmsley, the friend and early patron of Dr. Johnson. A marble monument, to the west of the north door, is re- markably elegant. It represents a female figure leaning upon an urn, or Beauty weeping over the ashes of her preserver. The urn is inscribed with the cypher M. W. M. and the following epitaph : Sacred to the memory of the Right Honourable LADY MARY WORIXEY MONTAGUE, who happily introduced, from Turkey into this country, the salutary art of inoculating the small-pox. Convinced of its efficacy, she first tried it with success on her own children, and then recommended the practice of it to her fellow-citizens. Thus, by her example and advice, we have softened the virulence, and escaped the danger, of this malignant disease. To perpetuate the memory of such benevolence, and to express her gratitude for the benefit she herself received from this alleviating art, this monument is erected by Henrietta Inge, relict of Theodore William Inge, Esq. and daughter of Sir John Wrottesley, Bart. in the year of our Lord M.DCC.LXXXIX. Near the south door, a large and beautiful mural monument, erected by conjugal affection to the memory of a virtuous and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 117 patient wife, attracts the attention of the curious visitor. It is adorned with a celestial crown, and other emblems of immortality, with the following inscription : LUCY GROVE, eldest daughter of Edward Sneyd, Esquire, and wife of William Grove, Esq. ix. D. late of Coventry, now of Lichfield Close, died the sixth of December, M.DCC.LXXXVII. in the fortieth year of her age, and the twentieth of her marriage, leaving two sons, and two daughters. Grief, love, and gratitude, devote this stone To her, whose virtues bless'd an husband's life, When late in duty's sphere she mildly shone, As friend, as sister, daughter, mother, wife. In the bright morn of beauty, joy, and wealth, Insidious palsy near his victim drew : Dash'd from her youthful hand the cup of health, And round her limbs his numbing fetters threw. Year after year her Christian firmness strove To check the rising sigh, the tear repress ; Soothe with soft smiles the fears of anxious love, And Heaven's correcting hand in silence bless. Thus tried her faith, and thus prepar'd her heart, The awful call at length th' Almighty gave ; She heard resign'd to linger or depart Bovv'd her meek head and sunk into the grave. In 1793, two monuments were erected against the east wall of the south transept, to the memory of Dr. Johnson and David Gar- rick ; the former at the expence of the gentlemen of the Close, and the latter by the widow of the English Roscius. They are of mixed marble, alike in size and form : the busts, of white marble, are not considered good likenesses of the great originals. Upon the sarcophagus, under the bust of Garrick, is the follow- ing inscription : EVA MARIA, relict of DAVID GARRICK, Esq. caused this monument to be erected to the memory of her beloved husband, Tvho died the 20th of January, 1779, aged 63 years. He had not only the qualities of private life, but such astonishing dramatic talents, as too well verified the observation of his friend, * His death eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public tock of harmless pleasure.' Johnson." 113 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The inscription under the bust of Dr. Johnson is equally com- prehensive and panegyrical : The friends of SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D. a native of Lichneld, erected this monument, as a tribute of respect to the memory of a man of extensive learning, a distinguished moral writer, and a sincere Christian. He died the 13th of December, 1784, aged 75 years. BISHOPS OF LICHFIELD, {from their Institution to the present Tiwie.] Mercia, the largest kingdom of the Heptarchy, followed the Pagan idolatry, till Penda, one of the most powerful of its kings, was defeated and slain by Oswy, King of Northumberland, who having obtained quiet possession of his conquest, continued Peada, the son of Penda, in the government of the parts of Mercia south of the Trent, on condition of his marrying Oswy's daughter, which proposal was acceded to by Peada. Oswy now began to convert the Mercians to Christianity, in which faith Peada, soon after his marriage, was baptized. Peada afterwards built a mo- nastery at Medeshamstead (Peterborough), to shew his personal respect for religion ; and in 655, appointed DWINA first Bishop of the Mercians. The Bishops had then no certain dwelling-places, but contented themselves to live in the monasteries. Dwina ruled about two years, and was succeeded by Date. 657. CELLACH, a Scotchman by birth : but Wulfer having established himself King of Mercia, removed Cellach, the 2d Bishop, and constituted in his stead, TRUMHERE, 3d Bishop of Mercia: he died, and was succeeded about 662. by 4, JARUMANNUS: whilst he presided, the Cathedral Church at Lichneld began to be built in the year 666 : he died, and in 669. Wulfer made CEDDA 5th Bishop of Lichneld. This is the St. Chadd who gave name to the Cathedral and parish : he died March 2, 672, and was buried in the Cathedral. He was succeeded by 6th, WULFRID, who had been his Deacon: he was deposed in 674, and SEAXWULP was made 7th Bishop of Lichfield by Theodore, Arch- bishop of Canterbury : he governed this See 20 years, and then died, according to the Saxon Chronicle. In 691. HEDDA was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield. The Church of Lich- neld was dedicated by this Bishop, December 30, 700, and the HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 119 Dart. body of St. Chadd removed into it : he survived this dedication 21 years. 721. ALDWINK, 9th Bishop, succeeded him, and remained until 73?: in his time lived Bede, the ancient historian. 737. WICTA succeeded Aldwine : he died the 10th Bishop in 752. When HEMELE succeeded him, who governed 12 years. 764. CUTHRED succeeded him, and died 768, by the Lichfield Register. 768. BERTHUNUS, the 13th Bishop, governed till 785, when, in 785. SIGIBERT was chosen into his See j soon after which Offa, an uncontrollable monarch, made this an Archiepiscopal See, and, in 786. ADULPHUS was by Pope Adrian created Archbishop by the influ- ence of King Offa, and remained until 812, when, in 812. HEREWIN succeeded him in the See of Lichfield only. 817- ATHELWALD succeeded as Bishop of Lichfield : he instituted pre- bendaries in his Cathedral Church in 822, when Ceolwolfe was King of the Mercians. He governed this See 35 years. 862. HUMBERT was chosen 18th Bishop of this See : he died 867. KEN- FERTH governed this See after him, and sat 23 years, dying in 890 : his successor was 890. TUNFRITH : he governed this See 30 years. Alfred was, part of this time, King of the West Saxons. 920. ,/ELWINUS succeeded and ruled this See in King Ethelstan's time, and remained 24 years. 944. ALFGAR was elected into this See, and having sat 16 years, 960. KINSIUS succeeded, being the 23d Bishop: he sat 14 years. 974. WINSIUS succeeded him : he is said to have confirmed King Edgar's charter, called the Golden Charter. He presided 18 years, and was the 24th Bishop. 992. ./ELFEGUS was soon elected Bishop of Lichfield : his name is found affixed to two charters of King Ethelred. He governed 15 years, and was the 25th Bishop, 1007. GODWIN succeeding : he governed 13 years, and was the 26th Bishop. 1020. LEOFGANUS was his successor, presiding only 7 years: he died 1027, and was the 27th Bishop. 1027- BRITHMARUS was elected into this See, and governed it 11 years : he was the 28th Bishop. 1038. WULFI us was chosen : he governed 16 years. In his time, 1044, Leofric, Earl of Hereford, enlarged and almost new built the monastery at Coventry, and endowed it with large possessions. Wulfius died 1045, and was the 29th Bishop. 1054. LEOFWIN was made Bishop of Lichfield by King Edward the Con- fessor: he ruled 12 years, and died 1066. At the latter end of his life William the Norman invaded England. He was the 30th Bishop. 120 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Date. 1067- PETER was by him appointed : he translated this See to Chester, and was called Bishop of Chester and Lichfield. He died 1086, and was the 3 1st Bishop. 1086. ROBERT DE LYMSEY succeeded him in the united See, and was consecrated by Archbishop Lanfranc: at this time Leowin, Abbot of Coventry, died immensely rich ; and this Bishop, desirous of gaining the riches, got that Abbey conferred on him by the King, and removed the See itself to Coventry in 1095, and so became the first Bishop of Coventry. He died September 1, 1116, and was buried at Coventry : he was the 32d Bishop. 1121. ROBERT PECCAM was named by Henry I. Bishop of Coventry, after the See had been vacant from four to five years : he was (says an old historian,) that King's butler, but more truly his chap- lain, and was consecrated at Abingdon by Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury : he died August 20, 1127, and was buried in his mo- nastery at Coventry. He was the 33d Bishop. 1 127. His successor was ROGER DE CLINTON, Archdeacon of Bucking- ham, appointed by Henry I. Bishop of Coventry j what he did for Lichfield has been before noticed : he increased or founded the Prebends, viz. the two Gaias, Freeford, Hansacre, Curborough, Darn ford, Offelow, Statfold, and the two Ulvetons, and settled the principal dignitaries. To this Roger, King Stephen granted the churches of Pencris and Stafford ; also the Church of Wolver- hampton, with all its manors and appurtenances j which grants were confirmed by Pope Lucius in 1144. He built a monastery for Cistercian monks at Buildwas, in Shropshire, and King Stephen confirmed all his revenues and gifts to it : he is supposed to have founded the Priory of St. John's, Lichfield, and was the 34th Bishop. 1149. WALTER DURDENT succeeded him : he had been Precentor of Lichfield, was raised by King Stephen, and was consecrated at Lich- field, October 2, by Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury : he ob- tained from King Stephen the liberty of coining money. Henry II. by charter, 1154, also granted to the Church of St. Chadd, this Bishop and his successors, all lands of the grubbed-up parts of the forest of Cannock, of Longdon, &c. as expressed in the curious deed : he died 1161, and was buried at Coventry. He was the 35th Bishop. 1161. RICHARD PECHE or PECCAM, son of the former Robert, Bishop of Coventry, was unanimously chosen to succeed him, and by the consent of Henry II. made Bishop. His father had before made him Archdeacon of Coventry, which office he held till he was Bishop. He was sent over into Ireland anno 1181, one of the Justices, but weary of the troubles of life, he returned and put on the habit of a canon regular : he died October 6, 1 183, and was the 36th Bishop. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 121 Date. 1183. GERARD DE PUELLA succeeded to this See of Coventry, Lichfield, and Chester : Robert Montensis calls him a man of great learning and honesty. He was one of the Archbishop of Canterbury's domestic chaplains, and famed for his eloquence. He sat but 16 weeks, and died at Lichfield, (not without suspicion of poison,) January 13, 1184: he was the 37th Bishop. 1188. HUGH DE NOVANT, a person eminent for eloquence and piety, was elected by the monks into his place, but not consecrated till 1188, by Baldwin, then Archbishop of Canterbury : between his election and consecration he was appointed the Pope's Legate. He was an incessant adversary to the monks, whom he opposed deservedly, for they vexed the Bishops continually with their contests and quar- rels. Richard I. in 1190, gave this Hugh authority to remove the monks of Coventry, and put secular priests in their place j and when the monks refused to obey this order, he made way by the sword, wounding some, and putting the rest to flight. He was said to be wounded in the conflict as he was standing by the altar, died March 27, 1 199, and was buried at Caen, in Normandy. He was the 38th Bishop. 1199. The monks chose in his stead JEFFERY DE MUSCHAMP, who was consecrated by Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury : he died Octo- ber 5, 1208, and was buried at Lichfield. The nation being then under an interdict from the Pope, in his quarrel with King John, no legal new election took place for some time. He was the 39th Bishop. 1215. WILLIAM DE CORNHULL, Archdeacon of Huntingdon, was chosen Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, and consecrated January 23, 1215, in the reign of King John. He granted the Chapter of Lich- field a free power of choosing themselves a Dean, which privilege was confirmed to them by Pope Honorius III. Before this the Bishop always elected the Dean, as he did the Canons : this Bishop died September 14, 1223, was buried at Lichfield, and was the 40th Bishop. After his death there arose a dispute be- tween the Churches of Coventry and Lichfield, about the election of a Bishop to succeed him, which was referred to the Pope, who appointed, in 1224. ALEXANDER DE STAVENBY, and consecrated him, with the Bishop of Paris, upon Easter-day. He was a very learned man, and thought to excel most of the philosophers and divines of his age. He is said to have had many visions and strange dreams : he increased the Prebends of the Church, and enriched it with many things. While he sat, it was settled by the Pope, that the election of a Bishop should be by the monks of Coventry and the Chapter of Lichfield in rotation. He was the 41st Bishop. ' Q 122 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Date. 1238. NICOLAS DE FARNHAM,' a very excellent man, was chosen Bishop, but he declining the honour, it was bestowed on HUGH DE PATE- SHULL, Treasurer of St. Paul's Church and of England: he had not sat three years, when he was taken away by death in his full strength, December 7 1243 : he was a man of upright life, and was buried at Lichneld. He was the 42d Bishop. 1245. ROGER DE WESEHAM, Dean of Lincoln, was made Bishop of Coventry and Lichneld, by the interest of the Bishop of Lincoln, and consecrated by Pope Innocent IV. at Lyons. Henry III. was not co n suit ed about this election , but he confirmed it, and the Bishop enjoyed it 1 1 years. About this time the monks of Coventry and canons of Lichneld agreed that in electing a Bishop the number of electors should be equal on both sides. In 1255, the Bishop being old and afflicted with palsy, resigned his bishopric, and died at Breewood, 1258. He was the 43d Bishop. 1257. ROGER DE MAYLAND was a Sub-deacon, Pope's Chaplain, and a Prebendary of Lichfield, when he was chosen Bishop. He was consecrated by Boniface, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Cathedral of that city, (with other Bishops assisting,) March, 1258. He died December 16,~ 1295, and was buried in his Church at Lichneld, having presided 38 years. He was the 44th Bishop. 1295. WALTER DE LANGTON was unanimously chosen into this See; and being much in favour, Edward I. did many things for the advantage of his Church, as before shewn. He died at London, November 16, 1321, and was buried in St. Mary's Chapel, erected by himself, at Lichfield : he was the 45th Bishop/ After his death the monks of Coventry and the canons of Lichneld disagreeing, John XXII. then Pope, put an end to their controversy, by con- ferring this bishopric on ROGER DE NORTHBURGH. 1322. He was consecrated, June 20th. He sat 38 years, and did nothing memorable, except causing the body of his predecessor to be . deposited in a more magnificent tomb, for the many benefits he had rendered to the See : he died in 1359, and was buried under a sumptuous tomb. He was the 46th Bishop. 1360; To him succeeded ROBERT DE STRETTON, a very eminent person, canon of this Church : he was chosen at the earnest request of the Prince of Wales, whose Chaplain he was, and consecrated in 1360 : it is recorded that this Bishop could not read. He died at his manor-house at Hay wood, March 28, 1385, and was the 47th Bishop. 1386. WALTER SKIRL AW was legally elected Bishop of this See, but was translated by the Pope's bull, against his own consent, to that of Bath and Wells : he was the 48th Bishop. To him suc- ceeded, in HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. Date. 1386. RICHARD SCROPE, by the Pope's appointment. In 1398 he was made Archbishop of York, (being the 49th Bishop,) upon whose translation, in 1398. JOHN BUROHILL, a Dominican Friar, who was Confessor to Richard II. was translated from Landaff to Lichfield and Coventry. Walsingharn says, the Pope did this by his mere arbitrary power. He was the 50th Bishop. 1415. JOHN KETERICK, Notary at the Court of Rome, Archdeacon of Surrey, and Bishop of St. David's, was translated to this See, and was sent to the Council of Constance, in 1416. He was the 51st Bishop. 1420. WILLIAM HAYWORTH, Abbot of St. Alban's, a person of good judgment and learning, was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. He went to the Council of Basle, in 1434 ; and died April 10, 1446. He was the 52d Bishop. 1447- WILLIAM BOOTH, a prudent man, Prebend of St. Paul's, London, was made Bishop of this See. After he had sat five years he was translated to the Archbishoprick of York, in 1552. He was the 53d Bishop. 1452. NICHOLAS CLOSE, Bishop of Carlisle, upon his removal, was trans- lated by Pope Nicholas to the See of Lichfield, and died in No- vember following. He was the 54th Bishop. 1453. REGINALD BOLARS, soon after Bishop Close's decease, was trans- lated from the See of Hereford to the See of Lichfield, by the Pope's provision, dated February 7, and governed it six years. He was the 55th Bishop. 1459. JOHN HALSE obtained this See after the death of Bishop Bolars, and was promoted to it by Henry VI. He was consecrated at Coventry, November 25. This holy father found his Church in a bad condition, and took every opportunity of preferring learned and discreet men. His Chancellor and Registrar, were Dr. Salter and Thomas Mylles ; his eminent Dean was Dr. Yotton, and many other learned men were members of his Church. This Bishop died October 3d, 1490, aged 90 : he was a person of great learn- ing, and well respected by all Christians. He was the 56th Bishop. 1492. WILLIAM SMITH, Archdeacon of Surrey, was preferred, through the solicitation of Prince Arthur, by Henry VII. This good Bishop erected in the city of Lichfield an hospital for poor people, and a grammar-school. After he had sat four years at Lichfield, he was translated to Lincoln. He was the 57th Bishop. 1596. JOHN ARUNDEL obtained this See after the above translation. In his time the Library was finished. He sat about six years, being the 58th Bishop, and was then translated to Exeter. 1503. JBFFERY BLYTHE, Doctor of Laws. He built a house for the 124 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Date. Choristers, and gave 50 oaks from his lands towards repairing the Church : he governed 32 years with great reputation. Many eminent men lived in his time. He died in London, in 1534, and was the 59th Bishop. 1534. ROWLAND LEE obtained this See : he was a person of great emi- nence. Being highly in favour with Henry VIII. he was made Go- vernor of the Marches of Wales. He cleared the Marches of rob- bers, who much infested them, and united Wales with England as one body. In this Bishop's time the tenths, &c. of all church livings were translated from the Pope 10 Henry VIII. who, about this time, erected the bishopric of Chester, lessening that of Lichfield, and seized the images and rich shrines of saints, with their jewels and ornaments ; but at the humble request of this Bishop, the King gave up the shrine of St. Chadd. Bishop Lee died Jan. 24, 1542, at Shrewsbury, and was the 60th Bishop. 1543. RICHARD SAMPSON was translated from Chichester to this See. He was a learned man, and wrote many books. He died at Eccleshall, in 1554, and was the 61st Bishop. 1554. RALPH BANE succeeded him. He was Doctor in Divinity, a good Hebrew scholar, and lived in difficult times. Dr. Bane was the62d Bishop. 1559. THOMAS BENTHAM succeeded Dr. Bane. In Queen Mary's reign he was ejected from his Fellowship for his zeal against Popery in the reign of Edward VI. ; and on Queen Elizabeth ascending the throne, he was nominated to this See on the deprivation of Dr. Bane. He died February 21, 1578-9, and was the 63d Bishop. 1579. WILLIAM OVERTON succeeded him. He was born in London, and brought up by the charity at Glastonbury. He took holy orders in Edward VI.'s reign, but upon the accession of Mary he left College. In 1565 he took his degrees, and in 1579 was made Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry ; where he was much com- mended for his hospitality, and the good repair in which he kept his palace. He died at an advanced age, in 1609, and was buried at Eccleshall, being the 64th Bishop. 1609. GEORGE ABBOT, Doctor in Divinity, and Dean of Winchester, was promoted to this See. He had been a celebrated preacher in the University, and was consecrated December 3, but removed in Febru- ary to the See of London. He was the 65th Bishop. 1610. RICHARD NEALE was his successor in this See. He was of low parentage, but of admirable parts from his childhood : he made great proficiency in academical learning, and being in holy orders, was at once Schoolmaster, Curate, and soon Vicar of Cheshunt, Herts, Prebend and Treasurer of Chichester, Master of the Savoy, Dean of Westminster, &c. He became Bilhop of HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 125 Date. Rochester in 1608, of Lichfield and Coventry in 1610, and of Lincoln in 1613. He was the 66th Bishop. 1614. JOHN OVERHALL, Doctor in Divinity, was raised to this See, to the great joy of all good men, and was consecrated on the 3d of April. He remained but four years, and was then translated to Norwich. He was the 67th Bishop. 1618. THOMAS MORETON, upon Bishop Overhall's translation, was raised to this See by James the First, having before been Bishop of Chester. He sat in this See 14 years, and was then translated to Durham, in 1632. He lived till 1659, being then 95 years of age, and was the 68th Bishop. 1632. ROBERT WRIOHT, D. D. of Trinity College, Cambridge, became Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, He had been Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth and James I. and Bishop of Bristol. When the Bishops were excluded, in the Long Parliament, he signed the Protestation against it, and suffered 18 weeks' imprisonment in the Tower. Being released, he retired to Eccleshall Castle, (then a garrison for the King), where he died in 1643, and was buried in the Church there. He was the 69th Bishop. 1643. ACCEPTED FREWEN, Dean of Gloucester, was nominated by Charles I. to succeed him, with this title: without power or profit, he retired to London and lived there till the Restoration, when he was translated to the archiepiscopal See of York. He was ac- counted a good scholar and orator : he was the 70th Bishop. 1661. This See was conferred upon JOHN HACKETT, D. D. of Trinity Col- lege, Cambridge, one of the most eminent persons of his time for learning and public spirit. He governed this See about nine years; and though he was intent upon the improvement of the Cathedral, he did not neglect his diocese. He was a constant preacher himself, and used his utmost endeavours to oblige his Clergy to follow his example. He died soon after he had completed his buildings, October 28, 1670, and was buried under a sumptuous monument set up by his son, Sir Andrew Hackett, ancestor of the present family of that name at Moxlmll, iu Warwickshire. He was the 7 1st Bishop. 1671. THOMAS WOOD, Dean of Lichfield, succeeded to this See. July 2, but was suspended for non-residence by Archbishop Sancroft, and died April IS, 1692, aged 85. He was the 72d Bishop. 1692. WILLIAM LLOYD, who had distinguished himself by writing against Popery, was made Bishop of St. Asaph, in 1680, and after- wards translated to this See, where he sat about 7 years; in 1699 he was promoted to Worcester, and died at Hartlebury, August 30, 1717, aged 90. He was the most eminent Chronologer of his time, and the 73d Bishop. Bishop Lloyd was succeeded, in 126 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Date. 1699. By JOHN HOUGH, whose mother was the daughter of John Byrch, Esq. of Leacroft, in this county. He was educated at Walsall-school, and admitted of Magdalen College, Oxford. He was Bishop of Oxford, in 1690, and translated to Lichfield, in 1699, and from thence to Worcester, in 1717- He was a very amiable and dis- tinguished character, and died in 1743, in the 93d year of his age. He was the 74th Bishop. 1717. He was succeeded by Dr. EDWARD CHANDLER, an Irishman, who had been Chaplain to Bishop Lloyd, and was translated from this See to Durham, for which it was said he gave j9000. : he was a Prelate of great erudition. He published " A Defence of Christi- anity," and three Sermons. Bishop Chandler died in 1/50, and was the 74th Bishop. 1750. His successor was RICHARD SMALLBROOKE, born, it is believed, at Birmingham, in which town is a street of that name. He was Chaplain to Archbishop Tenison, and a considerable author. His Vindication of Our Saviour's Miracles, against the attack of Woolston, is written with much ability and acuteness : he wrote 23 books, and filled -his Church with his relations. He married and had issue three sons and four daughters, 1. Thomas Small- brooke, A. M. Archdeacon of Coventry, Precentor, of Lichfield, and Chancellor of this Diocese ; 2. Richard Smallbrooke, L.L.D. Advocate in Doctor's Commons, who, in 1742, became joint Chan- cellor with his brother. He was the 75th Bishop. 1750. FREDERICK CORNWALLIS was the next successor. Having presided over this Diocese 18 years, with wisdom, diligence, and benevolence, he was translated to Canterbury, in 1768. He was the 76th Bishop. 1768. JOHN EOERTON, son of Henry, Bishop of Hereford, succeeded him, but was translated to the See of Durham, July 8, 1771. He was the 77th Bishop, and his successor was 1771. The Hon. BROWNLOW NORTH, Dean of Canterbury. Lord North was at this time Minister. He was translated to Winchester, and was the 78th Bishop. 1771. The next wha presided over this See, was RICHARD HURD. He was born at Congreve, near Penkridge, but afterwards removed to Penford, where his father occupied a farm, and was educated at Breewood-school, under Dr. Budworth : he afterwards pursued his academical studies with great ability, and becoming Fellow of Emaimel College, Cambridge, was appointed Archdeacon of Gloucester, a-nd Assistant Preacher of the Rolls Chapel with Bishop Warburton. After this, he was preacher of Lincoln's Inn, and Lord Mansfield soon cultivated his acquaintance : he was Clerk of the Closet, and had the honour of being tutor to the Prince of Wales. He was an elegant and accomplished 8cholar, as wll HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 127 Date. as an excellent and highly-esteemed Prelate, and was author of several masterly and classical performances. In 1781, thi learned Prelate was translated to the See of Worcester, to the heartfelt satisfaction of the whole country. He was the 79th Bishop. 1781. His successor, the present Prelate, is the Hon. Dr. JAMES CORN- WALLIS, who was born in 1743, and received the rudiments of his education at Eton school. He afterwards studied divinity at Christ Church, Oxford, and in August, 1791, was appointed Dean of Windsor, to which is annexed the Deanery of Wolverhampton : in 1794 his Lordship resigned them for the Deanery of Durham. In his public functions as a Protestant Bishop, his Lordship has ever been exemplary in the performance of the important duties of that office. He has also contributed much to the improvement of the Cathe- dral, and the Episcopal Palace at Eccleshall. The Bishop is the patron of the following livings in his Diocese, viz. the Rectory of St. Philip's, Birmingham ; the Vicarage of Dunchurch, War- wickshire ; the Vicarage of Duffield, Derbyshire ; the Vicarage of Prees, Salop j the Vicarages of Eccleshall, Hanbury, and Penn ; the perpetual Curacy of Gnosall, Staffordshire j and Patron of Towcester, Buckby, and Pightesley Vicarages, in Northampton- shire j Belgrave, Leicestershire j Burton, Wybunbury, and Cop- penhall, Cheshire ; and Towen, Merionethshire. The Diocese contains 557 parishes, comprising the whole counties of Stafford, (except Broome and Clent,) Derby, the major part of Warwick- shire, and nearly one-half of Shropshire. A BRIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT Of the Villages, Sfc. in the Parishes of ST. CHADD and ST. MICHAEL, which are without the boundaries of the City of Lichfield. Curborough is a hamlet in the parish of St. Chadd, about a mile north of Lichfield; it was anciently a member of the Bishop's barony of that city, and was afterwards held at the manor of Longdon. The present proprietor is Theophilus Levett, Esq. Elmhurst is a hamlet situated two miles north of Lichfield, near the turnpike-road to Uttoxeter, In the time of Edward I. Richard Puer held one-fourth part of a Knight's-fee at Elmhurst, of the Bishop of Lichfield. The subsequent owners of this estate were the Biddulphs; it was sold in 1754 by Sir Theophilus Biddulph, to Samuel Swinfen, Esq. whose nephew afterwards sold it to Francis 128 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Perceval Eliot, Esq. late a major in the army. This gentleman was a skilful agriculturist, as appears by his various letters to Arthur Young, Esq. When the Staffordshire Cavalry were embodied, in 1794, he published a pamphlet for the use of the corps, which he dedicated to their colonel, Earl Gower Sutherland. In March, 1797, the freehold and leasehold estates of Elmhurst and Stichbrook, containing about 856 acres, were upon sale by auction, and valued at 50,000 guineas. Stichbrook is only remarkable for being in the vicinity of Chris- tian-field, where, tradition says, one thousand British Christians were massacred. Abenhall is an ancient mansion in the parish of St. Michael. It stands in a low situation, and was built in 1294 by Thomas de Abenhall. Towards Fairwell, the ancient mansion of Ashenbrook attracts the attention of the traveller ; it is the property of a Roman Ca-. tholic family, and several curious relics of painted glass adorn the windows. Pipe is a manor about a mile south-west of Ashenbrook. It is a very ancient lordship, and an extensive constablewick, no less than nine villages being subject to the jurisdiction of the constable of Pipe. Edial-Hall is a good square brick building, with a cupola and ballustrades at the top, the whole being inclosed by a court and garden-wall. This house was once the residence of the celebrated Samuel Johnson, who opened an academy here in 1736, for the in^ struction of young gentlemen in the Latin and Greek languages. HAMERWICH is a small village about four miles from Lichfield, on the right of the Walsall road, adjoining the forest of Cannock. Hamerwich Chapel is a small structure pleasantly situated on an eminence. At a public-house called Muckley-Corner, the turnpike-road from .Walsall crosses the Roman Watling-street. Pipehill is a hamlet on the road from Lichfield to Walsall ; it contains two houses, and a third to the east of the road, the resi- dence of Mr. Bradburue, where some curious specimens of a Roman vallum are to be seen. Wall, a hamlet and manor, is divided by the Watling-street, and is the ancient Roman station of Etocetum. The chief remains of this remarkable antiquity are walls which encompass two acres HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 129 of land called the Castle Croft, but the part most visible, with the ancient cement, is that which forms the garden of Mr. Jackson, where pavements of Roman brick, and great quantities of foundation stones, have been dug up. Aldershaw was formerly a manor. The mansion is neat, with walled gardens, canals, groves, and other rural ornaments. The situation is pleasant, on a rising ground which commands a fine view of Lichfield Cathedral and part of the city. Aldershaw-hill is the residence of Charles Bournes, Esq. Freeford is an ancient manor, in a delightful situation, about two miles south of Lichfield : it formerly belonged to a family who took their name from the place. In the reign of Edward I. William de Freeford held half a knight's fee in Freeford of the Bishop of Chester. In the 40th of Edward III. it appears, by a French deed, that Sir John de Freeford was lord of the manor. Ac- cording to the records of this manor, preserved at the family man- sion, it devolved to the family of Dyott by marriage. This re- spectable family suffered much for their attachment to the Royal cause during the Civil wars. The manor-house is distinct from the rest of the hamlet, and is extra-parochial. This house is in a retired situation, in a pleasant and highly-cultivated domain : it contains two spacious rooms, appropriated to that genuine hospitality which has long been characteristic of the proprietor, (Mrs. Dyott, widow of the late Richard Dyott, Esq.) and verifies the inscription over the hall-door: Nil nisi bonum, portus amicis. Among the antiquities in this house, may be mentioned a curious silver tankard, which holds two quarts, on which is engraved the figure of an Oliverian, in the costume of the age, pointing at a gnat and swallowing a camel. On the lid is the following inscription : " The tankard says to Presbiter'an Jack, Th' art Iyer lusty ; in deceit no quack ; Yett sipp, nay drinke, none sees or hears, Come we'll agree like savage beares." Underneath the figure are the following lines : ." No ignoramus hypocrites drink here: Ye lips of saints with hands of hell forbeare, Profain not (Regicides) our loyal bowles, Sacred to Charles his health, and all true souls." Fulfen is a small manor about a mile north of Freeford : it was for several ages in possession of the family of Fulfen. In the 21st of Henry VI. Thomas Fulfen granted it to Oliver Chatterton and his R 130 A TOPOGRAPHICAL heirs, and in the 14th of Charles I. it was purchased by Sir Richard Dyott, of Lichfield. Streethay is a manor about two miles east of St. Michael's Church, Lichfield. It derives its name from its situation on the Roman road between Lichfield and Burton. The family of Streethay were in possession of this manor for many generations. In 1591 Philip Streethay, of Lichfield, sold this . manor, with its appurtenances, to Richard Pyott, citizen and alder- man of London, for ol,530. His eldest son, Richard Pyott, resided at Streethay, and was Sheriff of the county of Stafford in the llth of Charles I. During- the time he served the office of High-sheriff, King Charles made a tour through this part of the kingdom, as appears by the following letter, the subject of which must be left to the discussion of natural philosophers. " To my very loving friend the High-sheriffe of the county of Stafford: " SIR, His majestic, taking notice of an opinion entertayned in Staffordshire, that the burneing of ferae doth draw downe raine, and beeing desirous that the country and himselfe may enjoy faire wether as long as hee remains in these parts, his majestic hath commanded mee to write unto you to cause all burneing of feme to bee forborne untill his majestic be passed the country. Wherein, not doubting but the consideration of their own interest, as well as of his majestie's, will invite the country to a ready observance of thjs his majestie's command, I rest " Your very loving friend, " PEMBROKE AND MONTGOMERY." " Belvoir, August l, 1636." Richard Pyott, Esq. having no issue, devised the manor of Street- hay to Edward Wilmot, Barrister-at-law, the father of Edward Wilmot, Esq. the present possessor. Fisherwick is a small manor in a low situation on the banks of the Tame. It was held by the Bishop of Chester, and in the reign of Edward III. it came into the possession of Sir Roger Hillarye. In 1521, Fisherwick was the property of Sir John Skevington, Knight, alderman of London, and in this family it continued till 1756, when Lord Viscount Massareene sold it to Samuel Swinfen, Esq. by whom it was conveyed, in 1758, to the Right Honourable Arthur Chichester, Earl and afterwards Marquis of Donegal. The old manor-house at Fisherwick, as represented in an engrav- ing in Dr. Plott's History of the Antiquities of Staffordshire, appears HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 131 to have been a magnificent specimen of the style of architecture in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In 1766, this antique fabric was demolished, and in 1774 a modern mansion was erected of white freestone, by the Marquis of Donegal. A view of the elevation of this truly-magnificent building is given in Shaw's History of Staf- fordshire, accompanied with a florid description ; from which it ap- pears, that the noble founder erected it on such an extensive scale, and of such durable materials, that it might perpetuate his name. A light portico of six lofty columns, of the Ionic order, supported a pediment, adorned with his Lordship's arms in alto-relievo, with the initials of the founder's name, and the date of the erection in- scribed in large characters on the frieze. The extent of the front was 180 feet; the pilasters and decorations of the principal windows were of the Corinthian order ; and the interior of the fabric and its furniture were correspondent to the dignity of its exterior. The surrounding pleasure-grounds were laid out with great taste by Brown, the celebrated projector, so severely satirized for his fanciful decorations of the landscape, by Cowper, in his Task. But after this profusion of embellishment, and extravagance of expenditure, this earthly paradise, as it was foolishly termed by vulgar minds, was sold by the Marquis in 1810 to Richard Howard, Esq. ; and this splendid mansion has since been sold by auction, and demolished by other architectural projectors for the value of the materials, which have been carried off to decorate the paradise of some other fanci- ful mortal. WHITTINGTON is a distinct parish, in the deanery of Tamworth. The village of Whittington is situated on a dry gravelly soil, about three miles south-east of Lichfield. This manor passed with the rest of the members of Longdon to Sir William Paget, Knight, from whom it has regularly descended to the present possessor, the Marquis of Anglesea, The laud of Whittington is generally a good deep sandy or gravelly loam, productive of excellent turnips, barley, and grass. Whittington-heath, where Lichfield races are held, contains about 600 acres of land ; it is now a sheep-walk, and would, if inclosed, and properly cultivated, be some of the best turnip and barley land in the county. Tamehorn, an ancient manor in this parish, devolved, by marri- age, to the late Richard Dyott, Esq. who greatly improved it by his excellent turnip and barley culture. ELFORD is a pleasant village in the deanery of Tamworth. It 132 A TOPOGRAPHICAL is situated on the northern bank of the Tame, about five miles from Lichfield, and four from Tamworth, and is supposed to have de- rived its name from the great number of eels with which the river formerly abounded. At the time of the Conquest, this manor be- longed to Earl Algar, In the reign of Henry III. it was in the possession of Wakelin de Ardern, and by the marriage of Maud, sole heiress of Sir John Arderne, with Thomas, second son of Sir John Stanley, of Latham, it was carried into that family. It afterwards passed through successive families to that of Bowes, and remained in their possession for many generations ; when it devolved on the Hon. Craven Howard, by marriage with Mary, daughter of George Bowes, Esq. June 12, 1683. His eldest son, Henry Bowes Howard, began to build the present mansion, but dying March 21, 1757, it was finished by his son William, Lord Viscount Andover. On the death of Lord Andover, Elford be- came the jointure of his widow, whose daughter, Frances, was married, March 20, 1783, to Richard, fifth son of Sir Walter Wagstaff Bagot, Bart, of Blithfield, who has taken the name of Howard. The village of Elford, its church, and the mansion of the pos- sessor, form a pleasing group of objects on the bank of the beauti- ful river Tame. Elford-low is situated on the top of a hill, a little beyond the paper-mill, in the corner of a field, close to the Tamworth road, and is distinguished by an oak tree on its summit. Dr. Plott, from examination, proved it to be sepulchral. Mr. Pennant, from its elevation, conjectures that it might have had on it a specula or watch-tower; and Mr. Bourne, an intelligent farmer, who has a good house on the other side of the hill on his own estate, told Mr. Shaw that he saw the bones of three human skeletons dug out of a gravel-pit, a few years since, near this Low, which seems a con- clusive proof that it is the site of some ancient cemetery. On the first payment of a subsidy, in the 32d of Elizabeth (1590,) Elford paid XLIXS. At the general election for the county, in 1747, fourteen free- holders in Elford voted. The following account of Elford enclosure was written by the above-mentioned Mr. Bourne : " The great part of the parish of Elford was common-field, meadow, &c. till the year 1765, when an act was obtained for an enclosure ; previous to that time the land was let at very low HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 133 rents, and the tenants were mostly in low circumstances ; by the enclosure the rents have been trebled, and the tenants better en- abled to discharge them. " The whole parish contains about 1900 acres ; 1053 of which belong to the Lady Viscountess Andover ; 240 to the Rectory ; 578 to different Freeholders; and the remainder is laid out in roads. " Of the above land about 500 acres are annually in tillage, and which, we suppose, bring as much grain to market as the whole parish did in its open state ; the quantity of cheese made now, in proportion to that made prior to the enclosure, is more than three to one ; the proportion of beef and mutton produced on the land, is still greater, as much as ten to one : for though there were sometimes many sheep kept in the common fields, they were so subject to the rot, that little or no profit arose to the farmer, or produce to the community. " Respecting population, there were, prior to the enclosure, in the parish, 57 houses or tenements; at present (1794), there are 76 houses and 360 inhabitants. This increase has not arisen from any manufactory, but merely from the increase of labour necessary for the improved cultivation. That enclosures sometimes injure the small farmers, if laid in large farms, must be admitted; but that they are advantageous to the community must appear from the above statement of the produce of this place. "Elford, October 10, 1794." W. BOURNE." The same enlightened observer also transmitted the following document to Mr. Shaw, respecting the peculiar mode of cultivation successfully practised in Elford and the neighbouring parishes : "Elford, Staffordshire. " In looking over Mr. Pitt's report of the state of this county to the Board of Agriculture, it appears to me that he has not noticed the mode of cultivating land in this neighbourhood, viz. Clifton Campville, Thorp, &c. where the land is kept in a high state of culture with few summer fallows, except small parcels for turnips, which by the nature of the land must be drawn off. The usual mode in this district is to take the land in rotation : we will suppose one-third of the farm in tillage at one time, they plough up the turf, sow oats or beans, (mostly the former,) wheat at Michaelmas, and barley the Spring following the getting of the wheat. This will be called a bad system by all theory farmers; they will say, Can there be a worse than to take three white crops 134 A TOPOGRAPHICAL in succession ? But so it is; nor do I know that in any part of the kingdom better are got upon the whole ; the land is good, yet there are many parts in this county, its equal, where the crops are much inferior. The usual mode with the farmers in this part, is to lay all or the greatest part of their manure upon the land for the barley crop, amongst which are sowed the grass seeds, which put the land down in as good condition (or better) than when took up from grass, which enables it to carry a great stock of cattle, &c. while in grass seed, &c. and in its course comes up again in such condition that is sure of gaining good crops. You will remark, that in this course of husbandry, he must be a bad farmer who does not give all the land ploughed one good dressing of lime in the course of the three years' cropping, which is mostly put upon the land at Michaelmas, or soon after, on the barley fallow, which dressing varies in quantity per acre ; but, I observe, those that use the most lime have their land in highest condition. The writer of this has been in the farming line forty years, consequently has had the opportunity of seeing different culture of land of the same quality ; his has been for many years upon land of nearly the above description, after the wheat is got (if dry weather) to plough the stubble under directly ; he has sometimes ploughed the spaces betwixt the shock rows before the wheat has been got, finding by experience the earlier it is ploughed the better ; and, if the weather suits, puts his lime on, harrows it in, and cross ploughs, and draws the furrows before he begins to sow his wheat ; when done that seedness, draws it up and lets it lie in that state until seed-time in the spring, then ploughs it down and oft up again the same day, not chusing to have rain fall upon it betwixt these two ploughings ; by this means of early ploughing at Michaelmas, the seeds that have been shed (and some there will be, let him be ever so good a farmer) have time to vegetate and to be totally destroyed again before spring ploughing ; and I have by this mode put a farm of strong deep soil in good culture from its^ open field state. I have this year, 1797, about 20 acres of turnips growing, not upon such as before described, but that loose soil much addicted to couch, lakeweed, and chickweed, &c. and there is scarce a weed sprung up amongst them, which I attribute to a winter fallow. My prin- cipal system is never to plough strong land wet, particularly loose fallows, nor cart my manure upon the land (if possible to avoid it) when dirt adheres to the wheels. Many are the times when we farmers had better let our men be at play, than daubing themselves HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 135 and horses at plough ; much worse at harrow, which never ought to be used but when the land is dry. " The different opinions upon the mode of culture of land has employed many pens, and volumes have been written upon the sub- ject ; I believe, notwithstanding the improvements made in the present century, that farming is in its infancy. " October 23, 1797." " W. BOURNE." There is a handsome stone bridge across the Tame at Elford, and a little above it on the river is situated a paper-mill and corn- mill, formerly the property of the late Mr. Bage, the celebrated author of ' Harmsprong, or Man as He is Not,' and other popular novels. Mr. Bage resided for many years at Elford, and afterwards removed to Tamworth, where he lived respected, and died regret- ted, in the year 1801. He was a .native of Derby, and the late Mr. Button, in his history of that town, gives the following quaint account of the author and his publications : " Wherein is an excellent picture of life, a full display of character and sentiment. These have travelled to the Continent, passed through the Frankfort press, and appeared to the world in a German habit. " Although fortune never made him conspicuous in the great world, she gave him what is preferable, affluence and content. In directing a paper-mill, may be found that head which is able to direct empires ; that judgment, which can decide in difficult cases ; a penetration, which can fathom the human heart, and comprehend various systems of knowledge ; a genius, which con- stitutes the companion for Newton in philosophy ; for Handel in music ; for Euclid in mathematics ; a master of the living and dead languages ; and all, like the wealth of a merchant who rises from nothing, acquired by himself. "That rectitude which is rarely found, is here obscured from the public eye ; but is a pearl of great price and a credit to our species. Though a diminutive figure, yet one of the most amiable of men; and though barely a Christian, yet one of the best." This high.eulogium on the genius and character of one of our best modern novelists, will probably excite curiosity in the reader to learn some further particulars respecting him. The following bio- graphical sketch will probably prove sufficient on the subject : Robert Bage was born at Derby, in the year 1728. His father was a paper manufacturer, and the son being intended for the same business, received a common school education. In his youth, 136 A TOPOGRAPHICAL however, he was remarkable for the vigour of his intellectual powers, and his love of knowledge. He married and settled at Elford, where he conducted a paper-mill to the end of his life. His desire of knowledge increased with his years ; and at inter- vals of leisure from his business, he studied and became a proficient in the modern languages. He afterwards turned his attention to the more abstruse branches of the mathematics, and engaged a teacher at Birmingham, with whom he spent an evening every week till he obtained the requisite instruction. From his retired situation, he was but little accustomed to the manners of elegant society ; hence, his productions are rather those of a man of reflection, than a close observer of men and manners. He wrote five novels, namely, Mount Kenneth, Barham Downs, The Fair Syrian, James Wallace, Harmsprong, or Man as He is Not, and Man as He Is. Mr. Bage was happy in his matrimonial connection, and left two sons ; one promising youth died before him. He died in the year 1801, aged 73 years; his character for benevolence and integrity was high, and his friends, who were much attached to him, describe his temper as open, mild, and social. He was kind to his domestics, and his humanity even extended to the domestic animals around him, particularly his horses when past work. Such a man deserves a brief memorial, yet the boast of his friend Hutton, that he was " barely a Christian," might better have been omitted in his pane- gyric, for much greater and wiser men than either Mr. Bage or Mr. Hutton, have gladly and gratefully acknowledged themselves humble believers in that most merciful dispensation of the Deity, the revelation of his will by the Saviour of the World. Elford Church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a fine old structure, with windows in the pointed style of gothic architecture. There are some fine paintings on glass in the windows, and several anci- ent monuments, particularly an alabaster tomb of an Arderne and his wife. The statue of Sir John Stanley lies under an arch, in armour, with both hands supplicatory : his head rests on a helmet, with the eagle and child, the cognizance of the Stanleys. Under another arch is the eldest son, a child with curled hair, in a long gown, recumbent : one hand points to his ear, the other holds a ball, the unfortunate instrument of his death. A rich altar tomb is ornamented with three recumbent figures, namely, that of Sir William Smith, in full armour, and his two wives, Isabel and Anne ; the former of whom wears, a coronet. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 137 HASELOR is a small village about a mile north-east of Elford, and contains only a few houses and a chapel, which is a prebend of Lichfield Cathedral. This manor passed from the Staffords to the Stanleys, and by marriage to John Brook, Esq. It afterwards became the property of Joseph Girdler, Serjeant-at-Law. Haselor-Hall is a curious specimen of those ancient mansions, so common in Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Lancashire, built chiefly of wood and plaster, with several gable ends, transom windows, &c. EDINGALE is a small village, situated on the eastern verge of the county, and the banks of the river Meese. It is about six miles distant from Tamworth, and seven from Lichfield. The church is a perpetual curacy in the patronage of the prebendary of Alrewas. It is a small building with a tower, and is situated on an eminence, but contains nothing remarkable. CLIFTON CAMVILLE is a large village and manor, in a pleasant situation. It fills up the eastern angle of the county, and the hundred of Offlow, the point of which angle has been commonly supposed to meet the western point of Leicestershire, in the centre of a cross, dug in the turf of a small common called No-man's Heath. This manor takes part of its name from the situation on a bank with the Meese to the north-east ; the latter part of its name is derived from the Camvilles, a family who were in possession of it from the year 1200 to 1315. At the time of the general Survey, after the Conquest, it was in the King's own hands, and was then a place of almost as much import- ance as at present, having 46 families, with a church, and a mill. It afterwards belonged to Hugh Earl of Chester, and his descen- dants, till carried in marriage to William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby. This manor was held from the time of Henry II. by Marmion, and afterwards by the Camvilles. It was for some time in the posses- sion of General Severne, and from him it came by a female branch of the Pye family to the Rev. Richard Watkins, of Rock, Worces- tershire. Clifton and Haunton form a valuable manor of several thousand acres: the soil is similar to that of Elford; the valleys on the banks of the brooks are good meadow-land, and the uplands are a strong and mixed loam. Considerable dairies are kept in this parish, and much cheese made. The sheep are generally of the Leicestershire breed, the cows are of the long-horned kind, and give abundance of excellent milk. Clifton Camville Church is dedicated to St. Andrew, and is S 138 A TOPOGRAPHICAL adorned by one of the finest spires in the kingdom, and which may be seen at the distance of several miles. The interior of the edifice has two chancels, separated by a handsome screen. In the large gothic window of the north chancel is the representation of St. Mark. In the middle of the south chancel is a magnificent monu- ment of alabaster, in honour of Sir John Vernon and his lady, both of whom died in the year 1545. The north chancel contains a large handsome mural monument, executed by that celebrated sculptor Rysbrach. It is of mixed marble, with two Ionic columns ; the inscription between them is to the memory of Sir Charles Pye, Bart, and supports a pediment adorned with the arms of the family. Harlaston is a considerable hamlet in this parish, about two miles west of the mother church. There is a mill here, on the river Meese, which is here the boundary between this county and Derbyshire. The chapel is a small ancient structure, with a low wooden spire. THORP-CONSTANTINE is a small village, situated about two miles to the south of Clifton. The church, dedicated to St. Constantine, is small and neat : it is a rectory in the deanery of Tamworth. Statfold is a compact manor, classed in the south division of Offlow hundred, though separated from the rest of it by intervening parts of the north division. In the year 1550 this manor came by marriage into the Wolferston family, Humphrey Wolferston being then united with Catherine, daughter and heiress of John Stanley, the former proprietor. The present owner of this estate is Samuel Pipe Wolferston, Esq. The manor-house was built in 1571, by Francis Wolferston, Esq. who also built an octagonal turret as an observatory. The grounds are pleasant, and adorned with flourishing trees ; and though the situ- ation is comparatively flat, yet not less than 38 churches and chapels may be seen from the top of the observatory. The soil is in general a strong clay loam, inclined to wet, and difficult to drain; yet when properly managed it is productive of good wheat, barley, oats, and beans : the oak timber is excellent. The church is a small stone structure without a steeple. TAMWORTH. Tamworth is situated at the confluence of the Anker and the Tame. The latter river, which is much the largest of the two, gives name to the town, and divides it nearly into two equal parts, one of which is in Warwickshire, and the other in Staffordshire. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 139 The situation of Tamworth is pleasant; the south-side of the town is bordered with meadows, and on the north a fertile well-inclosed country, rising by a gradual ascent towards Wigginton. An anci- ent foss, called the King's Dyke, is visible on three sides of the town, being some hundred paces in length, and forty-five feet broad. This is supposed to have been the boundary of the castle. This town, which is of undoubted antiquity, was almost totally destroyed by the Danes about the commencement of the tenth cen- tury; but Ethelfleda, the daughter of Alfred the Great, a princess who inherited her father's public virtues, rebuilt Tamworth, and added much to the strength and beauty of the town; for in 914, having been successful against the Danes, and driven them out of the country, she raised the circular mount, and built a castle on the top of it, which was a watch-tower and a place of defence. Her brother, Edward the Eider, convinced of her abilities for public affairs, appointed her governess of Mercia, in which situation she behaved with great prudence and vigilance. Lelaud, in his Itinerary, mentions some curious particulars re- specting Tamworth. "The towne of Tamworth," says he, "having a celebrate market, is of ancient memory, and after the Danes had razed and defaced it, Ethelthieda, lady of the Merches, and sister of King Edward sen. repayred it. The towne in respect of the bottom, where Tame and Ancre runne, is sett on the declive of a small hill, and the principall street and buildings of it lye by west and east. " The north part and side of the principal street is in Stafford- shire, and on this side is the paroch-church of Tamworth. The south side, and part of this street, lying towards the right ripe of Anker, is in Warwickshire, and the castle also, which standeth at the very point of the confluence of Anker and Tame. I saw but three notable things, the paroch-church, the castle, and the bridge. " The Castle of Tamworth standeth on a meetly high ground, on the southe part of the towne, hard upon the ripe of Anker at the mouth of it. The Marmions, Freviles, and Ferrers, have been lords of it since the Conquest."* When Ethelfleda rebuilt Tamworth, she erected a strong tower, called the Dungeon, upon an artificial mount. The present castle was built on the site of this ancient tower, but by whom is un- certain. Tamworth Castle, at the time of the usurpation of the crown by * Itinerary, Vol. IV. f. p. 189. 140 A TOPOGRAPHICAL William the Conqueror, was granted by him, with the adjacent territory, to Robert Marmion, lord of Fontenoy, in Normandy. It continued in this family till the year 1291, when it passed by mar- riage to William Mortein, and from him to the Freviles. In little more than a century it was carried by marriage into the family of Ferrers, and afterwards to the Comptons. In 1751, Lady Charlotte Compton carried Tamworth Castle, and the estates belonging to it, to her husband, the Hon. George Townshend, afterwards Marquis Townshend. " The architecture of the Castle now remaining seems to have been of various periods. The hall is large, but exceedingly rude and comfortless. This, and some other parts, appear of a veiy ancient date. The rooms and stair-cases are most of them irre- gular and uncouth. Yet, by Leland's account, it seems, the greater part was built since his time. ' The base-court/ says he, ' and the great ward of the castle, is clean decayed, and the wall fallen downe, and therein be now but houses of office of noe notable build- ing. The Dungeon-hill yet standeth, and a great round tower of stone, wherein Mr. Ferrers dwelleth, and now repaireth it/* Such was its state in Henry the Eighth's time. " There are two noble rooms, comparatively modern, fitted-up with oak wainscot, and round the cornice of the largest, the arms of the family, impaling every match to the earliest periods. From the windows of this room are pleasing and rich views over the river (which runs at the foot of the Castle mount,) to the mea- dows and woodlands, where formerly the park was. Lord Leicester, it is said, once had thoughts of making this castle his residence, and for that purpose had Wyatt down to survey it ; but finding, from the antiquity of the greater part of the building, and the neglect of inhabitation here for nearly a century, the scheme not very practicable, he gave it up: it is still, however, kept in exter- nal repair. " From the Castle leads is a noble circular view of a rich woodland country in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and Derbyshire. Canwell, the elegant new mansion of Sir Robert Lawley, Bart, appears to great advantage from hence.f" Tamworth Castle has lately been fitted-up as a cotton factory. The beauty of the situation of Tamworth is seen from the Castle Leland's Itinerary, Vol. IV. p. 181. f Shaw's History and Antiquities of Staffordshire, Vol. I. p. 419-80. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 141 to great advantage, varied with rich meadows, two bridges over the Tame and the Anker, and the rivers wandering picturesquely along the country. Michael Drayton, born on the banks of the Anker, thus celebrates that river and his mistress : " Clear Anker, on whose silver-sanded shore My soul-shrin'd saint ; my fair idea lies : A blessed brook, whose milk-white swans adore Thy crystal stream, refined by her eyes ; Where sweet myrrh-breathing zephyr in the spring Gently distils his nectar-dropping showers j Where nightingales in Arden sit and sing Amongst the dainty dew-impearled flowers. ****** Fair Arden ! thou my Tempe art alone ; And thou, sweet Anker, art my Helicon." Tamworth is now a handsome well-built town; even in the reign of Henry VIII. Leland describes it as "all well builded of tym- ber." Lichfield-street is particularly elegant, and the gardens on the bank of the river large and pleasant. The borough of Tamworth belonged to the Crown till the reign of Henry III. when it was declared a free Corporation ; but the inhabitants afterwards forfeited their charter, which was restored by Edward II. The market was held weekly on Saturday, by pre- scription, from the time that the Kings of Mercia resided here. But the town fell into decay, and lost the name of a borough, till the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who granted it a charter, according to which it is governed by a high-steward, two bailiffs, a recorder, a town clerk, and twenty-four principal burgesses, and sends two members to parliament. In the year 1796 the Most Noble George Marquis Townshend was chosen high-steward for Tamworth. The parliamentary interest was till lately divided between the Marquis Townshend, proprietor of Tamworth Castle, and the late Marquis of Bath, by the influence of his neighbouring seat and estate at Drayton-Basset ; but Sir Robert Peel having purchased the latter seat, was consequently elected one of the representatives of the borough in Parliament. There are five annual fairs held in Tamworth. The first, the Monday before January 25th ; second, St. George's-day (old style,) May 4th; third, St. Swithin, 26th July; fourth, the first Monday in September; and fifth, on the feast of Edward the Confessor, the 24th of October, and the four following days. Tamworth is a town of considerable population, and a variety of manufactures are successfully carried on in it; particularly a manu- 142 A TOPOGRAPHICAL factory of superfine narrow woollen cloth, the printing of calicoes, a linen manufactory, and several tanneries and ale-breweries. In 1801 the population of this town, in the Staffordshire division, was 1123 persons, of whom 642 were employed in handicraft trades and manufactures. According to the return made to parliament in 1811, the popu- lation of Tamworth amounted to : males 1258 ; females 1581 ; total 2839 : but whether this return was made for the Staffordshire division, or the whole town, is not expressed. The Church, dedicated to St. Editha, is very spacious, and has undergone material alterations and repairs at different periods. It is adorned by a tower, the stair-case of which is mentioned by the wonder-loving Plott as a great curiosity in architecture. The image of St. Editha was destroyed at the commencement of the Reformation. After the Dissolution, this Church, which had been collegiate, came to the possession of Edward VI. and the right of patronage descended to Queen Elizabeth, who, in the 23d year of her reign, by her letters-patent, granted the right of patronage to Edward Downing and Peter Aysheton, and their heirs for ever. This right being transferable, has gone through different hands into the family of Repington. There are also several meeting-houses for Dissenters in Tam- worth. In the year 1588, Queen Elizabeth restored to the town the free grammar-school, and granted an annuity for the salary of the schoolmaster. This excellent seminary is now in a flourishing condition. In 1678, Thomas Guy, citizen and stationer, of London, erected and endowed an alms-house in this town, for six men and six women. The Right Hon. Lord Viscount Weymouth settled upon two schools in Tamworth a yearly sum of five pounds each ; one to teach poor children on the Staffordshire side, and the other poor children on the Warwickshire side of the town, to read English. Thomas Guy, the celebrated bookseller and stationer, who built the noble hospital in Southwark, which bears his name, was a great benefactor to Tamworth ; for, besides the alms-house already men- tioned, he, in the year 1701, rebuilt the town-hall, which stands in Warwickshire. The moat-house is a curious mansion, situated on the north bank of the river Tame, in the county of Stafford, at the extre- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 143 mity of Lichfield-street. It was built in 1572, by the Comberfords, as a town-residence or secondary seat to the principal family man- sion, about two miles distant. In the parish register are the following memoranda : " In 1563, and in 1626, the plague in Tamworth. 1597. Dyvers died of the blouddie flixe, at which tyme the darthe of come somewhat abated by reason of deathe. " 1598. mem. that the 30th day of this Aprill, Robert earl of Essex went from Drayton-Basset toward Ireland with an hoste of men to make warre againste the earl of Tyroone, an Irishman." The bailiffs and burgesses of Tamworth are lords of the manor ; the rest of the parish is divided into several lordships, and belongs to different persons, viz. Sierscote, Wigginton, Comberford, Coton, Hop was, Bonehill, and Biterscote, in the county of Stafford; there are also several hamlets belonging to the borough of Tamworth in Warwickshire. Sierscote, an ancient manor in the parish of Tamworth, is situ- ated a mile north-east of the Church. It is bounded on the south- east by the turnpike-road and Amington, in Warwickshire ; on the cast by Statfold; and on the north by Wigginton. This manor and estate now belongs to Joseph Grundy, gent. It is a capital farm; the soil is a strong loam, productive of good crops of grass and corn. Wigginton is a hamlet in the parish of Tamworth, situated about two miles north-east of the Church. It is thus recorded in Domesday : " The King holds Wigetone, consisting of two hides. The arable land is six carucates. There are eight villans, and one servant, and one bordar, and eight burgesses in Tamworde. In all they have six carucates. Here is also a meadow, six furlongs in length and two in breadth. In the time of Edward the Confessor, it was valued at thirty shillings, but at the time of this survey 4." South-west of Wigginton, near a piece of land called the Low Flat, is a remarkable eminence, which is called Robin Hood's Butt. On the north-west of the hamlet, is a flat space called the Money Lands, where many ancient coins, and several human bones, have been ploughed up. Dr. Plott, in his History of the Antiquities of Staffordshire, mentions a remarkable instance of abstinence : "Mary Vaughton, of Wigginton, in this county, from her cradle to this day has lived with so small a quantity both of meats and drinks, that all people admire how nature is sustained without any sensible ex- haustion, she not eating in a day a piece above the size of half*a~ 144 A TOPOGRAPHICAL erown in bread and butter ; or if meat, not above the size of a pigeon's leg at most. She drinks neither wine, ale, or beer, but only water or milk, or both mixed ; and of either of these scarce a spoonful in a day. And yet she is a maiden of a fresh complexion, and healthy enough, very piously disposed, and of the Church of England, and therefore the less likely to put a trick upon the world ; besides, it is very well known to many worthy persons with whom she has lived, that any great quantities, or different liquors, have always made her sick/' When hearth-money was collected, in the year 1660, Wigginton paid for 114 hearths, oll. Os. 8d. In 1811, the population returns, for Wall, Weeford, and Wig- ginton, were : 438 males, 507 females ; total 945. The Chapel is a small structure of brick, where divine service is performed once a fortnight. Comberford, the ancient seat and manor of the Comberfords, is in a low situation on the east bank of the river Tame, and on the left hand of the turnpike-road, midway between Tamworth and Elford. The manor and estate were lately the property of the Marquis of Donegal. Colon, a small hamlet in Tamworth parish, is situated near to Hopwas-bridge. Hopwas is situated on the west bank of the river Tame. In Domesday-book it is thus recorded : " The King holds Opewas ; there are three hides; the arable land is six carucates. In demesne there is a mill of thirteen shillings and four-pence rent ; and eleven villans and two bordars employ five ploughs. Here are thirty acres of meadow, a wood six furlongs in length and three in breadth. The whole was valued aforetime and then at 40s." Hopwas is a small hamlet situated at the bottom of a hill, the most remarkable object on which is a house on the summit, envi- roned by a wood called Hopwas Hayes. The turnpike-road from Lichfield to Tamworth passes through Hopwas ; and in an opposite direction, the Birmingham and Fazeley canal passes through it, to join the Grand Trunk at Fradley-heath. The old stone-bridge, of sixteen arches, over the Tame at Hopwas, was washed down by the memorable flood in February, 1795, and was again repaired at con- siderable expence by the county. Dunstal is a good old farm, situated on the west side of the Tame, between Hopwas and Fazeley. It belongs to the Levett family, of Lichfield. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 145 Biterscote is another small hamlet, in the parish of Tamworth. Bonehill is another small hamlet, which has passed, with Fazeley and Drayton manor, from the late Marquis of Bath, to Peel, Wilkes, &c. Bonehill is now remarkable for the cotton-factory of Sir Robert Peel and Co. and a neat modern mansion, the residence of the present minister of Tamworth. Fazeley is remarkable for nothing so much in antiquity as being the termination of a very spacious and beautiful part of the Roman street, or Watling-street-road, where it leaves this county, in its way through Warwickshire to London. On the fine stream of Tame, which runs through this village, stands an ancient corn-rmill, and the large cotton-mills of Sir Robert Peel and Co. who accidentally, in digging for other purposes, discovered a large spring of the purest water, which, upon analyzation, was found to be of a much superior quality to any before known in Fazeley or its neighbourhood. This spring-water has been conveyed in pipes to the works, where it has been used for the purposes of bleaching, printing, &c. and has contributed much to the prosperity of the establishment. Several large factories, and numerous tene- ments for the accommodation of the workmen and their families, have been erected at Fazeley, and a very considerable increase of population has kept pace with the success of the manufacturers. The facility of inland navigation from this village to different parts of England, by the canal from Birmingham, which divides into two branches, one uniting with the Trent and Mersey, and the other extending to Coventry and Oxford, has greatly contributed to the prosperity of the place. According to the population returns in 1811, Fazeley contained 508 males, and 657 females : total, 1165. WALSALL. This ancient borough is pleasantly situated on a branch of the river Tame. The town gradually rises from the eastern bank of the brook, and stands on the side of an eminence or cliff of lime- stone, on the summit of which the church is built : Walsall is con- sidered the second market-town in the county. The government is vested in a mayor, recorder, twenty-four aldermen, a town-clerk, two Serjeants at mace, and a beadle. The mayor, with the senior alderman, and late mayor, are in the commission of the peace, and hold a Court of Quarter Sessions, and award judgment in ca^es of petty larceny and similar offences. T 146 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Walsall consists of twelve large and regular streets : the houses are in general well built and convenient, and the population very considerable. According to the returns in 1811, Walsall contained, males 2686, females 2855 : total 5541. The foreign of Bloxwich then con- tained, males 3009, females 2639: total 5648. Grand total 11,189. The staple manufacture of Walsall was formerly shoe-buckles and chapes ; but that trade has declined. Considerable manufactories of bridle-bits, spurs, stirrups, and all sorts of hardware connected with saddlery, are now carried on, and the town has enjoyed its full share of prosperity. The market, which is held on Tuesday, is well supplied with provisions. The parish of Walsall is large, including the foreign of Bloxwich, Harden, Birch-hills, Walsall-wood, Windmill, Caldmore, and Lime- pit-Bank. The Church is situated on a bold and commanding eminence, the streets gradually descending from it on every side : it is a fine ancient gothic structure, with a lofty spire. This church, which is dedicated to St. Matthew, formerly belonged to the Abbey of Hales Owen, and was conferred on that religious establishment by William Rufus. It is built in the form of a cross, but does not exhibit any traces of Saxon architecture. The interior is spacious, the roof lofty, and each side of the chancel has seven stalls, the seats of which are ornamented with a variety of grotesque figures carved in basso-relievo. Under this part of the church is an archway of massy gothic workmanship. It is a common passage through the eastern part of the church-yard. The window of St. Catherine's Chapel is adorned with the figure of tlfat Saint painted on glass ; and St. Clement's Chapel has several empty niches in its walls. The tower of the Church, which is built at the south-west angle, is of limestone ; it is strong*and plain, "and surmounted by a handsome spire. About the year 1775, when the tower was finished, eight good bells were put up ; and two years prior to this, a fine-toned organ, built by Green, of London, was placed in the east gallery. The church-yard being too small for the parish, in 1756, a spacious cemetery was enclosed by a wall on the south side of the town, and consecrated for the interment of the dead. At an agreeable dis^ tance beyond this burial-ground, the Vicarage, a neat rural mansion, rises amid embowering shades, and forms an interesting object. Limestone of excellent quality is found in the hills near the town. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 147 A canal has been made to the town, communicating with the lower level of the Birmingham canal, and iron mines opened on its banks. The Wyrley and Essington Canal also approaches within a short distance of Walsall. There are several places of worship in Walsall appropriated to dissenters. There is also an excellent Free Grammar School. Bloxwich, in the foreign of Walsall, is situated to the north-west, between two and three miles distant from that town. This populous hamlet has a small chapel of ease, and maintains its own poor. According to the following inscription on a tombstone in the chapel- yard, the inhabitants of Bloxwich have been strenuous in the main- tenance of their independence : " To the memory of Samuel Wilkes, late of this parish, lock- smith, who died 6th November, 1764. Reader ! if thou art an in- habitant of Great Bloxwich, KNOW, that the dust beneath thy feet (when overseer of the poor of this parish) was imprisoned in thy cause, because he refused to surrender thy rights, and to submit to an arbitrary mandate, by which it was intended to incorporate the poor-rates of the foreign with those of the borough, and thereby to compel the foreign to the payment of a greater proportion of parochial taxes than is warranted by law ; his resistance was at- tended with success. The benefit is thine." The foreign of Bloxwich consists of two villages, called Great and Little Bloxwich. Great Bloxwich is situated on a lofty emi- nence, and is a large and populous village, inhabited by manufac- turers of saddlers' ironmongery. There is a large open comrnon, and a common field of gcpd sound arable land, belonging to Great Bloxwich. The chapel is a donative in the gift of the inhabitants. Little Bloxwich is a mile to the north, and farther from. Walsall ; the Wyrley canal passes through it. The road from Walsall to Stafford passes through Bloxwich; a road also branches off to Lichfield, and another to Wolverhampton. RUSHALL is an ancient manor and village, situated on the road to Lichfield, between one and two miles distant from Walsall, on the north-east. At the time of the Conquest, a Saxon family called Neel, of Rushall, had been long settled here, and its representative did fealty to the Conqueror, and his descendants remained in pos- session of the manor for some generations afterwards. The Leigh family have been in possession of Rushall for more than two centuries. The ancient mansion, which is now in ruins, is described by Erdeswick as " built about with a wall, and a gate- 148 A TOPOGRAPHICAL house of stone, all embattled castlewise." This castellated mansion was strongly fortified during the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster ; and in the war between Charles the First and the Parliament, it was defended by a numerous garrison. A Mr. Pitt, of Wolverhampton, endeavoured to bribe Captain Tuthill, governor of Rushall, to betray the garrison for c2000. ; but the captain discovered the treachery, and Pitt suffered death for it in the year 1640. There are two cannon-balls shewn here, as relics of the Civil war. One of these, twelve pounds weight, was found in a piece of timber ; the other, only three pounds, was found at Ryecroft, on the opposite side of the road. This fortification, which is now in ruins, was built of rough lime- stone, and encompassed about one acre of ground ; near the centre is a detached building, containing a large room on the ground- floor, and a bedchamber over it, adorned with several family por- traits of the Leighs. The offices on the north side are now in- habited by a tenant. The extent of the manor is about 1500 acres, part in tillage, and part grass. It is in general too cold for barley, but is excellent wheat land. By a singular agreement with the lord of the manor, the tenant is bound to manure with lime only for corn crops, and to lay all his compost on grass-land. The conse- quence has been a great improvement of the estate, and the circum- stances of the occupier. A Roman fibula, with several ancient coins, were found by some workmen in May, 1795, who were employed in making a pit for burning limestone, on an estate called Linley-farm, belonging to Mr. Leigh. The most memorable individual of the family of the Leighs, was Edward Leigh, who was educated at Oxford, and in 1623 obtained the degree of M. A. He finished his education in the Middle Temple, London, and was the author of Critica Sacra, and several other useful books. He was chosen member of the Long Parliament in the time of the Civil wars : but at the mandate of Cromwell, he was confined, with many other members, at the King's Head, in the Strand. He lived till the year 1671, and was buried in the chancel of Rushall Church. On the ruins of Rushall, a singular plant, with a beautiful flower, grows in great profusion. It is the Antirrhisum majus, or Snap Dragon, and is in full bloom about Midsummer. Rushall Church is a vicarage, dedicated to St. Michael, and appears to have been a chapel of ease to Walsall. On the south HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 149 side of the chancel there still remains the aperture of a confessi- onary, and vase for holy water. It is an ancient and mutilated fabric of rough stone in the pointed style of architecture, and con- tains monuments of the Leighs and other families. The steeple contains five bells. In the south part of the cemetery stands the base of an ancient cross. According to the population returns in 1811, there were 324 males and 289 females, making the total inhabitants of Rushall amount to 613. The Leigh family, or their successors, are lords of the manor, and patrons of the church. DARLASTON is situated three miles south-west of Walsall, four east-south-east of Wolverhampton, and twenty from Stafford. The parish is about two miles long, and one and a quarter wide. It is populous, and the manufactures carried on by the inhabitants are principally of gun-locks, stirrups, buckles, and nails. A consi- derable number of men are employed as miners, and a small pro- portion in agriculture. The Birmingham canal crosses the parish of Darlaston, and is continued to Walsall. According to the popu- lation returns in 1811, the inhabitants in this parish were: 2622 males; 2259 females : total 4881. The parish contains about 800 acres, of which only about 30 acres are meadow, and the rest arable and pasture. It abounds with coal and iron-stone. The coal at one of the mines is seven yards thick, and the iron-stone, which is found under the coal, is three-quarters of a yard thick. The mines are damp, and the miners are subject to asthmatic complaints, few of them living to 70 years of age. The parish abounds with excellent springs, and abundance of clay, which is made into bricks and tiles. Darlaston Church is an oblong brick edifice, re-built in 1721 : the tower was built in 1606, by Thomas Pye, an author of some repute. The chancel contains a monumental inscription to the memory of Walter Wilkes, and Joyce his wife, who lived together 62 years and saw their great-grand children. He died April 15, 1692, aged 82 ; she out-lived him 13 years, and died April 22, 1705, aged 97 years. There are two meeting-houses in this parish ; one for the Methodists, who are very numerous, and another for the Indepen- dents, who are but few. A Sunday School was erected in Darlaston church-yard in the year 1793, where a great number of children of both sexes are instructed in the principles of useful knowledge and the Christian religion, This institution is supported by voluntary subscriptions, 150 A TOPOGRAPHICAL and a collection after a charity sermon annually preached on the Sunday after St. Lawrence. Bentley-Hall is an ancient manor belonging to Wolverhampton* It is memorable as the residence of Colonel Lane, who, with his sister Jane, concealed Charles the Second after his defeat at the battle of Worcester, and assisted him in effecting his escape out of the kingdom. The manor is now the property of Lord Anson, WILLENHALL is a considerable and populous place, situated mid- way between Wolverhampton and Walsall. It is in a low situation, on the banks of a brook. The town consists of one long street : the principal house was formerly inhabited by Dr. Wilkes, who was born here. It did not begin to flourish till the iron manufacture was in- troduced in the reign of Queen Elizabeth ; and it has since become populous. It is conjectured that a greater number of locks are manufactured here than at any other town in Europe of the same size; and in consequence of prosperity, many good houses have been built by the opulent manufacturers. On the 13th of June, 1776, James Lees, of Willenhall, aged 63 years, exhibited a padlock and key manufactured by himself, which was not the weight of a silver twopence ; and he said he would en- gage to make a dozen locks with their keys, that should not exceed the weight of a sixpence. According to the population return for Willenhall, in 1811, the males were 2014 ; the females 1509 : total 3523. Hence the males exceed the females in number in the proportion of 4 to 3. Similar returns were also made for the parishes of Wednesfield, Darlaston, Wednesbury, arid Tipton. This disproportion of number can only be accounted for by the situation not being very congenial to the habits and general feelings of the sex. The Church of Willenhall is considered as a chapel of ease to Wolverhampton ; the patronage is in the principal inhabitants that inherit lands here, but the curate is also to be approved by the lord of the manor. Some time ago, there was a serious dispute between the Marquis of Stafford and the inhabitants, about the nomination of a curate, but the townsmen persevered, and carried their point. The foundation of Willenhall Church was laid, May 6, 1748 ; and the edifice was opened for divine service October 30, 1749. It contains a monument, erected to the memory of Dr. Wilkes, in 1800 ; and we shall conclude the account of this place with a brief biographical account of that beneficent and ingenious man. Richard, the eldest son of Mr. Richard Wilkes, of Willenhall, and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 151 JLucretia, the daughter of Jonas Astley, of Wood Eaton, was born March 16, 1690, and received the rudiments of his educational Trentham. On the 13th of March, 1709, he was entered of St. John's College, Cambridge, and was admitted scholar in 1710. After passing through several gradations, he took the degree of M. A. in 1717. He entered into orders, and preached at Wolverhampton, and for sometime at Stow, near Chartley ; but in consequence of being disappointed in his expectation of preferment, he retired from the Church, and began to practise physic at Wolverhampton in the year 1720. On the 24th of June, 1725, he married Miss Rachael Manlove, of Lees-hill, near Abbots-Bromley, with whom he had a handsome fortune. He then retired from Wolverhampton, and re- turned to his natal mansion at Willenhall, where he became very eminent in his profession. He published a Treatise on the Dropsy; and during the time a destructive distemper raged among the horned cattle in Staffordshire, he published a pamphlet entitled, "A Letter to the Gentlemen, Farmers, and Graziers of the County of Stafford/' on the subject of the prevention and cure of that disorder. In the year 1747, during his recovery from a severe fit of illness, he amused himself with writing his own epitaph, which he calls a true picture from the life. It is rather to be admired for the origi* nality and independence of the sentiments, than its poetic beauties, and is as follows : " Here reader stand awhile, and know Whose carcase 'tis that rots below. A man's who work'd by reason's rule, Yet sometimes err'd and play'd the fool j A man sincere in all his ways, And full of the Creator's praise ; Who laugh'd at priestcraft, pride, and strife, And all the little tricks of life j Who lov'd his King, his Country more, And dreadful party rage forbore, He told nobility the truth, And wirik'd at hasty slips of youth. The honest poor man's steady friend, The rillain's scourge, in hopes to mend ; His father, mother, children, wife, His riches, honours, length of life, Concern not thee; observe what's here, He rests in hope, and not in fear." His wife died in 1756, and in October the same year, he married Mrs. Frances Bendish, who died in 1798, at a very advanced age. 152 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Dr. Wilkes was a skilful physician, and his prescriptions were often attended with success. His general knowledge was considerable, and his mind active, and always employed in some praise-worthy pursuit. He died at Willenhall, of the gout in his stomach, on the 6th of March, 1760, in the TOth year of his age, and was buried in the Church, where the monument before-mentioned was erected to his memory. His death was universally lamented by his friends and townsmen. He was an indulgent landlord, a good master, a friend to the poor, to whom he always gave gratuitous advice as a physician, and pecuniary aid; and that he was unassuming, the following brief account of himself and his ancestors will demon- strate : " My family," says he, " came out of Hertfordshire, and settled here about 300 years ago, and lived much in the same man- ner, for if one spent a little of the estate, it was recovered again by another* But as none of my brethren married, and I have no son living, the name of Wilkes will end in this town, and be for- gotten with me/' Dr. Wilkes was also a great antiquary, and collected materials for a History of Shropshire ; but to the anti- equities of Staffordshire his attention was principally directed. Willenhall Spa rises on the north side of a brook which runs to the east. About 200 yards up the brook are several springs, one of which was formerly consecrated to St. Sunday. Below the spa, on the opposite side of the brook, white clay with yellow veins is found, which, when mixed and made into cakes, is sold to glovers by the name of ochre cakes. The whole country abounds with mines of coal and iron-stone. Wednesfield is a hamlet, about two miles north-east from Wol- verhampton, on the western verge of the hundred. It is memo- rable as the scene of a battle between Edward the Elder and the Danes, in the year 910, of which Dr. Plott gives the following ac- count : " King Edward, with an army of West Saxons and Mercians, overtook the retreating Danes at the village of \Vednesfield, and overthrew them in a bloody battle, wherein he killed Eowills and Halfden,two of their kings, and Ohtea and Scurfer,two of their earls, and nine other noblemen, of which great slaughter there are no re- mains but a low in a ground called South Low-field, which once had a wind-mill set upon it ; another field is called North Low-field, doubtless from lows in it, since removed ; and such was likely Stowman's-hill, on the road betwixt Wolverhampton and Walsall, half a mile s. w. of Nechels." Stowman-low or Hill, has been since removed to mead the roads, and nothing remarkable discovered. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 153 The parish of Wednesfield was a common-field within the last half century, and a gate on the road at the end of the manor was called Wednesfield-gate. The Wyrley and Essington Canal passes through the whole length of Wednesfield liberty, close by the church and moat-house, and is an accommodation for lime, coal, and manure. On digging into the earth about Wednesfield, the stones are often found encrusted with hard shells, a proof that they increase in bulk by the petrifaction of the surrounding matter. In 1811, Wednesfield contained 1248 inhabitants; namely, 702 males, and 546 females. The principal manufacture is traps of all sizes and kinds, and among others man-traps. The Church is a neat structure of brick and stone, erected in 1760, chiefly at the expence of Mrs. Martha Gough. It cost o2000. : the patronage is in Mr. Gough, and the present minister is the Rev. John Clare. WEDNESBURY. This town stands at a short distance from the source of the river Tame, five miles from Wolverhampton, and three from Walsall. It is a place of great antiquity ; the name is Saxon, from Woden, their god of battle, and Wodensborough has been modernized to Wednesbury. In the year 912, according to the Saxon annals, Duke Ethelred, son-in-law of Alfred the Great, and Viceroy of Mercia, died ; and his wife, Adelfleda, continued to govern the kingdom with great wisdom. She fortified Weadesburg, now Wednesbury, in the year 916, and built a castle on the hill on which the Church now stands. A few traces of the foundation of this fortress are still perceptible. After the Conquest, it was demesne of the Crown. Henry the Second bestowed it on the Heronviles, in exchange for the town of Countsfield, in Oxfordshire, so that it is now a parcel of the honour of Woodstock. In 1794, Thomas Hoo, Esq. who was lord of this manor, died without issue, and his estates went in the female line to Mrs. Whitby, and the Hon. Mrs. Foley. The present lord of the manor is Sir Joseph Scott, Bart, of Barr, in the right of Lady Scott, daughter of Mrs. Whitby. The old manor-house, which is situated about a quarter of a mile N. E. of the Church, is now a farm-house. On the opposite side of the hill is a curious ancient house, called Oakeswell Hall, sur- rounded by high garden-walls and lofty trees : it formerly belonged U ] 54 A TOPOGRAPHICAL to the family of Hopkins, but was purchased by Mr. John Howe, and is now inhabited by some of the family, who are Quakers. The parish of Wednesbury has long been celebrated for its valuable mines of coal and iron-stone of excellent quality ; and the inhabitants have the advantage of a general inland naviga- tion, which has contributed to the prosperity of Wednesbury and its vicinity. In 1811, the population of Wednesbury was 2806 males, 2566 females ; total 5372 : and since that period many new houses have been erected. Wednesbury is distinguished for its numerous and valuable manu- factures, the principal of which are, coach-harness, saws, trowels, edge-tools, bridle-bits, stirrups, hinges, nails, iron axletrees, wood screws, a variety of cast-iron work, and though last not least, gun- barrels, and locks. The finest enamel paintings are likewise among the productions of its artists. The coal in the neighbour- hood, which is considered the best in the kingdom for the smith's forge, on account of its peculiar intensity of heat, is found in sepa- rate veins from three to fourteen feet in thickness, and is productive of an ample revenue to its proprietors. A peculiar species of iron ore is found here called Blond metal, which is chiefly used in the manufacture of nails, horse-shoes, hammers, axes, and other heavy tools. Reddish earth, called kip, is also found in the neighbourhood of Wednesbury, which is used in glazing vessels of different kinds. Dr. Wilkes speaks of the wildfire which is discoverable in some of the old coal-pits near this town. " We have," says he, " long had a wildfire in the old coal-pits in Wednesbury Field. It breaks out spontaneously among the vast heaps of slack left in the coal-works, and which contains a great quantity of sulphur, and frequently smokes out through the surface, and acts upon the seve- ral strata, some of which are reduced to cinders. It hardens clay into what is called pock-stone, which is good for repairing the roads, or laying the foundation of buildings. Another kind of fire in these mines goes off with a tremendous explosion, driving every thing before it ; but when the proper means are used, this is prevented. " Mr. Savary, the original inventor of the steam-engine, set one of these engines down in Wednesbury, near a place called the Broad-waters, but the water was too powerful for his machinery, and he was forced to give up the undertaking : thus he had dis- covered a power sufficient to produce any effect, but was un- able to form machinery for using it. This was reserved for after- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 155 ages ; but the world is highly indebted to him for the principle, since so highly improved, and so generally applied." The most powerful machinery in the world for raising water has been erected in this neighbourhood at Oakenhill, by the Birmingham Canal Company, upon Boulton and Watt's application of Savary's principle. The art of manufacturing iron with pit-coal being perfected, fur- naces are now very numerous in the vicinity of Wednesbury. They are plentifully supplied with the materials on the spot ; and the utmost facility for the conveyance of the manufactured goods afforded by branches from the canal in all directions. In the year 1742, when Lady Huntingdon sent John and Charles Wesley to Wednesbury, to preach the doctrine of Method- ism, the miners and iron-manufacturers, who were then in a rather uncivilized state, rose in a mob, and broke the windows of the house where some people had assembled to hear the preachers. Some of the rioters being brought by a warrant before Justice Pershouse, he reprimanded the methodists. The minister of Wednesbury then joined with the magistrates, (according to Mr. Wesley,) and the mob was encouraged to persecute and insult the methodists, and all who joined them. These riotous proceedings being noticed by Government, one of the Middlesex justices, in an interview with Mr. John Wesley, informed him, that he had orders from the King to do him justice, his Majesty being determined that no man in his dominions should be persecuted for conscience-sake. Thus by the beneficent influ- ence of the Sovereign, the rioters were intimidated, and the spirit of persecution subsided. Wednesbury Church is an elegant gothic edifice in the pointed style of architecture, situated on the summit of a bold eminence. The tower is handsome, and supports a lofty and beautiful spire. The interior is divided into a chancel, nave, and north and south aisles. There are several monuments in this church, particularly of the families of Lord Dudley and Lord Harcourt, with several ancient tombs, the inscriptions on which are not legible. It is now a vicarage in the King's books, and the gift of the Chancellor. The present vicar is the Rev. A. B. Haden. WESTBROMWICH is a village situated to the south-east of Wed- nesbury, on a gravelly hill. The road to Birmingham passes through the village. The population of the parish of Westbromwich has rapidly increased in consequence of the various manufactures 156 A TOPOGRAPHICAL iron, particularly locks, gun-locks, and nails. In 1811, the num- ber of inhabitants was 7485; viz. 3773 males, and 3712 females. A large .street in this parish, called Hill-Top, contains several good houses : and near it is a villa belonging to Mr. Elwall,| and a good inn on the Dudley road, called the Swan inn. Dr. Plott mentions an excellent sand for the manufacture of glass, found near Westbromwich. The learned Doctor, whose pro- pensity to the marvellous is remarkable, gives an account of Walter Parsons, who was born at Westbromwich, and was a man of gigantic stature and extraordinary strength. In his youth he was bound apprentice to a smith, and was so tall that they were obliged to dig a hole in the ground for him to stand in up to his knees when he struck at the anvil. He afterwards was employed as porter to James the First, and was courageous in proportion to his strength, but so good-natured that he scorned to take any advantage of it. On being offended by a man of ordinary stature as he walked London streets, he only took him up and hung him by the waist- band of his breeches upon a hook for the amusement of the pas- sengers. He would sometimes, by way of merriment, take up two of the tallest yeomen of the guard, and carry them about the guard-chamber in spite of their resistance. Such is the tale of Dr. Plott. The valley of the Tame, which bounds this parish to the north-east, is rich, fertile, and pleasant, and the surrounding country pic- turesque. The prospect is agreeably varied with the villas and pleasure-grounds of George Birch, Esq. at Hamstead, and of Sir Joseph Scott, Bart, at Great-Barr. The Church of Westbromwich is an ancient building, surmounted by a tower. Sandwell park and mansion, the seat of the Earl of Dartmouth, is in this parish, and situated to the south and south-east of the Church. It takes its name from Sancta Fons, or the Holy Well. The present mansion is built on the site of a priory of Benedic- tine monks, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen. Some vestiges of the original foundation are still visible to the observant eye, in the rear of the house, and among the offices, where a stone coffin was dug up a few years ago. At the time of the dissolution of monas- teries, in the reign of Henry the Eighth, it was given to Cardinal Wolsey. The estate afterwards came into the possession of the present family of Legge. The present mansion is of brick stuccoed white, and forms a HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 157 square; and in the extensive lawn in front is the holy well, which is now enclosed by iron rails. Sandwell, though situated in a populous neighbourhood, and only four miles from Birmingham, and close to the turnpike-road from that town to Wolverhampton, is enclosed by a high park-wall and a thick plantation of trees so effectually as to be totally secluded from the busy world. The elegant mansion, besides every ac- commodation for convenience, contains a handsome library and a neat chapel ; and the principal rooms are adorned with landscapes and portraits by the best masters, particularly Kneller, Housman, Gaspar, Vivian, Highmore, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Jansen, Richard- son, and Vandyke. A variety of picturesque prospects are to be seen from different points of view in the park. HANDSWORTH is an extensive and agreeable village, situated at the south-east extremity of this hundred, at the distance of about two miles from Birmingham. The parish is extensive, and includes several manors and hamlets. The principal object which it con- tains is Hamstead House, a noble and ancient mansion, the resi- dence of the Birch family, to whom the manor of Handsworth now belongs. The grounds on the winding banks of the Tame are romantic, and adorned with full-grown and beautiful trees. A lime, which grows on a rocky point, is a magnificent object, and equally remarkable for its elevated situation and luxuriant growth. Three feet from the surface of the ground the trunk is twenty-two feet in circumference, the height of the tree is seventy-five feet, and the shade which it throws extends one hundred and eighty. The Church of Handsworth, dedicated to Saint Mary, is an ancient gothic structure of brown stone, with a tower. It con- tains a few neat monuments, and has a variety of coats of arms painted on the windows. It is a rectory in the deanery of Tarn- worth, and in the patronage of the Birch family. The population of Handsworth has more than doubled in 72 years. According to the return in 1811, there were 1141 males; 1310 females : total 2451. But the most remarkable improvement in the parish of Hands- worth is the extensive manufactory of Messrs. Boulton and Watt, at the Soho. The waste-lands called Handsworth-heath, which about sixty years ago was a barren waste and rabbit-warren, is now a populous village or town. A beautiful garden, with pleasure- grounds and a piece of water, now covers one side of this heath ; five spacious squares of building, erected on the other side, contain 158 A TOPOGRAPHICAL workshops for 600 people. The extensive pool gives motion to a large water-wheel, and by its means to a great number of different tools ; and the mechanic inventions here employed, are superior, in number, variety, and utility, to those of any other manufactory in the world. When the projector first commenced business here, his produc- tions were only such as arc usually made by the artists of Birming- ham ; namely, buttons, buckles, watch-chains, and trinkets. But with increasing prosperity his plans of utility were extended, and the manufacture of plated wares on a large scale was likewise in- troduced ; and when these substantial and useful branches had been fully established, the proprietors began to bring forward works of elegance in stone bronze and or-moulins. This new manufacture immediately received the sanction of his Majesty, and the principal nobility, while the invention and activity of the manufacturer kept pace with such distinguished patronage. Messrs. Boulton and Watt afterwards turned their attention to the manufacture of wrought plate, and, after a struggle, obtained the establishment of an office of Assay in Birmingham, for regu- lating the purity of the metal. Wrought plate is now a prominent article among the many rich productions of this great establish- ment, to the extension of which, the steam-engine has contributed in a very considerable degree. The coining mill, erected in 1788, works eight machines, each capable of striking from 70 to 80 pieces of money per minute, the size of a guinea, which is between 30 and 40,000 per hour. And at the same blow which strikes the two faces, the edge of the piece is also struck either plain or with an inscription, and thus every piece becomes perfectly round, and of equal diameter. In a national point of view, the manufactures produced at $oho are highly important, by collecting together ingenious artists, in consequence of which rival talents have been called forth, compe- tition excited, and the different branches of the business brought to the greatest possible perfection. The mansion of Soko, erected at a short distance from the manu- factory, is elegant, and surrounded by beautiful pleasure-grounds. Near to the Soho is the residence of Mr. Eggington, who has brought the art of staining glass to higher perfection than was ever known before. This artist's productions have met with the warmest approbation from persons of distinguished taste and judgment. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 159 Hamstead (from Homestead,) has been the ancient seat of the Wyrleys for many generations, but went in the female line, about the commencement of the eighteenth century, to the Birches, the present owners. The present mansion is modern, and erected about a quarter of a mile from the old site. It is delightfully situ- ated on an eminence, and commands a rich prospect of the vale of Tame, and the Aston and Sandwell estates. The interior of the mansion is handsome and commodious ; and the dining-room is adorned with a full-length portrait of Judge Birch, an ancestor of the family. In the rear there is a large walled garden, with ex- cellent hot-houses. Perry, (formerly Pyrrie,) is an ancient manor, on the N. w. ad- joining Sutton Coldfield, the river Tame passing along the side of it from Hamstead. Perry Hall and Park, and other estates, and a moiety of the manor, was purchased by Sir Henry Gough, Knight, in the year 1669, and it has continued in that family down to the present owner, John Gough, Esq. Harborne, situated to the west of Birmingham, is surrounded by the counties of Warwick, Salop, and Worcester. The soil is good corn and grass-land, and very productive of potatoes. The church is in the deanery of Tamworth, and is a vicarage dedicated to St. Peter : it is a neat structure, with a tower. A charity-school for the education of fifty children, has been established in this parish. Dr. Plott, ever in quest of marvellous facts, informs us, that " James Sands, of Harborne, died December 6, 1588, aged 140, having outlived five leases of a farm of 21 years each, after his marriage ; his wife lived also to 120 years of age." Population of Harborne in 1811: males 626, females 658: total 1284. Smethwick is situated to the north of Harborne, to the south of Westbromwich, and two miles to the west of Birmingham. This manor was formerly the joint property of Mr. John Reynolds and Mr. John Baddeley. The latter gentleman was a most ingenious self- taught mechanic, and mathematical-instrument-maker. He was a native of Shropshire, and consequently his biography belongs to the history of that county. A neat chapel was erected in Smethwick, in the year 1719, by a donation from Mrs. Dorothy Parkes, and voluntary contributions in this and the neighbouring parishes. The population of this parish has rapidly increased since the Birmingham Canal passed through it. The iron foundry belonging; 160 A TOPOGRAPHICAL to the Soho manufactory is erected at Sraethwick, on the bank of the canal ; and there is also a large manufactory of gun-barrels here, which are forged and bored by the aid of the steam-engine. According to the population returns to Parliament in the year 1811, Smethwick contained 631 males, 697 females : total 1328. Tipton is situated on the main line of the Birmingham Canal, about two miles to the north of Dudley Castle. It is celebrated for the richness of its iron mines, and the number of its iron-works. At four of these it is estimated that 95 tons of pig-iron are made weekly. There are also three slitting-mills, and one rolling-mill, belong- ing to Tipton iron-works. The manufacture of hinges is also carried on to a considerable extent, and gives employment to fifty workmen. It is supposed that nearly one-half of the inhabitants of this parish are nailors, and the nail trade, in all its varieties, gives employment to young and old, women and children, who begin to work at six years of age. There are also manufactories of shovels, tongs, augers, and edge tools, wood screws, awls, and fenders. Besides these, various manufactures of iron, a very extensive manufactory of a different kind has been established here by James Keir and Co. on the banks of the canal ; namely, the manufacture of alkali, soap, white lead, red lead, and metal sashes for windows. In the year 1811, the population of Tipton was 8407, namely, 4351 males, and 4056 females. Tipton Church is a large edifice, with a gallery; the steeple contains six bells. The Church is a curacy, in the gift of the Prebends of Lichfield. GREAT-BARE. This pleasant village is situated on the declivity of a lofty hill called Barr-beacon. It is a place of great antiquity, and the derivation of the name has been the subject of disputation and conjecture among antiquaries. The family of the Scotts have long been proprietors of this manor, and the mansion, which was formerly called the Nether House, is now the seat of Sir Joseph Scott, Bart. It stands in a romantic and fertile vale, sur- rounded by an extensive lawn, and a great variety and abundance of trees. The hills in the rear of this villa, gradually sloping, and covered with trees, present a truly picturesque scene ; they are intersected with gravel walks, and at different points rustic seats are fixed, on which the rambler may rest and gratify the eye with various views of the subjacent landscape. The ascent to High- wood and Barr-beacon, however fatiguing to the lover of rural HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 161 magnificence, amply repays him by a prospect of fifteen counties, visible from the lofty summit. Barr-beacon is supposed by antiquaries to have been the ele- vated point from which the Druids gave notice to the people of their quarterly sacrifices. In the time of the Saxons, a beacon was placed here to alarm the country on any invasion of the Danes. One of the most interesting objects of this rich and charming rural scenery, is an Urn erected to the memory of Miss Mary Dolman, the cousin of Shenstone the poet. It stands near the flower-garden, and is of statuary marble, and fluted, with a medal- lion of Miss Dolman in the centre, and an elegant epitaph in Latin, from the pen of the poet, engraved on the pedestal. The Chapel of Great-Barr is an elegant edifice, adorned by a stately spire, containing six musical bells. The interior is very complete; the pews neat, and the gallery is adorned with a hand- some organ. This chapel was founded by Mrs. Bromwich, and the bells were the gift of Mrs. Whitby. An exquisite painting on glass adorns the east window ; it is the production of Mr. Eginton, who has borrowed it from the Rev. William Peter's Spirit of a Child, but has improved on the original design. According to the population returns in 1811, Great Barr con- tained 436 males, and 360 females : total 796 inhabitants. ALDRIDGE is a large village situated on a high ground, about two miles south-east of the turnpike-road from Walsall to Lichfield. It is bounded on one side by the extensive waste of Sutton-Cold- field, and on the other by Cannock-heath. The soil of this parish in general is a sound gravelly loam ; the higher ground well- adapted for turnips and barley : the lower, being more cool and moist, is better suited to wheat and oats, or for meadow and pasture. The manor of Aldridge belongs to Edward Croxall, Esq. of Shustoke, Warwickshire. The Wyrley and Essington canal has been cut through a considerable part of this parish, terminating in this direction near Hay-head lime-works. Every Christmas-day the rector used to give to every person, great and small, of this parish, that would come to his house, as much bread, beef, mustard, and vinegar, as they could eat. Of late years, instead of this entertainment, the rector pays to the in- habitants of Aldridge and Great-Barr, 2Q. 13s. 4d. being about Is. 6d. to each householder, which the master of the family dis- poses of according to his pleasure. X 162 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The Church of Aldridge is a rectory. It is an ancient stone structure with a tower, is dedicated to St. Mary, and contains several monuments of the Scotts and other families. The village contains several good houses, and an extensive distillery. The population is 425 males ; 422 females : total 847. SHENSTONE is a pleasant village situated on a gentle eminence, three miles south of Lichfield. Almost every house in this village has a small garden in front, which contributes at once to the beauty of the place and the accommodation of the inhabitants. The parish is of considerable extent, well watered by several rivulets which abound with excellent trout. It contains much good sound up-land, suitable for turnips, and barley, and other grain. There are also fertile tracts of meadow and pasture-land on the banks of the rivu- lets, where sheep, cows, and oxen are fattened in abundance. The air of Shenstone is wholesome, as is proved by the longevity of the inhabitants, of which several instances are recorded : Henry Lea died in Shenstone in the year 1660, aged 107; and Susannah Southwell, who married at the age of 112, could relate occurrences to which she had been an eye-witness 100 years before. There are several gentlemen's seats in the parish. In 1769, Shenstone parish was surveyed and valued at e4240. per annum. The Church, dedicated to St. John, stands near the centre of the village, and is a very ancient edifice. Shensione-Hall, which is in the village, was some time ago the property of Lord Berwick. Shenstone-Park is a low tract about a mile east of the village. The mansion, which is called the New Hall, stands on a gentle eminence on the margin of Black-brook. It has also been the pro- perty of Lord Berwick, but was sold in 1797, to Edward Grove, Esq. of Stretton. Wood-End and Park-Hall stand upon the turnpike-road leading to Birmingham, half-a-mile from Shenstone Church. The court in front of Park-Hall is surrounded with a high brick wall, and adorned with yews, laurels, and other evergreens. Shenstone Moss, at the foot of St. John's Hill, is situated a quarter of a mile to the south of the Church, where there is a neat mansion called the Moss. Footherley is a hamlet, beginning half-a-mile south-west of the church, and extending a mile and a half to Radley Moors. Foo- therley-Hall was the property of John Dolphin, Esq. of the Moss, but was afterwards sold to Charles Simpson, Esq. of Lichfield. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 163 Little Aston, situated about a mile south of Footherley, and two miles from Shenstone Church, is so called to distinguish it from Aston, near Birmingham. The mansion, which was built by William Tenant, Esq. lord of the manor of Shenstone, is very elegant, and the domain much improved. An extensive lawn surrounds the house, shaded with trees, and adorned with a noble lake, over which a handsome bridge has been built, opposite to which a conservatory of hewn stone adds to the general beauty of the scene. Upper Stonall is a hamlet, between three and four miles west of Shenstone Church. Near the hamlet, on a small hill, are vestiges of an ancient fortification, called the Castles, or Old-Fort. There were formerly two large inns in this hamlet, called the Swan and the Welch Harp, the great road from London to Chester and Holyhead then passing through it. But the road being now through Birmingham and Wolverhampton, the inns and the population of the place have declined. Lynne is an estate extending nearly two miles from Upper Stonall to Shenstone. It contains about twelve houses, of which the most ancient is Lynne-Hall, now a farm-house. The estate is now occu- pied by the Owens, a branch of the Owens of Albrighton. Chesterfield, on the Watling-street-way near Wall, consists of farms and tenements, and was formerly part of the Roman station. WEEFORD is a village situated to the east of Shenstone, and the south of Watling-street, in a pleasant valley on the banks of Black- brook. It takes its name from the London-road formerly passing through a ford of Black-brook here, and hence called Wayford. There is a beautiful tract of narrow but rich meadows, on the banks of the brook in the vicinity of this village, bounded by low and fertile eminences. The parish is distinguished, as containing the low called Offlow, which gives name to the hundred. Dr. Plott says that the etymology is probably Saxon, though not the sepul- chre of Offa, who was buried at Bedford; but it certainly contains the bones of some chieftain who fell in battle near this place. Weeford has been the scene of civil warfare. A Purefoy was slain here by Sir Henry Willoughby, in the cause of Edward IV. and Sir Henry was desperately wounded by Lord Lisle. The Church of Weeford is a small ancient building : the living is a prebend in Lichfield Cathedral. Thickbroom is a small hamlet and manor on the banks of Black- brook, which takes its name from the broom, with which it formerly abounded. 164 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Swinfen, another hamlet in this parish, is pleasantly situated on the road to Lichfield, and has been in possession of the Swinfen family for ages. The mansion-house was built by Mr. Wyatt the architect, for Samuel Swinfen, Esq. It is a magnificent structure, and the lawn, lake, and surrounding pleasure-grounds, present a beautiful variety of rural scenery. The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a prebend in Lichfield Cathedral. It is a small ancient fabric, in a low situation, near the turnpike-road. Hints is situated to the east of Weeford, and the west of Dray- ton, on the side of an eminence which commands an extensive and beautiful prospect of the subjacent vale, and the surrounding coun- try. The manor and estate have for two centuries been in possession of the Floyer family. The Church is a modern structure, and is an elegant specimen of Grecian architecture. From its lofty situation, it is a very beautiful and picturesque object. The interior contains several monuments of the Floyers and Lawleys. In the year 1792, as some labourers were digging fo,r gravel on Hints common, they found a pig of lead twenty-two inches and a half long, and 150lb. weight, with the following inscription upon it in basso-relievo: IMP. VESP. VII. T. IMP. V. COS. This curious piece of antiquity was perfect in all its parts ; and the inscription is to be read, " Imperatore Vespasiano septimum, Tito Imperatore quintum, Consulibus. ; 3> and plainly betokens the year of Christ 76, u. c. 828, when Vespasian and Titus were con- suls ; the first, the seventh, and the other, the fifth time. Titus the son, is called Emperor as well as his father, having been asso- ciated in the government of the empire. Canwell is a hamlet situated at the south corner of Hints parish. It was the site of a small priory of Benedictine monks, founded in 1142, by Geva Ridell, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Chester, and dedicated to St. Mary, St. Giles, and All Saints. It was one of the monasteries seized by Cardinal Wolsey ; and in the time of Queen Mary, it was in possession of Vesey, Bishop of Exon, who died seised of this manor, four messuages, and 1500 acres, held of the Crown. The present possessor is Sir Robert Lawley, Bart, and the mag- nificent mansion was erected by his father, under the inspection of Mr. Wyatt, the celebrated architect. The expence of the building, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 165 improving the grounds, and making large gardens, amounted to ofGOjOOO. The prospect from different parts of the grounds is ex- tensive and beautiful. Drayton-Bassett is situated two miles south of Tamworth, and was a place of some distinction in ancient times. The latter part of the name is derived from the family of the Bassets, who were for some time lords of the manor. It afterwards became the pro- perty of the Earls of Essex. The Church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a rectory: the King is the patron, and the Lord Chancellor presentist. This edifice is modern, and built in the gothic style of architecture. The interior is adorned with a variety of tombs and heraldic blazonry of the Bassets. Pelshall is a manor held by the Earl of Darlington, and is situate on the Walsall water, about eight miles distant from Wolverhamp- ton, in the direct line for Lichfield. The Wyrley canal from Wolverhampton passes upon its long level, the whole length of Pelshall, and will facilitate the future working of its mines of coal and iron. The Chapel is a small ancient brick building. On the north wall is a rudely-painted figure of an old man holding a purse in his left hand and money in the right, and underneath this inscription : " Richard Harrison gave 20 groats to the poor of Pelshall, to be paid yearly on New-year's day. The land charged to pay the money is the Old Croft. Aged 101." According to the returns to Parliament in 1811, Pelshall con- tained, 252 males ; 219 females : total 471. Norton-under-Cannock, is situated on the south of that extensive waste called Cannock-heath, and about half-a-mile north of the Watling-street. At the time of the Conquest, it belonged to the Bishop of Chester. Two-thirds of this manor were purchased in 1760, by Richard Gildart, Esq. of Liverpool, and the other third has since been purchased by Phineas Hussey, Esq. of Little Wyrley. The Church is a neat gothic edifice, with a small tower, and contains seveval monuments of the Fowke, Hussey, and other families. Norton wake is held on the first Sunday in August, when it is customary to adorn the interior of the Church with flowers and laurels. Little Wyrley is a hamlet of this parish ; it was held by the Bishop of Chester, at the time of the Conquest, and has passed from the family of Fowkes, by marriage, to the family of Hussey. 166 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. The old manor-house, called Little Wyrley Hall, is, from its situation amid groves of elms and other full-grown trees, a curious and picturesque specimen of the architecture of our ancestors. The Hall is decorated with several pieces of ancient armour, which, with the old-fashioned wooden chairs, give it an appearance of venera- ble antiquity. The rooms are adorned with heraldic emblems of its owners, and several family portraits. The mansion has been much improved by Mr. Hussey, the present possessor, whose hos- pitality is well known. The groves are inhabited by numerous rooks, which, after breeding-time, retire from the place, and the ground is then swept and remains clean till their return. The Brown-hills Colliery, an old and profitable establishment, on this estate, is the property of Mr. Hussey. * ., SEISDON HUNDRED. THIS Hundred, which takes its name from a small village six miles from Wolverhampton, includes the south-west part of the county, and contains twenty-one parishes. WOLVERHAMPTON. The first mention of this place upon record, is, that the pious Wulfrune, relict of Athelme, Duke of Northampton, in 996, built and endowed the church or monastery here, which was called from her name and title Wulfrunes-hampton, whence its present name. Wolverhampton stands on a rising ground, is a considerable ma- nufacturing town, and the largest in the county : it has a weekly market on Wednesday, and one annual fair on the 10th of July. The population of Wolverhampton has increased more than two- fold since 1750 ; in that year the inhabitants were 7454, in 1801, 12,655, in 1811, 14,836, and now considerably exceed that number. The town is surrounded by gardens, and the air generally healthy : a navigable canal from Birmingham passes through it on its eastern side, and joins the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal at Ather- ley. The parish is nominally very large, but, including only so far as its poor-rate extends, it does not exceed four or five square miles, and about 3000 acres : the country around it is well inclosed. The fine and highly-productive tract called Broad-meadows and Whitmore-ends, was, in the sixteenth century, literally a morass. Sir Simon Degge says, "this town is pleasantly situated upon a sandy (or rather gravelly) hill, where, upon the Dean Viand, one Richard Best, first a stationer in London, and after a farmer of ex- cise to the Rebels, built a very handsome brick house, and walled about a garden and orchard near the church/' This house is now called the Deanery-hall, and is leased, with the other Deanery estates, to the Earl of Darlington : it is at present occupied by James Hordern, Esq. A little north-west from this, in Tup- street, is a large handsome house, built by the Giffards of Chilling- 168 A TOPOGRAPHICAL ton, with a chapel attached for the use of the Catholics in this town. Beyond this, is another spacious mansion, with excellent walled gardens, which commands a beautiful prospect to the west, and is the residence of the Molineux family : the Molineuxs came into England with Isabella, wife of Edward the Second, from Flanders, in 1307 : George Molineux, Esq. an opulent merchant and banker, who was High-sheriff for this county in 1791, is the present owner. The old Church is a deanery annexed to Windsor, the Dean of Windsor being likewise Dean of Wolverhampton : the revenues of the deanery are held by lease at a reserved rent of <38. per annum, but are supposed to exceed that sum by o300. The service is performed by the Dean, a sacrist, and seven prebends : at the lower end of the chancel are sixteen stalls for the Dean, the prebends, sacrist, three curates, and four lay singing men : six boys have been added. The Rev. Thomas Walker is the present sacrist or perpe- tual curate, who has held that situation since 1788. The prebends are, Kynvaston, Rev. Peter Thoroton; Fetherstone, Rev. Thomas Walker; Hilton, Rev. Dr. Muckleston ; Willenhall, Rev. Robert Ellison ; Monmore, Rev. Robert Fell ; Wobaston, Rev. George Fieldhouse and Rev. W. Molineux ; Hatherton, Hon. and Rev. Augustus Legge. This Church was anciently dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, but in the time of Henry III. was altered and re-dedicated to St. Peter: it is pleasantly situated on a gravelly hill, and commands a fine prospect towards Tettenhall, Shropshire, and Wales. It is a handsome fabric of stone, with a fine embattled tower (40 yards high) of rich gothic architecture, and consists of a lofty nave, with two aisles, and a chancel. The north and south porches are of ancient stone-work : the nave is supported by five pointed arches resting on octagonal pillars. One of the most curious features of the church is the richly-sculptured stone pulpit, with a circular flight of steps, and a large well-executed figure of a lion at its base. On the north side of the tower (in which are ten good bells), is a chapel, anciently called St. Catherine's, now Lane's chancel, and the cemetery of the Lanes, formerly of Bentley, which contains several monuments and inscriptions of that family : they have been recently repaired and beautified at the expense of John Lane, Esq. of Abbot's Bromley, in this county. The great chancel was suffered to go to decay till Dr. Turner became Dean of Windsor, who expended o500. in repairing it. This chancel contains a full-length statue of brass, in honour of HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 169 Admiral Sir Richard Leveson, who commanded against the Spanish Armada, Here is likewise a curious stone font, beautifully em- bellished with figures and flowers, and evidently of great antiquity. Memorabilia. In 1529, the Church was robbed, and the church- wardens went to a wise man. 1533. The high altar cost o95. 1572. Seats first allowed to be built in the church. Plott says, "in the church of Wolverhampton are seven bells rung together in peal, which must needs be very unmusical." Nov. 6, 1796, about two o'clock in the morning, a violent gust of wind blew down the whole range of battlements on the south side of the church, together with part of the south transept, and did great damage in the neighbourhood. In the church-yard, near the south porch, is a round column, about twenty feet in height, exhibiting a variety of rude carvings divided into compartments, containing a bird and beast looking back at each other, dragons with fore feet and long tails in lozen- ges, birds and roses, a band of Saxon leaves, beasts or griffins, and other grotesque representations: the whole is surmounted by a plain capital. There are similar monuments in Leek church-yard, at Checkley, Chebsey, and Draycot-in-the-Moors, but it is doubtful whether they are of Danish or Saxon construction. Among the charitable donations recorded in the Church, is the fol- lowing : " Sir Stephen Jennings, Aldernaaii of London, born in this town, founded one free-school, and purchased the manor of Rushock, in the county of Worcester, now (1707) of the yearly value of <300. at least, for the perpetual maintaining of a schoolmaster and usher, the care and government of which he did leave to the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, of London." Sir Stephen Jen- nings was Lord Mayor of London in the year 1506. The new Church, dedicated to St. John, is a handsome stone fabric, with a beautiful and lofty spire, and pewed and painted according to modern taste. The Act for erecting this Church was obtained in 1755, but the damage which the building sustained by a fire in 1758, and a deficiency of funds, prevented its completion till the year 1776. It is in the gift of the Earl of Stamford, who contri- buted liberally towards its erection, and the present minister is the Rev. Joseph Reitl. Besides the two Churches, there is a Scotch kirk, a Roman Catholic chapel, and four meeting-houses for the Methodists and Independents. Y 170 A TOPOGRAPHICAL In the south-east part of the town is a large brick mansion, with a moat round it, called Turton's Hall, built for the Leveson family, but now converted into a manufactory of japanned goods by Messrs. Wrighten : the moat is in part filled up. Plott says, " they have but four weak springs to supply so large a town, which are altogether behind the Cock Inn, called Pudding- well, the Horse-well, Washing-well, and the Meat-well; from which last they fetch their water for use all over the town, in leather budgets laid across a horse, and bringing to the other wells their tripes, horses, and linen." The town was for many years supplied with water from these springs by the water-works erected by Dr. Wilkes, which have been long discontinued ; and a plentiful supply is now obtained from numerous wells sunk a considerable depth through the solid rock upon which the town is built. There is likewise an excellent and never-failing spring called the Culwell, close to the town, on the road leading to Wednesfield, which is one of the sources of the little river Smestall. WulfrunaVwell, on Dunstall estate, a medicinal spring at Chapel Ash, another called Spa-well, between this town and Sea-wall, a fourth at Monmore- green, a fifth called St. LawrenceVwell, at Grazeley-brook, and an ancient arched well at Waddam's-hill, called Meg-a-doodleV well, all noticed by Dr. Wilkes, are now neglected. The first steam-engine that ever raised water in considerable quantity was erected near this town, a short distance from the half- mile stone on the Walsall-road. On the 22d of April, 1590, a fire broke out in Barn (now Salop) street, which burnt 104 dwelling-houses and 30 barns, with a con- siderable quantity of corn : the fire was not extinguished till the 27th. In the year 1743, wheat sold in Wolverhampton market at 3s* barley and pease Is. 6d. and oats Is. 2d. the bushel of 38 quarts. In the year 1800, wheat was 21s. per bushel, and hay 12. per ton ; and in 1812 and 1813, wheat was as high as 25s. and barley 16s. the bushel. An elegant structure, comprising a Public Library and News Room, has been recently erected in Queen-street, and many other improvements are in progress under the authority of an Act of Parliament. A permanent Library was instituted in the year 1794, and has been progressively increasing in number of books and subscribers. In the year from Easter 1790 to the same period in 1791, the HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 171 poor-rate expenditure amounted to o2175. 18s. 3d. but it has since considerably exceeded that sum. Wolverhampton is governed, under the county magistrates, by two constables ; one chosen annually by the Dean's tenants, the other by the inhabitants at large. Few towns possess greater local advantages than Wolverhamp- ton for carrying on an extensive trade and manufacture ; situated nearly in the centre of the kingdom, in the midst of the most pro- ductive coal and iron-mines, and having a free and easy access to the great rivers, Thames, Severn, Trent, and Mersey, by means of the different canals which surround it, every opportunity is afforded of conveying and receiving materials and merchandize. The skill and ingenuity of its mechanics, especially the lock- smiths, have been known and established for ages, and though the manufactures of this town are very distinct from those of Birming- ham, they have, owing to the superior wealth and fame of the latter, been generally (though improperly) classed under the head of Birmingham wares. The articles peculiarly the manufacture of Wolverhampton, are principally those of heavy ironmongery, having the materials so essentially requisite for their cheapness, coal and iron, upon the spot. In this class are to be reckoned locks of every kind and de- scription, in iron, brass, and wood ; hinges, bolts, latches, screws, &c. ; all kinds of edge-tools used by carpenters, wheelwrights, cabinet-makers, smiths, &c. ; as axes, hatchets, hammers, gimblets, files, &c. ; also articles for domestic use, as box-irons, candlesticks, chafing-dishes, coffee and malt mills, fire-irons, rat-traps, &c. ; fine steel toys, as cork-screws, snuffers, nut-cracks, sugar-nippers, buckles, watch-chains, &c. Another branch of manufacture, for which there is a great and permanent demand both for home consumption and foreign supply, is tin and japan wares : several hundred hands are employed in these various articles, and in forming the most elegant and expen- sive tea-trays, both paper and iron, plate-warmers, tea and coffee pots, caddies, inkstands, &c. To these may be added another class of manufacture in the brass- foundry line, which employs a great number of workmen in an al- most innumerable variety of brass articles. Amongst individual establishments of importance, is the chemi- cal elaboratory of Mander, Bacon and Co. for the manufacture of oil of vitriol, aquafortis, and other acids, spirits ef hartshorn, 172 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Glauber and Epsom salts, and every other chemical preparation connected with medicine, manufactures, and commerce, for British and foreign supply. A glass-house has been established within these few years, where are made all descriptions of the best white glass. There are several steam-engines, working various mills, one of which is upon a large scale, for the spinning of woollen yarn for carpets j at which, and also at another, considerable quantities of musket-barrels were ground and polished during the late war. A mill, called the Union Mill, was established about the year 1812, containing about 14,000 shares at ol. each, for the purpose of grinding corn and baking bread, and is found to auswer extremely well. An indictment was preferred at the Assizes of 1814, at Staf- ford, against the proprietors, as an illegal combination ; a verdict was, however, given in their favour, after a trial before a special Jury of fourteen hours. In the adjoining villages and hamlets are made, in addition to the articles before-mentioned, great quantities of nails, chains, gun-locks, and many other similar articles. One of the most lucrative branches of trade formerly enjoyed by this town is now nearly extinct, viz. that of rich and elegant ar- ticles in steel, consisting of watch-chains, buttons, buckles, sword- hilts, &c. : watch-chains have been made of the value of 20 guineas each, and buckles at 10 to 15 guineas a-pair, and not unusually sword-hilts at 50 guineas. These articles were generally sent to France, Spain, and Italy, but the French Revolution, and the wars which arose out of it, seem to have put a period to this business. Wolverhampton is not remarkable for public buildings worthy of attention. The free grammar-school, founded in 1668 by Sir Stephen Jennings, Lord Mayor of London, is an excellent institu- tion, and very liberally endowed, its revenues being upwards of ,1200. per annum. In it are taught the Hebrew, 43reek, Latin, French, Dutch, and German languages, besides writing, arithmetic, drawing, &c. ; there are several masters, and though education may be obtained here gratis by the children of the inhabitants, but very few comparatively are sent. In 1626, the inhabitants of Wol- verhampton obtained a decree of Chancery against the Merchant Taylors Company, which declares this school free for all England : in a subsequent cause, the management was vested in the Bishop of Lichfield, Sir E. Littleton, Bart, the Hon. Edward Monckton, and others, as trustees. The present school (in John-street), is a HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 173 handsome brick building, "'erected by the Merchant Taylors Com- pany in 1794, with houses for two masters : the Rev. William Tindall is the present head-master. There are also two charity- schools, and an hospital for a priest and six old women. The increasing communication between England and Ireland has of late years rendered Wolverhampton a great thoroughfare, it lying in the direct road from London to Holyhead, and about mid- distance. The intercourse with Manchester and Liverpool is also considerable, owing to constant conveyances between those towns and Birmingham. Grazeley, situated near the road leading from Wolverhampton to Stourbridge, is the property of James Perry, Esq. The field called Ab-low-field took its name from a low or tumulus near Grazeley- brook, on which was planted a bush called Iseley-cross. Near Grazeley is a very ancient place called the Lea, occupied for many generations by the family of Waring, but now part of the Grazely estate. A short distance from Lea is Merrydale, the seat of William Hayrick, Esq. and nearer Wolverhampton, on the road to Worcester, stand the newly-erected mansion of the Rev. G. W. Kempson, one of the Magistrates for this county, and an elegant villa lately built by Mr. Jno. Mander, of Wolverhampton. Dunstall Hall, an ancient castellated mansion, with a moat and gateway, one mile north-west of Wolverhampton, was formerly the property of the Wightwicks, but has been many years occupied as a farm-house : J.ames Hordern, Esq. of Wolverhampton, lately pur- chased it with the demesne of 260 acres. Stow-keath Manor, which comprehends the east part of the town- ship of Wolverhampton, with Bilston, and part of Willenhall, was an ancient domain of the Crown, but now belongs to the Giffard and Leveson Gower families.* BILSTON is a large and populous place, three miles south-east of Wolverhampton, and though generally comprehended within that parish, is a distinct township as to all parochial purposes : it is prin- cipally inhabited by manufacturers of japanned and other wares, and colliers and workmen employed in the extensive iron-works established here. A branch of the Tame passes through Bilston, and a long line of the Birmingham canal intersects the parish, by which an active and constant communication is kept up with all * The detached hamlets and prebends generally connected with Wolverhamp- ton, are merely so by some manorial and ecclesiastical ties, having distinct places of worship, parochial and other assessments. 174 A TOPOGRAPHICAL parts of the kingdom : the great London road to Holyhead passes through it. Bilston has been long celebrated for its vast mines of coal, iron-stone, quarry-stone, and clay : here are also numerous furnaces for smelting iron ore, forges, and slitting-mills. It has been asserted that more iron is made in Bilston-fields than in the whole kingdom of Sweden. The Chapel, dedicated to St. Leonard, is a perpetual curacy within the exempt jurisdiction of Wolverhampton, but the right of nomination is vested in the inhabitants at large : it is a neat modern edifice, fitted-up with much taste. A sharp contest for this curacy took place in 1813, which was decided in favour of Mr. Leigh by a great majority. Here are also two Dissenting chapels, and an excellent charity-school. MINES. The strata in the mines now working at Bradley, near Bilston, are as follow : Depth. Ft. In. 6 6 21 No. STRATA. 1. Surfacesoil, 1 2. Clay and ratch, 9 3. Clunch, 2 4. Iron-stone, 5. Clunch, 2 6. Iron-stone, 2 7. Soft clay, 2 8. Dark batty clunch, .... 3 9. Gray jointy rock, 4 10. Iron-stone, 1; 11. Rockbinds with iron-stone, 4 12. Soft parting, 1 13. Strong black rock, 4 14. Dark clunch, 7 15. Iron-stone, 5 J6. Dark clunch with ironO ^ Q stone, } 17- Ditto fuller of iron-stone, 10 18. Soft clay, 1 8 19. Batt, 2 3 20. Brooch coal, 3 6 21. Fireclay, 4 22. Black iron-stone, 1 23. Black earth, I 6 24. Iron-stone, 2 25. Black earth & iron-stone, 1 6 26. Iron-stone, 1 5 STRATA. Brought over, .... 56 27. Rockbinds with iron-stonelO 28. Dark earth, with iron-") stone, / 29. Rockbinds, with iron-stone 9 30. Peldon, ................ 4 31. Gray rock, ............ 23 32. Dark clunch, .......... 2 5 ~ A 6 To the main Coal, 110 5 33. White coal, ............ 3 34. Tow coal, .............. 2 3 35. Benches & brazils, ____ 4 6 36. Foot coal, ............. 2 3 37. Slip batt, .............. 2 3 38. Slips, ................. 2 3 39. Stone coal parting, ---- 4 40. Stone coal and patchels, 4 6 41. Penny coal, ............ 6 42. Springs and Slippers, . . 4 6 43. Humfrybatt, .......... 4 44. Humfries, ............. 2 3 Main Coal Stratum, 28 11 Upper Stratum, ..110 5 Whole Depth, .... 139 4 The surface soil is a gravelly loam : No. 2, is generally rubbish, but in some places the clay will make brick; No. 3, clunch, a moul- 4k HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 173 dering argillaceous schistus, of no value, which falls into a slack- coloured powder ; No. 4, and the other stratum of iron-stone, as may easily be conceived, will not pay for getting, unless in- cumbent or appendant to some other useful strata which are got for use ; the rocks, No. 9 and 31, are of no particular value, except to mend roads, and for burr walls ; No. 20, brooch coal, is useful, and sometimes got j the thicker strata, No. 15, 16, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, are got so far as they will pay for getting ; No. 30, peldon, contains nodules of hard, basaltic, durable stone, too hard to cut, and of no use except for rough walls, or to mend roads, or for pavements. Of the Coal Stratum. The white coal is very good, either for shops or other use ; the tow coal and brazils are good furnace coal, and the other strata are characterized further on. In working these mines, the coal is generally raised up the shafts in skiffs or skips, by the force of a small steam-engine called a whimsey : these skiffs, when loaded, weigh from half a ton to fifteen hundred weight each, more or less. The shaft is sunk through the different strata, and to the bottom of the main coal. The opening, called the gateway, is the first work of the miners after sinking the shaft : it is made in the under-stratum of coal, from 8 to 10 feet in height, 9 feet wide, and is carried through the whole extent of the work : excavations, called stalls, are then opened from the gateway, from whence the coal is got for use, leaving sufficient pillars between the stalls to support the roof. The skiffs are loaded in the stalls, and drawn to the shafts by horses, which are let down the shafts and kept in the mines for that purpose ; the under- stratum of coal is got first, after which the incumbent strata are let down more easily in large blocks, and afterwards broken smaller by pikes or wedges : long iron prongs are used to force down the upper coal when it cannot safely be come at with the pick, and scaffolds are raised to bring the workmen in contact with the upper coal. The thickness of coal here, including the brooch coal, exceed* 10 yards, and a cubic yard of coal weighs about a ton, so that this mine contains, in its perfect parts, 10 tons of coal to each square yard of surface on the earth, which would be upwards of 48,000 tons per acre ; about one-third is left in pillars, and a good deal lost in rubbish, besides which there are often faults, and defective parts, containing extraneous matter, so that it is reckoned very good work if 20,000 tons are raised for use from an acre, which is supposed. t , *76 .31 A TOPOGRAPHICAL to be sometimes done, and more generally from that down to 12,000 tons per acre ; but this is to be understood of the old mine only : the new mine, taken in all its practicable parts, is supposed to be quite equal to the old mine in coal, and much superior to it in iron- stone, as strata of good coal are asserted to have been discovered lower down. The following is an accurate account of the strata in a mine at Catch-em/s-Corner, near Bilston, in a coal-pit-field upon the estate of Joseph Lane, Esq. for which we are indebted to Mr. George Jones, an experienced miner and engineer. Depth. No. Ft. In. 1. Surface soil, gravelly loam, 1 2. Red clay, rubbish unfit for brick, 51 3. Sandy and gravel, 6 4. Clunch, a friable argillaceous schistus of no use, mouldering-* into a dark blue earth, J 5. Rockbinds, harder than crunch, but somewhat similar, .... 15 Depth to the Coal, 76 3 6. White coal, very good shop coal, 3 7. Tow coal, best furnace coal, 2 8. Brazils, very good furnace coal, 3 6 9. Batt, hard useless rubbish, 2 10. Foot coal, very good, 2 6 1 1 . Hob and jack, rubbish with nodules of iron-stone, 10 12. Slip coal, moderately good, 2 13. Stone coal, good, but with stone intermixed, 3 14. Patchels, moderately good coal, 2 15. Sawyer coal, very good, . 2 6 16. Slipper coal, equal to the last, 3 4 17. Batt, a useless clayey substance, 4 18. Humfries, good coal, with waste matter intermixed, 2 6 Depth to the bottom of the main Coal* 1 13 1 This is the old mine, which has been worked many years: the dif- ferent coal strata are in thickness 26 feet 4 inches at this place. At Bradley they are, including the brooch coal, upwards of 30 feet; and towards Tipton, where the flying reed or upper coal joins the main coal, the strata of coal united considerably exceed 10 yards in thickness, but it is there deeper be- neath the surface of the earth. Very important discoveries have been recently made beneath the main coal, and inexhaustible supplies of iron-stone have been found, equal in quality to any before known, and more abundant in pro- portion to its surrounding extraneous matter : different strata of useful coal have been also found. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 177 Feet. In. JVb. Brought forward, Bottom of the main Coal, 113 1 19. Blue and white clay, useless, 5 3 20. Gubbin-stone measure, iron-stone with rubbish intermixed, 2 9 21. Table batt, a rubbishy schistus, 5 22. Gray chinch, some iron-stone intermixed, 16 9 23. Heathen coal, good, 2 6 24. Fire clay, and clunch, > The ^ t r e fi;e%?af4 t h () tb e ( 7 7 25. Rockbinds, and rubbish, . ^taUjhrftate tothat ^ 7 26. Soft clunch, and batt, ) bridge. (20 27. Rubble coal, intermixed with batt, 2 4 28. Rockbinds, an useless schistus, 3 2 29. Strong white rock of no particular value, 5 1 30. Peldon, a hard basaltic durable stone, too hard to cut, but"! g j fit to mend roads, . . . . . S 3 L Rockbinds, same as No. 28, 17 3 32. New mine iron-stone measures in two strata, 3 3 33. Dark clunch, useless, 9 34. Light clunch and penny-stone, iron-stone intermixed, 6 35. Sulphur coal, not used, 2 6 36. Fire clay and clunch rubbish, of no value, 16 9 37. Rockbinds, similar to Nos. 28 and 31, 2 9 38. Strong white durable rock, . . . .-^ ^ 6 1 39. Grayrock, 1 I 3 4 Vof no particular value < 40. Strong hard rock, f ] 16 6 41. Grayrock, J V. 17 42. Clunch binds, an useless schistus, 9 43. New mine top coal, good coal intermixed with rubbish. . . 58 44. Parting batt, clay and rubbish, 6 45. Coal, olders, inferior coal, (holers from hole,) 1 10 46. Baby fire clay, rubbish, 5 9 47. Strong gray rock, useless, ,. 7 1 1 48. Rockbinds, of no value, 10 49. Dark clunch, ditto, 3 7 50. Fire clay coal, inferior, 4 11 51. Batt, useless, 8 52. Coal, but inferior, 2 9 53. Clunch and fire clay, a little used, 10 2 54. Thin coal, inferior, 1 4 55. Getting rock, containing iron-stone, 4 9 56. Strong gray clunch, useless, 1 4 57. Black basses, an inflammable substance, not used, 7 7 58. Poor Robin, iron-stone measure, good iron-stone, 3 6 59. Black basses, same as 57, 5 Carried forward, 356 1 z 178 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Feet. In. No. Brought forward, 356 1 60. White iron-stone measure, in nodules, part good, 3 6 6 1 . Bottom coal, moderately good, 1 6 62. Parting batt, or fire clay, 4 63. Lower coal, tolerably good, 5 3 Total Depth, ...... 366 8 Thus to this depth have been found below the main coal nine different strata of useful coal, being in thickness put together 28 feet 1 inch, and seven strata of iron-stone, generally of good quality ; three other strata of iron-stone h'ave also been explored beneath the above, of very good quality, viz. the ball-stone, the black-stone, and the blue flats, all very good iron-stones : there are, no doubt, other mines below, from the promising appearance of the intermediate strata. The mines of Bilston and its neighbourhood contain, in the old mines and the new, an abundant supply of iron-stone and coal, not to be exhausted in any reasonable given time, and new sources of supply have been ascertained, that will last beyond calculation : the long upper level of the Birmingham Canal passes through them in a zig-zag lengthened course, with collateral branches, and other canals in all directions, so as to accommodate every part at a small distance. The working of these mines has been carried of late years to a great extent ; not only the coal-trade, but the number of iron furnaces has been increased, and the business done at each of them much extended. Towards the latter end of the year 1815, and the beginning of 1816, considerable derangement and stagnation took place in some of these iron-works and mines, occasioned by a combination of un- fortunate causes and circumstances. The orders for iron by govern- ment were slackened, or suspended, in consequence of the general peace ; the war price of provisions had been high, and the miners* and colliers' wages raised in consequence to five shillings per day, and the iron sold too low to indemnify the masters' expences \ large issues of copper and silver tokens and paper-money were made to pay workmen's wages ; the tokens and paper-money fell into disre- pute, and some bankruptcies ensued, and others were distressed for means to go on, till many workmen were thrown out of employment, and were obliged to beg their bread. Some riots ensued, which were obliged to be quelled by the military. Owing to the continued depression of the coal and iron-trades, and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 179 consequent discharge of workmen, a number of colliers determined amongst themselves to make their case known to Government, and adopted the novel plan of yoking themselves to several waggons laden with coal, having previously drawn up a Petition signed by several Magistrates, which they intended to present to the Prince Regent, together with the coal. Accordingly, three teams of this description set out for the metropolis, each waggon having about 50 men yoked to it ; whilst others took different directions. One of the waggons proceeded by the route of Worcester, another by Coventry and Birmingham, and a third by Stourbridge. They proceeded at the rate pf about 12 miles a-day, and received volun- tary gifts of money, &c. on the road as they passed along, declining to ask alms : their motto, as placarded on the carts, being " Rather work than beg." To prevent their progress to the metropolis, police magistrates were sent from the Home-De- partment Office, who met two of the parties, one at St. Alban's and another near Maidenhead, and told the men that they had adopted wrong means to procure relief, and persuaded them quietly to return. They were allowed the value of their coals, which were left to be distributed to the poor, and sufficient means were given them to reach their homes. The conduct of these dis- tressed men was most exemplary : they listened with the greatest attention and respect to the advice of the Magistrates, and after obtaining a certificate of their good behaviour, returned with the waggons to their families and friends. A similar proceeding took place a few miles from Chester: the Magistrates of that city met the third team, dissuaded the men from further persisting in their ill-advised undertaking, anjl gave them o^SO. for the coal, with which they were perfectly satisfied, and immediately returned to their own neighbourhood. The novelty of this affair created some sensation in London. In 1811, Bilston contained 1,848 houses and 9,646 inhabitants. A particular species of sand is found at Bilston, of an orange colour, and so extremely fine as to be scarcely palpable: it is much used in the casting of metals. Here is also dug an excellent grit- stone, in great repute for setting the finer sorts of edge-tools. The quarry-stone lies in beds one above another (according to Plott) twelve beds deep, " every bed being thicker than that above it: the lower bed is about a yard thick, of which they make troughs, cisterns, &c. Some of the tables rise so large and even, that Mr. Hoo got one eight yards long, and not varying an inch in thickness : 180 A TOPOGRAPHICAL some of the stone is also curiously streaked black, whereof there are elegant patterns at Mr. Cough's, Perryhall." Bradley is a hamlet situated to the south of Bilston. Bradley- hall, an ancient possession of the Hoo family, is now converted into a farm-house : here is abundance of excellent coal arid iron-stone. In opening a colliery at Bradley, about four years since, the roof of the mine fell, and incarcerated a number of men and boys, all of whom, except one man, were extricated from their perilous situation, and providentially recovered, though they had been without food for several days. Sir Joseph Scott, Bart, of Barr, is one of the proprietors of this estate, in right of his wife, a daughter and co- heiress of Mrs. Whitby. Bradley Moor is remarkable for a curious phenomenon called the wild-fire, occasioned by a vein of coal having taken fire in the earth, which has continued to burn for a number of years, but it is now nearly extinct. Near Bradley are the extensive iron-works of Fereday, Smith, and Co. supposed to be the largest establishment of the kind in the world. The powers of the steam-engine, and other mechanical improvements, are here employed to great advantage in the wield- ing of ponderous hammers of two or three tons weight, and tiuge rollers are acted upon to separate the dross from the metal while in an almost fluid heat : castings of iron, weighing from ten to twelve tons each, are made in one piece, and bars of one to four inches thick, are sheared off with astonishing facility. The iron is here wrought from the ore to the nail-bar, and afterwards manufactured into a great variety of articles of convenience or commerce : many of the boats employed upon the canal are constructed of plates of iron. The hissing of the blast furnace, the clanging of hammers, the dusky appearance of the workmen, and the various operations upon unwieldy masses of red-hot iron, combine to excite an idea of terror in the spectator : " The ponderous hammer falls, Loud anvils ring amid the trembling walls. Strokes follow strokes, the sparkling ingot shines, Flows the red flag, the lengthening bar refines. Cold waves immersed, the glowing mass congeal, And turn to adamant the hissing steel." BYSHBURY, or Bushbury, is a pleasant though retired village, about two milts north-east of Wolverhampton : its ancient name, Bis- copesburie, seems to imply that it was once the seat or residence of some of the Mercian Bishops. In the time of William the Conqueror, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 181 this manor was held of William Fitz Ansculf, whose posterity as- sumed the name of Byshhury : it afterwards belonged to the Grosve- nors, and the Goughs, ancestors to the well-known antiquary of that name. Peter Tichborne Hinckes, Esq. of Tettenhall, is the present lord, who purchased the estate and mansion in 1790. The parish of Byshbury is divided into two distinct parts, Byshbury and Es- sington, each maintaining its own poor, and paying its quota to the church-rates : the liberty of Byshbury, including Moseley, is very extensive, and comprises nearly 6000 acres. At Byshbury-hall is still preserved a chair called the King's chair, in which Charles the Second sat during his concealment in this mansion. In 1770, the skeleton of a man in complete armour, supposed to have been one of Charles the First's cuirassiers, was found by some workmen employed in cleansing a pit in an adjoining field. The Church, dedicated to the assumption of the Blessed Virgin, is an ancient stone edifice, surmounted by a massy embattled tower. The nave is spacious, and rests upon two pointed arches on short hexagon pillars on the north, and four similar arches on the south side : the chancel, more modern than the rest of the building, is large, lofty, and handsome, particularly the roof, which is con- structed of oak, supported by curiously-carved flying buttresses. This church contains monuments of the families of Moseley, Huntbach, Hellier, Leacroft, Whitgreave, Gough, and others, in- cluding that to the memory of Thomas Whitgreave, Esq. the cele- brated protector of Charles the Second. About fifty years ago, the monument of Hugh Byshbury was opened, and found to contain a stone coffin with a skeleton, and a silver chalice, now used in the communion service. On the north side of the chancel is a mural monument erected by Mr. Huskisson, M. p. to the memory of William Huskisson, Esq. of Oxley, in the parish of Byshbury ; Elizabeth, his wife; and Richard, their second son, a naval surgeon, who died at Guadaloupe in the year 1794. It is inscribed as follows : Brave, sensible, humane, thy mind and heart Completely fashioned for the healing art, Led thee, young HUSKISSON, with guardian care To rescue valour from perdition's snare, Teaching the mariner in noxious seas To foil the hovering harpy of disease, Thy bolder pity labour' d to sustain The soldier drooping with contagious pain, Where death, that Nature to her rage might bend Robb'd her of thee, her salutary friend. 182 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Humanity and honour join'd in grief, Where they dejected lost thy dear relief. Paying to virtue their acknowledg'd debt, Gave thee a foreign grave with fond regret. A brother who in thee could once rejoice, (His bosom-friend by Nature and by choice,) Feels and records on this thy vacant tomb, Pride in thy worth, and anguish in thy doom. Byshbtiry is a vicarage in the patronage of some respectable families in the neighbourhood : in the year 1800, it was presented to the Rev. John Clare, A. M. who is also a Magistrate of the county : the Rev. Gentleman resides in the vicarage-house, erected by himself in a pleasant part of Byshbury-field. This village is sheltered on the east by a lofty hill, covered with a profusion of yew and other trees, over which, tradition asserts, the great London road to Chester once passed: from the summit of this hill (which is 650 feet above the level of the sea), is a very rich and extensive prospect. Byshbury has been much improved of late years : the soil is gravelly, with a dry and pure air. Byshbury liberty is chiefly occupied by opulent freeholders, who cultivate their own estates, which are in a high state of improve- ment. Richard Phillips, Esq. has a handsome house and offices on the upper or south part of the hill ; Oxley is the property of James Hordern, Esq. who purchased it of the Huskisson family in 1793 ; Wobaston, which gives name to one of the prebends of Wolver- hampton, has been a possession of the Forsters for several gene- rations ; Ford-houses, a newly-erected mansion, the residence of the owner, Lewis Clutterbuck, Esq. ; and Low-hill, a neat and modern villa, the property and residence of Richard Pountney, Esq. all deserve notice as so many objects of rural beauty, inde- pendent of their pre-eminence in agricultural improvement. There are several other ancient seats within the lordship of Byshbury, and amongst them Old -fallings, occasionally occupied by John Gough, Esq. A great Low or tumulus (says Huntbach) is still visible here ; and Plott has fixed another of these places of sepulture (of Roman erection), in a field called Gun-birch, anciently Birchen Leasow, from the circumstance of part of the bolt of a catapulta having been found in its vicinity, before alluded to. Moseley is a constablewick in the parish of Byshbury, and con- tains between five and six hundred acres. Here is a neat mansion, the property of Mrs. Horton, who owns part of the estate. The other HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 183 part of Moseley belongs to T. H, F. Whitgreave, Esq. in whose ancient seat Charles the Second found an asylum after the battle of Worcester : Moseley is still the family-mansion. Mr. Whitgreave retains a domestic chaplain, and a small building is appropriated as a place of worship for the Catholics in the neighbourhood. Essington. This manor comprehends the north-east part of the parish of Byshbury, and chiefly belongs to the Vernons, of Hilton. Some remains of an ancient residence of the De Essingtons, for- merly seated here, may still be traced. Essington-wood and the Snead-commons (about 1000 acres) have been inclosed, and are now under cultivation. A branch of the Wyrley and Essington canal passes over these commons : a coal-mine has been worked upon the former for time immemorial. The uplands command some good prospects. A very fine species of sand was some years ago discovered upon an estate in this neighbourhood, which possesses some of the qualities of the Lemnian earth. Some curious pebbles have also been found at different times : Dr. Plott describes a " valuable" one picked up on Coven-heath. An attempt to esta- blish here a manufactory of emery from ground pebbles, failed. TETTENHALL lies about two miles west of Wolverhampton : Cam- den says this place before the Conquest was called Theotenhall, i. e. the House of the Pagans. A great battle is said to have been fought between Tettenhall and the Wergs, where, in a field called Low- hill-field, a large tumulus is still to be seen. In 911, Edward the Elder defeated the Danes at Tettenhall : Plot notices some exten- sive remains of a Danish encampment in Wrottesley-park. The Church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a Royal free chapel, and enjoys all the privileges of such peculiars : it contains several monuments of the Wrottesley and other families. Sir John Wrottes- ley, Bart, is patron, and the Rev. Charles Wrottesley, his brother, the present officiating minister. In the steeple is a peal of five bells. The following is an accurate account of the civil state of Tetten- hall parish in 1780. Tettenhall is divided into four prebends: 1. Tettenhall prebend ; containing the village, with Tettenhall-wood, Compton South, and Autherley East. 2. Pirton prebend; containing Pirten, Trescote, and Wightwiek. 3. Wrottesley prebend ; contain- ing Wrottesley, the Wergs, Dipton's Farm, and Kingswood. And 4, Pendeford prebend ; including Bilbrook, Lane-green, Barnhurst, Cronk-hall, Palmer's-cross, and part of the Birches. The whole parish is now inclosed, and contains about 8000 acres of inclosed land, with upwards of 200 of woodland. The number of houses 184 A TOPOGRAPHICAL was then 332, and of inhabitants about 2000, which may be in- creased from 5 to 13 per cent. The register commenced in 1602 : in the first ten years there were 226 births and 169 burials, and in the ten years ended 1804, 526 births and 425 burials, the increase in that time being as 2 to 5. 'ihe population principally consists of persons employed in agri- culture, with a few locksmiths : there is a good resident gentry. Tettenhall may be considered extremely healthy, the births to the deaths being as 5 to 4 : here are no dissenters or Roman Catholics. There are two rivulets oj^ijfrall rivers. The Penk rises in Penk- ridge-well meadows, and JKlLthrough Wrottesley and the Wergs to the Dam-mill and Pendfcl&d, near which it meets a stream from Chillington : these stream? form a pool to Pendeford-mill, and pass through the Pendeford estate to Breewood parish. The Smestall comes from the Culwell, Wolverhampton, and the Showell moat at Byshbury, takes a soutti-west direction through Tettenhall and Compton, where it works a mill, and another at Wight wick, and then passes on for the Severn. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal summit is north of Compton, where the lockage begins with a fall of about 350 feet to the Severn, The face of the country is generally nearly level, with gentle eminences and easy valleys, excepting a cliff or precipice, which runs through the village and along Tettenhall-wood to Wightwick; the land to the west keeping the level of its summit, and that to the east being the valley of the Smestall and of the Caiial, whence it rises gradually to Wolverhampton. The perspective from Tettenhall-wood is extremely picturesque : the ridge of the cliff above Tettenhall church-yard commands a bold and extensive view of Wolverhampton, and the surrounding country. The prospect frbm the newly-erected mansion of Joseph Pearson, Esq. Barrister-at-Law, is diversified and beautiful ; and the seats of Francis Holyoake and P. T. Hinckes, Esqs. are not inferior in point of situation, or the extent of charming scenery which they embrace. The upland of this parish is generally a sound gravelly loam, more or less strong, with an admixture of pebbles, and an under- stratum of clay, sand, gravel, or rock : the lowlands generally a four-foot stratum of peat upon gravel, but drained into meadow-land. There is a fine square grove of 80 elms upon Tettenhall-green, of 90 years* growth, some of which contain upwards of 100 feet of timber : the Wrottesley estate has some good coppices of oak. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 185 COMPTON is a small village to the east of Tettenhall-wood, con- taining several farm and other houses, with a wharf and some warehouses on the Canal. The mansion and demesne of Wight- wick, to the south-west, have been purchased by P. T. Hinckes, Esq. of Tettenhall-wood. Aldersley consists of two farms, also the property of this gentleman. Here the Birmingham Canal commu- nicates with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire, forming what is called the Aldersley junction. PENDEFORD is situated upon the Penk, and consists of the man- sion of Thomas Fowler, Esq. three farm-houses, a few tenements, and about 1000 acres of land : the estate is well timbered, and con- tains free-stone. WROTTESLEY, about two miles west of Tettenhall, is the seat of the Wrottesleys, whose ancestors have possessed it for many cen- turies. The house stands upon a rising ground, and was erected about 1696 by Sir Walter Wrottesley : it is a large and magnificent structure. This family trace their descent from Sir Hugo de Wrot- tesley, Knt. (1 Henry III.) to the present Sir John Wrottesley, Bart. M. P. for the city of Lichfield in 1799. He married, in 1795, Caroline, eldest daughter of the Earl of Tankerville, by whom he has issue. Nurton and Perton are small hamlets belonging to the Wrottes- ley family : Trescote contains nothing remarkable. A dreadful thunder-storm, with hail, happened in this neighbour- hood, on the 18th August, 1742, which completely threshed-out the growing corn, and occasioned much damage : the hail-stones re- mained under the roofs of buildings for several days. On Thursday, December 27, 1799, at Tettenhall-wood, Fahren- heit's thermometer stood 8 above zero, dr 24 below the freezing point : the cold was equally intense in January, 1814. CODSALL is a small village and parish, picturesquely situated on an eminence, to the south of Tettenhall : the manor forms part of Tettenhall Clericorum, and belongs to the Wrottesleys. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is a curacy in the patronage of that family, several of whom are buried here. In the church-yard is a handsome monument to the memory of Nathaniel Barrett, Esq. On the road leading to Tettenhall, is the Birches, belonging to J. T. Stubbs, Esq. ; about half a mile to the west of the village, the Stockings, a good house and estate, the property of Mr. Bedford ; and near it, Wood-hall, an ancient family-seat of the Deanes, but now tenanted. 2 A ' 186 A TOPOGRAPHICAL At BILBROOK, iu the parishes of Codsall and Tettenhall, Mr, J. Egintou has lately erected a handsome house, and introduced upon his estate all the improvements of modern agriculture. Oaken, a hamlet in this parish, contains two elegant mansions, occupied respectively by the Dowager Lacjy Wrottesley and Chris- topher Wood, Esq. Codsall-wood is an extensive waste adjoining Chillington-park- wall and Shropshire. Near Codsall-wood is a remarkable sulphur or brimstone well, which springs up through the hollow stump of a tree, and runs down the road, leaving a yellowness on the moss resembling flour of brimstone : in warm dry weather it emits a sul- phureous exhalation. It is reckoned salutary in scorbutic cases. OVER PENN, a pleasant village, two miles south of Wolverhamp- ton, commands some extensive prospects of the surrounding country. The church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, is a vicarage in the patronage of the Bishop of Lichfield : it was repaired in 1765, when the tower, of brick, was erected. Here is a charity-school for the poor children of Penn, founded by the Rev. Charles Wynn, vicar of this place in 1714 ; ajid alms-houses for five poor persons, endowed by Mrs. Ann Sedgwick, 1761. The Marquis of Stafford is lord of the manor. South of this village, is The Lloyd's (in old deeds Luyd and Lyde), the property and residence of R. B. Marsh, Esq. Nether Penn comprehends the west side of the parish, which ex- tends to Trescote-grange. Finchfield, and Castlecroft on the Canal, are also included in this parish : the former is the property of the Pershouse family, and the latter has been purchased by Mr. Joseph Tarratt, of Wolverhampton. The Bates, of Penn and the Leasowes, possess considerable property in this parish, mostly in their own occupation. Here is Muckall Hall, the property and resi- dence of Wm. Thacker, Esq. with that of Mr. Burne, and several other respectable occupants. The modern system of farming is attended to, and the neighbourhood is in an improving state. WOMBOURNE is an ancient village, in a low and recluse situa- tion, four miles from Wolverhampton : Dr. Wilkes derives its ety- mology from Won and Bourne, and thinks that a victory was ob- tained over the Danes on the adjacent common, from the lows still remaining there. The manor was purchased by the Wrottesley family in the reign of Charles the First, and has lineally descended to its present representative. The church is a vicarage, dedicated to St. Benedict : the presentation has lain dormant since the death of the last vicar, the Rev. Joseph Honeybourn, in 1760. It is an HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 187 ancient structure, with a spire, surmounted by the figure of a large dragon : the interior was repaired and modernized, and an organ added, by Sir Samuel Hellier, Knt. The land of Wombourne is generally alight sandy or gravelly loam, remarkable for the early produce of vegetables and corn ; and extensive garden and nursery-grounds have long been culti- vated here. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Ganal passes through Wombourne parallel to the Smestall water, on which has been erected an iron-work called the Heath-forge, with a genteel mansion. The Woodhouses were long settled in this parish : they took their name from an estate so called, which afterwards passed to the Helliers, one of whom, Sir Samuel Hellier, greatly improved the estate and mansion ; but dying, in 1792, they devolved upon the Rev. Thomas Shaw Hellier, whose son, James Shaw Hellier, Esq. is the present occupier and owner. The house is situated in a very retired and picturesque valley. Overton or Orton, a hamlet in Wombourne parish, contains two or three good farm-houses, and other tenements. TRYSULL is a small village on the banks of the Smestall. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient edifice with a small stone tower, on which is sculptured the figure of a bishop. The manor belongs to the Wrottesley family. The waste land in this parish, formerly very considerable, has been inclosed : the upland is a light sandy soil. SEISDON is a small village or hamlet on the Smestall water, and remarkable for giving name to this hundred, for which no adequate authority can now be adduced. Here is a narrow bridge of several arches over the Smestall. In this parish is the ancient fortification called Apewood Castle : it stands on a lofty round promontory, the whole extent of the ridge for a mile together having hollows cut in the ground, and appa- rently forming one continued line of defence, the two hills at each end being the principal bastions. Plot conjectures it to have been a British work. Near Seisdon-common is a large triangular stone called the War stone ; and at a short distance, a small square camp with a single trench. PATTINGHAM is a pleasant village, situated to the north of Try- sul and west of Tettenhall. The church is a vicarage in the patro- nage of the present incumbent : it is a neat Gothic fabric, with a stone tower. The interior was repaired and newly-pewcd a few 188 A TOPOGRAPHICAL years since : near it is an ancient stone cross, and a good par- sonage-house. The manor, and great part of the land, belong to the Pigot family. The village stands on a rocky bottom, and the lands about it are for the most part light and sandy. Pattingham is supposed to be a very ancient place, from the circumstance of several Roman relics having been discovered here at different times, particularly a valuable torques of gold, found in the year 1700, and a small pig of gold in 1780. PATTESHULL is a small village about two miles north-west of Pattingham. The church, a curacy in the gift of the Pigots, is an elegant Grecian fabric, erected by Sir John Astley, and contains several good monuments. The parish consists of Patteshull, Burn- hill-green, and Westbach, and contains several farm-houses and small cottages : it is in general level flat land, sandy, gravelly, or marly, producing all kinds of grain and pulse, and is chiefly ma- nured with lime. The air of Patteshull is pure and healthy, the deaths not exceeding one in eighty annually. The mansion and demesne at Patteshull have always been consi- dered as pre-eminetly picturesque, and art has been successfully employed in heightening and embellishing the beauties of nature : the aspect is various, the soil fertile, and trees of every species vegetate in great luxuriance. The park contains within its walls 341 acres. Sir John Astley sold this estate, with Pattingham, to Lord Pigot, for o100,000. whose celebrated diamond paid for it. Snowdon pool, a very fine piece of water, is on this deme'sne. HIMLEY is a pleasant village, delightfully situated six miles south of Wolverhampton, on the road to Stourbridge. Here is the splendid seat of Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward, who is lord of the manors of Sedgley, Himley, Swindon, King's Swinford, and Rowley Regis. The mansion is a noble structure, situated in the midst of an ex- tensive and rich park, abounding with deer, having at a proper dis- tance in front a magnificent sheet of water, and in the back ground, close on the left, a steep rocky hill, finely clad with ancient and modern foliage ; while, to the right, the woods and hills gradually arise towards the horizon, where the spire of Sedgley church, an4 windmill towards Dudley, raise their lofty heads amidst the pictu- resque scene, charmingly secluded by a barrier of hills from the ma- nufacturing country beyond. From the upper part of the park, the woods and water on the right appear to great advantage. Over ihe house the village church is a pleasing object, and the rising HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 199 back-ground over Swindon common and Ashwood is richly termi- nated by the distant hills and woods of Enville, The interior of the house consists of a spacious hall or dining- room, well furnished with pictures, &c. on the left of which is a billiard-room, and beyond that the library. The opposite wing consists of a large and elegant music-room, decorated with full- length portraits of the late Lord and Lady Dudley, &c. and fur- nished with one of the best private organs in the kingdom. Himley has frequently been the scene of rejoicing and festivity upon public occasions. The King's e*scape from assassination, in. 1786, and several of our great naval victories, were celebrated here by illumination, fire-works, &c. But the noble owner is not more conspicuous for his loyalty than for benevolence of heart. In 1792, no less than 1000 poor persons in the neighbourhood were regu- larly relieved by him ; and his Lordship's princely donations to the subscriptions in London, and in this county, (1816), for the relief of the poor, besides innumerable acts of private charity, entitle him to the thanks of his countrymen, and the enviable appellation of the Poor Man's Friend. The following lines, written by W. T. Fitzgerald, Esq. are fixed against an old yew-tree, in a walk near the house : This stately yew, which has for ages stood, The gloomy monarch of its native wood, .Perhaps some Norman Baron planted here, Who liv'd by rapine and who rul'd by fear ; The tree a symbol of its master's mind, Emblem of death, and fatal to mankind ! Beneath its boughs no verdant plants are seen, Its baneful branches poison every green : And thus the feudal tyrant's hated reign, Oppress'd the village and laid waste the plain. To these dire scenes a happier age succeeds, No despot threatens, and no vassal bleeds. At HIMLEY now, the poor man finds relief, Forgets his poverty, and checks his grief, Raises his languid eyes and drooping head To bless the liberal hand that gives him bread ; While in the mansion mirth and song attend, To cheer the stranger, and delight the friend. But still the yew, though hastening to decay, Retains the venom of its pristine day ; Its branches still their gloomy nature show, And frown upon the cheerful scene below. Besides this aged yew, there are many other remarkable trees 190 A TOPOGRAPHICAL of this and other species, particularly some large oaks, and several fine specimens of forest scenery. . The beautiful and extensive wood called Baggeridge, adjoining, is intersected with commodious carriage roads, and well stocked with pheasants. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a rectory in the patro- nage of ,the Dudley family : it is a plain fabric of brick whitened and was built in the year 1764 by the late Lord Dudley and Ward. The parsonage-house is an excellent brick building, with a good garden. The soil in the neighbourhood of Himley is a light sandy loam, in high cultivation. To the west is the village and hamlet of Swindon, also a light sandy soil : here are an iron-works, some forges, and a blade-mill, where, by a peculiar temperament of the iron, it is formed into scythes, sickles, axes, &c. The navigable canal passes through Swindon. In 1796 a common of 1100 acres in this hamlet was in- closed, and it is now good turnip and barley land: the hilly parts have been planted, and are very picturesque. Dudley Castle, the ancient residence of the Dudleys, was built by Dudo, an English Saxon, about the year 700, and stands on a lofty hill of lime-stone rock, the sides of which were formerly so well covered with trees, as to obtain it the appellation of " the Castle in the Woods. The prospect from the summit of the hill on which the Castle stands is extensive and beautiful, including the counties of Worcester, Stafford, Derby, Leicester, Warwick, Salop, Hereford, and part of Wales, the woods of Enville and Himley, with the Castle and obelisk at Hagley : the Mai vern hills, the hills of Rowley, Clent, Abberley, the Cleys and Wrekin, are noble features in the scene : " Mountains on whose barren breast " The labouring clouds do often rest. " The buildings of the old castle encompassed an area of about an acre, surrounded by a strong wall flanked with towers : under the chapel is a large vault called the prison. During the Civil Wars this Castle was garrisoned for the King, and was one of the last that held out for Charles. In 1644, it was gallantly defended, during a three weeks' siege, by Colonel Beau- mont, till relieved by a detachment of the King's forces from Worces- ter. In May, 1646, Colonel Levison surrendered it to Sir Willi- am Brereton, the Parliamentary General. In the valley are still HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 191 the traces of an entrenchment thrown up against it in Cromwell's time, and several cannon-balls, some of them 32-pounders, have been found among the ruins. It was for several years after this inhabited by the lords-keepers, the plantations kept in order, and the park within the walls well stocked with deer. In 1750, a set of coiners took refuge in the buildings, which were either wilfully or accidentally destroyed by fire. It is now quite neglected, and forms a very picturesque ruin. William, the present Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward and Baron of Birmingham, was born January 21, 1750, succeeded to his honours and estates October 8, 1788, and married Miss Julia Bos- ville, by whom he has isue one son, John William, who is seated in Parliament for Ilchester. In the lime-stone quarries near this place are found a variety of fossils and marine substances in a state of petrifaction, particularly the Dudley locust, a water insect ; the cornu ammonis, a worm coiled up ; astroites or star stones ; cockles, &c. which are frequently found in large masses. Here is that astonishing work, the Dudley Tun- nel, one mile and three quarters in length, cut through a hard rock ; and some stupendous caverns, where the lime-stone has been got, and conveyed away by means of this subterraneous canal. The village of SEDGLEY stands on high ground mid-way between Wolverhampton and Dudley. The parish of Sedgley is large and populous, including Gornall, Coseley, Ettingsal, &c. in all nine villages, containing 2000 houses and 12,000 inhabitants, chiefly consisting of lime-men, colliers, and nailers. Here are immense heaps of lime-stone, and skirtings of coal and iron-stone in abund- ance. The facility of water-carriage has greatly contributed to the increase of the coal and iron trade in this neighbourhood : the Dud- ley tunnel passes under the lime-stone hills. The church is a vicarage, dedicated to All Saints: it is an an- cient structure of rough stone, with a lofty spire, which forms a fine object in the surrounding landscape. Between Wolverhampton and Sedgley, is Sedgley Park, an an- cient seat of the Dudleys, which has been long used as a Roman Catholic seminary. There is a fine eminence to the south-east, on which was formerly a beacon, the summit of which still bears that name : the stratum of this hill is principally lime-stone. Here is a considerable estate belonging to the Petit family, called Et- tiagsal Park, which contains great quantities of lime-stone and iron-stone : it is occupied by Samuel Fereday, Esq. 192 A TOPOGRAPHICAL On the east side of the parish, adjoining the Canal, is a very extensive bed of excellent coal, in some of the mines fourteen yards thick, and intersected with different strata of iron-stone. At Cotwell End and Gornall, excellent grinding stones are dug: those at the latter place possess a coarser grit, and are generally used for setting thick-edged tools. The number of freeholders from this parish who voted at the contested election in 1747, was 753. There are three chapels for dissenters. On Monday, April 23, 1797, during a violent thunder-storm, a fire-ball fell into the chimney of a house occupied by Stephen Cox, a nailer, of Sedgley, whilst he and his wife were sitting by the fire-side, and their child was sleeping on a chair near them. Hear- ing an extraordinary noise in the chimney, the mother snatched up the child, and thereby saved its life, as the pillow upon which it had lain was scorched, and a great quantity of bricks fell near it. The electric fluid passed through two houses adjoining, and, attracted by a nail, penetrated into a back kitchen, and forced out a piece of the door, which appears as if cut with a knife : it partially melt- ed in its passage the wards of a lock and the key that was in it ; part of the lead in the windows of all the three houses was also melted, and a piece of one of the window-frames struck off. Ellers, on the west side of this parish, is a pleasing specimen of the taste of S. Fereday, Esq. in ornamental gardening : several varieties of the most delicious and highly-flavoured fruits are culti- vated in great profusion. SWINFORD REGIS, or KING'S SWINFORD, is so called from hav- ing been a domain of the Crown till the reign of John, who gave it to the Baron Dudley, in which family it has ever since continued. It is supposed to have taken its name from Sweyn, the Danish King, who was crowned King of England about the year 1000. The church is a rectory in the patronage of Lord Dudley. It is an ancient structure, with a massy square tower : over the principal south door is some curious rude sculpture. The interier contains several monumental inscriptions of the families of Corbyri, Hodgetts, and Bendy. The old parsonage-house stands at the east end of the village, and is in part moated. Near the middle of the village, encompassed by lofty walls, stands Bradley-hall, an ancient half-timbered mansion, with gable ends, transom windows, and other features of the grotesque archi- tecture of 1596, which date appears on its front. To the west is a HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 193 pleasant eminence called Summer-hill, where are several good modern houses ; and at a short distance, is Ashwood, an excellent house, erected by Lord Dudley, and formerly inhabited by Sir Joseph Scott. At Holbeach, Stephen Lyttelton, and others concerned in the Gunpowder Plot, were taken in 1605. About half a mile to the south, is Shutt-end, an ancient structure, the seat of the Bendys for many generations. Beyond this is Corbyns Hall, which took its name from the owners. In Pensnet Chase, near Bromley, is a brine spring, but the brine is too weak to make salt. Between Flotheridge-pool and GreenVforge/ are vestiges of a Roman camp or entrenchment : it is situated on a flat, had only a single ditch, and nearly reaches down to the Smestall. There are also two uniform stone barrows or tumuli, at Barrow-hill, in this parish, which, according to Plot, are petrifactions. On the north bank of the Stour, is Prestwood, formerly the seat of the Hon. Edward Foley, and now of his successors: it is a hand- some Gothic mansion, fitted-up with much taste. The grounds were laid out by the ingenious Mr. Repton : the situation is iched by hill and dale, wood and water, and possesses all the varieties of the landscape. Near Prestwood is a wire-mill, where the manufacture of iron- wire is carried on to a great extent. AMBLECOTE and BRIERLEY HILL have generally been consi- dered as part of Swinford, but having distinct places of worship, it may not be improper to describe them as one parish. Erdeswicke says, " being past Rowley, Stour receives a little brook which comes from Hales-Owen, and is from that place the bound between Worcester and Staffordshire until it comes to Stourbridge ; but be- fore it cometh there by a mile hath Amblecote standing on the north bank thereof." This place is described in an inquisition taken April 6th (2d Eliz.) with 10 messuages, 6 cottages, two water-mills, 200 acres of land, 100 of meadow, 1000 of pasture, 100 of wood, and 2000 of heath land. By an old deed, dated 46th Edw. III. it appears that coal and iron-stone were then raised here, and what is now known by e name of pit-coal was at that time called sea-coal. The coal-mines hereabouts are very extensive, and the strata thick : supposing J 20,000 tons to be raised every year, 2B som wer< enri vari. 194 A TOPOGRAPHICAL from 20 pits, they would not be exhausted in 1000 years. One- half of this valuable property belongs to Lord Dudley. Plot says, " the clay that surpasses all others is that at Amble- cote, on the banks of the Stour, of a dark bluish colour, whereof they make the best pots for the glass-houses of any in England; and it is so necessary to be had that it is sent to London both by land and water-carriage ; the goodness of which clay, and plenty of coal hereabout, no doubt has drawn the glass-houses into these parts, there being divers set up at Amblecote, Old Swinford, Hol- loway-end, and Cobourn-brook." This valuable mineral, or glass-house pot-clay, supposed to be found no where else in the known world, is about 150 feet below the surface., 'and 45 feet below the coal, to the extent of nearly 200 acres, but the best sort is only found upon about 48 acres: the stra- tum is about two feet and an half thick, of which the middle is the finest. The outside is carefully picked off, and used in copper mines. The principal proprietors are Lord Foley, who has three acres, Edward Hickman, Esq. twenty-three, and Mr. Waldron, twenty-one : Lord Dudley has also some clay in the neighbourhood. This clay is taken up in lumps of lOOlbs weight each, which are afterwards carefully washed, picked, and scraped by women. One yard is calculated to produce a ton, and 4000 tons a-year are got : it will fetch from 34s. to 44s. per ton. It is sent to most of the manufacturing towns in England, Ireland, and Scotland ; and con- siderable quantities are exported for the use of chymists, and fur- naces requiring very strong fires. The exportation of it as fuller's- earth is prohibited unless manufactured; on which account it is shaped like bricks, which may be ground down and used as clay. It possesses this peculiar excellency, that a pot made of it, with a proper heat, will melt almost any thing into glass, provided it be fluxed with proper salts. The largest pots made of this clay arc for crown glass, plate glass, broad glass and bottles, and hold from 15 to near 30 cwt. each ; those for flint glass and phials, from 5 to 10 cwt. each. The largest will last one or two months, the smallest from nine to twelve months. Broad glass has been manufactured here from the period of its first introduction into England from Lorraine and Normandy. The art of making glass is very ancient. Pliny* says, glass was first discovered by accident in Lydia, by certain merchants making a * Natural History, lib. 36. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 195 fire on the ground where there was plenty of the herb kali, the ashes of which mixing with sand, produced glass. Different vege- tables and minerals make different sorts of glass, and of various colours: the most valuable is a transparent red glass, which, some writers assert, contains gold. Crystal glass has long been made here ; but the art of cutting and engraving it, is a recent introduc- tion. The glass trade has considerably increased of late years, and is carried on with great spirit. A number of lofty and spacious glass-houses have been erected between this place and Stourbridge; and the vicinity contains many handsome houses and villas, belong- ing to manufacturers, most of whom have acquired large fortunes. Brierly-hill Chapel, a neat small structure, was built hy subscrip- tion, and finished in 1767, Kingswin/ord being the mother church : it stands on the summit of a hill, and forms an interesting object iu the distance. The Rev. Thomas Moss, A. B. was the first minister : he was afterwards minister of Trentham, and domestic chaplain to the Marquis of Stafford. This gentleman was author of the ce- lebrated little piece, entitled " The Beggar/' which, in its origi- nal state, and not as it has been given by Dr. Enfield, and copied from him into other works, we here insert. The alterations * cer- tainly take much from the force and beauty of the poem. PITY the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door, Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span, Oh ! give relief, and Heav'n will bless your store ! These tatter'd clothes my poverty bespeak ; These hoary locks proclaim my lengthen'd years ; And many a furrow in my grief-worn cheek Has been the channel to a stream of tears. Yon house, erected on the rising ground, With tempting aspect drew me from my road j For plenty there a residence has found, And grandeur a magnificent abode. Hard is the fate of the infirm and poor ! Here craving for a morsel of their bread, A pamper'd menial forc'd me from the door, To seek a shelter in an humbler shed. Oh ! take me to your hospitable dome j Keen blows the wind, and piercing is the cold ! Short is my passage to the friendly tomb, For I am poor and miserably old. * See Gent. Mag. Vol. LXX. p. 41. 196 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Should I reveal the source of every grief, If soft humanity e'er touch'd your breast, Your hands would not withhold the kind relief, And tears of pity could not be represt. Heav'n sends misfortune why should we repine ? 'Tis Heav'n has brought me to the state you see ; And your condition may be soon like mine, The child of sorrow and of misery. A little farm was my paternal lot, Then like the lark I sprightly hail'd the morn ; But, ah ! oppression forc'd me from my cot, My cattle dy'd, and blighted was my corn. My daughter ! once the comfort of my age ! Lur'd by a villain from lier native home, Is cast abaudon'd on the world's wide stage, And doom'd in scanty poverty to roam. My tender wife ! sweet soother of my care ! Struck with sad anguish at the stern decree, Fell lingering fell, a victim to despair, And left the world to wretchedness and me. Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door ; Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span, Oh ! give relief, and Heav'n will bless your store ! A vast trade in glass, &c. is carried on in the neighbourhood, which has heen greatly promoted by the Stourbridge canal. KINFARE or KINVER is a pleasant village on the west bank of the Stour, and chiefly consists of one spacious and well-paved street, containing many handsome and well-built houses. Kinver stands at the foot of an high hill or mountain called Kinfare-edge, and was formerly a market town of some importance : there is still a market-house or town-hall, though the market is now discontinued. Two fairs are annually held here on the 1st of May and 15th of December. The parish is situated near the south edge of the county, and adjoins Worcestershire: the Stour, and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, pass through it. The soil is generally light, sandy, or gravelly, with a range of meadows on the Stour. The Foleys, of Prestwood, are lords of the manor. Here is a well- endowed free school, but the name of the founder is unknown. On the south of Kinfare-edge is a small plain covered with sand, where are the remains of a camp of an oblong form, 300 yards long and 200 wide, with a single graff or ditch : tra- dition attributes it to the Danes. Mr. Shaw thinks it the work of Wulfer King of Mercia (659 to 675), on account of its posi- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 197 tion with respect to the adjoining country, the ditch securing it from any attack on the south, and the north side being naturally inaccessible : the glacis from the camp to the village, about a mile, forms an easy and regular descent. Bishop Lyttelton says, " the camp on Kinver-edge, which Dr. Plot imagines a work of the Danes, I make no doubt was British. The name Kin and Vaur signifies the great edge or ridge in the old Welsh or Irish. Just below the camp, on the east side, is a tumulus or barrow, environed with a little ditch : the tradition here is that this was the burial-place of an eminent commander." Dr. Stukeley describes a tumulus on Salisbury plain very similar to this, which he supposed to be Celtic. Near it, is also a large stone of a square figure, and tapering towards the top, about two yards in height, and four in circumference, having two notches on the summit: this stone is called Bastone or Boltstone. On the north side of this hill is a remarkable cavern, called Meg-6-fox-hole. The church is an ancient fabric, dedicated to St. Peter, and con- tains some good monuments to the families of Grey, Hampton, Hodgetts, Foley, Talbot, &c. : it is a perpetual curacy, the pre- sentation being vested in trustees. From the form of a window on the north side, Bishop Lyttelton thinks. that part of the edifice was erected prior to the conquest : the chapel adjoining the chan- cel he refers to the time of Henry the Third, when the Hamptons were lords here, and to whom the building is ascribed. The woollen manufacture is here carried on pretty briskly in narrow cloths, both coarse and fine, the latter of which are but little inferior in goodness to the western broads.* There are five other villages or hamlets in this parish, viz. Compton, Stourton, Hastcote, Dunsley, and Whittington. About a mile above Kinver (says Dr. Wilkes) is a place called the Hyde, where was the first mill for rolling or slitting iron that was erected in England. One Brindley, whose posterity long en- joyed it, went into Germany, and there acted the part of a fool, and by this means obtained this excellent machine, which has been so serviceable, and brought so much money into this country. At STOURTON is one of these rod-mills : the village stands on an eminence, having Stourton Castle to the south-east. Stourton Castle was anciently the property of the Hamptons, lords of Stourton, one of whom died possessed of it in 1472. The * Wilkes's MSS. 198 A TOPOGRAPHICAL celebrated Cardinal Pole was born in this castle in 1500. His descent was illustrious, being a younger son of Richard Pole, Lord Montague, cousin-german to Henry the Seventh. His mo- ther was Margaret, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, brother to Edward the Fourth. The early part of this prelate's education was conducted by a private tutor, from whose charge he was re- moved, at a proper age, to Magdalen College, Oxford. Having finished his studies here, he went into orders, and soon after pro- ceeded abroad to attend the foreign universities; during which time he was allowed a very handsome pension from Henry the Eighth, who likewise conferred upon him several benefices in com- mendam. In 1525 he returned to England, and was received by the king with distinguished marks of favour. His court influence, however, was but of short duration ; for having vigorously op- posed the divorce of Catharine of Arragon, he became so obnox- ious to Henry, that he was compelled to seek shelter in Italy, where he wrote his celebrated piece, intituled " De Unitate Eccle- siastical This work exasperated the English monarch so highly, that he not only deprived him of all his preferments, but even caused an act of attainder to be passed against him. He did not however sustain very material loss by this harsh conduct of his kinsman ; for the court of Rome immediately preferred him to se- veral benefices in Italy, and raised him to the dignity of a cardi- nal. Upon the death of Pope Paul the Third he was twice elected to the vacant throne, but declined the honour, because one elec- tion was too hasty, and the other made in the night-time. This truly commendable delicacy so much disobliged his friends, that they no longer afforded him their support, and in consequence the bishop of Paletrina obtained the papal see. Immediately after the bigotted Mary had ascended the throne of England, the at- tainder against the cardinal was repealed, and he returned with distinguished honour to his native country. His first act, upon his arrival, was to absolve the kingdom from the papal inderdict, under which it laboured on account of the apostacy of Henry the Eighth. He was now advanced to the archbishoprick of Canter- bury; but enjoyed this dignified station only a few months, having died on the 17th of November 1558, the same day on which Jhe Queen herself expired.* Stourton Castle was garrisoned during the Civil Wars, and sur- rendered to the King in 1644 : it is now tenanted. * Gen. Biog. Diet. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 199 The manor and castle of Stourton, with the hamlets of Comp- ton and Dunsley, belong to the Foley family, of Prestwood. At Whittington, an ancient hamlet in this parish, is an old man- sion and a grove of fine elms. ENVILLE. This parish, manor, and estate, has for two centuries belonged to the family of Grey, Earls of Stamford, who have here a magnificent residence. Erdeswicke calls it " a goodly manor and a park, standing north-west from Whittington and Kinfare, something more than two miles, where Thomas Grey, who died in the 20th year of Elizabeth, built a very proper brick house." Dr. Wilkes thus describes it in 1759 : " Harry, the present Earl of Stamford, having purchased several estates, so as to make the whole neighbourhood his property, and having married the Lady Mary Booth, by whom he had an immense fortune, has laid out many thousand pounds in beautifying these premises. This he has done with so much art and elegance, that few places in Eng- land can rival, and none exceed it, but has not yet meddled with the house." Since that period the mansion has been modernized. It is a handsome white structure, and though the greater portion of it is of modern erection, it still retains an air of antiquity. It consists of a centre, and two wings, the former receding considerably, and having an octangular tower at each end. The windows in this part of the edifice are formed by Gothic arches in the pointed style, and round the top runs an embattlement, which completely prevents the roof from being seen. The wings, which stretch themselves out from the towers, appear as modern erections ; and behind are several later additions, which, with the brick offices, are judiciously con- cealed from the view, so that the whole possesses an agreeable and uniform appearance. In front of this mansion extends a beautiful sloping lawn, which rises boldly on the left, and is adorned by a charming lake, skirted with foliage, and a few ornamental buildings. From the side of the water a path lies through a neat shrubbery, and leads to a fine cascade, formed by the celebrated Shen stone, who indeed originally designed the whole of this delightful scenery. At a little distance below the cascade, is a rural bridge, composed of only one plank, which crosses the stream, and is a very fine and picturesque object. Near this spot stands a small chapel, dedicated to Shenstone ; and having its windows embellished with various paintings on glass. This circumstance, together with the thick and gloomy umbrage 200 A TOPOGRAPHICAL in which it is enveloped, impresses the mind with a sentiment of peculiar solemnity. From hence the path extends through the wood, till at last it arrives at an open level, from which there is a view up a gently-ascending lawn, on whose summit is erected, with singular advantage, a handsome rotunda, overshadowed by a bold and lofty wood. The path now entering a part of this wood, leads to a verdant alley, opening into a sheep-walk, from a rising point of which, under a lofty yew, there are some of the richest and most enchanting prospects imaginable. At the extremity of the walk, stands the shepherd's lodge, a neat white Gothic edifice, shaded by a few trees, and partly used as an observatory by the noble owner,* from whence may be seen Bardon-hill, the Malvern and Cotteswold hills, the Wrekin, Clee-hills, and the Welsh mountains. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a rectory in the deanery of Lapley and Trysull : the Rev. Richard Wilkes is the present in- cumbent. The east window is adorned with several shields and coats of arms ; also with portraitures of St. John the Baptist, St. George and the Dragon, and the Blessed Virgin and Child. It contains many monuments and inscriptions in memory of the Greys, Moseleys of the Meer, and other families. The lid of a stone cof- fin with a cross, and the words ROGERUS DE MORF, inscribed upon it, was dug up in 1762, from beneath the west end of the church, whence it is supposed that the Morfe extended to this place, since a small village in the parish still retains the name of Morfe- town. A similar stone, much defaced, with a fleur-de-lis and a cross, likewise lies at the entrance of the porch, f Enville is famous for a variety of the black cherry, which pos- sesses a peculiar vinous flavour. Lutteley, in this parish, is supposed to have formed part of Kin- fare forest at the time of the Conqueror's Survey, as no mention is made of it at that period. The Meer, now the seat of Acton Moseley, Esq. is within the manor of Lutteley. The water from which this place takes its name, has been reduced by art and industry, and the part re- claimed converted into good arable and pasture land. The village and parish of BOBBINGTON is situated on the west- ern edge of the county, adjoining Shropshire, and about seven miles from Bridgnorth. Here are two large farm-mansions called Blacklands (formerly the residence of Mr. Levingston, the anti- Beauties of England and Wales, t Shaw's Hist, and Ant. of Staffordshire. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 201 quary),and Whittemore-hall ; and Bobbington-hall, the property of the Earl of Stamford. The soil is a stronger and moister loam than Kinver or Enville. The late Mr. Caswell bequeathed Bobbington- farm (charged with 101. annually to the curate of Bobbington), for the support of a certain number of scholars at Christ Church College, Oxford. The church is a perpetual curacy within the peculiar of Bridg- north : it is in the patronage of the Whitmores. OVER ARELEY is bounded on the north, west, and south by Shropshire, and on the east by Worcestershire, except a small neck to the north-east, where it joins Kinfare, being about four miles in length and one and an half in breadth : the Severn passes through this village, but visits no other part of the county. Areley continued in the possession of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, and his male descendants, from the time of Henry the Sixth to the year 1779, when Thomas, son of George Lord Lyttelton, the tenth in descent, gave it by will to his nephew, George Viscount Valentia, (son of his only sister, Lucy,) who resides here, and is the present owner. The family-mansion was re-built by the Lytteltons, about the year 1650, and is delightfully situated on the richly- wooded banks of the Severn. It has received much external im- vement from the taste of Lord Valentia, who is known to the literary world by a well-written volume of Travels. He mar- ried a daughter of the late Viscount Courtenay, by whom he has one son, George Arthur, born October 2, 1793 : his lordship is di- vorced from his lady. The church of Areley is an ancient struc- ture, dedicated to St. Peter, first erected by Henry de Port in the time of Henry I. and re-built in the reign of the first Edward. The nave is divided from the chancel by a range of pillars : the tower contains a peal of bells, and is a modern erection. The windows are decorated with some old paintings, and there is likewise a modern one by Mr. Eginton. In 1793, the interior was thoroughly repaired and beautified at the expence of Lord Valentia, who is patron. There is a very ancient monument to one of the Heckstans, and several of the Lytteltons. The ecclesiastical jurisdiction is vested partly in the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield, and partly in Lord Valentia: the former annually visit the church, prove wills, and audit the churchwardens' accounts, whilst the latter, by his right of presentation, institutes and inducts; so that Areley is strictly a donative, and exempt from episcopal or archdeaconical jurisdiction. 2 C wo pro 202 A TOPOGRAPHICAL On this part of the river (Severn), and higher up to Welsh- pool, the fishermen use a light kind of boat called a coracle, in which one man being seated will row himself with great swift- ness with one hand, whilst with the other he manages his net, angle, or fishing tackle : it is of an oval form, composed of sallow twigs interwoven round at the bottom, and covered on the outside against the water with a horse's hide. It is probable (says Mr. Shaw) these coracles were in general use among the Celtic nations in the earliest ages; and there is great reason to believe that the first inhabitants of Ireland had no other vessels to transport them either from Britain thither, or from thence to Scotland. The soil of Areley is in general a good clay loam, and from its situation and aspect well adapted to the cultivation of fruit. The hills are often rocky, with small fragments upon and near the sur- face : the surface-soil varies in colour from red to grey. Hops were formerly much cultivated here, but have lately been neg- lected. The names of the most remarkable buildings, are Areley-hall, Heckstones, Bromley, Bannut-tree, and Hawkbach : here is like- wise the eminence called Shatterfoot, and Seckley^wood, contain- ing about 600 acres. Excellent grindle-stones are dug at Heckstones, and quarries of lime-stone, and mines of coal, are in course of working. On the eastern verge of the village is an ancient Roman vicinal road called the Port-way, which probably led from Brennogenium (Worcester) to Uriconium (Wroxeter), and now forms part of the post road from Worcester to Shrewsbury. In Areley-wood are the re- mains of a large Roman camp, which is an exact square, with double, and on one side treble, ditches : it was probably the work of Ostorius, who fortified the banks of the Severn during his con- flicts with the Silures and Ordovices. Castle-field was perhaps so named from the Romans having en- camped there ; and a town and bridge are said to have once ex- isted at Hawkbach. Roman coins have been found on the spot. Rowley Regis forms a peninsulated promontory to this hundred, and consists of an extensive range of hills, bounded on the east and west by Worcestershire, on the south by Hales-Owen, and nortl by Tipton and West Bromwich, in Offlow hundred, except a small neck of land between Bradley and Dudley, which joins it to that of Seisdon. The manor belongs to Lord Dudley. This parish is principally composed of an insulated mountain, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 203 terminated by various peaks, pikes, or summits, the loftiest of which, called Turner's-hill, is the highest ground in the south of Staffordshire : the other points of Rowley are Oakham and Corney- hills. This mountain has for its basis a singular species of quart- zose stone of the basaltic or granite kind : it is called Rowley rag-stone, devoid of grit, and not at all calcareous. The church is a rude fabric of stone, and contains nothing re- markable : it is a chapelry annexed to Clent. In 1794 was found at Rowley, in pulling down a stone wall, an earthen pot of a globular form, which contained about 1200 Roman silver coins of 40 different sorts, many of them fine im- pressions of the Roman Emperors, and some of Galba and Otho. CLENT is composed of a group of lofty hills, bounded north and south by Worcestershire, east by Hales-Owen, Shropshire, and west by Brome, in this county : some particulars of Clent-hills, and the Rowley-stone, are given in the " General View of the County." The parish contains two manors, Upper or Church Clent and Nether Clent. Tradition asserts that the Romans and Britons had an engagement on Clent-heath, where are tumuli or lows. Clent is noticed by ancient writers as the place where Kenelm, King of Mercia about the year 820, was murdered by the orders of his elder sister Quendreda, but who failed in the object of her ambition, the Mercians having placed Cenulph, her uncle, on the throne. Shenstone pathetically recounts the fate of the " princely boy/' in his 23d Elegy. On the east side of Clent-hill is St. Kenelm's chapel, an ancient fabric, erected in memory of the royal youth of that name, who re- ceived the honour of canonization : the interior is plain, and con- sists of only one aisle. The tower is a very elegant piece of Go- thic architecture, richly adorned with niches and pinnacles : it is a donative of Hagley, and generally given to the rector of that place. At the east end of the chapel-yard is a fine spring, much resorted to in former times for its medicinal virtues. It is probable that Kenelm was murdered in the field called Cowbach, but buried here. Although this place consists of only a few farm-houses, and the roads to it are deep and bad, there is an annual fair for cheese, &c. on the 29th of July. At the wake here, called Kenelm's wake, there is a singular custom among the people of throwing- crabs at each other. The church, dedicated to St. Leonard, is a living in the presen- tation of the Crown, but the tithes of the rectory are in posses- 204 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. sion of J. Amphlett, Esq. of dent-hall, the vicar heing entitled to small tithes : it consists of one small aisle to the south, with a handsome stone tower (containing six bells) at the west end. The' whole body of the church is covered with wooden shingles, a sort of decoration common to the Saxon and early Norman churches. BROME. This village is situated on the west side of Clent, and takes its name from the great quantity of broom formerly grow- ing there. The church, a small neat structure, is a rectory, dedi- cated to St. Peter, in the patronage of Sir Joseph Scott, who owns an estate here, and the ancient mansion called Harborough, to which the Rev. Thomas Dolman, rector of Brome, succeeded by marriage with Mary, a younger daughter of Wm. Penn, of Har- borough, gent., Ann, the eldest, being wife of Mr. Shenstone, of the Leasowes, and mother of the celebrated poet of that name, who spent many of his juvenile hours in this village, and was a warm admirer of Miss Dolman, his cousin, of whom he sings in one of his earliest pieces, beginning " In Brome so neat in Brome so clean/* which Mr. Shaw has inserted at length. TOTMANSLOW HUNDRED. THIS Hundred is the northern division of the county, and contains that elevated district called the Moorlands, invaluable for mines of copper, lead, and coal, and remarkable for containing the sources of six rivers. Totmanslow hundred contains twenty-nine parishes and parish- churches, besides eleven chapels of ease belonging to the Establish- ment, and several meeting-houses or chapels for the Dissenters. -It is bounded on the north-east by Derbyshire ; on the south-east by the Hundred of Offlow ; on the south and south-west by Pirehill Hundred ; and on the north-west by Cheshire. This hundred contains 37,844 inhabitants, principally employed in agriculture, the silk manufacture, and working in the mines. This division of Staffordshire contains not only a great diversity of surface but of soil ; including the highest hills, some of them chiefly composed of rock, or overgrown with heath, and others rich in mines, or covered with trees ; and it also contains part of the fertile fields and meadows of Dove Vale, which is the boundary be- tween this county and Derbyshire. UTTOXETER Is a handsome market-town of Totmanslow South, situated on a gentle eminence, near the western bank of the Dove. It is 14 miles distant from Stafford, and 135 from London. In the year 181 1, Uttoxeter contained 605 inhabited houses, 628 families; 1376 males, and 1779 females : total of inhabitants 3155. This town is undoubtedly a place of great antiquity, and from its inviting situation on the bank of a river, was probably inhabited before the invasion of the Romans. The most ancient record in existence, however, is dated in the year 1252, when Earl Ferrers anted a Charter to the Burgesses of Uttoxeter. 206 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The situation of this town, on a dry and moderately-elevated soil, is equally pleasant and healthful ; it is considered favour- able to longevity, and is seldom visited by epidemical diseases. It contains fourteen streets and lanes. The houses in general are well built of brick, and commodious. The wharf belonging to the Grand Trunk Canal Company, with several large ware- houses enclosed by a brick wall, and situated at the northern extremity of High-street, has contributed much to the prosperity of this small but flourishing town, which is thickly inhabited, and exhibits undoubted proofs of the opulence of its merchants, trades- men, and inhabitants in general. There are several neat modern mansions of brick, built in the vicinity of the wharf, and about a quarter of a mile westward of it, stands the work-house, a neat, clean, and comfortable asylum for the indigent, with a large and well-cultivated garden. The market is held on Wednesday, according to a Charter ob- tained by Thomas Earl of Lancaster, in the second year of the reign of Edward the Second, A. D. 1308. It is a very considerable corn- market ; the grain is not pitched, but sold by sample, and large quantities of corn are sent to different parts of England from this town by the canal. It is also a great market for butter, poultry, bacon, and all kinds of provisions ; and several higlers, and other chapmen, come from the Potteries, Walsall, and Birmingham, and purchase and carry away large quantities of the produce of this fertile neighbourhood. The clerk of the market regulates the weights and measures, and endeavours to prevent forestalling, by ringing a bell at half-past ten o'clock ; but the farmers evade this by taking their goods to the inns, where the chapmen from distant places privately purchase them. There is a fair held in the town every fortnight, for the sale of cattle and merchandize. Uttoxeter is the residence of the High Constable for the Hun- dred, and a meeting of the Justices is held every fortnight, alter- nately, at the White Hart and Red Lion inns. There is only one public brewery in this town, but abundance of excellent ale is also brewed by the different innkeepers. There are two well-established banks in Uttoxeter, besides a branch of the Burton and Stafford- shire bank, where business is transacted two days in the week. The Church is an ancient fabric of stone : it consists of a nave, chancel, and two aisles ; the roof is covered with lead, but the exterior part of the walls is much out of repair. The steeple and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 207 spire is about 170 feet high, and is a conspicuous object from the eminence between Mayfieid and Ellerston above Dove-vale, at the distance of seven miles. During a thunder-storm, about two o'clock on Sunday, February the 6th, 1814, the spire of Uttoxeter church was struck by lightning, which forced a large stone out about half way down, passed into the belfry, and penetrated through the wall of the chancel on the south side of the window. In consequence of this accident, part of the spire which had been damaged by the shock was taken down and re-built : when it was finished, and the gilt globe, cross, and vane set up, Margaret Allporte, then a cham- ber-maid at the Red Lion inn, ascended, stood on the ornamental stone-work under the globe, and kissed a young man (one of the masons), who stood on the opposite side, in the presence of a mul- titude of spectators. This female adventurer afterwards descended in safety, though it may truly be said that she ventured her neck for a kiss. Uttoxeter Church is dedicated to St. Mary. It is a vicarage : the patrons are the Dean and Chapter of Windsor, and the present incumbent is the Rev. Fowler. There are several ancient monuments in this church, particularly an altar-tomb, with a mutilated figure in alabaster. At the east side of the south aisle, a mural monument of marble is erected, with the following inscription : " Thomas Oldfield, Esq. Major in the Marines, who fell during the memo- rable defence of St. Jean d' Acre, in Syria, by Sir Sydney Smith, against General Bonaparte and the army of Egypt, while leading a sortie made by the garrison, on the 7th April, 1799, for the purpose of destroying the enemy's approaches. JElsA. 43." The east side of the north aisle is the cemetery of the Kinnersley family, of Loxley, and contains several monuments and inscrip- tions. Part of the chapel of the Minors family, of Hollingbury Hall, is now used as a vestry, by permission of the present descend- ant. A vault in the church-yard was the burying-place of the Degge family. Sir Simon Degge, the antiquary, was a native of Uttoxeter; he died at the age of 92, and was buried in this vault. The last male of the family, who was a pauper, died and was bu- ried here about five years ago. The inscriptions on the tomb- stone have long been effaced by the footsteps of toys, and by the hand of time. The vault of the Gardner family is in the church-yard, and a tomb-stone over it contains the following epitaph : 208 A TOPOGRAPHICAL " In memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Gardner, late of his Majesty's eleventh regiment of dragoons, in which he .served with honour from a cornet, and died lamented, Aug. 1, 1762, aged 71 years. His widow, for the sincere affection she had for him, caused this stone to be erected." We are informed in the manuscripts of Sir Simon Degge, that Uttoxeter was remarkable for the longevity of its inhabitants. In his records, dated 1726, he states that " in three weeks three men and two women were buried here, aged from 82 to 94." The only instances of longevity worthy of notice in the monumental inscrip- tions in the church-yard are, Samuel Bell, aged 86; John Hill, who died in November, 1814, aged 91 ; and Catherine his wife, who died in the same month and year, aged 86. But undoubtedly several old people have from time to time died in the town and neighbourhood, who have been buried in Uttoxeter church-yard, without a " frail memorial" of their longevity. Besides the parish-church, Uttoxeter contains a meeting-house for the Quakers, who are both numerous and respectable in this town ; a large chapel for the Calvinists, and another for Methodists. There is also a free-school in Uttoxeter, founded and endowed by that eminent mathematician, Thomas Allen. The inhabitants of Uttoxeter and its vicinity, derive much of their opulence from the fertile pastures and meadows on the banks of the Dove. They include many hundred acres of land, com- posed of deep rich mellow loam, impregnated with a fertilizing se- diment of mud and calcareous earth, deposited from time to time by the inundations of the river. The herbage is very fine, with- out any intermixture of rushes or other aquatic plants, and princi- pally consists of grasses of the common sorts. The plain on the Staffordshire bank of the Dove, opposite Ut- toxeter, is nearly a mile in breadth, and comprises several thousand acres of luxuriant pasturage for black cattle, sheep, and a few horses. A very small proportion of this extensive space is fenced- in for hay> in consequence of the uncertainty and suddenness of the inundations of the Dove, for a great fall of rain, or the sud* den thaw of snow in the Moorlands, causes a rapid and resistless flood, which soon overflows the banks of the river, and covers the level fields to a great extent ; insomuch, that it requires much vigilance in the proprietors of flocks and herds to preserve them from drowning. The graziers, on an average, pay two pounds an acre for this excellent pasturage. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 209 A CHRONOLOGY OF REMARKABLE EVENTS AT UTTOXETER, FROM THE YEAR 1252 TO 1689 : Transcribed/Torn the Church Wardens' and Constables' Accounts, and other authentic Papers. 1252. Earl Ferrers's Charter granted to the Burgesses of Ut- toxeter is dated August 15, 1252. 1308. In the second year of King Edward the Second, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, (eldest son of Edmund, second son of Henry the Third), obtained a charter for a market every Wednesday at Ut- toxeter, and a yearly fair on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Mary Magdalen, July 21st and 22d. 1642. Paid to them that swept Mr. Ward's hall for king Charles the First, one shilling. . Trained soldiers' pay here, and to Stafford to wait on the King, o34. 6s. . Charges when the country went against Stafford the first time, 3s. 4d. . Doveridge men's charges when they came to guard the town, one shilling. . Paid for match, powder, and coals, for some of the town ends, in February, 11. 5s. Id. . John Sherratt, for leading clods five days to the bul- warks, 16s. . Bestowed on the countrymen when they came to guard the town, when the soldiers went to Lichfield, 2s. 3d. . Paid to carpenters and labourers at the bulwarks, 51. 13s. 2d. . For watching Lord Stanhope and his son at the Crown, eleven shillings. . To a prisoner who came from Hopton battle, four pence. N.B. Fought near Stafford. . Paid for match, powder, candles, bullets, and coals, for some of the town ends, in March, 21. 10s. 9d. . For removing one of the bulwarks, and for entrenching, 12s. 4d. Bestowed on Loxley men when they came to trench, four pence. . November. Paid for drink bestowed on Loxley and Tean men when they came to help the town against Worthley, 2s. . Paid for drink for Marchington, and Crakemarsh, and Creighton men, 2s. 2 D 210 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 164*2. Paid to Johnson for prisoners which were Worthley'? men, 6s. 7d. 1643. January. Fire and candle for the watch, being Derby men, Is. 5d. . Paid for butter, cheese, five quarters of pease, and oats, to Tutbury and Lichfield, 191. 2s. 8d. . Paid two men for going to Tutbury with provisions, Is. 4d. . Paid William Ferrall and others who watched the ord- nance at the Crown door, Is. 6d. . Paid Richard Cartridge for watching on the church, 8d. . February. Charges when the country went against Stafford twice, 51. lls.4d. . Paid to the ringers when king Charles the First was here, five shillings. . June. Paid to a townsman when he went to guard a field-piece to Tutbury, 8d. . Charges to Wooton-Lodge with a horse-load of bread, one shilling. . July. Paid to workmen for pulling down the bulwarks and taking them away, 10s. . October. Paid down when Colonel Hastings was in town, 51. . December. Ale for the Captain and his men, who brought a warrant from Lord Loughborough for 501. three shillings. . December. For 25 strikes of oats, which were sent for by warrant to Tutbury, 21. 4s. lOd. . December 27th. Provisions sent to Ashburn by war- rant, from Colonel Dudley, in the king's army, 31. Os. Od. . For ale, tobacco, wood, coals, and hay for guards and centinels, 21. 10s. 4d. 1644. January. Paid Captain Vernon what he laid upon the township, 111. . February 26. Paid to the Committee's Treasurer at Stafford, for weekly pay in money and returns, 1001. . March 11. Paid to Tutbury Castle in money and re- turns, 501. . April. For a rope to hang the man who killed John Scott, and for a cord to pinion the prisoner, Is. . May 7th. For 8 cwt. 2 qrs. 71bs. cheese to Tutbury, 71. 15s. lOd. ' HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 211 1544. September. Levies upon the town of Uttoxeter, 6081. 13s. 2d. 1645. January 1st. The parishioners of Uttoxeter paid 61.2s. 4d. weekly, besides extraordinary expences to a considerable amount. . Paid to Prince Rupert's cook for his fee, 5s. . August 4th. Hay, oats, beer, tobacco, wood, and coals, for the guard three nights, when the Parliament forces went against Tutbury Castle, 11. 19s. Sd. . For guides to go a scouting three nights, 9s. . October. For a sheet, making the grave, ringing, beer, and for burying the soldier that was slain in the street, 4s. 1646. February 5th. The Constable's accounts amounted to 9751. 7s. Id. . October 6th. Paid to two men for blocking up the town ends with carts, sixpence. . Beer for soldiers for barricading the town ends, Is. . February 8th. Paid Commissary Ward three weeks* contribution, 141. 13s. 8d. . Paid General Egerton at Tutbury, 301. . February 22d. For carrying two soldiers to Caverswall, who were maimed in the High Wood beyond Uttoxeter, 2s. 6d. On the 15th of February, 1646, a sharp encounter betwixt a party of the King's troops from Tutbury Castle, and a party of the Parliament's from Burton-house, in Derbyshire." Wharton's Gesta Britannica. . February 14th. For two horses and a man to carry bread and cheese toTutbury in the night, being in great want, 3s. 4d. . February 22d. Paid to parson Langley's soldiers in bread and beer, 3s. . March 30th. For provisions to the leaguers (or Parlia- ment forces), at Tutbury, 71. 4s. 6d. . April 8th. Ditto, 111. 2s. 9d. Tutbury Castle was taken by Sir William Brereton, in 1646. . April 20th. Paid Captain John Cloyd for pulling down the bulwarks at Tutbury, 31. 1 . August 26th. Paid to Ashburn by the Churchwardens of Uttoxeter when the town was infested with the plague, 31. 1 Paid to the inhabitants of Clifton when the plague was there, 51. . October. For quartering General Fairfax's soldiers, 20K 212 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 1646. October 13th. For quartering Colonel Cromwell's soldiers, 201. . . December. Quartering Colonel Oakley's men, 131. 2s. 6d. 1647. May 12th. To 15 men for pulling down Tutbury Castle, 21. 10s. 4d. . October. To 46 travellers, or Egyptians, with a pass from Parliament, to travel by the space of six months together to get relief, 4s. 1648. May. For two men watching in the steeple when the town was fearful of an insurrection, Is. 4d. . For quartering 15 of Colonel Monk's soldiers, 13s. 1651. For a warrant to fetch in and search for Papists' and delinquents' arms, 4d. . August llth. To Robert Goodall for horses, saddles, and bridles, towards horsing the militia, 51. 15s. Five horses and five men were provided by the town of Uttoxeter. Each of the men were paid 7s. 6d. Their names were, John Clarke, Francis Allen, Phillip Needham, Richard Wilkinson, and Thomas Vernon. . August 20th. To ale, bread, and pottage, to relieve the Scotch prisoners, taken by Lieutenant-Colonel Downes, whilst in custody, 21. 8s. . To another body of Scotch prisoners, 11. 10s. 1658. Note : 671. 10s. was paid to the army yearly for several years. . November 5th. Paid the ringers 5s. . And for proclaiming the Lord Protector, Is. 1660. May. Paid the ringers when king Charles the Second was proclaimed, 5s. . For painting the king's arms, 19s. 2d. .... Ringing on the Coronation-day, 8s. 1 662. We paid for 622 fire-hearths. . May 16th. A warrant for Quakers, Is. 1667. Royal aid at Christmas, 441. Is. . At Midsummer, 441. Is. 1672. One month's pay to the Government, 141. 13s. 6d. . April 8th. Two month's pay, 291. 7s. . July 30th. A great fire happened in the rear of Richard Cludd's house, which consumed most of the lower part of the town. . Paid Mr. Edge and Mr. Chamberlayne for going to Staf- ford with a petition to the Judge about the fire, 15s. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 213 1672. October 6th. Repairing stocks and cuckstool, 10s. 1688. For wine and ale at the Crown the thanksgiving-day for the Prince of Wales (son of James the Second), and the day after, when the Bishops were released, 21. 2s. 6d. A load of coals that day for bonfires, 8s. 6d. Ale at High-street bonfire, 4s. Ditto at the Church-yard bonfire, 4s. Ditto at the Cross bonfire, 4s. Ditto for the watchmen and others the night after the Bishops were released, 9s. 6d. Given to two drummers at the same time, 2s. . June 8th. King James the Second sent seven Bishops to the Tower; but they were afterwards released. . William Prince of Orange, afterwards king William the Third, came to England to oppose the Popish proceedings of king James the Second, whose daughter, Mary, he had married. Great exertions were made by the Protestants to dethrone James. They employed a number of active, intelligent, and resolute men to run or ride through all parts of the kingdom in the day-time, crying "Fire and Sword! theFrench are coming!" which filled the people's minds with terror. Uttoxeter shared the alarm with the rest, as may be seen by the following record : 1688. December. Given to four lads for gathering coals, and for making fires when the alarm was, 4d. ~. December 25th. Paid Mr. Moreton for ale for strangers and townsmen when the alarm was, 11. Is. When the Prince of Orange landed in 1688, king James fled from London : on the 12th of December he was seized and brought back to Whitehall, but on the 23d of the same month he fled out of England. King William and Queen Mary were crowned April llth, 1689. The late distinguished Admiral Lord Gardner was born here on the 12th April, 1742. He was the eighth son of Lieutenant-Colo- nel Gardner, of the llth regiment of dragoons. Having at an early period shewn a strong bias towards the naval service, he was rated, when 14 years old, as a midshipman, on board the Medway sixty guns, then under the immediate orders of captain Sir eter Denis, an officer of distinguished merit. In this vessel Mr. rdner remained for two years, during which time, he was present in an action, in which the Due d'Aquitaine French ship of the line was taken. From the Medway, our young midshipman afterwards 214 A TOPOGRAPHICAL accompanied his captain, first on board the Namur, and afterward* into the Dorsetshire. In the former he served under Admiral Hawke, during the expedition against Rochfort ; and, while on board the latter, was present at the capture of the Raisonable, on which occasion Captain Denis put in practice the plan now adopted by the new school, of not firing a single ball till within a few yards of the enemy's ship. He likewise bore a share in the ge- neral engagement which took place off Belleisle in 1769, between the British and French fleets, commanded by Sir Edward Hawke, and the Marshal de Conflans. Mr. Gardner, having now been five years in constant service, was appointed lieutenant on board of the Bellona, after the customary examinations. In this station he distinguished himself at the capture of the Le Courageux, where- upon he was raised to the rank of master and commander, and ap- pointed to the Raven of sixteen guns. After the lapse of four years, he was made post in the Preston of fifty guns, which had been fitted-out as the flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Parry, whom he accompanied to Port Royal in Jamaica. During the whole time of his being stationed here Great Britain was at peace with all the nations of Europe, so that the only circumstance which occurred, requiring notice in this sketch, was his marriage with Susannah Hyde, only daughter of Francis Oale, Esq. a West India planter. This lady having soon brought him a numerous family, and being himself ambitious of rising in the service, he made every effort to obtain an appointment as soon as the American contest began. Accordingly he was nominated to the command of the Maidstone frigate, in which he sailed for the West Indies early in 1778 ; and, in the course of that year, was so fortunate as to make a rich cap- ture on the coast of America. On the fourth of November he fell in with the Lion, a French man of war, having on board fifteen hundred hogsheads of tobacco, and after a severe action compelled her to surrender. With this prize he sailed for Antigua ; and was, soon after his arrival, promoted by Admiral Byron to the command of the Sultan of 74 guns. In the drawn battle which was fought some time subsequent with the French fleet under Count de Estaing, off the island of Grenada, Captain Gardner led the van, and greatly distinguished himself. His ship, however, suf- fered so much, that he was ordered to Jamaica, from whence he shortly after sailed for England, when the Sultan was discharged. He did not, however, remain long out of commission, having been appointed to the Duke in the course of a few months, with which HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 215 ship he sailed to join the fleet in the West Indies, then under the orders of Sir George Rodney, and was fortunate enough to arrive in time to participate in the glorious victory of the twelfth of April, 1782. On that memorable day, his ship was the first to break through the enemy's line of battle, according to the new plan of attack, suggested by Mr, Clerk, of Eldon, and then for the first time put in practice. At one period of this action the Duke, in conjunction with the Formidable and Namur, had to sustain the fire of eleven of the enemy's ships. Soon after this triumph the American war terminated, and peace continued for several years to shed her benignant influence over the several nations of Europe. During this period, Captain Gardner was employed in different capacities. For some time he acted as Commodore on the Jamaica station, and in 1790 was appointed a lord of the Ad- miralty, when he likewise obtained a seat in Parliament. In the year 1793, having been raised to the rank of Rear- Ad- miral of the blue, he hoisted his flag on board the Queen of 98 guns, in which he sailed as Commander-in-chief to the Leeward Islands. Soon after this event, finding the disputes between the republicans and royalists in the colony of Martinico to run very high, and being earnestly pressed by the latter to effect a descent on the island, accordingly Major-General Bruce landed with 3000 men ; but that officer judged it expedient to re-embark again, almost immediately, being satisfied that the republican party was too strong to afford just hopes of success in the royal cause. Admiral Gardner now returned to England, and the following year bore a part in the action of the 1st of June, under the gal- lant Earl Howe. On this occasion his conduct was conspicuous in the extreme, his ship having suffered more than any other in the fleet, with the exception of the Brunswick. In consequence, he not only was particularly thanked by the Commander-in-chief, but was appointed Major-general of Marines, and created a Ba- ronet of Great Britain. On the 22d June, 1795, Sir Alan was present at the action off Port FOrient, when the French fleet only saved itself from total destruction by a timely flight. Two years after this event, when a dangerous mutiny had broken out at Portsmouth, he manifested a degree of firmness and resolution, during that trying period, worthy of his high character as a Bri- tish naval officer. From this time he continued to serve in the Channel fleet till the close of the year 1799, when he was sent with sixteen sail of the line, to reinforce the fleet off Cadiz, and 216 A TOPOGRAPHICAL in the Mediterranean. Perceiving, however, that little danger was to be apprehended in these quarters, he returned, with nine sail of the line, accompanied by the convoy from Lisbon. In 1800, we once more find him serving in the Channel fleet, but he was soon afterwards appointed to succeed Admiral Kings- mill, the naval commander in Ireland, being previously raised to the dignity of an Irish peer. This command lie continued to hold till the year 1807, when he hoisted his flag as Admiral of the Channel fleet; which ill health, however, soon compelled him to relinquish. He died in 1810, and was buried in the Abbey church of Bath, with the grandeur and solemnity due to his rank and merit. Lord Gardner's political, career was not distinguished by any circumstance of great moment. He sat in three successive par- liaments. His first election took place in 1790, when he was re- turned one of the representatives for the town of Plymouth. In 1796 he was colleague to Mr. Fox, in the representation of West- minster. On this occasion he was opposed by Mr. John Home Tooke, whose wit, satire, and eloquence, were more alarming to the Admiral than a shower of cannon-balls from an enemy's fleet. Notwithstanding this circumstance, however, he once more offered himself as a candidate for the same city, and was again successful. At this time Mr. Fox, in addressing the electors, said, " A noble Admiral has been proposed to you. I certainly cannot boast of agreeing with him in political opinions ; but whom could the elec- tors pitch upon more worthy of their choice than the noble Lord, in his private character universally respected, and a man who has served his country with a zeal, a gallantry, a spirit, and a splen- dour, that will reflect upon him immortal honour."* B RAM SHALL is a small parish and village, about three miles w.s.w. of Uttoxeter. The number of houses in the whole parish, in 1811, amounted to 28, inhabited by 33 families. Males 76, fe- males 79 : total of inhabitants 155. The village is situated on the summit of an eminence, and con- tains some good substantial farm-houses, and smaller tenements. The Church is a Gothic structure of stone, with a small wooden belfry, containing three bells. The edifice itself might easily be mistaken for a barn when viewed from the turnpike-road, and its belfry for a dove-cote. It is dedicated to St Lawrence, and is a rectory under the patronage of Lord Willoughby de Broke. The * Imperial and County Annual Register, for 1810. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 217 present rector is the Rev. Sneyd, and his curate, the Rev. Thomas Astle, resides at Uttoxeter. This parish is fertile, and productive of abundance of corn and grass. KINGSTON is a parish in the s.w. extremity of Totmanslow South, and the village is situated about three miles and a half from Uttox- eter. The parish contains 67 houses, 67 families ; 152 males, 183 females : total, 335 inhabitants. The Church is a small ancient structure of stone, with a low square tower of brick. This fabric is in a neglected, if not in a ruinous state, and supported on the southern side by three but- tresses of brick. The interior is plain : the pews of oak. There are no remarkable monuments in the church-yard, but such is the mischievous, and it might be added, the devilish disposition of boys, that they have recently defaced several of the inscriptions on the tomb-stones. This church is a donative in the gift of the Chetwynd family : the Rev. John Hilridge is the present curate. The land in this parish is in general fertile, particularly in the vale through which the river Blithe flows in its course to Blithe- ford, and thence to the Trent. The upland is sound gravelly loam. The country between Kingston and Gratwich is pleasant and well enclosed. The valley through which the Blithe winds is beautiful, and productive of abundance of corn and grass ; but the meadows were much injured, and some of the hay spoiled, by the inundations of the river during the wet summer of 1816. There is a corn-mill about mid-way between the villages of Kingston and Gratwich. GRATWICH is a small parish and village, containing 18 houses, 19 families, and 110 inhabitants. It is situated south-west of Ut- toxeter, and about four miles distant from that town. The village is built on a plain ; and the soil of the parish, which is a gravelly loam, is fertile. The Church is small, built of brick, with a wooden belfry; and the interior is without a gallery, or monuments. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a rectory in the patronage of Earl Talbot, of Ingestre. The Rev. Edward Lewis, the present incum- bent, lives at Cotton. There is one instance of longevity recorded on a tomb-stone in Gratwich church-yard : to the memory of Hannah Woolfe, of Shaf- ferlong, who died in 1793, aged 91 years. LEIGH is an extensive parish, containing five villages and ham- lets. In the year 1811, this parish contained J81 houses, 184 families, 471 males, 466 females; total of inhabitants 937 : and 2E 218 A TOPOGRAPHICAL since that period there has not been a great increase of the popula- tion. The parish of Leigh is situated about four miles westward of Uttoxeter; the soil a good loam, and very fertile. The river Blithe, which passes through this parish, contributes much to its fertility. Lord Bagot is possessed of a considerable estate here, and Mr. Evans, of Derby, has a pleasant rural mansion and a considerable estate, with a plantation of fir trees. But the principal part of the land in this parish belongs to several indepen- dent free-holders, who have their farms in the highest state of cultivation. Church Leigh, as the principal village is called by way of pre- eminence, contains several good houses, particularly the residence of the curate. The Church is a very beautiful specimen of Gothic architecture, built of stone raised from a quarry in the neighbourhood. It is built in the form of a cross ; the arched roof of the nave is sup- ported by ten lofty arches, and massy columns, each indented in four divisions. The square tower, which rises in the centre of the edifice, is supported by four noble Gothic arches, twenty feet high. This has a very fine effect, which is much heightened by the admis- sion of light from the two principal windows of the north and south aisles, through the body of the church. The chancel is large, with three windows on each side, and a large square window at the east end, adorned with paintings on glass. AH the windows in the chancel are embellished with figures painted on glass, representing Apostles, Martyrs, and Bishops. There are no ornaments in the chancel : the communion table is of oak and plain, surrounded by a screen of carved wood. The south aisle contains three monuments of the Ashenhursfc family, and a very ancient altar tomb, with two figures in alabaster as large as life ; one of a knight in armoufi with his head resting on a helmet, and hia feet on a lion. His hands are raised in sup* plication. A female figure lies by his side, in a long robe ; her head rests upon a pillow, and her hands are also raised as in prayer. This aisle, which is called Ashenhurst's aisle or chapel, is much disfigured by mortar, and pieces of broken forms and pews, inso- much that it is like a lumber-room. The north aisle, which is called Wood's aisle, contains the toml of the Woods, of Fole-hall, in this parish. Here is also a neat mu- ral monument of white marble, in memory of William Harrison, ot Over Tean, who died in the 84th year of his age. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 219 A small board fastened to the wall, contains the following record, in black letter : " In this church lieth the body of THOMAS HARVIE, late of Wellington, who died and was buried the 28th of June, Anno Domini 1630. Who gave, by his will, 160 pounds to buy land, and the rent thereof to buy Medley cloth for ye poor of ye parish of Leigh yearely for ever, with and for such uses as are more at large expressed in his will. Which was performed and done by his executors." Another benefaction to the same purport, dated in 1641, provides 24 yards of Medley cloth yearly, to be given alternately, one year to six men to make coats, and another year to six women to make gowns. This Medley cloth, as it is called, was striped, and seems to have been fashionable in England in the time of Shakspeare for Jaques, in "As you Like it." exclaims, "Medley's the only wear." The benefaction of clothing is given yearly, but in plain cloth. Among other charitable legacies, is that of John Blurton, who, in 1743, bequeathed o6.4s. to be given to the poor of the parish of Leigh, to purchase shoes at the rate of 3s. 9d. a-pair ; and that sum is now given in money to each individual entitled to it. Mrs. Elizabeth Whitehall gave ten pounds per annum to the parish of Leigh for ever, " to set out two poor children appren- tice." The following curious caution to ringers is painted on a board, and attached to one of the columns in the church : " If that to ring you do come here, You must ring well with hand and ear j And if a bell you overthrow, Fourpence is due before you go; And if you ring in spur or hat, Two pots of ale are due for that j And for a pledge to make it sure, Your hat shall be the forfeiture j Our laws are old, they are not new, Therefore the clerk must have his due." The Church is dedicated to All Saints, and is a rectory, under the patronage of Lord Bagot, whose brother, the Hon. and Rev. Richard Bagot is the present rector, and the Rev. Henry Thomas, curate. This benefice was formerly estimated at .300., but it is now, from the improved state of the parish, worth ,700. a-year. The parish of Leigh is extensive, and contains Church Leigh, the principal village ; another hamlet called Lower Leigh, on the banks of the Blithe ; Upper Leigh, which contains several farm- houses, and Park Hall, a mansion belonging to Walter Evans, Esq. 220 A TOPOGRAPHICAL of Derby ; Dodsley, a hamlet of this parish, south of the BIythe ; and Field, a village containing nine houses. Church Leigh contains a handsome and commodious school- house, originally founded and endowed by a Mr. Allen, for the in- struction of boys who are the sons of parishioners. About 70 boys are instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic. They are admitted at eight or nine years of age, and continued till they are fit to be put apprentice to some trade, or to return home and assist their parents in the farm. The funds of this institution are now sufficiently ample, amounting to about o100. a-year. The old school-house was taken down, and the present enlarged building erected, in 1806. Another free-school was founded by the beneficence of Mr. Wal- ter Evans, of Derby, on his own estate here, for the instruction of 60 boys and girls or upwards, who are not the children of parish- ioners, yet reside in the parish of Leigh : and thus ample means for the education of the children of the poor are provided by the philanthropy of two individuals. The Hon. and Rev. Richard Bagot, the rector, supplies this latter free-school with books, paper, pens, &c. : and a Sunday-school for all the neighbour- ing children, is also opened weekly, at this institution ; where from 80 to 100 children receive the benefit of sabbathical in- struction. As a proof of the fertility of the soil in this parish, it is recorded that in the year 1680, an elm was felled on the estate of Sir Harvey Bagot, near the village of Field, which produced the fol- lowing quantity of timber : it contained 96 tons of solid timber, and 61 loads of firewood. Two able and experienced woodmen were employed five days in felling- it. The height of this tree was 120 feet, and it was 25f feet in circumference in the middle. The workmen were obliged to put two saws together, and place three men at each end to cross-cut this tree, and the size seemed so incredibly enormous, that it was thought necessary to attest the particulars by the signature of Sir Harvey Bagot, the propri- etor, and all the other persons who were eye-witnesses of the fact. Perhaps there would be little difficulty in finding even a larger tree in the vast wilds of America, but we have no record of any elm of equal growth being felled in Europe. CHECKLEY AND TEAN. This parish is large and populous : the soil is good in general, particularly the land on the banks of the small river Tean, which flows through it. The village of Check- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 221 ley is situated four miles and a half north-west of Uttoxeter ; it consists of a few farm-houses and smaller tenements, but the most conspicuous object is its ancient and lofty church and high square tower of stone. The tower contains a clock and six bells, and the grey appearance of the exterior of the whole edifice, with its windows strengthened by stone-work, and its high flat roof with battlements, impress the idea of antiquity and durability. The interior, though much out of repair, presents a variety of interest-? ing objects to the observer. The roof of the nave is high, of oak, and supported by eight Gothic arches, and round pillars. A gallery on the north side contains several pews of oak, and the pews and forms below are made of the same material, but are now in a ruinous and neglected state. A very high arch supports the roof at the west end of the chancel. This part of the church is lighted by two windows on each side, and a large east window adorned with curious figures painted on the glass. There is an altar tomb in the chancel, with the recumbent figure of a knight in armour, and a female lying by his side. They are of alabaster, and part of the inscription on the tomb is broken off. A tomb- stone near the communion table bears the following inscription : " To the memory of the Reverend JAMES WHITEHALL, retor of this place twenty and five yeares, who departed this life the second daie of March, 1644. " WHITE was his name, and whiter than this stone, In hope of joyfole resverrection ; Here lies that orthodox, that grave divine, In wisdom trve, virtve did soe clearly shine ; One that covld live and die as he hath done, Svffer'd not death bvt a translation ; Bvt ovt of churitie Pie speake no more, Lest his friends pine with sigths, with teares the poore !" Three stones which stand in the church-yard, have for ages puzzled our antiquaries, none of whom have been able to discover why they were set up. Checkley Church is dedicated to St. Mary and All Saints. It is a rectory : the Rev. William Langley, the present rector, is also the patron of the benefice. UPPER and LOWER -TEAN are two populous villages in this pa- rish. They contain several new tenements, some of which are handsome mansions. The principal building, however, is the ex- tensive tape-manufactory of John and Nathaniel Philips. Tean- hall, which was the ancient mansion of the Ashley family, now be- longs to Messrs. Philips, with the whole extensive manor of Tean. A TOPOGRAPHICAL The tape manufactory was first established at Tean in the year 1747, when an ancestor of the present proprietors brought over two Dutchmen who were skilled iu the manufacture. It continued. for several years in a very limited state* for many obstructions lay iu the way of success ; particularly the skill and enterprize of the Dutch, who had then one thousand tape-looms in full employment. British perseverance, and superiority of fabric, at length prevailed ; and the manufactories of tape established in this village, and at Cheadle and Kingsley,are now the most extensive in Europe. About 300 looms are employed at Tean, and iu the vicinity ; 120 at Cheadle, and 50 at Kingsley. The yarn is imported brown from Russia, Germany, and Ireland ; and considerable quantities are also brought from Scotland and Yorkshire. It is bleached at the extensive bleach-works on the banks of the river Tean, near the village, and it is computed that from two to three thousand, indi- viduals, including women and children, are employed iu the different branches of the manufacture. A chapel for the Calvinists, with a Sunday-school, has been erected in Tean by Messrs. Philips. The chapel contains a good organ, and the Rev. Thomas Pritchard, of Cheadle, is minister. In the year 1811, the parish of Checkley and Tean contained 341 houses, 358 families; 763 males, 935 females : total of inhabi- tants 1,698. Heath-house, the residence of John Philips, Esq. is situated on a gentle eminence in this parish, and commands an extensive view of the subjacent vale of the Tean, and of Leigh Church, and the country to a considerable extent. This mansion is built of stone : it is two stories high, with neat hidden attics, and has a southern and a western front, each adorned with an elegant portico of eight Ionic columns. The house is surrounded with extensive plantations of oak, elm, fir, and ash trees. The agriculture of the estate is carried on under the improved Scotch system. BEAMHURST is a small ancient village to the south-east of this parish, and only remarkable for containing a gentleman's mansion, with a fine grove of lime trees in front. The Moorlands commence to the north-west of the parish, which contains the village of Hol- lin^ton, situated on an eminence. The houses are built of stone, and thatched. ROCESTER is a parish situated near the Dove, about four miles N.N.E. of Uttoxeter. It was the demesne of Algar Earl of Mercia, in Edward the Confessor's time. He left it to his son Edwin, who HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 223 forfeited it by rebellion to the Conqueror, who gave it to Robert de Stafford, one of his followers. A monastery of Canons regular of St. Augustine, was founded and endowed with large possessions at Roeester, by Richard Bacun, nephew to Ranulph Earl of Chester. These possessions and liberties were confirmed to the monks by Henry the Third, in the 30th year of his reign, A.D. 1246. Some of the Stafford family, of Sandon, who settled here, were great bene- factors to this monastery; and in the parish church, which formerly belonged to the monks, there are monuments of the Staffords. At the time of the Dissolution, this house was valued at <100.2s. lOfd. per annum.* Thomas Trensham, a favourite of Henry the Eighth, obtained it of that prince, and made it his residence. It was held by his descendants in the 17th century, but not a vestige of it now remains. Roeester Church is an ancient structure, with a square tower of stone ; it stands in the middle of a field, in which there is part of a broken cross, which probably belonged to the abbey. The church is dedicated to St. Michael, and is a vicarage. The present vicar is the Rev. Jell : the Rev. George Hake is curate. The village of Roeester contains several good houses, and a cotton manufactory, the property of Mr. Bridone. The confluence of the Dove and Churnet in the meadows below this village, con- tribute to the fertility of the soil. The parish contains 155 houses, 168 families; 376 males, 497 females : total of inhabitants, 873. Of this number nearly one- half are employed in the cotton manufactory. Cowbridge is a hamlet belonging to this parish : it is situated to the south-west, upon the banks of the Churnet ; and the branch of the Grand Trunk Canal, which terminates at Uttoxeter, passes through it. Near this hamlet there is a wharf on the canal, with large warehouses, and a few tenements. Mince-pie Hall is a curious mansion, situated on an eminence, with a turret and observatory. ELLASTONE is a parish of considerable extent to the west, and contains the high Weaver Hills, with the township of Woolton to the north. The village of Ellastone is ancient and irregularly built. It is situated about two miles north of Rocester, at a considerable distance from the west bank of the Dove. The soil is fertile, being a loamy surface, with a bottom of lime-stone- * Dugdale's Monasticon 224 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The parish of Ellastone, including the townships of Calwich, Stanton, Wooltou, Prestwood, and Rani shorn, contains 195 houses, 178 families ; 445 males, 471 females : total of inhabitants, 916. Ellastone Church is a handsome Gothic structure of stone, si- tuated on an eminence near the village. The stone tower is square, and adorned with four pinnacles and battlements, with a vane in the centre. It is dedicated to St. Peter, and is a vicar- age, in the patronage of Davies Davenport, Esq. The present vicar is the Rev. Davenport, and the present curate, the Rev. George Hake. Between the two small windows at the east end of Ellastone church, on the outside, a very elegant mural monument bears the following inscription : " Here lie.s interred the body of BERNARD GRANVILLE, who trusted in the mercy of Almighty God for the forgiveness of his sins, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind. He was the son of Bernard Granville, and great grandson of Sir Bevil Granville, who was killed in the Civil wars, fighting for king Charles the First, on Lansdowne, near Bath, in Somersetshire. He died at Calwich, July 2d, 1775, aged 76." Near this monument is another tombstone, with this inscription : " Here lie the remains of the Rev. DAVID MILES, A.M. 59 years Vicar of this church ; highly respected by his parishioners and acquaintance. He died in the year of our Lord 1783 of his age 87." There are several instances of longevity recorded on the tomb- stones in this church-yard, particularly Samuel Banks, of Stanton, who died Dec. 19th, 1785, aged 89 years ; Thomas Horobin, died in 1802, aged 93 years ; and Ann Parker, aged 92. Near the church, on the brow of a hill, is a neat modern struc- ture, with two small wings, and a Gothic window in each. It is a national school, built by the voluntary contributions of the neigh- bouring gentry, and is at once ornamental and useful. MAYFIELD is a fertile parish, in a pleasant situation in Dove vale. The village of Mayfield is two miles north-east of Ellastone, and two miles distant from Ashbourn, in Derbyshire. The river Dove, which is the boundary of the two counties, flows near the vil- lage; and on the opposite bank there is a very extensive cotton manufactory, belonging to Messrs. Cooper & Co. An ancient stone bridge of five arches near the village, presents an easy communica- tion between Derbyshire and Staffordshire : the whole country af- fords a beautiful view of well-built houses, and well cultivated fields, enlivened by a considerable population. The number of ; HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 225 houses in Mayfield parish, including the township of Butterton, is 195, inhabited by 202 families, of which 405 are males, and 531 females : total of inhabitants, 936. The village of Mayfield contains several well-built modern houses of brick and stone. The Church is a handsome Gothic structure of stone, with a strong and high square tower, adorned with eight pinnacles. It was built by Thomas Rolleston, A. D. 1616, as appears from an inscription above the arched entrance at the west end. This church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and is a vicarage ; the Rev. Belcher, who resides at Ash- bourne, is curate. The roof of the edifice is supported by six large Gothic arches ; the east window is beautiful ; and a number of elder trees, which grow close to the church walls, give it a rural appearance. There are but few records of longevity in the church yard. One tomb-stone is inscribed with the name of Benjamin Thompson, who died in 1809, aged 88 years. From the eminence about midway between Ellastone and May- field, the prospect of Dove-vale is beautiful beyond description. The country exhibits all the variety of meadows, pastures, corn- fields, and woodlands ; numerous herds and flocks grazing se- curely ; the river Dove gently flowing and winding amid the ver- dant meadows ; a village, with its picturesque church and tower, skirted by a wood on an eminence, on the Derbyshire side of the river, and the extensive vale stretching for several miles to the south, with a distant but indistinct view of Uttoxeter ; the lofty spire of its church ; and the smoke of the town carried away like a large cloud by a brisk north-west breeze. CROXDEN is a parish to the west of Rocester. The village of Croxden is about five miles north-west of Uttoxeter ; but the most remarkable object in this parish is Croxden Abbey, the ve- nerable ruins of which are to be seen about half a mile from the village. This Abbey was founded and endowed with lands and revenues by Bertram de Verdon, in the 22d year of the reign of Henry the Second, A. D. 1176, for monks of the Cistercian order. It is situated in a fertile valley, near a small rivulet called the Peake, arid was for many ages the burying-place of the Verdons; Croxden Abbey is a very picturesque and extensive ruin. The rincipal entrance at the west end is yet entire, and consists* of a most magnificent Gothic arch of excellent workmanship, as the or- namental stone cornices are yet undecayed, altlio ugh. opposed to 2F 226 A TOPOGRAPHICAL the weather nearly six centuries and a half. Above this noble arch, part of the abbey wall rises to the height of forty feet, over- grown with ivy. This is a beautiful picturesque object, worthy of the highest efforts of the painter and engraver. About 90 feet from this ruin, another part of the abbey wall stands bare and grey, distinctly marking the length of the edifice. A small arch, ready to crumble into ruins, stands on the north side, between these two high walls. At the west-end, besides the large and per- fect arch before-mentioned, there are four small arches of exqui- site workmanship, and perfectly entire. The interior has the re- mains of a large fire-place, and an arched door-way leads to the cemetery, or court, where there is a stone coffin preserved on a level with the surface of the ground. Several other stone coffins have been discovered in these ruins, and one of lead, all of which were covered up again by Mr. Carrington, whose large and com- modious farm-house is situated near the western end of the abbey, and the ruin itself is part of his farm-yard. In a recess in Mr. Carrington's garden, a stone crucifix is preserved. It is about two feet and a half high ; the left arm is broken off, but preserved in the recess, and on the back of this curious relic, there is a rude representation of the Virgin and Child ensculptured, but now al- most worn out by time. Croxden Church is a small stone fabric, with a belfry of wood, containing one bell. The window on the north side is built up, and the church is lighted by three small windows on the south side, and one at the east end. This church is dedicated to St. Giles, and is a donative. The Earl of Macclesfield is patron, and the Rev. Walter Eddowes the present curate. The parish of Croxden, including the township of Great Yate, contains 43 houses, 43 families ; 137 males, 126 females : total in- habitants 263. The soil is a fertile loam, though a considerable part of the land is hilly- BRADLEY-IN-THE-MOORS is a small parish and village to the north of Croxden. It contains 15 houses, 15 families ; 42 males, 41 females : total inhabitants 83. The Church is a small structure of stone, with a tower. It is dedicated to All Saints, and is a curacy. The Rev. Walter Ed- dowes is curate. ALVETON is an extensive and populous parish, including townships of Cotton, Denston, and Farley. The village of Alve- ton is situated to the north of Bradley, four miles N.E. of Cheadle. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 227 This village is built upon very uneven ground, in a most romantic situation near the river Churnet. It contains several well-built modern houses, and is remarkable for the ruins of an ancient Cas- tle, built and inhabited by Bertram de Verdon, the founder of Croxden Abbey. After the lapse of several years, this castle devolved by mar- riage to the Furnivals. It continued two successions in this fa- mily, when, falling to Joan, the only heir, who married Thomas Ne- ville, brother to the Earl of Westmoreland, he was in her right created Lord Furnival. He left by her only one daughter, Joan, who having married to John Talbot, afterwards Earl of Shrews- bury, she brought the manor and castle of Alveton into his family, and it is now the property of the present Earl of Shrewsbury. The site of Alveton Castle is very commanding, and natu- rally strong, built on a rocky precipice on the south bank of the Churnet, the base being elevated about eighty yards above that river. On this side it was inaccessible, and it was strongly forti- fied by an entrenchment on the side next the church. The ruins consist of two towers, the most perfect of which is overgrown with ivy, with a small vane in the centre ; the other is partly fallen in. A covered archway, and fragments of the thick outer wall, also remain. Alveton Church, which stands near this Castle, above the village, is an ancient and low Gothic edifice of stone, with a strong square tower : the roof is covered with lead. The interior is heavy, and ill lighted with very small windows : the pews are of oak. It is dedicated to St. Peter, and is a vicarage, in the patronage of R. Williamson, Esq. : the Rev. Thomas Blackey, the present vicar, resides in a neat white mansion near the extre- mity of the village. The parish of Alveton contains 357 houses, 358 families ; 955 males, 943 females : total of inhabitants 1,898. There is an extensive wire manufactory established at Oakamoor, on the Churnet, and another at the village, near Alveton, by Messrs. Patten and Co. of Cheadle. About 30 workmen are employed at the former, and 50 at the latter place. A cotton manufactory was begun on this river about thirty years ago by a company of adventurers, but it was afterwards relin- juished, and the building is now occupied as a corn-mill. There is Iso a large tan-yard in the village. 228 A TOPOGRAPHICAL There are two places for divine worship in Alveton, namely, the Church, and a chapel for Calvinists. The Rev. Mr. Tallis is minister of the latter. Several Methodists reside here, but they have not yet erected a meeting-house, and they consequently meet at private houses. Near the north bank of the Churnet, opposite the Castle, stands Alveton Abbey, the summer residence of the Earl of Shrewsbury. His Lordship has made great improvements on his manor, and given employment to masons, bricklayers, labourers, and different artists connected with architecture. He is somewhat fanciful, and has built and pulled down several ornamental temples on his grounds ; and he is now engaged in the erection of a tower on the summit of a hill, which will command an extensive prospect of the circumjacent country. Lord Shrewsbury, who is a zealous Catholic, married a Miss Hoey, the daughter of a bookseller in Dublin, who was also a votary of the Holy Mother Church, and a considerable number of Catholics are retained in the family mansion. Alveton is a constablewick over thirteen townships, the inhabi- tants of which owe suit and service to Lord Shrewsbury, who holds a court leet and a court baron, with the view of frank pledge, in the Moot-hall belonging to the manor. It is situated opposite the Church, and is occupied as a free-school, with an annuity of c12. for the instruction of twelve boys and girls. A branch of the Grand Trunk and Caldon canal passes through the valley near Alveton, parallel with the river Churnet, and is continued to Uttoxeter. On Sunday, April 20, 1805, a great shock of an earthquake was felt at Alveton, and the places adjacent, about one o'clock in the morning. During the concussion several chimneys were thrown down, particularly in the hamlet of Prestwood, but the inhabitants received no injury. August 31st, 1S10, Alveton and the neighbourhood was visited with the most dreadful storm of thunder, hail, and rain, that ever was remembered by the oldest inhabitant. Hail-stones of more than five inches in circumference, lay three inches thick upon the ground, and broke many of the windows, which were also forced-in by a violent west wind. Much glass was broken in the hot-houses of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and those of the neighbouring gentlemen, and some damage sustained in the farms and orchards. This storm lasted three quarters of an hour. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 229 CHEADLE Is a market-town in Totmanslow South, situated in a vale near the river Tean, and 145 miles from London. This town was the ancient seat of the Bassets, of Drayton, but it contains no remains of an- tiquity. The hills near the town are bleak and barren ; many of them are covered with heath, and have lately been planted with firs and other trees. Cheadle Park, which is three miles in cir- cumference, contains thirty-three inclosures, and has been much improved. Here are some valuable coal-mines ; and a high barren hill belonging to it, which rises near the town, is the princi- pal public walk of the inhabitants, as it affords an extensive pros- pect of the surrounding country. Lichfield Cathedral, which is twenty-seven miles distant, is perceptible on a clear day. The parish of Cheadle contains 626 houses, 640 families ; 1535 males, 1656 females : total inhabitants 3,191. About one-third of the population is employed in the tape-manufactory, and other handicraft arts ; and the remainder in agriculture, and as shop- keepers, innkeepers, and various professions connected with me- chanical arts. The weekly market is held on Friday, and is plenti- fully supplied with provisions. There are two annual fairs for horses and cattle ; one held on Holy Thursday, and the other on the 21st of August. There are extensive brass and copper-works, belonging to Messrs. Patten and Co. situated in a valley on the Tean, about half a mile south of Cheadle. Part of the copper is supplied from a mine at Mixon, but the principal part is brought from the great mines at Ecton. The copper and brass are smelted in the furnaces here. The brass is made into ingots for the brass-founders ; and copper and brass are rolled into sheets. Cheadle Church is an ancient Gothic structure of stone, roofed with oak. It is situated on an eminence, and the square stone tower, which contains a clock and six bells, is adorned with four pinnacles and vanes. The interior of the church is neat. The nave is supported by six Gothic arches, and it contains two gal- leries. When viewed from the chancel, the effect is simple and sub- the windows " casting a dim religious light/' and the large gan at the west end, in a very elevated situation, rising almost to e high roof, gives an air of magnificence to the whole. This church is dedicated to St. Giles, aud is a rectory in the patronage leri I': the 230 A TOPOGRAPHICAL of Trinity College, Cambridge. The Rev. Dellaber Pritchett, A.M. is rector. The following epitaph in the church-yard is unique : " ID sixteen hundred and ninety -three, GEORGE WOOD, of Cheadle, set this tree ; Which was alive, but now he's dead, Up to this stone here lies his head. Be sure you have account to give, When you are dead, how you did live." He was buried at the root of a yew-tree of his own planting, which is now rooted-up. There is a chapel belonging to the Calvinists in Cheadle. A free-school has long been established in this town, endowed with twenty pounds a-year. DRAYCOTT-IN-THE-MOORS is a small parish about three miles S.w. of Cheadle, and situated on the northern bank of the river Blithe. The village of Draycott is small and irregular. The only manufacture carried on here is that of tape : about eight looms, belonging to Messrs. Philips, of Tean, are employed in this village. The Church is situated on a hill, in a rural spot near the village. It is a neat structure of stone : the tower and the body of the church are modern, and the principal entrance is adorned with two lofty Doric columns, and a pediment ; but the chancel, which is very ancient, is Gothic. The nave of the church is spacious, the roof is supported by columns of the Doric order, and the pews are of oak. In the chancel, and two small chapels, there are several monuments of the Draycott family, with figures in alabaster, re- cumbent on altar tombs. At the south side of the church, close to the wall on the outside, is the recumbent figure of a knight in armour, with his right hand on the hilt of his sword, and a dragon at his feet. It is dedicated to St. Peter, and is a rectory. The present rector, the Rev. Robert Porter, purchased the living, the rectory-house, and estate, from the late Mr. Bill, some years ago. Longevity. " Hannah, the wife of Thomas Barnes, departed this life the 17th Dec. 1777, aged 100 years." The parish of Draycott contains 92 houses, 97 families ; 262 males, 274 females : total inhabitants 536. Totmanslow is an ancient but obscure hamlet in this parish, con- sisting of two or three farm-houses, and a few smaller tenements : this place, equally insignificant with Seisdon, gives name to the hundred. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 231 DILHORNE is a parish of Totmanslow North : it is of considerable extent and population. This parish, including Fosbrook township, contains 242 houses, 249 families ; 581 males, 603 females : total of inhabitants, 1,184. Some of the lands in this parish were greatly improved by the judicious management of the late John Holiday, Esq. of Dilhorne Hall. In 1792, the gold medal given by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Manufactures was adjudged to him, for having planted at Dilhorne 113,000 mixed timber trees. Previously to this, his extensive and romantic wind- ing vales and fertilized hills, were adorned with hedge-row elms, oaks, and other trees. There are also excellent coal-mines in this estate. But the most valuable coal-mines hitherto discovered in this parish, are those on the estate of Samuel Bamford, Esq. who has a handsome mansion near the village of Dilhorne, with exten- sive pleasure-grounds. The village of Dilhorne is but small. There is a free grammar- school here, endowed by the Huntingdon family, who formerly held property in this parish, which came to them by marriage with one of the ico-heiresses of Sir John Port, the founder of a noble institution for the instruction of youth, at Repton, in Derby- shire. The present master of the grammar-school at Dilhorne, is the Rev. John Smith, M. A. who resides in the vicarage-house. Another free-school is established at Blithemarsh, in this parish, for the township of Fosbrook ; Mr. James Dunn is the present schoolmaster. A school for girls has also been established, by the beneficence of Lady Buller, Mrs. Holiday, widow of John Holiday, Esq. and Mrs. Willatt, who are all residents at Dilhorne Hall. In this school eighteen girls are maintained, clothed, furnished with books, and instructed gratuitously. Dilhorne Church is an ancient structure of stone, with a very curious octagonal tower, which contains five musical bells. The interior is neat, the pews are of oak, and the roof is supported by eight Gothic arches. The timber of the roof is oak, adorned with curious carved work, and the outside is covered with lead. There are several monuments in the chancel, but none of the inscriptions are remarkable. The parish registers are entire for about two cen- turies and a half, and the most curious circumstance recorded in them is, that, during the Protectorate, the banns of marriage be- tween a man and a woman of Dilhorne were published at the market- cross of Cheadle by the town crier, and the parties were after- wards married by a Justice of Peace. The church is a vicarage, 232 A TOPOGRAPHICAL dedicated to All Saints, in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral, and the present vicar is the Rev. Henry White. CAVERSWALL is a parish at the western extremity of Totmanslow north. It contains, besides the village of Caverswall, the township of Weston Coyney and Hulme. The village is situated near the source of the river Blithe, and consists of several good houses. But the most remarkable object in this village is Caverswall Castle, built by Sir William de Caverswell in the reign of Edward II. It is a very strong and stately structure of stone, consisting of the high keep, with an inner court and garden, and four lower towers, one at each angle of the main building. A deep moat, supplied by water from two springs, prevents access. The castle has two fronts : the north-west front towards the village, is concealed by an outer wall, which extends along the side of the street to the church-yard. On entering the outer gate, another strong high wall and gate exclude the intruder, for it is now consecrated ground, being a nunnery. In the year 1811, a number of nuns, who had emigrated from France, and settled at Preston in Lancashire, removed to Ca- verswall Castle, as a more secluded place. This castle, which was sold by the Hon. Booth Grey to Mr. Brett, a banker, of Stone, in this county, was taken on lease by Walter Hill 'Coy- ney, Esq. of Weston Coyney, for the nuns; and the sisterhood, amounting to sixteen in number, with their confessor, came hither. This priest, who is a man of very agreeable manners, has taken much pains to convert several of the peasantry of the parish to the principles of Catholicism. His success, however, has not been commensurate to his zeal; when he has any thing to be- stow upon them, they are mean and willing enough to receive it ; but he has discovered that the majority of his converts come to the chapel in Caverswall Castle more for the hope of gain than the hope of salvation. In the mean time, the nuns are sufficiently active in the good work of instructing young ladies in the prin- ciples of their faith, and they have at present about 30 pupils in progress. Their discipline is sufficiently strict ; the pupils wear an uniform of buff-coloured cotton ; they are not suffered to ram- ble beyond the bounds of the gravel-walk which surrounds the moat, and two or three small fields ; they walk two and two, like other boarding-school girls, and in their half-hour's exercise along the walk in the garden, are required, as a religious duty, to utter HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 233 their ave-marias and pater-nosters in a low voice. The nuns them- selves may be termed the Black Ladies. Their dress is entirely sable, with long thick black veils thrown over the right shoulder. Their demeanour is grave, and they generally walk with some book in their hands. Their countenances are pleasing and pensive ; and if a man approaches them, they turn away as if they feared the im- putation of vanity, or were in danger of weakening their principles by gratifying the eye of curiosity. Weston Coyney, the residence of Walter Hill Coyney, Esq. is about three quarters of a mile distant from the castle. Mr. Coyney was brought up a Protestant, and was introduced to a Miss Coyney, the inheritor of a considerable estate, and an orphan. This lady is a zealous Papist, and Mr. Hill, when he married her, was obliged to adopt her family-name, and agree that if they had any daughters, they should go to mass with their mother, and the sons might go to church with their father. To this agreement they now scrupu- lously adhere. The Church, which is near the Castle, is a small Gothic struc* ture of stone, with a low tower. It was built by Matthew Cradock, Esq. about two hundred years ago. The chancel contains monu- ments of the family of Cradock, and the family-vault of the Parkers, of Park-hall. The late Countess of St. Vincent was buried in this vault in the year 1816, and a splendid monument, emblazoned with the most memorable achievements of Earl St. Vincent, is to be executed by a sculptor in London. It is a vicarage, in the pa- tronage of the Parker family. The Rev. William Eddowes is the present vicar. The parish of Caverswall, including the township of Weston Coyney and Huime, contains 170 houses, 171 families ; 450 males, 450 females : total of inhabitants 900. KINGSLEY is a parish of considerable extent and population, the principal part of which is in Totmanslow South ; it also includes the township of Whiston, in Totmanslow North. This part of the country has been greatly improved by inclosures and plantations of trees. This parish contains 213 houses, 216 families ; 566 males, 572 females : total of inhabitants 1,138. The Caldon Canal passes mgh this parish. The village of Kingsley is irregularly built, but contains some >od houses, and a tape-manufactory, belonging to the Tean /ompany, in which 30 looms are employed. The Church is a large and very ancient structure of stone, in a 234 A TOPOGRAPHICAL decayed state, with a low tower, and a flat roof. Three small ash trees grow on the roof at the east end, and have a most picturesque effect. They have existed there more than forty years ; the seeds are supposed to have been sown by birds who alighted on the roof, and though the trees were frequently cut down, they always sprang up anew : they are now about five feet high. There is a free-school attached to this church ; it stands at the northern angle of the east end, and the children of the village are instructed there in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The church is dedicated to St. Peter: it is a vicarage in the gift of the Duke of Devonshire. The Rev. John Wood is the present vicar, and the Rev. William Carlisle curate. Longevity. There is an inscription in the church-yard to the memory of Mary Davenport, aged 97 years. To the north-east of Kingsley stands Cotton-hall, the seat of Mr. Gilbert. It is in a low situation, sheltered by high hills and extensive plantations of fir. The hamlet of Cotton contains several rural tenements, and a small chapel. IPSTONES is a parish in an elevated situation, about three miles to the north of Kingsley, and five to the south-east of Leek. It comprises the township of Morredge and Foxt, and contains 248 houses, 250 families ; 631 males, 604 females : total of inhabitants 1,235. The cliffs in this parish are high and picturesque. The village of Ipstones contains several well-built houses, and two large inns. The Church, which is about a mile from the vil- lage, is situated on a gentle eminence, and is a neat modern struc- ture of stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, with a square tower, adorned with four pinnacles and vanes. The interior is roomy and clean, and the pews are of fir. This edifice was built in the year 1790. Every Saturday morning the church-bell is rung at eleven o'clock to summon the out-poor of the parish to attend at church, where they receive their weekly pittance from one of the overseers. Among other instances of longevity recorded in the church-yard, is the following : " Here lie the remains of Robert Clowes, interred Nov. 7, 1771, aged 93 years.-" The church is dedicated to St. Leo- nard. Mr. Littleton is patron, and the Rev. William Carlisle curate. Belmont, the seat of the late John Sneyd, Esq. is in this parisl It is situated on a gentle eminence facing the south-east, and rounded by woods of oak, elm, ash, and other trees. The und< wood is mountain ash, hazle, alder, and salixes of several species, which are cut once in six years to make crates for the Potteries. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 235 CALDON is a small parish, about four miles east of Ipstones, and eight miles from Leek, situated to the south of the turnpike- road leading from Leek to Ashbourne, and in a barren and dreary part of the Moorlands. This parish contains 59 houses, 59 families; 165 males, 15*2 females : total of inhabitants 317. There is no manufacture carried on in this parish ; but Caldon Lowe furnishes an abundant supply of lime-stone to the neighbouring parishes, and to a great extent, through the medium of the canal. The Church, which is small, is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a chapel of ease to Church Mayfield, which is about five miles distant. The Rev. Thomas Blackey is the present minister. The principal food of the inhabitants of this parish, and of the Moorlands in general, is oatmeal baked into thin cakes on a bake- stone ; but this comparatively coarse fare is certainly conducive to health, for the people who are reared on it are hardy, and long-lived. CALTON is a parish, or rather a township, two miles to the north- east of Caldon, and about nine miles from Leek. This township extends into four parishes, namely, Waterfall, Mayfield, Blore, and Crokesden. It contains 44 houses, 44 families ; 112 males, 108 females : total of inhabitants 220. The Church is a small structure, dedicated to St. Mary, and is a curacy, in the patronage of Mr. Wheeldon. The Rev. Mr. Newton is curate. OKEOVER is a small parish, situated on the west bank of the Dove, northward of the road from Leek to Ashbourne. It contains 10 houses, 10 families; 33 males, 27 females: total of inhabitants 60. This parish is remarkable for the barrows of Hallsteds and Arbour Closes, being deep square entrenchments of stone, and supposed by antiquaries to have been formed by the Romans. Okeover-Hall, the elegant residence of Haughton Farmer Oke- over, Esq. is a magnificent mansion of brick and stone, with an Ionic portico in the centre, consisting of two columns and two pilasters, with two wings. The principal front is towards the deer park, where herds of deer quietly graze, or repose at will. The hall and dining-room belonging to this mansion are adorned with several excellent paintings, particularly the Holy Family, by Urbino, valued at 1500 guineas ; the Magi at the Tomb of Christ, rith an Angel sitting upon it, by Carlo Dolci; Christ bearing the Crpss, by Titian ; the Unjust Steward, by Rubens ; the Baptism, by Titian; a Venus, by the same artist; St. Paul, by Rubens ; and several others. 236 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The situation of Okeover-hall is peculiarly delightful, with a lawn in front, and flourishing trees on the eminences ; the Dove and its fertile banks in view ; and a neat Gothic church within a few yards of the principal entrance. The exterior of the Church, which is built of stone, is truly pic- turesque and agreeable. Its Gothic east window, with ivy climb- ing on each side ; its wall, with neat battlements, and the roof covered with lead ; and its handsome square tower, with four pin- nacles, and a light vane rising in the centre, present a variety of pleasing objects. The interior harmonizes with its exterior, com- bining convenience with elegance. It is small ; the pews and read- ing desk are painted ; the communion-table is of marble ; and an organ, adorned with carved wood in mahogany, harmonizes with the simplicity of the whole. There are two monuments of the Okeover family in the chan- cel ; the inscription on one of them is partly defaced, but the other bears the date of 1524. On a mural monument of white marble, an angel is represented as extinguishing the torch of life with the left hand, while the left arm rests upon an urn. The right hand holds a serpent, in a circle, with the tail in the mouth, emblematic of eternity ; under- neath is the following inscription : " Sacred to the memory of MARY, the wife of LEAK OKEOVER, Esq. near 40 years the daughter of John Nicholls, Esq. She left this life Jan. 30, 1764, aged 63 years. So clear a reason, so refin'd a sense, Such virtue, such religious confidence ; Manners so easy, and a mind so even, On earth must needs anticipate a heaven ! Her husband soon followed, Jan. 31, 1765, aged 60 years. Thrice happy pair ! in mutual love so tied, Whom death but for a moment could divide ! Knowing this world is not our proper home, Their wish was for that happier world to come." There is another mural monument of white marble, behind the reading desk. It represents an urn, with the crest of the family above it, the arms below, and the following inscription : " Sacred to the remains of E. W. OKEOVER, Esq. who died 30th of June, 1793, in the 41st year of his age. He knew no happiness equal to that of con- ferring it upon others ; and the many good qualities of his heart, will never be forgotten, and can only be estimated by those who were best acquainted with him." The church is dedicated to All Saints. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 237 One of the ancestors of the present proprietor of Okeover- hall and manor, left an estate at Atlow, in Derbyshire, the rent of which is appropriated to the support of three clergymen's widows, each of whom receives o30. per annum, and have a house rent-free, near the family-mansion. He also left an annuity to support an organist in Okeover church, and money to provide clothing for twelve children in the parishes of Okeover, Atlow, Mappleton, and the hamlet of Swinescote, in Staffordshire, and to place them, in rotation, as apprentices, with a premium. BLOBE is a small parish, including Swinescote township, situ- ated about a mile and a half to the N.w. of Okeover, on the west side of the Dove. The village is situated on high ground, and in a fertile tract, within a mile of Ham, which may be termed the boundary of the comparatively barren. Moorlands. This parish contains 39 houses, 39 families ; 83 males, 81 females : total in- habitants, 164. The village of Blore is chiefly remarkable for having formerly been the residence of the ancient family of Bassett, whose mansion stood here. Not a single vestige of which now remains; and the an- tiquary, in his researches for some fragment of this ancient scene of baronial splendour, may exclaim, " Sic transit gloria mundi /" The few houses now in the village are inhabited by farmers and people employed in agriculture. The Church is an ancient Gothic edifice, with a large tower ; the roof is covered with lead, and there are two small windows in the east end. The only monument worthy of observation is one to the me- mory of a young woman, with the following inscription : " Here lieth the body of MARY HALL, who departed this life, Dec. 12, 1764, aged 23 years : Though short my days, my wit and beauty bright, I was my parents' joy and hearts* delight; In me alone they comfort thought to find, God called me hence it was his blessed mind." The church is dedicated to St. Bartholomew, and is a rectory. The Rev. William Bailey is the present curate. It contains se- veral monuments of the Bassett family, now mouldering in ruins. ILAM, with THROWLEY, and CASTERTON, and OKEOVER. This parish, which is situated on the banks of the Manifold, may with propriety be termed the boundary of the sterile part of the Moor- lands, the vale through which the river flows presenting on the side towards Blore rich woodlands and cultivated fields, while near 23$ A TOPOGRAPHICAL the eastern bank of the river, several barren hills rise in frowning majesty, bidding defiance to the skilful hand of the cultivator, the fertilizing dews, the showers, and sunshine. This parish, exclusive of Okeover, which has been correctly estimated before, contains 26 houses, 26 families ; 83 males, 94 females : total of inhabitants, 177. The village of Ham contains about eight or ten houses, including the stately mansion of Jesse Russell, Esq. situated on a gentle emi- nence, with two verdant terraces, and a pleasant lawn, in front, ter- minated by the church-yard. Behind the house, on the s.w. bank of the Manifold, a flourishing wood of oak, elm, ash, &c. rises along the side of the hill, and spreads to a considerable extent, in form of an amphitheatre, and above it the ground gradually rises in a cultivated eminence to a great height, terminated by a cop- pice, which is a conspicuous and pleasing object, and may be seen for several miles. The river falls in two natural cascades near the mansion, and their regular and constant sound, has a tendency to tranquillize the mind. Eastward of the church, which is itself a most interesting object, the village appears peeping amid the em- bowering trees ; the white house of the vicar is most conspicuous; while beyond it rise two barren hills or mounts, with the grey rocks above the surface, which seem to forbid cultivation. The Church is a small but very beautiful Gothic edifice of stone, vsituated about two hundred yards in front of the principal man- sion. The date of its erection, as marked over the entrance, is 1618. The tower is of stone, with four pinnacles, a vane, and battlements. Two of the pinnacles, and almost the whole of the tower, to the ground, is covered with flourishing ivy in full ver- dure, which has a most picturesque and pleasing effect. Part of the west end, and of the body of the church, is also overgrown with ivy. The interior is plain, and the pews of oak; but there are several monuments in the chancel, particulary some tombs of the descendants of Oliver Cromwell, who lived at Throwley Hall, in this parish. The following inscription on a tomb-stone in the church-yard is worth notice : " RICHARD ENSOR, A. M. formerly of Magdalen College, Cambridge, was instituted vicar of this church, Anno Dora. 1669, departed this life, Nov. 6, 1714, aged 79. And on his right hand lies HANNAH, his wife, who died Dec. 29lh, 1740, aged 95." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 239 The church is dedicated to the Holy Cross, in the patronage of John Port, Esq. The present vicar is the Rev. Burnet Port. WATERFALL is a parish in the Moorlands, situated between three and four miles from Ham. Its name originated in the curious phe- nomenon of the river Hamps, which, after having flowed about eight miles from its source, suddenly disappears among the lime-stone rocks in this parish, where it holds a subterranean course to the neighbourhood of Ham, where it rises again and forms a conflu- ence with the Manifold. The village of Waterfall is an obscure and inconsiderable place, of no great antiquity, not being men- tioned in any ancient record. The parish contains 92 houses, 92 families ; 231 males, 224 females : total of inhabitants, 455. The principal employment of the men is in agriculture ; some of them work in the copper mines at Ecton. The Church, which is dedicated to St. James, is a small fabric : it is a curacy. GRINDON is an ancient manor, which was possessed by Robert de Stafford, in the 20th year of the reign of William the Con- queror. In the reign of Henry the Third, it was held, with Blore, by William Audley, of the Baron of Stafford. In the 9th of Ed- ward the Third, Joanna le Strange was lady of this manor ; she was afterwards married to Sir Henry Brailiford, whose daughter and heir, Joan, married Sir John Bassett, descended from the Bas- setts, of Cheadle. In this family it continued till the close of the seventeenth century, when it devolved to Christopher, Duke of Albemarle. The parish of Grindon contains 69 houses, 74 families ; 206 males, 197 females : total of inhabitants, 403. The village con- sists of a few good farm-houses and smaller tenements. The Church is a small modern structure of stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, with a square tower. The free-school is at the east end, where the children of the parishioners are taught to read gratuitously ; but the schoolmaster is paid for instructing them in writing and arithmetic, as he only receives c8. a-year from the funds of the institution. Among the monuments in the church-yard, the following are the most remarkable : " RICHARD BULLOCK, of Ford, died 21st June, 1740, aged 92." " In memory of CHARLES SMITH, who died 25th Jan. 1814, aged 56 years t He taught at Grindon school near five and thirty years, And it was his desire that his bones might rest here till Christ appears." 240 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The church is dedicated to All Saints, and is a rectory, under the patronage of the Marquis of Stafford. The Rev. James Whitaker, of Alstonefield, is the present incumbent. ONECOTE is a township belonging to the parish of Leek. It is situated to the north-west of Grindon, and contains 74 houses, 80 families ; 246 males, 218 females : total number of inhabitants 464. Many of these people are employed in the copper and lead-mines of Ecton. Narrowdale, in this township, is remarkable for the high rocks with which it is surrounded, and the inhabitants of which seldom behold the sun, and when it is visible, about one o'clock, they call it the Narrowdale noon. Onecote Chapel is a chapel of ease, belonging to the vicarage of Leek. BCTTERTON is a township and village in Mayfield parish, situ- ated to the north-east of Onecote. It contains 68 houses, 72 families; 161 males, 194 females : total of inhabitants 355. The viHage of Butterton is irregular and ill-built, consisting of about twenty farm-houses and smaller tenements, in a low situa- tion, and surrounded with trees, which relieve the eye in these dreary and naked Moorlands. The Church is a small modern fabric of stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, with a small square tower : it is a chapel of ease to Mayfield. The Rev. James Whitaker, of Alstonefield, is the present minister. There are two white paper garlands, such as are carried in the funeral procession at the burial of young unmarried women, suspended from the roof of the church. Longevity. Elizabeth Stubbs died 28th August, 1799, aged 93. WETTON is a parish situated to the west of Butterton, and ad- joining to Alstonefield. This parish is remarkable for ThorVhouse, a cavern in a rock which extends into a hill the distance of 44 yards, and is about 30 feet high in the middle. The roof is supported by a large and rough natural pillar, and the cave is divided into several partitions or rooms with rock-work, which has the appearance of human figures. According to tradition, the Druids performed their sanguinary rites in this cavern, and sacrificed human vic- tims enclosed in wicker-work, on the altar of their idol Thor ; but there is no historical document in existence to prove the fact, and the story probably originated in the warm and invent- ive imagination of some fanciful rustic, or hair-brained poet. Dr. Darwin, whom nobody will suspect of credulity, 1ms contrived to HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 241 conjure up a host of demons in illustration of the supposed enor- mities of the Druids, but to sober reason the whole appears an ab- surd fiction. Ecton-hill is in this parish, near the village of Warnslow. This hill is remarkable for its productive mines of lead and copper, and is upon the estate of the Duke of Devonshire. It was first wrought by the Earl of Devonshire, in the seventeenth century, and after- wards by Sir Richard Fleetwood, and some Dutchmen. But it proved unprofitable, arid copper from Sweden was imported at a lower price than it could be produced here. In 1720, the hill was again examined by a Cornish miner, a company was established, a lease of the mine obtained from the Duke of Devonshire, and 0613,000. expended before any returns could be realized. Some of the company then sold their shares at a great loss, but the remainder persevered in their researches, and on sinking a shaft of two hundred yards deep they discovered a rich vein of copper ore, which repaid their expenditure, and enabled them to acquire considerable profits before the expiration of their lease. It then reverted to the lord of the manor, and in the year 1789 it produced from eight to ten thousand pounds, clear of all expences. It is asserted that the ore annnally obtained in the Ecton mines is productive of one hundred and ninety tons of pure copper ! How far this statement is accurate has not been ascertained, but such a produce is in itself an ample revenue. Ecton-hill is about 230 yards high, and the diameter of its base half a mile. The entrance to the mine is at the base, near the bank of the Manifold. From this spot a passage is made 400 yards in length, and about six feet high, into the centre of the hill, strongly walled on each side. In the centre there is a large cavity, by which there is a passage to the summit of the hill, with a lodgment of timber for receiving the raised ore. From this place it is con- veyed on small four-wheel carriages, which run in grooves, by boys of twelve or fourteen years of age. The immense mass of copper ore with which this hill abounds, does not lie in regular strata, but is found in a perpendicular direc- tion, widening towards the lower end. About seventy miners are constantly employed here, night and day, and relieved every six hours by a fresh set, so that the total number of men is nearly 300, besides a considerable number of boys. When the copper ore is brought from the mine to the bank of the 9H -24-2 A TOPOGRAPHICAL river, it is broken by hammers, and divided by girls into three sorts. It is then w ashed under the superintendance of an experienced miner, and exposed to sale in the open air. On the opposite side of the hill there is a rich lead mine, the veins of which extend nearly to the copper ore, and a very consi- derable population is employed and maintained in these works. The parish of Wetton contains 102 houses, 102 families ; 282 males, 311 females : total of inhabitants 593. The village of Wetton is considerable, and contains about forty houses. A few of the inhabitants are employed in weaving cotton. The Church is a small ancient fabric, in a ruinous state : the tower is of stone, and contains three bells. Money which had been col- lected for building a new church at Wetton, was deposited for se- curity in the hands of Mr. Thomas Gould, of Ashbourne, who un- fortunately became bankrupt. Over the entrance to the church there is a very curious old arch, with emblems engraved on stone, representing the Lamb and Cross, with a Dove underneath, opposed to the figure of a Dragon, over which Christ appears triumphant. The church is dedicated to St. Margaret : it is a curacy, and the Rev. William Matthew Ward is the present curate. ALSTONEFIELD is a parish on the banks of the Dove, situated about two miles to the east of Wetton. This parish partakes of the general appearance of the Moorlands, abounding with hills and dales, and interspersed with several fertile spots in a high state of cultivation. It extends to the length of fifteen miles, including the townships of Fairfield-Head, Heathy-Lee, Hollinsclough, Longnor, Quarnford, and Warnslow with Elkstones, and containing 855 houses, 872 families ; 2,073 males, 2,143 females : total of inhabitants 4,216. The village of Alstonefield consists of several good substantial farm-houses of stone. The Church is a neat structure, in the Go- thic style of architecture, with a large east window partly blocked up, and a strong tower adorned with four pinnacles, battlements, and a vane. It contains three bells and a clock. Near the east window, on the outside of the church, the date 1590 is engraved on a stone, but the edifice seems of greater anti- quity. The architectural ornaments of the east window are beautiful. The interior is worthy of observation. It consists of a nave, chancel, and two small aisles. The roof is supported by six large HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 243 Gothic arches. The pulpit and reading-desk are curious ; they are painted blue, with gilded cornices, and remarkable as being the gift of the celebrated Charles Cotton the poet, who resided many years at Beresford-Hall, on the banks of the Dove. The date carved in the wood is 1637. Opposite the pulpit is a pew which belonged to the Cotton family ; it is also painted blue. The church is dedicated to St. Peter, and is a vicarage in the patronage of Sir Harry Harper, Bart. : the Rev. James Whitaker, who resides in the vicarage-house, near the church, is the present vicar. Among the monuments in the chancel, there is one to the memory of the Rev. Roger Farmer, vicar, who died in the year 168*2; and another of the Rev. Peter Parr, who was instituted vicar of this church in 1713, and died in 1764, aged 74. WARNSLOW is a small township belonging to Alstonefield parish, situate to the north-east of Butterton. The village of Warnslow consists of several good houses ; the Church or Chapel is a small modern structure : the Rev. Richardson is curate. UPPER ELKSTONE is a township and village about two miles to the west of Warnslow. The hamlet of Upper Elkstone consists of about six houses, and that of Lower Elkstone of twelve. The surrounding country is barren and uneven, in many places over- grown with heath, and altogether an uncomfortable district to reside in. The Church is a small modern structure. It is a curacy, the Rev. Richardson, who also officiates at Warnslow, is curate. The following inscription on a tomb-stone in Elkstone church- yard, is worthy of notice : " WILLIAM GRINDON, of Stonyfold, died Dec. 26, 1791, aged 62 years. In hopes of future bliss content I lie, Tho' pleas'd to live, yet not displeas'd to die : Life has its comforts, and its sorrows too, For both to all-wise heaven our thanks are due. How far my hopes and views are founded well God only knows but the last day will tell." SHEEN is a small parish, situated near the west bank of the Dove, and bordering on Derbyshire. The face of the country here is wild and romantic, but the soil about the hamlet of Sheen is fertile. This parish contains 63 houses, 73 families ; 205 males, 209 fe- males : total of inhabitants 414. 244 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The hamlet of Sheen consists of a few large farm-houses. The Church is a small ancient structure of stone, with a low tower. There are several ancient inscriptions of the seventeenth century on the tomb-stones in the church-yard; the letters and figures are large, and cut in basso-relievo, like the carving on wood at that period. There is one remarkable instance of longevity recorded by the sculptor, namely, to the memory of Isaac Oilman, who died Feb. the 8th, 1805, in the 99th year of his age. The church is a curacy : the Rev. Matthew Beetham is the present curate. LONGNOR Is a township of the parish of Alstonefield, and the population is 467 persons, as has already been mentioned. The small market- town of Longnor is situated eight miles north-east from Leek, and contains 100 houses, including two large inns. The market-house, which stands on a gentle eminence, is very convenient : the mar- ket is held on Tuesday. There are eight annual fairs held in this town, namely, on Candlemas-day, Easter Tuesday, May the 4th and 17th, Whit Tuesday, August the 6th, the Tuesday before Old Michaelmas-day, and the 12th of November. Longnor Church is a neat modern structure of stone, with a high square tower adorned with eight pinnacles. The interior is plain, and the pews of fir painted to resemble oak- The church-yard con- tains several monuments, the most curious of which is the follow- ing biographical record of a veteran : " In memory of WILLIAM BILLINGE, who was born in a corn-field at Fair- field-head, in this parish, in the year 1679. At the age of 23 years he enlisted into his Majesty's service under Sir George Rooke, and was at the taking of the fortress of Gibraltar in 1704. He afterwards served under the late Duke of Marlbro' at the ever-memorable battle of Ramillies, fought on the 23d of May, 1706, where he was wounded by a musket-shot in the thigh; afterwards returned to his native country, and with manly courage defended his Sove- reign's rights, at the Rebellion in 1715, and 1745. He died within the space of 150 yards of the place where he was born, and was interred here the 30th of Ja- nuary, 1791, aged 112 years. Billeted by Death, I quarter'd here remain, When the trumpet sounds, I'll rise and inarch again !" There are also some other instances of longevity recorded on the tomb-stones in this church-yard, namely, " To the memory of Sarah Wain, who died Jan. 28th, 1809, aged 91 years." Another, a->-ed 90 ; and several between 80 and 90. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 245 FLASH is a village situated towards the northern point of the county, near the road leading to Buxton, and seven miles north- east of Leek. It contains about twenty houses, three of which are ale-houses, and three with shops. The Church is small : it is a curacy, and the present curate is the Rev. Robert Richard Balderstone. There is also a small meeting-house for Methodists in this village. Longevity. -Though the situation of this village is one of the most elevated in Staffordshire, and computed to be nearly half a mile above the level of the sea, the air is salubrious, as may be proved from the records of the dead in the church-yard, particularly the following : " Here lieth the body of JOSEPH BRUNT, late of Calshaw, who departed this life Aug. 3d, 1795, aged 91 years. Also MARY, the mother of Joseph Brunt, who departed this life Feb. 24th, 1782, aged 104 years. Remember man that thou must die, And so must all that do pass by ; Our glass is run, our time is past, For age will bring you down at last." MEERBROOK is a village situated about four miles to the north of Leek, in a valley, which, though originally bleak and unproduc- tive, has, by skilful cultivation, been rendered pleasant and fertile. It is sheltered on the east by the Roches, two rocky hills which rise about half a mile distant. The parish or township extends to the river Dane to the N.w. and is diversified by hill and dale. The Church is a small fabric of stone, with a square tower, which contains one bell : a small pinnacle of stone adorns the east end. it is a chapel of ease to Leek, arid the Rev. James Turner is minister. HORTON is a parish situated to the west of Leek : it comprises the township of Blackwood and Crowborough, and contains 152 houses, 156 families ; 415 males, 379 females : total of inhabi- tants, 794. The village of Horton stands on an eminence : it contains three good farm-houses, and a few smaller tenements. The fields in general are well-fenced, and consist mostly of pasturage. There is also some corn grown, and a good deal of lime used both on the pastures, and the land under tillage. Horton-common was lately inclosed : it is a thin, black, and meagre soil, which will require much manure and cultivation. The Church is a handsome stone edifice, dedicated to St. Mi- chael : it is a curacy. In Rudyard vale, in the neighbourhood of Horton, there is a ca 246 A TOPOGRAPHICAL pacious reservoir, made by the proprietors of the Grand Trunk Canal, to provide an unfailing supply of water for the upper part of their navigation. This reservoir is about a mile and three quarters in length, and more than one-eighth of a mile in breadth, and its depth is about fifteen feet above their guage. It contains when full 2,420,000 cubic yards of water, or sufficient to supply their canal 100 miles in length, or to fill a lock three yards deep 10,000 times : it is consequently a sufficient supply in a dry season. ENDON, including LONGDON and STANLEY, is a large township in the parish of Leek. The village of Endon is about four miles south- west of Leek, and the lower part of it is situated on the turnpike- road, between that town and Newcastle ; the upper part compris- ing some handsome houses. The church is situated on a hill near the road. A considerable part of this township is hilly, yet fertile and well-inclosed. The Church is a modern structure of stone, the top of the walls adorned with battlements ; the roof is flat, and the square tower is of stone. It is a chapel of ease to Leek, and the present curate the Rev. John Salt, of Burslem, in the Potteries. Longevity. The following instance of longevity is inscribed en a tomb-stone in Endon church-yard : " Thomas Plant died June 18th, 1754, aged 99 years." Another monument bears this singular inscription : " Beneath lie the remains of WILLIAM MITRHALL, Esq. of Bagnall, who died the 4th of Jan. 1762, aged 66 years. Part of what I possessed is left to others, and what I gave away remains with me." BAGNALL is a small village, about two miles to the south of Endon, and six miles to the north-east of Newcastle. The Caldon Canal passes through this parish from the vale of Trent, into the vale of the Churnet, being its highest level, and where it is sup- plied with water from the reservoir in Rudyard vale. The manor-house in this village, which belongs to John Sparrow, Esq. of Bishton, is now inhabited by a tenant. It is a good mansion of stone, and appears to be of considerable antiquity. The Church, which is a most miserable structure of stone, and in a ruinous state, stands on an eminence in a pasture field. It might be mistaken for a small barn but for the wooden belfry, containing one small and solitary bell : the east end is actually propped by a piece of timber. The interior is inconvenient : six small windows admit the light. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 247 It is a chapel of ease to Stoke-upon-Trent, and the Rev. John Smith, who resides at Dilhorne, is minister. CHEDDLETON is a parish situate on the Churnet. The manor, at the time of the general Survey, was held by Roger de Montgo- mery : it has since devolved to several families, and now belongs to the Earl of Macclesfield. The Caldon Canal passes through this parish. It commences at the Grand Trunk Canal at Shelton, and passes through the parishes of Bagnall, Endon, Cheddleton, nearly parallel with the Churnet, and is continued down the vale through which that river flows to Kingsley, and as near to Caldon as the level will admit. Vast quantities of lime-stone are conveyed from Caldon Lowe to the Canal, which is continued along the vale of the Churnet to the neighbourhood of Alveton, and thence to Rocester and Uttox- eter, where it terminates. The village of Cheddleton is situated on a hill, near the Canal and the river Churnet. It contains several good houses ; and the Church, a neat fabric of stone, with its square tower, is a con- spicuous object. There is one instance of longevity recorded in the church-yard, on the tomb-stone of Sarah Bentley, who died 19th July, 1811, aged 90 years. The parish of Cheddleton is of considerable extent and popula- tion, including the townships of Bassford and Cunsall. It con- tains 261 houses, 261 families ; 733 males, 659 females : total of inhabitants 1,395. The Church is dedicated to St. Edward : it is a curacy, and the Rev. Edward Powys is the present minister. Ashcombe, the elegant mansion of William Sneyd, Esq. is in this parish. LEEK and LOWE parish is of very considerable extent, contain- ing the townships of Bradnop, Endon, Heaton, Leek-frith, One- cote, Rushton-James, Rushton-Spencer, and Tittisworth in North Totmanslow hundred, and the township of Rudyard and Caudery, in Totmanslow South. This parish contains 1,446 houses, 1,477 families ; 3,660 males, 3,968 females : total of inhabitants 7,628. In a parish of such extent there is a great variety of soil and sur- face, but the lands in general are not very fertile. Leek-edge is a new inclosure, north of the town of Leek, and is part of the great waste of Morredge. Part of this land has been planted with a variety of trees by the Earl of Macclesfield, who is lord of the 248 A TOPOGRAPHICAL manor ; and by Dr. Hulme, of Ball-Haye ; and Thomas Mills, Esq. of Barlaston ; so that the term Moorlands, as applied to this tract, may soon give place to the more significant epithet of Woodlands. Oats have been sown on part of this enclosed ground, but with little produce, and a part of it has been more successfully im- proved into pasturage. Ladder-edge is another new inclosure of land to the south-west of Leek ; and though the situation is high, and the soil stony, it has already, by judicious cultivation, and the free use of lime, pro- duced some good grain and turnips. The fences are generally of stone. The Caldon Canal, which comes within half a mile of Leek, is the medium for an abundant supply of lime-stone, which, when burnt into lime, facilitates the improvement of the cold soil, and the purposes of building. LEEK Is the principal market-town of Totmanslow North. It is situated on a pleasant eminence near the river Churnet, and contains thir- teen streets and lanes. The streets are wide, well paved, and clean ; many of the shops large, and several houses of the silk- manufacturers, and professional men, are elegant mansions. There are three large inns in Leek, and several ale-houses. A weekly market is held on Wednesday, and there are seven annual fairs, chiefly for cattle and pedlars* goods. They are held on the Wed- nesday before Candlemas, Easter-Wednesday, May the 18th, Whit-Wednesday, July 3d, July the 28th, and November the 13th. Leek has been indebted for much of its present prosperity to the silk-manufactures, which have been successfully carried on in this town for at least half a century, and the population has rapidly increased. This town, including Leek-Frith township, contains 954 houses, 972 families ; 2,023 males, 2,390 females : total of inhabitants 4,413. About two-thirds of the men, women, and children, in Leek, are employed in various branches of the silk-manufacture, which consist principally of shawls, handkerchiefs, ribbons, ferrets, twist, and sewing silks. The Church of Leek is an ancient Gothic structure of stone with two aisles, and a square tower, which contains a clock and six bells. In the year 1816, eight pinnacles were added to the tower, several parts of the exterior of the edifice were decorated with or- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 249 naments in the Gothic style : the interior also underwent a thorough repair. It is asserted that almost as much money was expended on repairs as would have built a new church. There is a mural monument of white marble in the chancel, to the memory of John Daintry, vicar of this church, who died on the 23d of Au- gust, 1758, aged 58, and several other individuals of that family. Leek church is a vicarage in the patronage of the Earl of Mac- el esfield: the Rev. Thomas Bentley is the present minister. William Badnall, of Leek, silk-dyer, left by will, dated the llth of January, 1806, one thousand pounds in the public funds, the in- terest of which is to be annually laid out in bedding, clothing, or other necessaries, to be distributed among twenty poor widows resident in Leek, who are not less than 60 years of age. In the church-yard are the remains of an ancient stone pyra- mid, without ah inscription, the origin of which rests entirely upon conjecture. Among other instances of longevity recorded on the tomb-stones in this church-yard, is one of an individual aged 95, and another aged 90 years. There are three other places of worship in Leek besides the Church ; namely, a meeting-house for Calvinists, a Quaker's meet- ing-house, and a large meeting-house for Methodists. There are two Sunday-schools, one supported by the friends of the Established Church, and the other by the Methodists. An alms-house, for eight poor widows, was endowed in the year 1696, by Elizabeth Ash, widow, of this town. The building is a curious piece of Gothic architecture, situated in the Compton. Each widow is allowed two shillings per week, fuel, and a new gown once in two years. Leek gave birth to Thomas Parker, the first Earl of Macclesfield, who was the son of Thomas Parker, attorney, of this town. He was born at Leek in the year 1666, and after a grammatical edu- cation, applied himself to the study of the law, under the direction of his father. He became so eminent as a barrister, that he was appointed one of Queen Anne's Counsel, and was exalted to the degree of Serjeant-at-Law, and had the honour of knighthood con- ferred on him on the 8th of June, 1705. He was a representative in Parliament for the town of Derby from 1705 to 1708. In 1710, he was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, and, on the death of the Queen, he was one of the Lords Justices till the arrival of George the First from Hanover. On the 10th of 21 250 A TOPOGRAPHICAL March, 1716, he was created a Baron of England, by the title of Lord Parker, Baron of Macclesfield ; and on the 5th of November, 1721, he was advanced to the dignity of Earl of Macclesfield. In consequence of some notorious mal-practices, his Lordship was im- peached by the House of Peers on charges of corruption, tried at the bar of the House, and pronounced guilty, inconsequence of which he was removed from his offices, and fined o30,000. Of this accomplished, but unfortunate Earl, Mr. Noble * writes as follows : " This every way distinguished character was the son of Thomas Parker, an attorney at Leek, in Staffordshire, in the chancel of which church I have read the inscription on his grave-stone. He left his son about .flOO. per annum. He re- ceived the Great Seal, May llth,f 1709, which he held till January 4th, 1724-5. It was an extraordinary event, that Lord Maccles- field, one of the great ornaments of the Peerage, who had so long presided at the administration of justice, should himself be arraigned as a criminal, be convicted of mal-practices, and sentenced to pay a fine of o630,000. as a punishment for his offence ; that a second Lord Chancellor of England should be impeached by the Grand In- quest of the nation, for corruption of office ; and be, like his great predecessor, Lord St. Albans, found guilty of the charge. The pro- secution was carried on with great virulence; and though rigid jus- tice, indeed, demanded a severe sentence, yet party zeal and perso- nal animosity were supposed to have had their weight in that which was passed upon him. The whole fine was exacted, and actually paid by his Lordship and his son, notwithstanding the favourable disposi- tion that was shewn in a certain quarter to relieve him in part by a considerable donation. It is certain, there had been gross mis- management in the offices of the Masters in Chancery, by which the suitors had been great sufferers ; and it appeared that those places had been sometimes conferred upon persons, who had evidently paid for them a valuable consideration. The public cry against corrup- tion in high stations was loud and long ; and it was not thought prudent to stay proceedings against the supreme Judge in the king- dom. The statute on which the Chancellor was impeached had, indeed, grown into disuse, but it was still a law ; a breach of it was proved, and the consequence was inevitable. Lord Maccles- iield was a man of learning, and a patron of it. Bishop Pearce, of Rochester, among others, owed his first introduction to preferment * Continuation of Granger's Biog. Hist, of England, Vol. III. p,98. f It was delivered May 12th. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 251 to his Lordship's encouragement. He was also very eminent for his skill in his profession ; but rather great than amiable in his ge- neral character. He was austere, and not deemed sufficiently at- tentive to the gentlemen of his Court, to whom his manners are re- presented to have been harsh and ungracious, unlike the mild and complacent behaviour of his predecessor, Lord Cowper. His Lord- ship passed the remainder of his life in a learned retirement, much devoted to the studies of religion, of which he had always been a strict and uniform observer/' His Lordship married Janet, daughter of Charles Carrier, Esq. of Wirksworth, in Derbyshire, by whom he had issue, George, the second Earl of Macclesfield, and Lady Elizabeth. He died at his son's house, in Soho-square, April 28th, 1732, in the 66th year of his age. On Tuesday, the 3d of December, o. s. 1745, the Scotch rebel army, commanded by Charles Edward Stuart, and the Dukes of Perth, Athol, &c. marched through Leek on their way to Derby, and returned on the Saturday following. Ball Haye, the elegant residence of Dr. Hulme, may be seen to great advantage from the northern side of Leek church-yard. RUSHTON-SPENCER is a township and parish about five miles to the north-west of Leek. The village of Rushton-Spencer is situated on a hill to the west of the turnpike-road between Leek and Macclesfield, and near the river Dane, which is the boundary between the counties of Stafford and Chester. The whole township contains 59 houses, '59 families ; 193 males, 169 females : total of inhabitants, 362. There is a small manufactory in this parish, where some cotton twist is spun for the Manchester manufacturers. The Church, which is a chapel of ease to Leek, stands on a hill, at a distance from the village. The church-yard is surrounded by fir- trees ; and the church has the appearance of a barn when viewed from the road, to which there is a communication by a path-way across the fields. It is a small fabric of stone, in a very neglected and even ruinous state : the small wooden belfry contains one bell. There is a sun-dial, two remarkably fine full-grown yew trees, and a young flourishing tree of the same kind in the church-yard. The family- vault and chapel of the Michall* family, of Swithamley-hall, is at the east end of the church, near the communion-table. The following are the most remarkable instances of longevity, recorded in the church-yard : " James Stoddarf, aged 90 ; Daniel 252 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. Dale, died the 15th of May, 1794, in the 89th year of his age ; and Ann Rigby, died Nov. 15, 1738, in the " 9th year of her age." There is a singular tomb in this church-yard, of a young man who is said to have been murdered by his villainous master, for the sake of some money which he received from him as a loan. The report is, that a strong opiate was given to the unfortunate victim of avarice, and during the time of its operation he was placed in a coffin and buried. Some suspicion of foul play arising, the coffin was raised, and on opening it, there were evident proofs that the young man had awoke in the grave, and partly turned in the coffin, where he died for want of air ! The body was then replaced in the coffin, and buried in Rushton-Spencer church-yard with the head to- wards the east, and the following inscription on a tomb-stone : "Memento Mori. THOMAS, the son of THOMAS and MARY ME AY KIN, in- terred July 16, 1781. As a man falleth before wicked men, so fell I." The Church is dedicated to St. Lawrence : it is in the patronage of the Vicar of Leek, and the Rev. James Turner, of Meerbrook, i the present minister. CUTTLESTONE HUNDRED. THE Hundred of Cuttlestone is bounded on the north by Pire- hill hundred ; on the south by Seisdon ; on the east by Offlow, and on the west by Shropshire. The principal river in this divi- sion of Staffordshire is the Penk, which divides the hundred into two parts, flows through it towards the north-east, and after re- ceiving several smaller streams, and its confluence with the river Sow, falls into the Trent. The meadows and pastures on the banks of the Penk are very productive ; the uplands to the east of the river are generally a mixed gravelly soil ; but most of the lands to the west, are a stronger mixed loam. Near the verge of Shropshire, however, the land becomes lighter. BREEWOOD a large parish in the south-west part of the Hundred, and contains about 10,000 acres of land, consisting of meadows on the banks of the Penk, and upland of a mixed gravelly loam, which, when well cultivated, yields abundance of the different kinds of grain, clover, and turnips. The town of Breewood is delightfully situated on a branch ot the Penk, about a mile and a half south of Watling Street, and nine miles distant from Stafford. It is a place of great antiquity. A small priory of Benedictine nuns was founded here by Hubert Walter, in the reign of Richard the First, A. D. 1195. At the Dis- solution, its revenue was only 11. Is. 6d. per annum. Breewood is one of the most ancient market-towns in Stafford- shire. A weekly market was formerly held on Friday, but it is now declined, and the decayed market-house pulled down. There is a large annual fair for cattle held on the 1 9th of September. In the year 1811, this town contained 210 inhabited houses, and 212 families, 69 of whom were employed in agriculture, 87 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, and 56 not engaged in business ; males 475, females 516 : total, 991. 254 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The Church is a vicarage, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in the patronage of the Dean of Lichlield. The Rev. Baptist Prohy is the present vicar. The edifice is ancient and large, built of stone, with a tower and lofty spire of the same material. From its ele- vated situation it is a picturesque object, distinctly visible at the distance of several miles. A new organ was erected and opened on the Wake Sunday, Sept. 24, 1815. An excellent Free Grammar School was founded at Breewood, by Dr. Matthew Knightley, and endowed with lands to the value of c60. per annum. The Rev. Mr. Kempson, and the Rev. Mat- thew Kemsey, are now the masters, and receive a limited number of pupils as boarders. Some eminent men have been educated at this school, particularly the late Bishop Kurd, preceptor to the Prince Regent. The principal manufacture carried on at Breewood, is Joseph Brewster's fixed and portable thrashing machines, kibbling mills, and straw engines. Chillington is the largest estate in the parish of Breewood, and includes the south and west part. It is the property of Thomas Giffard, Esq. The mansion and offices are extensive ; and the gardens, pleasure-grounds, and plantations, are laid out with great taste, and much improved by the present owner. This estate con- tains several villages and farm-houses, besides Chillington ; particu- larly Gunston, Long Birch, the Hattons, White and Black Ladies, and the Hyde. The Giffard family has large estates in other parts of this county, but their religious tenets have kept them from public employments. Mr. Giffard, of Chillington, is, how- ever, a gentleman of liberal principles, and is married to a Protes- tant lady, by whom he has a large family. His tenantry are mostly Roman Catholics, who are accommodated with chapels on his estate at Long Birch and Black Ladies. Somerford is another large estate in the parish of Breewood, in- cluding the manor of Coven, Breewood Hall, Engleton Hall, Four Ashes, and Somerford Hall. The present possessor and resident, the Hon. Edward Monckton, is third son to Viscount Galway in Ireland ; he has much improved this estate, and Somerford Hall is now an elegant mansion, in a pleasant situation on the eastern bank of the Penk. The estate was nearly stripped of all its tim- ber by the former owners, but Mr. Monckton has improved its ge- neral appearance by extensive plantations. The population o HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 255 the liberty of Somerford, in 1811, was 578 persons, of whom 283 were males, and 295 females. The parish contains other villages and hamlets, particularly Kiddimore Green, a township situated to the west of Breewood ; the villages of Broomhall and Horsebrook, near the Watling Street; the hamlets of Crateford and Standeford ; Aspley Farm, and the Laches, hamlets on the eastern side of the parish ; and the small village or hamlet called Paradise. PENKRIDGE. This is another large parish, containing nine townships, and be- tween 12 and 13,000 acres of land. Penkridge is an ancient market-town, situated on the banks of the river Penk. Camden, our greatest antiquarian, asserts that this town is built on the site of the Roman Pennocrucium. " The military way continues from Wall, very fair and plain, almost without any breach, till it is crossed and interrupted by the river Penk, and hath a stone bridge built over it at Pennocrucium, so called from the river, and standing at the same distance which Antoninus has fixed ; which town has not quite lost the name at this day, being for Pennocrucium called Penkridge. At present Penkridge is only a small village, famous for a horse-fair, which Hugh Blount or Flavus, the lord of it, obtained of King Edward the Second."* This town stands six miles south of Stafford, and ten miles north of Wolverhampton ; the turnpike-road to those towns runs through it, and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal passes close to it on the east side, thus affording a ready communication with distant places. In 1811, Penkridge contained 196 houses, and 204 families, consisting of 438 males, 485 females : total 923 persons. Penkridge Church was made collegiate by a charter of King John, who settled the advowson of it upon the Archbishop of Dublin. The following particulars respecting Penkridge, are extracted from the manuscripts of the late Sir Edward Littleton, Bart, and communicated by the Rev. Richard Slaney, vicar of the church ; Camden'g Britannia, Vol. I. p. 466, 256 A TOPOGRAPHICAL " SIR EDWARD LITTLETON, BART, to the REV. R. SLANEY, Penkridge. " Teddesley, Nov. 3, 1807. " Sir, By 1st Edward VI. 1547, colleges and chantrys are by Act of Parlia- ment vested in the Crown, which puts an end to the claim of the Archbishop of Dublin's jurisdiction over Penkridge ; and it remained in the hands of the Crown till granted out to others. " The grant of King John to the Archbishop of Dublin, bears date 13th Sept. 1206, and is done away by the above 1st Edward VI. 1547, by an Act of Parlia- ment. " Emv. LITTLETON." "King Edward II. in the eleventh year of his reign, declared that the chapel at Pencriz, and others, were his free chapels, and as such, exempt from all ordinary jurisdiction, impositions, exactions, and contributions, and accordingly ordained, that none should pre- sume to incroach upon their immunities.*" The Church is a fine Gothic building of stone, with a square tower, and five bells. It is dedicated to St. Michael, being now only a curacy. It is a royal peculiar, having four chapels within its jurisdiction, namely, Dunston, dedicated to St. Leonard ; Coppen- hall, to St. Lawrence ; Shareshill, to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary ; and Stretton, to St. John. The official of the peculiar holds visitations, probate courts, and licenses the incumbents to the chapels. In the chancel of the church of Penkridge, there are several monuments of the Littleton family, who are patrons of the church. There is a charity-school in Penkridge for twelve boys and eight girls. The principal manufacture of Penkridge is iron, which is, how- ever, inconsiderable. From the situation of the town on the low and flat northern bank of the river Penk, it is subject to inunda- tions when that river is swelled by floods. The market is held on Tuesday. Two annual fairs are held in this town ; one on the 30th of April, and the other on the 10th of October. These fairs are allowed to be among the first in England for saddle and draught horses. A very considerable part of the extensive parish of Penkridge is the property of the Littleton family, who have resided for centuries at Pilaton-hali. The present possessor, E. J. Littleton, Esq. ha* been twice chosen a representative in Parliament for the county of Stafford. On the accession of the late Sir Edward Littleton to the estate, * Dugdale's Monasticon Anglicanum, p. 370. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 257 about the middle of the last century, he found the ancient mansion in a ruinous state. The situation was also repulsive to a man of taste, being low, and without any advantage of prospect. Sir Ed- ward, therefore, resolved to erect a new mansion in Teddesley Park, about three miles from the ancient seat at Pilaton. Teddesley-hall is built on the verge of Teddesley Hay, which is extra-parochial, and part of Cannock-heath. The waste lands in this extensive manor are now under enclosure, which will contract the enormous waste of Cannock-heath. Sir Edward Littleton married Miss Horton, May 10, 1752, by whom he had no issue. He was chosen five times to represent the county in Parliament, and was remarkable for his patriotism in the senate, and his hos- pitality at his country residence. When the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal was projected, Sir Edward warmly patronized this great public work, subscribed for a number of shares, was al- ways one of the committee for managing the business, and passed the canal through his manors and estates from Galey Wharf to Acton Trussell, a distance of upwards of four miles. The canal was cut through the demesne of Teddesley, and within half a mile of the mansion, thus affording a convenient supply of coal, lime, and build- ing materials. During his long residence at Teddesley, Sir Edward promoted general improvements in agriculture, and the comfort of those around him. His mansion was noted as the scene of old English hospitality, where plenty of roast beef and good ale were provided for all decent visitors, without riot, profusion, or wasteful- ness. The ancient Christmas festivities of Twelfth-night, were kept up for the gratification of the inhabitants of the surrounding coun- try as long as the health of the beneficent owner permitted. Sir Edward died at Teddesley, and was succeeded in his estates by E. J. Walhouse, Esq. his nephew, who took the name of Littleton. The parish of Penkridge contains several other townships, vil- lages, and hamlets, particularly Coppenhall, Dunston, Lovedale, and Drayton ; Mitton, Otherton, Pilaton, and Water-Eaton ; Rod- baston, and Whiston. The total population of the parish in 1811, was 2,243 persons. Cuttlestone-bridge, over the Penk, about three quarters of a mile south-west of the town on the road to Stafford, gives name to the hundred. CONGREVE, a village higher up on the Penk, is said to be the birth- place of Congreve the poet. It was the birth-place of that eminent prelate, Bishop Hurd, who held the spot in some veneration. It 2K 258 A TOPOGRAPHICAL was related by the late Sir Edward Littleton, that in one of his visits to the Bishop at Hartlebury, as he was coming away his Lordship called out, " Is the old house at Congreve, where I was born, yet standing !" This village has also produced a still more modern writer, Miss Barker, authoress of an amusing novel, en- titled " A Welch Story," in which she has introduced the character of Sir Edward Littleton, her patron, under the name of Sir Edwin. Mr. Barker, her father, was many years a respectable iron-master at Congreve, where he had one forge worked by the waters of the Penk, and another higher up on the stream at Coven. Winston, Mitton, Preston, and part of Bickford, are townships or hamlets of Penkridge, situated on the western stream which falls into the Penk below Cuttlestone-bridge. Lovedale and Longridge are also arable districts of this parish, on a stronger soil. The heaviest clay soil is to the west of the Penk, that on the east in- clining to gravel. Drayton, Woolgarston, Otherton, Rodbaston, Kinvaston, and Water-Eaton, are all hamlets of Penkridge, gene- rally upon a gravelly or light loamy soil. The township of Water- Eaton extends south of Watling-street to the common of Calf- heath, lately enclosed, and the principal part of which is in Penk- ridge parish. At the small village of LAPLEY, about three miles west of Penk- ridge, there was a Priory of Black Monks belonging to the Abbey of St. Remigius, at Rheims, on whom it was bestowed by Aylmer, Earl of Chester, in the time of Edward the Confessor. It was afterwards granted by Henry the First to the College of Tong, in Shropshire. The Church is an ancient building of stone, with a square tower. SHARESHILL, which includes Saredon Great and Little, Lather- ford, and Saredon mill, is a small parish in the south-east angle of Cuttlestone hundred. The village of Shareshill is pleasantly situated on an eminence, on the summit of which stands the church. It contains several well-built houses ; some of the families reside in tenements of their own, and others are tenants. The population of the parish in 181 1, was 493 persons, who were chiefly employed in agriculture. The land about the village is a good sound loam, well adapted to grain and turnips, as well as pasturage. The principal land proprietors are Robert Smith, Esq. of Appleby, Leicestershire, who resides on a part of his own estate, and the Rev. J. H. Petit, who resides at Hilton-hall, but who has a good estate here, and is the present HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 25!) minister of the parish. Shareshill Church contains several antique monuments of the Vernon family. A small rivulet which rises in Essington Wood, runs between Shareshill and Saredon, into the Cannock-heath branch of the Penk, a little above Deepmore Mill. This stream, abounds with excellent trout. Shareshill is a place of antiquity. In the 1st Henry IV. A.D. 1399, Sir William de Shareshall, Knt. of Shareshall, was Sheriff of Staffordshire. On the north and south sides of this village, are vestiges of two encampments, supposed from their square form to have been of Roman construction. Great and Little Saredon are hamlets of Shareshill. The manor, and tithes, and a good estate, belong to the Littleton family ; be- sides which, the Rev. J. H. Petit, Mr. Hordern, banker, of Wolver- hampton, Mr. Pratt, of Saredon Mill, and others, possess good es- tates here. The Cannock-heath branch of the Penk passes near the boundary between Penkridge and Shareshill, and upon it are Saredon and Deepmore Mills, which are very powerful corn-mills. Fetherstone is one of the places conferred by the Lady Wul- frima, upon the monastery of Wolverhampton, which she founded. It is situated about a mile north of Shareshill, and was formerly the residence of Huntbach the antiquary, from whom it passed in the female line to Sir Samuel Hellier, and is now the property of J. S. Hellier, Esq. Hilton was another of the townships given to the monks of the before-mentioned monastery by its founder. It probably took its name from an adjacent eminence, which is now adorned by an obe- lisk. Hilton Hall and Park, the ancient seat of the Vernon fa- mily, is situated in the vicinity of Shareshill ; and though no- minally in the parish of Wolverhampton, the inhabitants to Shareshill church as their place of worship, and bury their dead in the church or church-yard. The Hall, which is a large structure of brick and stone, was built in the year 1700. It is surrounded by a moat, and the communication to this mansion is by a hand- some bridge, which leads to the principal entrance. The park is very pleasant and secluded, abounding with all the varieties of sylvan and picturesque beauty displayed by groves, clumps, and plantations. Hilton Monument is erected on the highest eminence in the grounds, and commands a very extensive prospect of the surrounding country. The plantations are chiefly of oak, and elm, which flourish in the utmost luxuriance, and afford evidence 260 A TOPOGRAPHICAL of the planter's skill and attention. The late Mr. Vernou was an early planter, and lived to see some of his first efforts fast ap- proach to maturity. Many of the larches, and Scotch and other fir trees of his planting, now contain from twenty to thirty feet of timber. One plantation of very lofty oaks, is also an extensive rookery. STRETTON is mentioned in the population returns for 1811, as a liberty belonging to the parish of Penkridge. At that time it contained 47 houses, 48 families; 118 males, 125 females: total, 243 persons. The village of Stretton is about three quarters of a mile north of Watling Street-way, opposite Breewood. This place, now so obscure, is considered by several learned antiquaries as the real site of the ancient Roman station of Pennocrucium, as agreeing in the distance with the account given in the Itinerary of Anto- ninus. These antiquaries suppose the name of the place to be de- rived from Street-way, but there are no vestiges of antiquity to confirm the fact. Mr. Dickenson, indeed, in 1796, found a tumu- lus on Roley Hill, in the vicinity of Stretton, which he considered as a very likely place to have been a military station, having the river Penk contiguous. Some small fragments of Roman imple- ments have also been turned up by the plough, from time to time, in the neighbourhood. The village contains several farm-houses, and smaller tene- ments, and a family-mansion of great antiquity. Stretton-hall is evidently a structure of the last century, and is built in a pleasant situation, with an extensive lawn in front, in- terspersed with plantations, an ancient wood to the north, and the church and village to the south. A high garden wall, sheltered with plantations, extends to the highway. This village formerly be- longed to the family of Conolly, of Ireland, from whom it was purchased about twenty years ago by the Hon. Edward Monck- ton, of Somerford. The upland is a strong marly loam, adapted to wheat and beans : the pasturage is good, and the hedge-row timber grows vigorously. The mansion is now occupied by a te- nant. There is a mill on the Penk called Stretton milK The Church, which was originally erected as a chapel of ease to Penk- ridge, is dedicated to St. John. It now possesses its own rights of marriage and sepulture, and has no dependence on the mother church. Dunston is a small township between Penkridge and Stafford, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 261 containing 44 houses and 214 inhabitants, mostly employed in agriculture. The soil is an excellent marly loam, with good mea- dows on the banks of the Penk. Dr. Plot, always on the stretch for wonders, mentions, that at Dunston, west of the chapel, an echo gave a return of seven syllables. The Chapel is a small building of brick, on the west side of the turnpike-road leading to Stafford. It is dedicated to St. Leonard, and is a chapel of ease to Penkridge, in the patronage of the Littleton family, of Teddesley. Coppenhall is another township about two miles to the north- west of Dunston, but not so populous. The number of houses in 1811 was 16, and of inhabitants 92, almost all employed in agri- culture. The soil is a good mixed loam. The Chapel, dedicated to St. Lawrence, is a chapel of ease to Penkridge. It is also in the patronage of the Littleton family. An enclosure, according to the Act of Parliament, commenced in 1815, and will include all the waste lands in Penkridge, on Penkridge-heath, Dunston-heath, Huntington common, and Ted- desley-hay. The two last adjoin Cannock-heath, or are parts of that waste, and include a very considerable extent of land. CANNOCK. This extensive parish, which includes the townships of Hun- tington and Great Wyrley, is in the eastern part of the hundred, and near the middle of the county. Different antiquaries have given different etymologies of this place, some tracing the deri- vation up to the Cangi, and others to Canute, the first Danish king who reigned in England. The last syllable of the name is conjectured to be derived from the Saxon ock, being the same as oak, and denoting a wood or country full of oaks ; and it was un- doubtedly a forest during the reign of the Mercian kings, and wa their favourite chace. The town of Cannock is not mentioned in Domesday-book, though in the time of king John there was a town here, with a church be- longing to the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield. The manor and tithes now belong to the Marquis of Anglesea. Cannock is situ- ated-four miles east south-east of Penkridge, eight miles from Wal- sall,and nine from Stafford, the turnpike-road to these towns passing through it. The town stands on a gravelly soil, in consequence of which water was frequently scarce in summer, so that it has been 262 A TOPOGRAPHICAL facetiously asserted that it contained more ale than water. A con- stant supply, however, was realized by the liberality of Dr. Hough, Bishop of Worcester, who out of regard to the inhabitants, and particularly to the Birches, of Leacroft, his relations, caused water to be brought in leaden pipes from a spring a mile distant, and built a handsome conduit of freestone at the corner of the bowling- green in the middle of the town. This public bowling-green was encompassed with a brick wall in 1753, when the south side of the church was re-built. Cannock is a pleasant little town, and contains several well-built houses and a good inn. According to the popu- lation returns in 1811, it contained 224 inhabited houses, 240 fami- lies ; 532 males, 611 females : total 1,143 persons. This town for- merly had a market on Tuesday, which is now discontinued. It was formerly a place of great resort, on account of the salubrity of Reaumore-hill well, which was a fashionable watering-place in its day. Dugdale asserts, that Henry I. resided here in summer, and there are records of a castle having existed here, though no ves- tiges of it now remain. It was more probably what the antiquaries term a castellated mansion, built in that form to distinguish it as the royal residence. There is some variation in the accounts respect- ing the supply of water to the town, for it is stated that a Mr. Biddulph originally laid pipes from Leacroft more than a mile dis- tant, which conveyed excellent water from the fountain, and that he bequeathed lands for the purpose of keeping the pipes in repair. Perhaps this had been neglected, and the Bishop of Worcester was only at the expence of repairing the pipes, and re-building the conduit. The parish of Cannock is of considerable extent, containing 25,000 acres ; a considerable part of the enclosed land round the town consists of a good light soil, adapted to corn, turnips, and pasture. Hedgford, an enclosed hamlet on Cannock-heath, contains a good inn, and stabling for blood horses, which are trained and exercised on the excellent turf of Hedgford-hills. The ground being open and elevated, and the soil being a sound gravel, seldom breaks into mire. Hedgford -pool is a lake in a valley of Cannock-heath, the Water from which issues north to the Trent, near Rugeley, and south to the Walk mill, and afterwards west to the Penk, near Standeford and Coven. Leacroft and Reaumore Hills are enclosed hamlets of Cannock, situated to the east and south of the town. At the Walk Mill. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 263 Mr. Gilpin has established a very considerable iron manufactory of edge-tools, augers, and various similar articles, near the Watling- street-way, besides which he has built a good house, and raises coal for his manufactory and for sale. By this public-spirited industry, he has much increased the population, and the prosperity and com- fort of the inhabitants of his neighbourhood. Great Wyrley, formerly called Wyrley Bank, and then extra- parochial, is now a populous hamlet of Cannock. This township, according to the population returns in 1811, contained 82 houses, inhabited by 82 families, of whom 51 were employed in agriculture, and 31 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft arts. The number of persons was 361, of whom 187 were males, and 174 females. The village contains a few well-built farm-houses and tenements, with a number of cottages in every variety of rude architecture, from the clay-built shed to the convenient dwelling. It was formerly the reputed home of beggars, who, when asked where they came from, replied Wyrley-bank. It was then a nursery for illegitimate chil- dren, and became a nuisance, to correct which, it was annexed to Cannock as a township, and to Chesland Hay respecting the pro- vision for its poor. Chesland Hay had formerly a large common, which is now en- closed. The Lanes, of King's Bromley, have an estate here, on which an eminence, planted with firs, is conspicuous for several miles to travellers and the inhabitants of the circumjacent country. Huntington is another township belonging to Cannock parish. It contains 23 houses, and 135 inhabitants. This township chiefly belongs to the Littleton family ; the waste lands of Huntington and Teddesley, are now under enclosure, being in a distinct manor from the general part of Cannock-heath. Hatherton, including the Four Crosses, and the open part of Calf- heath common, is in the parish of Wolverhampton, but the inha- bitants attend divine worship in Cannock Church, and bury their dead in the church-yard. This township contains 55 houses, 56 families, and 299 inhabitants, whose only employment is agricul- ture. The demesne of Hatherton-hall is an ancient residence of the Walhouse family, and now inhabited by Moreton Walhouse, Esq. father to Edward John Littleton, Esq. M.P. This mansion, which is in the Gothic style, is now re-building. The mate- rial is stone, and, when finished, it will be a commodious place of residence. The estate consists of several contiguous farms of good sound gravelly loam, well wooded, and of hedge-rows of thriving 264 A TOPOGRAPHICAL trees. The hamlet at the Four Crosses, on Watling-street, consists of several farm-houses and smaller tenements, and a capital inn. Cannock Church is a stone edifice, dedicated to St. Luke ; the living is a perpetual curacy, of which the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield are patrons. The present curate is the Rev. Thomas Bradburne. Cannock-heath, which was a celebrated forest during the reign of the Mercian kings, is now a bleak and dreary waste. At Rad- more, within its boundaries, the Cistercian monks founded an abbey, in the reign of King Stephen ; but in the year 1154, the monks removed to Stoneley, in Warwickshire. RUGELEY. The population of the town and parish of Rugeley in 1811, was 2,213, of which number 1,089 were males, and 1,124 females. The number of inhabited houses was 453, and of families 478. Fourteen houses were then building, a proof of the thriving state of the place. Rugeley is built in a low situation, in a pleasant healthy coun- try near the Trent. The Grand Trunk Canal, which unites the navigation of the Trent and the Mersey, runs past the north side of the town, between it and the river Trent. It is six miles N.E. of Cannock, seven from Lichfield, and nine and a half from Stafford ; the turnpike-road to these towns passes through it, and it conse- quently is a considerable thorough-fare. The facilities of an in- land navigation have contributed to the prosperity of this town. It has a neat cleanly appearance ; the houses are in general well- built, and some of them elegant, Rugeley is governed by two constables, who are chosen annually by the inhabitants. The prin- cipal manufacture is hats. The market-day is Thursday. Two annual fairs are held in this town, one June 6, for colts and horses, and the other Oct. 21, for horses, sheep, and cattle. The manor was the property of Simon de Rugeley, of Rugeley. In the reign of Edward III. he was appointed sheriff of the county by that prince, and at the same period another of the family was knight of the shire. The Marquis of Anglesea is the present lord of the manor. The Church is an ancient structure of stone, with a tower, which contains six bells, cast in 1706. The roof is covered with shin- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 265 gles. The interior consists of two low aisles. It is dedicated to St. Augustine, and is a vicarage in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield. The present vicar, the Rev. Charles Inge, resides in the vicarage-house, a neat mansion which stands near the church, and is surrounded with a shrubbery. The church con- tains monuments of the families of Weston, Chetwynd, Lander, and Sneyd. Dr. Wilkes traces the etymology of Rugeley, from Ridgley, a ridge of hills above the town. Cannock-heath approaches within a mile of Rugeley on the south; and Stile Cop, one of its emi- nences, covered with trees, is seen at the distance of many miles. From the summit there is a prospect of a great part of Derby- shire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire, and a part of Shropshire. The Free Grammar-school of Rugeley was established by Queen Elizabeth, who endowed the institution with lands in and about the town, which had formerly been appropriated for the in- struction of boys in a chantry, dissolved by Henry VIII. John Bamford Cowper also founded a charity-shool, and left four hundred pounds in trusts, the interest of which was to be paid to a schoolmaster, for instructing sixteen boys of the poorest families in Rugeley, in reading, writing, and arithmetic, to qualify them to go apprentices to trades. They were also instructed in the Church catechism, and the principles of the Christian religion. Among the memorable events recorded in the parish register of Rugeley, there is an account of a fire on Trinity Sunday, May 20, 1646, which destroyed 29 dwelling-houses. The sufferers after- wards received <335. 7s. lOd. On Saturday, Feb. 19, 1708, a fire broke out in the west end of Rugeley, at nine o'clock in the morning, and consumed ten habitations, nine barns and offices, and goods to the value of o808. 3s. 2d. which was paid to the suffer- ers severally by Benjamin Adie. Hagley, the magnificent seat of Viscount Curzon, is in the vici- nity of this town, enveloped in lofty and luxuriant groves and plantations, enclosed by a park-wall and paling. Above Rugeley, the vale of Trent displays several gentlemen's seats, with sur- rounding and picturesque sylvan scenery. Among others the mo- dern mansion of Bellamore, belonging to the Blount family, is a beautiful object. The demesne is well cultivated, and variegated with groves and plantations. At a greater distance to the west, the elegant mansion of John Sparrow, Esq. rises near the Trent' and on the opposite bank of the river is Wolseley Hal), the an- 2L 266 A TOPOGRAPHICAL cient seat of Sir William Wolseley. The park is a most roman- tic succession of small hills, covered with plantations, and some very ancient oaks, and is a most agreeable contrast to the fertile meadows in the vale of Trent below. At this place is the ancient inn of Wolseley Bridge, where the Rugeley road divides ; one branching off' for Shugborough, Haywood, and Stone, and the other for Radford and Stafford. , At Brindley^s-bank, above Rugeley, the Grand Trunk Canal crosses the Trent upon an aqueduct of five arches. This place takes its name from the eminent engineer who planned the canal, and here carried it over the river ; and so perfect has been the workmanship of this aqueduct, that it has withstood the floods of the Trent for nearly half a century. At Brereton, near Rugeley, considerable quantities of coal are raised from the mines, and sold in the neighbourhood, or sent by railways to the Trent and Mersey canal. BASWICH is an extensive parish of Cuttlestone hundred, con- taining the townships of Acton-Trussel, Bednal, Brockton, and Walton and Milford. According to the population returns in 1811, the number of houses was 224, inhabited by 246 families, consisting of 553 males, and 558 females: total 1,111 persons. About three-fifths of the inhabitants were employed in agriculture. The Church of Baswich is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The body of this edifice has been re-built with brick, but its ancient steeple of stone remains. It is situated in a solitary spot at the extremity of Ce parish, near the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. The present curate is the Rev. Joseph Ellerton, master of the Free Grammar-school at Stafford. Walton and Milford is an hamlet of Baswich. At Milford there is a capital mansion belonging to the Rev. Richard Levett ; and a good mansion and premises occupied by John Collins, Esq. of Stafford. Weeping-cross is a small hamlet in this parish, with a good inn, situated on the road to Cannock. The arable land here is a good rich mild loam, with meadows on the banks of the Penk. Radjord is another small hamlet or village, with an excellent stone bridge over the Penk, and a wharf on the canal, where much business is done in the coal and lime trades, and other branches of commerce. BROCKTON is a village belonging to the township of that name, and situated iu the east of this parish. Brockton Hall is an ancient HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 267 mansion, the residence of Sir George Chetwyml, Bart. It is si- tuated to the north of the road to Cannock, about four miles from Stafford. The village is in a pleasant rural situation, and contains S! -\< -ral farm-houses and tenements. Brockton Lodge is an elegant and modern mansion, the residence of George Chetwynd, Esq. Chairman of the General Quarter Sessions for this county, and son and heir to Sir George Chetwynd. A large stone quarry is now worked on the Brockton estate: it produces good free-stone for building and other uses, and excellent bricks are made of the stra-* turn of clay above the stone. The parish of Baswich contains a considerable tract of Cannock- heath, which extends to Milford, within three miles of Stafford. As the Church is at the northern end of the parish, there are two chapels of ease belonging to it in the southern part, one in Acton- Trussel township, and the other at Bednal. Acton-Trussel is a township of Baswich, about half-way between the parish church and Penkridge. The Staffordshire and Worces- tershire Canal passes along the side of this township; the soil is a good gravelly loam, with meadows on the banks of the Penk. It joins Teddesley on the south, and Bednal on the east. The popu- lation in 1811 was 271 ; namely, 128 males, and 143 females. The chapel of ease is dedicated to St. James. Bednal, another township of Baswich, lies between Acton-Trussel and cannock-heath. The population is 89 males, 100 females, total 189 persons ; all of whom, except one family, are employed in agriculture. The land is a mixed gravelly loam. The Chapel of ease is dedicated to All Saints. The Rev. Mr. Peploe, a man remarkable for the humility and simplicity of his manners, officiated as curate at both these places for many years. Having a large family to support, he has been known to do extra-duty at Bushbury on Sundays, and to walk thither and back, a distance of full twenty miles. When the late Sir Edward Littleton went to London, Mr. Peploe frequently came to Teddesley during his absence by desire of the Baronet, who thought the presence of a clergyman might keep the servants in order. However humiliating this office may appear, it was attended with the most beneficial effects, for the servants were so regular and well-behaved, that Sir Edward seldom dismissed any of them. CASTLE-CHURCH is a considerable parish in the north part of Cuttlestone hundred. It is situated to the south of the river Sow, 268 A TOPOGRAPHICAL and contains a small part of the town of Stafford, called Stafford- green ; also the Old Castle, Highfields, Burton, Moss Pitt, Silk- more, and Rickerscote. In 1811, the parish of Castle-Church con- tained 144 inhabited houses, and 162 families ; consisting of 247 males, and 319 females : total, 566 persons. The Church, which was formerly an appendage to the ancient barony of Stafford Castle, stands on the side of the parish, remote from the greatest part of the population. Stafford Castle, which is in this parish, is situated on the summit of a hill, about a mile and a half south-west of Stafford. The ancient keep is raised on an artificial mount, of an oblong form, and the whole castle surrounded by a deep foss, with the additional fortification of a high rampart on the side which was considered the most accessible. During the Civil war between Charles I. and the Parliament, this castle was garrisoned by the Royalists, and was afterwards demolished, ac- cording to the following order : Dec. 21, 1643 It is ordered by the Committee, that Stafford Castle shall be forthwith demolished. Present : Colonel Rugeley, Mr. Compton, L. C. Chadwick, Mr. Broughton, Mr. Swynfen, Capt. Stone, Mr. Greg, Mr. Pudsey, Mr. Bendy, and Capt. Foxall." The last effort in the Royal cause at this castle seems to have been made by " the ould Lady Stafford," as she is called by Sir William Brereton, a General in the army of the Parliament, in his letter to the Earl of Northampton, which concludes thus : "there are divers considerable persons in this blocked-up castle, which we resolve to observe and attend as much as possible, until we can re- cover the same and disperse them." The Castle, and the land around it, are now the property of the Jerningham family, who have laid claim to the ancient barony of Stafford. The soil is an excellent marly loam, suitable for beans and wheat, and the estate includes several considerable farms. Some years ago, the walls of Stafford Castle were cleared of rub- bish, and made of an equal height, by Mr. Jerningham, and in 1815 two new towers were built. When finished, it will, from its elevated and commanding site, be a most delightful residence, and a picturesque addition to the beauties of the landscape. It is situated on the highest eminence of the hills of Billington, where they terminate abruptly, and it is probable that the ancient military station at that place had some connexion with this castle. All the western part of this parish to Moss-pit Bank, and the Wolverhampton road, is thinly interspersed with handsome man- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 269 sions. In this district, William Keen, Esq. of Stafford, has just erected an elegant house. The chief population of the parish is about Stafford and Rickerscote, or from one mile and a half to two miles and a half distant from the church. Silkmore, in Domesday-book written Selchemore, is the manor and residence of Thomas Mottershaw, Esq. It is situated in the north-east part of the parish ; the upland is a light sandy loam, and the lowland rich meadows, on the banks of the Penk, and a rivulet which comes from the west. Rickerscote, on the south-east part of the parish, contains good estates belonging to Mr. Clarke, Mr. Perkins, and others. The upland is a good light loam, adapted to either pasture or tillage, with a sufficient proportion of meadow-land on the Penk and its collateral rivulets. These meadows have been greatly improved of late years by drainage and embankment, which protects them from inundations. Several saline springs have been found by digging in these meadows, and a spa has been discovered on the estate of T. B. Perkins, Esq. which is highly saline, moderately sulphureous, and considerably chalybeate. This spa is possessed of properties similar to the waters of Cheltenham and Leamington ; containing, as has been found on careful analysis, a proportion of iron, salts, calcareous earth, and hepatic air. It is moderately aperient when taken in small doses, and has a tonic effect similar to that of other chalybeate waters when applied either internally or by immersion. Castle Church is an ancient edifice, composed of brick on the one side, and stone whitewashed on the other, with a stone tower. It is a perpetual curacy, the patronage is in the Crown, and the Rev. Edward Dickenson, rector of St. Mary's, Stafford, is minister, who keeps a curate to assist him in his duties. HAUGHTON is a parish, with a pleasant rural village of the same name, situateed about four miles w.s.w. of Stafford, on the road to Newport, in Shropshire. The parish consists of this village and a few farm-houses. According to the population returns in 1811, it contained 93 houses, and 93 families, consisting of 223 males, and 232 females : total 455 persons. The principal employment of the inhabitants is agriculture, though tanning and some handicraft arts are carried on in the village. The Church is a neat edifice of brick, with an ancient stone tower. It is a rectory in the deanery of Newcastle and Stone, and Archdeaconry of Stafford. GNOSALL is an extensive parish in Cuttlestone west, including 270 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Apcton Liberty, Cowloy township, Moreton hamlet, and Knight- ley township. According to the population returns in 1811, Gnosall parish contained 455 houses, 492 families ; 1,174 males, and 1,210 females : total of persons 2,384. The soil in this large parish is various, and the uplands generally a strong loam. There are several valleys with rivulets, and the land on their banks by draining and proper management, form good meadows. The village of Gnosall is an ancient place, with a large Church, which was formerly a College for secular canons. This edifice consists of a nave arid two aisles, a chancel and two aisles, and a cross aisle. The tower, which rises in the centre of the fabric, is in the Saxon style of architecture to the height of the roof; and the western arch is adorned with flat receding chevron mouldings. The principal part of the church is built in the modern style of English architecture, and the five windows in the western end are decorated with pointed arches. Gnosall Church is a perpetual curacy, dedici ted to St. Lawrence; the patronage belongs to the Bishop of the diocese, and the Rev. Mr. Lowe is the present minister. Dawtey Moor, a considerable common, is situated about a mile north-west of the village. The township of Knightley is still farther to the north-west from Gnosall. The estate is the property of Lord Anson. It is of con- siderable extent, and contains many excellent oaks. Moreton is a populous hamlet of Gnosall. The estate formerly belonged to Lord Ducie Moreton, but was lately purchased by Henry Green, Esq. who is making great improvements on the land by draining. Wilbrighton is also a small hamlet of Gnosall. From Knightley to Chatwell this parish extends about seven miles in length. Chatwell is said to derive its name from a spring called Chad's-well, formerly in repute. Cowley township and hamlet is also in Gnosall parish. The most remarkable mansion here is Brough-hall, the property of Henry Crockett, Esq, The soil is in some places a strong loam, and in others lighter, and inclining to gravel. The manors and estates of Walton Grange, Bescot, and Broad- hill, are in this parish. They include an extent of one thousand acres of old enclosed land, and are the property of John Gough, Esq. Braunston-heath, near Walton Grange, was formerly a com- mon, but has lately been enclosed. Broadhill is a small common, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 271 upon a declivity, interspersed with several cottages on its side and summit, some of which command extensive prospects, particularly a distinct view of Aqualate Mere and Chetwynd Park. Snowden, in Carnarvonshire, was once seen by an observer in a clear winter's morning, in a direction beyond Chetwynd Park, above which it was evidently elevated. The object was covered with snow, and though the distance is nearly one hundred miles, Snowden may be seen in similar favourable circumstances from the summit of Broadhill. Walton Grange estate contains a coppice of twenty acres, of full- grown oak, equal to any in the county for size and quality. dpeton is a liberty in this parish, which extends to the brook, near Church-Eaton. NORBURY is a small parish, situated in the west division of Cut- tleston hundred, including the township of Weston-Jones. The population is inconsiderable, amounting to 319 persons, of whom 175 are males, and 144 females, chiefly employed in agriculture. The village of Norbury is four miles from Newport, and about the same distance from Eccleshall. The manor of Norbury was formerly the property of the Skrym- sher family, but now belongs to Lord Anson. Erdeswicke says, " this goodly manor formerly belonged to Hugh de Kilpeck, the King's champion at the Coronation, and that Joan, his daughter, temp. Hen. III. brought it to Sir Philip Marmion, who died 1291, leaving several daughters his heirs, of which Maud, the third, married to Ralph Butler, who made this his seat, and built the manor-house or castle, at the head of the Wild-moors (so called in an old deed there), moating it round. These Wild-moors were a royal waste, that began at the .high grounds about Knightley, Gnosall, in Staffordshire, running down by Newport to the rivers Terne and Severne in Shropshire; of which there is a full account in the Philosophical Transactions by the ingenious and learned Mr. Plaxton, whose other MSS. I have before mentioned in my preface to Vol. I. of Staffordshire."* The soil is a light mixed loam, fit for turnips and barley. The parish is divided principally between Lord Anson and the Rev. Sambroke Higgins. There are two small lakes in this parish, one called Biackmere, and the other Cunnegreave. They are both upon a rivulet, which runs through them, by an old mill, and falls into Aqualate Mere. The Church is a plain old stone building, consisting of a nave, Mr. Shaw's letter in Gent. Mag. Vol. 71. p. 231. 272 A TOPOGRAPHICAL chancel, and a modern brick tower at the west end of the nave, in which are four bells and a small one. In the chancel are several monumental inscriptions to the Skrymshers, one of whom was Adjutant General to Prince Rupert, and standard bearer to the Gentlemen Pensioners of Charles II. The armour belonging to one of the Skrymshers was formerly preserved in the church, but no- thing now remains except the helmet and part of a gauntlet. The present incumbent is the Rev. Sambroke Higgins, and the patronage belongs to Viscount Anson. Weston- Jones is a hamlet in this parish, upon the Loynton estate, which is the property of the resident rector, Mr. Higgins. Leewoods is a manor in this parish, belonging to Lord Anson. FORTON is an adjoining parish, and situate to the south-west of that of Norbury, in the western division of the hundred of Cuttle- stone, and on the borders of the county. In 1811, it contained 121 inhabited houses, 130 families, 297 males, and 310 females ; the population of the parish amounting to 607 persons. The turnpike- road from Eccleshall to Newport, in Salop, passes through the vil- lage of Forton, which is about two miles distant from the latter town. The parish contains the hamlets of Warton, Sutton, Mere- ton, and Aqualate. Sutton is on the same road that passes through Forton, to the north-east thereof, and contains several farm-houses and small tene- ments. The upland soil is a light loam. " In this place, Sutton or Southtown, (Mr. Loxdale says,) there is a freehold estate, which Robert de Broughton granted to William de Scavington in frank marriage with Ellen his daughter. Hugh de Scavington gave it with Ellen his daughter to Ralph de Layton, 1314. John Symonds and Ann his wife were possessed of it in 1406, and in 1442 passed it to their son John Symonds. In the beginning of Queen Eliza- beth it Was purchased by John Bettenson, whose daughter and heir, Margaret, carried it in marriage to Roger Benbow, rector of Bolas, in which family it continued to Benbow, of Sutton, with the deeds from whence the above information was taken about 1740. The Bettensons were a numerous and ancient family in this parish ; for, besides the above freehold, there were four more, each of them possessed of a copyhold estate, 1611. Richard B. a younger son of one, then removed into Essex, and from him descended Sir Edw. B. of Chislehurst, in Kent, Bart, who dying without issue, 1723, was succeeded by a near relation of his name, Edw. Bettenson, Esq. Near to Sutton is a small estate, called the Gild or Guild of HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 273 Monks'-farm, which "was formerly given to the Abbot of the Bene- dictine Monastery at Shrewsbury, who had his occasional residence there, as appears from the following words in the Monasticon, Vol. I. p. 583 : Ricardus Dapifer Cestrice dedit abbate Benedictinorum de Salop, habitationem hermeticam in Sylva de Suttond."* Between Sutton and Forton is a conical building of stone, origi- nally a windmill, or intended as such. It was built in its present form as an object to improve the view from Aqualate-hall by a for- mer possessor. At the bottom of a hilly field called the Yeld, and opposite to this building, is a fountain called Wins-well, which con- tains several springs of excellent water. Mereton, or Meertown, is an hamlet, which derives its name from the neighbouring lake. The manor is termed the manor of Meer and Forton, and the latter was included in the former at the Con- quest. Near to this hamlet is a pool called Moss-pool, respecting which a superstitious notion existed in the time of Plot : the rising thereof was taken for a certain sign of a dearth of corn ! f Two other prognostics of a less alarming description are recorded by the same author, (ch. i. sec. 50. 51.) as being a communication made to Edwin Skrymsher, of Aqualat, Esq. by Samuel Taylor, a person belonging to the Severn, but employed by Mr. Skrymsher in making his boats, " who foretold such rains as are usual and fre- quent by the winds backing to the sun, as he called it, i. e. opposing its course : viz. the sun moving from east by south to west and north, and so to east again ; and the wind from west by south to east and north, and so to west again : ex. gr. suppose the wind now in the north, if it shift thence to the east agreeable to the sun's course, it most times proves fair ; but if it back to the sun, and shift westerly and thence southerly, &c. so as to oppose its motion, it seldom fails of bringing rain ; and so in all the other cardinal and intermediat points. Much more accurat and certain was the same Samuel Taylor in predicting the winds than the rains that attend them, though even in this too he made use of the clouds themselves, which whenever he perceived to rise in the form of the letter V. jagg'd on each side, and therefore called h^ the watermen the Hartshead, he forthwith concluded infallibly that the next point of the compass to which the wind would shift, would be either the opposite one to the most patulous part of the V. or Hartshead, (which though happens but seldom) or the point to which the acute angle of the * Gent. Mag. Vol. 71. p. 231. f Plot, ch. ii. sec. 29. 2 M 274 A TOPOGRAPHICAL same Hartshead seems nearest to direct itself; and this most fre- quently happens, always one of the two/' Aqualate Hall, according to Mr. Shaw,* was first erected by Sir Thomas Skrymsher, Knt. who died in 1633. He was lord of the manor, and patron of the church. An engraving of the origi- nal building is in Plot, (see chap. vii. sec. 39) where it is termed Aqualate House. From the Skrymshers it descended by marriage to the family of Baldwyn, from whence it came by purchase to the present proprietor, Sir John Fenton Boughey, Bart, one of the representatives for the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The worthy Baronet new modelled, rebuilt, and considerably enlarged the old mansion, before he made it his seat. It is now a magnifi- cent Gothic mansion, ornamented with turrets and battlements. The extensive park and pleasure-grounds about it present a delightful variety of rural scenery, and are adorned with several plantations, laid out with much taste ; and in which are some of the largest oaks in this county. An arm from one, approaching fast to debay, extends in an horizontal direction twenty-seven yards from the trunk ! dqualale-mere, the principal ornament of this demesne, is in front of the Hall, and is the finest lake in the county. Plot states its dimensions to be 1848 yards long, and 672 yards broad ; thus making it cover a space of more than 250 acres. The river Meese derives its source from this water ; which is the resort of various aquatic birds, particularly wild geese and ducks. The latter are sometimes taken in a decoy. Fish are for the most part abundant in this lake, though in time past the otter has proved a destructive animal amongst them ; and the voracity of another of their own tribe or genus, in proportion as their numbers increase, must create a diminution of the other species : pike have been taken out of this water of the weight of 361bs. Dr. Plot says that he was informed by Edwin Skymsher, Esq. that carp grew to a vast size in this mere, and two were taken therein " remarkably great ; one, a melter 33 inches long and 19f inches about, weighing 15 pounds, and the other a spawner, which, though not above two feet six inches long, or thereabouts, yet was 20| inches round, weighing 14 pounds, and sold for 14 shillings, the scales of each being near as broad as one of the milled half-crowns" then in circulation (ch. vii. sec. 38). In the same section he says, pike have been See Gent. Mag. Vol. 71, p. t30. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 275 caught in the Lake of Geneva of 80 pounds weight, reckoning 18 ounces to the pound. He also instances, where pike having swallowed their prey, the same has been taken out of them alive. One instance occurred at the Black lake, near Aqualate, and another at Rugeley. Aqualate-mere is supplied with water by several streams, and a small fountain at the foot of a hill planted with firs, called Anc's-hill, on the N-N.E side of the lake, and nearly opposite to the Hall. Plot conjectures that the AncVhills derived their name from some Roman captain that lay upon them, "whose name, or at. least praeuomen, perhaps might be Ancus." He says that " it cannot be denied that the Romans had indeed some action here- about, there being a raised work here at Morton not farr off, which seems to be of their fashion, and no question the large tneere that lyes just below it, had its name of Aqualat (quasi aqua lata) from them ;***** not to mention that all these are in or near the parish of Forton, and that there is a village also not fan- off, call'd Warton, which are both thought to derive their names from some such actions as are presumed by the story to have hap-. pened hereabout." (chap. x. sec. 6.) That a Battle has been fought near this place cannot be doubted, though between whom may still remain a conjecture, for stronger evidence than the etymology of words, the traces of camps, or proximity of ancient military roads, can be adduced in attestation of the fact. About 100 years ago were fallen some very old oaks, which grew on or about the grounds called the AncVhills; at which time, .according to tradition, in pits and excavations then made, human bone's, skeletons, arid arms, were found. In 1815 the remains of many skeletons were found in rows, and appeared to have been laid in trenches on each other. They were acciden- tally discovered by digging to form a plantation. At Oulton, about a mile from thence, nearly twenty years ago, were found some arms, which fell into the hands of the late Richard Whit- worth, Esq. of Batchacre. Whether the battle was fought by the Romans or Saxons, is it improbable, that Morton, Warton, and For* ton, were the stations of the two contending armies prior thereto ? From the field of battle, and the contemplation of contending ar- mies, we pass to another place surrounded by other dead, but more peacefully slain, and more affectionately interred ; and that is the parish-church. Forton Church, situate in the village of Forton, is a stone build- 276 A TOPOGRAPHICAL ing, consisting of a nave, north aisle, and square tower at the west end of the nave, in which are five bells. It may hold from two to three hundred persons. At the east end of the north aisle is a tomb to the memory of Sir Thomas Skrymsher, Knt. who died July 13th, 1633 ; and within the rails of the altar is an inscription on a stone slab, to the memory of Richard Skrymsher, the son of John, and grandson of Sir Thomas S. who is represented as hav- ing been the chief instrument in preserving King Charles at Bos- cobel, inasmuch as he procured an asylum for James Earl of Derby, and the Earl procured one for the king in the house of ' . Penderell. At the west end of the nave, near the font, is a painting of the Royal Arms, inscribed at the bottom : " The Gift of JOHN BETTENSON, saddler, of London, 1723," which person, no doubt, was of the same family as that once settled at Sutton, and before noticed. The windows of this Church for- merly were of painted glass, and full of arms, and images of saints ; During the Usurpation two Oliverian officers on a Sunday evening after divine service, came and destroyed them. This they termed reforming the Church. One coat of arms, being small, escaped their infatuated zeal, and remained in one of the chancel windows. It contained the arms of two families, Botetourt and Somery. " Thomas Botetourt, one of the ancient lords of this manor (by mar- riage with Joan, sister and co-heir of John Somery, 16 Edw. II.) was a benefactor to the parish-church ofForton; for the roof being then old and ruinous, or (if tradition may be depended upon) beat down by the fall of a very lofty spire, he covered it anew, and or- namented the interior." The Church had a second reparation about the year 1723, and is dedicated to All Saints. As a church and church-yard are places for solemn contempla- tion, not merely in respect of the deeds of the rich and great, but of every rank and station in life, it is presumed that the serious and devout mind will not be averse to notice traits of character, and remarkable occurrences amongst those, whose lot has been to move in the middle and lowly ranks of society. Grandeur must be ad- monished not to " bear with a disdainful smile The short and simple annals of the poor 5" and every one should bear in mind, when he walks among the dead, that in many a " neglected spot is laid Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 277 la this church-yard, near the east door of the church, is a plain tomb thus inscribed : Beneath this Tomb are deposited the Remains of JANE HEWETT 1 f October 28, 1800, aged 71. and C who died } HONOR DARWALL ) (October 29, 1800, aged 64. United by early and sincere Friendship, They dwelt together upwards of forty-five years, Redeeming the Time, In Piety tow'rds God, and in works of mercy to their Fellow-Creatures. In their death they were not divided. Reader, From their Example follow Christian morals, Hold fast the Christian Faith. So like Them shall you receive the Hope, Which maketh not ashamed. " The above two were maiden ladies, and distinguished them- selves by a noble example of sincere and affectionate friendship. They were no relations by birth or- family alliance, but became acquainted very early in their youth. A strong and inviolable attachment to each other ensued. When they became possessed of their respective fortunes, and settled in the world, they made the same dwelling their common home in the town of Newport, Shrop- shire ; where they lived together in the strictest amity and friend- ship with each other, charitable to the poor, and much respected by the whole circle of their acquaintance upwards of forty-five years. During some part of this long period, they experienced a reverse of fortune in the loss of a considerable sum of money, which they had placed in the hands of some gentleman, who became a bankrupt. Their loss was very unequal. The one had to lament the loss of a great part of her all, while the other experienced but a small reduction. However, this unequal change in their circum- stances produced no alteration in their dispositions towards each other ; but, if possible, was a stronger bond of union. When their fortunes were thus unhappily reduced, they perceived that, in case of the death of either, the survivor would be too much confined by the mere income of her own property. To prevent which, each made her will, by which she bequeathed the interest of her all to the benefit of the survivor, at whose death it was to be distributed among each one's respective relations. " Their last bed of sickness exhibited a scene truly affecting and interesting to the feelings of every tender heart. She that was first taken ill, had the misfortune to break her leg. When both were confined, each perceived that the awful exit of one, if not 276 A TOPOGRAPHICAL both, was approaching; and as long as strength would permit, she that was most able went every day into the room of her friend to take a final adieu ! and when her strength was exhausted she was carried by the attendants. At these affecting interviews they bathed each other's hands in tears, and expressed an heartfelt wish, that it might please God to permit them soon to meet again in a happy eternity. Heaven smiled and heard the pious prayer; and that angel that took away the soul of her that first departed, was, a few hours afterwards, dispatched to release the struggling soul of her absent friend, and to re-unite them in bonds of love for ever."* The living of Forton is a rectory in the patronage of Sir J. F. Boughey, who is lord of the manor and chief proprietor of the estates in the parish. The Rev. Mr. Bright is the present rector. CHURCH-EATON is a parish in Cuttlestone west, and contains the townships of High Onn, Little Onn, and Marston. In 1811, this parish contained 126 inhabite^d houses, 156 families ; 403 males, 401 females : total 804 persons. The soil is of a good fertile quality, consisting of good loam in the upland and meadows. The village of Church-Eaton contains one street, with several houses, and some detached farm-houses in its vicinity. It is situ- ated four miles and a half to the west of Penkridge. The Church is an ancient fabric in the Saxon style of architecture. The tower is low, and the interior of the church very neat and clean. This church is dedicated to St. Edith, and is a rectory in the patronage of Earl Talbot, and the present rector is the Hon. Mr. Talbot, of that family. Wood Eaton is a small hamlet to the N.w. of Church Eaton, and contains a few farm-houses aud smaller tenements. The ma- nor is the property of Lord Talbot, and the land fertile, being a good loamy soil, on a marl bottom, and well adapted to either tillage or pasture. High Onn, a township and hamlet in this parish, contains se- veral good farms and farm-houses. The soil is excellent for corn, beans, or pasture. The principal part of this township is the pro- perty of Thomas Giffard, Esq. of Chillingtoii. Matthew Parkes, Esq. also occupies his own estate here, and part of the Giffai estate. Little Onn is a township east of High Onn, and contains Lil tie Onn Hall, the elegant mansion of Henry Crockett, Esq. The estate adjoining the manor is the property of Mr. Parkes. See Gent. Mag. vol. 71. p. 126. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 279 Marston is another township in this parish. It contains some farms belonging to Henry Crockett, Esq. Orslow is a capital estate belonging to Lord Bradford ; and Shushions, another pro- ductive corn-farm, is the property of the Littleton family, of Ted- desley, which has long been occupied by one of the Crockett fa- mily. A brook which comes from Gnosall, separates this parish on the N.E. side from Bradley, passing on and falling into the Penk below Cuttlestone bridge. BRADLEY is a considerable parish of Cuttlestone west, includ- ing Billington and Woollaston liberties. According to the popu- lation returns in 1811, Bradley contained 106 houses, 106 fami- lies 3 284 males, 279 females : total, 563. Of these inhabitants 97 families were employed in agriculture, and only nine in handi- crafts. This parish is of considerable extent, being four miles in length, and the average breadth full two miles, and it contains 4000 acres of land. The village of Bradley contains several farm-houses and small tenements. According to an enumeration made in 1800, the parish contained 102 houses, and 620 inhabitants ; so that, notwithstand- ing the boasted salubrity of this district, there has been a diminu- tion of 57 in the number of the inhabitants in eleven years. Bradley Church is an ancient fabric of stone, with a tower. It is dedicated to All Saints, and is a curacy. Billington is a township in this parish, which extends within two miles of Stafford. It contains several tenements and farms, and the vestiges of an ancient fortification, which, from its proxi- mity to Stafford castle, might formerly have had some connection with that fortress. Shredicote is another division of Bradley parish, and contains se- veral farms. LAPLEY is a parish of Cuttlestone west, situated to the south of Bradley, and containing the township of Wheaton-Aston. The soil of Lapley is various, in some places light and mixed loam, and in others, especially towards Lapley-wood, thinner and colder clay. A rivulet comes from Wheaton-Aston, and another from Marston, which separately and together water the skirts of this parish, and enable the farmers to form good meadows on the banks. Accord- ing to the population returns in 1811, this parish, including Wheaton-Aston, contained 141 inhabited houses, 154 families; 353 males, 393 females : total 746 persons. Lapley was formerly a market-town, according to Dr. Wilke&'s 280 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Antiquities. The market is stated by him to have been held on Tuesdays. Algar, a Saxon nobleman, founded a priory in this parish in the year 1146, which afterwards rose to great importance. In the Nomina Villarum, 9 Edward II. the prior of Lapley is repeatedly nominated to manage the concerns of Lapley and Wheaton-Aston. This priory was suppressed in the reign of Henry V. In the Civil wars, this edifice was fortified and garrisoned, Captain Smith being appointed Governor; and in 1643, 8. 13s. 7d. was levied weekly in the surrounding district for the maintenance of the garrison. It was afterwards taken by the Oliverians, and the fortifications de- molished by an order dated March 19, 1645 : " Ordered, that the inhabitants of Lapley, Aston, Marston, Mitton, Stretton, Bradley, Winston, and Bickford, shall forthwith pull down the works and for- tifications about Lapley Church, and every constable within the aforesaid places is required to send six men every day till they be finished." The Church of Lapley, which is a much larger edifice than is necessary for the present population of the parish, is dedicated to All Saints. It is a vicarage in the patronage of the Swinfen family, who purchased it, with a good landed estate, from Sir Theophilus Biddulph, many years ago. The ancient farm-house on the Swinfen estate, is a strong building in a commanding situation, and was doubtless the Governor's residence when the place was fortified. Bickford is partly in Lapley, and partly in Penkridge parish. The principal land-owners in Lapley, besides the Swinfen family, are Edmund Wigan, Esq. and Mr. Hall. Wheaton-Aston is a considerable township in Lapley parish, con- taining 109 houses, 122 families ; 273 males, 306 females : total of persons 579. The soil in this township is generally a good mixed gravelly loam, and the land on the banks of a brook which runs through it is well adapted for meadows. The village of Wheaton-Aston contains several farm-houses and tenements. Nearly one-half of this village was burnt down some years ago, by the thatch which covered the roofs of the houses taking fire. It was soon re-built, and the new houses tiled. The Chapel, which is a chapel of ease to Lapley, is a brick build- ing, with a house adjoining it at one end. The vicar of Lapley is the minister of Wheaton-Aston. On a large open space near this chapel, a may-pole is erected, where the country people amuse themselves with rustic gambols on May-day, and at wakes and festivals. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 281 BLYMHILL with BRINETON is a parish in the western division of Cuttlestorie hundred. It is situated to the west of Wheaton- Aston, and contains 2,433 acres of land, the soil of which is va- rious, but principally a strong mixed loam. This parish contains 83 houses, 109 families ; 252 males, 261 females : total 513 persons. A mansion called High Hall, situated on a beautiful eminence, is supposed to have been originally the residence of William Bagod, who in the reign of Henry II. was lord of Blymhill, and had his seat there. There were formerly two wastes or commons in this parish, called the Heath and the Lawn ; but they are now inclosed, and their improvement commenced. Blymhill Church is an ancient edifice of stone, with a tower in the Gothic style of architecture, containing three bells. It is de- dicated to St. Mary. In 1719, the body of the church, except the chancel, was rebuilt. It consists of a nave and south aisle, supported by four pillars and three Gothic arches. The chancel is very ancient, with three Gothic windows, the principal of which, in the east end, was formerly ornamented with painted glass. On the south side is a. Gothic arched recess, inclosing a tomb. The living is a rectory, the Earl of Bradford patron, and the present rector the Rev. Samuel Dickenson, a learned and ingenious naturalist. The principal land proprietor in Blymhill parish is the Right Hon. the Earl of Bradford ; but there are also some considerable free- holders, residents on their own farms, and their land is generally under an improved cultivation. Brineton is a hamlet of this parish, and formerly gave title to a knight, John of Brineton : it is well watered by two rivulets, from one of which the hamlet of Brockhurst is named, being in the Saxon language Brookwood. The soil near Brineton is light, with cooler clay loam on the extremities, well stocked with flourishing oak trees. WESTON-UNDER-LIZARD is a small parish in Cuttlestone west. The term Lizard is applied to distinguish the village from Weston- upon-Trent, and is derived from a hill in Shropshire, situated to the south-west of the parish. Weston-hall, situated to the south of Watling Street-way, is a magnificent ancient mansion of the Bridgman family, now Earls of Bradford. It is built in the style of architecture peculiar to the era of Queen Elizabeth's reign, with an extensive park and plea- sure-ground. 2 N 282 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. The Church, which is situated near Weston Hall, is a small an- cient fabric, dedicated to St. Andrew. The living is a rectory, the Right Hon. the Earl of Bradford patron, and the Hon. and Rev. George Bridgman is the present rector. The village is small, and contains a few farm-houses and smaller tenements, occupied by persons employed in handicraft arts, and labourers. The whole parish contains 44 houses, 46 families; 145 males, 130 females: total 275 persons. SHERIFF-HALES is a parish of considerable extent, situated to the west of Blymhill, in the south-west part of Cuttlestone west, and principally in that hundred, though partly in Bradford hun- dred, Shropshire. This parish contains 154 houses, 157 families; 425 males, 384 females : total population, 809 persons. The village of Sheriff-Hales contains several farm-houses and smaller tenements, and there are also several houses on the differ- ent farms in the parish. It also contains the hamlets of Heath- hill, Hilton, and Burleton. The soil of this parish is a light gra- velly loam, very productive of barley and turnips. The Marquis of Stafford is the principal land proprietor. The Church is dedicated to St. Mary. It is a vicarage under the patronage of the Marquis of Stafford. From the foregoing history of Cuttlestone Hundred, it is evident that this division of the county may, with the utmost propriety, be termed an agricultural district. PIHEHILL HUNDRED. THIS division of Staffordshire, equally remarkable for fertility of soil, beauty of landscape, numerous population, and valuable productions of nature and art, is bounded on the north-east by Totmanslow hundred ; on the east and south by Ofilow and Cut- tlestone; and on the west and north- west by Shropshire and Cheshire. Pirehill Hundred is divided into two parts, the North and the South, and contains six market-towns, many populous villages, and 74,603 inhabitants. The extensive district of the POTTERIES is included in this hundred. STAFFORD, The principal town, from which the county takes its name, and where the Assizes are held, is in Pirehill South, and situated on the northern bank of the river Sow, 135 miles distant from London, 16 from Lichfield, 16 from Wolverhampton, and 16 from Newcastle. Much fanciful conjecture has been advanced by antiquaries in tracing the origin of the name of Stafford; but hitherto they have been obliged to derive all their information on this subject from mere tradition. Respecting this place, Plot says (ch. x. sec. 28.) "About this time [705] the place or island where the town of Staf- ford now stands, anciently calPd Bcthnei, began first to be inhabited by St.Bertelline, the son of a king of this country, and scholar to St. Guthlac, with whom he tarryed till his death : after which, tho* now unknown to his father, he begg'd this island of him, where he led a hermit's life for divers years, till disturbed by some that en- vyed his happiness, when he removed into some desert mountanous places, where he ended his life ; leaving Belknei to others, who afterwards built it, and called it Stafford, there being a shallow place in the river hereabout that could easily be pass't with the help of a staff only. Now whereabout this desert place should be, 284 A TOPOGRAPHICAL that St. Bertelline went to, tho' histories are silent, yet I have some grounds to think that it might be about Throwley, Ham, and Dovedale ; and that this was the St. Bertram who has a well, an as&,and a tomb, at Ham : for if, as Cassgrave says, the town of Ber- tamly, in Cheshire, took its name from a miracle that St. Bertel- line did there, I know not why the people about Ham, Throwley, &c. might not corrupt his name as much as they in Cheshire, and call him St. Bertram, instead of St. Bertelline."* About the year 1386 " there was a wonderful! miracle wrought at his altar, in Stafford, if we may believe Cassgrave." At the time of the Conquest, Stafford was undoubtedly a place of some importance, for in Domesday Book it is termed a city, in which the King had eighteen burgesses belonging to him, and there were twenty mansions of the honour of the Earl of Mercia. It then paid for all customs o9 in deniers,f and was governed by two bailiffs. But the earliest record of its immunities as a Cor- poration, is the Charter of King John, which is rather an exem- plification and confirmation of former privileges, than a new grant. When William of Normandy conquered England, he built seve- ral castles, over which he appointed his confidential followers as governors, with troops to keep his English subjects in awe. Robert de Tonei was appointed by him the governor of Stafford Castle, from hence he took his name, De Stafford. The Barony of Stafford, from the Conquest to the reign of Richard III. was very extensive, including sixty knights'-fees, of which nine were in demesne, and fifty-one in services. Eighty villages held of this barony; but by the attainder of Humphrey de Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, who was beheaded at Salisbury for rebelling against King Richard, the barony was dissolved. J Edward, the son and heir of this unfortunate Duke, was restored to his honour and great part of his estates, but he also soon after- wards fell a sacrifice to the false accusation of Knevet, his steward, whom he had discharged for unjust exactions on his tenants. The castle and manor of Stafford was restored to the family in the 23d year of the reign of Henry VIII. ; but issue male failing, in the * Stafford was formerly called Betheney, and was built by Ethelfleda, the heroic widow of Ethelred, Earl of Mercia, in the year 918, and was a chief town in this county during the succession of the Mercian kings. Ethelfleda also built a castle in the town, for the protection of the inhabitants against the predatory incursions of the Danes from the northern part of England.--Ca?- den's Britannia. + Magna Britannia, No. 62, page 66. * Ibid, p. 67. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 285 death of Henry Lord Stafford, in 1637, his sister Mary became sole heiress of his estate. She married Sir William Howard, who was created a Baron by Charles I. by the title of Lord Stafford. This lord being found guilty of a plot against Charles II. was publicly beheaded on Tower-hill, in 1682, and the title devolved on Henry, his eldest son, who was created Earl of Stafford by James II. On the abdication of James, this earl, who was a zealous papist, at- tended the fugitive king into France, and married Claude Charlotte, eldest daughter of the Count de Grammont, by whom he had no issue.* In the reign of Edward VI. the burgesses obtained a confirma- tion of the charter of King John, with many additional privileges. Queen Elizabeth also extended her munificence to this town, and established the Assizes and Quarter Sessions here by Act of Parlia- ment, in the 17th year of her reign. During her progress through England, in 1575, her Majesty perceiving the town to be rather on the decline, enquired the reason, and was informed, it was partly owing to the circumstance of the Assizes having been removed, in consequence of which she promised that this beneficial privilege should be restored. A record of this memorable visit is preserved in the parish register of St. Mary's church: "Mem. That the sixth day of August, 1575, our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth came from Chartley in progress to Stafford castle, and was re- ceived upon the Pool Dam, without the east gate, by the bailiff and burgesses, with an oration made by Mr. Lamb the school- master, in the name of the town. And the bailiff delivered to her Majesty a goodly large standing cup of silver and gilt, of white wine, which her Highness respectfully and gratefully received ; and so she passed through the East Gate Street, the Market-place, the Crobury-iane, and the Broad Eye, and thence on the road to Stafford Park, in the 17th year of her Majesty's most gracious reign." According to the Charter granted by Edward VI. Stafford is governed by a mayor, recorder, ten aldermen, twenty common- council-men, a town-clerk, and two serjeants-at-mace. A weekly market is held on Saturday in the market-place, which is a spacious square, and in the market-hall behind and con- tiguous to the town-hall. In the twenty-third year of the reign of Edward I. A. D. 1295, * Magna Britannia, No. 62, p. 68. 286 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Stafford sent two representatives to parliament, and has continued to enjoy this privilege since that time. The following memoranda are curious illustrations respecting this subject: *' 1519. This yere John Ferrers and Humphrey Barber, being burgesses in parliament for the towne of Stafford, received certaine waightes out of the King's exchequer, which were ap- poynted to be kept here within this towne as in the Kinge's trea- sure. 10 Henry VIII." " 1532. This yere Mr. Erdeswicke and Mr. Bickley, being burgesses of the parliament for this towne, were allowed their charges from the towne." Among the records of the Corporation, is a power of attorney from Mr. Erdeswicke, to a person in the borough, to receive the sum allowed for his expences in attending parliament. In former times, it was customary for the burgesses of Stafford to nominate a tradesman as a colleague to some neighbouring gen- tleman in the representation. The right of election is vested in the inhabitants who pay scot and lot, and have been admitted bur- gesses. This right the sons of burgesses, when of age, and all men who have served an apprenticeship of seven years in the town, are entitled to; and the number of electors is estimated at about six hundred. The celebrated Richard Brinsley Sheridan, equally famed for his wit, eloquence, and patriotism, was one of the representatives for the borough of Stafford from 1780 to 1806. It is only intended here to give a very brief sketch of the political life of Mr. Sheri- dan, whose eminent abilities fully entitle him to be thus pro- minently connected with the parliamentary history of Stafford- In the year 1779, when he stood high in the public estimation as a poet and dramatic writer, Mr. Sheridan first felt an anxious desire to make the House of Commons the theatre of his eloquence. It is believed that an application was made, without success, to the Duke of Portland, then a leader in Opposition, to give Mr. Sheri- dan a seat in parliament for one of his boroughs. However that may be, a general election took place in 1780, when Mr. Sheridan determined to canvass for himself, and directed his views to, and carried his election for the town of Stafford. He began, as he afterwards continued, through a long political life, to support the views of Opposition ; and though his eloquence did not immedi- ately burst forth, but rather reserved itself for the present to shine HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 287 with more conspicuous lustre hereafter, he was by no means an idle or ineffective assistant of his party. When, upon the Rock- ingham party coming into power, Mr. Fox was Secretary of State for the Foreign Department, Mr. Sheridan received his first poli- tical appointment, as Under-Secretary to that gentleman. The Marquis of Rockingham's death, and the appointment of Lord Shelburne to be First Lord of the Treasury, threw out Mr. Sheri- dan's party ; which, however, again came into power in 1783, and Mr. Sheridan was appointed Secretary to the Treasury. Mr. Sheridan continued in office but a very short time ; but it must be observed, that, while employed, he conducted himself, if not with the accuracy and close attention of a man trained to habits of business, at least with integrity and honour. The Duke of Portland being afterwards succeeded as First Lord of the Treasury by Mr. Pitt, it was Mr. Sheridan's lot almost uniformly to be the defender of unsuccessful men and measures, though this did not in the least shake his attachment to his friends. Mr. Sheridan took little part in the memorable disputes concerning America. The principal efforts of his parliamentary oratory were displayed upon the following ocsasions : his Defence of Mr. Fox's East India Bill ; his observations on Mr. Pitt's Perfumery Bill, in the year 1785; his Speech on the Irish Propositions, in the same year ; the part which he took in the question of the proper mode of appointing a Regency on the first appearance of his Majesty's lamented illness ; his noble conduct during the Naval Mutiny ; and the wonderful display of eloquence that was exhibited to the world in his speech summing up the Begum Charge against Mr. Hastings. Mr. Sheridan was the constant advocate of Parliamen- tary Reform, though without the dangerous temerity and impetuous violence of reformers in general. He was a staunch friend of the Liberty of the Press, and the bold and constant advocate of reli- gious toleration. Such is a short sketch of Mr. Sheridan's par- liamentary career ; a career upon which it would be superfluous here to dilate. The facts are so well known, that it would be un- necessary and they are so involved in the various opinions and prejudices attendant upon the great party questions in which he was engaged, that to express any decided approbation or censure of the motives of himself and his party, would only be to revive ani- mosities and to awaken unpleasant feelings that cannot be too soon forgotten. His speeches, if not so highly finished, and so well calculated for perusal as those of Mr. Burke, produced without 288 A TOPOGRAPHICAL all question a much greater impression at the time, and re- main unexcelled if not unequalled for strength of argument and beauty of imagery. Mr. Sheridan having declined the representation of Stafford in 1806, was elected, during the short Parliament, for the city of Westminster ; and in 1807 was returned for the borough of Ilches- ter. At the general election in 1812 he again became a candidate to represent the borough of Stafford, but was unsuccessful. Ralph Benson, Esq. and Thomas Wilson, Esq. are the present Members. Mr. Sheridan, after a languishing illness, which he bore with great fortitude, died on Sunday, July 16, 1816, and was interred on the Saturday following in Poet's Corner, Westminster-Abbey, in a grave near those of Addison, Garrick, and Cumberland. It was determined, as a means of shewing the most respect to his memory, and giving it the highest degree of interest, that his re- lations and friends should follow him to the grave on foot. Ac- cordingly, a most splendid assemblage of rank and respectability met at the house of Peter Moore, Esq. his warm and constant friend, to pay the last sad rites to departed genius. The pall- bearers were, the Duke of Bedford, Earl Mulgrave, Lord Holland, the Earl of Lauderdale, Bishop of London, and Lord Robert Spen- cer. The Dukes of York, Sussex, Argyle, the Marquis of Angle- sea, (upon crutches !) Viscount Granviile, and between fifty and sixty noblemen and gentlemen, formed the procession. It seems to have been the singular and enviable property of Mr. Sheridan, to unite in himself a number of talents, any of which would characterize the possessor as a man of taste, and some of which would singly serve to immortalize his name. He was at once a poet, an orator, a dramatist, a political writer, and lastly, a most delightful companion. Ye Orators ! whom yet our Councils yield, Mourn for the veteran Hero of your field ! The worthy rival of the wondrous Three ! Whose words were sparks of Immortality ! Ye Bards ! to whom the Drama's Muse is dear, He was your Master emulate him here ? Ye men of wit and social eloquence ! He was your Brother bear his ashes hence ! While Powers of mind almost of boundless range, Complete in kind as various in their change, While Eloquence -Wit Poetry and Mirth, That humbler Harmonist of care on Earth, * FoxPitt Burke. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 289 Survive within our souls While lives our Sense Of pride in Merit's proud pre-eminence. Long shall we seek his likeness long, in vain, And turn to all of him which may remain, Sighing that Nature form'cl but one such Man, And broke the diein moulding SHERIDAN. LORD BYRON'S Monody. Stafford was once a fortified place, but from its low situation it could never have been a fortress of much strength. It was fortified, except towards the river Sow, by a wall, and a ditch supplied with water from that river. But it was taken on the first assault, and without difficulty, in May 1643, by Sir William Brereton, General of the Parliamentary army. The walls are now demolished, and the ditch filled up, though some traces of the fortifications are yet perceptible near the old Gaol, and the Grammar School. The ground under the walls, at the outside, was marshy, and might easily be laid under water around the town. When fortified, Stafford had four gates. That near the bridge over the Sow was called the Green-gate, being at the south and on the London road : it was taken down in the year 1780. The arch of the East-gate was standing a few years ago. The Gaol- gate was in ruins in 1680. The site of the fourth gate is unknown. Modern Stafford is built in a low but pleasant situation, on a fertile plain. It is of considerable extent, and contains ten streets and lanes. The streets are wide and well-paved, and the houses in general compact and well-built. Stafford contains several edifices, the most remarkable of which is St. Mary's Church. It is a large ancient fabric in the form of a cross, and was formerly collegiate in the archdeaconry of Stafford. It consists of a nave, two side aisles, a transept, and a chancel of three aisles. The transept is 100 feet in length and 25 in breadth. In the centre of it rises the tower, which is octagonal, and 33 feet square at the base. The aisles of the chancel exceed the dimen- sions of the nave. "The style of architecture in general is the early pointed. To the north of the door-way there is a fragment of the Saxon billet mouldings with fret under it. This fragment is evidently a part of the first building. The head of the western window has trefoils in circles, and upright mullions, which seem to have been originally three quarter attached columns. The aisles are lighted by three lancet-shaped windows. In the nave are several windows looking to north and south, of much later date than any in the church. They have in all probability been struck out long 2O 290 A TOPOGRAPHICAL after the erection of the nave, as there are distinct marks of a sharp pointed roof both at the west end and against the tower. There are, likewise, some remains of the original perpendicular buttresses of the aisles, some of which on the north side come to a point in front. " In the south transept is a large window, the arch in which has certainly been altered, being flat, as likewise the door-way under it. This window has, in all probability, been formerly divided into two or more of a lancet shape. The windows in the chancel are in the style of the reign of Henry the Sixth, or earlier. That which faces the east has undergone some alterations in the disposition of its mullions and tracery. There seems likewise to have been another over it, if we may judge from the cell that remains. The arches in this division of the church are elegantly light, supported by four clustered three quarter columns, the capitals being compos- ed of thin laminae. What is singular, in the construction of these arches, is that the columns diminish in height front the transept to the east end, and the two rows do not answer each other, so that no two are equal as to the length of shafts. The present floor, which is horizontal, covers the bases of part of them, arid exhibits the foundations of others. The north transept seems at one time to have possessed a very considerable degree of elegance, from a pinnacle that remains on the buttress at the east end. The door- way exhibits some receding mouldings and embossed ornaments. A window which is placed over it appears to be of much later date than the transept itself, on account of its numerous divisions and fanciful ramifications. It is greatly too wide in proportion td its height. The north porch is probably the original one. Round the columns are trefoil heads and bands, and a series of plain leaves constitute the capitals. In the tower, already mentioned, are eight windows, two looking towards each of the four cardinal points. " The nave is separated from the aisles by five highly-pointed arches supported on four semi-columns clustered against a square somewhat larger than their diameter. The architrave, the abaci of the capitals, which are composed of leaves, some having a small volute, and the flat under side of the arches, are little improved from the heavy massive style of the Norman era. " The font presents a singular piece of antiquity. It is very large, and of a clumsy construction. The bottom part of it is a square, of two feet diameter, and is ornamented with figures of men or ba- boons, on three sides, all lying flat on their bellies. On the fourth HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 291 side is the figure of a ram. Above this square are figures of four lions, which form this part of the font into an octagonal shape. Each of these lions supports an upright figure, between which are four semi-globes. The whole is surmounted by projecting mould- ings and fascia measuring three feet six inches across. The height of the font is three feet three inches, and the interior or cavity is sufficiently large for the immersion of infants. In this font are two small holes, one which runs through the centre of it, and the other which penetrates the sides. The inscription appears to be in the Saxon character ; but being much plastered with paint, it is not possible to decypher it correctly. All which we could make out of it, was as follows : CLEX. MC FACIENS TALE. * * * * 1ES * * DISCRGIVS.*" The altar-piece, which is of the Corinthian order, is painted ; and the organ is said to be one of the finest in the kingdom. A seat in the nave, appropriated to the three town magistrates, is in the fanciful style called arabesque. It was fitted up in the year 1708, and was the gift of a Mr. Bromley, of this town. There are several ancient and modern monuments in this church; the most conspicuous of which is an altar tomb in honour of Lady Ann Aston, and her husband Lord Edward, of Tixall. It is in the north aisle, enclosed with iron railing, which includes the burial- piaee of the Cliffords, of Tixall. A very elegant mural monument of white marble bears the following inscription: " HM " " MARY, eldest daughter and co-heiress of James, fifth Lord Aston. Born August 14, 1743. Married Sept. 21, 1766, to Sir Walter Blount, Bart. Perished by fire, Jan, 30, 1805. R. I. P." Undjer this inscription there is a finely-executed figure of a phoenix in alto-relievo. "The monument next deserving of notice in this church is that of Sir Edward Aston, and his Lady Joan; whose figures are re- presented in alabaster, under a large canopy. Sir Edward was the person who constructed the curious mansion of Tixall. This gentle- * Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. XIII. pp. 891-3. 292 A TOPOGRAPHICAL man is said to have been a distinguished knight in the reign of Henry the Eighth. He died in 1567. "Against one of the pillars in the chancel, stands a very hand- some antique monument, which appears from the inscription to have been erected to the memory of Lady Barbara Crompton. Be- sides these there are a variety of other monuments in this church ; but neither they, nor the numerous grave-stones which form the pavement of the chancel, merit particular description. " The church of St. Mary, in the times of Popery, was collegiate. King Stephen bestowed it on the Bishop and Chapter of Lichfield and Coventry some time previous to the year 1136, but the precise year is not known. In 1445 the patronage of this church, having somehow or other reverted to the Crown, was granted by Henry VI. to Humphrey Duke of Buckingham. At the time of the Dis- solution, in the reign of Henry VIII. it consisted of a Dean and thirteen Prebendaries, as is stated in Dr. Tanner's Notitia. The living is now a rectory in the gift of the King.*" The low octagonal tower of St. Mary's Church contains eight musical bells. St. Mary's is a rectory. The Rev. Edward Dicken- son is the present rector, and the Rev. Maude, is curate. Westward from the church, at a very short distance, there for- merly stood a very ancient building, which Mr. Pennant supposes to have been the Dean's house ; and most likely his opinion is cor- rect. Besides the parish church of St. Mary's, Stafford contains ano- ther smaller Church, dedicated to St. Chadd. It is a very old neglected structure. The ancient mouldering tower of stone con- tains only one bell, and the body of the church was cased with brick in the year 1740, which quite destroyed its venerable ap- pearance. The Rev. Henry Rathbone is minister of St. Chadd's. There is a chapel for the Calvinists in Smokey-lane, of which the Rev. Chalmers is the present minister. A large new chapel has been erected by the Methodists at the Broad Eye : the Rev. William Henry Loxdale Haden, who was formerly a Lieute- nant in the 1st regiment of dragoons, is the present minister. Among the public buildings of Stafford, the County Hall is a very conspicuous ornament. It is situated on the east side of the market-square. The principal front is very neat, and built of stone. Above the basement four Doric semi-columns support a pediment, * Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. XIII. p. 896. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 293 in the centre of which is the dial-plate of the town clock, with the figure of Justice with her sword and balance on the left, and Peace with the sword sheathed and partly concealed by foliage and flowers, and her emblematic dove on the right. These figures are very beautiful pieces of sculpture in alto-relievo. The front is 120 feet in extent. The interior consists of several elegant apartments. An Assembly-room occupies the front : it is lighted by six windows, and leads to the court-rooms on each side. In the centre is a stair- case, at the top of which is the Jury-room, and several other apart- ments. The County Infirmary, which stands on the western side of Foregate-street, is a large building of brick, erected in the year 1772. It is supported by voluntary subscriptions and benefactions, which amount to about o900. annually. The County Gaol, which is situated almost directly opposite to the Infirmary, but at a considerable distance, and at the extremity of the town, is a large structure. It was erected in 1788, con- tains 150 cells for prisoners, and its internal economy does great credit to Mr. Harris, the gaoler. A County Lunatic Asylum is erecting at a short distance from the Gaol, which, when finished, will form one of the most com- plete and commodious buildings of the kind in the kingdom. It will be conducted upon the most liberal plan. The Alms-houses of Stafford, some of which exhibit very curious specimens of ancient architecture, were built and endowed at dif- ferent periods, for the accommodation of the indigent inhabitants of the town, many of whom find a comfortable asylum in their old age. There is also a Free Grammar School, founded by the patriotic Regency who directed the affairs of the kingdom in the time of Edward VI. and bearing the date of 1550. The revenue of this establishment is said to be <250. per annum. The Rev. Joseph Ellerton is the present master. The parish of St. Mary's, Stafford, is of considerable extent, and includes the township of Marston, and the village of Whitgreave. In the times of Popery, Stafford contained several monastic in- stitutions. At the north end of the town, without the walls, a mo- nastery of Franciscan or Grey Friars, was founded by Sir James Stafford, of Sandon. A priory of Black Canons was likewise founded by Richard Peakes, Bishop of Lichfield, in the year 1180, on the banks of the Sow, two miles east of Stafford. It was dedi- cated to Thomas- a-Becket, ten years after the death of that im- 294 A TOPOGRAPHICAL perious but unfortunate prelate, and the place is yet known by the name of St. Thomas. At the Dissolution, its revenue amounted to 198. a-year. The ruins of this priory are near a corn-mill. The place where the priory stood is now considered extra-parochial, and the ancient church of Baswich is supposed to have originally belonged to the institution. In the year 1344, Ralph Lord Stafford, bestowed a piece of ground on the Green, south of the river Sow, on the Augustine Friars, where they founded a religious establishment; but since the Dissolution it is gone to ruin. The principal streets of Stafford, called Foregate-street and Greengate-street, are the great thoroughfares between Liverpool, Manchester, and London. These streets contain many good shops, the three principal inns, and several inferior houses for the accom- modation of travellers. The number of ale-houses in the whole town is 72. According to the population returns in 1811, Stafford contained 859 houses, 938 families ; 2,401 males, and 2,467 females : total of inhabitants, 4,868. The manufacture of leather constitutes the staple of this town, especially shoes, which are made both for home consumption $nd exportation. In allusion to this circumstance, the late Mr. Sheridan, at an election dinner, gave as his toast, " May the Ma- nufactures of Stafford be trodden under foot by all the world/' There is also a considerable manufactory of hats, and another of cutlery, carried on in this town. A singular custom is said to be still kept up in this borough, but there seems no good authority for the assertion, though it has been repeated by one antiquary after another. " Here the ancient custom called Borough English is still kept up, and where the father dieth intestate, the youngest son inherits the lands lying within the liberties of the town, with other privileges belonging to Borough English."* Among several handsome private mansions in this town, a half- timbered house in Greengate-street, is a remarkable specimen of ancient architecture. It is the property of Mrs. Fielden, who now resides in one part of it; the other part is occupied as a boarding- school for young ladies. This building, which has doubtless stood for centuries, is large, high, and at present in complete repair. * Magna Britannia, No. 62, page 68. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 296 JOHN STAFFORD, a Franciscan friar of considerable celebrity, was born here, as is generally supposed, towards the close of the four- teenth century. He was, according to Fuller, " no contemptible philosopher and divine." His principal work was a History of England written in Latin. EDMUND STAFFORD, Chancellor of England in the reign of Henry IV. was likewise a native of this town. He was brother to Ralph, first Earl of Stafford, and consequently son of Edmund Baron Stafford. Richard the Second preferred him to the bishopric of Exeter; and Fuller informs us that some authors assert, he was likewise bishop of Worcester, and ultimately archbishop of York. Godwin, however, makes no mention of him as ever having held any other see but that of Exeter, and his authority we are inclined to regard as decisive of the question. This prelate was a great benefactor to Stapelton's Inn, now Exeter college, in Oxford, having settled two fellowships in it, and furnished liberal endowments for their support. Another distinguished character, a native of this town, was THOMAS ASHEBURN, who lived in the fourteenth century. He was educated chiefly at the university of Oxford, where he afterwards obtained a fellowship, and entered into orders. Wickliffe met in this divine a most vig'orous and active opponent to his new doc- trines. Not contented with exerting all his talents and know- ledge, in endeavouring to prove their falsity, he caused a convoca- tion to be called at London, in the year 1382, where the writings of the Reformer were solemnly condemned. THOMAS FITZHERBERT, a very ingenious and learned man, was also born at or in the neighbourhood of Stafford, in 1552, and sent to either Exeter or Lincoln college, in Oxford, in 1568. But having been bred a Catholic, the college was uneasy to him; and though he would now and then hear a sermon, which was permitted him by an old Roman priest, who lived privately in Oxford, and to whom he recurred for instruction in matters of religion, yet he would seldom go to prayers, for which he was often admonished by the sub-rector of the house. At length, seeming to be wearied with the heresy of the times, as he called it, he receded without a degree to his patrimony : where, also refusing to go to his parish church, he was imprisoned about 1572; but being soon set at liber- ty, he became still more zealous in his religion, maintaining pub- licly that Catholics ought not to go to Protestant churches ; for which, being likely to suffer, he withdrew, and lived obscurely with 296 A TOPOGRAPHICAL his wife and family. In 1580, when the Jesuits Campian and Parsons came into England, he went to London, found them out, was exceedingly attached to them, and supplied them liberally ; by which, bringing himself into dangers and difficulties, he went a voluntary exile into France, in 1582, where he solicited the cause of Mary Queen of Scots, but in vain. After the death of that prin- cess, and of his own wife, he left France, arid went to Madrid, in order to implore the protection of Philip II. ; but upon the defeat of the Armada, in 1588, he left Spain, and accompanied the duke of Feria to Milan. This duke had formerly been in England with king Philip, had married an English lady, and was justly esteemed a great patron of the English in Spain. Fitzherbert continued at Milan some time, and thence went to Rome; where, taking a lodg- ing near the English college, he attended prayers as regular as the residents there, and spent the rest of his time in writing books. He entered into the society of Jesus in 1614, and received priest's orders much about the same time ; after which, he speedily removed into Flanders, to preside over the mission there, and continued at Brussels about two years. His great parts, extensive and polite learning, together with the high esteem that he had gained by his prudent behaviour at Brussels, procured him the government, with the title of rector, of the English college at Rome. This office he exercised for twenty-two years, with unblemished credit, during which time he is said to have been often named for a cardinal's hat. He died there, Aug. 27, 1640, in his eighty-eighth year, and was interred in the chapel belonging to the English college. Wood has given a list of his writings, containing ten different works, chiefly of the controversial kind, in defence of Popery, and directed against Barlow, Donne, Andrews, and other English di- vines. But the treatises which were received with most general approbation by Protestants and Papists, are, 1. " Treatise concern- ing Polity and Religion," Douay, 1606, 4to. wherein are confuted several principles of Machiavel. The second part of the said treatise was printed also at Doway, 1610, and both together in 1615, 4to. A third part was printed at London, in 1652, 4to. 2. " An sit utilitas in scelere, vel de infelicitate Principis Machiavel- lani?" Romae, 1610, 8vo. The language of these pieces is a little perplexed and obscure, and the method, according to the manner of those times, somewhat embarrassed and pedantic; but they evince strong sense, a generous disposition, with much reading and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 297 experience, and abound with matter which has served as a fund to several authors, who have since written against Machiavel.* TIXALL. The manor and parish of Tixall is situated in Pirehill South, about four miles distant from Stafford. This manor was held by Roger de Montgomery of the King, in the 20th year of the reign of William the Conqueror. Peganus de Gastenois was lord of the manor of Tixall in the reign of Henry II. and his poste- rity held it for many generations, and in latter times took the name of Wartney. Roger Wartney left only one daughter and heir> who was married to Sir John Mavestone, but having no issue, the estate passed to the Littletons, from whom it came to the Astons. Sir Edward Aston built Tixall-hall, and Sir Walter As- ton, about the.middle of the 16th century, built before the Hall a stately gate-house of stone. This old manor-house at length became decayed, was taken down, and the present mansion built in 1780, in a plain style. The ancient gate-way remains, and is a curious pile of Grecian and Gothic architecture. The manor of Tixall is at present the property of Sir Thomas Clifford, a Roman Catholic, and was let by him to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Granville. The hamlet of Tixall consists of a few farm-houses and smaller tenements. The Church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is a small fabric of stone, with a low tower, and a rectory. The Rev. William Corns is the present incumbent, and the Rev. Clarke, curate. The parish of Tixall contains 29 houses, 31 families ; 113 males, 93 females : total of inhabitants, 206. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal passes Tixall manor to the, south, and forms a beautiful lake to improve the view of the landscape from Tixall-hall. The upland is a rich loam, and the meadows on the banks of the Trent and the Sow are luxuriantly fertile, A large quarry of excellent freestone on this estate sup- plies great quantities of durable stone for building locks and bridges, for which it is peculiarly well adapted, having the property of resisting the action of water. INGESTRE is a parish and manor about two miles north-west of Tixall, and four mile^s from Stafford. About the reign of Henry II. this manor was held by the Mittons, but in the reign of Edward III. Biog. Diet. Vol. XIV. p. 3*. 2 P 298 A TOPOGRAPHICAL issue male failing, it came by marriage into the family of the Chetwynds. In the year 1673, Walter Chetwynd, lord of the manor, and pa- tron of the parish church of Ingestre, obtained a faculty of the Archbishop of Canterbury to build a new church in a more com- modious place, and to pull down the old ruinous edifice, and con- vert the materials to that use. " In 1676 it was fully finished, being built in the form of our parish-churches, not very large, but elegant and uniform. The walls were all squared freestone, the chancel paved with black and white marble, the windows adorned with the arms of the Chetwynds, in painted glass, the ceilings with the same in fret-work, and the side walls beautified with the funeral monuments of the family, curiously carved in white marble. The bones he caused to be brought from the old church, and deposited them in a vault made under the church. The body of the church he caused to be separated from the chancel by a screen of Flanders oak curiously carved, the pulpit and seats be- ing made of the same wood, and all of equal height ; and a curious font of white marble standing in the entrance. Over the portal at the west end, on a small white marble table, is this modest in- scription : DEO OPT. MAX. Templum hoc A fundamentis extructum WALTERUS CHETWIND, (\\&\i.fil. Walt. Equit. aurat. Nepos.) L. M. D. D. D. Anno JErce Christiana , 1676. " The church being thus finished at Mr. Chetwynd's charge only, was consecrated anno 1677, by Thomas Wood, Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, by performing all the sacred offices of the day ; which done, the pious and generous founder and patron, Mr. Chetwynd, offered upon the altar the tithes of Hopton, a village hard by, of the value of 50. per annum, as an addition to the rectory for ever ; presenting the bishop and dean, who preached at the same time, each of them with a piece of plate, double gilt, as a grateful acknowledgment of their service, and entertaining the nobility and gentry, who came to see the solemnity, with a splendid dinner at his house, together with many of the common people."* * Magna Britannia, No. 62, p. 84. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 299 Ingestre Hall is a stately ancient edifice, situated on the decli- vity of a gentle eminence. Behind the mansion the hill is covered with a profusion of trees, among which are many full-grown oaks of a great size. This wood is a part of the pleasure-ground, through which there are several extensive walks in various direc- tions. The mansion, which is huilt in the style of Queen Eliza- beth's reign, is high, with an arched projection at each side, with four windows in each in the second story. Above the entrance a handsome tower projects from the main body of the building, and is adorned by an elegant balustrade, similar to that which extends along the whole front. A high turret rises in the centre, and has the appearance of an observatory. The body of the whole fabric is of brick, but the bows or projections are of stone, adorned with pilasters, which give the whole a most singular appearance. Large sums of money have been from time to time expended in the alterations and repairs of Ingestre Hall. The old front of brick has been decorated with ornaments of stone, so that it is composed in distinct parts of these two materials. The pleasure-grounds are laid out with great taste ; they are very beautiful, exhibiting the varieties of full-grown trees, flower- ing shrubs, clean well-rolled walks, lawns, groves, the river Trent and the village of Weston in the valley, and a distant view of the ruins of Ghartley Castle. The interior of Ingestre Hall is magnificent, and the apart- ments furnished in a high style of elegance. Over the fire-place in the great hall, there is a portrait of Walter Chetwynd, Esq. the venerable ancestor of the family. The Church, which stands near the Hall, is a small fabric of stone, with a square tower. It contains several mural monuments of the Chetwynds and the Bagots. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a rectory in the patronage of Earl Talbot. The Hon. and Rev, John Talbot is the present incumbent. The manor of Ingestre came into the family of Chetwynd, by the marriage of Sir John Chetwynd with the heiress of the estate, in the reign, of Edward the Third. His descendants were created Barons of Ingestre and Talbot ; and in the year 1784, John Chet- wynd Talbot, who had previously succeeded his uncle AVilliam in the barony, was raised to the dignity of an Earl of the United Kingdom by the title of Earl Talbot of Ingestre. All the lands in the manor and parish of Ingestre, are now in - the sole possession of Earl Talbot, who, on the expiration of the 300 A TOPOGRAPHICAL leases of his former tenants, took their farms into his own hands. The population of this parish is very small, the number of houses being 18, of families 21, consisting of 67 males and 65 females: total inhabitants 122. Two farm-houses, which stood in the valley below the Hall, where the annual country wake was formerly celebrated, were pulled down on the expiration of the leases, the fences levelled, and the fields incorporated with the park. The estate of Ingestre extends to Weston, and into St. Mary's parish, Stafford, including Hopton-heath, and the ancient farm of the Beacon. It also contains the site of the Priory of St. Tho- mas, which is now occupied by a corn-mill, the hills near it being adorned with groves and plantations, which form a conspicuous or- nament to the country. At Hopton-heath, a short way to the south-west of Ingestre, a severe action was fought between the King's forces, under the Earl of Northampton, and the Parliamentary army, commanded by Sir John Cell and Sir William Brereton. The Earl of Northampton had purposed the relief of Lichfield ; but that town having been compelled to surrender before his troops could arrive, he determin- ed to march upon Stafford, which had been immediately after in- vested by a detachment of the victorious republicans. Upon the approach of the Royalists, Sir John Gell, who commanded this force, retired with the view of forming a junction with Sir William Brereton, who was collecting his troops with the same intention. This point being effected, both Generals retraced their steps to- wards Stafford, and encamped at this place, which lies three miles to the north-east of the town. The Earl of Northampton imme- diately led his forces against them ; and, notwithstanding their great superiority in numbers, attacked them with incredible impe- tuosity. A long and obstinate contest took place, in which, after performing prodigies of valour, the Earl's horse having been shot under him, he was surrounded and slain. Notwithstanding thus unfortunate, the Royalists continued the battle, and, according to their own account, ultimately gained a decided victory. The Par- liamentary army, on the other hand, asserted that though defeated at first they were in the end successful ; and, if success is to be es- timated by its consequences, they certainly had the best of the day. COTON CLANFORD, a small village situate about three miles west of Stafford, gave birth to WILLIAM WOLLASTON, a distinguished writer, descended from an ancient family in this county, and born HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 301 on the 26th March, 1650. He was sent to a private school at ten years of age; and upon the 18th of June, 1674, when he was a little past fifteen, admitted a pensioner of Sydney college, in Cam- bridge. He acquired a considerable reputation for parts and learn- ing ; and having taken both the degrees in arts at the proper sea- sons, left the University in 1681, not without some disappointment upon having missed a fellowship in his college. He had commenced master of arts the summer before ; and it seems to have been about this time that he took deacon's orders. In 1682 he became as- sistant to the head-master of Birmingham school ; and in a short time got a small lecture of a chapel about two miles distant. At the end of four years he was chosen second master of the school, and upon this occasion took priest's orders ; for the words of the charter were interpreted to require that the masters, of whom there were three, should be in those orders, and yet should take no eccle- siastical preferment. In this situation and employment he conti- nued till the 19th of August, 1688 ; when, by the death of a rich relation of his name, he found himself possessed of a very ample estate. In November following he came to London ; and about a twelvemonth after, the 26th of November, 1689, married Mrs. Ca- tharine Charlton, a citizen's daughter. She lived with him till the 21st of July, 1720 ; and he had eleven children by her, four of whom died in his life-time. After his arrival in London, he may most truly be said to have settled there, for he very seldom went out of it ; and we are told, that for above thirty years before his death, he had not been absent from his habitation in Charter-House-squart so much as one whole- night. In this his settlement in town he chose a private and re- tired life, although his carriage was ever free and open. He aimed at solid and real content rather than shew and grandeur ; and ma- nifested his dislike of power and dignity by refusing, when it was offered to him, one of the highest preferments in the church. He was very well skilled in the learned languages, Latin, Greek, He- brew, Arabic, &c., and thoroughly versed in all branches of useful learning, as philology, criticism, mathematics, philosophy, history, antiquities, and the like. He accustomed himself to much think- ing, as well as to much reading : he was indeed of opinion that a man might easily read too much ; for he considered the helluo li' brorum and the true scholar as two very different characters. The love of truth and reason made him love free thinking ; and, as far as the world would bear it, free-speaking too. He composed a great 302 A TOPOGRAPHICAL number of works, the greatest part of which he is said to have burned during the two or three last years of his life; but some imperfect sketches remain. Not long before his death, he published his treatise intitled The Religion of Nature Delineated, a work for which so great a demand was made, that more than ten thousand were sold in a very few years. He had scarcely completed the publication of it, when he unfortunately broke an arm ; and this, adding strength to distem- pers that had been growing upon him for some time, accelerated his death, which happened upon the 29th of October, 1724. He was a tender, humane, and in all respects worthy man ; but is represented to have had something of the irascible in his constitution and tem- perament. His Religion of Nature Delineated exposed him to the censure of our zealous Christians, as if he had put a slight upon Christianity by laying so much stress, as he does in this work, upon the obligations of truth, reason, and virtue ; and by making no mention of revealed religion, nor even so much as dropping the least and most distant hints in its favour. It has indeed made him pass for an unbeliever of revelation with others who have not ex- pressed any zeal at all for it ; for the late Lord Bolingbroke sup- poses Dr. Clarke to have had him in his eye when he described his fourth sort of theists. Mr. Wollaston held and has asserted the being and attributes of God, natural and moral ; a Providence, ge- neral and particular ; the obligations to morality ; the immateriality and immortality of the soul ; a future state : and Clarke's fourth sort of theists held and asserted the same. But whether Mr. Wol- laston, like those theists, rejected all above this in the system of revelation, cannot with any certainty be concluded; and though at the same time the contrary perhaps may not appear, because, what- ever might have been thought necessary to prevent offence from be- ing taken, it was not essential to Mr. Wollaston's design to meddle with revealed religion. In the mean time, Lord Bolingbroke has treated Mr. Wollaston's Religion of Nature Delineated as a system of theism ; which it certainly is, whether Mr. Wollaston was a be- liever or not. His Lordship calls it " strange theism, as dogmati- cal and absurd as artificial theology," and has spent several pages to prove it so ; yet allows the author of it to have been " a man of parts, of learning, a philosopher, and a geometrician." It written with a degree of elegance far superior to the style of English writers, and may justly be regarded as one of the best am most classical works in the English language. He was buried HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 303 at Great Finborough, in Suffolk, (one of his estates, and afterwards the principal residence of his eldest son), close by the side of his deceased wife. WESTON-ON-TRENT is a small village situated on the banks of the river Trent, about a mile to the north of Ingestre Hall. The Grand Trunk canal passes through this village, and the turnpike- road between Stafford, Stone, &c. This village is apparently pros- perous, and contains two inns, and several smaller tenements and The Church is an ancient structure, in the Gothic style of ar- chitecture, and was built in 1685, as appears by an inscription on a stone over the southern entrance. This edifice is of stone, with a low strong tower, ornamented with large open Gothic windows, and partly covered on the southern side with a flourishing ivy tree. A spire about twenty feet high rises from the centre of this tower, and is terminated by a vane. Two large yew trees, one of them with the " high top dry with bald antiquity/' stand among the tomb-stones in the church-yard, and are picturesque objects. Weston church is a curacy : the Rev. Benjamin Johnson is the present minister. The principal part of the fertile parish of Weston-on-Trent'is the property of Earl Ferrers. The population of this parish in 1811, was as follows : 52 houses, 52 families; 209 males, 185 fe- males. Total of inhabitants, 394. The situation of the village of Weston is particularly pleasant, and affords a delightful view of a variety of interesting objects. The ancient village church with its airy spire ; barges constantly passing along the canal, towed by horses; the turnpike-road, with a handsome stone bridge of one large arch over the Trent ; a corn- mill, at work in a field on the right of the road towards Stafford, and about a mile distant on the same side ; the woody elevations of Sandon Park, with an obelisk to the memory of that great statesman Mr. PITT, on an airy summit environed by trees ; on the left near the bridge, Weston-hall, now a farm-house, in rather a neglected state, and the environs of Ingestre Park, covered with clumps and groves. At a short distance from Weston, the old salt-works of Shirley- wich are worthy of attention. The works are now occupied by Mr. Moore, and a small branch is cut from the Grand Trunk Canal, for the conveyance of coals to, and salt from, the works. The brine, from which the salt is made, is raised from a saline 304 A TOPOGRAPHICAL spring into a large reservoir by a water-wheel, which works a double pump. This wheel is worked by a stream of water which flows from the high ground at Chartley. The quantity of brine daily used is about 600 hogsheads, from which 520 bushels of salt is made, of half a hundred weight to the bushel, or thirteen tons per day. The proportion of salt in the brine is about one-fourth. The whole process of the manufacture is gone through in 24 hours : the water is evaporated, and the salt is formed in squares of about half a hundred weight each. These squares are neatly formed, dried in kilns, and will bear conveyance without packing. The loose salt is packed up in baskets and bags. The pans in which the brine is boiled are made of wrought iron. Eight of these pans are kept boiling. About 20 families of 100 persons are prin- cipally employed in this business, and all live at Shirley -wich, which is also the residence of Mr. Moore. The quantity of salt produced every year is about 160,000 bushels of half a hundred weight each; the duty paid to Government is fifteen shillings per bushel, or cf^OjOOO per annum, and the salt is sold at sixteen shillings per bushel. Thus only one shilling is allowed for the owner of the estate, and the manufacturer, including the expence of machinery, the rent of the premises, and the interest of capital. The quantity of coal used is about one hundred tons per week, and the quantity of salt made is about 80 tons weekly, or 4,160 tons a year. The salt spring is supposed to be inexhaustible, and only varies a few feet with the vicissitudes of the seasons. Some years ago the quality of the brine was weakened, as is conjectured, by the breaking-in of fresh water. A number of men were employed for some weeks to lower the brine in the shaft, and endeavour to discover the cause, but without effect. The brine could not be materially reduced, and it has remained ever since at the present standard. From the incident, however, it seems that the works might be ruined by a sudden influx of fresh water into the reservoir, but the spring has existed in great strength for some centuries, and may continue so for ages to come. This saline water in its natu- ral strength is destructive to vegetation, and if accidentally let into the fresh water stream, will destroy the fish as far as the Trent. As the duty is remitted on the salt used in bleaching, a similar indulgence might be granted to the agriculturist, and it is very probable that salt properly applied would powerfully promote vegetation. For this purpose foul or impure salt might be used, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 305 and the revenue protected from fraud, as there is a regular atten- dance of revenue officers at the works. Brine and other ingredi- ents might be mixed with dung-hills and composts, and chymistry might improve agriculture. An elegant mansion has just been erected by Mr. Moore, near Shirleywich. SANDON is a small village on the turnpike-road between Stone and Rugeley, consisting of a large inn, a few public-houses, and several scattered tenements. The manor of Sandon is large, and the whole parish contains 92 houses, 92 families ; 238 males, 242 females: total of inhabitants, 480. The parish contains the hamlets of Great and Little Sandon, Hard wick, Small Vise, Dracote, Leighs Newton, and Cresswell. Before the Conquest, Algar, Earl of Mercia, was lord of the manor ; it was afterwards given by William the First to Hugh, Earl of Chester, who gave it to William Baron Malbank. His son Hugh founded Combermere-abbey; and his son William gave Sandon Church to the Monks. Adilla, the daughter of this William, mar- ried Sir William Stafford, and had the manor of Sandon for her portion. She left it to her son James Stafford. He had issue one daughter, who marrying Thomas Erdeswicke, brought this manor into his family. Sampson Erdeswicke was the last of this family. He was a learned and industrious antiquary ; and, among other public works, he repaired and glazed Sandon Church. The manor was sold to Mr. George Digby, in the reign of James I. and came by marriage into the possession of Charles Lord Gerard, of Bromley, whose grand-daughter carried it to William, Duke of Hamilton, by one of whose descendants it was sold to Lord Har- rowby, whose son, the Right Hon. the Earl of Harrowby, is now the possessor. The Mansion-house is an elegant building, in a pleasant situation. It was built on the site of the ancient half-timbered house of the Erdeswickes, and traces of the moat which surrounded it are still visible. Beyond the modern mansion, the sides of the hill are covered with plantations of young and flourishing trees; and on the summit of an eminence, the lofty Obelisk erected to the Memory of Mr. PITT, about eight years ago, is a very striking and beautiful object. The Church stands on a gentle elevation not far from Lord Har- rowby's seat : it is dedicated to All Saints, and is a vicarage. The Rev. George Bonney is the present vicar. Sandon Church is a 2 Q 306 A TOPOGRAPHICAL small structure of stone with a square tower, on the western side of which a very beautiful ivy-tree has climbed almost to the pinna- cles, rising like two wings, and leaving the aperture or Gothic window of the belfry uncovered. Among the monuments in the chancel the following to the celebrated Erdeswicke is most con- spicuous : " Ricardus de Vernon Bare de Sibroc 20 Willmi Conquestoris Pater harum {familiar 'de Vernon Holgreve et Erdeswick, 1086. Hoc sibi spe in Xpo resurgendi posuit Sampson Erdeswick Armiger. qui gen. recta serie ducit a Ruo de Vernon, ba- rone de Sibroc tempore gui' loqst. Vernon. Malbauc. Vernon. Manderill Stafford's Vernon. Stafford Walkelin. Hujus ffili et heres Hugo de Verno duxit ffilia et haerede Rainaldi Ballioli dm de Erdesnvich et Holgreve dedernt ffllio Mattheo uyu' ffili' inde diet' fuit de Holgreve. Vernon 1 Vernon Vernon. Baliole Vernon >-l Holgreve. Holgreve. Ricardus ffilitis junor Mathaei de Holgreve tertij cum pater illi Erdeswik dedisset nomen de Erdeswik sibi assumpsit reliquit et ex altera hvrede Guil. dni de Leighton Thomam. de Erdeswik genuit cujus pronepos Thomas quartus, accepit in uxore Margareta unica filia et heredem Jacobi Stafford de Sandon militis cujus proava fuit AVda un;> ffiliar et heredu Warini ultimi baronis de Sibroi proar. vero Guil. Stafford ffilius secund' Harvaei Bagod ex Meliceta Ba- ronissae Staffordiae quae fuit proneptis Roberti primi baronis Staf- fordiae qui Anglia GuiL Conquestore ingressus. Stafforde 1 Stafforde | Stafforde | Erdeswik Stafforde | Erdeswik | Minshal Erdeswik Erdesw. Clinton Erdeswik Erdeswik Erdeswik Basset Erdeswik Harcourt Erdeswik Grey Erdeswik Lee Sampson Erdeswik. Elizabetka Dikes well Elisabetha uxor prima fuit filia secun- ila et na trium heredum Humfridi Dikeswell de church Waver in com. Warmici armigeri ex qua quinque sus- eepit filias Margaret am nondum nup- cam, Helenam uxorem Thomae Coyne de Weston Coyne in eomitatu Staf- fordiae Armigeria Elizabetham, Mari- am et Margeriam. omnes superstites riecdum enuptas. Sampson Erdeswik. Maria Keale Maria uxor secunda fuit ffilia secuncla genilaetuna heredu Francisci Neale de Kaythorpe in eomitatu Lecestrie armi- geri quae illi peperit Richardum et Matheaum filios et Jehana ffilia ut pri- ori marito Everardo Digby armigero 14 liberos enixa est, e quibus Everar- dus, Joannes, Georgius, Maria, Eliza- betha, Ffrancisca, et Christiana, nunc sunt superstites. Vernon Semper Viret. Anno Domini 1601." The monument represents a colossal figure of Mr. Erdeswicke, in a recumbent posture, dressed in a jacket, and with spurs on his heels. AboTe, in two niches, appear the figures of his two wives HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 307 kneeling. Mr. Erdeswicke died April llth, 1603. This beauti- ful memorial has been much injured by repeated whitewashings. SAMPSON ERDESWICKE. This celebrated antiquary, to whose researches other writers on the Antiquities and Topography of this county are so highly indebted, was born here, but the year of his birth is not recorded. He was admitted a gentleman Commoner at Brazen-nose College, Oxford, in the year 1553, and after having remained two years at the University, he returned to Sandon, where he amused himself by antiquarian researches, especially such as were illustrative of his native county. He left in manuscript, " A Short View of Staffordshire, containing the Antiquities of the same County," an incorrect copy of which was published in 1717, in oc- tavo, and a second edition in 1723. There are two copies of the original in the British Museum, and one in Gough's MSS. in the Bodleian Library. Mr. Erdeswicke is recorded by Fuller, in his " Worthies of England/' as a gentleman descended of a right wor- shipful and ancient family; and Camden styles him venerandce an- tiquitatis cultor maximus. He began his antiquarian work in 1593, and continued it till his death, so that it employed him ten years. Instances of Longevity. Robert Reeves, of Smallvise, diqd March 28, 1758, aged 90. Margaret Done, died February 2, 1781 aged 91. The lands in the parish of Sandon are fertile, and the trees flourishing. GAYTON, a village and small parish of Pirehill South, is situated about two miles to the east of Sandon. The village is small and pleasant, on a fertile loamy soil, and from the higher grounds there is a magnificent view of Sandon Obelisk, the plantations of Lord Harrowby, and the still more picturesque ruins of Chartley Castle, situated on the side of a hill, about a mile distant, in the parish of Stone. The parish contains 48 houses, 49 families ; 137 males., 124 females : total of inhabitants, 261. Two rivulets of clear water pass near the village of Gayton, and unite in the adjacent meadows. The Church, which is of stone, is a place of great antiquity, built in the Gothic style with small arched windows. The window at the east end is adorned with painted glass. The interior is in & ruinous state, the old oak pews and seats m'ouldering and falling to pieces. There is a very ancient monument of the Ferrers family in a recess on the north side of the chancel. 308 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Gayton Church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and is a curacy : the Rev. Thomas Hilditch is the present minister. FRADSWELL is a village to the north-east of Gayton, and in the parish of Colwich. It is a scattered village on a gravelly soil. The whole liberty contains 38 houses, 38 families; 120 males, 126 females : total of inhabitants, 246. The Church is a chapel of ease to Colwich. It was re-built in 1764, the lower part of the nave and tower of stone, and the upper part of brick : the ancient stone chancel remains. It is a curacy, the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield being patrons, and the Rev k Benjamin Johnson, who resides at Weston-on-Trent, is the present minister. MILWICH is a large populous parish of Pirehill South, about two miles north-east of Sandon, on a loamy soil. The village of Milwich is in a low situation, a brook passes near it, and the Church, which is a small modern structure of brick with a tower of stone, is situated at a short distance on a gentle eminence. It is dedicated to All Saints, and is a vicarage : the present vicar is the Rev. Rice, and the Rev. John Sell, is curate. The parish of Milwich contains 109 houses, 111 families; 290 males, 273 females : total of inhabitants 563. STOWE is a large parish of Pirehill South, to the north of Col- wich. It includes Chartley Castle, and the villages of Hixon and Haywood. Chartley was, at the time of the General Survey, in the hands of the Conqueror, whose successor, William Rufus, gave it to Hugh, Earl of Chester. In this family it continued several successions, and Ranulph, Earl of Chester, built the Castle in the time of Henry III. but dying without heirs, his estate descended to his four sisters, of whom Agnes had this manor, and being then married to William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, brought it into his family. It is now the property of Earl Ferrers, and is one of the most romantic relics of antiquity in Staffordshire, being an ancient ruin similar to that of Dudley Castle. The site is on the side of a lofty eminence, and the remains of the castle consist of two round towers, partly covered with ivy, rising amid the foliage of nearly one hundred full-grown yew trees, of the age of many centuries. This ancient fortress is surrounded by a deep moat, and doubtless was considered as a place of great strength before the invention of gunpowder. It has long been uninhabited ; and Earl Ferrers, in his annual visits to HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 309 Stowe, Gayton, and Weston, generally lodges at the house of one of his opulent tenants. At present, the ruins of Chartley Castle remind the reflecting ohserver of the description of the Hall of Ossian. The ancient mansion of Chartley was some years ago consumed by fire. It was surrounded by a moat on low ground, about a furlong west of the castle. Chartley Park consists of one thousand acres of excellent land, in a state of nature, enclosed within an ancient oak paling, with here and there an old tree, and a few modern clumps of plantations. This tract, which has never been cultivated, abounds with fern and furze. The stock is wild cattle, and deer of two species: the wild cattle are mostly white, with the nose and ears tipped with black. HIXON, in this parish, is a large ancient village, situated on an eminence. The houses are thatched. The post of a pillory remains, which proves the antiquity of this mode of punishment. The Ferrers family are said to possess 10,000 acres of land, lying nearly together in the parishes and townships of Chartley, Stowe, Gayton, Weston, Colwich, Hixon, Haywood, and Fradswell. The parish of Stowe contains 125 houses, 156 families; 440 males, 413 females : total of inhabitants, 853. ABBOTS BROMLEY Is an ancient market-town of Pirehill South, situated five miles north-east of Ru^eley. It is an irregular decayed place, without manufactures or trade, and took its name from the Abbey of Brom- ley, in the neighbourhood. There are no public buildings in this town worthy of observation, except the Church, which is an an- cient structure of stone, with a high tower, which contains six musical bells. It is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and is a discharged vicarage : the Rev. P. P. Neale is the present minister. The parish of Abbots Bromley is extensive and populous, includ- ing the township of Bromley Hurst, and the liberty of Bromley Bagots. This parish contains 279 houses, 291 families; 737 males, 802 females: total of inhabitants, 1,539. In the town of Abbots Bromley there is a Free-school, founded in 1603 by Mr. Richard Clark; and an Alms-house for six indigent old women, endowed by Mr. Lambert Bagot. The weekly market of this town is held on Tuesday ; and there are three annual fairs, 310 A TOPOGRAPHICAL namely, the Thursday before Midlent Sunday, May 22, and August 24, for horses and cattle. A remarkable custom, called the Hobbyhorse Dance, is mentioned by Dr. Plot, as having existed in this town within the memory of many persons alive at the period when he wrote. It was a sort of amusement which the inhabitants celebrated at Christmas, or New- year's Day and Twelfth-day. On these occasions a person danced through the principal street, carrying between his legs the figure of a horse composed of thin boards. In his hands he bore a bow and arrow, which last entered a hole in the bow, and stopping on a shoulder in it, made a sort of snapping- noise as he drew it to and fro, keeping time with the music. Five or six other individuals danced along with this person, each carrying on his shoulder six reindeers' heads, three of them painted white, and three red, with the arms of the chief families who had at different times been pro- prietors of the manor painted on the palms of them. " To this hobbyhorse dance there also belonged a pot, which was kept by turns by four or five of the chief of the town, whom we call Reeves, who provided cakes and ale to put into this pot. All the people who had any kindness for the good interest of the institution of the sport giving pence a-piece for themselves and families, and so fo- reigners too, that came to- see it ; with which money the charge of the cakes and ale being defrayed, they not only repaired their church, but kept their poor too, which charges are not now perhaps so cheerfully born." This practice seems to have existed at other places besides Ab- bots Bromley ; for we find hobbyhorse-money frequently mentioned in the old parish books both of Stafford and Seighford. It conti- nued in force till the era of the Civil wars between the Parliament and the House of Stuart, at which time Sir Simon Degge informs us, that he saw it often practised. The same author adds, in ano- ther part of his work, " that they had something of the same kind to get money for the repair of the church of Stafford, every common council then collecting money from his friends; and whosoever brought in the greatest sum to the hobbyhorse, was considered as the man of best credit, so that they strove who should most im- prove his interest : and, as he remembered, it was accounted for at Christmas/'* BLITHEFIELD is a parish about two miles, west of Abbots Bromley. * Paroch. Antiq. Stafford MS. Cough's Caraden, Vol. II. p. 511. i< : HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 311 The village of Blithefield is chiefly remarkable for an ancient man- sion of the Bagot family, which contains a splendid collection of paintings in the first style, and by the ablest artists. Amongst others, there is a portrait of Lord Treasurer Burleigh, equally eminent as a statesman and a Christian. He is painted with a white beard, a bonnet, and collar of the Garter, the George, and a white wand. Henry, Earl of Huntingdon, cotemporary with Lord Burleigh, is painted with the collar of the Garter, and a forked beard. The date is 1588, aged 52. But the most remarkable portrait is that of Walter, Earl of Essex, the unfortunate favourite of Queen Elizabeth. He is represented at half-length, and in armour. Bagofs Park, which belongs to this mansion, is situated two or three miles to the north-east, on the opposite bank of the Blithe. It contains many oaks, of extraordinary growth, some of the trees containing from 300 to 400 feet each. This timber is of great an- tiquity, being mentioned as full-grown by Dr. Plot in 1686 ; it is, consequently, verging to decay. The woods extend over many hundred acres, and are almost wholly of oak, in different stages of growth, some of them carrying timber to the length of 60 or 70 feet. The Church of Blithefield is dedicated to St. Leonard : it is a rectory, Lord Bagot is the patron, and the Hon. and Rev. Richard Bagot, his Lordship's brother, is the present incumbent. COLTON is a parish of Pirehill South, and situated southward of iBlithefield. This parish extends to the river Trent, adjoining to Rugeley. The soil is a mild fertile loam, with a good proportion of meadows on the verge of the Trent, and on a brook which falls into it. The Swedish turnip is cultivated in rows on the Northumber- land system in this parish, and the lands in general are productive of abundant crops of grain, and in an improved and high state of cultivation. Colton parish contains 101 houses, 105 families ; 266 males, 218 females : total of inhabitants, 484. The village of Colton is small. It is a pleasant rural place, in a low situation. A private mansion of brick and stone, with a fish- pond and pleasure-grounds, on the opposite side of the turnpike- road, which passes through this village, are the most conspicuous bjects. Colton Church, situated in an enclosure near the road, is small. The nave is modern, and built of brick, and the roof covered with lead ; but the chancel is ancient, of stone, and the roof covered with tiles, with a small stone cross at the end. The tower is square, and of stone : it is low, and from its small narrow Gothic windows, and 312 A TOPOGRAPHICAL time-worn pinnacles, it must have stood for some centuries. The interior of the Church is neat and clean, and the pews of oak. There are but few instances of longevity recorded on the frail memorials of the dead in the church-yard. An epitaph on a mason deserves to be mentioned. His tombstone is decorated with the compass and square in basso-relievo, under which is the following inscription: " Sacred to the memory of JAMES HAYWOOD, who died May 4th, 1804, in the 55th year of his age: The corner-stone I oftentimes have dress'd, In Christ, the corner-stone, I now find rest ; Though by the Builder he rejected were, He is my God, my Rock, I huild on here." The church of Colton is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a rectory in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield : the Rev. Dr. Buckeridge is the present rector, and the Rev. William Robinson, curate. It is difficult to describe the fine country beween Colton and Col- wich, especially the Vale of Trent, and the beautifully picturesque hills on the southern bank of that river. These hills, and the in- termediate valleys, exhibit all the varieties of cultivation and the beauties of woodland, with here and there an airy peak rising above the rest, covered with fern and gorse. The whole scene re- minds us of Thomson's descriptive lines: " O vale of bliss! O softly-swelling hills! On which the Power of Cultivation lies, And joys to see the wonders of his hand." COLWICH is a village in a pleasant situation on the turnpike- road between Stone and Rugeley. It consists of several good houses which extend along the side of the road. The Church is an ancient structure of stone, situated on a gentle eminence, and adorned with a handsome high tower with four pinnacles, surmounted by gilt globes and vanes. The tower stands on the northern angle of the west end, and is a pleasing object on the approach to the village from Rugeley. The principal entrance of the church at the west end is a neat modern portico of hewn- stone, with a battlement and small turrets. Altogether, the ex- terior of the church is beautiful : the interior is clean, and the pews neat. The organ was the gift of Viscountess Anson. Among the numerous memorials of the dead interred in the church-yard, there is not one remarkable instance of longevity. 1 HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 313 The church contains some monuments of the families of Anson and Wolseley. The burying-place of the Ansons is in the form of an Egyptian catacomb. The monument of Sir William Wolse- ley, hears an inscription descriptive of his accidental death, being drowned in his chariot, on the 8th of July, 1728, in the neighbourhood of Longdon, by the bursting of a mill-dam, which was occasioned by a heavy shower of rain during a thunder storm. His four horses were also drowned, but the coachman escaped, and was carried by the torrent into an orchard, where he remained in safety till the flood abated. Colwich church is dedicated to St. Michael, and is a prebend of Lichfield, the Dean and Chapter are consequently patrons : the Rev. Pitchford is minister. Captain MICHAEL CLEMENTS, a very gallant and brave officer, son of the Rev. Mr. Clements, ef Colwich, was born here. He com- manded the Pallas, at the defeat of Thurot, in 1776, and subse- quently up the Mediterranean ; and died a superannuated Rear- Admiral in 1796. The seat of Lord Anson, called Oakedge-kall, is a conspicuous object on the southern bank of the Trent. It is in a solitary situa- tion, and has been uninhabited for some years, in consequence of his Lordship retaining the land around it in his own possession, and his principal residence being at Shugborough. A few depen- dents live in some of the offices, but the windows of the mansion have been shut up some years. The village of GREAT HAYWOOD is situated on the north side of the Trent, opposite Shugborough. It contains a few good sub- stantial houses and the remains of a Priory. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, ter having passed the Trent upon ail aqueduct, forms a communication with the Grand Trunk Canal near this village. The extensive parish of Colwich, including the townships of Great Haywood and Wolseley, and the liberty of Fradswell, con- tains 310 houses, 34 families; 829 males, 859 females: total of inhabitants, 1,688. MARSTON is a village and liberty in the parish of St. Mary, Stafford, about three miles to the north of that town, upon a good loamy soil, excellent both for corn and pasture. The Church, which is only a chapel of ease to St. Mary's Church, Stafford, is a small structure of stone, with a cupola and one bell. The Mayor and Corporation of Stafford are the patrons. This liberty 2 R 314 A TOPOGRAPHICAL contains 17 houses, 17 families; 52 males, 48 females: total of in- habitants, 100. The Rev. James Ellerton is curate. Creswell, the family-mansion and estate of the Rev. Edward Whitby, is extra-parochial, and situated two miles to the north-west of Stafford, near the turnpike-road between that town and Eccles- hall. The soil of this farm is an excellent loam, with fertile mea- dows on the banks of the Sow. SEIGHFORD, including Aston and Doxey townships, is a parish, situated about three miles north-west of Stafford, on a brook which flows from Latchford-pool and falls into the Sow. The village of Seighford consists of a few scattered houses well-thatched. The general face of the country is level, and it is in a high state of cultivation. The Church is small ; the nave is built of stone, and the chancel and a small belfry, of brick. It is dedicated to St. Chadd,and is a vicarage : the Rev. Edward Whitby is the present incumbent. The parish of Seighford, including the village of Bridgford, contains 138 houses, 144 families ; 420 males, 446 females : total of inhabitants, 866. RONTON is a small parish and village, situated between four and five miles west of Stafford, and three miles east of Eccleshall. It was the demesne of Goderick, a Saxon nobleman, at the time of the General Survey, and afterwards held by him of William de Noel. Camden says, the Harcourts, an aaeient and noble Norman family, received it by inheritance from the Noels. Ronton Abbey was founded by Robert Fitz-Noel, in the reign of Henry the Second, and was a Priory of canons regular of St. Au- gustine. It was afterwards made a cell to the Abbey of Haghman, in Shropshire, by the founder, who placed the canons in it, under the rule and obedience of the church of Haghman. This Priory paid to the Abbey of Haghman a yearly pension of 100 shillings. At the time of the Dissolution, it was valued at 90. 2s. lld. per annum. The principal remains of this Abbey, which are yet standing, con- sist of the high tower of the church, part of its walls, and a small part of the cloisters. The church is but small, and thatched. A tenement is erected on part of the site of the ancient abbey. The church is dedicated to All Saints, and is a vicarage, formerly be- longing to the abbey. The King is patron. The Rev. Thomas Harding is vicar, and the Rev. William Hicken, jun. curate. The land in the parish of Ruutou .consists of a good strong loam] HISTORY OP STAFFORDSHIRE. 3U soil, adapted to the cultivation of wheat, and pulse, with good meadow land on the banks of the rivulets. This parish contain* 52 houses, 52 families ; 144 males, 148 females : total of inhabi- tants, 292. ELLENHALL is situated about two miles to the north-west ot Ronton. The village consists of several good modern houses, in an elevated situation, on each side of the turnpike-road between Stafford and Eccleshall. The parish is but small, and is chiefly re- markable for containing the manor-house of the ancient family of the Noels, from whom it devolved by marriage to the Harcourts. The Church of Ellenhall is a small modern structure, situated in a field on the highest part of the eminence near the village. The nave and tower are built of brick, and the chancel of tonc. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a curacy : the Rev. William Hickcn, jun. is the present minister. The soil of this parish, and the circumjacent country in general, is a strong marly loam, on a deep marl bottom, in some places in- clined to gravel. This parish contains 47 houses, 49 families ; 127 males, 124 females: total of persons, 251. ECCLESHALL Is an extensire parish in Pirehill North, containing nineteen townships, namely, Aspley, Bromley, Broughton, Charnes, Chat- well, Chorlton-hill, Coldmeece, Cotes, Croxton, Horseley, Mill- meece, Pershall, Podmore, Slindon, Sugnall Magna, Sugnall Parva, Three Farms, Walton, and Wooton. The town of Eccleshall is a place of great antiquity, and is said to have been founded by the Romans in the first century. The fol- lowing record of Eccleshall town and castle was communicated by a correspondent : " When Nero was Emperor of the Roman empire, Auviragus was King of Britain. Vespasian, then general of the Roman army in Britain, built a town in a large marsh on the banks of the river Sow, adjacent to the forest of Bloor, and ordered one of the Roman standards to be kept there. The standard represented an eagle, and the town was called Eaglets-hall. It was built about the year 60. On the southern side, at the foot of the hill, a temple was erected to Jupiter, and a flameary or place for sacrifices. About 316 A TOPOGRAPHICAL the year of our Lord 209, Lucius, King of Britain, gave the town the name of Eccleshall, and the temple of Jove, Hasmere. This edifice was consecrated as a Christian church, and continued until the year 509, when Creda, a Saxon, the eleventh from Weber, the first king of Mercia, conquered the Britons, and destroyed all the Christian churches within the counties of Stafford, Gloucester, Hereford, Chester, Worcester, Oxford, Warwick, Derby, Leicester, Buckingham, Northampton, Nottingham, Lincoln, Bedford, Hun- tingdon, and part of Hertford. The Christians were obliged to seek an asylum in Worlsor, supposed to be Wales, till about the year 660, when Lawrence, Archbishop of Canterbury, consecrated Devine, Bishop of Lichfield, and afterwards Eccleshall, and the forest of Bloor was given to him by Penda, King of Mercia. " Eccleshall Church was re-built in the year 661, but was de- stroyed nine years afterwards by Wulfere, King of Mercia, who, in 670, while at his castle at Ulferoster, or Uttoxeter, was informed that his two sons Ulfred and Rufin, under pretence of hunting, were gone to Eccleshall to Bishop Chadd, to be baptized and in- structed in the Christian religion. The King being instigated by his concubine Wcrebode, hastened to Eccleshall, and finding his sons in the church in divine contemplation, he slew them both with his own hand, and then destroyed the edifice. Queen Erminilda, the mother of the two royal martyrs, took their bodies and buried them in a certain place not far from Eccleshall, and built a monas- tery over them ; and, from the great quantity of stones collected for this building, the place was called Stones, now Stone, a market- town in this county. King Wulfere afterwards repented, re-built Eccleshall Church, and all others which he had destroyed, and was very favourable to the Christians, but died without an heir. His brother Elhelred succeeded him in his kingdom ; then Eccleshall began to flourish, and became so famous and populous that it had five parish-churches and two chapels in it. This prosperity conti- nued nearly three centuries and a half; but a sudden reverse took place in the year 1010, when the Danes laid Eccleshall town and castle, and all its churches, in ashes by fire. It lay in ruins till 1090, when Elias de Jantonice, prebend of Eccleshall, re-built the old church, and dedicated it to the Holy Trinity. In the year 1299, Walter Langton, Bishop of Lichfield, re-built Eccleshall Castle." Eccleshall is a small market-town, situated on the banks of a rivulet that flows into the river Sow. It is seven miles north-west of Stafford, and contains five streets and lanes. The houses are of HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 317 brick, well-built, and regular. The market-day is Friday, and it is well supplied with provisions. There are four annual fairs : Midlent Thursday, Holy Thursday, August 5th, and the first Friday in November, principally for horses, cattle, and sheep. According to the parliamentary returns of the population in the year 1801, the parish of Eccleshall contained 594 houses ; 1,737 males, and 1,750 females : total, 3,487 persons. In 1811, the town of Eccleshall contained 217 houses, 225 families ; 466 males, 550 females : total, 1016 persons. At the same period, the whole parish of Eccleshall contained 693 houses, 711 families; 1805 males, 1813 females : total, 3,618 inhabitants. There are several good inns and large shops in Eccleshall, but no manufactures, except the common handicraft trades. The neighbourhood of the town is pleasant, and the land fertile. Eccleshall Church is a large and handsome fabric of stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, and consists of the nave, a north and south aisle, and the chancel. The nave is lighted on the south side by nine large Gothic windows, and the chancel by one large and three narrow windows, besides that at the eastern end, which is partly built up. There are also several windows on the north side. The interior is clean and commodious, the pews are of oak, and the chancel contains several monuments, particularly of the Bosvilles, who formerly possessed the estate at Biana, near Eccle- shall Castle. This church and the church-yard are situated at the extremity of the town, on the road to Chester. The square tower of the church is large and high, built of stone, and adorned with eight pinnacles and a vane. It contains six bells and a clock. The rooks have taken possession of this airy citadel, and may be seen in numbers flying in and out of the apertures in the steeple. The general exterior appearance of the church is magnificent, the walls are ornamented with small pinnacles and battlements, and the southern entrance is through a very beautiful and high Gothic arch. This edifice bears strong marks of antiquity, and is evi- dently verging to decay, for the wall on the northern side is sup- ported by five strong buttresses. This church is memorable for being the place where Queen Margaret was concealed after the disastrous battle of Blore-heath. Eccleshall Castle is the residence of the Bishop of the Diocese. It was built in 1299, by Walter de Langton, Bishop of Lichfield, and Lord High Treasurer of England, who established it as the- 318 A TOPOGRAPHICAL principal residence of the Bishops. The manor belonging to this palace was of very considerable extent and value, for it appears that in 1650 it was sold for the sum of ,14,224. In the year 1695, the south front of the castle was re-built by Bishop Lloyd, and it afterwards became the principal residence of successive Prelates, and continues so to the present day. During the Civil war between Charles the First and the Parlia- ment, Eccleshall Castle was fortified, and defended by a Royal gar- rison. The garrison stood a severe siege, but was ultimately com- pelled to surrender, the place being no longer tenable, but reduced to a ruinous state by the fire of the enemy's artillery. It con- tinued for several years uninhabitable, but was re-edified by Bishop Lloyd. The beautiful grove which surrounds this ancient fabric was planted by Bishop Hough, and the late Bishop Corn- wallis further improved the surrounding grounds. The Church of Eccleshall is a vicarage in the patronage of the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry : the Rev. John Henry Powell is the present vicar, and the Rev. Francis Jenkinson is curate. The Bishop's Woods are situated between four and five miles to the westward of Eccleshall, and contain about 1,500 acres of land, planted with trees, particularly oak. They abound with under- wood, a part of which is cut down annually, and sold to the potters to make crates for their earthenware. The timber-trees are left standing in the proportion of from forty to eighty per acre, accord- ing to the quality of the soil and nature of the surface. Hence a regular revenue is obtained from these woods, without decreasing their value. In the lower part of the wood, where the soil is best, the under-wood is worth 15s. per acre annually, if well stooled, and the vacant places planted between the stools. The best part of this underwood is made into rakes, scythe-poles, &c. and these ex- tensive tracts are thus productive of several useful articles. CHEBSEY is a large parish of Pirehill South, containing the town- ship of Cold Norton. At the time of the General Survey, it was held by Humphredus of Henry de Ferrers. In the time of Henry II. by Euturpius de Hastings, and in this family it continued seve- ral successions. The village -.of Chebsey is ancient, and consists of farm-houses and smaller tenements. It is situated in a valley, near the con- fluence of the Eccleshall water with the Sow. The Church i^ an ancient Gothic fabric of stone, with a large Square tower. It is dedicated to AH Saints, and is a vicarage in HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 319 the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield, The Rev. Henry White, Sacrist of Lichfield Cathedral, is vicar ; and the Rev. John Jenkinson, the present curate. The parish of Chebsey contains 72 houses, 73 families; 211 males, 195 females: total, 406 persons. OFFLEY or HIGH OFFLEY, so called from its elevated situation (which commands extensive views from S.E. to N.W.) is aparish of Pirehill North, containing the townships of High Offley and Woods- eves, and adjoins on the north the parish of Eccleshall. The vil- lage of High Offley contains four large farm-houses and a few smaller tenements. The Church is an ancient Gothic fabric, con- sisting of a nave and south aisle, divided by five plain round pil- lars. It is neatly pewed with oak, and has a capital organ, the gift of John Salmon, Esq. of London, a native of the parish. In the church are two monuments of the Skrymsher family. The vicarage is in the gift of the Bishop of Lichfield : the Rev. Peter Vaughan, D. D. Warden of Merton College, Oxford, is the present incumbent; and the Rev. Thomas Harding, curate. The great tithes of Offley are attached to the prebend of that name in the Cathedral Church of Lichfield. The manor and parish are co-extensive, and contain (according to the survey by the commissioners for enclosure in 1809) 2450 acres. The manor was for many generations held by the Skrym- sher family. It is now the property of the Rev. Josiah Hinckes. From the foundation of a Roman road (E. N. E. to w. s. w.) traceable on the lands a little northward of the church, and Roman coins in great numbers, flat bricks, armour, fragments of pottery, &c. having been ploughed and dug up on the side of the hill south of the church-yard, it has been conjectured (with great probability) that the Roman station Mediolanum was here situated. Knightley and Drayton-in-Hales, both which have been named by antiquaries as the supposed site of Mediolanum, are within a short distance, but are not known to have any evidences of that kind to corroborate such an opinion. The parish of High Offley is in general fertile : the soil consists of an excellent sound loam, adapted to turnips, corn, or grass. The Batchacre estate, (late the residence and property of Richard Whitworth, Esq. whose remains are interred in High Offley church-yard) in this parish, consisting of about 500 acres, has lately been purchased by John Walford, Esq. who has built Hill- hall for Ms residence. Mr. Walford is making rapid improvements 3S 320 A TOPOGRAPHICAL upon land which had formerly been ranch neglected, by a very ex- tensive system of under-draining-, clearing off rubbish by the irri- gation of his meadows, by improved culture on the upland, and by manure. He cultivates the common and Swedish turnip upon the Northumberland system, in small ridges, and horse-hoes between ? he has used lime freely, and is making important experiments with peat ashes. The estate abounds with peat, which is dug in squares, laid in heaps, and set on fire when dry, and thus without other fuel burnt to ashes. The ashes can be produced at less than a penny per bushel, and it is supposed that one hundred bushels per acre is equal to a dressing of lime. It may be drilled-in with the seed for any crop, or scattered over grass-land, corn, or any crop, in the manner in which soot is spread, and is of universal application. Large crops of turnips and grain have been thus raised without any other manure. This parish contains 100 houses, 100 families ; 297 males, %89 females : total, 586 inhabitants. In this parish was a water called Shebben or Shebden-pool, which is noticed by Plot as being in his time the resort of a great number of Pewits. In one of his plates (tab. 19. in chap, vii.) is a represent- ation thereof, and the manner of taking them. The Pewit is a bird which he considered " the strangest whole-footed water fowle that frequents this county." He terms it the Larus Cinereus Ornitho- logi, the Larus Cinereus Tertius Aldrovandi, and the Cepphus of Gesner and Turner. In some counties it is called the Black Cap, and in others the Sea or Mire-crow. Respecting their appearance, habits, and value, he writes thus : " Being of the migratory kind, their first appearance is not till about the latter end of February, and then in number scarce above six, which come, as it were, as harbingers to the rest, to see whe- ther the hafts or islands in the pooles (upon which they build their nests) be prepared for them ; but these never so much as lighten, but fly over the poole, scarce staying an hour : about the sixth of March following, there comes a pretty considerable flight, of a hun- dred or more, and then they alight on the hafts, and stay all day, but are gone again at. night. About our Lady-day, or sooner in a forward spring, they come to stay for good, otherwise not till the beginning of April, when they build their nests, which they make not of sticks, but heath and rushes, making them but shallow, and ing generally but four eggs, three and five more rarely, which are gtboiit the bigness of a small hen-egg, The hafts or islands are pre* HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 321 pared for them between Michaelmass and Christmass, by cutting down the reeds and rushes, and putting them aside in the nooks and corners of the hafts, and in the vallies, to make them level ; for should they be permitted to rot on the islands, the Pewits would not endure them. " After three weeks sitting, the young ones are hatch't, and about a month after are almost ready to flye, which usually hap- fens on the third of June, when the proprietor of the poole orders them to be driven and catch'd, the gentry comeing in from all parts to see the sport ; the manner thus. They pitch a rabbit- net on the bank side, in the most convenient place over against the hafts, the net in the middle being about ten yards from the side, but close at the ends in the manner of a bow ; then six or seven men wade into the poole beyond the Pewits, over against the net, with long staves, and drive them from the hafts, whence they all swim to the bank side, and landing run like lapwings into the net, where people standing ready, take them up, and put them into two penns made within the bow of the net, which are built round, about three yards diameter, and a yard high or somewhat better, with small stakes driven into the ground in a circle, and interwoven with broom and other raddles. " In which manner there have been taken of them in one morn- ing 50 dosens at a driving, which at 5s^ per dosen (the ancient price of them) comes to twelve pounds ten shillings : but at seve- ral drifts that have been anciently made in the same morning, there have been as many taken as have been sold for thirty pounds, so that some years the profit of them has amounted to fifty or threescore pounds, beside what the generous proprietor usually presents his relations, and the nobility and gentry of the county withal], which he constantly does in a plentiful manner, sending them to their houses in crates alive, so that feeding them with livers and other entrails of beasts, they may kill them at what dis- tance of time they please, according as occasions present them- , selves, they being accounted a good dish at the most plentiful tables. " But they commonly appoint three days of driving them, within fourteen days, or thereabout, of the second or third of June ; which' while they are doing, some have observed a certain old one that seems to be somewhat more concerned than the rest, being clamourous, and striking down upon the very heads of the men, which has given ground of suspicion that they have some govern- 322 A TOPOGRAPHICAL ment amongst them, and that this is their prince, that is so much concern'd for its subjects. And 'tis further observed, that when there is great plenty of them, the lent-corn of the country is so much the better, and so the cow-pastures too, by reason they pick up all the worms, and the fern-flyes, which though bred in the fern, yet nip and feed on the young corn and grass, and hinder their growth." (See chap. vii. sees. 9, 10, 11, 12.) These birds are stated td have changed their settlements from time to time. Their first abode, according to Plot, was at a pool about half a mile s. w. of Norbury church. From whence they re- moved to Offley-moss, near Woods-eves, to Aqualate, and other neighbouring pools. One while they were settled at the pools about Batchacre, where, according to Mr. Shaw, Mr. Whitworth for many years kept a regular and most entertaining journal of all their singular proceedings until their gradual departure. Plot ascribes some of their transmigrations to the death of the heads of the Skrymsher family, then the chief proprietors of estates about their places of resort, which he terms a "strange quality. 1 " The less credulous reader will probably ascribe their removals from and returns to former abodes, to better feeding and more quiet and abundant accommodation for laying their eggs and protecting their young. It maybe proper here to observe, that, on the above occasions of driving these birds, their young, just before they could fly, were the object of game. According to the information of an aged person now living, (1816), and who, in his juvenile days, was repeatedly present at this annual amusement of pewit-driving, the young were of a grey colour, and the old ones of a beautiful white, with black heads, and the tips of their wings and tails were likewise black. They were a different bird from the Lapwing, sometimes mistaken for the ancient Pewit in these parts. The net placed on the bank of the pool, as a snare, was about two feet high; and when the young were driven and entangled therein, they were put in baskets covered with nets. The Shebben and Pewit pools are now drained and enclosed, and of course deserted by their former occupiers. The lands, arable, meadow, and pasture, are mixed in due proportion throughout the parish, and are well cultivated. ADBASTON, is a parish in Pirehill North, situate about a mile and a half north-west of the village of High Offley. It contains four townships, and a population of 532 persons* The Church, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 325 dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient Gothic structure of stone, with a tower, and is a curacy in the patronage of the Dean of Lich- field, the impropriation being a part of the endowment of the Dean- ery of Lichfield and Coventry. The Rev. Thomas Harding is curate. The soil of the village of Adbaston is a mixed gravelly loam, pro- ducing turnips, wheat, and other grain : the low land makes good meadows, if well-drained. In this parish died, November, 28, 1714, William Wakeley, of Outlands, aged 125 years. Adbaston parish contains 92 houses, 101 families; males 272, females 260 : total, 532 persons. Outlands is a small hamlet north of Adbaston, and contains a few farm-houses arid cottages. It is generaly a light rocky soil, with some good meadow-land. Broughton, is a township and chapelry in Pirehill North, and parish of Eccleshall, containing Broughton Hall, the property and residence of the Rev. H. D. Broughton. The mansion is a very good specimen of the Elizabethan era, and is surrounded with beautiful plantations, clumps, and shady spreading trees, particu- larly sycamores : there is also a promising coppice of oak, and a handsome beech grove, near the house. The ancient Gothic Church is enveloped in luxuriant specimens of the yew, holly, and fir, toge- ther with a very fine cedar, which promises to vie with thise of Lebanon of old. On the road-side are several other cedars. The estate of Broughton consists of good mixed loam on a marl bot- tom, containing several large marl-pits. It is now principally held in hand, and farmed in a very spirited and improved manner by the owner. ASHLEY is a parish and village situate about seven miles N w. of Eccleshall. In 1811 the parish contained 141 houses and 616 in- habitants. The Church is a small neat stone building. It consists of a nave, north and south aisle, a south porch of entrance, a chan- cel at the east, and a square tower at the west end of the nave. Attached to the north side of the chancel is a cemetery or chauntry. The tower, side aisles, cemetery, and porch, are embattled at the top, and the whole appears to be covered with lead, except the nave. Some of the battlements are ornamented with pinnacles, and at the bottom of the parapets are heads and grotesque figures, as well as on the heads of some of the windows, most of which are or have been adorned with glass paintings, particularly the chancel win- dow. These paintings occupy not more than one or two panes on each of the windows, except that in the chancel. In that corner of 324 A TOPOGRAPHICAL the porch, which is on the east side, and which joins the south aisle> is a turret with a pyramidal trip, in the inside of which are steps to ascend to the top of the porch from the south aisle. In the in- terior of the church, the aisles are separated from the nave by three small pointed arches ; the north and south sides of the tower r"ange with the arches of the aisles, the east side of the tower is open to the nave through a pointed arch, and indeed the east, north, and south sides of the tower are supported on arches> which are open to the aisles and nave. In the north pier of the east arch is a niche wherein the font is fixed, which is an old stone bason of a size fit for immersion. The chancel is separated from the nave by a pointed arch, OR the south side of which is the pulpit and reading desk, and it is separated from the cemetery on the north side by two small pointed arches, the lower parts of which are filled with iron railing-, and gate. The east wall under the chancel window is ornamented with wainscoat, on the pannels of which is the Lord's Prayer, Decalogue, and Creed, and paintings of Moses and Aaron. In the cemetery, which is paved with flags, are several mural monuments, and one costly mausoleum, or monument of superior execution, and such as is seldom met with in country churches. The parts may be thus de- scribed : On an altar tomb are placed two recumbent effigies, a male and female as large as life, the male in armour, and the female in the dress of the times ; his head rests on an helmet, her's on a cushion ; at the feet of the male is a lion couchant, and between them near their heads is fixed a talbot sejant; that part of the top of the altar tomb whereupon the male recumbent effigy is placed, is supported on the south or front side by five small square pillars, within which on the floor and immediately under the male effigy, is the image or effigy of a corpse in a winding sheet. Against the north wall and perpendicular to the altar tomb are two niches with semicircular heads, and about four inches deep, within which are four half-length female figures in relievo ; they appear in the same kind of dress as the female recumbent effigy, have a ruff, &c. the dresses of the times. Two of these half-length figures are in each niche, and at the upper part of each niche is an escalop. Over the whole of the above-described parts is erected a canopy supported on four Ionian fluted columns, about two yards high, each standing on a pedestal about three quarters of a yard i height. Above these columns is an entablature, about half a yard in height, which is continued over each arch, that is, on HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 325 the east and west end, and the south side, and is surmounted by other ornaments ; upon the corners of the entablature over each of the four columns, is a square pyramid or pinnacle, each side of which is adorned with four roundles ; these pyramidal ornaments are about one yard high, and nine inches square at the base. Above the entablature on the front side, or over the south arch, is a shield which can be but imperfectly blazoned : it is quar- terly 1 and 4 a lion rampant, 2 and 3, on a bend three ronndles, impaling paly of three parted per fess j first division, a bend en- grailed ; second, a cross moline between four martlets ; third, a talbot rampant ; fourth, a cross raguled ; fifth, two bars, on the first of which is a crescent, and on the chief are three mullets ; sixth, a chevron between three vases (or covered cups). Below the ca- nopy, within the west arch thereof, at the head of the recumbent effigies, is a male effigy kneeling on a pedestal, and as large as life, in armour, excepting an helmet; opposite this at the feet of the said effigy, and within the east arch, is also a male effigy in armour, excepting an helmet : this is much smaller than that at the head, but is in the attitude of kneeling and of prayer. These two last have their faces towards the recumbent effigies ; and op- posite to each other, on the front or south side of this monument, are two small images kneeling, a male and female, and an helmet between them on the floor. This monument occupies a space on the floor of about four by two and a half yards, and may be four yards in height or more. The north side of it is against the north wall of the cemetery, on which same north wall, on the east side of the above monument, on a plain stone fixed in the wall, is the following inscription, in capitals : " Here lyes the body of Thomas Ld. Gerard, which dyed Ld. President of Wales, Oet. the 7th, Anno 1617. Gilbert Lord Gerard, dyed May the llth, Anno 1623. Button Lord Gerard, dyed April the 241h, Anno 1640. Charles Lord Gerard, dyed December the 28th, 1667. Digby Lord Gerard, dyed November the 8th, 1684. Charles Lord Gerard, dyed April the 12th, 1707. The above inscription, it is presumed, alludes to those represented on the above monument. Above the last inscription, on the same wall, a plain marble tablet fixed therein, is inscribed : " To the Memory of Thomns Fletewood, of Gerards Bromley, Esq. and Frances his wife, who was the only sister, and at length sole heir of the 326 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Right Honourable Charles Lord Gerard: the said Thomas Fletewood departed this life the 16th day of July , in the year 1720, and in the 56th year of his age, and lies interr'd near this place. The said Frances Fletewood died at the city of Liege, the third day of February, in the year 1736, and in the 74th year of her age. The said Thomas Fletewood and Frances his wife left isiue nly one son, Charle Fletewood, now of Gerards Bromley, Esq." Above this last inscription, on two separate brackets, are the Busts of Thomas and Frances Fleetwood. On the west wall of the cemetery, a plain marble tablet, is inscribed : " To the Memory of the Right Hon. Charles Lord Gerard, Baron of Ge- rards Bromley, who died the 12th day of April, in the year of our Lord 1707 ; aged 48 yeares, and lies interr'd near this place. He marryed Mary, the daughter of Sir John Webb, of Hatheropp, in the county of Gloucester, Barrt. by whom he left no surviveing issue. The said Mary Lady Gerard survived him many years, and died at Joppa in the year of our Lord 1731, in her return from the Holy Land." On a bracket above the last inscription, is a male bust. Against the east window of the cemetery, is a mural monument of white marble, which is a plain tablet with a cornice surmounted by a weeping cherub, sitting on a rock, with his glass run down. On a tablet is : " Sacred to the Memory Of Hugo Meynell, Who died May 1800." Against the north wall of the chancel, over the pillar which is between the two arches whereby the chancel communicates with the above cemetery, is a marble monument to the memory of Wil- liam Lord Viscount Chetwynd, the top part of which is a niche with a circular head ; and within it is placed a large Egyptian black urn, which was made at Etruria in the time of the late Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. F.R. s. A.S.S. Below the niche, on the corona of a corniche, in one line, is the following, in capitals : " He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again." Below the above, a white marble tablet is inscribed, in capitals : tl Sacred to the Memory of William Lord Viscount Chetwynd, who died April 3, A. D. M.DCC.LXX. Aged LXXXVII. years." Beneath this inscription is a coat of arms, viz. : Azure, a chev- ron, Or, between three mullets, Or, surmounted by a large Vis- count's coronet of white marble. The founder of the church was a David Kenrick, whose charac-* HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 327 ter is thus delineated on a brass plate on the south side of the nave, over the second pillar from the pulpit : " In perpetuam rei memoriam, Manubias Deo, David Kenricus, pietas ejus memoriae, Hoc virtutis praemiolum dicavit. Mira cano, Pietas saevis reperitur in armis. jEdificat bellum sternere quod soleat ! Hanc sacram struxil miles memorabilis aedem Principe sub nigro, quern meruisse ferunt, David Kenricus : Davide beatior illo Templum cui Superis aedificare nefas. Fair Virtue's deeds transmit a glorious name That lives on records of eternal fame. This holy edifice, arising from the spoils of a conquered enemy, was dedicated by David Kenrick to the Omnipotent. Hail wond'rous Piety, when seen in arms, Whose balmy breath a hero's bosom warms To build, and not destroy with impious ire, The solemn Temple, and the sacred Choir ! Kenrick, to early scenes of slaughter led, By Edward's son in toils of battle bred, This pile erected, by bis God approv'd, His Country honour'd, and his Prince belov'd. Happier than David he allow 'd to raise An Altar sacred to Jehovah's praise." The Church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The living is a rectory in the patronage of Thomas Kinnersly, Esq. two turns, and Hugo Meynell, Esq. one : the Rev. W. Anwyl is the present incumbent. The soil of the old inclosed land in the parish is a lightish loam on a sand or gravel bottom. The parish of Ashley contains 141 houses, 141 families ; males 321, females 295 : total of inhabitants, 616. Ashley Common, to the south of the village, is a thin black peat moor, the hilly parts having an under-stratum of sand, gravel, or sandy rock. The herbage is poor, possessing but few of the better grasses, but the soil improves into an inferior friable marl nearer to Eccleshall. Hungershutt, another waste in this parish, is now under inclosure. The principal land-proprietors are Thomas Kinnersly and Hugo Meyneil, Esqs. Blore-in-Tyrley, is a township in Pirehill North, and contains several farm-houses and smaller tenements, the property of Hugo Meynell, Esq. of Hoar Cross, Derbyshire. The inhabitants gene- rally attend Drayton Church, believing themselves to be in that parish. The soil is a gravelly loam. 2 T 328 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Blore township contains 29 houses, 33 families; males 97, fe- males 90 : total 187. Blore Heath, about nine miles from Eccleshall, and bordering on Shropshire, is celebrated as the scene of a bloody battle between the Lancastrians and Yorkists in 1459, in which Lord Audley, who commanded for the King-, was defeated by the Earl of Salis- bury, with the loss of 2400 men. The Earl of Salisbury was at that time on his march from Middleham Castle, with four or five thousand men, under pretence of settling with the King the dis- putes of the two Houses. Margaret, the faithful and spirited con- sort of Henry VI., fearing for her husband's safety, directed Lord Audley to intercept him on his way. He posted himself on Blore Heath with ten thousand troops, collected out of Cheshire and Shropshire, whose chieftains were distinguished by silver swans, the badges of their young prince. Salisbury, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, determined to stand the fortune of the day, but wisely had recourse to stratagem. He encamped at night on the banks of a rivulet, not broad but deep, and in the morning pretended a retreat. Audley following him with the impetuous valour natural to himself and the times, Salisbury made an instant attack on the divided forces of the Lancastrians. The field was long disputed with the animosity usual in civil feuds. Audley fell, with two thousand four hundred of his troops, chiefly the flower of the Cheshire gentry, whose courage led them to the front of the battle. The Queen fled to Eccleshall Castle, and Salisbury joined the Duke of York at Ludlow.* Rapin's account of this battle is as follows : " Lord Audley was encamped on Blore-heath near a little river ; Salisbury posted himself on the other side, as if he meant to guard the pass, and hinder his being attacked ; then suddenly feigning a fear, he re- tired in the night, marching so as, at break of day, his enemies could still see the rear of his army. This retreat, which seemed to be with precipitation, inspiring the Royalists with ardour, they began to pass the river in disorder, imagining that they had no- thing to do but pursue the flying enemy. But whilst they were in this confusion, some being over the river, others in the water, and others ready to pass, the Earl of Salisbury returned;, and fell upon the troops already over, who had scarce time to draw up. The fight lasted, however, four or five hours, because the King'* troops were supported by those that were continually passing. Pennant, and " Gener^ Historj," of this Wojk. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. But as this could not bfe done without confusion, the Royal army was at length put to rout, with the loss of 2400 men. Audley himself was slain, with all the principal officers ; among whom was Sir Thomas Duttoh, Sir John Dunne, Sir Hugh Venables, Sir Rich- ard Molineaux, Sir John Leigh, &c. " This battle was fought on September 23, 1459, about one mile from Drayton in Shropshire, on Blore-heath, which lies in Stafford- shire ; where, at the head of the river Sow, a stone is set up in me- mory of James Lord Audley, there slain." We subjoin some observations published in the Gentleman's Ma- gazine, from the pen of the Rev. W. Snape, curate of Keel, and the adjoining parish of Maer, upon the probable position of the two armies previous to the commencement of the battle. Mr. S. conjectures, that Salisbury and Lord Audley were posted respect- ively on the celebrated Byrth and Camp Hills, near and upon Maer-heath, both which will be noticed hereafter. " In the hurry and confusion of a battle, several transactions, of subordinate consideration or importance, might be omitted Or mis- represented, either from want of recollection, or owing to incorrect information ; while the principal manoeuvres are in their leading points correctly stated. The above account may, probably, be not exempt from such-like errors. In the first place, the stone erected to commemorate the spot where Lord Audley was slain, is said to be placed at the head of the river Sow ; which is not strictly correct: it is placed very near to one source of that river near Ashley and Broughton ; but the brook by the side of which it is placed, 1 was informed by persons resident in the neighbourhood, flows into the Tearne or Tern, which joins the Severn, and thus takes a directly opposite course to the river Sow, which unites with the Trent, It is not improbable that Maer-heath and Ashley- heath, both of which are nearly in a direct line to Blore-heath, and at no great distance from each other, were, three centuries and a half ago, considered, on account of the comparatively few in- closures, as one common, and part of Blore-heath. The Byrth and Camphills are about ttfo miles from Whitmore, which is very near another head of the fiver Sow, which flotys through that place ' a little river.' Indeed none of the rivers' thereabout, nor that by Ihe side of which the ston6 commemorating Lord Audley's death is placed, can be termed great. It appears from the above account of the battle, that the Earl of Salisbury obtained his victory chiefly by stratagem* That he first attempted to defend some pass the 330 A TOPOGRAPHICAL context leads us to suppose a pass over the little river ; but the rivers are mere brooks. It is not impossible, therefore, that the pass might be some particular situation in the road, which the ar- mies must or had travelled. After the Earl had made a pretence of guarding some pass, he is said to have feigned a precipitate re- treat, and retired in the night; yet marched so as, at break of day, his enemy could still see the rear of his army. Without making arrogant pretensions to military knowledge, I think I may hazard an opinion, that it is very improbable that a General at the head of 5000 men could feign a retreat, so as to induce his enemy, who was twice as strong, to pursue him in disorder, from an appre- hension that his retreat was the effect of fear and a conscious in- feriority, unless he had continued to retreat to the distance of four or five miles. If we imagine a shorter distance, it is probable that the enemy would have discovered his intentions. Besides, where was the necessity of the Earl retiring in the night, yet marching so as, at break of day, his rear could be seen by the Royalists, if he had retired only half a mile or so? I think we may be justified in supposing, that the two armies first met, or were within sight of each other, at the distance of five or six miles from the scene of action. No place can be assigned, where they were so likely to approach each other, as somewhere between the field of battle and Heleigh Castle, the seat of Lord Audley ; who would, of course, think of defending his castle by placing his troops between it and the enemy. Heleigh Castle is situate about four miles to the north of the Camp-hill ; and very near the latter there is a road which leads to Madeley and to Heleigh. Also, at the foot of the Camp-hill, there are, or, previous to the late alterations made on the common by inclosures and cultivation, there were to be seen the vestiges of an old road, which took a southward direction, and passed by the foot of the Byrth-hill, and from thence towards the village of Maer. From the latter place is an old road to Ashley, which lies in the direct way, or nearly so, to Blore-heath, where the battle was fought. It is not improbable that this track was the ancient road, or one of the principal old roads from Heleigh to Drayton. In which case the Byrth and Camp-hills may be considered as stations in the direct road between Heleigh Castle and the scene of action. However, from the above considerations, I have indulged an opinion, that Lord Audley was encamped on that part of Maer-common called the Camp-hill ; and that the Earl of Salisbury was posted on the Byrth-hill, opposite to Lord HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 331 Audley's army, where he feigned an attempt to guard the pass ; for such the road between the Byrth and Little Byrth may be called. As there is no mention made of arty skirmish taking place there, we may suppose that he manifested his intentions of guard- ing the pass, and of preventing an attack by fortifying his situa- tion. Vestiges of a fortification are to be seen on the summit of the Byrth-hill. I may here notice, that on the Camp-hill are two mounds, once thought to have been tumuii ; but, when opened, they contained nothing to support that opinion : and they were proba- bly raised merely for stations of observation. Now, as there exists no tradition of any arms having been found, or sepulchral remains discovered, I conclude, that it is riot improbable that the two above-named Generals were posted as already observed ; and when the Earl abandoned his position, and ' feigned a fear/ we may suppose that he would retreat a few miles, say five or six, which is about the distance from the Byrth-hill to where the battle was decided." The ancient wooden cross put up to mark the spot where Lord Audley fell having been thrown down by a cow rubbing against it, a stone pedestal was erected in 1765, by the Lord of the Manor, with the cross upon it. On the north side of the pedestal is th following inscription : ON THIS SPOT WAS FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF BLORE HEATH, IN 1459- LORD AUDLEY, WHO COMMANDED FOR THE SfDE OF LANCASTER, WAS DEFEATED AND SLAIN. TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF THE ACTION AND THE PLACE, THIS ANCIENT MONUMENT WAS REPAIRED IN 1765, AT THE CHARGE OF THE LORD OF THE MANOR, CHARLES BOOTHBY SCRYMSHER. The stone is now to be seen in an inclosed field adjoining the public road from Drayton to Newcastle-under-Lyme, about two miles distant from the former town. It is a plain cross about 4$ feet high, 10 inches broad, and 8 inches thick ; the transverse 332 A TOPOGRAPHICAL part may be about 20 inches in length. The pedestal is 3 fefct high, so that the height from the ground is about 7-f feet. Thfe field in which it stands is the property of Sir John Chetwode, Bart. M. f. for Neweastle-under-Ly me, whose mansion at Oakley, in this neighbourhood, is situated in the township of the same name, parish of Mueelestone, and county of Stafford, which is bounded on thin side by a small rivulet running from Maer. The above cross is within a few yards of this rivulet, which pro- bably the Earl of Salisbury passed; and when part of Lord Audley'sr troops were over, and others crossing in confusion, the Earl re- turned, attacked, and obtained his victory. MUCCLESTONE is a parish and village in Pirehill North, situated on a rising ground about one mile from Blore-heath. In 1085 the manor was held by Kenning, one of the Tanes, and subsequently by the Morgans, till the reign of Elizabeth, one of whom sold it to Thomas Offley, Knt. Lord Mayor of London, in 1556. It is now the property of Lord Crewe. The Church is ancient, and dedicated to St. Mary : it has a lofty square tower, from which Queen Margaret is said to have be- held the obstinate struggle at Blore-heath, which was so fatal to her cause. The living is a rectory, in the patronage of Lord Crewe. The Rev. Offley Crewe is rector, and the Rev. A. B. Ha- den, jun. curate. Mucclestone parish contains 149 houses, 148 families; 388 males, 384 females : total of inhabitants 772. MAER, is a parish and village in Pirehill North, situate about mid-way between Newcastle and Drayton, and adjoining the parish of Mucclestone. It probably derives its name from a natural lake or mere (covering about twenty-two acres of land) which is the source of the Team, a stream that falls into the Severn, and di- vides this county from Shropshire in the neighbourhood of Market Drayton. The parish comprises the townships of Maer and Maer- way-lane. The soil of the inclosed land is a gravelly loam. The manor anciently belonged to William de Maer and Robert de Staf- ford, from whom it passed through different bands, till it became by purchase the property of Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. of Etruria, in the Potteries. It comprises upwards of 3000 acres of land. At the east-end of the lake stands Maer Hall, also the property and till lately the residence of Mr. Wedgwood, who has re-edified and converted it into an elegant modern mansion, and embellished the grounds with plantations, and other spirited improvements. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 333 The boggy land has been drained, and the whole of the common called Maer-heath divided and enclosed, and is now in progress of cultivation. The Church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, is situated a few yards to the east of Maer Hall, and is a small plain stone building, consisting of a nave, north-aisle, a chancel at the east, and a tower at the west end of the nave: it has also a south porch. The church appears to have been erected or rebuilt in 1610, as that date is inscribed on the south side of the tower. It contains mo- numental inscriptions of the families of Sir John Bowyer, and Robert Macclesfield, Esq. The cloth for the communion-table is an old Turkey carpet of great antiquity, the gift of Margaret Tether, daughter of Thomas Picken, of Maer-heath, and brought by her from Constantinople and given to Maer Church, in 1639. From 1558 to 1803 there were 24 curates in 245 years. There are a few benefactions to the poor of this parish. Mr. WilUam Cleytpn, Gent, of Radwood, in the parish of Maer, left by his last will and testament, bearing d,ate Nov. 8, 1624, the sum of ,100. for certain charitable uses, for a limited time. And his son, John CJleyton, of the same place, on September 18, 1634, gave the aum qf o60. with which sum and his father's legacy, amounting to 160. he purchased from Sir William Bowyer, Knt. of Knipersley, in the county of Stafford, an annual rent of eight pounds, payable every Lady-day and Michaelmas-day, by equal portions, charged upon certain lands, &c. in the parish of Maer. He also appointed trustees to receive the said annual rent, and to pay the yearly sum of four pounds thereof, by two equal portions, to the Minister of Maer, " to encourage him to take pains in preaching, and also in catechizing and instructing the iguojeant in the principles of reli- gion." Also, to pay the sum of four pounds, being the residue of the said annual rent of eight pounds, for and towards placing poor children, of the parish of Maer, apprentices in some honest and law- ful calling. The interest of the sum of 4*80. was given by differ- ent benefactors to the poor of this parish ; among whom were Mr. Dale, who gave ,20,; and Mr, John Cox, mercer, of Drayton, in the county of Salop, who bequeathed in his will, dated April 22, 1691, the sum of .10. The latter (Mr. Cox) bequeathed his charity to the town of Maer, ancj to be distributed in portions of twelve pence each, a little before Christmas. lady of the present, ko/d of %>. Manor, Jqsiah 334 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Esq., very laudably supports a Sunday-school for the poor child- ren of the parish. The Parish Register commences in January 1558; and the average number of baptisms, &c. each year is nearly as follows for the respective periods stated : Frorc ('both in 1581 t 1611 1641 1701 1731 t | to clusivej. Of Baptisms. Weddings. Funerals. 1 (i4()-- .. , .. 7 1 fi 1770 ...19.... ..-2 fi 1771 1807 11 1. In 1808 there were 16 0- In 1729 were 28 funerals; in 1778, 21 baptisms; and in 1756, 6 weddings ; which are the greatest number of each that have yet taken place in any one year. The following is a statement of the amount of the number of funerals that have occurred in the several months of the years from 1701 to 1808, both inclusive, which shews t he order of the months, as they have been most fatal to the inhabi- tants of the parish of Maer : April, 87 ; May, 80 ; March, 72 ; February, 71 ; July, 63; November, 58; January, 53; June, 49; December, 44; August, 42; October 42; September, 39. Extracts from the Parish Register. Richard Wilson, died De- cember 24, 1693, aged (ut ipse dixit) 138 ! Catherine Morgan, died February 6, 1639-40, aged 100. Mem. 1775. This year was very remarkable for the wetness of the season, and the lateness of the harvest : corn was not all got in until the middle of November. The living is a curacy, endowed with a small parsonage-house, about two acres of glebe, and the great and small tithes of the parish, excepting one or two estates, which are tithe-free. It is in the patronage of Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. : the present incumbent is the Rev. Robert Smith ; and the Rev. William Snape, is curate. An annual rent of six shillings and eightpence, called Candlestick money, is charged upon certain lands, &c. near the village of Maer, in the said parish, and is paid to the overseers. The parish of Maer contained in 1811, 76 houses, 80 families; 221 males, 233 females : total of inhabitants, 454. " About half-a-mile to the north of the village of Maer, is a hill HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 335 called the Byrth ;* round a great part of the summit of which has been made a foss and rampart, of an irregular form, corresponding with the figure of the hill, which may be nearly a mile in circum- ference. At the distance of a mile or more from and to the north- west of the Byrth, is another hill, which is part of Maer-heath, and is called the Camp-hill. Between these are two more hills : the one very near to the Byrth, which is named the Little Byrth ; and the other, which is larger, is called Coplow. Dr. Plot is of opi- nion, that a battle was fought here, about the year of our Lord 705, between Osrid king of Northumberland and Kenred king of Mercia. He also conjectures Coplow-hill to be the tumulus of Osrid, and the Byrth to be a fortification or ' strong hold that Kenred had raised against him/ His conjectures seem to be grounded chiefly on a quotation from Henry Huntingdon, viz. 'Osrid vero rex belli infortunio juxta Mere pugnans interfectus est/ In taking a view of the ground on Maer-heath, however, there appears to be nothing artificial, except the two small hills on the Camp-hill, and the foss and rampart round the Byrth. " A few years ago, George Toilet, Esq, a gentleman of learning and an antiquary, the Rev. T. Barlow, and Mr. Poole, of Finney Green, and other gentlemen, went to view Maer-heath, for the purpose of ascertaining whether there were any barrows. They dug into those places that had most resemblance to barrows, but found nothing like sepulchral remains. Coplow-hill is evidently the work of Nature ; and as a public road has been made over part of the heath since the time of Dr. Plot, and sections made through some parts of the hills, in which regular strata appear, it is probable that Osrid was slain near some other place called Mere."f This battle, it has been conjectured, might have been fought near Mere or Mere-town, in the parish of Forton, near that fine lake, which ornaments the seat of Sir John Fenton Boughey, Bart, which is called Aqualate Mere, as there is very strong evi- dence of a battle having formerly been fought there ; and which is noticed in a former page (272), under the article ' FORTON/ Maer-heath was formerly a waste or common of several hundred acres, but it has lately been inclosed, allotted to the different pro- prietors of the estates in its vicinity, and a considerable part of it planted with young trees. Part of the land was drained before it was planted, at the expense of from 6. 14s. to T. 12*. per acre, * la some maps it is termed Burgh, Brujf, or BrougJ*. t Gent- Mag. Vol. 83, Sup. p. 603. 2 U 336 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Above 600>000 trees have been planted by one individual, and thia Tugged waste promises to become a beautiful woodland. Grass land with good herbage has already been formed upon the more level and sheltered parts of Maer-heath, some of which has been let at two pounds per acre. MADELEY is a parish of Pirehili North, situated about six miles west of Newcastle, and bordering on the west upon Shropshire and Cheshire. It consists of the hamlets of Great Madeley and Little Madeley. The village of Great Madeley contains several good houses, the most remarkable of which is a half-timbered house, with the following quaint inscription on the front " 16 Walk Knnave what lootfst at 47." By the side of the village is a large pool, which supplies a corn-mill with water. The Church is an ancient structure of stone, and consists of a nave, side-aisles, transepts, and a chancel, which is at the east end of the nave, to the north wall of which latter is attached a cemetery of nearly the same size and plan as the transepts* It has also a south porch, and a square embattled tower at the west end of the nave, in which is a ring of six bells; the sixth having been lately bequeathed by Mr. Samuel Stretch. IB the interior the different parts are separated from each other by pointed arches, supported on plain pillars. On the north side of the chancel arch are the reading-desk and pulpit, the latter of which is ancient oak, moderately carved with small Saxon arches. The crimson velvet cloth and cushion were the gift of the Rev. Thomas Barlow, as is mentioned on one of the tables of bene- factions. Above the same arch, in the nave, is painted the Pater* noster, the Creed, and the Commandments, on two tables. Between these tables are the Hoyal arms, painted in the year 1804. A small brass chandelier of 12 lights is suspended from the middle of the ceiling of the nave, and is inscribed: "Bequeathed ; fry Samuel Stretch, of Madeley." At the west end of the nave there is a small organ. It contains several monuments of the Egerton family, particularly one of Elizabeth, wife of Sir John Egerton. who died in the year 1701. She was daughter and sole heir of William Hol- land, of Denton Heaton, in the county of Lancaster,; from whom descended the Earls of Wilton, who retain the family name of Eg- erton. There are also several other memorable family monuments; and among others, one in the cemetery attached to the chancel, of Sir John Offley, who died September 6, 1688. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 337 This church stands by the side of a public road in the vil- lage; and to the west, on the opposite side of the rbad, is a school, which is a plain old building, with two apartments, one for the boys, and the other for the girls : it has also a small area enclosed before it. This school was founded and endowed by Sir John Offley. The Church is dedicated to AH Saints, and is a vicarage in the patronage of Lord Crewe. The Rev. Peter Roberts is the present vicar ; and the Rev. Alexander Simpson is curate, and Master of the free-school. The benefactions to the poor of Madeley are rather numerous ; amongst them those of Sir John Offley, and Ralph Horton, gent, are most conspicuous. Little Madeley, is an irregular hamlet, situated about a mile to the east of Madeley church. It contains some good farm-houses and smaller tenements. Madeley Park, to the south, is the property of Lord Crewe; part of it is in a state of nature, and overgrown with heath, and part of it is now under cultivation. The soil is light, may be quickly brought into culture, and promises to make useful land. The parish of Madeley contains 177 houses, 186 families; 529 males, 489 females : total, 1,018 persons. KEEL, is a parish and village in Pirehill North, pleasantly si- tuated about three miles west of Newcastle-under-Lyme, on the turnpike-road to Nantwich, in Cheshire. The village consists of many good tenements, farm-houses, and cottages. The parish is small, containing not quite 3000 acres. In the north and east parts of it, are some mines of iron-stone and coal, both of which are worked at Silverdale, where is also a smelting-furnace. The manor is co-extensive with the parish. Though Keel is now an ' independent manor, it seems to have i3een formerly an appendage to Newcastle-under-Lyme, as appears from the old record called Testa de Nevill, which also shews that it then belonged to the Knights Templars. The Church stands on a rising ground at the entrance of the village. It is a neat stone building, of an oblong square figure, embattled, with a tower at the west end, containing four bells. At the west end are two doors of entrance, one on each side, opposite to each other : that on the north side is seldom used. Keel Church was rebuilt in 1790. The interior forms an area of about 55 feet by 34. The font stands within a niche in the middle of the west 338 A TOPOGRAPHICAL wall, and is an elliptical bason of white marble, about half a yard long, and a foot in breadth; it rests on a square pillar of the same marble, about a yard high. Against the same wall is fixed a wooden screen about seven yards long, and extending to the ceil- ing in height. Attached to the south wall are monumental inscriptions in me- mory of Edward Brett, Esq. and his wife, and Lawrence Cranage, gent. There are also several sepulchral memorials of the Sneyds, The following is a list of the charitable gifts to the poor of Keel parish : ^ *. d. A Stranger (supposed to be Mr. T. Audley) left 20 o Mr. Abnett, of Audley, left twelve fourpenny loaves, to be given yearly, to twelve widows, every Good Friday. Mr. John Heath, jun. left, to be given in bread, 500 Mr. John Heath, sen. ditto, - - - - 500 Madame Brett left twenty shillings a-year, to be given in bread to the poor, on the nearest Sun- day to the 1 9th of February John Sneyd, Esq. - - - 10 o O Madam Frances Sneyd left for a Free School, to instruct twelve children - 100 Mrs. Mary Giles, 500 Mrs. Ann Giles, - - - - - - - 100 O Advanced by the Parish - - - - - 500 Mr. Samuel Whitehurst gave twenty shillings a year to the poor, to be given in bread, as long as the estate called the Nabbs, in this parish, is free from a parish apprentice. Mr. Thomas Breck, gent, left to the poor twenty shillings a-year, charged upon lands in Knutton. Most of these benefactors lie buried at Keel. The Parish Register commences May 1, 1540, from January to December, both inclusive. In 1541, there were six baptisms ; and from September 1540 to the end of 1542, three burials. For the first thirty years after the commencement of the Register, the average number of baptisms, each year, was seven, and of funerals three. For the same period, from the commencement of the last century, the average was 17 baptisms and 1 1 funerals. For the last twenty-eight years the average amount has been increased to 36 baptisms and 18 funerals each year. The whole number of fune- rals in this parish from the year 1700 to 1808, has also been calci lated : these amount to 1546. The following enumeration wil HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 339 fehew the months which have proved most fatal to humanity : In January, 164; Fehruary, 143; March, 175; April, 171 ; May, 132; June, 109; July, 100; August, U3; September, 105; Oc- tober, 91 ; November, 117; December, 137. Hence it appears that most people have died in March, and fewest in October. In the tower of this church is a bell, on which is the following inscription : " Ora pro nobis sancte Johannes Baptista." By some this may be considered a relique of an ancient custom in the church of consecrating and baptizing bells. " The first fact of this kind on record occurred about the year 968, when Pope John XIII. sprinkled a large bell, which was cast for the Lateran at Rome, with holy water, blessed it, and pronounced it sacred. It is said that a similar custom still exists in the Romish church, and that, on the baptizing of bells, a prayer of consecration is used, which imports, that by its sound the people may be delivered from the assaults of their enemies, arid the attacks of evil spirits. It may also afford some degree of evidence to what Saint the church is dedicated ; for in those days of superstition, when the bell was cast, as it was believed that the sound thereof was a shield of defence against the attacks of evil spirits, it may be presumed that the sound, which warded off the bad, would call forth the aid of the good spirits ; and as the belief of the validity of the inter- cession of saints was then more generally prevalent, we may sup- pose that the people of every parish would be anxious to call more particularly on the protecting Saint of the parish church ; and some might inscribe one of their bells after the manner of the above, that such saint may not only hear but see their wishes : and thus it may be presumed that St. John the Baptist is the saint to whom Keel church is dedicated. This hypothesis may be strengthened by the consideration, that, in the time of Henry VIII. " among the injunctions of that king, in the year 1536, it was ordered that the dedication of churches should in all places be celebrated on the first Sunday of the month of October for ever. Yet this order was not enforced, or not obeyed ; but, however, most of those jubilees, called wakes, are now celebrated near the time of Michaelmas, when a vacation from the labours of harvest and the plough doth afford the best opportunity for visits and sports. This transposing of the day, (continues Bourne,*) hath left it more * See his Eccl. Law, Vol. I. p. 339, of ?th edit, 340 A TOPOGRAPHICAL difficult to know the saint to whose protection the church was com- mitted. Such wakes as are observed on the first or second Sunday after Michaelmas-day, in these we may doubt a translation of time by virtue of the said injunction of King Henry VIII. or by a pre- vailing custom of postponing such solemnity to the end of harvest : and in such cases the saint may be lost, unless some other way preserved." Keel wake is kept the first or second Sunday in October, and therefore the bell may be considered evidence of the saint to whom the Church is dedicated. Extracts from old books belonging to the parish : ANCIENT FEES AT KEEL COURT. . d. Summons l Ent'ring Action 1 o If Defendant appears not for ent'ring Judg'ment o 6 Cryer for calling o 4 If he appears for ent'ring Plea 4 *. d. For swearing each witness 4 For takeing verdict 8 For ent'ring Judg'ment 6 For Levari fac s 1 For serving 1 Juror's fees on tryall 1 " The Minister of Keel has six shillings and eightpence by a custom here or by a modus for every corpse that is carried through any part of the parish of Keel to be buried in any other parish; if he the said minister of Keel shall in his own person, or by his de- puty in holy orders, offer burial to the said corpse." It may be needless to observe that such custom has long been obsolete. Origin of Surnames. " Sarah Legacy, who was left as such to the town, by some sorry person or other on the 5th of November last, baptized February 20th, 1737." The living of Keel is a small curacy, which has been augmented by Queen Anne's bounty. The patron and impropriator is Walter Sneyd, Esq. of Keel Hall, whose brother, the Rev. John Sneyd, is the present incumbent; and the Rev. W. Snape, is curate. A singu- larity attaches to Keel Church, which is noticed by Plot as also ap- plying to the Cathedral Church of Lichfield, and the Church of Alve- ton, in this county, the former of which, he says, is " not placed due east and west, as other churches are, but declines no less than 27 from the true points ; whilst the Church at Alveton declines in like manner from the true east 32 northward. Longevity. Hannah Wright, died February 5, 1776, aged 96. The soil of this parish is generally a good loam, adapted either to corn or grass. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 341 The parish of Keel contains 176 houses, 178 families ; 461 males, 483 females : total, 944 persons. Keel Hall, the seat of Walter Sneyd, Esq. stands about half-a- mile south-east of Keel, and has been the residence of the principal part of the Sneyd s for upwards of two centuries. It is huilt prin- cipally of red stone, and, according to Plot, was erected in 1581, The south front underwent some alterations by the late Ralph Sneyd, Esq. but the upper part of the wings of that front still re- tain much of the same figure and plan as that engraved in Plot's History of Staffordshire. Over the entrance-door, on the same side of the house, are two shields, the one containing the arms of Sneyd, the other Sneyd impaling Bagot ; and there is affixed a lion passant guardant between them, the crest of the Sneyds. The present occupier has erected a handsome new west front, of the same kind of stone, which is embattled, and adorned with four oc- tagon embattled turrets. The grounds of this demesne are embel- lished with flourishing groves and plantations, and a building or summer-house, noticed in most maps, called the Pavilion, erected on an eminence, which commands extensive views of the surround- ing country. There is a dingle of excellent oak to the south-west on the road to Madeley. Walter Sneyd, Esq. the present possessor of Keel Hall, was many years Lieutenant-colonel of the King's Own or Staffordshire Militia, a distinction which the regiment acquired from the high state of discipline it attained under his command. He received many tokens of Royal regard from the King during the time the regiment was stationed at Windsor ; where it was employed as a kind of body guard for upwards of fourteen years, at that splendid Palace of our Kings. His Majesty stood sponsor to one of his children. Colonel Sneyd afterwards commanded the Local Militia for the division of Pirehill North. The poor in the neighbourhood of Keel Hall, are supplied with bread, meat, and soup, every Christmas, and in seasons of distress, by the liberality of the benevolent owner. BETLEY is a parish of Pirehill North, situated upon the borders of Cheshire, about seven miles west by north of Newcastle, on the road to Chester. It contains the ancient town of Betley, in the vicinity of which the handsome mansion of Lady Fletcher, called Betley Court, and the seat of George Toilet, Esq., called Betley Hall, with their pleasure-grounds and plantations, contribute to the 342 A TOPOGRAPHICAL embellishment of the place. Betley has an annual fair for cattle held on the 20th of July. Near the village is a fine pool, called Betley Mere, which belongs to the Earl of Wilton. It is now chiefly remarkable for its excel- lent gardens, which contribute largely in the supply of vegetables to the neighbouring towns and villages. The Church is situated on an eminence at the eastern extremity of the town, and has been partly rebuilt. It has a nave, side aisles, a chancel at the east end, and a square tower at the west end of the nave. The most ancient part of the edifice is the nave and aisles ; which, as well as the chancel, have plain common tile roofs. The windows of the former are also very plain. The side-walls of the nave are part wood, and part plaster : the timber is framed after the ancient manner, and the spaces be- tween filled with plaster, &c. The aisles were, no doubt, coeval with the nave'; but from prior decay, the walls thereof have been rebuilt with common brick. In the interior, the nave is separated from the aisles by four plain pointed arches on each side. The pillars which support them are merely single trunks of trees ; and the architraves of the arches, (if we may use the expression,) are plain curved pieces of wood. From the three middle pillars or trunks, are turned three similar plain wooden curves across the nave ; thus making the nave to exhibit a succession of three pointed arches. The dimensions are as follows : The length of the nave and aisles may be about 15 or 16 yards. The aisles are narrow, being not quite three yards in breadth. The breadth of the nave is about six yards. There is a small west gallery ; and at the east end of the north aisle and nave is a large seat, enclosed by a wooden screen, about eight or nine feet in height from the floor. The nave is separated from the chancel by a wooden partition, on the south side of which is the desk and pulpit, which are adorned with crimson velvet, as is also the altar. The upper part of the partition is neatly ornamented on the side fronting the nave, with three painted tables of the Lord's Prayer and the Belief. Above the Lord's Prayer is painted a dove in glory ; and above the Ten Commandments are the King's Arms ; on each side of which is painted a group of three angels. The doves and angels are on a blue ground. The chancel is built of stone, in a good style, and seems to have been erected by one of the Egertons. Upon entering the chancel from the nave, there hangs an hajch- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 343 ment, in memory of Mr. Toilet against the north wall. Arms: cheeky, argent and azure, on a chevron engrailed Or, thrde anchors azure; on a chief gules, a lion passant argent (Toilet). It has an escutcheon of pretence argent, bearing on a chevron azure, three garbs Or (Cradocke). Crest : a tower surmounted by a pyramid azure, round which appears, coiled and descending, a serpent pro- per, langued, gules. Motto : " Prudentia in Adversis."" At the east end of the chancel are mural monuments. That on the north wall is the most ancient : it contains two small Ionian columns, the bases and capitals of which have been gilt. These columns support an entablature, the middle part of which is height- ened by a circular arch or round pediment. At the top, above each column, is a shield, each bearing the same arms, viz. Gules, a fess ermine between three arrow heads argent, and between the two in chief is a crescent of the same for difference. The entabla- ture, small columns, and the member or part upon which the co- lumns are supported, form a kind of niche, by projecting about nine inches from the wall, within which are a small male and fe- male image in a devotional attitude, with a desk between them, on each side of which is a book open. Behind the female is a third figure, a female, and smaller than the other two. Above these figures, on the back ground, are three coats of arms. On the south wall, is a modern marble monument, having the arms of Toilet on a shield at the top; below which, on a white tab- let, is inscribed ; " In the Year 1768, George Toilet, Esq. Erected this to the Memory of His Mother Mrs. ELIZABETH TOLLET, and His Grandfather GEORGE TOIXET, Esq. Commissioner of the Navy in The Reigns of King William and Queen Anne. They both died in a very advanced age, And are buried in a vault beneath The opposite Monument. Also in the same vault lieth interr'd The body of the above-named George Toilet The younger, Esq. who died upon the 22nd day of October 1779, in the 46th year of his age. He was learned and charitable." 2 X 344 A TOPOGRAPHICAL A tomb-stone in the church-yard contains the following in- scription : " This memorial of regard for an old and faithful servant was made by a gentleman, who, together with the relations and neighbours of Edward Bate, lamented his death on the 1st day of May, 1776, aged 63. Though he was deaf and dumb from his birth, he acquired remarkable knowledge in gardening and rural improvements." There are several tables of benefactions to the poor of this parish hung up in different parts of the Church, for distributing bread and clothing, and for instructing the poor children of Betley. William Palmer, a native of Betley, left the sum of 73. in the hands of trustees, to be disposed of, at their discretion, for the best use of the poor. It is now applied to apprenticing poor children of the inhabitants of Betley. The tower is built of stone, has a parapet wall at the top, and on each of the four angles has been placed a plain urn. The vane is perforated with 1713, which was the time, we presume, when it was built. The living is a curacy in the patronage of George Toilet, Esq. and the Rev. Isaac Pennington is curate. Queen Anne's bounty was obtained for it, in 1717; when the Right Hon. William Lord Powlett and others gave 20 acres of common ground, to the value of ,=200. towards the augmentation. Though Betley Church in appearance is inferior to many in -the neighbourhood, yet it deserves more especial notice as affording a specimen of the manner in which the ancients made their first attempts, in their progress towards forming the pointed arch and groins, now so much admired for contributing to the grandeur and ornament, of what is called the Gothic style.* The parish of Betley contains 143 houses, 151 families ; 359 males, 402 females : total, 761 persons. AUDLEY is a parish of Pirehill North, containing six townships, namely, Audley, Bignall-End, Eardley-End, Knowl-End, Park- End, and Talk-o'th'Hill, and the liberty of Halmer-End. Audley or Aldithley was the manor and estate of the ancient family of Verdou. According to an ancient record in the Tower, Nicholas de Verdon in the 16th of Henry the Third, gave this manor of Aldithley to Henry, who took his name from this place, and became founder of the noble family of Audley. This family Rev. W. Snape> in Gent. Mag. 1809, p. 521. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 345 has been celebrated for many eminent men, who were chiefly re- markable for their warlike genius, and among others, James Lord Audley, who was in the wars of France several times with King Henry the Fifth ; but being sent by Queen Margaret, consort to King Henry the Sixth, to encounter Richard Neville, Earl of Sa- lisbury, he was slain on Blore Heath, (see page 328) and buried in the Abbey of Derley, in Derbyshire. The village of Audley is situated on a hill; and the fields around it are fertile, and in a high state of cultivation. It contains se- veral good farm-houses, public-houses, and small tenements, some of which are slated* and some thatched. The Church is an ancient fabric, with a strong square tower of stone. It is built in the Gothic style, and consists of the nave, a north and south aisle, and* the chancel. Five pointed arches on each side separate the aisles from the nave. The interior is clean, and the pews, which are of oak, were made in the year 1793. There is an ancient gallery at the west end, which belonged to the old church at Newcastle. The church contains monumental inscriptions to Mr. Charles Toilet, Dr. Henshall, and others. Audley Church is dedicated to St. James, and is a vicarage in the patronage of George Toilet, Esq. of Betley. The Rev. Wil- liam Hicken is vicar, and the Rev. Thomas Wright, curate. At the north-east angle of the church-yard, and within its bounda- ries, is a school-house erected by the benefactions of Edward Vernon, and other benevolent individuals, for the instruction of one hundred boys. There are also tables in the church containing an account of benefactions to be distributed to the poor in bread and clothing. John Unwyn, of Clough, in this parish, Gent, who deceased this life, Anno Domini 1641, did by his last will give to the parish of Audley the sum of j80. to be lent to eight young tradesmen in equal portions ; which eight are to be chosen, two out of each quarter of the parish, and they to occupy the same for the space of three years gratis, without paying interest for the same. The parish of Audley contains 469 houses, 517 families ; 1355 males, 1263 females : total, 2618. Coal abounds in this parish, and the mines afford employment for many hands. The price of coals at some* of the works is nine shillings per heap of from 25 to 30 cwt. At the bottom of the hill on which the village of Audley stands, on the road to Talk-o'th'Hill, there is a chapel for the Wes- 346 A TOPOGRAPHICAL leyan Methodists, with an inscription in front bearing the date of 1806. The remains of Healy or Heyley Castle, in this neighbourhood, are situated on a lofty rock about a mile to the south east. Camden tells us that the lands hereabout were given by Harvey Lord Staf* ford, to Henry de Aldithlege or Awdledge, already mentioned, in the reign of king John. This Henry appears to have been the founder of the castle. He was descended from William de Bettelegh or Betley, who besides Audley left him considerable property in this vicinity. The Stanleys earls of Derby were the descendants of this family, who were created Barons of Audley. Both the estate and title, however, afterwards went to the Tucheis, and that family still continues to enjoy them.* Talk-o'th^HiU, is a village and township of Audley parish, si- tuated on an eminence on the great northern road, four miles and a liaJf from Newcastle, It contains several inns and smaller tene- ments, and a stone cross, where the market was formerly held, but it is now discontinued. The population of this village is 817 persons. The Church, which is a chapel of ease to Audley, is a small brick structure, with a low tower containing a clock and one bell. It is situated iu the middle of the village close to the turnpike-road. The Rev. Mr. Hill, of the Hough, is minister, but the Rev. John Lawtoa is the present officiating clergyman. The site of Talk is very elevated, and commands views of part of Staffordshire and Cheshire for many miles. In clear weather the Wrekin in Shrop- shire, and the mountains of Flintshire, are distinctly visible from this place. The Harecastle Tunnel of the Grand Trunk Canal, passes a full uiile under ground near this village. In the summer of 1781, an explosion of a cask of gunpowder took place in the village of Talk, as a carrier was conveying the same in a waggon to its place of destination. The driver and korses all perished ; and two houses were thereby demolished, in the ruins of one of which the body of the driver was said to be found in a mangled state. The regular carrier or man belonging to the waggon, had entrusted the care of his team to another, while he was transacting business, or taking refreshment, in a pub- lic house, and thus providentially escaped an untimely end. The explosion was attributed to friction. Curious WdL Between Talk and the village of Audley, about a. mile from the former place, is a spring of sulphureous water, of * Plot's Nat. Hist. p. 445. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 347 a dirty bluish cast, which rises by the side of a brook, whose wa- ter is tinged thereby for a considerable distance. Sometimes the water of this well is remarkably muddy ; but whether such vari- ation is owing to change of weather, or other cause, has not yet been ascertained. It is highly valued by the common people, wh extol it as a specific in cutaneous disorders, and call it a great sweetener of the blood, &c. It is not at all improbable thai it possesses some valuable medicinal properties. WOLSTANTON is an extensive and populous parish of Pirehill North, about six miles in legth, and nearly two miles in breadth. It contains ten townships, an hamlet, and one liberty ; tramely, the townships of Chatlerley, Chell, Chesterton, Knutfofl, QU- eott, Rainsclifte, Stadmoreslow, Thursfield, Wedgwood, Wolstaui- ton, the hamlet of Brieryhurst, and the liberty of Tuntstall Court, It was originally a member of the manor of Newcastle. Clay, ironstone, and coal abound in this parish, and afford employment to a very considerable part of the inhabitants. Several potteries are established ia the northern part of it, particularly at TuustaiJ, and a Cotton manufactory was established between Chesterton and Newcastle in the year 1797. This parish contains 1,279 houses, 1,338 families ; 3,470 male*, 3,520 females : total, 6,990 persons, of whom above one-half are employed in manufactures and handicraft. The village of Wolstanton is situated on an eminence about a mile and a half to the north of Newcastle. Several of the houses are small, old, and thatched, but there are some elegant mansions of opulent potters in its vicinity. The Church is an ancient fabric of stone, with a high spire, which is seen at the distance of several miles around. The tower contains a clock and six bells. It is dedicated to St. Margaret, and is a vicarage, endowed with small tithes, surplice-fees, and tifty acres of glebe land. Walter Sneyd, Esq. of Keel, is patron and impropriator ; the Rev. Lewis Sneyd, is vicar ; and the Rev. Ed- ward Carless, curate. The funerals from 1706 to 1805, were in the twelve calendar months at this place in 105 years in number 4,062, as follows ; January, 391 ; February, 360 ; March, 423; April, 399 ; May, 380; June, 284 ; July, 325 ; August, 274 ; September, 282; Oc- tober, 247; November, 312; and December 385: total, 4,062. New-chapel had besides about 30 annual funerals. The Parish Register contains the entries of several marriage*,. 348 A TOPOGRAPHICAL which took place in the time of Cromwell ; when the clergy were, not allowed to solemnize matrimony. That Usurper, probably to degrade the clergy, caused all marriages to take place before a magistrate. The following extracts shew the manner in which they were recorded : " Mr. John Mil ward, sonne of the Wor fu1t John Mill ward, of Sjntterton, in the countie of Darbie, esq r< and M rs - Jane Sneyd, daughter of the Wor fa11 M rs - Jane Sneyd, of Broad wajl, within the county of Stafford, widdowe, weare published three severall Lords dayes, in the parish church of Wolstanton, in the countie of Staf- ford ; and likewaise in the parish church of Darley, in the county of Darbie, aforesaid ; viz. the 21 st and 28 lh dayes of December, and the 4 th day of Januarie, 1656 ; according to an act of Parlia- ment in that case made and provided; (and noe exception made by any p'son) as by the certificates, under the hands of the Regesters of Wolstanton and Darley, was made playnly to appear unto me; and the said M r - John Milward and M rs - Jane Sneyd weare mar- ried the 27 th day of Januarie, 1656, before me Edward Brett, esq r - one of the Justices of the Peace for the countie of Stafford; wittness my hand the day and year last above written. ' Edward Brett.' 9 Again : " Richard Marsh, son of Thomas Marsh, late of Wolstanton, deceased, and Ann Rowley, daughter of William Rowley, of Broad- wall, weare published three severall markett dayes at the Markett Crosse in Newcastle-under-Lyme; viz. the first, the 8 th , and the 15 th dayes of December, 1656, (and noe exception made by any p'son.) And the said Richard Marsh and Ann Rowley weare mar- ried the 23 rd day of December, 1656, before Edward Eardley, esq r - one of the Justices of the Peace for the countie of Stafford." The following is said to have been the Form of Marrying before a Magistrate, as enjoined by the Parliament during the Common- wealth of England, to take place from September 29, 1653. " MAN. I, A. B. do here, in the presence of God, the searcher of all hearts, tnke thee C. D. for my wedded wife ; and do also, in the presence of God and before these witnesses, promise to be unto thee a loving and faithful husband. " WOMAN. T, C. D. do here, in the presence of God, the searcher of all hearts, take ll A. B. for my wedded husband ; and do also, in the presence of God and before these witnesses, promise to be unto thee a loving, faithful, and obedient wife." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 349 The Coal in this district differs in quality, thickness, and inclina- tion ; some strata burn dull, and leave a considerable residue of ashes, others clear, with a quick consumption : the thickness is from two to ten feet ; and the inclination varies from a perpendicular des- cent to an almost horizontal flatness, but the most usual dip is about one foot in a yard. It is gotten at different depths. In some places pits are sunk upwards of 130 yards, and in others coal is gotten within 20 yards from the surface. At Kidcrew, in the north side of the parish, is to be seen some of the most improved kind of machinery for raising coal. The price is ac- cording to quality and situation. About one-sixth part of what coal produces at the pit-head, is in some places judged a fair mine-rent to the proprietor of the land. The water, which drains from the coal-mines, is, in this country, of considerable value to those through whose lands it chances to pass, as it is impregnated with a yellow substance termed Car; which is used by the potters, and is a necessary ingredient in making that kind of ware called Egyptian black. The mode of procuring the car is as follows : Being of a specific gravity greater than that of water, it forms a sediment at the bottom of the channel of the stream that conveys it from the mine : when a considerable quantity is thus lodged in a certain space, the stream, to that extent, is diverted from its usual course ; and the car is thrown out of the channel, from whence the water has been turned off, upon the adjoining banks ; where it remains till dry. Some- times small pits or ponds are made on the adjoining banks, and the. car is scooped from the bottom of the channel, and thrown into them, without diverting the course of the water. When it is suf- ficiently dry, it is sold at the rate of one guinea per cart-load. A great number of bricks, tiles, and quarries are made for sale in this parish. The price of common bricks is about 28s. per thou- sand ; dressed bricks, \. 15s- and floor bricks, c2. 15s. per thou- sand. Three cubic yards of clay make 1000 bricks; mine-rent, 2s. 6d. per thousand. New Chapel, is a village and chapelry in the northern part of this parish, at least five miles north of the mother church. It is situ- ated on a good sound upland of mixed loam. There are several coal-works in this part of the parish. The Chapel is a modern structure of brick, with two double rows of pews, and a small west gallery. It has no tower, but a cupola with a small bell ; and is endowed with land at Norton-la- 350 A TOPOGRAPHICAL tile-Moors, and BtirsJem, with some small annuities, and surplice* fees. The Rev. John Lawton is the present minister. In the chapel-yard is a plain altar-tomb inscribed : " In Memory of JAMES BRINDLEY, of Turnhurst, Engineer, wb was inter- red here, September 30, 1772, aged 56.'* This ingenious man resided at Turnhurst, a mansion in this pa- rish, and is well known as the inventor of the modern system of ar- tificial canal navigation.* BIDDULPH, is the most northerly parish of Pirehill North, and borders on Cheshire. The source of the river Trent is in the neighbourhood of Mole Cop, a rocky ridge, near the boundary be- tween Cheshire and Staffordshire. A considerable extent of moun- tainous land projects from Mole Cop to the north-west. This is an extensive parish, and is divided into four hamlets, namely, Over, Middle, and Lower Biddulph, and Knipersley. The manor of Biddulph was in the Conqueror's hands, but he soon af- terwards bestowed it upon Omuis, who had several sons, the eldest of whom inherited it, but having only daughters, it passed by them into other families. Middle Biddulph was given by Aliva to Roger, her cousin, her uncle Edward's son, who took upon him the sur- name of Biddulph, and in his posterity it continued to the year I59S; and Over Biddulph to Thomas, the son of Qrraus, another of her uncles : but Nether Biddulph went by Aramintia 4 who married Henry Verdon, to the Bagleys and Mainwarings.f The Church of Biddulph is an ancient structure of stone, with a low square tower, and is situated on a gentle eminence. In the interior, near the altar, on the north side of an altar-tomb on the south side of the chancel, is the following epitaph in capitals : " Goe gentle stranger, press not neere To qvestion who's intoombed heere. Here lies the man, ah mee noe more Lest thov this sacred dvst adore. Hi-s honor'd name's conceal'd from thee To keepe thee from Idolatrie. Svffi.ce it onely here to find He was a man of mortal! kind. The composition of his spirit The exposition of his merit. Are theamcs all hvmane thoughts transcend Matters t' admire not comprehend. * A memoir of this gentleman will be given in our account of the Grand Trunk Canal. f Magna Britannia, Xo. 62, p. 76. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 351 The -world knows his noble worth so well All tongues, all pens, on 's praise shall dwell. Mvltis ille qvidem flebilis occidit nvlli flebilior E. B. Ehev : fvgaces - - - - labvutvr anni - - -- - - -" Sir William Bowyer, Knt. in whose praise the above lines were written, died March 7th, 1640, aged 53. This church is dedicated to St. Lawrence, and is a vicarage in the patronage of the Gresley and Adderley families alternately. The Rev. James Sewell is the present vicar. Longevity. Sarah, wife of William Poole, of Rushton, died Jan. 29, 1806, aged 92 years. Also, William Poole, died January 31, 1811, aged 97 years. This parish presents some curious remains of antiquity, particu- larly the Bridestones, consisting of eight upright freestones, two of which stand within a semicircle formed by the other six. Some antiquaries suppose the circle was formerly complete, but the origin and use of these stones is unknown. Westward of the Bridestones there is a kind of artificial cave of freestone. The parish of Biddulph contains 269 houses, 269 families ; 721 males, 739 females : total, 1,460 persons. Knipersley Hall, in this parish, is the property of Mr. Bateman, of Manchester, and is a considerable farm, of a loamy soil, kept in hand, and cultivated on the modern improved system. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME.* This Borough and Market-town is situated within the Hundred of Pirehill/and although entirely surrounded by parishes which are within the Northern division of that Hundred, is considered, for the public purposes of the county, to be in the Southern district. New- castle is distant from Lichfield 31 miles, from Stafford 16 miles, and from Leek 12 miles. Monday is the regular market-day, and another market on Satur- days has been recently established to meet the demands of the in- creased population. There are well-attended fairs, for horses, cattle, woollen cloths, Sometimes spelled : Lime or Line, but all the Charters of the Borough give the addition of under-Lyme. 2 Y 352 A TOPOGRAPHICAL and many other articles, on Shrove-Monday, Easter-Monday, Whit- Monday, and the first Monday in November, besides two other move- able fairs in the months of July and September. This Borough, and also a Manor of considerable extent adjacent to it, known by the name of the Manor of Newcastle-under-Lyme, derive the former part of their appellation from a Castle, which stood in the midst of a large pool, now nearly surrounded by the town. The Manor appears, from ancient documents, to have ex- tended over the liberties of Penkhull, Wolstanton, Shelton, Hanley, Clayton, Seabridge, Knutton, Dimsdale, Holditch, Hanchurch, Hanford, Whitmore, Keel, Fenton, Longton, Meer-lane, Normacot, Tunstall, Chatteriey, Bradwell, and Thursfield. Antiquaries have generally supposed, upon the authority of Camden, that the castle had its name on account of an older castle, which stood not far from it at Chesterton-under-Lyme ; but, sup- posing this to be correct, the addition of under-Lyme still wants explanation, and if it ever formed part of the name of Chesterton, it has long ceased to do so. Camden's account of Newcastle is as follows :* " The Trent first runs southward, with many windings, not far from New-Castle under Lime, so called upon the account of an older castle which formerly stood not far from it at Chesterton- under-Lime, where I saw the ruinous and shattered walls of an old castle, which first belonged to Ranulph Earl oT Chester by the gift of king John, and after, by the bounty of Henry 3d, to the House of Lancaster." Later authors have been led into error by the ungrammatical construction of the above quotation, for it is certain that Camden must have meant, that the ruinous walls which he had seen of an old castle formerly belonging to the Earl of Chester and afterwards to the House of Lancaster, were the walls of Newcastle, and not, as the sentence at first reading seems to imply, the walls of the castle of Chesterton. Dr. Plot fell into the above-named error, and he proceeds to state,f that the castle of Chesterton went to decay " as long ago as the reign of king Henry 3d, when the Earl of Lancaster built ano- ther near by, in the midst of a great pool, which he called the New Castle, that gave original (no doubt) to the town of that name close by it." * Camden' a Britannia, edit. 1695, p. 530. + Plot's Natural Hist, of Staffordsh. p. 434. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 353 Bishop Gibson, the editor of Camden, follows Dr. Plot in his mistake, and he also asserts* that Newcastle was " built in Henry 3d's time by the Earl of Lancaster." The authorities which we shall cite fully justify our interpreta- tion of Camden, and they prove, in contradiction to Plot and Gib- son, that the town, as well as the castle, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, existed not only before the creation of the Earldom of Lancaster, but even before the reign of Henry the 3d. In the 5th of king John (1203) the town of Newcastle was amerced, for having changed its market-day from Sunday to Saturday. f In the 17th of king John (1215) a grant was made from the Crown to Ranulph de Blondeville Earl of Chester of New-Castle- under-Line and its liberties,! including, in all probability, the Manor as well as the Castle of that name. The Crown, however, appears shortly to have regained possession of Newcastle and all its append- ages. Amongst the inquisitions remaining in the Exchequer, there is one of early/ though indeterminate, date in the reign of Henry the 3d, stating that our Lord the King held, as forfeited, the New Castle with the Town and Manor, including by name most of the townships which are now considered parcel of the Manor. The Manor appears to have been granted in fee-farm by Henry the 3d, to Gilbert Lord Se- grave in 1232,j| but the castle and town remained in the possession of the Crown. During this period the castle was held for the King under the government of a constable, ^[ which appears to have been an office of considerable importance. In the 35th Henry 3d, the constableship was held by one of the Audley family,** and after- wards by William de Fenlon, who appears to have been constabl in the 37th and 42d years of the same reign. f f , Many of the freehold tenants of this manor were bound by their tenures to perform the Castle guard at different periods of the year. The Testa de Nevill, which is an ancient record preserved in the Exchequer, and compiled by John Nevill, a justice in Eyre, between the years 1234 and 1238, contains the following particu- lars of tenures within this manor by knight's service and socage: * Camden' s Britannia, edition, 1695, p. 538. f From the Record of Assists et Placita Corona, taken at Lichfield on St. Matthew's day, 5th King John. -See the Abbreviatio Placitorum. I Calendarium Rotulorum in the Exchequer, published 1803, p. 30. Calendarium Inquisit. post mort. vol. 1, p. 202. II Magna Britannia el Hibernia, vol. 5, p. 64. H Ibid. p. 64. ** Ibid. p. 64. 1 1" From old Grants. 354 A TOPOGRAPHICAL KNIGHT'S FEES. " John de Cnocton holds the vill of Cnocton (now Knutton) to fee-farm, paying yearly to the New Castle .4. 11s. 6e?., also per- forming the guard of the same castle for forty days, at the cost of our Lord the King. " Also, William de Erdinton holds the vill of Fenton to fee- farm, paying yearly to the said castle Is- 4c?., performing also the aforesaid guard for the aforesaid term. " Also, William de Hanleg' holds the vill of Hanleg' (now Hanley) to fee-farm, paying yearly to the said Castle 6s., and per- forming, &c. " Also, Ralph de Bevill holds the vill of Langeton (note; Longton) to fee-farm, paying yearly 5s. to the said Castle, &c. " Also, William M urell holds one yard-land within the said manor of New Castle, in the vill of Selton, (now Shellon) by the serjeanty of keeping Haiam (the inclosure or park) of our Lord the King there, which is called the Haia of Clive (now Cliff.) " Also, Henry de Audicheley holds within the said manor the vills of Tunstal, Chadderleg/ (now Chatterley) Bradewell, Turn- cdesfeld, (now Thursfield) and Normanecot, (now Normacot) by the serjeanty of serving on foot, with a bow and arrows, within the said Castle for eight days in time of war at his own cost." SOCAGE TENANTS. " The Knights Templars hold Kel, (now Keel) a member of New Castle, of the gift of our Lord King Henry, and pay nothing." In the'year 1235, Henry the 3d granted a charter to the bur- gesses of Newcastle-under-Lyme, erecting the town into a free bo- rough, and granting to the burgesses a merchants' guild (which was the phrase then used for the establishment of a body corpo- rate) and other privileges. Of this charter a copy is subjoined : " Henricus Dei gratia Rex Anglice Dominus Hibernice et Dux Aquitania Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Comitibus BaronibusJusticiariis Vicecomitibus PrepositisMinistris et omnibus Ballivis et fidelibus suis Salutem Sciatis nos concessisse et hac carta nostra confirmasse pro nobis et heredibus nostris Burgensibus nostris de Novo Castro subtus Lymam quod Mill a nostra de Novo Castro subtus Lymam sit liber Burgus et quod Burgenses ejusdem Villa habeant Gildam Mercatoriam in eodem Bur go cum omnibus libertatibus et liberis consuetudinibus ad hujusmodi Gildam per tinentibus et quod eant per totam ten am nostram cum omnibus mercandisis suis emendo et vendendo et ncgociando bene et in pace libere et quiete et honorifice et quod quieti sint de HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 355 thelonio passagio pontmjio stallagio et lestagio et omnibus aliis consuetudini- bus salvis in omnibus libertatibus Civitatis nostrce London Quare volumus et firmiter precipimus pro nobis et heredibus nostris quodpredicta Villa nostra de Novo Castro sit liber Burgus et quod Burgenses ejusdem Villa habeant Gil" dam Mercatoriam in eodem Burgo cum omnibus libertatibus et liberis con- suetudiiiibus ad hujusmodi Gildam pertinentibus et quod e ant per totam ter- ram nostram cum omnibus mercandisis suis emendo et vendendo et negociando bene et in pace libere et quiete et honorifice et quod quieti sint de thelonio passagio pontagio stallagio et lestagio et omnibus aliis consuetudinibus salvis in omnibus libertatibus Civitatis nostra London sicut predictum est. Hit's Testibus, Gulielmo de Ferrariis, Gulielmo de Cantilupo, Radulpho filio Nicho- lai, Almarico de Sancto Amando, Galfrido Despensatore, Radulpho Tyrel et aliis, Datum per manum venerabilis Patris Radulphi Cicestrensis Episcopi Cancellarii nostri apud Feckeham decimo octavo die Septembris anno regni nostri decimo nono" The Borough appears to have been at this time a place of very inconsiderable size and population ; for in the said record called Testa de Nevill, which was compiled at the same period, appears the following entry of the number of its burgages : " In the Town of Newcastle are twenty-eight burgages, each of which pays twelve pence per annum, at the four quarter-days." The Castle and Borough appear to have continued in the imme- diate possession of the Crown until the 49th Henry 3d, (1263) when the King was compelled to transfer them by grant to his brother-in-law Simon de Montfort* Earl of Leicester and Chester. The period during which they were in the hands of that rapacious and aspiring nobleman was very short, as he lost his life at the head of the rebellious barons who fought the battle of Evesham,f against Prince Edward, in 1265. All the possessions of Simon de Montfort were forfeited to the Crown ; and a great part of them, including this Castle and Borough, was granted by Henry the 3d,| in the 51st year of his reign (1265) to his younger son Edmund Plantagenet (surnamed Crouchback) who was created Earl of Leicester in 1265, Earl of Derby in 1266, and in the following year Earl of Lancaster, which was the earliest creation of the latter dignity. Among the Barons whose estates were confiscated in consequence of the battle of Evesham was Nicholas Lord Segrave,)] who had pro- * Calendarium Rotulorum in the Tower, published 1802. + Life of Simon de Montfort, written by George, second Marquis Towns~ hend, in Longmate's Supplement to Collins's Peerage, p. 312. I Calendarium Rotulorum in the Exchequer, published in 1803, p. 94. Heylyn's Help to English History, ed. IT73, p. 271. I Magna Britann. et Hibern, vol. 5, p. 64. 356 A TOPOGRAPHICAL bably inherited the Manor of Newcastle from Gilbert Lord Segrave, for in 1267 we find this Manor again in possession of the Crown, and granted out to Hammon le Strange,* who was one of the Lords Marchers of Wales. The Manor was shortly afterwards re-united with the Castle and Borough, and became part of the possessions of the House of Lancaster. The said Edmund Earl of Lancaster, &c. died seised of this Castle and Manor, in 1295, f and they descended, with his other vast estates, to his eldest son Thomas, who upon his marriage with Alice, the heiress of Henry Lacy Earl of Lin- coln, endowed her, ad ostium ecclesia,% with the Castle and Bo- rough of Newcastle, and all the Hamlets belonging thereto. la the Record called the " Nomina Villarum," returned into the Ex- chequer in 1315, by the Sheriff of Staffordshire, in obedience to the King's writ, the Earl of Lancaster is named as Lord of the Town of New Castle, and it is stated that the said Earl had the return of all writs there. This Thomas Earl of Lancaster, &c. having been taken in arms against King Edward II. in 1322, was condemned to death by a court-martial, and beheaded near Pontefract. His estates were confiscated at that time, but after- wards his widow had livery of part of them, comprising this Castle and Borough, and the Hamlets belonging thereto. Henry Earl of Lancaster, &c. the brother and heir of the said Thomas, (whose attainder was reversed in 1326) died in the life-time of the Count- ess Alice, leaving a son, Henry, created Duke of Lancaster, who in time became possessed of all the estates of that great house. | Duke Henry died of the plague at Leicester, in 1361, whereupon this Castle and Manor, with their members and other appurte- nances, were, upon a partition of his estates, between his two daughters and co-heiresses, assigned to his eldest daughter Maud,|| at that time the wife of William Duke of Zealand and Bavaria. She died seised of these estates ^[ in the following year, without issue, whereupon they became the property of John of Ghent, (commonly called Gaunt) Earl of Richmond, the third son of King Edward the 3d, in right of his wife Blanch, the surviving daughter of the said Duke Henry. John of Ghent, on 13th November, 1362, * Calendarium Rotulorum in the Excheq. published 1803, p. 99. f Shaw's History of Staffords. vol. 1, p. 40. t Ibid. p. 41. Calendar. Inquis. post mort. published 1808, vol. 2, p. 236. Abbreviatio Rotulorum in the Excheq. published 1805, p. 263. If Calendar. Inquis. post mort. published 1809, vol. 2. p. 247. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 357 was advanced in Parliament, to the dignity of Duke of Lancaster, with great splendour and solemnity. He died in 1398, being suc- ceeded by his eldest son, Henry of Bolingbroke, who, as Henry the 4th, assumed the Crown of England. Ever since his accession to the Throne, the possessions of the Duchy of Lancaster (including this Castle and Manor) have been virtually united to the Crown, though separated therefrom in point of form, by the policy of diffe- rent Monarchs.* The Manor and site of the Castle, of which nothing is left but the foundations, are now held by the Marquis of Stafford, as Lessee of the Crown in right of the Duchy of Lancaster. The pool which surrounds the site of the Castle, and the adjoining mills, were granted by the Crown, in the 8th year of James I. to Ralph Sneyd, Esquire, (an ancestor of their present owner Walter Sneyd, Esquire,) subject to a fee-farm rent of 14. 6s. Sd. The Coal Mines under all the Copyhold Lands within this Manor are the property of the Duchy, and now yield a considerable revenue. They are worked extensively, for the consumption of the Potteries, by the Lessee of the Crown, Lord Viscount Granville. Within the limits of the Borough, all Manorial Franchises have long been ex- ercised by the body corporate. The town was first incorporated, as above-mentioned, by Hfinry the 3d, on 18th September, 1235. His Charter was twice confirmed by Edward the 3d, viz. once in 1344, f and afterwards in 1372,i and subsequently, in 1378, it received confirmation by Richard the 2d. In 1281, Edward the 1st, at the instance of his brother Edmund, added the Grantjj of a Fair for three successive days, viz. on the Feast of the Holy Trinity, and on the eve and morrow of that day ; and other Fairs were afterwards added by Edward the 3d and Henry the 6th,5[ The early Charters do not contain the style of Incorporation; but it appears by the Records of the Borough, which are extant from the year 1368, that a Mayor and two Bailiffs, besides other inferior Officers, were annually elected. Queen Elizabeth, by Charter dated in 1590,** confirmed all the former Grants, and added many Blackstone's Commentaries, llth Edit. vol. 1. p. 119. f Calendarium Rotulorum in the Tower, published 1802, p. 149. Original Charter amongst the Borough Records. % Ibid., but the date obliterated, and here supplied from the Calendar. JRot, in the Tower, p. 200. || Original Charter amongst the Borough Records. * Calendar. Rotulorum in the Exchequer, published 1803, pp. m & 199; ** Original Charter amongst the Borough Records. 358 A TOPOGRAPHICAL new privileges. The Corporate body at that time assumed, and still retains, the style of the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses, of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. By this Charter a Common Council was established, for the government of the Borough, and the management of its Revenues and Possessions, consisting of a Mayor, (who is also a Justice of the Peace) two Bailiffs, and 24 capital Burgesses ; the three former of which Officers are annually chosen by the Common Council on Tuesday after Michaelmas-day. The office of Clerk of the Market was granted to the Mayor for the time being : The offices of Recorder, Town Clerk, and Serjeants at Mace, were established by the same Charter : under the autho- rity of which several Courts are also held, viz. a Court Leet and View of Frank Pledge twice a-year, a Court of Record held every three weeks for the trial of personal actions arising within the Borough, riot exceeding ,=40. in amount, and a Court of Pie-powder for the trial of Disputes and Offences occurring during the Fairs and Markets: The holding of several other Fairs, and of a weekly Market on Mondays, with many other privileges, were also confer- red on the town by this Charter. Charles the 2d, in 1664, granted a Charter* confirmatory of Queen Elizabeth's. The principal additions made by his Grant are the appointment of two other Justices of the Peace (who are annually chosen out of the Common Council, and, together with the Mayor, hold a General Sessions of the Peace within the Borough four times in every year,) and the extension of the sum for which Pleas may be held in personal Actions from c40. to <5Q. This Borough underwent a like fate with many other Corpora- tions, towards the close of the reign of Charles the 2d, at which time a surrender was forced from it of all its Franchises.f His successor James the 2d, in the first year of his reign, granted a new Charter,! comprehending nearly the same privileges as the Borough had before enjoyed, but containing an arbitrary and unconstitutional clause which empowered the Crown to remove the principal Officers of the Borough from their situations at pleasure. During the short reign of James the 2d, the new Charter was acted upon, and the obnox- ious clause of removal was twice put in force; but after the accession of William and Mary, the former Charters were restored to the Borough, and the Charter of James has never since been considered as of any validity. The office of Recorder is now filled by James * Original Charter amongst the Borough Records, t Corporation Records. J Original Charter amongst the Borough Records. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 359 aldwell, Esq. of Linley Wood, who was elected in 1801, and that of Town Clerk, by Thomas Sparrow, Esq. who has held the office since 1789. The Guildhall of the Borough is a large and handsome brick edi- fice, ornamented with stone pilasters, and standing in the centre of the Market-place. Nearly adjacent to it is an elegant stone Cross, surrounded by a flight of steps for the accommodation of the market. Two Members are returned to Parliament by the resident Bur- gesses of this Borough. This privilege has been exercised ever since 1352, and probably for a longer period, as the time when the right was first obtained is not known. It appears from a Report of the House of Commons, made by the Committee of Privileges in 1624, that the right of Election was then considered to belong exclusively to the Common Council ; but the resident Burgesses at large have long been admitted to share in the Elections, and their right is now for ever confirmed by the last Resolution of the House of Commons, which passed in the year 1792. The Freedom of the Borough is acquired in four different ways. 1st. by Birth, the claimant having been born within the Borough, the son of a sworn Burgess residing there at the time of the birth ; 2d. by Service for Seven Years within the Borough, under an Indenture of Apprenticeship inrolled with the Town Clerk; 3d. by Purchase ; and 4th. by Gift, from the Common Council of the Bo- rough. Absence from the Borough for a year and a day successive- ly after admission to Freedom, operates as a permanent loss of the Franchise. The Mayor and two Bailiffs are the Returning Officers. The following are the total numbers of the Burgesses who voted at the nine last contested Elections for Newcastle : In 1734, 444, 1774, 465, 1790, 564, 1792, 569, 1793, 562, 1802, 555, 1807, 622, 1812, 645, 1815 621. This Borough is at present represented in Parliament by Sir JOHN CHETWODE, Bart, of Oakley, and Sir JOHN FENTON BOUGHEY, Bart, of Aqualate, both in this County. The latter gentleman is a native of the Borough, and was elected for the first 3 Z 360 A TOPOGRAPHICAL time in 1812. The other Representative succeeded in 1815 to Earl GOWER, who had vacated his seat for Newcastle in order to be elected for the County of Stafford. The Church of Newcastle is dedicated to Saint Giles the Abbot. It was re-built in 1720 of brick, with a parapet wall, and is a large and commodious .structure, with three galleries, supported by well-proportioned pillars. The pews are of oak and uniform, and there is a good Organ. On each side of the middle aisle are pews for the Corporate Officers of the town, that for the Magis- trates being distinguished by a gilt canopy. The Chancel is in the form of a semicircular alcove, and the walls and ceiling of it are elegantly and appropriately painted. Over the middle window is a carved Pelican feeding her young. The font (of white marble) was the gift of Samuel Bagnall Esquire, of Barlaston. A neat clock was lately added to the west gallery by the late Alderman Hill. The Church contains several handsome mural monuments, belonging to the families of Ford, Fenton, Kinnersly, Beard, Bourne, &c. The tower is very ancient, and built of red sand-stone, and the entrance to it is on the western side by a Saxon arch of very elegant architecture. It contains eight bells and a clock with chimes. The Church was, until lately, only a chapel of ease to the parish of Stoke-upon-Trent, but in 1807, an Act of Parliament passed by which five new Rectories, of which Newcastle is one, were created out of that parish. The Rev. Clement Leigh is now the Rector, and the Patronage is at present vested in the Rev. Charles Simeon, of King's College, Cambridge. The Living is now small, but will be soon considerably augmented by a commutation of the Tithes of the Town-Fields. There are four Meeting-Houses for Dissenters from the Estab- lished Church, one of which, for Presbyterians, has been shut up many years. On an elevated situation near the north-west end of the town, stands a large brick building, containing Alms-houses for the re- ception of twenty poor widows. The following inscription on a stone in the north front, explains the origin of this charity : "Erected at the expence of the Right Honourable Grace Countess Granville, John Lord Gower, and Bernard Grantille Esq. in completion of the Will of the Most Noble Christopher Duke of Albemarle. Anno 1743." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 361 The endowment furnishes a weekly allowance of 2s. lie?, in money to each of the twenty widows, besides twenty shillings, to buy each of them a blue gown and petticoat of cloth or stuff, at Michaelmas. The nomination of the widows is vested in the Mar- quis of Stafford, Lord Carteret, and the' Rev. John Granville, of Colwich, in this county, who now represent the several families that inherit the estates of the original founder, and are chargeable with the payment of the charity. A Free Grammar School, for teaching Latin and Greek to the sons of the burgesses, and of the poor inhabitants of the Borough, has been long established. The present School, erected in 1722, stands in a damp and inconvenient situation adjoining the church- yard, and it is intended to remove it to another part of the town. The Corporation are the trustees of the revenues of the school, but the right of presentation, to two turns out of three, belongs to the family of William Cotton, Esq. of Bellaport, in Shrop- shire, and of Etwall, in Derbyshire. The Corporation present upon every third vacancy, and have lately exercised that right on occasion of the resignation of the Rev. John Blunt, the late master. Another Free School, for teaching children of the poor inhabit- ants of Newcastle to read, write, and cast accounts, was founded in 1704, by Edward Orme, Clerk. This school, and a house for the master, which is attached to it, adjoin the west side of the church-yard. Sixty boys are educated here, and 5. a-year is ap- propriated for putting two of them out as apprentices. The late Thomas Hatrell, Esquire, by his will endowed several other schools for the education of poor children, in this town. Besides the charities above-mentioned, many donations, which have been from time to time given to the Borough, and catalogues of which are fixed in the church, are yearly disposed of in bread and clothing to the poor inhabitants. The interest of ^600. given to the Borough in 1726, by Sir Walter Wagstaffe Bagot, Bart, then a Representative of the Borough in Parliament, is appropriated in aid of the church and constable rates ; and the interest of a like sum of ^600. given in 1730, by another Member for the Borough, Ward, Esq. afterwards created Lord Viscount Dudley and r ard, is applied in aid of the poor's rates. The staple trade of the town is the manufacturing of hats, for which it has long been famous. There is a public brewery, on an id considerable manufactories in the silk and 362 A TOPOGRAPHICAL cotton trades have lately been established. The streets are mostly well-paved, and remarkably wide, and the houses are in general well-built. This town is on the direct road from London and Birmingham to Liverpool and Manchester, and it possesses other great advan- tages in point of local situation, from the abundance and cheap- ness of fuel, and its vicinity to the important and populous dis- trict of the Potteries ; and it has an immediate communication by water with the Trent and Mersey or Grand Trunk Canal. In 1775 an Act passed for enabling the late Sir Nigel Gresley to make a Canal to Newcastle from his Coal Mines at Apedale, dis- tant about two miles, and the town has been since supplied with those coals at a price limited by Parliament. The supply having been defective another Act was obtained in 1812, in consequence of which other mines in the same estates were opened and a small ad- vance was made in the price. As the term, during which the pro- prietors of these mines are restricted as to price, and are bound to furnish a sufficient quantity of coals to the town, will expire in two years, it seems unnecessary to add the particulars of the prices, &c. A navigable Canal from the south end of this town to the Grand Trunk Canal at Stoke-upon-Trent, a distance of four miles, has been made in pursuance of an Act which passed in 1795: and a com- munication by Canal and Railway is also made between the first- named Canal and the late Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal under the au- thority of another Act passed in 1798. These Canals were made by subscription, and afford great accommodation to the town, although th.ey have not hitherto paid any dividends to the proprietors. A piece of waste land called the Marsh, lying in this Borough, and containing about twenty-three acres, was inclosed and leased out for building upon by virtue of two Acts which passed in 1782 and 1783. The rents are applied in aid of the Poor's Rates, and pro- duce at present about ,=200 per annum. An elegant Theatre, and Ladies' Boarding School, both built by subscription, besides a hand- some Hotel and Assembly-room, with many excellent houses, are already built on this land. But the improvement from which the greatest benefit is likely to be derived to Newcastle, is the Inclosure of some open Fields sur- rounding the town, and containing about six hundred acres, which are the property of many individuals, subject to Rights of Common exercised periodically by the Burgesses of Newcastle. An Act for fleeting this Inclosure, as well as the Inclosure of a Common called HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 363 Knutton-heath, on which the annual Horse Races are held, received the Royal Assent in June 1816 ; and as the measure is yet in its in- fancy, we deem it right to give the leading features of the Act a place in this History. All the rights of common are to cease at such time after the 25th December, 1816, as the Commissioner shall direct. 205 acres of land in the Town-fields are to be set out in com- pensation for rights of common, and to be allotted to Trustees for the burgesses. These 205 acres are to be parcelled out in not more than five allotments, to consist of not less than 30 acres in any one field, lying i one entire parcel, except in the Clayton field, where there may be two allotments not exceeding together 60 acres. Five acres of the Brampton and Stubbs are to be laid out in Pub- lic Walks for the accommodation of the inhabitants. The residue of the Town Fields is to be allotted amongst the Land-Owners, due regard being had to the present local situations and conveniences of their respective lands. This residue consists of upwards of 400 acres of land, a considerable part of which will be immediately convertible to building and other valuable purposes. All burgesses possessing a qualification of j40. per annum in freehold or copyhold estates within this county, or being heirs ap- parent of persons having o100. per annum of like property, are capable of acting as Trustees for the burgesses' allotments. The Trustees are to let off such portions of the burgesses' allot- ments as shall be necesssary to defray the expenses of keeping up the fences, paying taxes, tithe-rents, &c. of their allotments, and supporting the public walks ; and they are to permit the rest of these allotments to be enjoyed by the burgesses as stinted pas- tures ; subject to regulations for limiting the number, and deter- mining the sorts of stock, and the periods of using such pastures. The Trustees have the power of enforcing the observance of their regulations, by penalties not exceeding 5. for any one offence. All Tithes are to remain payable as heretofore, except from the town fields lying in the parish of Newcastle, where a commutation is to take place, on the principle of giving to the Rector annual rent charges payable out of the several allotments. Care has been taken in the Act to preserve a continuance of the annual amusement of the Races, by allotting the Race Course on Knutton-Heath, with its appendages, to the Corporation of New- 364 A TOPOGRAPHICAL castle for the purposes of the races, with provisions for the accom- modation of the spectators, &c. According to the returns to Parliament in 1811, this town con- tained 1354 inhabited houses, and a population of 6175 inhabitants, of whom 2940 were males and 3235 females. The families were classed as follows, viz. 1207 engaged in trade, 47 in agriculture, and 100 not falling in either of these descriptions. At the present period, 1817, the population would not be over-rated at 8000. An erroneous notion has prevailed, that the town was heretofore greater in size, and that it once had four churches, but that three of them, as well as a considerable part of the town, were reduced in the wars of the Barons. We have already shewn that about the period of its incorporation in the year 1235, which was probably within a century after the first erection of the Castle, the town contained only 28 Burgages. Amongst the " Inquisitiones Nona- rum," taken about the year 1341, and preserved in the Exchequer, is a record relating to the Borough, too curious to be here unno- ticed. We subjoin a translation of it in the note,* and it shews that at the end of it's second century the town had not advanced much in prosperity. With regard to the tradition of four churches having formerly existed, there is nothing to satisfy us of its credibility. It is said there were formerly churches dedicated to St. Mary and St. Katharine, but the Patent Rolls in the Tower, (vide Calenda- rinm, pages 85 & 226) will justify our assertion, that those were nothing more than Chauntries dedicated, it is true, to the above- named Saints, but annexed to, and forming parts of, the only Church, or (more properly speaking) Chapel, belonging to the town, which, as we before stated, is dedicated to St. Giles. In fact every au- thentic record and document proves that the town was not more * The Inquisitio Nonarum for Staffordshire, taken about 1341, is as follows, so far as regards the Borough of Newcastle: " Jordan de Lavenden, Ralph " Swanill, Richd. Legowe, Wm. le Grey, Henry Bryan, Henry Kene, John " Pollard, Wm. le Souionour, Richard Roberts' son, Richd. le Glover, Ralph " Lycoris, Philip de Erlyde, being sworn present that the Men of the afore- " said Town have moveable goods, whereof the true value of the ninth of all " the moveable Goods, ( except growing corn, wool, and lambs for which they pay " the ninth out of the Town aforesaid, ) is worth five marks and two shillings " and no more ; and the reason is, because the better men of the same Town and " the greater part of the men thereof live by agriculture and by wool and lambs, " for which they pay to the ninth out of the Town aforesaid ;) and the further " reason is, because the community of the whole Town aforesaid is annihilated " and reduced to poverty." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 365 extensive or populous in former times, hut on the contrary, that from having at first consisted of a few houses only, it has gradually and regularly advanced, to the present period, in size, population, and importance. Dr. Plot having already celebrated the curious device of an an- cient Iron Bridle, which is kept by the Mayor of this Borough for the punishment of Scolds, we shall close our observations on the town by quoting his quaint remarks upon this subject. " They have a peculiar artifice at Newcastle and Walsall for correcting of scolds, which it does too so effectually, and so very safely, that I look upon it as much to be preferred to the Cucking-Stool, which not only endangers the health of the party, but also gives the tongue liberty 'twixt every dip ; to neither of which this is at all liable; it being such a Bridle for the tongue, as not only quite deprives them of speech but brings shame for the transgres- sion, and humility thereupon before it is taken off. This instrument being put upon the offender by order of the Magistrate, and fastened by a padlock behind, she is led round the town by an officer to her shame, nor is it taken off till after the party begins to shew all ex- ternal signs imaginable of humiliation and amendment."* To the credit of the females of the present age, this whimsical method of correction has not been frequently called for of late years. Dr. Plot mentions an instance of a stone having been found in a place called Gallows Field, near the town, being the place where malefactors were formerly hung, in which stone was an entire skull of a man, with the teeth, &c. in it. Of this fact, an alderman of Newcastle assured the doctor, that he had such an one long in his possession. This curious circumstance Plot endeavours to account for by saying, that it is probable, that the place, when it was used for executions, was nothing else but a sandy land, in which they used to bury the bodies of the persons executed, which, in process of time, turned into stone, about the head of a man, inclosing it in it. This is not at all unlikely ; it being well known that sands have been observed to petrify. This same writer also, in mentioning several instances of men of extraordinary strength living in this county, adduces one in God- frey Witrings, a butcher of this town, whom he saw take up a form six feet and ten inches long, and fifty-six pounds in weight, by one end in his teeth, and, holding both his hands behind him, lifted up the other end the whole height of the room, striking it thrice against * Plot's Staffordshire, p. 389. 366 A TOPOGRAPHICAL the floor of the chamber over it; which, the doctor says, by compu- tation according to the centre of gravity, will prove that he lifted up, with his teeth, about one hundred and sixty-eight pounds weight. Newcastle gave birth to Major-General Thomas Harrison, and to the celebrated John Good win, two of the infamous but extraordinary Cromwell's admirers ; the one aiding the Usurper's regicide pur- poses with his sword, and the other with his pen. These Major-generals, as the Usurper called them, were, accord- ing to some, only eleven* in number; according to othersf twelve ; but Bates says,t the districts over which Cromwell appointed the Major-Generals were fourteen. These officers were to keep a strict and vigilant eye over the jarring parties of the Presbyte- rians, the Independents, and cavaliers, as the loyalists were called; but particularly to watch the proceedings, and curb the factious spirit of the rigid republicans, whom Cromwell had the greatest reason to dread and suspect. The Major-generals had almost ab- solute power ; and they exercised it, as might naturally be expected from the nature of their characters, and the upstart innovations of their master, of whose turbulent spirit they largely partook. So tyrannical did they at length become, that, to prevent worse consequences to himself, Cromwell was compelled to reduce their authority within much narrower bounds. Before this reduction of their power, they could commit to prison all suspected persons ; and they chose to suspect, whoever they disliked, (viz.) all mode- rate, loyal, good, men : they moreover levied money, sequestered those who refused to pay ; had power to enlist horse and foot upon any occasion they might think proper to make, or any emergency they might themselves create. From their decisions no appeal lay, but to their regicide master himself. Of this honourable fraternity was HARRISON, the son of an at- torney, of this town. Not having any relish for his profession, he enlisted into the Parliament's army ; and, being a person of great volubility of tongue, he soon insinuated himself into the favourable opinion of the army, and became Cromwell's confidant. The Pro- tector knew how to make use of such a person as Harrison ; and he did not fail to avail himself of his canting dexterity, and perseve- rance, in routing the Presbyterians, and bringing his legitimate, though weak, Monarch to the block. These services, for a season, * Whitelock's Memorials of English Affairs, &c. p. 634. t Clarendon's History of the Rebellion, Vol. III. p. 458. t Vitae Selectorum, &c. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 367 procured Harrison a wicked elevation and popularity, among those "who admired anarchy, rebellion, and military tyranny, highly sea- soned by religious professions ; but he did not long enjoy his ho- nours. He was at length executed as a traitor ; his head was set up at Westminster hall ; and his quarters upon the gates of the city of London. Thus disgracefully perished one of the many persons who, under the most showy pretences, would gladly have entailed to their posterity a form of government, which the people of this country never was, and we hope never will be, long dis- posed to support : a government which opens the door to every species of oppression, by raising those to govern others who have neither prudence nor judgment to govern themselves who are clamorous for principles which, wherever they have power, either in their own families, or over their other immediate dependents, they rarely reduce to practice. Monarchy, and that only, suits the genius, and sober and rational character of Englishmen.* The other person mentioned, as a native of this place, was doubtless honest in his mistaken principles ; and, as his personal history is not very generally known, we shall dwell upon it at a somewhat greater length. This person is the celebrated JOHN GOODWIN, a learned divine and most acute and zealous defender of Arminianism, who, as Grangerf remarks, " made more noise in the world, than any other person of his age, rank, and profession." Mr. Goodwin was born in the year 1593, as we are informed by an intelligent gentleman, who is descended from him in this neigh- bourhood.! Every account, hitherto printed, states the place of his birth to be unknown ; and it is but just to add, that our own authority is tradition. He received his academical education at Queen's College, Cambridge, where he soon became known by his learning and talents, and for being a smart disputant. Upon his leaving college he was admitted into orders, and became much ad- mired for the erudition and elegance which distinguished his pul- pit compositions. He preached sometime in the country, and removed to London in the year 1632. The year following he was presented to the vi- earage of St. Stephen's, Coleman-street. At this time the Arch- bishop Laud took upon himself the government of the English Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. X. p. 1077. t Biographical Hist, of Eng. J Yet Granger quotes a MS. in Lambeth Palace, which says : " Johannes Goodwin, Norfolc, became Fellow of Queen's College in Cambridge, in 1611" Biog. Hist, of Eng. Vol. III. p. 42. (note.; 3 A 368 A TOPOGRAPHICAL church ; and John Goodwin, among others, was denounced for a breach of canons, in 1637.* In the year L640, the king having allowed the convocation to continue its sittings, after the dissolution of Parliament, the clergy were busily occupied upon two subjects of considerable magnitude. One of these was to grant a subsidy for six years, to meet the exi- gency of the public affairs. This was proposed to be done, by a tax of four shillings in the pound upon the estates of the clergy. Another object of this prolonged convocation was the enactment of certain canons, or articles, amounting in number to seventeen. These were published on the 30th of June.f The first of these canons, " concerning the royal power," asserts the absolute autho- rity of kings, and the unlawfulness of taking arms, even in self- defence. Many of the other canons bore peculiarly hard on the non- conformists. The fourth, in particular, has been remarked to have a singularly intolerant character. It is there decreed, that no person shall import, print, or disperse, any books written by Soci- nians, on pain of excommunication, and of being further punished in the Star-chamber. That " no minister shall preach any such doctrines in his sermons, nor students have any such books in his study, except he be a graduate in divinity, or have episcopal, or archidiaconal, ordination ; and if any layman embrace their opi- nion, he shall be excommunicated, and not absolved without re- pentance or abjuration." Though Mr. Goodwin does not appear to have had any peculiar bias to Socinianism, he, along with otber* of the London clergy, drew up a petition to the Privy council ; and so great was the outcry against the proceedings of the bishops, that the King thought it prudent to issue an order to Laud to soften his severity. Mr. Goodwin, refusing to baptize the children of the parish pro- miscuously, and also to administer the eucharist to his whole parish, was ejected from his living in 1645. He then set up a private meeting in Colemau-street parish, on the plan of the Independents. Being thus in a manner freed from the restraints of episcopacy, he attacked his adversaries with considerable warmth ; and being a zealous defender of Arminianism, against the rigorous and disso- Neale's History of the Puritans, Vol.11, p. 263. t " Constitutions and canons ecclesiastical, treated upon by the archbishops of Canterbury and York, president of the convocation for their respective pro- vinces, and agreed upon with the king's majesty's licence, in their respective synods, begun at London and York, 1640." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 369 cializing dogmas of Calvinism, was attacked with a characteristic and native fury; and he did not fail to defend himself with spirit. But when the factious turbulence of the times had succeeded in destroying for a season, the episcopal government, he hoped to have met with more favour from the Presbyterians. By indulging this expectation, honest John Goodwin by no means shewed the strength of his understanding. Bishop Burnet accuses Goodwin as a zealous Fifth Monarchy Man; but with what justice we know not; he was certainly a friend of CromwelPs, and that is almost sufficient to stamp him a friend to any enthusiastic vagary. The late Mr. Toplady, in his detestation of Goodwin's Arminianism, was glad to have this flaw in his character ; and Mr. Wilson observes, of this furious Calvi- nist, that " he has heaped together whatever he could find to vilify the character of Mr. Goodwin, and stated them with all the acri- mony of a party bigot." The author of the Gangrasna, however, has not enumerated this among the vices of Goodwin. On the restoration of monarchy under Charles II. it was naturally expected that Goodwin would meet a severe chastisement ; but, as Burnet observes, both " John Goodwin and Milton did escape all censure, to the surprise of all people." All that was done was to call in his book intituled the "Obstructors of Justice/' and Mil- ton's celebrated "Defensiopropopulo Anglicano contra Salmasium" and his Answer to " The Portraiture of his Sacred Majesty in his Solitude and Sufferings," and have them burnt by the hands of the common hangman, which was accordingly done, on the 27th of Au- gust. The recommendation of the Commons that the king should direct his attorney-general to proceed against the authors of these books was not regarded. It is thought by some that his Armi- nianism was at length of some use to him. The Restoration, however, did not restore Goodwin to his former living; and another presentation took place in 1661. The terms of the Act of Uniformity not according with the free spirit of Mr. Goodwin, he continued a nonconformist till his death in 1665, aged 72. He wrote a great number of books, and seems to have had a ridiculous fondness for Greek titles. If our memory does not fail us, some of the late Mr. Wesley's Calvinian opponents used to call him Goodwin Redivivus. Wesley, however, was a much more sober man : had every thing that was benevolent in Goodwin's religious creed, without any of his dangerous political bias.* * Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. X. p. 1084. 370 A TOPOGRAPHICAL NoRTON-ON-THE-MooRS, is a parish of Pirehill North, situated about five miles N. N. E. of Newcastle, on the road between that town and Leek. It contains the townships of Bemersley and Nor- ton; and among other hamlets, and places, are Milton, Whitfield, Ford-Green, Ball-Green, Norton-Green, Badiley-Edge, Brown Edge, &c. The two last are commons, on which are built several cottages, some scattered and some nearly adjoining each other. The village of Norton is situated on an eminence between two of the upper branches of the river Trent; the land in its vicinity is cold, and the country hilly. This district abounds with coal at various depths, some 80 yards deep and more. The strata are from four to seven feet thick. The price varies : at some pits it is sold at 8s. 4d. per ton. The Church is a plain small edifice of brick, which was pro- bably re-built in the year 1738. According to a memorandum in the Parish register, " the old Church began to be taken down May the third, and the foundation of the new church was marked out May 6th, 1737." A square tower at the west end has its top corners ornamented with four balls or small globes, and is remarkable for containing the only doors of entrance, the chief of which is on the west side, and leads into the body of the church. The way to the gallery at the west end is by a flight of steps on the out-side and on the north side of the tower, which also leads to the belfry and station for the ringers. The bottom of the tower may be considered a kind of porch, which contains the following appropriate notice to the pa- rishioners on a table hung against the wall : " As there is in many parishes a rule made, that, except the corpses be brought to church by fair day-light, precisely at a cer- tain hour, they are not to be buried till the next morning. " And whereas there is in this parish a growing ill custom of burying at late hours, to the harm and danger of the living, with- out the least benefit to the dead. " And whereas many persons attending funerals complain of the inconvenience of being subjected to the cold and damp of the night air, and obliged to return home in the dark. ''Therefore, it is hereby ordered for the advantage of all, and the disadvantage of none, that every corpse shall be at the church at the times hereafter-mentioned, viz. " In November, December, and January, at half-past three. " In October and February, at four. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 371 " In all the other months, at five. " THOMAS MIDDLETON, Curate. ' RICHARD BALL, > Church Wardens, " FRANCIS HARGREAVES, J 1775." Benefactions. The following sums were left by the individuals whose names are here subscribed, as appears from the tables in the church : 1. The yearly interest of sums bequeathed for the use of the poor. Hugh Ford (a)* of the nearer side of the water, 4. William Ford (6), father of H. F. (a) of the nearer house to Norton on Ford-Green, 6/.f William Forde (c), late of the further side of the water, 201. Ellen Forde, (d) wife of W. F. (c) for poor householders, and to be dealt at the discretion of W. F.'s heirs, 30/. Hugh Meare, late of Norton-Hall Houses, 51. Mr. John Pott, schoolmaster of Norton, (for poor house- holders), lOf. William Sherratt, late of Bearstone, in the county of Salop, 10?. Mr. Thomas Sherrett, 10/. #3~ The principal of this last charity, and for which the curate of Norton is trustee, lies on Mr. W. Sherrett's property in Milton. 2. Annuity or yearly sum bequeathed for the use of the poor. William Meare, late of Pott-shrigley, in the county of Chester, left charged on a field called Annats-field, at Norton Green, the yearly sum of 21. 10s. 3. The yearly interest of sums bequeathed and to be distributed to the poor in bread. . Sir John Bowyer, Knight and Baronet, left 31. Mr. Moor, 21. Mr. Josiah Keeling, late of Milton, 121. This last charity is directed to be distributed, the first Sunday in each month, publickly in the church. 4. Poor's pew and seats in the gallery. Hugh Forde, of Forde Green, did in his life give the further- most pew situated in the north end of the gallery, and all the sit- ting in the arch in the wall in the middle part of the gallery, for the use of the poor inhabitants of this parish for ever. * The letter after the surnames is used for reference to some of the same name that precede or follow in the list ; and where the same letter follows re- peatedly the same name, it denotes the same person. t Forty shillings of which was lost. 372 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 5. The yearly interest of sums bequeathed for the use and towards themaitt* tenance of a schoolmaster. Ellen Forde (d) left 30/. Ellen Forde, daughter of W. F. (c), 20/. A SCHOOL and HOUSE for the abode of the parish schoolmaster, is in the church-yard on the eastern side near the Lich-gate. The Living is at present (1817) a chapel of ease to Stoke-upon- Trent, Jbut by an Act of Parliament passed eight or ten years ago, upon the death, cession, or other voidance of the present incumbent, it becomes a Rectory, and in addition to its present emoluments, (except c50. a-year now allowed by the rector of Stoke) will be endowed with all the great and small tithes of the township of Norton, which at present belong to the rector of Stoke. The Rev. Daniel Turner is the present incumbent. There are three M eting-Houses belonging to Dissenters in this parish, the largest of which stands in the village of Norton. Several excommunications are recorded in the parish register, in the seventeenth century. The laxity of ancient church discipline in the present day makes such instances and events scarcely known, or very rare. Dr. Plot* records a singular custom, which formerly was observed in this county, in felling oak trees and stripping the bark ; and which he first noticed in this parish. His words are : " In the felling whereof they have this very good custom, that they flaw it standing about the beginning or middle of May, which I first ob- served in some fences near Norton-on-the-Moors, Milton, Badiley, where there were several oakes stood naked, divested of their bark, which they told me would not be felled till Michaelmass following at soonest, or perhaps not till mid-winter, or the ensueing spring ; which I take to be a way of so valuable a consideration, that per- haps it may deserve the debate of a Parliament, whether it might not be worth while to inforce this custome to be strictly observed all over the nation ? for tho' by a reserve in the act for due felling oaken timber, it may be done at any time for building or repairing houses, ships, arid mills ; yet for any other uses none may fell it (in consideration of the tan) where bark is worth but two shillings per load, over and above the charges of barking and pilling, but be- tween the first of April and last of June, when the sap is up, and the bark will run, which causes the out side of the timber to rott Chap. ix. sec. 87. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 373 away quickly, and to grow worm-eaten : whereas these being fell'd in or near the winter, and having stood naked all the summer dry- ing in the sun, become in a manner as hard and sound without as within, being as it were all heart, and not so subject to worms ; by which means there would be a great deal of good timber saved, and no other could be used ; nor would the use of the bark be lost to the tanner, as I suppose is presumed in the present act it would, should it have admitted felling oaks in the winter season, when the bark will not run." This parish contains, 329 houses, 336 families ; 900 males, 861 females: total, 1,761 inhabitants. BAQNALL is a township in the parish of Stoke-upon-Trent, and in 1811 its population was 288 persons, whereof 156 were males, and 132 females. The number of inhabited houses were 48, and 4 were uninhabited. The number of families were 49, 28 of which were employed in agriculture, 13 in trade, and 8 were of neither description. The Chapel, which is small, and in a ruinous state, is situate in an open field adjoining to the village, about three miles to the south-east of Norton-on-the-Moors. In the same village is an an- cient mansion, now a farm-house, but formerly the residence and property of the family of Murrell, a name which appears in the Testa de Nevill for Staffordshire. Therein a William Murel is re- corded as then holding one virgate of land in the village of Selton (now Shelton), and within the manor of Newcastle. [For further particulars see the concluding part of Bucknall.] BUCKNALL is another township in the parish of Stoke-upon- Trent, whose population in 1811 amounted to 344 persons, whereof 173 were males, and 171 females. The number of inhabited houses were 76, and 4 uninhabited. The number of families were 76, 40 of which were employed in agriculture, 29 in trade, and 7 of neither description- The Church of Bucknall is situate in the village, about two miles eastward of Hanley, and three south-west of Bagnall. It is a small stone building. In the interior are a few pews, but the seats are chiefly benches or plain forms. On the walls were painted, in fresco, the Lord's Prayer, Decalogue, and Belief, and the two fol- lowing inscriptions : Ligna lapis fiunt Sam. Lea, Curate, W. Adams, Warden, 1718. 374 A TOPOGRAPHICAL TVm. Adey, Curate, Malts. Broadhurst, Warden, 1738. From the first inscription we infer, that the chapel was rebuilt with stone in 1718. The ancient chapel was probably half timber, like the present turret of TVhitniore church, and some old churches now to be seen in Cheshire. Though Bagnall and Bucknall are still townships of the parish of Stoke for civil purposes, such as the maintenance of the poor, &c. and were chapels of ease to the mother church ; yet in regard to ecclesiastical purposes, they are now by Act of Parlia- ment become a distinct parish and rectory, which includes the ad- joining township of Eaves, belonging likewise to Stoke, and the three townships, Ba^nall, Bucknall, and Eaves, are called the PA- RISH OF BUCKNALL AND BAGNALL. The Chapel of Bucknall is a parish church, and the Chapel of Bagnall is annexed thereto, and a chapel of ease to the said parish church of Bucknall and Bagnall. The inhabitants of the chapelry of Bagnall are not liable to the re- pairs of the church of Bucknall, nor are the inhabitants of the cha- pelry of Bucknall liable to the repairs of the chapel of Bagnall. The Rectory is endowed with about 85 acres of glebe, nearly 60 acres of which are situate in the parish of Cheddleton, and com- monly called Lee-house Farm. Upwards of 21 acres lie in the pa- rish of Horton, and are called Lask Edge or Moor-top Farm, and a field of about four acres lies near Bagnall, and is called the Par' ton s Field. It is further endowed with all the great and small tithes of the townships of Bucknall, Bagnall, and the Eaves, and each of them, together with all surplice fees and other emoluments heretofore belonging to the chapelries. The population of the township of Eaves in 1811 was 232 per- sons, whereof 115 were males, and 117 females. The number of houses was 40, which were occupied by 40 families, and 3 were un- inhabited, so that the population of the parish of Bucknall and Ba^nall amounts to 864. The above noticed act of separation does not exonerate the in- habitants of this parish from the repairs of Stoke Church, nor de- prive them of their accustomed right of pews, seats, or sittings therein, or of the right of sepulture in any burial place within the parish of Stoke, to which they were entitled before the passing of the said Act, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. WHITMORE is a parish in the hundred of Pirehill North. It was anciently called Witemore; and in the Conqueror's Survey the following description occurs : " Isd' R. (Ricardus Forestarius) ten' Witemore. (de rege) et 1 de eo. Vlfac tenuit et lib 5 ho fuit. Ibi e dimid' hida. T'ra c in. car'. In d'nio. e una,etm. uilTi et n. bord' cu' I. car. Ibi. I. ac' p'ti. Silua. i. leuu' 1'g. et dim' lat. Valet x. solid'." " The same R, (Richard Forester) holds Witemore (of the king) and Nigel of him. Ulfac held it and was a free man. It contains half a hide. The arable land is three carucates, one is in demesne, and three villains, and two bordars hold one carucate. There is one acre of meadow. A wood a mile in length and half-a-mile in breadth. The whole is worth 10 shillings." The village of Whitmore is situate on the public road from New- castle to Market-Drayton, about four miles from the former place. The population in 1811 was 43 families, containing in all 291 persons, whereof 156 were males, and 135 females ; 35 families were employed in agriculture, six in trade, and two were of neither description. The number of houses was 44. The Church* is situate in the village, and was, we apprehend, rebuilt in 1632, as that date appears on a stone over the west door. It is a small stone building of an oblong form, with a half-timber turret on the west end, containing three bells, and is capable of holding about 150 persons. The turret probably exhibits a speci- men of the kind of walls erected in the ancient churches prior to the use of stone. A few monuments are in the Church to the memory of some of the respectable family of Mainwaring, which has been seated at Whitmore for several generations. On the north side of the Church appears a neat walk flanked with rows of trees, forming a beautiful avenue, which is terminated by Whitmore-hall, the seat of Edward Maiuwaring, Esq. and which, judging from a date over the front door, was built or rebuilt in 1676. The Living till of late was a chapel of ease to Stoke-upon-Trent. It is now a rectory endowed with all the great and small tithes in the parish, surplice-fees, and between 30 and 40 acres of glebe ; part of which lies near Burslem, and part near Newcastle; but the bulk is situated in and near Whitmore. The reputed value is about It is not known to ^hat Saint the Church is dedicated, as no Wake has been kept for a number of years at Whitmtre ; nor do the bells determine the point one of them is in scribed jo La tin, " St. John," and another ' All Saint v" 3 B 376 A TOPOGRAPHICAL ,400. a-year. The Rev. J. S. Brasier, is Rector, and Edward Mainwaring, Esq. Patron. Benefactions to the Poor, inscribed on a tablet on the north wall in the Church : " Mr. Joseph Ball, late of this town, left to the poor of the parish of Whitmore, two pieces of land (fifty pounds purchase) the one called BallVmeadow adjoining to the Town Meadow, and a Mea- dow belonging to Master John Eardley. The other call'd Hollie- grieve [grove-croft] lying between lands belpnging to Mr. John Knight and Mr. John Walton. " Another charitable person left the interest of twenty pounds for ever to the poor of the said parish, in the trust of the Church- warden and Overseer. Mr. MIDDLETON, Minister, SAML. LATHAM, Churchwarden, Jos. HILDICH, Overseer, Ann. Dom. 1736." It is conjectured that this last donation was left by one or more of the name of Cleyton, as will be hereafter noticed, and that the first benefactor might be a descendant of the Rev. John Ball, for- merly minister of this Church, respecting whom a few memoirs, abstracted from an old printed book, are here subjoined, not out of respect to some acts of non-conformity there recorded, for such a sincere Churchman must regret, but for reasons stated in the con- clusion, and because he appears to have been an honest man, gene- rally respected, and an active, pious minister, much revered in his parish and neighbourhood. JOHN BALL, called in scorn " the Presbyterians' Champion/' was minister at Whitmore, near Newcastle, Staffordshire, from about the year 1610 to the time of his death, Oct. 20, 1639. He was born about the year 1585 at Cassington, an obscure village, a mile from Hanborough, in Oxfordshire, and educated at Yarnton school ; from whence he was removed to Brazen-nose College, Oxford, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His parents being of low estate, he was kept at school through the partiality of his master, who admired his pupil's abilities ; and was supported at College chiefly by the aid of friends. After he left the University, he was engaged as tutor to the children of Lady Cholmley, at her house in Cheshire, where he also taught other children. His ac- quaintance being amongst 'the most godly people in those parts,' who much lamented the evils of the times, he often associated with them in keeping private days of fasting andjprayer. " Himself, with HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 377 some other honest Christians, were often convented to Chester, and much troubled there, for keeping a Fast on Ascension-day, their fault being aggravated by the Bishop and his officers, because they fasted upon that holy day.'* " He was incomparably abstemious and moderate in the use of meat, drink, sleep, and apparel, and therefore had an admirable command over his passions/' When he was judged fit for the Ministry, his friends encouraged him to enter thereupon, and such was his disposition ; but he was averse to the subscription to the articles, &c. required by law, and had repeated " conflicts with the then Bishop of Chester about non-conformity." By the intercession of his friends, an Irish Bishop, who occasionally visited London, ordained him and another without requiring their subscription; and "about the year 1610, he was called to be minister at Whitmore, (a small village near unto Newcastle in Staffordshire) where he was entertained into the house of Edward Mainwaring, Esquire, a pious and much-esteemed gentleman/' As a minister he was zealous and active, entertained high and honourable thoughts of God at all times, and ever spoke of his name with reverence. The Sabbath days he endeavoured to keep strictly holy ; and the means which he adopted were as follows : Every Saturday afternoon, by way of preparation for the Sabbath, he spent about two hours in his house in praying and expounding some Scripture. On the Sabbath morning he expounded a portion, of Scripture in his family, then he preached twice in public, read divers chapters, and catechised also in the afternoon, spending much time therein, especially in the summer season. After the evening sermon, he went unto Mr. Mainwaring's house, being near at hand, where he repeated both his sermons and prayed ; likewise after supper he had another exercise in his own family, equivalent to a sermon. " He was exemplary careful to preserve God's ordinances from pollution and contempt, and therefore did always take great pains with his people to prepare them for the sacrament of the Lord's supper. In his sermons he was wont to tell his auditors, that their persecuting/impoverishing, imprisoning and thrusting daggers into their ministers' bodies, would not be more grievous than their un- worthy communicating at the Lord's table, and their unanswerable walking unto the ordinances of grace dispensed amongst them ; and when parents presented their children in the congregation to be 37S A TOPOGRAPHICAL baptized, he would very affectionately lay open their duty, pressing sacramental ingagements home to their hearts, with strong argu- ments and authority ministerial." He frequently preached at Lectures, at Madeley especially, where he was the principal upholder of a weekly sermon, and a monthly fast ; and was ever ready to assist others in private fasts and other exercises of religion. " That he might keep God's servants, of the lowest parts, always high in his own estimation, he would wisely weigh their peculiar serviceablenesse in some kind or other, though they were inferiour in sundry excellencies. Hereupon when one, admiring worthy Master Dod's holy conversation, said, Oh, how well would it be if all ministers were like unto him, Master Ball answered, The Church would be quite undone if all others were like him. For though no man more honoured Master Dod ['s abilities,] (which not many years before his death he witnessed, by listening unto his fatherly coun- sel bare-headed, with his hat in his hand) yet he knew, that other men, much inferiour in graces, had some special way of advantage to the cause, and the people of God." Although he conceived that corruptions existed in the church go- vernment and in the administrations of holy worship, yet he had a great dislike to the way of separation from our church assemblies on such pretences. He much lamented the first breakings out of independency in England, and indulged a belief, that, if God should give opportunity and hopes of Church reformation, the brethren of the new separation would be found the greatest obstructors thereof. He called the ways of separation a labyrinth, wherein men tire themselves, and grow giddy, as in a maze, but when all is. done, there is no way out, but that whereby they entered. " Being ask'd by one, who much pretended unto immediate in- spirations besides scripture, whether he, at any time, had expe- rience thereof in his own heart ? His answer was this, ' No, I blesse God, and if I should ever have such phantasies, I hope God would give me grace to resist them." Other traits of character may be extracted from his life, but we shall confine ourselves to a few remarks in respect of his power of becoming a man of considerable influence with an annuity of twenty pounds, for such was said to be the stipend of his cure, or allowance for his maintenance from the church. This sum might appear to the reader a mean and inadequate allowance, and such it was considered in those days, by his biographer, who terms his HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 379 outward condition 'mean*/ nevertheless it may be affirmed, that his condition was superior to that of many ministers in the present day whose income amounts to no more than .200. a-year j for, in his time, it is not improbable, that land set at four or five shillings an acre. At the time J. B. was minister of Whitmore, land within ten miles of the place set at nearly one-tenth of its present rent. About fifty-three years after J. B/s death, rich glebe land set in an adjoining parish at about six shillings an acre, which said land now rents for upwards of two pounds ; so that when he first entered upon the ministry, it is not improbable that '2Q. a-year was equal to the rent of a good farm of 100 acres extent and more. And in regard to the comparative price of food, labour, &c. the fol- lowing statements have appeared in print. Some of them are prior and others subsequent to J. B/s time, but by taking the average price, a fair estimate may be made. " In the reign of Henry VIII. it was enacted that butchers should sell their meat by weight : beef for one halfpenny per pound, and mutton at three farthings. At that time fat oxen (for cows were not then slaughtered) were sold for thirty shillings and eight pence each ; fat wethers for three shillings and four pence, a/a lamb for twelve pence." Stowe. " T. 35 Henry VIII. the fearme of onecow, 8*. The rent of a church yard house for six years, 6d. The rent of one half a close for six years, 6d." " 1581. At that time 200/. a-year would have kept a gentleman's or knight's house, when such were wont to keep each * halfe a score of clean men in his house, and xx or xxiv other persons be- sides, every day in the weeke ; sixteen years before 200 markes would have been sufficient/ In regard to apparel, half a crown was thought a great price for a cap, since it could have been had, a few years before, for Is. 2d. A pair of shoes cost I2d. which used to be 6d." " 1594 and 1595. Butter 3d. per Ib. ; a fore quarter of lamb, with the head, in March, 2s. 2d. ; a capon Is. 2d. ; a dozen of pidgeons 2s. 4c?. ; 28 eggs Sd. ; beef per stone Is. 6d. ; a lamb in April 5s. ; a side of veal in April 8s. ; a calf s head 10d." In the reign of James I. wheat is stated as having sold as low as 11s. 6rf. the quarter, or Is. 5|c?. per bushel; and in the succeed- ing reign of Charles I. at 14s. the quarter, or Is. 9d. the bushel. In the reign of James I. one full quart of the best beer or ale was one penny. 380 A TOPOGRAPHICAL These prices are in an household book apparently kept in the neighbourhood of Whitmore from 1738 to 1741 : A Calf from 6s. to 9a. A fat Ewe, 5s. Beef Id. to 2d. per Ib. Pork 2d. A pair of calves plucks, 6d. Bacon was 4d. per Ib. Butter, 3d. Cheese, 2d. Beef, 2d. Potatoes, 9d. the bushel. Wheat, 2s. 6d. to 5s. per bushel. Barley, Is. 4d. to 2s. 6d. ditto. Malt, 3s. to 3s. Gd. ditto. Oats, 7d. to 15d. ditto. Wheat from 4s. to Cs. per bushel. Barley, 3s. Oats from Is. 4d. to 2s. 6d. [The latter price was sowing grain.] The following is the average price, according to the statement of several old men, some of whom were upwards of, and others ap- proaching to, the age of 80 years in 1813. Two of them had lived from their childhood in the neighbourhood of Whitmore. In their juvenile days, Cow, (barren) 2Z. 15s. to 3Z. Ditto, good milch and calf, 3l. to 52. Calf, 6s. Milk, two quarts for Id. Sheep, (barren,) 6s. A Pig (good store) 12s. Labourers' wages 4d. a day and meat. Land, 7s. to 14s. an acre ; and 16s. a great price for an acre of meadow. [A House for 12s. which in 1813 would rent for 3l. a-year. Though the prices of the above articles are ever in a fluctuating state, yet they may serve to enable the reader to form an idea of the comparative value of twenty pounds a-year in the days of Mr. Ball, while minister of Whitmore ; but this divine possessed other advantages of no mean description besides his annual stipend : the chief of which must be accounted the constant friendship of the first family, and chief proprietor of estates in the parish. Such a con- nection could not fail of adding weight to his ministry in several respects. It no doubt enabled him to improve his abilities* by a constant intercourse with enlightened minds, and by a free access to a good library : for it appears from his life, that he boarded with the family of Mainwaring, not only while a bachelor, but several years after he was married. Six children were born in their house, * He is represented as having been a man of great talents in assisting and healing " dejected tempted Christians." His ability to counsel and comfort persons of that description, as he was wont to acknowledge, was occasioned " by his conversing with Mrs. Sarah Mainwayring, (wife to the gentleman in whose house he continued many years) who was much exercised in that kind, and was an unparallel'd gentlewoman for holy tendernesse and exactnesse in religion." She was a Miss Stone, and married Edward Mainwayringe, Esq. at Bowe Church, in Chepsyde, London, Sept. 6th, 1600. She died at Whit, more, where she was buried in July 1648, aged 71 years. The parish register contains an high encomium on her merits. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 381 and when he removed from thence, a house was built on purpose for him in the village of Whitmore, wherein his seventh and last child was born. Moreover, when he boarded with Mr. M. his visi- tors and acquaintance were kindly received, and hospitably enter- tained at Mr. M/s expense. And when he became a housekeeper, a cow was kept for him summer and winter, gratis, by Mr. M, Other friends likewise contributed to Mr. Ball's comforts, among whom was Mr. William Cleyton, Gent, of Radwood, in the parish of Maer,* who left him twenty shillings a-year during his life ; which was one of the temporary purposes to which his charity was, at first, directed to apply, and alluded to in the account of Maer. When these helps are considered, and the profits of a respecta-r bie school are added ; for he kept a considerable school at Whit- more, as " some of his pupils were tabled in his own house, and the rest placed in the neighbourhood;" it is no great matter of surprise that with his income " he lived very comfortably, was given to hospitality, and also unto liberality to the poor, (consi- dering his estate) and left a good competency unto his wife and children." Wordly affairs beyond the bounds of his calling engaged but little of his attention ; and it was fortunate for him that there was no necessity ; for at Whitmore " he married a godly wife, whom God had provided as an helpmeet for him, he himself being always a meer scholler." One trait in his character appears highly culpable, which is his mode of entering upon the ministry by the ordination of an Irish Bishop, and contrary to the consent of his own diocesan. However * In a will, bearing date Nov. 8th, 1625, he bequeathed twenty shillings yearly to Mr. Hodskin, of Meare; and the like sums to Mr. Ball, of Whit- more, and to Mr. Hulme, of Betley, to be paid to each respectively and yearly during their lives, or till they had sufficient maintenance elsewhere : and in case these three ministers mentioned should die, or have competent mainte- nance elsewhere, his will was that the said sum of three pounds should be dis- tributed yearly to three preaching ministers, at the discretion of his executors. He also left to the poor of Madeley and Whitmore parish ten shillings a-pieoe yearly. This annuity of ten shillings, we presume, is a part of the last-named charity noticed in the benefactions, p. 376. The other part might have been added by his son John Cleyton, who increased his father's bequests to the poor in Maer. These Cleytons were probably descendants of Mr. Wm. Cley- ton, formerly curate of Whitmore, whose death is thus recorded in the Pa- rish register : " Gulielmus Clayton concionator verbi Dei sepultus fuit XVI Die Junii Anno Domini 1609 fuit iste Gulielmus pastor Ecclesiae d Whitmore." 382 A TOPOGRAPHICAL for this transgression he may be said to have made some atonement by frequently lamenting, in the presence of others, his own incon- siderate entrance upon the ministry both during his life and at his death.* He considered the minister's office " a weighty calling," as most undoubtedly it is ; and the memoirs of this divine are here introduced in confirmation of this important truth. Wherever the officiating minister is rendered weak by poverty of stipend, the in- fluence and assistance of the high and more opulent in his parish, who profess to belong to the Church of England, are indispensably necessary to promote her prosperity : and wherever this assistance is withheld, or influence, in matters respecting religion, perverted by being conveyed through other channels than that of, or uncon- nected with, the officiating minister ; whether curate or incumbent, the Church will most materially suffer. TRENTHAM, is a parish in Pirehill North, adjoining to that of Newcastle. It contains four townships, namely, Blurton and Lightwood Forest, Hanchurch and Butterton, Handford, and Trent- ham. This parish contains 399 houses, 417 families ; 1069 males, 1051 females: total, 2,120 inhabitants. The village of Trentham is situate on the turnpike-road between Newcastle and Stone, about four miles from the former place. It consists of several tenements and a large Inn. The new Cemetery of the House of Trentham is situated in the village of Trentham, on the eastern side of the road that passes through it. It is a large pyramidal pile of stone, of two stories, the upper of which contains one bell, and is surmounted by a cross. The entrance is at the western side, and a large Gothic window admits the light from the east. The interior of the cemetery contains twenty catacombs on each side, each sufficiently capacious to hold one coffin. The divisions between these catacombs are faced with Derbyshire marble. The funeral service is performed in this Mausoleum on the inter- ment of any of the parishioners, and an extensive burying-ground is enclosed in the rear of this structure, beyond which the minister's house stands in a field : it is now the residence of the Rev. T. Butt, the present minister of Trentham. The Church, which originally was part of the monastery, noticed hereafter, is an ancient structure of stone situated close to the Hall, and is dedicated to St. Mary. * His death is thus entered in the register " Johanes Ball obijt vicesshno die Octobris, 1639, quondam Curatus de Wbitmore observatissimus." HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 3S3 The ancient family-vault of the House of Trentham is in the Church, and none of the family have yet been interred in this new cemetery. Longevity. Thomas Elkon, of Spratslade, died Feb. 7, 1783, aged 91 years ; Ann Lakin, aged 89 years. There is a remarkable inscription in the church-yard, which points out the antiquity of a family resident in this parish : " To the Me- mory of the Boulds from the year of our Lord 1558." " Trentham, heretofore called Trichingham, is of no note for any thing ancient, but a little monastery dedicated to the holy and royal virgin, St. Werburga, and erected for canons regular of St. Augustine, in the reign of William Rufus. Ranulph de Gernons, Earl of Chester, is said to be the founder of this monastery."* But as that Earl lived in the time of king Stephen, it is probable he was only the restorer of it, and a benefactor to it. He granted the canons " a yearly rent of 1005. which gift was confirmed to them with divers immunities, by King Henry the Second. It was valued at the Dissolution at ,106. 3s. Wd. per annum."f According to Pope Nicholas's taxation in 1291, the Church of Trentham, then appropriated to the prior and convent of the same, was valued at twenty marks. Lady Catherine Leveson, daughter of Alice Duchess of Dudley, gave .400. to the township of Trentham, to purchase lands of the yearly value of <20. for the support of a schoolmaster to teach the poor children of the parish, until they be fit to be put forth apprentices to some honest trade and occupation. She also gave to the poor of this parish fifty pounds, to be distributed to them on the day of her funeral. She also gave the yearly rent of c120. for the maintenance of twelve poor widows, whereof three were to fee chosen out of this township, by the minister, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor, and to have a gown of grey cloth with the letters K. L. in blue cloth fixed on it. As also one hundred pounds per annum to be paid out of her rents and revenues at Foxley in Northamptonshire, for the placing out ten boys apprentice, two of them to be of this parish, where she died in 1673, but was buried at Lilleshall, by her husband Sir Richard Leveson. His sister and co-heir marrying Sir Thomas Gower, brought this lordship into his family, who made it his seat, and whose descendants were ele- vated to a peerage. Sir John Leveson Gower, the 5th Baronet, * Dugdale's Moaasticon, Vol. 9, p. 260. + Magna Britannia, No. 63, p. 154* 3 C 384 A TOPOGRAPHICAL was created Viscount Trentham and Earl Gower, July 8, 1746, and his eldest sou, Marquis of Stafford, in the year 1786. [See " Peer- age/' in this Work.] Trentham Hall, the family residence of the present Marquis of Stafford, is situated on the banks of the river Trent, and is one of the most magnificent seats in the county. It is a modern man- sion, and built after the model of Buckingham House, in St. James's Park. It is built of brick, but the front is covered with Egyptian cement similar to stone. The principal front is to the south, and the mansion is sheltered by full-grown trees on the north and east sides. The pleasure-grounds are extensive and diversified, and the river Trent, which forms a beautiful lake at some distance from the front of the Hall, with the woody hills beyond it, present a beautiful va- riety of rural scenery. Near the eastern side of the house, an orangery is seen like a mystic temple, and the stranger on approach- ing it is gratified by the fragrant scent of the snow-white blossoms. A few paces beyond the orangery, and nearer the house, a handsome iron bridge of a single arch, 90 feet wide, affords a ready passage to the rambler over a fine piece of water. Part of the windows in the front of the lower story exhibit the various green-house plants and flowers of a conservatory. A new eastern wing has been lately completed. The interior of this man- sion harmonizes with its elegant exterior. It contains a choice and valuable collection of paintings by the first masters, particu- larly an exquisite Guido, and some other chef cTceuvres. There are also several sketches of Northern scenery by the present Mar- chioness of Stafford. Blurton, is an hamlet about two miles to the east of Trentham. The Church is a small structure of brick, with a belfry containing one bell. It is a chapel of ease to Trentham church : the Marquia of Stafford is the patron, and the Rev. John Blunt, minister. SWINNERTON parish is in Pirehill North, and contains part of Sea- bridge township. The village of Swinnerton is about three miles to the south of Trentham, and four miles w. N. w. from Stone. This large and fertile manor was possessed for ages by a race of gentle- men who took their names from it. The first of this family on record was Roger de Swinnerton, who in the 34th of Edward the First obtained a Charter of free-warren in all his demesne lands in this manor ; and for keeping a market on Wednesday every week, and a fair yearly upon the feast of our Lady's assumption. From this HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 385 family the manor devolved by marriage to the Fitzherberts in the reig-n of Henry the Eighth. The Mansion-house of Swinnerton, the residence of the Fitz- herbert family, is situated on an eminence which commands very extensive prospects of the circumjacent fertile country, and of part of Shropshire. In one of the apartments there is a very fine full- length picture of Sir John Fitzherbert, Knt. This house and the demesne land were a few years ago occupied by George Toilet, . Esq. of Betley, during the minority of the owner. While under his management, the lands were well cultivated and greatly improved. Swinnerton Church is an ancient fabric, situated close to the Mansion-house. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a rectory which formerly was in the patronage of the University of Oxford, but afterwards came into private patronage. The late Rev- William Robinson, Clerk, was both patron and incumbent. The Rev. Mr. Corns is now rector ; and the Rev. Thomas Orritt, is curate. Swinnerton Park is situated between two and three miles N.N.W. of the Mansion, and to the west of Trentham demesne. It consists of wood land and waste land, of a good quality, but in a state of nature. It is in an elevated situation, capable of being rendered very valuable land, and is somewhat similar in circumstances to Chartley Park, and like it capable of very high improvement. It is of considerable extent, and is much resorted to during the season by many of the poor for the purpose of gathering bilberries, which they sell to the nearest towns and villages. Hanchurch High-heath adjoining is also a considerable waste of similar land. Millstone-Green is another neglected waste contiguous to Han- church-heath. Perhaps no part of the county is more worthy of the attention of the agriculturist than these tracts. Millstone-Green is likewise the name given to an hamlet situate between Newcastle and Whitmore, about two miles and a half from the former place. Dr. Plot says (ch. ii. sec. 12) " that those places that are situate highest, and enjoy the fewest waters, mines, aid woods, must un- doubtedly be the healthiest, in proportion as they are free from one, more, or all of them : upon which account (he continues) I lake Swynerton, the village of Beech, and all the hill country be- twixt that and Trentham (being void of most if not all these) to be the healthiest spot of ground in all the county, which seems amply to be made out by an observation they have there, viz, that they have three christenings for one buryal." 386 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Acton, is an hamlet in this parish, situate about a mile to the east of Whitmore, and is noticed in the Conqueror's Survey. It is therein termed ACTONE, and is stated to be the property of the Bishop of Chester, and held of him by Rob't. The arable land was four carucates, one was in demesne. There were ten villains and eight bordars, holding four carucates. There was likewise a mill of two shillings rent, eight acres of meadow, and a wood three furlongs long and two broad ; each furlong being forty perches. It is remarkable that a pinnacle at the top of the gable end of an old barn built of wood is now to be seen, or was within these two years past, having carved thereupon the arms of the See of Lichfield and Coventry; from which is it improbable that the Bishop of Chester's property became vested in the Bishopric of Lichfield and Coventry ? To such of our readers, who incline to that opinion, this old barn will be considered as affording a strik- ing proof of the long duration of those kind of buildings, which have been erected with strong timber frames, and covered with boards. The chief, if not sole proprietor of estates in Acton, is Edward M aiuwaring, Esq. of Whitmore Hall. Close to Acton is a large gravel pit, which continues still to be much used by the public. About a mile from Acton is a water mill, which bears marks of great antiquity ; and we presume, in regard to the walls and plan thereof, is the identical mill noticed in Doomsday Book, as rented at two shillings a-year. The parish of Swinnerton contains 167 houses, 167 families ; 461 males, 432 females : total 893 inhabitants. STANDON is a small parish, situated about three miles south-west of Swinnerton, and four miles north of Eccleshall, near a branch of the river Sow. The village of Standon is built on an eminence in a pleasant situ- ation, and surrounded by fertile fields. Standon Church is a small structure of stone, with a tower, con- taining three bells. It is dedicated to All Saints, and is a rectory: the Rev. William Walker is the present incumbent. The population of Standon is 420 persons. Cotes 9 is an hamlet in this parish, situate about a mile to the west of Swinnerton, which, with Cotes-lodge and estate, is chiefly, if not wholly, the property of John Cotes, Esq. of Woodcote-hall, near Newport, Salop. This worthy gentleman is now advanced in years, and his virtues will long be remembered when he is no more* No HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 387 man possesses or is more entitled to the fond esteem of a grateful tenantry. The following testimony of the respect heretofore en- joyed by the family of Cotes will, we trust, prove acceptable to our readers, not only on their account, but from the piety and dig- nity of the style, and from the affecting description which it gives of the latter days of (Bishop Hough) a venerable Prelate's life. Bishop of WORCESTER'S Letter to Lord DIGBY, April }3th, 1743, in the 93d year of his age, three weeks before his death. " MY LORD, I think myself very k much obliged to your Lordship's nephew for his kind visit, whereby I have a more au- thentic account of your Lordship's health, than is usually brought me by report ; and an opportunity of informing myself in many particulars relating to your noble house, and the good family at Woodcote, which I hear with the uncommon pleasure of one who has been no stranger to them, Mr. Cotes is blessed in his child- ren, all whose sons are not only deserving, but prosperous ; and I am glad to see one of them devoted to the service of God. He may not, perhaps, have chosen the most likely employment to thrive by, but he depends on a master, who never fails to recom- pense them that trust in him above their hopes. The young gen- tleman will account to your Lordship for Hartlebury ; but I fancy you will expect me to say something of myself, and therefore I presume to tell you, my hearing hath long since failed. I am weak and forgetful, having as little inclination to business, as ability to perform it. In other respects I have ease, if it may not more properly be called indolence, to a degree beyond what I durst have thought on, when years began to multiply upon me. I wait continually for a deliverance out of this life into a better, in humble confidence, that, by the mercy of God, through the merits of his Son, I shall stand at the resurrection on his right hand. And, when you, my Lord, have ended those days that are to come, which I pray may be many and prosperous, and as inno- cent and exemplary as those that are past, I doubt not of our meeting in that state, where the joys are renewable, and will always endure. I am your Lordship's most obedient, and ever affectionate servant, " JOHN WORCESTER." CAorfton, is a village and chapelry, about five miles north by west from Eccleshall, and near the eastern branch of the river Sow. The village, in which the chapel stands, is called Chapel Chorl- 388 A TOPOGRAPHICAL ton. The Chapel is a small structure dedicated to St. Lawrence, and is a chapel of ease to Eccleshall. The Ret. F. Jenkinson is the present minister. At or near to Chorlton is a quarry of good building stone of a white colour, and it was noticed by Dr. Plot (ch. iv. sec. 31) as being in his time " the whitest and freest from stains" in the county, " and of a fine grain enough." Hill Chorlton, or Chorlton~on-the-Hill, is an hamlet a small dis- tance from Chapel Chorlton, and in the same chapelry. Cold Meece and Mill Meece are two hamlets to the south of Swinnerton, about a mile from thence ; and nearly the same dis- tance from each other. The latter place, as its name imports, contains a good water mill, and there is an ancient mansion, or a part thereof, which belonged to the family of a Mr. Bill. BARLASTON, is a village situated about three miles north of Stone, to the east of the road leading to Newcastle. The Church of Barlastonis situated close to Barlaston Hall, and is a small structure of brick, built in the Gothic style, with four windows on each side, and a handsome east window. The ancient square tower, which is low, and rather in a ruinous state, is of stone. This church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and is a curacy, in the patronage of the Marquis of Stafford. The Rev. Benjamin Adams is the present minister. Barlaston Hall is situated on an eminence, which commands an extensive view of a picturesque part of the vale of Trent. The Grand Junction Canal passes through the grounds below the mansion, which is a large and handsome building. Tittensor- heath and Trentham-woods bound the prospect. Thomas Mills, Esq. is the present proprietor. The parish of Barlaston contains 77 houses, 81 families ; 191 males, 205 females : total, 396 persons. Darlaston Bridge, over the Trent, is in this parish ; and Darlas- ton Holly the seat of John Smith, Esq. is situated in the meadows, where a very ancient plantation of firs skirts the road. Tittensor Heath, in this neighbourhood, is a considerable length of high, sound, sandy, waste land. At the extremity of the heath, towards Trentham, there is an Asylum for lunatics, kept by Mr. Thomas Bakewell, facing the vale of Trent, which is on the oppo- site side of the road. Clayton, is a liberty in the parish of Stoke-upon-Trent, and is in the northern division of Pirehill. It is situated about two miles HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 389 s. w. from Newcastle, and commands a beautiful and extensive prospect. According to Pope Nicholas's taxation, the prior of Trentham held at Clayton (therein termed Claxton) in the deanery of Newcastle, two carucates of land, which was worth ten shil- lings a carucate ; and the profits of gardens, which he had from thence, amounted to one shilling a-year. Clayton gave name to a family who were seated there at a very early period : the last of the eldest branch of the male line, Thomas Clayton, Esq. died about the eleventh of Charles 2d, leaving two daughters. Eliza- beth, the eldest, and heiress, married Thomas Lea, Esq. This gen- tleman was descended in the direct male line from the antient Earls and Dukes of Suffolk, and the Earls of Lichfield. Mary Clayton married William Windsor, Esq. of Rees-hall, Cheshire, and the Grange, Shropshire. Part of the foundation of the ancient Clayton-hall still remains : it was taken down by Mr. Lea, who built the old mansion, which is now in a state of dilapi- dation, having been inhabited by farmers for more than fifty years, the family residing in Shropshire. In September 1812, the Clayton and other family estates descended by the death of the Rev. John Lea, of Acton Burnell, Shropshire, to the three daughters of his youngest brother, the late Thomas Lea, Esq. of Chester. The Rev. John Lea had long held in abeyance all the honours and titles belonging to his family. The Claytons, of Clayton, possessed anciently large estates in Cheshire, which passed into other branches of this family settled in other counties. The seat of Hugh Booth, Esq. is pleasantly situated in the village. According to the population returns of 1811, Clayton contained 24 houses, 31 families ; 87 males, 84 females : total of inhabitants, 171. STONE, Is a very extensive parish of Pirehill South, consisting of uneven upland, but in general of a good loamy quality. The town of Stone is a place of great antiquity, and owes its origin to the inhumanity of Wulfere, King of Mercia, who slew hit two sons for embracing Christianity, but afterwards repented, and converted his Heathen temples into Christian churches. The Saxons, according to custom, gathered stones and heaped them 4 390 A TOPOGRAPHICAL upon the place where Wulfere had slain his sons, to preserve the memory of the place, and Queen Ermenilda, their mother, erected a church over their tomb. A town was afterwards gradually built at the place, which in memory of the event was called Stone. The manor is not mentioned in Doomsday Book, but the Con- queror gave it to Erasmus, who held it till the reign of King Henry the First, and then it being forfeited to the King by his son Enysan de Walton, who had killed two nuns and a priest, who had settled in a small oratory in this town, in honour of St. Wul- fad, before murdered there, was given to Robert de Stafford, who out of great devotion to that saint, founded a priory for canons regular of St. Augustine ; and after him the family made it their burial-place.* The Church is a handsome modern structure of stone, built in the Gothic style, with ten windows on each side, and a square tower containing eight bells. It is dedicated to St. Michael, and is a curacy, the King being patron. We believe the Rev. Mr. Buckeridge, of Lichfield, brother or near relative to the Archdea- con of Warwick, is the incumbent ; and the Rev. Joseph Smith, is the present minister. Stone is a well-built market-town, situated on the northern bank of the Trent, seven miles north from Stafford. The Trent and Mersey Canal passes near the town, and has much facilitated its commerce. It is a place of considerable extent, and contains eight streets and lanes. There is a good weekly market for corn and other provisions held on Tuesday. The principal office for conducting the business of the Trent and Mersey Canal, is at Stone. Some account of this noble un- dertaking is given in a succeeding part of this Work. The parish of Stone contains the townships of Beech, Kibble- stone, Hilderstone, and Normacott. According to the last popula- tion returns, it contained 1,174 houses, 1,227 families ; 3,159 males, 3,111 females: total, 6,270 inhabitants. Stone has four annual fairs : the Tuesday after Midlent ; Shrove Tuesday ; Whit-Tuesday ; and August 5th, for sheep and cattle. At Stonefield, a vast and open tract to the left of the town, the Duke of Cumberland drew up his army in 1745, in order to give battle to the Scotch rebels, who had advanced to Derby. The se- quel is well known. Magna Britannia, No. 62. p. 72. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 391 About half a mile from the town, a good stone bridge leads to the pleasant hamlet of Walton, whence Enysan de Walton, before mentioned, took his name. This Enysan (says Pennant) was the true re^founder of the Priory at Stone; but the Staffords, who were his superiors, assumed the honour of this new foundation. The church of the priory contained many magnificent tombs of this great family at the period of the Dissolution, at which time they were removed for safety to the Augustines of Stafford, but were afterwards destroyed with that place. At a short distance to the left, is a range of hills called Stone Park, an extensive farm belong- ing to the Gower family. This was formerly a place of some con- sequence, and gives title to the present Viscount Granville. A little further on, stands the hamlet of Stoke ; and on the oppo- site side of the Trent, the remains of the once spacious mansion called Aston House, which originally belonged to a branch of the Hevininghams of Suffolk, and was brought by marriage to Sir James Simeon, who rebuilt the Hall. He also erected a Mausoleum in the garden for the interment of himself and family. The vault, with two wings, in Stone church-yard, belonging to the Jervis family, was executed from the model of this cemetery. Edward Weld, Esq. of Lulworth Castle, Dorset, afterwards became possessed of this estate, but it is now the property of the Right Hon. the Earl of St. Vincent. Burston, a small hamlet about three miles from Stone, was anci- ently mueh frequented by the devout, on account of a chapel said to have been erected on the spot where Rufiij,the second son of Wulfere, was supposed to have suffered martyrdom. The road from Burston passes, for several miles, along a beautiful vale, watered by the Trent, and enlivened by the Canal, which winds very picturesquely through the meadows. The prospect is bounded by some well- wooded hills called the Orangies, &c. behind which lie the lord- ships of Hilderston and Milwich. The former was the demense of Robert Bagot in the reign of King Henry I. which he held of the Baron of Stafford, but it afterwards changed its lord, for in 12th Edward I. one Vitalis held this manor of Robert de Stafford, and soon after it came into the possession of Robert Hugglesford, whose family held it till the end of King Edward Illd/s reign. It after- wards became the estate of Sir John Delves, whose only daughter and heir carried it by marriage to Sir Robert Sheffield, Krit. Re- corder of the City of London. It afterwards was sold to Sir Gilbert 3 D 392 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. Gerrard, of Gerard's Bromley, who was Master of the Rolls in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.* FULFORD, is a village and parish five miles to the north-east of Stone. The river Blithe passes to the north of this parish ; the soil is loamy on a marl bottom ; and there is a mansion near the Church called Fulford Hall. The village is ancient, and irregularly built, being situated oa uneven ground. The Church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and is a chapel of ease to Stone. It is in a low situation, with a small cupola and one bell. There is also a chapel for Calvinists in this village. Fulford is noticed by Plot as containing the same kind of white building stone as that at Chapel Chorlton. Topographer, Vol. I. p. 121. . THE- STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERIES. THIS opulent and interesting district of the county, lies to the north-east of Newcastle, and extends about nine or ten miles in length. The POTTERIES, so called, are situated in the Hundred of Pirehill North, and include the towns and villages of Golden Hill, New-field, Smith-field, Tunstall, Longport, BURSLEM, Cobridge, Etruria, HANLEY, Shelton, STOKE, Lower Lane, Lane Delf, and LANE END, each of which places will be noticed in this their geo- graphical order. Golden Hill is within the liberty of Oldcott, parish'of Wolstanton, and is chiefly remarkable for its valuable mines of coal, and the fine and extensive prospects which it commands : these include nearly the whole of the county of Chester, with the Welch mountains in the back-ground ; and the best general view of the POTTERIES, with the surrounding country. New-field, was partly formed out of the very extensive town- fields within the liberty of Tunstall, about the year 1613, though William Badyley became seised of a messuage and certain quan- tity of land there, in the 10th of Edward VI. It is well situated for manufacturing purposes, having abundance of coal. ADMIRAL SMITH CHILD, who of late years lived on this estate, settled on him by his maternal uncle, Thomas Baddeley, was of Salopian descent, though his immediate ancestry were of Audley, in this county, his great-grandfather, Smithe Child, having suc- ceeded to Boyle's Hall and other property in the latter township, (of which the Admiral was himself a native) on the demise of Margaret Smithe, widow, about 1657. In the peace of 1763, he married his kinswoman, Margaret Roylance, and resumed, near the commencement of the American war, his naval duties, which were continued to its termination. Whilst on shore, he ardently participated in agricultural and other useful pursuits, and received the honorary freedom of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and of Liverpool. 394 A TOPOGRAPHICAL Upon his death, the following succinct notice appeared in the obituary of The Naval Chronicle for 1813 : " Died, at New-field, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, on the 21st January, of gout in the stomach, aged 83, Smith Child, Esq. Ad- miral of the Blue. He entered the service under Earl Gower's auspices in 1747, as the nautical disciple of Lord Anson, and served at -the sieges of Pondicherry and Louisbourg. He com- manded the Europe in the two actions off the Chesapeake, in 1781, with such credit as enabled him to obtain preferment for most of her officers ; but, the following year, his eldest son, (a youth who had evinced great intrepidity on board the Fame upon the memo- rable Twelfth of April, and was about to have joined the FOM- droyant, commanded by Sir John Jervis, then at home,) perished in the unfortunate Ville de Paris. In 1795 he took the command of the Commerce de Marseilles of 120 guns, and attained his flag on Valentine's day, 1799. The Admiral was, during great part of his life, in the Commission of the Peace for Staffordshire, a Deputy- Lieutenant, &c. of the county, and was most eminently and ex- tensively beloved and revered." His remains were deposited at Wolstanton. Smith-field possesses many strata of good coal and coarse clay, and embraces some charming prospects. Here is Smith-field, a handsome villa, formerly the property and residence of the late Theophilus Smith, Esq. Tunstall, a liberty in the parish of Wolstanton, is pleasantly situated on an eminence about four miles from Newcastle, and on the turnpike-road from Lawton to that town. It has a neat chapel belonging to the Methodists. There " formerly was a church here, and various human bones have been dug up ; but such is the effect of time, that not the least trace of it now remains."* There are several considerable manufactories at Tunstall, particularly of a superior kind of blue tile, the clay found here being favourable for the purpose : it is little inferior, in appearance, to common slate. A turnpike-road runs hence to Bosley, in Cheshire. The following are copies of two ancient and curious deeds con- nected with this place : " TUNSTALL. At the Court there holden on Tuesday in the week of Pentecost in the 10th Year of the Reign of King Edd. the 4th came William Badyley Son and Heir of Margery Handeson and took Seisin of the Lord of Audley of one Messuage and 20 Acres of customary Land in Tunstall * Aikin's Manchester. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 395 of which the said Margery died seized To hold to the said William and his Heirs according to the custom of the Manor : and he gives to the said Lord at his entry 20d- In testimony whereof John Harryson Deputy Steward to this Copy hath affixed his Seal. Given as above." " Be yt knowne to all true me In chryste In the weyof truthe yt I Phythyon of Tunstall dyd purchys a garden place yt lyythe in Tunstal at Hary of Tun- stall my broders ye w ch garden place I do set at my dysseasse to Margerye my wyffe and to Margyt my doughttd ye wyffe of John Banchcrofte & aftd ye dys- eace of my wyffe hytt to remeyne to Margytt my doughtld & to hyr eyres the recorder of this Rychard of rydgwaye & to thys I set to my scale Gyvyn ye last djaye of Jtilye in ye yere & reyne of Kynge Harrye ye Syxt after ye conquest of England x x x. & vij." Longport lies in a valley between Newcastle and Burslem, and contains some very good houses and first-rate manufactories. This place was formerly called Long Bridge, from a kind of bridge or stepping-stones laid across the whole breadth of the swampy mea- dows, which bridge was afterwards removed ; and from the Trent and Mersey canal passing through it, and its great improvement in buildings and population, the place received its present name. Here is a chapel belonging to the Methodists. BURSLEM. THIS extensive and populous town, "which claims the honour of being the MOTHER OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERIES, stands on a rising ground about three miles and a half N.N.E. of Newcastle. It is a parish in Pirehill North, and includes the townships of Hulton Abbey and Sneyd. The manor of Burslem was in the possession of Robert de Staf- ford at the time of the General Survey. Henry de Audley was lord of it in the time of Henry the Third, and it continued in the possession of his family to the end of the sixteenth century.* Burslem is undoubtedly the ancient seat of the Pottery, where earthenwares have been made many centuries, for Dr. Plott, who wrote in 1686, mentions the potteries of this place as the greatest of the kind, and gives a very minute description of the process of making earthenware at that time.f We have devoted a sepa- rate article to the description of the various improvements made in this useful and elegant manufacture since Dr. Plott wrote. The vast increase of population, opulence, and knowledge, in this district * Magna Britannia, No. 02, p. 78. t Hist, of Staff, ch. iii. p. I2t. A TOPOGRAPHICAL of the county, affords a sufficient demonstration of its general utility, and the numerous manufactories, the extensive Warehouses, Kilns, and beautiful mansions of the master-potters, with the com- fortable habitations of the thousands of industrious individuals em- ployed iu this lucrative branch of trade, present a scene of anima- tion truly interesting to the patriotic observer. Burslem contains several modern streets, and the houses are well built of excellent brick burnt upon the spot. The Market-house is a neat modern structure of brick, situated near the centre of the town. It was erected in the year 1760, upon a piece of waste ground called May-pole bank, by the subscriptions of its inhabitants, to which the then Lords of the Manor, Sir Nigel Gresley, Bart, and Ralph Sneyd, Esq. gave .10. each. It is now a large and ex- cellent market for butcher's meat, vegetables &c.: the market- days are Monday and Saturday, but the former is the principal. The Church, dedicated to St. John, is a large modern brick edi- fice, with an ancient stone tower : it stands in a low situation near the canal. The interior is neat and clean, arid furnished with a good organ. This Church is one of the rectories formed out of that of Stoke by an Act of Parliament, passed in 1805. The Rev. Edward Whiel- don is rector, and the Rev. John Salt, curate. The late John Rogers, Esq. of Longport, left .100. towards raising the tower of Burslem Church, provided it be carried into effect within the given time. According to the Parish Register, there were 451 baptisms and 287 funerals at Burslem church, in 1816. There are six Meeting-houses for Dissenters of the different de- nominations, in this parish, including one for Roman Catholics, at Cobridge. The chapel for the Methodists of the Old Con- nexion, is the largest in the county, and is capable of holding 3000 persons. There are two very extensive Sunday Schools, at one of which 2000 children receive education and religous instruction : a library is attached to it for the use of the scholars. The other school is not so large. "Few places," says Dr. Aikin,"have so great a diversity of opinion on the score of religion as this; but the effusions of loyalty here upon most occasions may be fairly stated to be general, warm, and sincere." A large and commodious Subscription Warm Bath was opened at the Bicras Colliery^ in August 1816. It is supplied from HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 397 three powerful steam-engines, the property of Messrs. Wood and Galdwell : the temperature of the water is generally from 85 to 90 Fahrenheit, but it can quickly be either diminished or in- creased at the option of the bather. It is circular, and sufficiently large for the exercise of swimming. The interior of the circular part is beautifully painted in landscapes, and sea views, by an ar- tist of some eminence. Burslem is remarkable as being the place where the first clod of that great national undertaking, the Trent and Mersey Canal, was cut by the late Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. ; and on July 26, 1816, the 50th anniversary of this memorable event was celebrated by a public dinner, at which all the principal manufacturers of Burs- lem were present. Enoch Wood, Esq. presided upon the occasion, and after a well-merited eulogium upon the late venerable Father of the Potteries (a native of Burslem), and the inventive genius of Brindley, he exhibited various ancient specimens of Earthenware, descriptive of the progressive state of the manufacture during the last 150 years, which he divided into epochs of fifty years, from the Butter Pot mentioned by Plott down to the time at which the excellent specimens of Queen's or Cream-coloured ware, Jasper, &c. left by the late Mr. Wedgwood, were produced. It has been often asked, Why the potters fixed themselves here, or the Potteries of this county continued to flourish more than those of any other part of the kingdom, or perhaps of the whole world ? The answer to this question appears tolerably obvious- The abundant and almost inexhaustless supply of clay and coal upon the spot, the inland situation of this district, which contributed to render labour cheap, and some other circumstances that will be noticed hereafter, combined to fix and establish this important branch of commerce where it had been so successfully commenced. " The measures or strata, by which the beds of coal are divided, consist most commonly of clays of different kinds, some of which make excellent fire-bricks, for building the potter's kilns, and sag* gars, (a corruption of the German Schragers, which signifies casea or supporters), in which the ware is burnt. Finer clays, of various colours and textures, are likewise plentiful in many places, most of them near the surface of the earth ; and of these the bodies of the wares themselves were formerly manufactured. The coals being then also got near the surface, were plentiful and cheap. In the time of Plott they were as low as two-pence the horse-load, which, at eight horse-loads to a ton (the usual estimation), amounts to only 398 A TOPOGRAPHICAL sixteen pence the ton. In 1795 the price of coals was from four to five shillings per ton at the works. Since that time a regular ad- vance has taken place."* When they first began to get the coals here, it was done by removing the soil and clay which covered them : they were afterwards got in open pits, which, however, soon filled with water. Recourse was then had to draining, by laying soughs or gutters from the lowest part of the land near them, by which means the coals were procured for many years in this neighbourhood, until the upper parts or heads of the mine were generally .exhausted, and coals became scarce. In the year 1719, Lord Macclesfield, who owned an estate of about 150 acres, full of coals, adjoining the town of Burslem, en- tered into an agreement with the owners of the low meadow lands near the church, for permission to cut a sough or gutter from thence up to his lands, for the purpose of draining his mines. The completion of this gutter furnished an abundant supply for upwards of sixty years, but the coal that lay above this gutter or drain, at length became exhausted, and rendered the article scarce and dear* The proprietors of the coal lands then introduced horse- gins ; and steam-engines followed shortly afterwards. The deepest engine-pit in the year 1815 was 111 yards, which, if the owners find sufficient demand for the coal, will give a plentiful supply for many years to come. Coals are now sold here at .8s. 4rf. per ton. at the pit. The coals here- range from north to south the whole length of the Potteries (say about nine or ten miles on the east of Bur- slem), and generally dip from east to west about one foot perpen- dicular in every four feet in length down the dip. Towards Mole Cop, which is four or five miles north of Burslem, the coals suddenly return along Harecastle Hills, having a greater dip, and range nearly from north to south for the length of four or five miles to the neighbourhood of Red-street, and dip south-east; from whence they again range north and south in the direction of Silverdale, a distance of four or five miles, dipping towards the east, and heading-out to the surface of the earth towards the west. It has been clearly ascertained that there are 32 different mines of coals, between Burslem and the ridge of hills a little to the east of Norton Church, of various thicknesses, generally from about three to ten feet each, laying in the following order, stratum, super- stratum, &c., and in that neighbourhood known to miners by the * Aikin'* Manchester, . HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 399 names annexed to each mine. At other parts of this range of mines, they are known by different names, and vary a little both in thickness and quality. 1 Red Shag Mine, 2 Brief Furlong ditto, 3 Bass ditto, 4 Little Rowe ditto, 5 Peacock ditto, 6 Spend Croft ditto, 7 Great Row ditto, 8 Cannel Row ditto, 9 Chalky Row ditto, 10 Row Hurst ditto, 11 Burn Wood ditto, 12 Little ditto, 13 Four Foot ditto, 14 Easling ditto, 15 Topmost of Two Little Mines, 16 Undermost ditto, ditto, 17 Whitfield Mine, 18 Church ditto, 19 Eight Foot ditto, 20 Ten Foot ditto, 21 Bowling Alley ditto, 22 Sparrow Buts ditto, 23 Holly Lane ditto, 24 Iron Stone Coal ditto, 25 Flats ditto, 26 Frog Row ditto, 27 Cockshead ditto, 28 Lime Kiln ditto, 29 Ridgway Cannel ditto, 30 Bullhurst ditto, 31 Badiley Edge ditto, 32 Deep Badiley Edge ditto. There are also several other thin veins of coal lying between the above mines, which are without names, and have never been got. In 1811, Burslem town and parish contained 1,658 houses, 1,720 families; 4,119 males, 4,506 females : total, 8,625 persons. Of this population, it was computed that about nine-tenths were em- ployed in, or connected with, the pottery business. In 1653 the number of houses and population was so small, that, in the register of an adjoining parish it was then termed parochi- ella the little parish." COBRIDGE, is a large village, part in the parish of Burslem, and part in that of Stoke-upon-Trent, and contains several extensive potteries and collieries. The population is considerable, and it is a prosperous and increasing place. Here is a chapel for Roman Catholics. ETRURIA, is a considerable village, or regular-built street, chiefly inhabited by potters, and situated on the sides of the Canal, about a mile north-east of Newcastle. It is part of the vill or township of Sheiton, in the chapelry of Hanley and parish of Stoke-upon- Trent, and contains one large manufactory of earthenware, china, &c. Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. who is the proprietor of this extensive pottery, has a handsome seat and plantations on an eminence near the works. The late Mr. Wedgwood, his father, built and named this place after the Italian Etruria, celebrated for the exquisite beauty of its earthenware, the remaining specimens of which served him as models for the improvement of his productions. 3 E 400 A TOPOGRAPHICAL The Methodists have a Chapel at the foot of Etruria Bank. We copy the following article from the Gentleman's Magazine, for February, 1795: " Died, at Etruria, in Staffordshire, aged 64, JOSIAH WEDG- WOOD, Esq. F. R. and A. ss. ; to whose indefatigable labours is owing the establishment of a manufacture that has opened a new scene of extensive commerce, unknown before to this or any other country. It is unnecessary to say that this alludes to the Pottery of Stafford- shire, which by the united efforts of Mr. Wedgwood, and his late partner, Mr. Bentley, has been carried to a degree of perfection, both in the line of utility and ornament, that leaves all work, an- cient or modern, far behind. " Mr. Wedgwood was the younger son of a potter, but derived little or no property from his father, whose possessions consisted chiefly of a small entailed estate, which descended to the eldest son. He was the master of his own fortune, and his country has been benefitted in a proportion not to be calculated. His many- discoveries of new species of earthenwares and porcelains, his studied forms and chaste style of decoration, and the correctness and judgment with which all his works were executed under his own eye, and by artists, for the most part, of his own forming, hav- ing turned the current in this branch of commerce ; for, before his time, England imported the finer earthenwares, but for more than twenty years past, she has exported them to a very great annual amount, the whole of which is drawn from the earth, and from the industry of the inhabitants ; while the national taste has been im- proved, and its reputation raised in foreign countries. His inven- tions have prodigiously increased the number of persons employed in the Potteries, and in the traffic and transport of their materials from distant parts of the kingdom ; and this class of manufacturers is also indebted to him for much mechanical contrivance and ar- rangement in their operations, his private manufactory having had, for thirty years and upwards, all the efficacy of a public work of experiment. Neither was he unknown in the walks of philosophy. His communications to the Royal Society shew a mind enlightened by science, and contributed to procure him the esteem of scientific men at home, and throughout Europe. His invention of a ther- mometer for measuring the higher degrees of heat employed in the various arts, is of the highest importance to their promotion, and will add celebrity to his name. At an early period of his life, seeing the impossibility of extending considerably the manufactory HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 401 he was engaged in on the spot which gave him hirth, without the advantages of inland navigation, he was the proposer of the Grand Trunk Canal, and the chief agent in obtaining the Act of Parlia- ment for making it, against the prejudices of the landed interest, which at that time stood very high, and but just before had been with great difficulty overcome in another quarter by all the power- ful influence of a Noble Duke, whose canal was at that time but lately finished. Having acquired a large fortune, his purse was always open to the calls of charity, and to the support of every in- stitution for the public good. To his relations, friends, and neigh- bours, he was endeared by his many private virtues ; and his loss will be deeply and long deplored by all who had the pleasure of knowing him intimately, and by the numerous objects to whom his benevolence was extended ; and he will be regretted by his country as the able and zealous supporter of her commerce ; and by the steady patron of every valuable interest of society." The handsome mansions of William Bent, Esq. and Dr. Bent, stand on a rising ground, about half a mile east of Newcastle, on the road to the village of Etruria. They command some charming and extensive prospects. To the right, on a gentle eminence, between Etruria and Co- bridge, is the North Staffordshire Infirmary, a newly-erected and handsome piece of building, which, when completed, will be every way adapted to the purposes of such a benevolent Establishment. It was projected, about two years since,, by the leading gentle- men and manufacturers of the neighbourhood, whose exertions were seconded by the munificent donations of noble and opulent individuals, and the subscriptions of the manufacturers, tradesmen, and others, in the vicinity. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent gave .500., and the late John Rogers, Esq. of the Wat- lands, bequeathed the princely legacy of 1000. to the Institution. The workmen belonging to the different manufactories in the Pot- teries contribute to the funds of the Institution by a small deduc- tion from their weekly earnings, proportioned to the number of children, and the amount of wages, of each individual. The Marquis of Stafford is the Patron, HANLEY, Is a large modern town, about three miles east by north of New- castle. No part of the Potteries can boast of more respectable manufacturers than Hanley, which is next to Burslcm in size and 402 A TOPOGRAPHICAL extent. However irregular the streets may appear to an observer in the town, Hanley, from its elevated situation, appears to great advantage when viewed from Cobridge, or from the turnpike-road between Newcastle and Leek, which passes near it. The Grand Trunk Canal is close to the town, and affords the utmost facility of inland navigation, for the conveyance of the earthenware to Liver- pool, Hull, and London. There are several collieries and potteries in the vicinity of this town and of Shelton. A weekly market is held in Hanley, on Saturday, for the sale of provisions of all kinds ; it is abundantly supplied, and well at- tended by purchasers. In 181*2, owing to the increasing population of the town, it was deemed necessary to apply to the Legislature to empower certain trustees to enlarge the market and market-place, and an Act for " establishing and regulating the market, and for enlarging and improving the market-place" at Hanley, was obtained. The Act mentions two market-days, viz. Wednesday and Saturday; but the latter is the principal. The population of the townships of Hanley and Shelton amounts to nearly 10,000 persons. According to the return in 1811, Han- ley contained 911 houses, 930 families; 2,165 males, 2,316 fe- males : total, 4,481 inhabitants. Shelton at the same period con- tained 1,077 houses, 1,148 families; 2,612 males, 2,875 females : total, 5,487 inhabitants. Hanley Church was rebuilt in the year 1788. It is a handsome well-built structure of brick, with a square tower 100 feet high. It cost upwards of ^5000. and is surrounded by a spacious cemetery, enclosed with a wall and large iron gates. It is a Chapel of Ease to Stoke-upon-Trent. The patronage is vested in certain trus- tees. The Rev. R. E. Aitkens, is the present minister. He was elected in 1802. This town also contains several meeting-houses for Dissenters of different denominations. Shelton, though now generally included with Hanley, in being contiguous thereto, and apparently a continuation thereof, is a dis- tinct vill and township. It contains some of the oldest and most respectable manufacturers. Very excellent porcelain, little infe- rior to that of the East, has long been manufactured here, and it possesses the advantages of a public wharf upon the Trent and Mersey navigation, which passes this place. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 403 ELIJAH FENTON, an ingenious poet of the last century, and whose life is given among the "Eminent Natives" of this county, was born at Shelton, on the 20th of May, 1683. STOKE-UPON-TRENT, Is the parish-town of the Potteries, inasmuch as the most import- ant, and by far the greater part of the whole of the Potteries, are, or were, in this parish. Some portions or districts have since been made distinct parishes by Acts of Parliament. Stoke is situ- tuated about a mile and a half to the east of Newcastle, on the river Trent, with the Grand Trunk Canal running parallel, and passing through the town, thus affording every facility for the conveyance of heavy articles. There are several wharfs and ware- houses in this town and its neighbourhood, and it has many earth- enware manufactories. " From this place to Newcastle, on the right, the prospects are extremely beautiful ; and nearly at the mid- way, a view so populous, and at the same time so picturesque, is seldom met with/'* The Church is an ancient edifice of stone, with a stone tower. It was the mother church of most of the churches around it to the extent of several miles, f and is dedicated to St. Peter. It is a rectory, and was in the patronage of the late Rev W. Robinson, who was also incumbent. The advowson, we presume, is now vested in his executors. The Very Rev. the Dean of Lichfield and Coventry, Dr. Woodhouse, is the rector, and the Rev. Thomas Yeoman, is the present curate. In the Church are some monuments to the memory of the Fen- tons, of Newcastle, maternal ancestors of Sir J. F. Boughey, Bart. M. p. and the following epitaph commemorative of the virtues of the late Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. : " Sacred to the Memory of JOSIAH WEDGAVOOD, F. R. s. &, S.A. Of Etruria, in this county, Born in August 1730, Died January the 3d 1795 : Who converted a rude and inconsiderable manufacture into an elegant art and an important part of national commerce. By these services to his country Aikin's Manchester. t The following were Chapels of Ease to Stoke, viz. Newcastle, Whitmore, Norton-on-the-Moors, Burslem, Bucknall and Bagnall. Hanley and Lane End still continue such. 404 A TOPOGRAPHICAL be acquired an ample fortune which he blamelessly and reasonably enjoyed and generously dispensed for the reward of merit and the relief of misfortune. His mind was inventive and original, yet perfectly sober and well regulated. His character was decisive and commanding, without rashness or arrogance. His probity was inflexible, his kindness unwearied, his manners simple and dignified, and the cheerfulness of his temper was the natural reward of the ac- tivity of his pure and useful life. He was most loved by them who knew him best ; and he has left indelible impressions of affection and veneration on the minds of his family, who have erected this monument to his memory." We insert the following account of former sittings in Stoke Church, in order to preserve an evidence of the primitive distribu- tion of seats in regard to rank, age, and worth, as well as the sepa- ration of the men from the women in ancient places of public worship. April 3d, Anno Domini 1634. " By virtue of an order made by Robert, (by the Divine Provi- dence of God,) Lord Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, John Mam- waring, rector of the Parish Church of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the county of Stafford, William Allen, and William Hill, Church- wardens ; their and others their assistants, with the consent of all or most of the parishioners, have placed the ancient householders of the said parish in the seats in the said church as ensueth. Lichfield, July 12th, 1664. " If this be the right copy of the order of my worthy predecessor the Lord Bishop Wright, I confirm it, appointing that the elder parishioners, according to their deserving, be seated and preferred before the younger. "JOHN LICHFIELD AND COVENTRY. " The names of the parishioners of Stoke-upon-Trent, appointed to place the parishioners in their seats, that have [so done] by com- mon consent, and [whose arrangement was] allowed by my Lord Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, Anno Domini 1668. " Imprimis. Robert Clayton, Thomas Tittensor the younger, Thomas Barratt, Thomas Murhall, John Bucknall of the Gate, John Bucknall of Bentiley, Robert Hunt, John Brown, John Hill, Thomas Ames, Henry Brookes, and Richard Meire, who have placed the parishioners as followeth : The South Side Men's Seats. 11 1. Churchwardens for the time being. 2. Thomas Hunt, Gent. John Brown, Gent. Thomas Fenton, John and Thomas Lea. 3. William Bagnall, John Machin, Richard Lovatt, Sir Richard Leveson's tenement, and Robert Bagnall. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 405 . 4. "William Hill, Thomas Hill, and Mr. Bentiley. . Mr. Terrick, Richard Broad, and Mr. Keeling. 6. John Malpass, John Boulton's tenement, and William Simpson. 7. Richard Nichols, Thomas Turner, and Roger Dale. 8. John Brown, John Brown, John Dale, and John Prickett. 9. John Doody, John Bowyer, and Nicholas Lovatt. 10. Handle Woodcock, Thomas Fenton, and Roger Machin. 11. William Knight, John Proctor, and Benson's Heir. 12. Henry Stevenson, Nicholas Lovatt, and John Wright. 13. Thomas Tittensor, Richard Beech, and Handle Bagnall. 14. Roger Tittensor, Handle Woodcock, and Thomas Machin. 15. Roger Wood, Mary Shaw, and George Hales. 16. John Pattison, Wright's house, John Machin de Lane. 17. John Stevenson, Francis Lycett, Hanley's de Hanley. 18. Richard Boulton, John Barratt, and Dawson's house. 19. John Biddulph, William Hall, and John Crockett. " North SideMen's Seats. " 1. Thomas Smith, Gent, and Thomas Bucknall, Gent, 2. William Allen, Ridghouse, John Hill, and Roger Machin, senior. 3. Thomas Serjeant, Gent. Mr. Bradshaw, John Murhall, and John Wood. 4. At the Wall, Roger Machin, jun. Thomas Rawlins, John Adams, Olti- well Jolley, and John Machin. 5. George Hanson, John Machin, and Thomas Bucknall. 6. Richard Cartwright, William Beech, and Thomas Pare. 7. Thomas Tittensor, Richard Thorleys, and Brassington's. 8. Richard Meire, Robert Cross, and John Leigh. 9. Thomas Machin, John Boulton, and Robert Whilton. 10. William Allen for tenement, William Allen de Hulme, and John Beech. 11. Sir William Bowyer, for Craddock's, Whatson's, and Anthony Reeling's- 12 Bentiley's de Laund, Richard Walklott, and John Poulson. 13. John Wedgwood, Richard Trevin, and John Smith. 14. John Wood de Ash and tenement, John Bowyer, and John Plant. 15. John Austen, Laurance Naylor, and William Cowap. 16. John Stevenson, Gilbert's house, and John Boulton. 17. Thomas Walklott, John Leese, Jeffry Steel. 18. Lewis o'Land, Hugh Mare, and Francis Pool. 19. Jeffry Meire, Richard Cartwright, and William Beech. 20. John Adams, William Murhall, and Thomas Ames. North Side Women's Seats. "1. Roger Bradshaw, and John Allen, Roger Bradshaw hath the Form end. 2. Thomas Murhall, Wood de Ash, Austens de Ash, and Allen's de Hulme. 3. John Machin de Bucknall, Boulton's house de Bucknall, William Adams de Bagnall, Hanson's house, John Beech de Bentiley. 4. Richard Poulson, Laurence Sherratt, Handle Booths, lohn Hill of Shel- ton, Randle Bagnall of Eaves. 5. Robert Whilton, John Hitchcock, John Bucknall, of the Gate, Thomas Lovat, of the Hole-house, Richard Walklott, of Kerry Hill. 6. Thomas Ames, Thomas Hanley, of Hanley, the whole form. 7. Hitchin of Lane, George Fenton, Robert Hill, and Francis Craddock. 8. Richard Meire, German's house, Edmund Vise, Richard Hewet, and Thomas Pare. 406 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 9. Richard Mear, Thomas Turmore, the house of Wright and Hanley, Richard Walklott, for Hanley-heys ; Thomas Tittensor, for the Over-house, Thomas Wood claimeth the same. 10. Parker's house, Boulton's house, John Bradshaw and Thomas Bagnall. 11. Thomas Fenton of Boothen, Thomas Ames, John Hanley's of Penkhull. 12. Thomas Barrott, John Rowley, of Shelton, Hugh Wood, and Stephen Fenton. 13. Spooner's house, Richard Tunstall, and John Hankinson. 14. Roger Harrison, William Harrison, Jeffry Meire, and Roger Covrap. " South Side Women's Seats. 4 " 1. Thomas Bucknall, and Richard Serjeant, George Fenton claimeth the same. 2. Thomas Ames, John Turmore, Brassington of Moor-hall. 3. Hen. Brooks, Bartholomew Bowyer, Richd. Lovatt, and Widow Benteley. 4. Robert Clayton, Thomas Dawson, John Lovatt, the house that is holden of Garnitt and Benson a seat, Home's land a seat, John Trinley claimeth the same. 5. Robert Hunt, Roger Bagnall for Longton house, Whiston's house, Roger Bagnall of Clayton, for Longton house, the 4th seat; Richard Aston claimeth for German's Land. 6. John Kendall, William Machin, and Thomas Lovatt. 7. Thomas Machin, John Proctor, Henry Lovatt, of Eaves, John Kendall, Thomas Tittensor claims the same for Fenton's house. 8. John Brown, T. Broad to hill, and John Brown for his tenement. 9. Widow Hordern, Thomas Tittensor for the lower house, Hugh Machin. 10. Widow Bagnall, Mr. Egerton, Peter Knight, and John Woodcock the fourth seat. 11. lohn Hammersley, Richard Kendrick, William Barratt, Thomas Machin claims a seat for Bate's house. 12. lohn Dale, lohn Hitchin, lames Hudson, Ralph Bucknall, and lohn Pulsbury. 13. Hugh Thorley, Roger Fox, lohn Simpson of Clayton, Widow Febkin, and lohn Siir.pkins. 14. Widow Stevenson, lohn Bourn, and Roger Fixon. Richard Aston is unplaced and Robert Pyler. Also the young maids are to kneel in the short forms. Eccleshall Castle, 26th April, A. D. 1634. " Being fully informed by such as I have caused and required to urvey convenient and commodious sitting and placing of the parish- ioners, of the parish of Stoke-upon-Trentt in the county of Stafford, and finding no just opposition against the same, by any of the pa- rishioners aforesaid, I, Robert, (by Divine Providence) Lord Bishop of Licfifield and Coventry, do well approve the Order, by parcelling and seating of the said parishioners aforesaid, and by these presents allow, ratify, and confirm the same whatsoever the Rector, Church- wardens, and parishioners have done therein, until just cause shall HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 407 be shewed to the contrary. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused my seal episcopal to be hereunto placed at the time and place abovesaid. " ROBERT LICHFIELD AND COVENTRY." " THOMAS GOODFEI.LOW, Clayton^ Churchwardens for the Year " JOSEPH BOURNE, Ford Bays, } of our Lord 1772." Some obscurity in the above document appears at the beginning, by the position of the subsequent confirmations in 1664 and 1668, whether the list applies to the period of 1634, and afterwards 1668; or wholly to the latter : and some sentences are not clearly ex- pressed, which we have taken the liberty of filling up between brackets according to our judgment. Whatever obscurity might exist, originally, or by copying, the article is sufficiently explicit for the purposes already stated, and which induced its insertion. By some it may be considered not uninteresting in furnishing a list of the names of the ancient householders in the parish of Stoke ; and in affording a partial means of judging of the comparative state of the parish in regard to the population in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Mr. Main waring, whose name appears, as Rector, in the beginning of the above instrument, is remarkable not only as an instance of longevity, but for the duration of his incumbency. The following has been handed to us as being an extract from the Parish Register, though it is evidently imperfect : " May 1692. Johannes Mainwaring, s. T. p. Rector Ecclesie de Stoke sup, Trent: sepult." " Johannes Mainwaring cum extitissit Rector Ecclesie Stoke p. spatium Quinquaginta et non'm annor' expiravit die et anno s'pra diet.' 1 If Mr. Mainwaring was 59 years rector of Stoke, his age, at the time of his death, could not be less than 83 years. He was suc- ceeded by the Rev. John Repton, who was likewise perpetual cu- rate of Norton-on-the-Moors. In the year 1815, a very handsome and commodious National School, for the education of 500 children of the poor in the Princi- ples of the Established Church, was erected at this place, at an expense of nearly 1000. which sum was raised principally by vo- luntary contributions. It is situated at the east end of and ad- joining the church-yard. There are two or more meeting-houses at Stoke for the Dissenters. The first steam-engine for grinding burned flint for the use of the potters, was established at Stoke. 3 F 408 A TOPOGRAPHICAL About midway between Stoke and Newcastle, is Cliffe ViHc, the seat of John Tomlinson, Esq. ; and at Penkhull, is The Mount, the seat of Josiah Spode, Esq. LANE END, Is a modern and populous town, which has risen in a few years by the almost magic influence of a prosperous manufacture, to a respec- table degree of opulence. This town is situated four miles to the south-east of Newcastle, and at the southern extremity of the Potte- ries. Large quantities of earthenware are manufactured in the extensive potteries of this town and its vicinity. The township of Lane-End and Longton is populous, and contains 1,032 houses, 1,079 families; 2,277 males, 2,653 females : total 4,930 inhabitants. Lane-End is a market town : the market is on Saturday, and well supplied with provisions. The Church is similar to that of Hanley, but does not appear to so much advantage, being in a comparatively low situation. We understand it was rebuilt about the year 1795. The original chapel was principally built and endowed at the charge of the late John Bourne, Esq.* and was consecrated in 1764. The following me- morandum may throw some light on the expense of the present building : Mr. Bourne was an inhabitant of Newcastle-under-Line, and as our ar- ticle for that place was too copious to copy the monumental inscriptions of public] characters in the Church there, we hope to stand excused by our readers in taking this opportunity of recording a just tribute of respect to a pious, be- nevolent man, and a benefactor to the people of Lane End. Mr. Bourne was buried at Newcastle, and in the church there, on a mural monument, is the fol- lowing inscription : " In Memory of JOHN BOURNE, Esq. late a worthy inhabitant of this town, (Newcastle-under-LineJ and one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stafford. A man very remarkable for his public spirit, and ex- tensive liberality. His zeal for the advancement of religion appeared from se- veral new chapels erected and endowed in this neighbourhood, chiefly at his ex- pense. His benevolence towards men was shewn by a constant readiness to assist the needy with whatever their wants required ; and by strenuously pro- moting every measure which promised happiness to mankind. As a magistrate he was active and impartial, distributing justice with temper and judgment. II was kind to his relations, sincere to his friends, and forgiving to his ene- mies. He died a bachelor, Sept. 13, 1764, aged 73 years." He was maternal uncle to the Rev. John Fernyhough, B. D. who was forty- three years the respected and beloved minister of Newcastle j and not only HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 409 " Aug 28*fc, 1792. " At a meeting of the Trustees for re-building the chapel of Lane End, the following estimates were received, and Messrs. Leigh and Turner's accepted. " The different estimates were given in for completing the whole, and in three different valuations of the parts, (for instance) : " 1st. For building the chapel with a tower, the height of the roof, for pewing the body and making a chancel. " 2dly, For building the tower 62 feet from the floor, and com- pleting it. " 3dly. For making the galleries complete. Messrs. Hulme if Watson's valu- ation. Leigh if Tur- ner's. Mr. Gardner's. For making the body ) complete, with a towers ^2,485. * 2 ,04S. * 2)1 o. The Tower complete 1 445. 340. 400. The Galleries com-^ plete - J 396. 420. 360. For completing the ~) whnle. .. ^3,326. *2,808. ^2,860. Lane End Church is a Chapel of Ease to Stoke. By the re- signation of the Rev. T. Cotterill, the church is now (1817) vacant. The presentation is vested in trustees. The living is, at present, small : though during Mr. Cotterill's* ministry, from 1805 to 1817, it has been much improved, and, it is said, will be augmented considerably more. In the time of the Rev. Mr. Wright (Mr. C.'s predecessor), it was valued at about 16. a-year. The emoluments arise from upwards of 18 acres of glebe, a good parsonage-house and garden, surplice-fees, and the profits of one or more augmentations from Queen Anne's Bounty. An in- creased allowance was also made by the trustees, on condition, that succeeded to a fair portion of his uncle's fortune, but possessed his virtues also. He died March 8th, 1803, at the same age (73), was buried March 15th, at the same place, and was likewise a benefactor to Lane End chapel, inasmuch as he gave jtflOO. on the condition, that another hundred pounds was raised, which was accordingly done by subscription ; and thus was procured one of the augmentations from Queen Anne's bounty to Lane End chapel. * It is but justice to add, that during Mr. C.'s time, and we believe chiefly owing to his exertions and esteemed ministry, an organ has been erected in th* church j and a good ring of bells and a clock set up in the tower. 410 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. the duty was performed twice every Lord's-day. Its present re- puted annual value is about ^140. These instances of Longevity were extracted from the Parish Register : Lydia Barber, died Oct. 27, 1769, aged 107 years; Rosamond Cook, died Sept. 23, 1774, aged 124 years ; Elizabeth Mills, died Feb. 14, 1776, aged 100 years ; Sampson Smith, died Aug. 11, 1780, aged 99 years; and Sarah Rollins, died Nov. 10, 1780, aged 100 years. An English Charity School adjoins the Church-yard, which, ac- cording to an inscription on a stone in the wall, was built and en- dowed in 1760. Mr. Bourne is said to have been the founder of this charity. At Lane End are meeting-houses for different denominations of Dissenters. Lower Lane and Lane Delph present nothing remarkable, and indeed they may be properly incorporated with Lane End, of which place they form a kind of suburbs. On the left of Lane End, is Longton Hall, the seat of Sir John. Edensor Heathcote ; and near it, Park Hall, the residence of Tho- mas Parker, Esq. a descendant of Lord Chief Justice Parker, A BRIEF ACCOUNT RISE and PROGRESS of the STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERIES. AT is at all times pleasureable to trace the progress of a nation in civilization and the arts, in the attainment of those distinguished excellencies which contribute to the comforts and convenience of society, and the exaltation of its character in the scale of being ; but if we admire the united exertions of a people in the cultivation of manners, and the dignified acquirements of moral and intellectual science, we are called to contemplate with feelings of peculiar pleasure, the labours of a class or community of that people, who, under less favourable auspices, associate and form an indivisible interest to promote these important objects, and to gain pre-emi- nence in some particular branch of commerce or manufactures, in which their industry and ingenuity might enhance the value of the natural productions of the soil, or best improve the advantages of local situation. Such an union, whilst it binds more closely the bond of brotherhood, tends at once to cherish individual merit, and advance the national honour. It was owing to a similar combina- tion of worth and intellect, at no very remote period, that the Staf- fordshire Potteries make at this day so prominent a feature in the commercial transactions of Britain. Indeed, the advancement of this important division of Staffordshire in its manufactures, and consequent opulence, has been most rapid; and there is scarcely a market in Europe or America, that does not exhibit the envied productions of our Potteries, in all their variety, both useful and ornamental. The STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERIES present a striking illustration of what may be achieved from a cordial union of the mental and 412 A TOPOGRAPHICAL physical powers of man. Little more than a century since, this flourishing seat of commerce scarcely had existence as such. Nature had indeed amply compensated the want of a genial surface, in the rich and inexhaustible mineral treasures which pervade this exten- sive district ; but if the exertions of the Agriculturist were para- lyzed, so the sources of future wealth remained unexplored. The Potteries so called, 'wore a bleak and barren aspect, and consisted merely of several detached and straggling villages, thinly inha- bited, and possessing a trade comparatively insignificant. But what a change has public spirit wrought in this interesting tract of country ! The ingenuity of the artizan has been seconded by the researches of the mineralogist; and the earth has poured forth her bounties to enrich its owners, and raise the Staffordshire Pot- teries to the enviable rank which they hold in the commercial world of two Continents. They can now boast their thickly-inha- bited towns and villages, public edifices, extensive works, beautiful villas, and handsome habitations, enlivened by a busy and increas- ing population of 60,000 souls. To point out individuals, who merit the thanks of their countrymen, and the praises of posterity, might in us seem invidious : suffice it to say, all have contributed to this great work. All have deserved the meed of applause for their ceaseless endeavours to promote the well being of all with whom they were more immediately connected. The generation that has passed away, will ever be remembered with grateful veneration for having began the goodly fabric upon a firm and durable basis, whilst their descendants are entitled to equal honour in having raised a superstructure worthy the talents and patriotism of their predecessors. The exact period of time at which the Manufacture of Earthen- ware was introduced into this county, cannot now be ascertained : it may, however, be traced with certainty for two centuries back. At that time, its principal seat was the town of Burslem, then called the Butter Pottery, from a manufactory established there for making butter-pots. These pots were of a cylindrical form, and, under the provisions of an Act of Parliament obtained for the pur- pose about 1670, were of a certain size and weight (Gibs.) and made to contain not less than fourteen pounds of butter. This Act, it seems, was obtained in consequence of a fraud practised upon the public by the inhabitants of the Moorlands, by making these pots thick at the bottom, in order to increase their weight. Burslem is denominated a Butter Pottery in some old maps ; HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 413 but neither Speed nor Camden mention it as such. Dr. Plot (1686) is the earliest writer who notices it, and with whose clear and comprehensive account of the state of the Manufacture of Earthenware at that time, we shall commence our Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Staffordshire Potteries. " The greatest Pottery (says he) they have in this County, is carryed on at Burslem near Newcastle-under-Lyme, where for mak- ing their severall sorts of Pols, they have as many different sorts of Clay, which they dig round about the Towne, all within half a miles distance, the best being found nearest the coale, and are dis* tinguish't by their colours an 1 uses as followeth : " 1. Bottle Clay, of a bright whitish streaked yellow colour. " 2. Hard Fire Clay, of a duller whitish colour, and fuller inter- jBperst with a dark yellow, which they use for their black wares, being mixt with the " 3. Red Blending Clay, which is of a dirty red colour. " 4. White Clay, so called it seems though of a blewish colour, and used for making yellow-coloured ware, because yellow is the lightest colour they make any Ware of ; all which they call throw- ing clays, because they are of a closer texture, and will work on the wheel ; " Which none of the three other clays, they call Slips, will any of them doe, being of looser and more friable natures ; these mixed with water they make into a consistence thinner than a Syrup, so that being put into a bucket it will run out through a Quill, this they call Slip, and is the substance wherewith they paint their wares ; wherof the " 1. Sort is called the Orange Slip, which before it is work't, is of a greyish colour mixt with orange balls, and gives the ware (when annealed) an orange colour. " 2. The White Slip; this before it is work't, is of a dark blewish colour, yet makes the ware yellow, which being the lightest colour they make any of, they call it (as they did the clay above) the white Slip. " 3. The Red Slip, made of a dirty reddish clay, which gives wares a black colour ; neither of which clays or Slips must have any gravel or Sand in them ; upon this account, before it be brought to the wheel they prepare the clay by steeping it in water in a square pit, till it be of a due consistence; then they bring it to their beating board, where with a long Spatula they beat it till it be well mix't ; then being first made into great squarish rolls, it is brought 414 A TOPOGRAPHICAL to the wageing board, where it is slit into flat thin pieces with a Wire, and the least stones or gravel pick't out of it. This being done, they wage it, i. e. knead or mould it like bread, and make it into round balls proportionable to their work, and then 'tis brought to the wheel, and formed as the Workman sees good. " When the Potter has wrought the clay either into hollow or flat ware, they are set abroad to dry in fair weather, but by the fire in foule, turning them as they see occasion, which they call whaving : when they are dry they stouk them, i. e. put Ears and Handles to such Vessels as require them : These also being dry, they then Slip or paint them with their severall sorts of Slip, ac- cording as they desigrie their work, when the first Slip is dry, laying on the others at their leasure, the Orange Slip makeing the ground, and the white and red, the paint ; which two colours they break with a wire brush, much after the manner they doe when they marble paper, and then cloud them with a pensil when they are pretty dry. After the vessels are painted, they lead them, with that sort of Lead Ore they call Smithum which is the smallest Ore of all, beaten into dust, finely sifted and strewed upon them ; which gives them the gloss, but not the colour ; all the colours being cheifly given by the variety of Slips, except the Motley- colour, which is procured by blending the Lead with Manganese, by the Workmen calPd Magnus. But when they have a mind to shew the utmost of their skill in giving their wares a fairer gloss than or- dinary, they lead them then with lead calcined into powder, which they also sift fine and strew upon them as before, which not only gives them a higher gloss, but goes much further too in their work, than Lead Ore would have done. " After this is done, they are carried to the Oven, which is ordinarily above 8 foot high, and about 6 foot wide, of a round copped forme, where they are placed one upon another from the bottom to the top : if they be ordinary wares such as cylindricall Butter-pots, &c. that are not leaded, they are exposed to the naked fire, and so is all their flat ware though it be leaded, haveing only parting-shards, i. e. thin bits of old pots put between them, to keep them from sticking together : But if they be leaded hollow-wares, they doe not expose them to the naked fire, but put them in skrag- ers, that is, in coarse metall'd pots, made of marie (not clay} of divers formes according as their wares require, in which they put commonly 3 pieces of clay called Bobbs for the ware to stand on, to keep it from sticking to the Shragers: as they put them in the HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 415 shragers to keep them from sticking to one another (which they would certainly otherwise doe by reason of the leading) and to preserve them from the vehemence of the fire, which else would melt them downe, or at least warp them. In 24 hours an Oven of Pots will be burnt, then they Jet the fire goe out by degrees, which in 10 hours more will be perfectly done, and then they draw them for Sale, which is cheifly to the poor Crate-men, who carry them at their backs all over the Countrey, to whome they reckon them by the piece, i. e. Quart, in hollow ware, so that 6 pottle, or 3 gallon bottles make a dosen, and so more or less to a dosen, as they are of greater or lesser content. The flat wares are also reckoned by pieces and dosens, but not (as the hollow) according to their content, but their different bredths"* This is admitted to be a faithful description of the state of the Manufacture down to the time when Plott wrote; indeed, there are persons still living, who remember manufactories carried on in Burslem upon a similar principle. Its authenticity is further corroborated by the numerous specimens of the wares here alluded to, which have at various times been dug up in different parts of that town, and now carefully preserved. It is readily discovered, upon minutely examining these ancient pieces, that the Butter-pot claims priority of date, from the circumstance of its being composed of the coarsest clay (then as now used in making the inferior sorts of brick) as well as exhibiting the rudest workmanship; and although many of these pots (weighing Gibs.) have been lately found without any glazef whatever, and evidently made at a remote period, others have the appearance of lead ore having been sprinkled on the in- side, when in a moist state, and before they were exposed to the heat of the potter's oven. This partial glazing appears to have been the first attempt at im- proving the rude article, manufactured, there is every reason to be- lieve, long before the year 1670. Specimens have also been found which exhibit a further improvement in medals of King William and Queen Mary being attached to the sides of the ware, and glazed * Plott' s Hist, of Staff, ch. Hi. sees. 23-29. t The common glaze was produced by lead ore, finely powdered, and sprink- led on the pieces of ware before firing ; sometimes with the addition of a little manganese, for the sake of the brown colour it communicates, and where the potters wished " to shew the utmost of their skill," (Plott) in giving the ware a higher gloss than ordinary, they employed, instead of lead ore, calcined Itad Itself; but still sprinkled it on the pieces in the same rude manner. 3 G 416 A TOPOGRAPHICAL with the dust of lead ore inside and out; together with a variety, fre- quently found, glazed with salt,* and bearing the initials WM. WR. AR. surmounted by a crown, and others ornamented with medals of Queen Anne, tolerably executed in basso-relievo. These pieces appear to be composed of the clay found in the coal-pits in and near Burslem, and then called Can-marl ; whilst others have been found, formed of this clay and a mixture of white sand or pounded gritstone, procured at Mole Cop, and well covered with a salt glaze. This last is known by the name of CROUCH WARE, and proves that the salt glaze had at that time been introduced. Another description of earthenware, dug up with the above, is made of the same kind of clay, and painted all over with clays of various colours ; orange, yellow, red, brown, dark grey, black, and all the shades which a mixture of the native clays could produce. From the dates and paintings upon these pieces, they may likewise be referred to the reigns of William, and Anne. These clays, it appears, were the only materials then used in the composition of the body, as well as in painting this ware ; if indeed we except the black clay, which seems to be a mixture of the iron- stone that abounds in the neighbourhood, with a trifling addition of manganese. The glaze, to all appearance, is simply lead ore, or a combination of lead ore with some of the whitest of the before-men- tioned materials. At this early period, a great variety of useful and ornamental articles, in large dishes, jugs, candlesticks, &c. were manufactured at Burslem, which at this day are much admired for superiority of workmanship. Specimens of these are preserved, with dates thereon, down to the year 1707; and from the skill and great va- riety of colours used in ornamenting them, it is evident that white clays had not then been introduced, and were wholly unknown in the Staffordshire Potteries. It was not long, however, before a purer clay from Dorsetshire and Devonshire, was brought hither ; but this was used only for washing or lining the insides, or ornamenting the outsides, of ware, with flowers and figures of various kinds ; and these white ornaments are sometimes found upon a red body, well glazed with lead ore. This species of glaze, (according to Dr. Aikin) was first brought hither about the year 1690, by the two Elers, brothers and foreigners, who established a small pot-work at Bradley, and met with some success in the manufacture of tea-pots, and a ware in imitation of the unglazed red china from the East. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 417 From these facts it would appear, that the salt glaze was used long previous to the introduction either of flint, or white clay, par- ticularly in making Crouch-ware; the body of it being at first formed of a reddish clay, and afterwards of a dark greyish clay, dug from the coal-pits, which, when exposed to an intense heat, became of a light greyish colour. This clay, mixed with pounded sand from Mole Cop, produced a whitish body, then called STONE WARE, which was for some time generally used, and further im- proved by several manufacturers, who dipped it in a slip pro- duced from the whitest clay from Devonshire, and which, after drying, was put into the hands of the Flowerers.* Another body was afterwards formed of the whitest clay and a pounded gritstone from Baddeley Edge and Mole Cop; but from the scarcity and expense of this clay, the ware manufactured from it was light and thin, which is apparent from specimens of it now in existence. This variety of ware also passed through the Flowerer's hands, when sufficiently hard and dry, who embel- lished it with engravings of flowers, birds, beasts, &c. and after- wards took some wool with dry pounded smalts or zafler, and rubbed the smalts over the engraved figures or ornaments. This, when fired and glazed with salt, produced a fine blue colour upon the parts engraved, and was the only kind of painting or ornament then used, except indeed the raised sprigs of flowers and different animals, &c. that were stuck upon the wares formed in clay or brass moulds, and which raised-work was formed in some instances of a still whiter clay than the body. Another body, and that indeed the best, was composed of the white clays of Devonshire or Dorsetshire, mixed with a due pro- portion of calcined flint, previously reduced to a fine powder by pounding it in a dry state, and by passing it through a fine hair sieve, and glazing it by pouring as many bushels of salt as there were mouths or fire-places to the oven (7 or 8) through holes at the top of the oven, at the time the ware had reached the highest degree of heat these materials were capable of sustaining, without fusing the body, which frequently happened, especially if the heat was increased after the salt had been thrown into the oven, as thereby too great a vitrification of the body took place, and an inferior sort of porcelain was unintentionally produced. The thinnest pieces of * Flowering was generally performed by women, who decorated the ware with drawings of flowers, &c. traced with the point of an iron nail, which cut through the thin coat of slip in which the ware had previously been dipped. 418 A TOPOGRAPHICAL this porcelain became transparent, and were therefore of less value than the ware intended to be produced, on account of their being less able when used to resist fire or hot water. This was called WHITE WARE, or WHITE STONE WARE. At this period commenced what may be termed an era in the history of the Potteries, though at the time it was unperceived, on account of the gradual progress of the manufacture to its then im- proved state. The articles manufactured from the above materials were very durable, and of neat clear white appearance; and they soon found their way to distant parts of England, and were sub- sequently exported in considerable quantities to Holland, Germany, Prussia, and other parts of the Continent of Europe. These articles consisted at first of circular pieces, or of such only as were produced from the thrower's wheel, and finished on the lathe ; for it does not appear that plaster moulds had yet been used. The only kind of moulds then known seem to have been made of brass, or a kind of clay known among potters by the name of Tough Tom, many of which latter have lately been met with in digging up the old shord- rucks,* found in foundations for new buildings in Burslem. About this time, Ralph Daniel, a potter, of Cobridge, during his travels through France, visited a manufactory where plaster moulds were used, one of which he brought away with him (a table plate), the pattern of which, together with several others, were immedi- ately imitated, by Aaron Wood, whose business it was to make models for the potters. The gypsum mines of Derbyshire furnish- ing the material in great abundance, complete table services of dif- ferent fanciful patterns (barley-corn, mosaic, basket-work, &c.) were manufactured. This important acquisition was soon followed by the introduction of a variety of curiously-carved tea and coffee services, &c. Plaster moulds now began to be brought into general use, both on account of the extraordinary absorbent quality of the plaster, when burnt, and its adaptation to the method then practised for making the hollow articles, such as carved tea-pots, coffee-pots, &c. The manner in which casts were taken from the moulds, was by pouring a very thin slip into the plaster mould, and letting it stand a short time before it was poured out, by which a perfect im- pression was received by the coat of thin slip or clay, which closely adhered to the mould. Then another and thicker coat was added, which, after remaining a few minutes in the mould, was returned, and this second casting more than doubled the thickness of the first * Rubbish from pot-works. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 419 casting or pouring-in of slip; and these castings were repeated un- til the required strength or thickness was obtained. The moulds were then placed before a fire to dry, which done, the pieces of ware were easily separated from the moulds, and the seams or marks where the moulds parted, were smoothed or taken off, and the spouts and handles were put on by the person whose branch of the art was then termed " Handling and Trimming." The pieces of earthen- ware being thus formed, were carried to the oven, in which they were, for many hours, exposed to a considerable degree of heat ; and for this purpose they were put or placed in saggars, having large holes cut in their sides to admit the fumes of the salt, which thus united more freely with the flint and clay upon the surface of the ware. These saggars, when filled with earthenware, were placed or piled upon each other about ten or twelve feet high, in circular ovens twelve or fourteen feet wide, having seven or eight mouths or fire-places at equal distances. This oven was generally filled once a-week. The firing generally commenced on the Thursday evening, and finished on the Saturday following about mid-day. There were at this time upwards of twenty ovens in the parish of Burslem, all of which cast in their salt or glazing* at the same time, generally on the Saturday morning from nine to twelve o'clock. This occasioned such immense and constant volumes of smoke, as literally to envelope the whole neighbourhood ; and it was not unfrequent for passengers to mistake their way, and run against each other, during the continuance of this process. The scene which presented itself upon these occasions, has been not in- aptly compared to the emissions of Etna or Vesuvius. This white glaze soon attracted the attention of enamellers from the china and Dutch-tile manufactories then established in differ- ent parts of the kingdom, who began to cover their carved work with fine enamel colours, and soon after made great progress in painting groups of figures, flowers, birds, &c. and in copying the The glazing with salt seems to be effected by the following process. The salt poured by degrees into an oven raised to a very high temperature, is imme- diately decomposed ; the alkaline part of it, in a state of vapour, enters into the saggars, and surrounds the piece* of earthenware, dissolving the surface of them, by which means they are covered witii a very thin coating of glass, pro- duced by the dissolution of the earths of which the body of the ware is com- posed, in this alkaline vapour. The muriatic acid of the salt, combined with the caloric in the oven, to which it has a strong affinity, rushes with violence through the chimney of the oven, and through every other aperture of it, and forming the white suffocating smoke above alluded to. Common salt, it is well known, is the crystallized solution of soda in the muriatic acid. 420 A TOPOGRAPHICAL paintings of the richest China from the East upon their tea, coffee, and dessert sets, as well as jars, cornucopias, figures, and other or- namental and useful articles.* Various improvements in the hody, glaze, and workmanship of the ware, gradually succeeded ; and the manufacture of the White Stone Ware had at this time extended itself along the whole range of the line on which the various strata of coal presented them- selves, or were found at a depth of from three to six feet from the surface of the earth, at or near Tunstall, Shelton, Cobridge, Han- ley, Stoke, Lane End, and Mere Heath, being a distance from one extreme to the other of eight or nine miles. Many have been the conjectures respecting the introduction of this important acquisition to the Staffordshire Potteries. Some attributed it to two Dutchmen (the Elers, before-mentioned) who were supposed to have brought the art from Holland, and who built a small manufactory at Bradwell, near JBurslem, about the year 1690. Their claim to this honour, however, is rendered extremely questionable, from the very improved state of the manufacture of Crouch Ware at Burslem in the time of William and Mary, and Queen Anne, as well as on account of the unfitness of their oven at Bradwell, from its small dimensions, for this manufacture. The foundation of this oven remained undisturbed until within the last twenty years ; and on minutely examining the ground about it, fragments of broken red china only could be found. It is there- fore very probable that the excellent red clay found near the an- cient oven at Bradwell, and the contiguity of coal, and clays, induced these foreigners to fix upon that spot, for the purpose of imitating the fine unglazed red china ware of the East, and speci- mens of these unglazed imitations are still in existence. These pieces, it is well known, were manufactured at Bradwell about the year 1690, and were then sold at a high price. During the time from the commencement of the manufacture of White Stone W'are to the period when it had attained its highest perfection, which was about fifty years, the lead ore glaze con- tinued to be used, in the original way, in numerous small manufac- tories in every part of the Staffordshire Potteries. The manufac- turers, finding themselves in possession of a white body, fired and glazed it in the usual manner ; and with the addition of manga- * Enamelling was at first practised by persons who were not manufacturers of the body of the ware, though a few ultimately added this branch of the art to their regular business. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 421 nese rubbed under or upon the glaze with a sponge, produced an article known by the name of TORTOISE SHELL WARE. Another variety of ware, termed AGATE WARE, was produced by the addition of ground zaffer, in various proportions, and applied either by a sponge or the point of a hair pencil. Hafts for knives and forks, snuff-boxes, &c. &c. were manufactured from these ma- terials, and sent to Birmingham and Sheffield, to be fitted-up with hinges, hoops, and springs. A similar application of calcined copper, iron, and other metals, gave rise to other descriptions of ware, called CAULIFLOWER WARE, MELLON WARE, &c. &c. Another and an excellent kind of ware was produced by employing the lead-ore alone, or refined (omitting to use any of the before- named metals), with a small proportion of ground flint. This va- riety, denominated CREAM-COLOURED WARE, was first made in the year 1750, by Enoch Booth, of Tunstall, near Burslem, and one of his earliest pieces is now in the possession of an inhabitant of Burslem. The colour of this ware was subsequently improved, and considerable quantities of it were manufactured by the late Mrs. Warburton, of the Hot-lane, near Burslem, in 1751. In the early stages of the manufacture of White Stone Ware, numerous difficulties presented themselves, which to persons with- out precedent or much chemical knowledge, might have proved in- surmountable, had it not happened that different persons were making experiments at the same time with more or less success. Although the native marls or clays (of which the saggars were made) were numerous, it required great judgment in the choice and admixture, to enable them, when made, to sustain a much higher degree of heat than was required in the manufacture of lead ore glaze ; and this inconvenience was very generally felt for a considerable time. It was, however, at length ascertained, that saggars composed of Can-marl two parts, and Black-marl one part, were capable of sustaining the degree of heat required. This discovery was followed by that of the due admixture of flint and clay for forming the body of the ware, and the manufacture of White Stone Ware rapidly increased. About the year 1740, Thomas and John Wedgwood left their father's employ (as lead-ore glaze potters) and commenced the manufacture of White Stone Ware upon their own account ; but although very industrious and ingenious workmen (one of them being well skilled in burning or firing the ware, and the other au 422 A TOPOGRAPHICAL excellent thrower), they were unsuccessful for a long time, and had actually determined to abandon any further attempt to make the White Stone Ware, when an accidental circumstance encouraged them to proceed. The water with which they prepared their clay, it seems, became highly saturated with salt, owing to the shord- ruck or rubbish from their ovens being placed immediately above their water-pool, and which rubbish contained much salt. The rain, passing through the shord-ruck, dissolved the salt, and car- ried it into the pool, whence it got into the body of the ware, and, in conjunction with the flint and clay, together with the lime which generally adheres to flint stones, formed a fusible body that arrived at a state of vitrification with a lower degree of heat than was re- quisite to prepare this body for the salt glaze. This discovery in- duced them to make another trial with purer water ; and in this they succeeded beyond expectation. The Wedgwoods followed up their success with unremitting dili- gence ; and shortly afterwards built a new and commodious manu- factory, where they had a supply of good water. This was near the Windmill, invented and executed by the celebrated Brindley, for reducing flint stones to a fine powder by grinding them in water, and thereby preventing the pernicious effects upon the health of the men employed in preparing the flint according to the old method, by pounding it by hand in a dry state in a mortar. The fine dust of the flint getting into the lungs, produced coughs and consump- tions, which frequently proved fatal. This building, censured at the time as having been built upon too extensive a scale, was the first Earthenware Manufactory in the Potteries not covered with thatch. In 1750 they erected an excellent and substantial dwell- ing-house adjoining their manufactory, which so far exceeded the other houses in the Potteries in point of size and elegance, that it then was, and now is, distinguished by the appellation of the " Big House;" and about the year 1763, these gentlemen retired from business in the possession of an ample fortune, the just and honourable reward of their industry and integrity. About this time an improvement was made in the salt glaze by the united efforts of William Littlor and Aaron Wedgwood. Litt- lor had observed how nearly the White Stone Ware approached to Porcelain; and about the year 1750, he left Burslem, and com- menced a Porcelain manufactory at Longton, near Stoke. He so far succeeded as to excite the astonishment of the potters ; but it proved an unprofitable article, and the manufacture of it was dis- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 423 continued. Littlor sustained some heavy losses, and sold his estate at Brownhills, in the parish of Burslem. Specimens of this porcelain are preserved, which, in body, glaze, and enamel, may be considered as excellent for that day. Aaron Wedgwood was a manufacturer of White Stone Ware, and having married Littlor's sister, they united their experience, and made repeated attempts to improve the salt glaze. The result of these experiments was the addition of ingredients of easy fusi- bility with certain proportions of ground zaffer and the flint and clay of which the body of the ware was composed. In this com- pound, when in a liquid state, the ware was dipped, by which it im- bibed a thin coat or covering of the liquid ; and this, when exposed to the fire in the usual method of glazing with salt, produced a fine smooth glassy surface, quite free from the small inequalities which are observable on all the pieces of ware glazed with salt alone. Some excellent specimens of this improved species of glaze are pre- served, which possess all the beauty of the finest lapis lazuli ; and of others, from the admixture of a small proportion of manganese, which have the appearance of the finest Oriental lapis lazuli. These articles were further ornamented by enamelling, gilding, &c. The following curious instruments or indentures, will be found interesting, as pointing out the importance which was formerly attached to an initiation into the art of manufacturing earthen- ware, and the price of labour when these agreements were executed. " This Indenture, made the three and twentieth day of August, in the fifth year of the reign of our Soveraign Lord King George the Second over Great Brittaine, &c. Anno Dni. 1731, Between Ralph Wood, of Burslem, in the county of Stafford, miller, and Aaron Wood his son, of the one part, and D r - Thomas Wedgwood, of Burslem afores d - potter, of the other part, Wittnesseth that the s d - Aaron Wood, of his own free will and consent, and to and with the direction and appointm 1 - of his s d - father, Hath put himselfe, and doth hereby put and bind himselfe apprentice unto the s d - D r< Thomas Wedgwood, the art, trade, mystery, and occupation of a potter to learn, that is to say, turning in the lath, handling, and trimming (throwing on the wheele being out of this indenture ex- cepted), and with him the s d - D r - Thomas Wedgwood to worke from the eleventh day of November next, being Martinmas day, for dur- ing and until the full end and terme of seven years from thence next ensuing and following, and fully to be compleat and ended, during all which time and terme of seven years the s d - Aaron Wood, 3 H 424 A TOPOGRAPHICAL as an apprentice to his s d - master, will and faithfully shall serve, his secrets shall keepe, his commands lawfull and honest every where shall do, the goods of his s d - ma 1 - hee shall not inordinatly wast, nor them to any one lend, without his s d ma 1 - lyeence, from the business of his s d - ma 1 - hee shall not absent himselfe, but as a true and faithful servant shall, during the s d - terme of seven years, behave and .demean himselfe towards his s d - master and all his. And the said Ralph Wood shall, during the s d - terme of seven years, find and provide /or his s d - son all sorts of apparrell, whether linnen, woollen, or other, as also meat, drink, washing, and lodging, fitting and necessary for an apprentice to such trade as afores d - And the s d. j)r. Thomas Wedgwood in consideration thereof, and of the s d - seven years service, doth hereby covenant, promisse, and agree, that hee, the s d - D r - Thomas Wedgwood, shall and will, during the s d - terme of seven years, teach and instruct, or cause and procure to be taught and instructed, him, the s d - Aaron Wood, his s d * ap- prentice, in the businesse of the potting trade afores d - so fan* as turning in the lath, handling, and trimming, as much as thereunto belongeth, .or the beet way and method he can. And the s d - D r * Thomas Wedgwood doth also promisse and engage to pay unto his s d - apprentice, the s d - Aaron Wood, for every weeke's worke done by the s d - apprentice in the first, second, and third year of his s d * apprenlishipp, the sum of one shilling weekly, of good and lawfull money of Great Brittaine, and for every weeke's worke done by jthe s d - apprentice in the fourth, fifth, and sixth year of his s d - ap- prentishipp, the full sum of one shilling and sixpence, and for every weeke's worke done by the s d - apprentice, in the seventh and last year pf his s d - apprentishipp, the full and just sum of four shillings of lawfull money of Great Brittaine. And the s d * D r - Thomas Wedgwood doth hereby further covenant, promisse, and agree that }ie, the s d - D r - Wedgwood, shall, and will, over and above the jsreekely wages afores d - give yearly to the s d - Aaron Wood, his s d - apprentice, one new paire of shoes during the s d - terme of seven years,. In wittnesse whereof, the s d - parties afores d - to these p r -sent Indentures have interchangeably put their hands and scales the day and year first above written : c RALPH WOOD. " Staled and delivered in " AARON WOOD. the presence of " Dr. Tiio: WBDGWOOD." " SARA >< WOOD. her mark. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 425 ARTICLES of Agreement indented,made, concluded and agreed upon, the twenty** eighth day of September, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Three, and in the Seventeenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King George the Second, over Great Britain and so forth, between Aaron Wood, of Burslem, in the County of Stafford, Earth-potter, of the one part, and John Mitchell, of Burslem aforesaid, Earth-potter, of the other part, as follows : " First, The sard Aaron Wood, for the consideration hereunder mentioned, doth covenant, promise, and agree, to and with the said John Mitchell, his executors, administrators, and assigns, by these presents in manner following (that is to say) that he the said Aaron Wood shall and will, for and during the term and time of seven years, to begin and be accounted from the eleventh day of November next ensuing the date of these presents, abide and con- tinue with the said John Mitchell, his executors, administrators, and assigns, as his and their hired and covenant servant, and diti- gently and faithfully, according to the best and utmost of his power, skill, and knowledge, exercise and employ himself, and do and perform all such service and business whatsoever relating to the trade of a earth-potter which he the said John Mitchell useth, as he the said John Mitchell shall from time to time during the the term aforesaid order direct and appoint, to and for the most profit and advantage of the said John Mitchell that he can, and shall and will keep the secrets of the said John Mitchell relating to the said trade or business, and likewise be just, true, and fafth- ful to the said John Mitchell in all matters and things, and no ways wrongfully detain, embezzle, or purloin any monies, goods, or things whatsoever belonging to the said John Mitchell, but shall and will from trme to time pay all monies which he shall receive or belonging to or by order of the said John Mitchell into his hands, and make and give up fair accounts of all his actings and doings in the said employment without fraud or delay, when and as oftea he shall be thereto required. And in consideration of the premises of the several matters and things by the said Aaron Wood to OB performed as aforesaid, the said John Mitchell doth for himself, his executors and administrators, covenant, promise, and agree to and with the said Aaron Wood by these presents, that he the said John Mitchell shall and will well and truly pay or cause to be 'paid unto the said Aaron Wood, the sum of seven shillings of good and law- ful money of Great Britain, by weekly payments, for every six days that the said Aaron Wood shall work with the said John Mitchell as aforesaid during the said term ; and also shall and will well and 426 A TOPOGRAPHICAL truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said Aaron Wood the fur- ther sum of ten shillings and sixpence of like lawful money, upon every eleventh day of November yearly, during the said term : the first payment of the said sum of ten shillings and sixpence, shall be made on the eleventh day of November next ensuing the date hereof. And it is further agreed by and between the said parties to these presents, that the said Aaron Wood shall not be from the service of the said John Mitchell above two weeks in any one year during the said term. And that the said Aaron Wood shall not, and will not at any time or times during the said term, work for any other person or persons at the trade of a earth-potter, but the said John Mitchell, his executors, administrators, or assigns, upon penalty of paying to the said John Mitchell the sum of ten pounds of good and lawful money of Great Britain. And that the said Aaron Wood shall not have person or persons to work with him in the business that the said John Mitchell is to employ him in but himself only. In witness whereof, the said parties to these presents their hands and seals have hereunto put this day and year first above written. " AARON WOOD. " Sealed and delivered in " JOHN \J MITCHELL. the presence of his mark." " J. HENSHALL. " ANN HEN SHALL. At this time, 5s. 6d. or 6s. was considered the full weekly wages of a journeyman potter, and it appears 7s. per week was con- sidered sufficient for a man who was a modeller, and had the full management of the largest manufactory in the Pottery. " In the year 1763, Mr. Josiah Wedgwood, who had already intro- duced several improvements into this art, as well with respect to the forms and colours of the wares, as the composition of which they were made, invented a species of earthenware for the table, of a firm and durable body, and covered with a rich and brilliant glaze, and bearing sudden vicissitudes of cold and heat, without injury. It was accompanied also with the advantages of being manufactured with ease and expedition, was sold cheap ; and as it possessed, with the novelty of its appearance, every requisite qua- lity for the purpose intended, it came quickly into general estima- tion and use. To this manufacture the Queen was pleased to give her name and patronage, commanding it to be called QUEEN'S WARE, and honouring the inventor by appointing him her Majesty's potter. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. " It is composed of the whitest clays from Devonshire, Dorset- shire, and other places, mixed with a due proportion of ground flint. The pieces are fired twice, and the glaze applied after the first firing, in the same manner as porcelain. The glaze is a vi- treous composition of flint and other white earthy bodies, with ad- ditions of white lead for the flux, analogous to common flint glass ; so that, when prepared in perfection, the ware may be considered as coated over with real flint glass. This compound being mixed with water to a proper consistence, the pieces, after the first firing, are separately dipt in it; being somewhat bibulous, they drink in a quantity of the mere water, and the glaze, which was united with that portion of the water, remains adherent uniformly all over their surface, so as to become, by the second firing, a coat of per- fect glass. " To Mr. Wedgwood's continued experiments, we are indebted for the invention of several other species of earthenware and porce- lain, adapted to various purposes of ornament and use. The prin- cipal are the following : 1. A TERRA COTTA; resembling porphyry, granite, Egyptian pebble, and other beautiful stones of the sili- ceous or crystalline order. 2. BASALTES, or Black Ware ; a black porcelain buiscuit of nearly the same properties with the natural stone ; striking fire with steel, receiving a high polish, serving as a touchstone for metals; resisting all the acids, and bearing, without injury, a strong fire, stronger indeed, than the basaltes itself. 3. WHITE PORCELAIN BISCUIT, of a smooth wax-like surface, of the same properties with the preceding, except in what depends upon colour. 4. JASPER; a white porcelain biscuit of exquisite beauty and delicacy, possessing the general properties of the basaltes, together with the singular one of receiving through its whole substance, from the admixture of metallic calces with the other materials, the same colours which those calces communicate to glass or enamels in fusion, a property which no other porcelain or earthen-ware body, of ancient or modern composition, has been found to possess. This renders it peculiarly fit for making cameos, portraits, and all subjects in basso relievo, as the ground may be of any particular colour, while the raised figures are of pure white. 5. BAMBOO, or cane-coloured biscuit porcelain. This possesses the same properties as the White Porcelain Biscuit, mentioned above. 6. A PORCELAIN BISCUIT, remarkable for great hardness, little in- ferior to that of agate. This property, together with its resistance to the strongest acids and corrosives, and its impenetrability by 428 A TOPOGRAPHICAL every known liquid, adapts it for mortars, and many different kinds of chemical vessels."* The following description of the process used in manufacturing the earthenware, was communicated to Dr. Aikin, by a person on the spot. The practice has varied in but a trifling manner since that time. A piece of prepared mixture of clay and ground flint, dried and prepared to a proper consistence, is taken to be formed into any required shape and fashion, by a man who sits over a ma- chine called a wheel, on the going round of which he continues form- ing the ware. This branch is called throwing ; and, as water is required to prevent the clay sticking to the hand, it is necessary to place it for a short time in a warm situation. It then undergoes the operation of being turned, and is made much smoother than it was before, by a person called a turner; when it is ready for the handle and spout to be joined to it, by the branch called handling. Dishes, plates, tureens, and many other articles, are made from moulds of ground plaster ; and, when finished, the whole are placed carefully in saggars, and taken to the oven. The ware, when re- moved from the oven, is called biscuit, and the body of it has much the appearance of a new tobacco-pipe, not having the least gloss upon it. It is then immersed or dipped into a fluid generally con- sisting of sixty pounds of white lead, ten pounds of ground flint, and twenty pounds of stone from Cornwall, burned and ground, all mixed together, and as much water put to it as reduces it to the thickness of cream, which it resembles. Each piece of ware being separately immersed or dipped into this fluid, so much of it adheres all over the piece, that when put into other saggars, and exposed to another operation of fire, performed in the glossing kiln or oven, the ware becomes finished by acquiring its glossy covering, which is given it by the vitrification of the above ingredients. En- amelled ware undergoes a third fire after its being painted, in order to bind the colour on. A single piece of ware, such as a common enamelled tea-pot, a mug, jug, &c. passes through at least fourteen different hands, before it is finished : viz. the sliprnaker, who makes the clay ; the temperer, or beater of the clay ; the thro wer, who forms the ware; the ball-maker and carrier; the attender upon the drying of it ; the turner, who does away its roughness; the spoutmaker; the handler, who puts to the handle and spout ; the first, or bis-' * Ai kin's Manchester. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 429 uit fireman ; the person who immerses or dips it into the lead fluid; the second, or glass fireman; the dresser, or sorter in the warehouse ; the enameller, or painter ; the muffle, or enamel fire- man. Several more are required to the completion of such pieces of ware, but are in inferior capacities, such as turners of the wheel, turners of the lathe, &c. c. We cannot better conclude our account of this important Manu- facture than by giving a short biographical sketch of one, who, by his genius and exertions, mainly contributed to the accomplish- ment of that stupendous undertaking, The Grand Trunk, or Staf- fordshire Canal, and with which, and the name of BRINDLEY, the best interests of the Staffordshire Potteries must ever be associated. Some account of this, and his other great works, is incorpo- rated in the memoir of their immortal master. JAMES BRINDLEY, a person of extraordinary genius for mecha- nical inventions, and distinguished by his skill in planning and con- ducting inland navigation, was born at Tunsted, in the parish of Wormhill, and county of Derby, in the year 1716. His parents possessed a small freehold, the income of which his father dissi- pated by field diversions, and by associating with persons above his rank ; and thus the education of the son was wholly neglected. Urged by the necessities of his family, he contributed to its sup- port till he was nearly 17 years of age, by that kind of labour which, in country places, is assigned to the poor ; but at this age he bound himself apprentice to a millwright, whose name was Ben- net, near Macclesfield, in Cheshire, and soon became expert in his business, discovering, at the same time, a singular genius for the extension and improvement of the mechanic arts in general. Ac- cordingly, in the early period of his apprenticeship, he performed several parts of the business without any instructions from his mas- ter, and gave so much satisfaction to the millers who employed him, that he was always consulted in preference to his master or any other workman; and before the expiration of his servitude, when Mr. Bennet, by his age and infirmities, became unable to work, he carried on the business with reputation, and provided a comfortable subsistence for the old man and his family. About this time his master was employed in constructing an engine paper- mill, the first of the kind that had been attempted in these parts ; but as he was likely to fail in the execution of it, Mr. Brindley, without communicating his design, set out on Saturday evening jr the business of the day was finished, and hating inspected the 430 A TOPOGRAPHICAL work, returned home the next morning, after a journey of 50 miles, informed his master of its defects, and completed the engine to the entire satisfaction of the proprietors. Mr. Brindley afterwards engaged in the mill-wright business on his own account, and soon acquired the reputation of a most ingenious mechanic. The fame of his inventions and contrivances was in a little while spread far beyond his own neighbourhood ; and in 1752, he was employed to erect a curious water-engine at Clifton in Lancashire, for the pur- pose of draining coal-mines, which had before been performed B,t an enormous expence. The water for the use of this engine was conveyed from the river Irwell by a subterraneous channel, nearly 600 yards long, which passed through a rock ; and the wheel was fixed 30 feet below the surface of the ground. In 1755, he con- structed a new silk-mill at Congleton, in Cheshire, according to the plan proposed by the proprietors, after the execution of it by the original undertaker had failed ; and in the completion of it he added many new and useful improvements. He introduced one contrivance for winding the silk upon the bobbins equally, and not in wreaths ; and another for stopping, in an instant, not only the whole of this extensive system, in all its various movements, but any individual part of it at pleasure. He likewise invented ma- chines for cutting the tooth and pinion wheels of the different en- gines, in a manner that produced a great saving of time, labour, and expence. He also introduced into the mills used at the Pot- teries in Staffordshire for grinding flint stones several valuable ad- ditions, which greatly facilitated the operation. In 1756, he con- structed a steam-engine near Newcastle-under-Lyme, upon a new plan, which evinced his genius for invention and contrivance, for which he obtained a patent. The boiler was made with brick and stone, instead of iron plates, and the water was heated by fire-places, so constructed as to save the consumption of fuel. He also intro- duced cylinders of wood instead of iron, and he substituted wood for iron in the chains which worked at the end of the beam. But in this and similar contrivances for the improvement of this useful engine, he was obstructed by interested engineers ; and his atten- tion was diverted from the prosecution of them by the great na- tional object of "Inland Navigation." In planning and executing canals his mechanical genius found ample scope for exercise, and formed a sort of distinguishing aera in the history of our country. However, envy and prejudice, and an attachment to established customs, raised a variety of obstacles to the accomplishment of hit HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 431 designs and undertakings ; and if he had not been liberally and powerfully protected by the Duke of Bridgewater, at the com- mencement of the business*, his triumph over the opposition with which he encountered must have been in a very considerable de- gree obstructed and retarded. The Noble Duke possessed an es- tate at Worsley, about seven miles from Manchester, rich in mines of coal, from which he derived little or no advantage, on account of the expense which attended the conveyance of this article by land-carriage to a suitable market for consumption. Fully ap- prized of the utility of a canal from Worsley to Manchester, he consulted Mr. Brindley on the subject ; who, having surveyed the country, declared the scheme to be practicable. Accordingly his Grace obtained, in the years 1758 and 1759, an act of parliament for this purpose; and Mr. Brindley was employed in the conduct and execution of the undertaking, the first of the kind ever at- tempted in England, with navigable subterraneous tunnels and elevated aqueducts. At the commencement of the business it was determined, that the level of the water should be preserved without the usual obstructions of locks. But in accomplishing this object, many difficulties occurred ; and it was soon found that it would be necessary to carry the canal over rivers and many deep vallies, and that it would not be easy to obtain a sufficient supply of water for completing the navigation. However, Mr. Brindley, patronized by the duke, and furnished with ample resources, persevered, and at length conquered all the embarrassments, occasioned by the na- ture of the undertaking, and by the passions and prejudices of in- dividuals. Having completed the canal as far as Barton, where the river Irwell is navigable for large vessels, he proposed to carry it over that river, by an aqueduct 39 feet above the surface of the water. This was considered as a chimerical and extravagant pro- ject ; and an eminent engineer, who was consulted on the occasion, ridiculed the attempt. " I have often heard," said he, " of cas- tles in the air, but never before was shewn where any of them were to be erected." The Duke of Bridgewater was not dis- couraged ; but confiding in the judgment of Mr. Brindley, em- powered him to prosecute the work ; and in about ten months the aqueduct was completed. This astonishing work commenced in Sept. 1760, and the first boat sailed over it the 17th of July, 1761. The canal was then extended to Manchester, where Mr. Brindley's in- genuity in diminishing labour by mechanical contrivances, was ex- tiibited in a machine for landing coals upon the top of a hill. It 3 I 432 A TOPOGRAPHICAL is no wonder, that an object, so curious in itself, and of such na- tional importance, should have attracted general attention. The Duke of Bridgewater, having found by experience the utility of these inland navigations, extended his views to Liverpool; and obtained, in 1762, an Act of Parliament for branching his canal to the tide-way in the Mersey. This part is carried over the river Mersey and Bollan, and over many wide and deep vallies. Over the vallies it is conducted without a single lock ; and across the valley at Stretford, through which the Mersey runs, a mound of earth, raised for preserving the water, extends nearly a mile. In the construction of this mound Mr. Brindley displayed his mecha- nical genius, by rendering the canal itself subservient to his design, and by bringing the soil, necessary for his purpose, along the canal in boats of a peculiar form, which were conducted into caissoons or cisterns ; so that on opening the bottoms of the boats, the earth was deposited where it was wanted, and the valley was thus ele- vated to a proper level for continuing the canal. Across the Bollan the ground was raised by temporary locks, formed of the timber used in the construction of the caissoons just mentioned. In the execution of every part of the navigation, Mr. Brindley dis- played singular skill and ingenuity ; and in order to facilitate his purpose, he produced many valuable machines. His economy and forecast, in every part of the work, deserve to be particularly no- ticed, and they are peculiarly discernible in the stops or flood- gates, that are fixed in the canal, where it is above the level of the land. These stops are so constructed, that if any of the banks should give way and occasion a current, the adjoining gates will rise merely by that mption, and prevent any other part of the water from escaping, besides that which is near the breach between the two gates. Encouraged by the success of the Duke of Bridgewater's under* takings, a subscription was entered into by a number of gentlemen and manufacturers in Staffordshire, for constructing a canal through that county, in pursuance of a scheme which had been suggested some years before ; and Mr. Brindley was engaged to make a sur- vey from the Trent to the Mersey. Upon his report that a canal for connecting the two rivers was practicable, application was made to Parliament, in 1765, for an Act to this purpose, whieh was ob- tained in the same year. This canal, which, by its planner, was ingeniously termed the Grand Trunk, (in allusion to the main artery of the body, from whence HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 433 branches are sent off for the nourishment of the distant parts) and which is commonly known by the name of the Staffordshire Canal, takes its course from north-west to south-east, across the county of Chester, and thence across Staffordshire beyond its middle* when, turning short in a north-eastern direction parallel to the Trent, it accompanies that river into Derbyshire, and enters it near the place where the high road from Derby to Leicester crosses the Trent over a bridge, substituted to the former Wilden-ferry. In length it is ninety-three miles. Its fall of water from its greatest eleva- tion at Harecastle-hill, is 326 feet on the northern side, and 316 on the southern ; the former effected by thirty-five locks, the latter by forty. Six of the most southern locks are fourteen feet wide, adapted to the navigation of large barges, and one of the northern is of the same width. The common dimensions of the canal are twenty-nine feet breadth at the top, sixteen at the bottom, and the depth four feet and a half; but in the part from Wilden to Burton, and from Middle wich to Preston-on-the-Hill, it is thirty-one feet broad at the top, eighteen at the bottom, and five and a half deep. The canal is carried over the Dove in an aqueduct of twenty-three arches, the ground being raised to a considerable height for the space of a mile and two furlongs. Over the Trent it is carried by an aque- duct of six arches of twenty-one feet span each; and over the Dane, on three arches of twenty feet span. There are besides near 160 lesser aqueducts and culverts for the conveyance of brooks and small streams. The cart bridges erected over it are 109 ; the foot bridges eleven. For the sake of preserving a level as much as possible, th hills and elevated grounds in the course of the canal have been pierced by five tunnels. Of these, that through the mountain at Harecastle is the principal, and has proved a work of vast labour and expense, iii consequence of unforeseen difficulties. Its length is 2880 yards, with a width of nine feet, and a height of twelve, lined and arched with brick ; and it runs more than seventy yards below the surface of the earth. The other tunnels are at Armitage 130 yards ; at Barnton, in Great Bud worth parish, 560 yards ; at Saltenford, iu tHe same parish, 350 yards; and at Preston-on-the-Hill, 1241 yards. Each of these is seventeen feet four inches high, and thirteen feet six inches wide. The boats employed upon the canal carry about twenty-five tons, and are drawn by one horse. The tonnage paid to the proprietors for the liberty of navigating is three-halfpence per mile. This great work was begun on July 17th, 1766. It was 434 A TOPOGRAPHICAL carried on with great spirit by Mr. Brindley while he lived, and was finished by his brother-in-law, Mr. Henshall, who put the last hand to it in May 1777. The next object which engaged the attention of Mr. Brindley was the construction of a canal from the Grand Trunk, near Hay- wood in Staffordshire, to the river Severn near Bewdley, by means of which the port of Bristol was connected with the ports of Liver- pool and Hull. This canal, about 46 miles in length, was com- pleted in 1772. His next undertaking was the survey and exe- cution of a canal from Birmingham, which should unite with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal near Wolverhampton. This navigation, which is 26 miles in length, was finished in about three years. Our engineer advised the proprietors, in order to avoid the inconvenience of locks, and for the more effectual supply of the canal with water, to have a tunnel at Smethwick ; but his advice was disregarded; and the managers have since been under a ne- cessity of erecting two steam-engines. The canal from Droitwich to the river Severn, for the conveyance of salt and coals, was exe- cuted by Mr. Brindley ; and he also planned the Coventry naviga- tion, which was for some time under his directions ; but a dispute arising about the mode of executing it, he resigned his office. Some short time before his death, he began the Oxfordshire canal, which, uniting with the Coventry canal, serves as a continuation of the Grand Trunk navigation to Oxford, and thence by the Thames to London. The last undertaking, in which Mr. Brindley engaged, was the canal from Chesterfield to the river Trent at Stockwith. He surveyed and planned the whole, and executed some miles of the navigation, which was finished by his brother- in-law, Mr. Henshall, in 1777. Such was the established reputa- tion of Mr. Brindley, that he was consulted on a variety of occa- sions ; and, indeed, few works of this kind were undertaken without his advice. When difficulties occurred in the execution of any of his works, Mr. Brindley had no recourse to books, or to the labours of other persons ; but as all his resources were those of his own inventive mind, he generally retired to bed, and lay there one, two, or three days, till he had devised the expedients which he needed for the accomplishment of his objects. He then got up and executed his design without any drawing or model, which he never used, except for the satisfaction of his employers. His memory was so tena- cious, that he could remember and execute all the parts of th<- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 435 most complex machine, provided he had time, in his previous sur- vey, to settle, in his mind, the several departments, and their rela- tions to each other. In his calculations of the powers of any ma- chine, he performed the requisite operation by a mental process, ia a manner which none knew but himself, and which, perhaps, he was not able to communicate to others \ arid after certain intervals of consideration, he noted down the result in figures ; arid then pro- ceeded to operate upon that result, until at length the complete so- lution was obtained, which was generally right. . Some have said that Mr. Brindley had been so much neglected in early life, as never to have learned to read and write ; and it has also been affirmed, that his aspect was that of an ideot, and his language mean, obscure, arid almost unintelligible. But neither of these facts is well founded. Although he read little^ and wrote le.ss, he had frequent occasion for correspondence with his friends and employers. His countenance was sensible and animated ; but as he was unostentatious in his outward appearance, his dress was always plain. His conversation, on occasions of importance, and among his intimate friends, was instructive and interesting ; and enlivened by the singular genius, and the benevolent and .patriotic spirit for which he was distinguished, and which gave energy to his pursuits. His want of literature, indeed, compelled him to cul- tivate, in an extraordinary degree, the art of memory ; and in order to facilitate the revival, in his mind, of those visible objects and their properties, to which his attention was chiefly directed, he secluded himself from the external impresssions of other objects, in the solitude of his bed. Dr. Wallis, who was eminently distin- guished by the tenaciousness of his memory, so that he could ex- tract the cube root of any number to 100 places of figures in his mind, availed himself, for this purpose, of a similar seclusion. Mr. Brindley died of a diabetes, in consequence of sleeping in a damp bed at Ipstones, on the 27th of September, 1772, in the 56th year of his age, at Turnhurst, in the parish of Wolstanton, Stafford- shire. He was buried at New Chapel, in this county ; and which is a chapel of ease to Wolstanton church. The talents of Mr. Brindley were of a singular kind ; and under the patronage of his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater, they had an opportunity of being unfolded and exercised to their full extent, in the execution of works new to this country, and which will per- petuate his fame to future generations. The brief recital which has been given of his stupendous undertakings, will enable the 436 A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. reader to form some judgment of this extraordinary person. Such was the enthusiasm with which he engaged in all schemes of inland navigation, that he seemed (if we may credit report) to regard all rivers with contempt, when compared with canals. To this pur- pose, it is said, that in an examination before the House of Com- mons, when he was asked by a Member, for what purpose he ap- prehended rivers were created ? he replied, after some delibera T tion, " to feed navigable canals/' As to his private character, those who knew him well, and had an opportunity of conversing familiarly with him, respected him in a high degree " for the uni- form and unshaken integrity of his conduct; for his steady at- tachment to the interest of the community ; for the vast compass of his understanding, which seemed to have a natural affinity with all grand objects; and, likewise, for many noble and beneficial designs, constantly generating in his mind ; and which the multi- plicity of his engagements, and the shortness of his Jife, prevented him from bringing to maturity." ADDENDA. HAVING noticed several Wells, from p. [170] to [174,] which were in former times remarkable in this county, for their medicinal pro- perties, and being holy ; we insert the following extract from Mr. W. S. Mason's Statistical Account or Parochial Survey of Ireland, (vol. 1. p. 328.) with a view of illustrating in some degree the su- perstitious devotion called "well-worship," p. 174. It affords some details of the rites observed on such occasions which might not be generally known, and may afford some amusement to the reader. It occurs, in the statistical account of the parish of Dungiven, in the diocese of Derry, and county of Londonderry, which was com- municated by the Rev. Alexander Ross, rector. " The only Saint particularly respected in this parish is St. Patrick; every remain of antiquity, as the church, the upright stone, &c. is ascribed to him as its author. " There is a fine spring well, between the town and the old church, called Tubber-Patrick, which is the object of peculiar vene- ration. The absurd and superstitious ceremonies which are here practised to this day, would scarcely be credited without ocular testimony. Early almost every Sunday morning, from Patrick's- day until about Michaelmas, a number of devotees surround this well, and after bowing towards it with great reverence, walk round it a certain number of times, repeating, during their progress, a stated measure of prayer, they then wash their hands and feet with the water, and tear off a small rag from their cloaths, which they tie on a bush overhanging the well from thence they all proceed to a large stone in the river Roe, immediately below the old church, and having performed an ablution, they walk round the stone, bow- ing to it, and repeating prayers as at the well. Their next move- ment is to the old church, within which a similar ceremony goes on, and they finish this rite, by a procession and prayer round the up- right stone already described. " How strange that this idolatrous monument of Odin, should still be substituted for the pure sanctuary and spiritual worship of the living Jehovah." The writer adds, by way of note, that something of the kind, in regard to bowing to the stone, is alluded to by the prophet Isaiah (ch. 57. v. 6.) and that it is some consolation to observe, that the dislike to these ceremonies is not confined entirely to Protestants. 438 ADDENDA. The Rev. C. O'Connor, a zealons Roman Catholic, alludes with sufficient contempt to them, when speaking of the massacre in 1641, he boldly attributes it to '" the Druidical and well-worshipping ex- communications and miracles, by which the people were hood- winked." See his Historical Address, published in 1812, p. 244. In the account of Aghaboe, in Queen's county, and diocese of Ossory, p. 42. by the Rev. Edward Ledwick, LL.D. we have the following account of another well : " St. Canteens Well was in my orchard in Aghaboe ; there the pedlars laid down their packs and said their prayers. " About a quarter of a mile distant from the town was a groupe of thorn bushes, called after St. Canice ; there, likewise, the poor people performed their devotions. " These were heathen practices, derived from the earliest ages. At the citadel of Athens stood an olive-tree planted by Neptune and Minerva, and held very sacred. The fathers and councils re- probated such gross superstition ; but it was difficult to eradicate it, as among the uninformed it is to be found at present." We trust that we need not apologize for the introduction of any matter that relates to Public Charities. We wish our information on that part of local history had been more extensive, as it cannot fail of being interesting to many. There is no charity, which, in our opinion, more deserves the attention and support of the affluent and pious than that established at Stafford in 1771, " for the relief of widows and orphans of poor clergymen, &c." and we here subjoin a copy of part of a printed statement sent to the subscribers in 1816, in respect of the chief rules and orders thereof, and the forms of the certificates required by the governors. Such in- formation we hope will be peculiarly acceptable to such of the clergy as are not subscribers ; and by adding greater publicity to the charity, will induce some, to whom God has given abundance, to promote and increase the benefits thereof by adding their own contributions, and exerting their influence on its behalf. No more solemn injunction is given in the Bible than the following : " Take heed to thyself, that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth." (Dent. xii. 19.) RULES AND ORDERS. 1. The widows of clergymen so continuing, and their children unprovided for, or not in a way of providing for themselves, are the persons to be relieved by this Society, or such clergymen, as ADDENDA. 439 shall be disabled by age, sickness, or infirmity, and have not income sufficient for the necessary support of themselves and their families. 2. That the children of necessitous clergymen do, in the life-time of the said clergymen, so far partake of this charity, as to be ap- prenticed at proper ages. 3. That no widows or orphans be relieved, but those of such clergymen, as at the time of their death or incapacity, were possessed of some ecclesiastical preferment, or licensed to a curacy within the archdeaconry, the several peculiars, or county of Stafford. 4. That no person be relieved, until there be a certificate given in, and repeated yearly under the hands of three governors, (or if the person be removed out of the county, of three clergymen living in the neighbourhood of the place, where such person resides) set- ting forth the age, circumstances, and residence of the person, and that she, or he, is of a sober life and conversation, a member of the Church of England as by law established, (and if a widow) how many children she hath, and of what age they are. 5. That every clergyman subscribing any sum to this charity, and every lay person subscribing one guinea, be a governor and director of this charity for that year ; and that every benefactor by a donation of twenty guineas, be a governor and director for life. 9. That the business of the Stewards be more particularly to promote the charity in their respective districts , both among the clergy and laity , to receive subscriptions, to collect arrears^ and to pay them to the treasurer on or before the annual meeting of the governors. 10. That a general meeting of the governors of this charity be annually held at STAFFORD, on the Thursday next after the twenty- fourth day of June, of which notice is to be given to each district in the Stafford and Birmingham papers. 11. That at this annual meeting applications are to be delivered in and considered, and orders made for the disposal of the money contributed ; reserving however a full and sufficient sum in balance to answer exigencies; at the same time the treasurer's accounts for the preceding year are to be received and audited. FORMS OF CERTIFICATES. CLERGYMAN'S CERTIFICATE. " We, whose names are underwritten, do testify that in the Archdeaconry, or county of Stafford, is by disabled 3 K 440 ADDENDA. from officiating, and has not an income sufficient for the necessary support of himself and his family, the whole not exceeding* and now resides at" WIDOW'S CERTIFICATE. " We, whose names are underwritten, do testify that widow of late of in the Archdeaconry, or county of Stafford, is unmarried, aged years, and hath children, of the respective ages of is of a sober life and conversation, a member and regular communicant of the Church of England; has no sufficient maintenance, stands in need of relief, and has not au income in any way of more than* and that her husband was at the time of his death, possessed of some ecclesiastical pre- ferment, or licensed to a curacy, within the Archdeaconry or county of Stafford ; and now resides at" ORPHAN'S CERTIFICATE. " We, whose names are underwritten, do testify that aged is unmarried, unprovided for, and in no way of providing for self, behaves decently and soberly, and frequents the ser- vice of the Church of England, and has not an income in any way of more than* and that his (or her) father was at the time of his death possessed of some ecclesiastical preferment, or licensed to a curacy, within the Archdeaconry or county of Stafford, and now resides at" " N. B, It is expected that these forms will be adhered to, other- wise the certificate will not be admitted. " Q^ The Governors of this Charity expect, at their next and all future annual meetings, an acknowledgment from every person re- lieved, specifying the sum. The acknowledgment may be made, if the application is continued, at the foot of the fresh certificate. " All persons who are disposed to contribute by will to this charity, are desired to do it in the following manner : " I give and bequeath to A. B. and C. D. the sum of****, upon trust, that they pay the same to the Treasurer for the time being of the Charity for the Relief of Widows and Orphans of Poor Clergy- tnen, within the Archdeaconry and county of Stafford, which sum I charge upon my personal estate, and desire it may be applied to the use of the said charity." The total of receipts in 1816, was > 426. 4s. 4cf. and of disbar- ments ,426. 2s. Sd. making a balance in the hands of the treasurer of only one stalling and eightpence. * ll&re insert the particulars of the income (if any} and how it arises. ADDENDA. 441 In looking over the list of those relieved by the charity, we ob- serve the allowance to each varies from <10. to ,=36. and the sub- scriptions vary from 10s. 6rf. to 6. 6s. each. In proportion as the benevolence of the charitable is extended and increased, this and such like charities may be improved. In the diocese of Derry, in Ireland, is an excellent charity for Clergymen's widows. It is thus noticed in Mason's Statistical Account of Ireland, (vol. i. p. 601.) " The rector of this parish [Maghera] pays eight pounds a-year, and the curate fifteen shillings, to this excellent institution, by which the widows of those who pay one per cent, per annum of their benefices or curacies, as rated some years ago, are entitled to an annuity of thirty-five pounds a-year, and six of them are accommo- dated with houses in the city of Derry, rent-free, and kept in re- pair." In looking over the list of subscribers there recorded, we perceive the subscriptions vary in the first class from 1. 10s. to ^100. which latter sum appears opposite the name of the Lord Bishop of Derry. The curates' subscriptions in the second class are from 15s. to 18s. each. In 1813, the fund amounted to e3746. 7s. 5|rf. The account concludes thus : " This fund is progressively in- creasing, and holds forth a bright example to all other dioceses in the British Empire." Our sincere wish is that the Staffordshire Nobility, Clergy, and Gentry, will enable the Secretary to the Stafford Charity to make a similar report of its " progressive increase." PECULIARS TO WHICH NO DIOCESE LICENCE IS TO BE DIRECTED. DERBYSHIRE. Sheldon. DEAN. SAWLEY PBEBKND. BakeweU, Sawlty, Ashford, Risley, Berkley, Longson, Wilne, Longeaton, Fairfield, Breasnn, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Baslow, Calk, Dale Abbey, Tiddeswell, Hart'mgton, Hone, Wurm/dll, Sterndule, Peak Fores t. Chdmorton, STAFFORDSHIRE. /far/oft, Cannnck, Taddinginn, Manias k , Rugdey, A relay, Kniveton, Bretcood, 442 ADDENDA. St. Mary, 1 St. Chad, aVs Stow, \Lichf,eld St. Michael, J ffammerwich, Farewell, Baswich, Acton Trussell, Bednall, Whittington, Alrewas, Bromley Regis, Edingale, Maveson Ridware t Pipe Ridware, Hansacre, Armitage, LORD OF THE MANOR. Hints, Norton, Eccleshall, Charnes, Millmeece, Gerards Bromley, Chadskill, Chorlton, nch, Frodswett, Adbaston, Longdon in com. Stafford, IVeeford, St. Chad, Stafford, Tipton, Prees in com. Salop, Penkridge, Copnall, Sharehill, Dunston, Gnosall, PPolverhampton, Pelsall, JVillenhatt, Bilston, Tettenhall, Codsall, Oakover. WARWICKSHIRE. Harbourne, Edgbaston, Itchington, ~\ Chadshunt, > Gayton, J Tachbrooke, Uffton, als Oloughton, Packwood, Knowl, Balsall, Merrivale, Badsley Clinton. SHROPSHIRE. St. Mary, Salop, Cliff, Ashley, Albrighton, St. Mary Mag- dalen, St. Leonard, Claverley, Bubbington, Alveley, Quatford, Buildwas, TVombridge, Longdon upon Ternhill com. Salop, Uppington. "*1 \Bridgnorth, The manor of Hilderstone, on the east side of Stone, belonged to the Hugglesfords, in the reign of King Edward the 3d, after -which it became the estate of Sir John Delves, by whose daughter it went in marriage to the family of Sir Robert Sheffield, Recorder of London. It became afterwards the property of Sir Gilbert Gerrard (afterwards Lord Gerrard) Master of the Rolls, and is now the property and residence of Ralph Bourne, Esq. We have already noticed the village of GREAT HAYWOOD. It is a township situated in the parish of Colwich, and hundred of Pire- ADDENDA. 443 hill (South) with a population of 700 persons. The manor of Haywood was given by Roger de Melend, in the time of Henry the Third, to Roger de Aston, a descendant of whom carried it by marriage to the Tixals. It afterwards came into possession of the Whitbies, but was subsequently re-united to the house of Tixall, by purchase. The barn belonging to the manor-house was of a most magnificent size, but has been greatly reduced. The horse-bridge over the Trent, adjoining to Haywood, was formerly not less remarkable for extraordinary dimensions. Mr. Pennant says he remembered it to have consisted of two-and-forty arches. Magna Britannia (vol. 5. p. 87) says, " it is longer than any bridge in England, having near forty arches ; yet much shorter than the bridge over the Drave, at Essec, which Dr. Brown tells us is at least five miles long, and made all of wood." The tradition is that it was built by the county, in compliment to the last Deve- reux, Earl of Essex, who resided much at Chartley; and being a keen sportsman, was often deprived of his diversion for want of a bridge. Mr. Pennant, who states this, says he was not clear about the truth of this report, and adds " then there certainly had been a bridge here long before ; so that if there was any foundation for such a mark of respect, it could only have been rebuilt, after falling to decay.* The chief reason for the notice which we have just given of Hay- wood, and of this bridge, is that we might more conveniently intro- duce the beautiful Vale of Shugborough, which from the middle of the bridge is seen to great advantage. This vale, varied with al- most every thing that nature and art could give to render it deli- cious, is watered by the Trent and Sow. The first, to use the words of the author last quoted, animated with milk-white cattle, emu- lating those of Tinian, the last with numerous swans. The boundary on one side is a cultivated slope ; on the other, the lofty front of Cannock-wood, clothed with heath, or shaded with old oaks, scat- tered over its glowing bloom by the free hand of nature. It is more difficult, continues Mr. Pennant, to enumerate the works of art dispersed over this Elysium : they epitomize those of so many places. The old church of Colwich ; the mansion of the ancient English baron at Wolseley Hall ; the great windowed mode of building in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in the house of Ingestre ; * Journey from Chester, p. 90. 444 ADDENDA. the modern seat in Oak-edge; and the lively improved front of Shugborough ; are embellishments proper to our own country. Amidst these rise the genuine architecture of China, in all its extra- vagance; the dawning of the Grecian, in the mixed Gothic gate-way of Tixal; and the chaste buildings of Athens, exemplified by Mr. Stuart, in the counterparts of the Chocagic monument of Lysicrates,* and the octagon tower of Andronicus Cyrrhestes.f From the same hand arose, by command of a grateful brother, the arch of Adrian of Athens, embellished with naval trophies, in honour of Lord An- son, a glory to the British fleet. Pennant's friend, as he informs us, the late Thomas Anson, Esq. preferred the still paths of private life, and was every way qualified for its enjoyment : for with the most humane, and the most sedate disposition, he possessed a mind most uncommonly cultivated. He was the example of true taste in this county ; and, at the same time that he made his own place a paradise, made every neighbour partaker of its elegancies. He was happy in his life, and happy in his end. The improvements which he began were carried on, with great judgment, by his nephew and successor George Anson, Esq. He was father to the present proprietor, who was created a peer of Great Britain, Febrti<- ary 17th, 1806. The improvements at Shugborough have been farther carried on by his Lordship, the house having been enlarged, and a handsome portico added to it. The highly cultivated state of the demesne marks the laudable agricultural taste of the noble owner. J Of the great number of statues which embellish the place, aoi Adonis and Thalia are the most capital. There is also a very fine figure of Trajan, in the attitude of haranguing his army. The num- ber of which Etruscan figures in the garden shew the great anti- iquity of the art of sculpture in Italy, long before the Romans be- came a people. The beautiful monument in the lower end of the garden does honour to the present age. It was the work of Mr. Schemecher, under the direction of Thomas Anson, Esq. just men- tioned. The scene is laid in Arcadia. Two lovers, expressed in elegant pastoral figures, appear attentive to an ancient shepherd, who reads to them an inscription on a tomb : " ET IN ARCADIA EGO !" The moral of this seems to be, that there are no situations of life * Antiquities of Athens, Chap. IV. tab. 1,3. j. Ib. Chap. III. tab. 1, 3. J See the account of Shugborough Farm and Demesne, p. 90. dep. 2. ADDENDA. 445 so delicious from which death will not at length snatch us. It was placed here by the amiable owner, as a memento of the certainty of that event. Perhaps, also, as a secret memorial of some loss of a tender nature in his early days : for he was wont often to hang over it in affectionate and firm meditation.* The Chinese house, a little farther on, is a true pattern of the architecture of that nation, taken in that country, by Sir Percy Brett. Opposite to the back-front of the house, on the banks of the Sow, stand the small remains of the ancient mansion, which, according to Leland, originally belonged to " Suckborrow with a long beard/' who, as some say, gave it to the mitre of Lichfield and Coventry.f It must have been in very early times ; for the manor of Haywood, just mentioned, (in which this is included,) belonged to that See in 1085, the twentieth of William the Conqueror, and so continued till the reign of Edward VI. who gave it to Lord Paget. The house, before that time, was an episcopal palace. The remains still stand- ing, serve to give the appearance of reality and ruin to some beau- tiful Grecian columns, and other fragments of ancient architecture ; which were added to the front by Thomas Anson, Esq. J The most powerful machinery in the world for raising water, is employed in Bilston coalpit-field, and in that neighbourhood, the property of the Birmingham Canal Company. They have there erected a double steam engine of twice sixty-horse power, for pumping the subterraneous mine water into their canal. This ma- chinery put in motion the beginning of summer, when the natural supply of water begins to slacken, will, in about three or four months, entirely exhaust and completely empty this reservoir be- neath the earth; and some considerable effect may be expected, the strength of 1:20 horses being employed ; they are thus enabled to keep their canal brim-full during the droughts of the driest summer, this subterraneous reservoir losing nothing by evapora- tion in hot weather. At Ocker-hill, not far distant from this, is another tier of power- ful steam-engines, but of inferior force to the preceding, which raises the water from a lower level of the canal, about sixty feet rise into the main summit ; so that their water, after supplying a tier of nine or ten locks, is returned to its original source : and far- * Pennant, 93. + Magna Brit. V. 89. * Pennant, 94. For an account of this noble family, see " Peerage," in thig Work. 446 ADDENDA. ther to supply this lower level, in dry seasons, they have an engine at Broadwaters, near Wednesbury, to raise the subterraneous water of Wednesbury field into their lower leveL, The whole of this hydraulic machinery has, we suppose, cost 50,000. and probably pays 20 per cent, per annum, by enabling the canal proprietors to do as. much extra business as will return .flO^OO. per annum in tonnage. At the same place they have also some other curious powerful machinery ; as 1st, "the Neptune and Vulcan," a floating engine, which will pass through the locks to any part of the canal, and by making a stark or bar of pile plank, connected with the engine across the canal, will pump a mile, or any moderate length, of the canal water in a few hours over the said bar, by which means any foul part of the canal may be laid dry and cleansed out, and the water restored without loss after the operation. The water is here raised by paddles fixed in an horizontal shaft, working in a seg- ment of an horizontal hollow cylinder, the paddles in successive circular motion, scooping or lifting the water over the bar, and raising it no more than is just necessary for its flowing off; by which means no waste or loss of power is sustained, the surface water requiring to be raised only a few inches, and that from the bottom only the depth of the canal. The motion is effected by a steam engine, and the machine requires no more attendance than a canal boat, and is capable of raising the greatest quantity of water to a small lift, of any machine ever constructed. 2d, The Mud Chain Pump, a floating machine fixed to a canal boat or barge, for cleansing the bottoms of canals or rivers, without drawing off the water at all. A number of semicircular iron buckets or scrapers, are fixed to a flattened iron chain, the chain being circular or endless, and drawn round iron rollers at either end, one end being higher and the other lower ; a circular motion is impelled by a steam engine, and the scrapers in rotation, drawn or forced along the canal bottom, fill their bucket ends at one scoop ; circular holes in these buckets discharge the water, and at the upper roller they are inverted, and discharge their contents in rotation into the boat. The whole machine may be moored or moved at pleasure, and is said to be capable of cleansing out 20 tons of mud in less than an hour, with the assistance of two or three men : the machine is then floated to any convenient place to discharge its contents. ADDENDA. 447 ANCIENT COINS. On Friday the 28th of March, 1817, two Urns, containing a great quantity of Roman copper coins, were turned up by the plough on a farm called Little Madeley Parks, in this couuty, the property of the Right Honourable Lord Crewe, and in the occupation of Mr. Joseph Taylor. The urns were unfortu- nately destroyed, but many of the coins are in excellent preserva- tion, particularly one of Dioclesian, in the possession of James Poole, Esq. of Finney Green, who has favoured us with the follow- ing description of several of the most perfect specimens amongst them. The pieces of Constantine are also very fine. An ancient horse-shoe, and a curious key, were likewise discovered at the same time, and are preserved by Mr. Thomas Mayer, jun. of Newcastle : Obvertt. D N Diocletian O P F S Aug Imp Licinius P F Aug Constantinus Aug Imp Constantinus P F Aug Constautinus P F Aug Constantinus Constantinus Max Au Imp Constantinus P F Aug Imp Maximinus P F Aug Crispus Nob Caes Cmpus Nobil C Constantinus Jun Nob Caes Constantinus Jun Nob C Constantinus Jun, Nob C F L C L Constantinus Jun NC {Same Obverse Imp Coustautinus P F Aug Reverse. Quies A i ugg Genio Pop Rom Virtus Exercit Vot. XX. Principi Juventutis 1 Marti Conservatory [The head of a $ warrior, wilh a helmet on.] Beata Tranquillitas. [A Globe on an Altar, and three Stars above the Globe, meant to signify the world preserved by the Gods for the three sons of Constantiue 1st.] Victoria S P Q R Optimo Principi Getiio Pop Rom Soli invicto Comiti Beata Tranquillitas. [An Altar in- / scribed " Votis XX."] Claritas Reipublicee Beata Tranquillitas i Beata Tranquillitas. [An Altar in- / scribed Votis XX. "] > Principi Juventutis Soli invicto Comiti Soli invicto Comiti Exergue. PLG PTR PTR PTR STR PLN PTR PLN PLON PT STR PLN PLN Natural History of Blymhill. The following additions to Blym- hill were communicated by the Rev. S. Dickenson. Papaver Dubium (long smooth-headed poppy). This is our 3 L 448 ADDENDA. common corn poppy, the papaver rh&as not being found in Staf- fordshire. Salix Russellina (Bedford willow). This species having the property of fragility in its small branches, which being struck with a finger break off at the shoot of the present; it was ge- nerally mistaken for the Salix Fragilis of Linnseus, which has not been found in this county. The error was first discovered by his Grace the Duke of Bedford, in honour of whom the species is termed Russellina. Its cultivation is much increased from the rapidity of its growth, and the value of its timber being of easy cleft : it is greatly esteemed for making hurdle bars. Salix caprea (great round-leaved willow). Flowers at the be- ginning of April, the earliest of the willow kind. The catkins are vulgarly and not inaptly called goslings, from their striking simi- larity of colour, and their appearance precisely at the time when goslings are hatched. It is very common, of both sexes, of spon- taneous growth. Salix aquatica (water willow). The provincial name is Black Withy : this is by far the most common of all our willows, though not noticed by Linnaeus. It appears to have been mistaken by him for Salix einerea, to which, Dr. Smith observes, it approaches very nearly. The wood is greatly esteemed by wheelwrights to make waggon staves : that of Salix caprea is likewise used for the same purpose. Salix aurita (round-eared sallow). Inferior in size to Salix aquatica. In hedge-rows in wet soils at Blymhill, very common of both sexes. At a recent meeting of the Bath Philosophical Society, Dr. Wil- kinson gave the analysis of a very strong Saline Spring, situated in the neighbourhood of Stafford. Sixteen ounces of the water contained 214 grains of saline matter, dried at the temperature of 180 degrees. One, hundred grains, by analysis, yielded 14 grains muriate of magnesia, 2 sulphate of lime, 6 sulphate of magnesia, 78 muriate of soda. The Wedges Mill, and Church Bridge Manufactory, of* late years established by Mr. Gilpin, is a considerable addition to the commercial and manufacturing interests of the county : some good bouses, and many tenements and workshops, have been erected ADDENDA. 449 at the places named in Wyrley liberty. The Wyrley Bank Colliery has been opened, worked by royalty, and raising 10,000 ton of coals annually, employs about thirty families. Attached, is a manufactory employing about fifty workmen. The coals are conveyed on a rail-way, a considerable distance, to the turn- pike road for sale and use. The manufactory consists of augers, and edge and plantation tools, which are now in full work, notwith- standing the depression of the times. The screw auger, a modern tool, is made in great perfection ; it enters and perforates the hardest wood with facility without any preparation. A steam- mill is in full work at Church Bridge, in the manufactory ; and a water-mill on the Hedgford river, called Wedges Mill, is also at- tached to it, and the whole appears a thriving concern, established within about the last twenty years. Addition to the Natural History of Insects* The following, though apparently whimsical, is from high authority. Dr. Hirsch, dentist at the court of Vienna says, the lady-bird (Coccinella sep- tern punctata) will cure the tooth-ache, thus : take the living in- sect, and bruise it between the fingers, then rub these fhige^s till they become warm at the points, and touch with them the unsound part of the gum, also the diseased tooth; this he did with the hap- piest effect. A few days after he repeated the experim. nt with equal success, without bruising a new insect. The following insects have, it is said, the same virtue, used in the same way : the poplar beetle (Chrysomela populi) length half an inch, on poplar trees ; the wood beetle (Chrysomela sanguinolenta) wings rod, length five lines, under side blue, shells black with a red border ; found in woods ; also the curculio and carabus species, found on various plants. Charcoal is also recommended, from high authority, as a preyentative and cure of the same complaint. Conformably to an ancient custom of the Manor of Newcastle- nnder-Lyme, within the Duchy of Lancaster, it is essential that the original wills of copyhold tenants, dying seised of copyholds, should be produced and proved in the Manor court, within a limited time after the decease of the testator, or testatrix, in default of which the estate is liable to forfeiture. We subjoin the following observations as illustrative of th General Statistical Analysis : [see Statistical Tables"} 450 ADDENDA. Without much innovation on our present system, the following improvements are obvious : Let every Cottage have a garden suf- ficiently large to produce vegetables for a family, and particularly potatoes for themselves, and for a hog the whole year. Let as many industrious families as possible have additions of land made to keep a dairy cow. Nothing would add more to the comfort and supply of mankind than an increase of such occupations. Gentle- men of landed estates should promote and encourage small and moderate-sized dairy farms upon all land adapted to grazing; ten or twelve cows would find employment for a family doing their own business, would promote industry, employ moderate capital, and enable the occupier to pay as much rent as a large monopo- lized farm, and would require no expensive out-buildings, as no horse team should be kept, but potatoes, cabbages, and green crops, raised in plenty by hand-work in the garden style, by the spade and the hoe. An agricultural population might thus be considerably increased to the great improvement of the county. The principal improvements to be made by the large farmers should be in a more correct culture of beans and other crops, particularly wheat, and in hand-culturing the fallows, and filling up crops. Beans should be universally set in rows and clean-hoed in a garden style. Nothing could possibly be a better preparation for wheat. 30,000 acres of land are now annually summer fallowed in Staf- fordshire, at a great expense in labour of men, horses, and manure. It is self-evident that this may be occupied by beans, potatoes, and other summer crops, by applying human labour and manure, and fewer horses would be required, if land was once completely clean fallowed. It may be permanently so continued without laying barren through the summer. If two-thirds only of the fallow land were cropped it would add 20,000 acres annually of crops, worth probably 20. per acre, or ^400,000. which would pay for much human labour and profit. All land in culture for wheat ought to be examined in the spring and filled up with plants, as it will not bear transplanting and pay for that attention, and if there be a plant in every nine inches, and the land be kept freo from weeds it will produce 20 thrave per acre at least. It has been ascertained by experience that this is practicable and will pay for it, and can be demonstrably proved that the general cul- ture of grain and pulse would pay for a more minute attention than is commonly bestowed. STATISTICAL ' *e o * e? e o -^ 2 S I! si &H ? O | w ^ H < s a remarkable heavy articl e to time to s arriage by th which for the small proport ip!l3i *ii^ ft V^'C^ 1 e^ a * S ^ 1 2 s -Sp 1^"^^^ * K?^?? ^ ^^qfe^ , ld, tM iO i& Tf <0 00 rf (M t>. CO LO < CD O CO OS CO CM CO ^ . CO o LO co d Ci -^ co os 0^ 10 co oo e^ co . i>. -^ Tf GO O GO >-O GO '> 1 S s ll" ll O CO O CMOit>.00 Oi tOCO O Oi ^-* -H "^ ^** CO' ^O S3 Tf ^O t> t>. CM < 00 i CM o lO CO- CO CM rf Tf CM 00 CO CM 1>. Oi *>.< 1 10 CM CM Oi ~^ tO CO OO tOO . ^H CO ^ 00 00 CMtX CM CM CO CM CM .e. Illllllll HQQQQQQQ^ Cu ^f ! rt CT;' 1*1-5 -.2 ^^JlK^^gl 3? 1J I ^- a llPll! t>.coto coo too GD-N ior>ia 01/5 Tj-. Tt< QO Ci O CO CO iQ C^ 00 tfj Oi ;o Oi < > t(5 CO t >. -^ CO^t^. 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S GO CM I| O Oi ^S OCO M S "5 3* li 2 la |g GO GO CO ss iO iO 3 r ears. 00 00 83 TO GO 00 00 GO GO GO GO GO GO 32 GO GO r *T' r-^ *:T ? r **T*. r^-v T r^i '> : - ' : : m H S * PC : * : * * . a rf p .g ft W a" . w : A I M p ffi .M a NDRED/ NURED, Q ffi HFIKLD, U H STAFFO E & ffi O d O O o B H a S a 85 H h O K a H OS c Q w H O H 1 g M OS PQ a Q O E GO O GO 0? j 3 it Z O O w i H w sc w O ^RIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT Coinage of 1 N our view of the Medallic* History of Staffordshire, we shall, for obvious reasons, commence with the County town of STAFFORD; although, within the district to which it gives name, there is one other place to which, in respect to the priority of the enjoyment of the valuable and distinguishing privilege of mintage, it must ne- cessarily concede, viz. Tamworth. From the discoveries hitherto made, and the historical docu- ments yet existing, it does not appear that the town of Stafford enjoyed the honour of coinage till the time of William the Con- queror. That a mint was established there, during his reign, is in- disputably evident from three different specimens of his money * It is somewhat remarkable, that among the very numerous and valuable County and Local Histories which have hitherto been presented to the British public, there is scarcely one, which, however complete and satisfactory in all other points, is not defective in information respecting that ancient and import- ant privilege of Royalty, (the grant of Mints. Bearing this deficiency in re- collection, and, anxious as we are to render our labours as worthy as we can of the public eye, we feel much pleasure in laying before our readers the follow- ing account of the several Coinages, both ancient and modern, which have originated in this County ; which, though perhaps it may in this respect yield to some others, is nevertheless entitled to distinguished notice among them. Aud this account we submit with the greater confidence, (and consequently with the greater pleasure) as it proceeds from the pen of a Gentleman, who for many years has made the study of ancient English Coins and Medals his favourite pursuit; and whose judgment in this department of our National An- tiquities has been repeatedly acknowledged by the most skilful nunwsinatk Connoisseurs,---E-, 2] A TOPOGRAPHICAL preserved in the Cabinet of llie writer of this article, all in the highest state of preservation, and of extreme rarity. Of these, th first exhibits on the obverse, or head-side, a profile portrait oi th;; Conqueror looking 1 to the right, and in tlie same hand a sceptn , and is inscribed WILLEM VS.* REX, A. (for An ^lonim.) Thy re- verse has a SL George's cross of double lines extending- to the inner circle, with two small crescents attached to each of the lines at the extremity, and a pellet between them. In the centre also is a pellet within an amulet. A quadrilateral compartment formed of semi-circles, and surmounted at each junction by a pellet, termi- nates in each quarter formed by the double Cross, and at equal distance from each of its limbs. Round the coin, on this side, is r-'ad GODWINNE ON STEF, denoting that the piece was struck by Godwinne, the King's moneyer in Stafford ; the word ON in the Saxon language signifying "In." This coin is extremely rare, and has never yet been engraven in any numismatic work. The second of the above-mentioned pennies differs considerably from that which has been just described. On this, the Conqueror appears full-faced, crowned, and with labels appendant to the ears. The inscription runs WiLLEMV REX. The type of the reverse is the same in all respects as that of the foregoing coin; but the inscription is somewhat more full, it being GODWINS ON STEF- FOR. The third of the pennies alluded to is, on the obverse, pre- cisely similar to the last, excepting that it has, after the word REX an I ;but whether this be intended to signify that he was the first So- vereign of England of that name, or is a part of the letter A, (the abbreviation of Anglite,} is a point yet undetermined by medallic connoisseurs ; although it is believed the greater part of them in- cline to the latter opinion. The reverse is similar to that of the two former coins; but the piece, as appears from the inscription, was the production of a different mint-master, being inscribed WVLFNOTH ON STEF. A fourth coin of the Conqueror, struck at Stafford, with a reverse considerably different from those of the pieces already described, was some years ago in the splendid collection of the late S. Tys ^en, esq. of Narborongh Hall, Norfolk ; but as we have neve seen either the coin itself, or any engraving of it, we arc unable to give an account of it, * Asllie information conveyed in this article is designed for a popular work, and not for live Medallist only, I have written the Conqueror's name WILLK- MVS instead of PILLEMVS, (employing the Woman W for the Saxon [), from the idea that it would be far better uuderstot 'J.~~ >v. w. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [3 As the Stafford Mint seems to have originated in the reign of the Conqueror, so also does it appear to have terminated therein ; as no coins struck at this town occur till the time of the Commonwealth, tvhen cities, borough-towns, villages, arid even private individuals, through the want of small change, were permitted by Government to coin and circulate their own specie. During this period, a Far- thing Token was struck by some tradesman of this town; but as Snel- ling (who quotes the coin) has neither given his name, nor any re- presentation of his currency, nor has the piece itself come to our bands, we are unable to atioid our readers any farther information respecting it. 1 1 may neither be improper nor uninteresting here to remark, that while many places, of much less repute and consideration than Stafford at the time above-mentioned, issued common Town Farth- ing's and Half-pence, for the accommodation of- their respective in- habitants, not one of that place, of either description, it is believed, has yet made its appearance. In the large private Copper Coinage v, hich was issued about twenty years ago, Stafford has a place ; Messrs, ilorton and Co. having struck a Half-penny, bearing on the obverse, the Anas of the Town, over which is its na:ne, and beneath, the date 1797. This coin is circumscribed on the edge with the words: "Payable by Ilorton arid Company." On the reverse is the Cypher of Mr. Hori'on, with a Cross Crosslet on either side. Above the Cypher is the word " Half-penny ;" and below, a small ornamental flourish. The die of this piece \vas sunk by Mr. Willets ; the coin was manu- factured by Mr. Kempson, a.id about a ton weight thereof struck.* IJCHFIELD. Although this ancient and celebrated City (amongst other marks of Royal munificence) was honoured with that of a Mint, granted by * It is -with great pleasure we are enabled to gratify our readers with an in- teresting- supplement to the foregoing account of the Mintage of Stafford, and v. hich carries it to still higher antiquity than the former disco\eries had done. To the Cabinet of the Gentleman to whom we are indebted for these numis- matic .Memoirs, has recently been added a fine Penny of ICihvard the Confessor, bearing on its obverse his profile portrait to the right, helmetted, JUH! with a sceptre surmounted with four pelk-ls, diamond-5se, joined. Jfoumtthe bust is the King's name and style, ftADWA'RD. HE. . The reverse has a cross of double lines, extending to the inner circle only; and in each quarter two lines extending from the same circle, and terminated at their point of concurrence with a pellet. This side of the ro ; n is inscribed, GODtt I\K ON STAR. being part of the word Xtaiffvrd, which v. as the orthography of the townV uusue then in use. En. A 2 4] A TOPOGRAPHICAL King Stephen to Walter, Bishop of Coventry, (trt which place the see of Lichfield was then transferred,) and his successors, yet not a single coin, issuing from it, has yet been discovered. From this circumstance only it might fairly be inferred, that the quantity of specie (if any) which it issued was extremely small, But when we recollect, that out of more than 400 coins of Stephen (who granted the mint) found near Ashby-de-la-Zojsch, not more than fourteen miles from Lichfield, not one was found bearing the name of that city, and moreover, that no coins of any subsequent Mo- narch struck there have yet been discovered, we may safely con- clude, that, from some circumstance or other, now unknown, no Mint was ever established. We must therefore descend for many centuries before we meet with any coin of this place ; and the first which occurs, is in the time of Charles the Second, when it appears, that the Corporation struck a Farthing Token, in order to relieve the inhabitants from the scarcity of change under which they then laboured. This curious Coin, which is octagonal, has on the obverse, in Italic letters, within an octagonal compartment, the words " The Citty of/* circumscribed " To supply the poore's need." On the reverse, in the field of the coin, is " Litchiield," being a continuation of the first-mentioned legend in the same si- tuation, and round it, " Is Charity indeed ;" so that the inscrip- tions on both sides of the coin, if connected, will run thus : " The Citty of Litchfield" "To supply the poore's need" " Is charity indeed/' This coin, which is remarkable for having a poetical le- gend, is dated 1670. That Farthings were issued by the tradesmen of Lichfield, as well as by those of other places, at this period, there can be no doubt. Snelling, in his list of Towns whose Traders struck Farth- ing Tokens, mentions, among others, Lichfield ; but as he gives no representation or even verbal description of the coin which af- forded him authority for placing this city in that list, and as we have, moreover, not been so fortunate as to meet with it, it is not in our power to give a description of it. The Repository, of all others apparently the most likely to exhibit the coins struck at Lichfield, should seem to be the celebrated Museum begun by the late ingenious Mr. R. Greene, of that place, and, as we believe, still preserved entire. In the year 1794, Mr. Barker, of this city, struck two tokens, of silver, as it should seem, (though not mentioned by Pyr) both of which have on the obverse, in a shield, (each side of which is orna- mented with a wreath,) the Aims of the City of Lichfield. On the HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [5 reverse of the former, are the words " Payable on Whit-Monday at the Green-hill Bank/' on that of the latter " S. Baxter, Do- zener, SadlerVstreet Ward," under which is the date 1794. In the year 1800 was struck at Lichfield, by Mr. Richard Wright, a very fine token of the large or penny size, bearing, on ihc oh- \erse, the portrait of the late ingemom Mr. Greene, founder of the Valuable Museum now in the possession of Mr. Wright. Over the bust is " Richard Greene," and round it a continuation of the in- scription in smaller letters, s:-of Edwards the First and Second, having- " Villa Novicnstri," were struck at this town, or \ewcastle-upon-Tyne, in Northumberland. But even should those of the two last-mentioned King's be ascribed to HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [7 the latter town, we arc of opinion that Newcastle-under-Lyme may lay a very fair claim to those of Henry. It was, in the time of tltis Monarch, so far as appears from history, a place of very consi- derable eminence, having- a strong- Castle, and no less than four Churches. This circumstance, together with the marks of royal favour bestowed upon it by Henry the First, in its incorporation, incline us to think it probable, that it had a Mint also at the period above-mentioned, viz. in the reign of Henry the Second, \V~c are farther induced to this opinion by an apprehension that N>\\ rustle in Northumberland, however conspicuous afterwards, was not of equal importance and consequence at the time alluded to, with the town of that name in Staffordshire. Whether any documents, relating- to either of these places, which might deter- mine this point, are yet in existence, w r e know not. Placed, there- fore, under this uncertainty, we will immediately proceed to notice the Coinage which is indisputably ascertained to have issued from this town ; and of this, we regret to say, we can give no further ac- count, than that, so far as appears from Snelling-, this town, to^ Aether with Burton-upon-Trent, Penkridge, Yoxall, Ashley, and Betley, had tradesmen resident in them, who issued their own pri- vate tokens ; but as he gives neither engravings nor verbal descrip- lions of these pieces, and none of them have fallen under our in- spection, we are deprived of the pleasure of giving a more particu- lar account of them. The Betley Token, indeed, he partially de* scribes ; and from hence it appears, that it was coined by " Thomas Rich, in Betley and Lasteriey." He remarks also on this piece, that it was one of the very few which were intended for the use and accommodation of two places. LEEK. Of Ibis town we find no Coins till the year 1793, in which were struck two Half-pennies, in all points alike, except that the lelUr* on the one are somewhat smaller than those on the other. On the obverse is a Chest with a package of goods King across it, and an erect Caduceus near them, whose point appears fixed in the ground. Around these is the inscription : ' Leek Commercial Halfpenny, 1793," and on the edge of the coin, Payable at Leek, Stafford- shire." The reverse bears two Hands joined together, with an Olive Branch behind them, and is inscribed " Arte favenle nil desperan- dum." This coin is singular for having its legend in Latin, the inscriptions on almost all the tokens, struck about this period, bdni: in English. 8] A TOPOGRAPHICAL UTTOXETER. This town concludes our brief view of the Staffordshire Coinage, and though it be the last specimen of it in order, is yet far from being the least curious and interesting. It was struck by a person of the name of William Wakelin, and is a memorable proof of his loyalty to his Sovereign. It bears on the obverse " Will. Wakelin, 1663," and in the centre, " his Halfpenny." Minima rk, a Rose. The reverse is inscribed " Vive Le Roi in Uttoxetar," with a Crown in the centre, and a Rose for the minlmark. We cannot conclude this department of our work, without ob- serving, that no doubt can be entertained but many other towns, villages, and tradesmen, within the limits of Staffordshire, issued their respective monies, when such monies were allowed by the au- thority of Government to be in circulation. But if our catalogue of such as we have been able to discover, should appear scanty and defective, let it be remembered that all such Coinages, from being local, were extremely limited in their circulation, and consequently are not easily met with, but upon, or near, the places of their re- spective mintage. Many of these coins, unknown to collectors, are doubtless in the possession of individuals resident in, or near the place in which they were struck ; but from the circumstances of their being in the hands of those who are unskilled in the science of Coins and Medals, and having never found their way to the in- spection of the connoisseur, remain yet unpublished. We think it not improper, in conclusion, to give a short account of the several discoveries of ancient coins, which have at various times been made in Staffordshire, which shall be extracted from a communicative letter of Mr. Shaw, the late ingenious historian of this county, published in the Gent. Mag. for Dec. 1796, p. 983. " At Callingwood, (says Mr. S.) on the north side of Needwood Forest, were found in 1793 upwards of thirty Roman Gold Coins of ftve Emperors, most of them very perfect and beautiful, eight of which are now in my possession. In 1794, was also found at Row- lev Regis, an earthen globe containing about 1200 similar Coins in silver, which, when altogether, formed a complete series of the Roman Emperors ; but they were unfortunately soon dispersed at a low price about the country, except about three hundred, which are in the possession of the Rev. Mr. Cartwright, at Dudley. In 1795, was likewise found at Oultori, near Stone, a parcel of near four thousand silver Coins> all Saxon, except some of W T illiam the Conqueror ; forty of which> of the different sorts, in the highest preservation, are in my possession." STATE OF THE COUNTY OF STAFFORD ABOUT THE YEAR IGSO. [.From Dr. Plot's History, written before that Fear.] JL HAT part of the county north of Trent is divided into two parts, called Moorlands and Woodlands ; whereof the Moorlands are the more northerly mountainous part, lying between the up* per parts of Trent and Dove, to Draycot-in~the-Moors, yielding coal, lead, copper, marble, and millstones ; and the Woodlands, the more southerly lev el part of that country, from Draycot to Whichr nor, and Burton, between the lower parts of the said rivers, in- cluding Needwood Forest, with all its parks ; also the parks of Whiclmor, Hore Cross, Bagots, Chartley, Loxley, Birchwood, and Paynsley, which anciently (Plot supposes) were all one wood, pro- ducing salt, black marble, and alabaster, besides great quantities of the best timber ; and both Moorlands and Woodlands, as goodly cattle, large and fair spread, as Lancashire itself, and such as the graziers say will feed better ; the lime-stone hills of the very Moor- lands producing a short, but a fine sweet grass, and large oxen, though in an open cold country. Dray ton says, in his Polyolbipn, pf the Moorlands ; '* She from her chilly site as from her barren feed, For body, horn, and hair, as fair a beast doth breed, As scarcely this great Isle can equal." And if among the mountains of the Moorlands, much more can they breed and feed cattle too in the rich meadows that adorn the banks of the Trent, Blithe, Tene, Churnet, Hamps, and Mauyfold, all in tins quarter of the country ; and more especially still upon the famous Dove-bank, esteemed by many the best feeding land of England. In the very midst of winter these meadows are adorned with a pleasant -verdure, and when the river overflows them in th, 10] A TOPOGRAPHICAL spring, it enriches them as the river Nile does Egypt, and makes them so fruitful, that the inhabitants thereabout upon such oc- casions usually chante this joyful ditte : " In April Dove's flood is worth a king's good.' r Whereof Michael Drayton renders this very good reason, " Because the dainty grass " That grows upon its banks, all other doth surpass." As he says of Needwood : " Needwood doth surmount In excellency of soil by being richly plac't 'Tuixt Trent and hut truing Dove, and equally embrac't By their abounding banks, participates their store; Of Britain's forests all (from th' less unto the more,) For fineness of her turf surpassing." From which lime-stone hills, and rich pastures and meadows, the great dairys are maintained in this part of Staffordshire that sup- ply Uttoxeter mercat with such vast quantities of good butter and cheese, that the cheesemongers of London have thought it worfeh while to set up a factorage here for these commodities, which are brought in in so great plenty, that the factors many njercat-days (in the season) lay out no less than five hundred pounds a-day in these two commodities only. Nor comes this northern part of Staffordshire much behind the south in breeding of sheep, which indeed are but small, have gene- rally black noses, and their wool but coarse ; nor in the production of corn ; for though the land imployed for tillage be naturally but mean, yet where the industry of the husbandman has any thing showed itself, in marling, liming, or mixing lime with ess, and so laying them together on their heathy grounds, it produces corn of all sorts plentifully enough ; the black moorish and gouty grounds of the Moorlands with the best helps are fit indeed only for oates : but the arable lands about Marchington, Draycot-in-the-Clay, Rolleston, Horninglow, and some other townes about Needwood, are of so rich a clay, that they produce as good hard-come (i. e. wheat and rye, pease, beans, &c.) as any in the south, though no.t so much ; the sheep too of the south bear somewhat a finer fleece, and it produces more and better coal and ironstone. Besides wool, for the supply of the cloathing trade, and felting, which are chiefly exercised about Tamwortli, Burton, and New- custle-under-Lymc, they sow both hemp and flax all over the county, in small proportions, whereby they are furnish't too in HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [II some measure with linens ; so that all things considered, this seems, to be a laud (terra suis contenta bonis) that can subsist of itself. And yet a third part at least, if not half this county, must be oon- fest, when all's done, to be barren heath and gorsy grounds, and woodland : but these yield some of the chief profits as well as pleasures of the country, for though the surface be barren, yet the subterranean riches are usually found in such uncultivated places ; and of this sort of land is the Chase oi Canck-wood, and most of the warrens and parks of the nobility and gentry, whereof before the late unhappy civil war there were near 50 in this county etock't with deer, and about 33 or 34 yet remaining, so great plenty is there of this kind of land, stored not only with mines, but with all sorts of game, both for hound and hawk, so happily are the profits of the gentry mixed with their pleasures, utile dulcL This heathy, broomy, gorsy, barren sort of soil, for the most part too is a gravelly fast land, whence it is that in Canck-wood, and most of their parks, they have so pleasant and secure pursuit of their game. Hence 'tis too that their highways are so univer- sally good, except in the most northerly part of the Moorlands, where, between the three shireheads and Longnor, the hills and bogs are such, that a horse can scarce pass between those two places ; and indeed many of the mountains of that part of the country which they call Roches, Clouds, Torrs, Edges, Cops, Heads, &c. are hardly passable, some of them being of so vast a height, that in rainy weather I have frequently seen the tops of them above the clouds ; particularly those of Narrowdale are so very lofty, that the iiJiabitants there, for that quarter of the year wherein the sun is nearest the tropic of Capricorn, never see it at all ; and at length, when it does begin to appear again, they never see it till about one o'clock, which they call thereabout the Nar- rowdale noon, using it proverbially to express a thing done late at noon. In his account of tillage, Plot says of Clay ground, if it lye in common fields, as generally it does in this county, they have it al- ways in tillage, sowing it two years, and letting it lye fallow the third ; they lay it in ridges, according to the temper of the laud, and make their fallows in March or April ; after this, a little before the second plowing, which is commonly about the middle of June, they give it its manure, which is cow or horse-dung, unless when folded with sheep, and then immediately spread it, and cast it un- der furrow with the plow, lest the rain and sun should weaken it ; B 2 12] A TOPOGRAPHICAL about the latter end of August they plow it again, to kill the we&ds/ and turn up the manure, that so they may return it again to their seed; at the last plowing* when they sow* which is usually the week before or after Michaelmas. The land thus prepared, they sow it with wheat; and if a strong stiff clay or cold land, with red lammas or bearded wheat ; other- wise, with white lammas and sometimes with both mixt ; allow- ing of either two strike to an acre, whereof if they have twenty again* they think it a good increase. The next grain they sow in their cdnimon fields after wheat, are usually horse beans* or pease, white or gray* or pease or beans mixt ; for these they plow at Can- dlemas, and sow in the decrease of the moon* having found (as they say) by long experience that they codd better; and are not so apt to run into straw ; for seed they allow four strike of pease and five of beans to a statute acre* whereof if they have again 20 strike of the former and 30 of the latter per acre, they reckon it a competent crop. But if either clay or light rriould lay out of the common field, so that they may be tilled at pleasure, they are also capable of improvement by marie, especially by the dice or flat marie, which with rain runs like lime, and never bindes the stiffest clay, but rather looserts it* so that after it has afforded eight or nine crops it will yield very good g'rass; whereas clay-marie laid on the same so bindes the surface, that though thoy will not fail giving seven or eight crops of corn, yet they are rendered thereby ill-disposed at lest for grass, unless the ground after all be well ttiuck't or ma* nured with muck and lime mixt together, when it will yield two or three crops more. And as for pure sandy gravelly ground* which will naturally bear nothing but rye* trench wheat, or oates,nor these neither unless well muck't* and then not above three years together 4 but it must f-est again, by the help of these marles used as above* lime, and good muck, they arc made as good for all sorts of corn* bearing as many crops as any land whatever. For the heathy land of this county it is seldom inclosed, but when they intend it for tillage* which is never for above five year neither> and then it is thrown open to the commons again ; when they do inclose such, they generally proceed in the manner follow* ing : First they stock up the heath with mattocks, and then fallow it in winter* and in the summer ensuing give it its proper manure, which is lime, allowing four loads to each statute acre, each load tontaining four quarters of lime, which, when slacked, is spread on the ground with shovels, and plowed in under furrow about the mid* HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [13 die of September, after which it is sown with rye, allowing for seed two strikes to an acre, which if it yield 25 strike again, they reckon it a competent increase. After rye they sow barley, making their fallows about Candlemas, and giving another plowing in April, then sowing it, affording for seed three strikes to an acre* which gene- rally yields them thirty again ; and next barley* or white peas, fot which they plow but once in March, and then sow them, allowing three strikes to an acre; fourthly) after peas, they sow oates, either red or white) if it be in good heart, but if poor and weak, black oates, for either of which one plowing is sufficient in March, and four strike of seed ; lastly, they sow oates again, (for their common heathy grounds will seldom afford but one crop of barley) and then their tiiclosures are thrown open-to the commons again. Their broomy, gorsy, or fursy hot sandy land, they first clear of those incumbrances by stocking with the mattock, or drawing them up by the roots by a certain instrument made like a strong lever, armed with a iron hook, which roots up bushes by force 5 they then manure it with marie, which doth not only so fertilize it as that it shall yield the husbandman 7 or 8 crops, but as some conceive frees it from the annoyance of these plants for ever after. The ma- nure being laid on, they plow and sow this as the heathy lands are, bnly in some places they first sow with French or buck-wheat, for which they make their fallows in winter, and stir them in May en- suing, allowing oiie strike to the acre, and so brings their land in order for rye> which they sow after once plowing. Their gouty* moorish, peaty, cold black land, they husband also much after the same manner, only they burne the earth to a good depth ; yet these will bear little else than oates, white oates upon the gouty, and black bates upon the cold black land. 4n marling their lands, upon sound grounds, whether day or gravelly, they lay eight or nine score or two hundred loads on an acre : on loose wormcy ground they commonly lay more. The white flaxen, and bright red wheat, are the ordinary grains of the country^ besides which they now and then sow the Triticuiq Multiplex, or double-eared wheat ; Triticum Polonicum, or Poland wheat I and for barley., besides the common long-eared, and spratt barley, they sow sometimes the Triticum speiia, or naked barley* And amongst tho oates, besides the white, black, and red oates, at Biirton-upon-Trtnt I found they also sowed the Avena nuda, or naked oat ; and besides the summer and winter vetches, the wild Vetch, Vicia Cracca, is sown in some places ; but tjiese only in mea 14) A TOPOGRAPHICAL dows : about Weeford they also sow drills, or lentils, on their fw>or* est land, to teed sherp and cattle in winter ; they also sow muncorn or wheat and rye mix't ; they matter not how poor or hungry the land be thir seed conies off, though to be sown on the rankest soil, in general they ehuse corn for seed that grew on land of a dif- ferent temper from that it is to be sown upon, as from clay lands to sow on sandy, and from sandy> to sow on clay* To avoid blasting and sinuttiiig> they steep their grain in brine before they sow it, which they esteem a certain remedy for this disease of corn. To prevent nieldewing, the most pernicious of all annoyances that in- closures and rich lands are lyable to> Thomas Cartwright, parish derk of Wombourn, either mixes his corn with soot before he sows it, or sows soot upon it after the wheat's in the ground, by which means he has preserved the corn from being meldcwed in lands ly- able to it, and this not for one or two, but for ten years together, which is certain matter of fact. They draw their plows here both with oxen and horses, but rather with the former than the lat* ter, because of their turning to a more certain profit, and of having less of hazard in them, oxen always increasing in price with their fatness t they generally plow with oxen in pairs, but horses in a string, to -prevent poaching the land ; and so they do in some places with their oxen too, in very wet seasons, being furnished with half- yokes for that very purpose. When their corn is come up (especially oates and barley,) if sown on a binding land, and it prove a dry time, at and about Church Eyton, they sometimes harrow them again to break the clods and loosen the earth, which will make them flourish much the better ; for though it may pluck some up, yet making more spring by half than it destroys, they account it advantageous ; after the corn is in the blade, if it grow too ranck, they eat it oft" with sheep. At Alre- was they mow oft" the tops of it before it spindles, and in 3Iay and June they weed their corn with an iron digger, and another instru- ment like a pair of smith's tongs, jagied like a rasp on the inner sides to take th tinner hold, with which they pluck up the weed* by the roots. When the time of harvest is come, they reap their wheat, and bind it, and so they doe their rye ; when bound they gather nine sheaves together and sett them upon their butt ends, and cover them with three, and so let them stand ten or twelve days before they carry them, the corn threshing the better the longer it stands ; their barley they mow with the sithe and cador in the south parti> HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. {la ef the county, but in the Moorlands they reap it with hooks ; their oates they harvest after the same manner with barley, their beans and pease they reap with hooks, letting them lie in reaps ten QI twelve days, and turning them onee the day before they carry them, Dr. Plot asserts, that in a light lean soile, wheat being sown, in three years time it degenerated into rye ; and that in a strong close soil, rye sown in the same space of time improved itself into wheat, and that many having sown wheat and barley, have yet reaped nothing but darnel; that barley did not only degenerate into rye or darnel, but some times into oates too ; hence lie concludes that a change of species sometimes takes place.* Ropes are asserted to have been made of the rind of rushes stronger and more durable than of hemp ; also that about Sheii- stone, they frequently used instead of hops to preserve their beer, the common heath or ling (Erica vulgaris) which gave it no, ill taste. As a proof of the superstition of those times, take the method of curing the disease in cattle called the Fo.ule, which falling into their leggs and feet, causes such impostumes or cores of pe- trified matter, that they cannot go farr. They strictly observe the turf where the oxe, cow, or heifer thus distempered, sets his sick foot when he first rises in a morning, upon which they usually nn4 some of the sanies, or matter of the impostume, press't out by his weight : this very turf, with the impression upon it, they cut up, and hang upon a tree or hedge towards the north wind, which blowing upon it, the beast becomes cured in three or fo.ur days ; and this Dr. Plot was told was practised about Tamworth with good success. I should suppose the learned Dr. Plot was imposed upon in the .information he received on the following particulars, "It must be ascribed to the saltness of the soile and grass, that if any horned * This I believe to be erroneous; a mongrel species may accidentally occur by impregnation of the sexual parts of one species upon another, but very rarely, as both male and female organs are in the same plant in all the varieties of grain and pulse. Wheat mixed with rye and sown on a lean light soil, might perish, and the rye succeed, without any change of species, and if darnel abounds either in the soil, or the seed sown, it has a wonderful aptitude to increase and to choke all other plants. I believe, if wheat was sown with one-tenth darnel, little must be expected to be reaped but darnel itself; a bad soil of grain sown may be expected to grow worse, and lean oats sown repeatedly upon hard tilled land, would soon become all husk nearly. To produce the most perfect grain, a good sort must be sown upon land iu a proper state to receive it. Iff] A TOPOGRAPHICAL cattle of never so deep a black or other colour, be put to feed in a place called the Clots, in Newbold ground, in the parish of Taten- hill, about a mile east of Dunstall, they will certainly change the colour of their coat to a whitish dun, (like a daw's head) in a sum- mer's running' ; and so they will if put upon Tatenhill, about a mile upon Tatenhill Common ; or into Buck stew, another parcel of Newbold grounds ; nor does only the grass but the hay of these grounds also turn cattle to this whitish dun, which 'tis said they recover not in two or three years time, tho' put into other grounds; as for horses they are improved upon these grounds at a great rate, only they make them dappled, be they of what colour so-* ever before." In the Moorlands they cut the turf in the spring time with au instrument called a push plow, being a sort of spade shod some- what in the form of an arrow, with a wing at one side, and having a cross piece of wood at the upper end of the helve after the manner of a crutch, to which they fasten a pillow, which setting to their thigh, and so thrusting it forward, they will commonly dis- patch a large turf at two cuts, and then turn it up to dry, which in good weather is done on one side in 8, on the other in 4 or 5 days ; when dryed, if intended for fuel in winter, they pile them up round in manner of a hay-rick 10 or 12 foot high, and let them stand all summer ; but if for manuring their land, they heap it up round a good quantity together on the ground, and set it on fire : these heaps they keep burning sometimes three weeks together, still putting on new turf as the old burns away, only giving them vent by air holes, which they make with a stick ; the ashes of this turf they call ess, which laid on their meadows, or tillage land, goes further than dung or lime : they also use turf to ridge and head their meaner houses, and sometimes thatch with it. In their moorish boggy grounds they also dig peat, either for fuel or to burn for manure as above. Of herbaceous plants, the Vicia Sylvestris Cracca, or wild tufted vetch, or tare-grass, has been observed to do so well in meadows, that it advances all staryen wealy cattle above any thing yet known.* * Tliis is a perennial plant well deserving a place in the best meadows, beittg excellent, either eaten green or ia hay. PRESENT STATE OF THE AGRICULTURE OF STAFFORDSHIRE. STAFFORDSHIRE is an inland county, situate near the centre of England, bounded on the north by Cheshire and Derbyshire ; on the south-east by Warwickshire ; on the south by Worcestershire ; and on the west by Shropshire. It lies between 52 23' and 53 13' north latitude, and 1 29' and 2 27' west longitude from London. The greatest length from the north part of Ax-edge Common (between Leek and Buxton), to the south part of Woods- Eaves (south of the Severn), from N. by E. to s. by w. is 60 English miles, and the greatest breadth from the junction of the Trent and Dove (north of Burton), to the west point of Terley-heath (near Drayton), nearly from east to west, is 38 miles : the county contains in the gross 1220 square miles, and 780,800 statute acres. Divisions. This county is divided into two parts by the Roman road of Watling-street, which passes through it from east or south- east to west, nearly 30 miles, having about three-fourths of the county to the north, and one-fourth to the south. It formed part of the ancient Cornavii, under the Saxon Heptarchy, and belonged to the kingdom of Mercia. It is in the Oxford circuit, and diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. Staffordshire is divided into five hundreds : 1. Totmanslow, to the north : 2. Pyrehill, to the north- west; 3. Cuddleston, central, and to the south-west ; 4. Offlow, to the east ; and 5. Seisdon, to the south : it contains 24 market- towns, and 81 parishes. Climate. The air of this county is sharp, and the climate may be termed inclining to wet, the average annual rains being about 36 inches, those of London 21 inches, of Essex 19 to 20 inches, of Lancashire 42 inches, and in Ireland still more. It may be considered an established fact,, that the annual rains on the west side of the kingdom are at least double in quantity to those on the c 18] A TOPOGRAPHICAL east side, as most of our rain comes from the west or south-west, and the clouds are attracted in their course by the high grounds in the midland counties ; on which account much more rain and snow falls on high grounds than on low, the source of springs and rivers being generally from high grounds, or valleys supplied from such high grounds by the excess of moisture there falling. The aspect of this county is various : the middle and south parts are generally level, and of moderate elevation, but with some ex- ceptions, as the lime-stone hills and cliffs of Dudley, Sedgeley, Rushali, Walsall, &c. which contain an inexhaustible supply of that material, and of excellent quality. The quartzoze or ragstone-hills of Rowley, still more elevated, furnish a good material for roads and pavements. The hills of Clent, Barr-beacon, the high grounds on Cannock-heath, and near Rugeley and Beaudesert, the hills of Byshbury and Essington, are formed chiefly of gravel. Tettenhall- wood, Kinfare-edge, and some situations near Enville, command extensive prospects ; but much the highest ground in the county is in the northern part, which rises gradually to what is called the Moorlands. It has been ascertained, by tracing the canal levels, that the valleys near Leek are more elevated than the hills near Wolverhampton. The altitude or elevation of a country has great influence on its climate and vegetable productions : it is calculated that 60 yards of elevation is in this respect equal to one degree of latitude. The lowest ground in the county is on the banks of the Severn at Over Areley, where the elevation is about 60 feet above the level of the sea : fruit has been long cultivated here, and suc- ceeds as well as in Worcestershire. The country gradually rises hence to the north to the summit of the Staffordshire Canal, an elevation of 385 feet. The surface of the parishes of Tettenhall and Byshbury, contiguous to this summit, are elevated from this level to 500 feet. Here also fruit succeeds well, particularly the Tetten- hall pear, which is indigenous to the neighbourhood. The summits of the Birmingham and of the Wyrley and Essington Canals (ele- vation 500 feet) extend 40 miles to the north-east and south-east of Wolverhampton : fruit-trees do not succeed well much above this level, without natural or artificial shelter. Byshbury -hill, and the hills of Penn, rise to 650 feet; Barr-beacon, 750; the hills of Sedge- ley and Dudley Castle, 800 feet and upwards ; and the Rowley and Clent-hills, 900 feet : at these latter elevations the ripening of grain is sensibly retarded, generally two or three weeks later than in the lower land. The summit of the Grand Trunk Canal is ele- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [19 vated about 420 feet, and the vale of Trent varies from that level to about 200 feet at Burton, and is consequently in a mild and temperate climate, though in 53 of latitude. The Vale of Trent may be considered as the Garden of Staffordshire, and the first families of the county have accordingly taken up their residence in this salubrious tract, which includes the noble mansions of Trent- ham, Sandon, Ingestrie, Shugborough, Blithfield, Hagley near Rugeley, Beaudesert, and many others. This part of the county is beautifully varied in its surface, is well wooded, and exceed- ingly fertile. North of the Trent the country rises gradually into hills and mountains, which continue through the northern counties into Scot- land, and have been termed the back-bone of the kingdom. The part extending into Staffordshire, called the Moorlands, is a rough, dreary, cold tract, the snow lying long on it. The Moorlands con- sist in part of gravelly hills, impracticable to the plough from un- evenness of surface : other portions consist of high moors, and peat mosses, where peat is dug for fuel, the soil beneath being a gravelly clay. A considerable part of the county is upon a lime-stone bottom, in many parts rising out of the main surface in huge cliffs : the lime-stone is covered with good calcareous loamy e^rth, and is the best part of the Moorlands, but the elevation is too great to ripen corn in due season : oats have been unripe in November, and no other grain is sown. The elevation of a hill called Bunster, near Ham, is propably more than 1200 feet, that of the Weaver-hills 1500, and that of the highest hills north of Leek 1800 to 2000 or more : this is equal to 10 or 12 degrees of latitude, and brings the climate to a level with that of the lowlands on the Arctic Circle, where the sun does not rise t all on our shortest day. ' This land is better adapted to grass than corn ; the grass, clinging to the earth, is less exposed, and the humid climate is favourable to its growth. Soil. The soil of this county is various, and may be divided into 1. The Argillaceous, constituting the stiff and strong lands ; 2. Si- liceous, or the loose and light sandy lands ; 3. Calcareous, as in the lime-stone districts ; and, 4. In the valleys, and again on the highest hills, peat-earth, composed of the roots of aquatic vege- tables, saturated with water. The light soils have sometimes a considerable mixture of pebbles, and are then termed gravelly loams ; the clay soils are of two kinds : 1. the strong, stubborn, harsh, tenacious clay, or clay loam; 2. the more mild and tractable, 20] A TOPOGRAPHICAL consisting of friable marl or loam. There are also various mixed soils, which may be termed loamy, clayey, gravelly, sandy, peaty, &c. according as the different materials preponderate in the compo- sition of them. The basis of our soils consists of the primitive earths, (silica), sand (alumina), clay, and lime or calcareous earth. If sand most abounds, the soil is dry ; if clay preponderates, the soil is wet : lime and magnesia are correctors, increasing the moisture of sand, and diminishing the wetness of clay, and different proportions of these earths will form soils of every degree of dryness or moisture. According to modern chemistry, the fertility of all soils is derived from carbon, which is charcoal in a pure state, freed from its earthy and saline particles. No soil can be fertile without carbon : it should contain one-sixteenth its weight of carbon, but it must exist in the soil in a particular state of combination, so as to become soluble in water, to promote fertility. Dunghill-water contains much carbon : in lime-stone the lime is united with carbonic acid in the proportion of about 43 per cent. Putrescent manures part with their carbon during the process of putrefaction : it is absorbed by the soil, and thence by the plants growing therein. Acres. Division of Soils. Gross acres of the county, as stated before, 780,800 Deduct for roads, waters, buildings, and yards, one acre in twenty, 39,040 Waste-lands, woods, and impracticable land. These were 1 Acres, -\ reckoned, in 1794, at / 141 > 760 I Inclosed since, tol815, .Sutton-Coldfield, Needwood Forest, ~) and different Commons,) probably / 760 Deduct 150,800 Remains, cultivated land, 630,000 Of the Waste -lands, the reclaimable part is now probably reduced to 70,000 Of the 630,000 acres of cultivated land, including the pasture part of Parks, 100,000 acres may be meadow and pasture, and 530,000 acres arable : of this may be reckoned, Two-fifths clay loam, or friable mixed loam, 212,000 Two-fifths gravelly mixed loams, including lime-stone soils, 212,000 One-fifth lighter soils, capable of turnip-culture, 106,000 530,000 Water. The county is well watered, principally by the Trent, and its contributary streams. The Trent rises in the Moorlands, near Biddulph : it takes a winding course, first southerly, then south-easterly and easterly, and lastly north-easterly ; and, after washing the county in a course of upwards of fifty miles, leaves it HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [21 below Burton, where it becomes navigable. In its course it re- ceives the Dove, the Manyfold, the Hamps or Hanse, the two last being subterraneous for a considerable length above Ham. It also receives the Churnet, the Blythe, and the Teyn : these rivers rise in the Moorlands. Afterwards it receives the Sow from Stafford, after the Sow has received the Penk from Penkridge : the Penk has its sources from Cannock-heath, Chillington Pool, Byshbury, and Tettenhall. Below Wichnor it receives the Tame from Tamworth, which has its sources near Walsall, Wednesbury, and Birmingham : the Smestall, which rises near Wolverhampton, runs into the Stour, which passes through the south of the county into the Severn. The most considerable lake in the county is Aqualate Meer, on the borders of Shropshire, near Newport, said to be 1848 yards long, and 672 broad. There are several other pieces of water of smaller dimensions, and many as ornaments to gentlemen's seats, in differ- ent parts of the county. Navigable Canals have been executed with great spirit, and to great extent : they are 1. the Trent and Mersey ; 2. the Stafford- shire and Worcestershire ; 3. the Birmingham Canal, passing through the Collieries, and Wolverhampton, into the above ; 4. Lord Dudley's, or the Stourbridge Canal ; 5. the Wyrley and Essington Canal, across Cannock-heath, and uniting the coal and lime- works of the county with the other canals ; and, 6. the Dudley Tunnel, and Netherton Canal, are partly in this county. These Canals, in the aggregate, are about 200 miles in length in this county, and cost upwards of half-a-million of money : some of them are so full of business as to pay 30 or 40 per cent, upon the money expended, and have greatly promoted the mining interest, com- merce, and population of the county. Estates are in great variety as to extent and value, from that of the Nobleman, and opulent Commoner, of 15 or o20,000. per annum, to the humble freeholder of forty shillings a-year. The county can boast of many gentlemen of fortune, who farm upon a considerable scale, and a number of proprietors of 200 or 300 acres of land who farm it themselves, and whose lands are cultivated in a first-rate style. It is from this class, and the more opulent farmers, that improvements in stock, and the introduction of new plants, and new modes of culture, are to be expected, and in which, when established, they will be imitated by others. Tenures. A large proportion of the county is freehold : consi- 22] A TOPOGRAPHICAL derable portions of landed property are also held on leasehold and copyhold tenures, under the Bishop, Colleges, Deaneries, Prebends, and other Church dignitaries, but seldom by the occupier, being commonly let out again to farmers. Leases are often granted : those for 21 years are not uncommon, and some for a shorter term. In most covenants fallowing is con- sidered as necessary. The growth of hemp, flax, and rape for seed, are prohibited, or restricted to an acre. Meadow-land is secured from the plough j tenants are restrained from cropping and lopping timber, and from taking more than a stated number of crops, are bound to use all their dung on the premises, and restricted from selling hay, straw, or dung. Sometimes systems of cropping are inserted, but little attended to, if the tenant is thought to be going on well. The tenant is generally bound to keep the building in re- pair, the landlord finding materials. Many gentlemen who have large estates round their seats, or in the neighbourhood, do not grant leases ; and to the honour of many such gentlemen it may be observed, that the possession of their farms upon such tenure is equally secure with a lease, and that whilst the occupier behaves with propriety, he is as little liable to be disturbed in possession, and often rents upon easier terms. Buildings. The county of Stafford contains many magnificent and elegant seats of Nobility and Gentry, around which the beauties of landscape have been united with the improvement of the demesne, by taste and attention in planting, and by draining and improving the boggy and unsound spots, and in some instances by ornamental and useful fish-ponds, and sheets of water. The following are the principal seats : 1. Trentham, Marquis of Stafford. 2. Sandon, Earl of Harrowby. 3. Ingestrie, Earl Talbot. 4. Shugborough, Lord Anson. 5. BlitJifield, Lord Bagot. 6. Chartley, Earl Ferrers. 7. Hagley, (near Rugeley,) -Lord Curzon. 8. Beaudesert, Marquis of Anglesea. 9. Weston, Earl of Bradford. 10. Himley,--- Lord Dudley. 11. Sandwell,-- Earl of Dartmouth. 12. Enville, Earl of Stamford. 13. Teddesley,~E.J. Littleton, Esq. 14. Wrott esley,~~ Sir Jno. Wrottesley. 15. Patshully Sir George Pigott. 16. Chillington, J. Giffard, Esq. 17. Somerford) Hon. E. Monckton. 18. Hilton, Vernon, Esq. 19. Aqualate, Sir J. F, Boughey. 20. Oakley, Sir J. Chetwode. 2l Sjvinnerton,--G. Fitzherbert, Esq. 22. Etruria, J. Wedgwood, Esq. 23. Tixall,--- Sir T. Clifford. The noble mansion of Fisherwick, (Marquis of Donegal,) has been suffer- ed to dilapidate, even to the sale of the materials. Farm-houses, Offices, fyc. The farm-houses of ancient date are HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [23 built of wood and plaster, with little design or contrivance for either comfort or convenience. Those of modern construction are better contrived, built with brick, and covered with tile or slate : the barns, cow-houses, stables, and offices, are laid out so as to shelter a compact yard, with some instances of convenient cow- sheds, and feeding-stalls, which are necessary to every respectable farm : most of the old ones are very defective in these particulars. In the construction of farm-offices, economy ought doubtless to be kept in view, and the money so laid out as to pay an interest to the proprietor, which will always be the case when real conve- niences are considered, for which the occupier had better pay inter- est than go without them. By the introduction of threshing-mills, less barn-room becomes necessary, as one threshing-floor is enough for any farm. A rick- yard should be in an airy situation, and well fenced, and se- cured from trespass. A Dutch or hay-barn, on an economical con- struction, would save much trouble in thatching : the security it gives from showers in hay-harvest, and in preventing the loss which happens from the deteriorated quality of the hay in the tops and bottoms of stacks, would enable an occupier to pay a conside- ration for it. Stables for horses, cow-stalls, and calf-house, hog- styes, and troughs of durable materials, are all necessary : these conveniences in some places have been well attended to, but in many cases are very defective. Respecting foddering cribs of brick, the late Sir Edward Little- ton observed of their utility, that they shelter cattle from the winds, and their fodder from the rain, and prevent fowls from injuring the fodder : the large and small beasts can feed at the same time. They should not be covered with hipped roofs, or the wet will run down four sides instead of two, and two troughs should discharge the rain from off the cattle : the apertures should be made so high as that the small beasts can but just reach to eat out of them, other- wise as the dung will constantly be rising round them, the cattle will walk into them before winter is over. An opening may be made at either end for the pigs to lie under it, and when the dung gets deep, a trench may be cut through it to drain off the moisture. The apertures for oxen should be wider : Sir Edward erected these foddering cribs in most of the farm-yards upon his estate. Cottages. The same worthy gentleman, with great humanity, turned his thoughts to the comforts of the labourer, by erecting upon his estate warm and comfortable tenements for their use. His 24] A TOPOGRAPHICAL idea was, that for the sake of economy three dwellings should be put together, with a room to serve them all for washing, baking, &c. and an oven large enough to bake for all three at once, the occupiers heating the oven in rotation, and giving notice of it to their neighbours : if by the side of a common the better, as the furze will supply the oven with fuel, and a few sheep, or geese, may be kept. Every labourer (he said) should have keep for one cow, with meadow-ground for winter-keep, and a garden of one- third of an acre for vegetables, fruit-trees, and hemp ; and where it can be done, it will be desirable to have them near a pool of water. Size of Farms. The farms of this county are of all sizes, from twenty acres to five hundred and upwards ; yet it must be acknow- ledged that, within the last fifty years, the consolidation of small farms has been prevalent, it having been found expensive to keep the buildings in repair : indeed, small arable farms are unprofitable, as a team of horses will eat up their produce. They should there- fore be composed of grass-land, and occupied by a dairy of cows, well managed, and the cultivation should be with the spade, in the garden style. Farms of larger size are best adapted for raising grain for the public supply, as there is room for strength of team, and the greatest surplus of produce will thence be brought to market. But the true system is to have farms of all sizes ; to em- ploy the industry of the working farmer, and the capital of the more opulent. Rents are in this county always paid in money, but something like personal services are in a small degree kept up, as a day's team-work annually for the landlord, or to keep him a dog. Rents have been considerably advanced since the year 1800, land near populous towns being let at five pounds per acre, in some instances at six or seven guineas, and garden-land near towns at 3s. per rod of 64 square yards, which is about !!. 7s. per acre. Many farms in the country have been raised from <\. per acre, to o2. or ,2. 10s. The general rent of the county has, perhaps, been raised one-third, and is now from 30s. to ,%. and <3. per acre for whole farms. Tithes. A considerable proportion of the land of the county re- mains titheable, though some has been exonerated. Tithes are considered by most people as operating unfavourably upon agricul- ture, but they must be admitted to be a property equally sacred with any other : no friend to justice can expect an abolition of tithes without an equivalent. Such an equivalent may be found in land, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [25 which might be set apart on all titheable estates by proper com- missioners ; and an equivalent in land must certainly be a more solid property than tithes, as it may be improved by industry, and managed with less trouble than tithes, even by clergymen them- selves, or their agents. Poor's Rates have been gradually and greatly increasing. From Parliamentary inquiries, from 1783 to 1786, the annual"J . s. d. expence of the whole county, upon a medium of those three > 45,404 10 10 years, was j Of this, net money paid for the poor, 40,963 13 7 County Rates, including Gaols, Houses of Correction, County") Bridges, Militia, Vagrants, &c. J 3,26] Churchwardens' Accounts for repairs of Churches, 1,179 11 li Total, ^45,404 10 10 The total money raised within the year ending Easter, 1803, by the Poor's-rates in Staffordshire, was ^109,456 which was nominally stated to be 4s. 2|d. in the pound, and was then probably, upon the real value, a little under 3s. in the pound. In this proportion, the increase of 20 years is nearly as 2 to 5, and this may be considered as permanently fixed, if our present state of things be permanent also. Weights and Measures. Those customary in this county differ considerably from the regular standard, and from each other : the custom of Wolverhampton-market being 18 ounces to the pound of butter, 120 to the hundred of cheese, 9| gallons to the bushel of grain and pulse, and 72 to the bushel of wheat ; whilst that of other markets in the county varies, some being more and some less than the above. Malt is generally throughout the county sold by the Winchester bushel of 8 gallons, and wheat-flour by the stone or peck of 14 pounds weight. Much complaint has been made of this variation, and much has been said about a regulation of weights and measures ; and it is now understood that the business is in the hands of the Legislature, who intend to establish one universal standard of weights and measures upon the following principle : A cubic foot of distilled water, at the temperature of 56| of Fahren- heit, weight 1000 oz. avoirdupoise ; a gallon is to contain lOlbs. or 160 oz. of such water, which is in its lowest terms 4-25ths of such cubical foot or 276'48 cubic inches : the quart will be 40, and the pint 20 inches, holding of pure water Iflb. the quart 2|lbs. and the gallon lOlbs. ; the bushel of eight gallons being 221 184 cubic inches, holding SOlbs. weight of water. An universal standard 6f D 26] A TOPOGRAPHICAL weights and measures upon this principle was approved and recom- mended, in 1814, by a Committee of the House of Commons. Implements of Husbandry. Those in use in this county for draught, are waggons and carts ; for tillage, double and single ploughs,* with and without wheels, scufflers, harrows,f and rollers ; for sowing, drill-ploughs and other drill-machines; and for other pur- poses, thrashing-machines, winnowing ditto, straw-cutting engines, &c. The waggons are either with six-inch wheels, or narrow wheels : the former kept by the larger farmers, in which six horses are drawn double, and convey a load of three tons and a half, or four tons ; the narrow-wheeled waggons are drawn by four, and carry two tons and a half, or three tons. Six-inch wheel carts are mostly used about farm-houses, for conveying dung, repairing roads, materials for hollow draining, &c.; some few narrow-wheeled carts are kept by the small farmers for the road, also one-horse carts, and by gardeners, butchers, and people who supply the markets. The wheel-carriages of this county are well constructed, and not capable perhaps of much improvement : they should be made as light as possible, consistent with sufficient strength, as any superfluous weight in the carriage is so much taken from the load. Double or two-furrow ploughs, are much used, and answer well on light soils, where four horses will plough two acres or more per day. The single-wheel plough is a very good tool, requiring no person to hold or touch it, except when turning at the end of the furrow : they require but one attendant, for which a boy of twelve or four- teen years of age is sufficient. The superiority of a plough that requires no holder but a person only to drive the horses, and turn it in and out at the end of the furrow, to one which requires to be held, and the horses of which are guided by reins, must be evi- dent, unless it can be proved that these latter are of easier draught, and that wheels encumber the movement. The wheels have been much improved by the addition of an iron flay, firmly screwed to the coulter, which, in ploughing leys, takes off the turf and turns it into the furrow, where the plough immedi- ately covers it with earth : by this management, a turf at one * Swing-ploughs, drawn by two horses a-breast, and guided by the plough- man, chiefly with reins, are in use amongst many of our first-rate agriculturists, who think the strength of two horses so applied equal to that of three when drawing in length. The wheels are considered as adding greatly to the draught. t The twin-harrow, for eradicating squitch, an excellent implement, is chiefly confined to the adjoining county of Salop. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [27 ploughing has the appearance of a fallow, and harrows nearly as well : this ploughing requires no additional trouble but the strength of an extra horse, and the flay may be used or not at pleasure. The common swing-plough without wheels, is used to plough hedge-sides, ill-formed corners, or any difficult work, when both a holder and driver are required. Several very ingenious manufacturers of agricultural implements reside near Wolverhampton. Winnowing-machines, of the very best construction, and containing all the newest improvements, are made by Mr. Joseph Cornforth, of Chapel Ash, of the best deal or oak, at from c8. to o10. each, who has made several thousands of them, and sent them to all parts of the kingdom, and even abroad, with the greatest approbation. Mr. Joseph Brewster, of Breewood, makes thrashing-machines either fixed or portable, upon the best construction, and upon the most reasonable terms : they do their work perfectly, and he keeps a team and portable machine in readi- ness to thrash ricks for any farmer at the shortest notice, and is thus employed all round the country. Mr. Rudge, of Patting- ham, makes Northumberland ploughs either with or without wheels, requiring only one person to attend them, with two horses, which will plough any sort of land an acre per day, or more, if required : he has made great numbers for all parts of the country. Mr. James Chambers, of Ettingsal, also makes a great variety of drill ploughs for sowing all kinds of grain, pulse, and seeds, in different numbers of rows and distances ; sowing tubes by hand, or mounted on a hand-barrow, with which a strong boy will sow ten or twelve feet wide of turnips, clover, or other seeds, with the greatest accu- racy, as fast as he can walk ; straw-cutters and turnip-slicers, and various kinds of horse and hand hoes, on the best construction ; cultivators and iron-harrows, of various forms, hay-making machines, fly-catchers, to clear turnips of insects, and a great variety of other machinery. At Ettingsal Iron-works, iron gates for avenues, or for common inclosures, are made on a firm, durable, and cheap construction ; also iron hurdles for dividing grass lands or green crops, equally portable with those of wood, and much more durable, with ploughs entirely of iron, at five guineas each, and all kinds of ornamental and useful iron fencing. Enclosing, Fences, Gates, fyc. The cultivated land of the county is now very generally enclosed, and nothing remains open but the commons or waste lands : the benefit of inclosing common fields has been so apparent, that it has been every where adopted. 28] s A TOPOGRAPHICAL In the enclosure of wastes, most new fences are made with post and rail, with a mound or bank of earth raised up near to the lower rail, and a ditch sufficient to drain the land where the drain- age is required ; in the inside of the bank, a little above the level of the natural surface of the earth, is planted the quicksets, for which purpose the white-thorn or hawthorn (cratcegus monogynia), is very generally preferred. In thin soils it is best to dig a trench two feet deep, taking out the under-stratum, and filling it up with soil, to facilitate the growth of the quicksets. In planting fences on good soils, something better and more profitable than the hawthorn might certainly be introduced. An ingenious friend has suggested that if all hedges had been originally of the most profitable plants, they would have produced time past and to come beverage and materials for spirit to supply man- kind, for fattening hogs, with materials for paying the expence of renewing ; and all this with every advantage of the hedges now in use. To effect this, he proposes to plant at regular distances in every new fence a Spanish chesnut ; midway between the chesnuts plant a crab, and between the chesnuts and crab, a common plum ; in the intermediate spaces, white-thorn ; when they have been planted three or four years, and are in a thriving state, cut them off in February with a sharp knife just above the ground, to force out many shoots, and clean them from weeds, leaving the handsome straight plants for fruit : the chesnuts may be grafted with scions from Spain, if such can be procured ; the crab stocks with apples ; the plum shoots with plums of different kinds ; and the white-thorn with medlars. Thus you will have a very productive orchard, with- out any waste of land, and a permanent and durable fence. The chesnuts would be excellent food for hogs or other cattle ; apples every one knows the use of; and plums and medlars, if super- abundant, would fatten hogs, or the juice might be converted into spirit superior to malt spirit. He thinks the chesnut, the walnut, and the beech, should be planted for their fruit ; tut the oak should be preferred to the lime, the fir, the larch, and the poplar, whose fruit is of no value. In a late account of Sicily, it is asserted that a large tree is common there, called the Carubba tree, bearing a produce like a large strong bean in the husk : it is grown to export, and for feeding cattle. Its fruit is good feed for pigs, horses, and other animals. A tree is said to bear two quintals (3501bs.) of this fruit : if it would stand our climate it might be an acquisition. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [29 It has been proposed, as an economical scheme, to plant willows of the proper kind for making gates, rails, and hurdles, they being of quick growth, and, when cut, soon shooting out again. They will succeed well in moist corners, or by the side of a stream. Iron gates for common use have been lately introduced, and are purchased at reasonable prices. Arable Lane?, Cropping, and Cultivation. The arable land of the county, as stated before, consists of, 1. clay or marly loam ; 2. gravelly mixed loam, including lime-stone bottoms, and thin black soils on gravel; and, 3. lighter sandy soils, adapted to the growth of turnips. The whole of the cultivated land of the county is now in- closed, or at least so little remains in common fields as not to deserve any particular notice. All the common sorts of grain, pulse, roots, and other plants and vegetables, are cultivated on the different soils. On the deeper and stronger soils a good many beans are grown, generally in the rotation of, 1. fallow; 2. wheat; 3. beans ; 4. barley or oats, with clover and other grass-seeds : the clover is often mown for horse-hay, and the land afterwards kept in pasture one or more years. Tracts of excellent land of this description are to be found near Stafford castle, in the neighbourhood of Eccleshall, and in the parishes of Gnosall, Bradley, Church Eaton, and elsewhere. Many fanners here fallow for wheat, and get good crops without ma- nure, then dung the wheat-stubble for beans, which insures the crop, as well as one of barley afterwards, and of clover and grass : on this sort of soil wheat is sown in October, beans the beginning, and oats the latter end, of March, and barley in April. When laid to grass for more than one year, white clover and trefoil are generally sown with red clover and rye grass : if such land has been clean and well fallowed in one tillage, it may certainly pass through a second tillage without fallow. Thus : plough up the ley in a good thick furrow, and set beans in rows by hand, as is the common practice in Worcestershire ; keep the beans clean as a garden by the hoe, and a double crop may be expected, and the land will be in as good order for wheat as it can be made by fallow : this is the best system of management for such land. This strong soil will form good permanent pasture, as is proved by here and there a piece of excellent old turf; but the occupiers say it requires many years to turf over, in which it will be much forwarded by top-dressings of good manure. 2. The mixed soils, composed of gravel, sand, and clay. These are often springy ; but when well under-drained, some may become 30] A TOPOGRAPHICAL sound and dry enough for turnips ; if too cold or wet, they require occasional summer fallows ; for when such land is getting foul and stubborn, it is the only mode to recover it, and is certain to make a grateful return for the indulgence. Such fallows should be ploughed up between Michaelmas and Candlemas, and cross- ploughed and well worked in summer, manuring with lime or muck : farm-yard muck is best laid on fallows not too much reduced. After one turning, or when fresh from the fold-yard, spread it immedi- ately, and plough it in. It dresses more land, and meliorates the soil better, than when too much reduced. The couch-grasses are best destroyed by a complete summer fallow, as well as thistles, and the seedling weeds and coltsfoot by early spring culture. The usual culture of the mixed soils is, first, fallow as above, with at least four ploughings ; second, wheat ; third, the wheat-stubble pin-fallowed in autumn, and laid dry, cross-ploughed in March/and harrowed down, then ploughed up, and sown with barley in April, together with clover and other seeds, and then lying two or more years at grass. When ploughed up again, oats may be sown on the turf, and if the land be clean, you may manure the oat-stubble at Michaelmas, plough and sow winter vetches, to be eaten or cleared off the ground time enough for a short fallow for wheat. Pease drilled in rows, and well hoed, may succeed fallow-wheat, and barley after the pease, and clover and grass-seeds for two years' pasture, as before. 3. The light sandy or gravelly soils, adapted to turnips. On this sort of land the Norfolk system of, 1. turnips ; 2. barley ; 3. clover ; 4. wheat ; has been long well known and practised. Some farmers having observed that the same crop every four years is hard tillage, and tires the land, have given it two years' rest under the seeds, and sown the wheat upon a two-year old ley with success ; or pease may be drilled in rows upon ploughing up the ley, and well cleaned by the hoe, to be followed by, 2. wheat ; 3. turnips ; 4. barley, with seeds, and then clover and pasture during pleasure. The land in preparation for turnips, must have at least four plough- ings, and sufficient harrowings between. The first ploughing should be soon after harvest, and if possible the land should be laid up in one-bout ridges before Christmas ; the second should be in March, and the land well harrowed down ; the third in May, and the fourth at sowing ; or if the stubble could be ploughed up immediately after harvest, turnip seed and a little rye might be sown and harrowed in upon such ploughing ; but, if the growth be worth it, it might re- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [31 main till the following spring for sheep-feed, to be eaten in April, and the ground afterwards worked for turnips. If the growth is not worth preserving, the second ploughing should lay it up in one- bout ridges before Christmas, and the land being exposed to the winter frosts, would harrow down mellow in spring. This last is the true mode of preparation for the Swedish turnip, which requires the land to be got forward enough for sowing by the end of May, and which cannot easily be done if one ploughing only of a stubble be given before winter. The manure in use for turnips is dung pretty well reduced, or lime, or both, or compost of dung and soil, or town manure. Near Birmingham, the parings and shavings of bone and hoof dust have been applied with great success. Turnips must be hoed twice, and hand- weeded, if necessary, as the object of the culture is to clear the land of weeds, which may be thus done effectually. It is now a well-established maxim that land, sound and dry enough for turnips, requires no other fallow or means of cleaning. The writer once weighed a perch of a very good crop of turnips, and found it 36, which is exactly 30 tons per acre, but more acres are grown less than 20 tons per acre than above it ; yet, by calcu- lation, this seems very little, for turnips of 6 or 71bs. weight are a good common size ; but if we reckon one upon every square foot of 71bs. weight, it would be upwards of 136 tons per acre, a weight we must never expect to see grown in reality. It was asserted in the public prints, that near 250 tons of Swedish turnips were grown in 1814, upon five acres of the Earl of Uxbridge's (now Marquis of Anglesea) estate. That such proportion might be grown upon small patches is very probable, it being 66| upon a perch, or 23f Ibs. upon a square yard nearly ; but such weight is seldom or ever met with upon an average of five acres. If 30 tons be grown upon an acre, it may be considered equal to two acres of the best meadow land ; and it is a great acquisition to a farmer, if he can make one acre of sandy or gravelly land equal to two or three of meadow in the support of stock, which may be done by industry and good management, The Northumberland method of getting turnips in drills on one-bout ridges, is extending itself in the county. The manure is deposited under the plants, and an opportunity is given of scuffling between the rows during the growth of the crop. Wheat Culture, Seed, and Produce. If turnips are eaten off the land in autumn, it is good management to sow wheat, as there can be no better possible preparation for wheat on light laud ; or spring 32] A TOPOGRAPHICAL wheat may be sown instead of barley, and three or four quarters per acre at least expected, and clover succeeds with wheat better than with barley. The common average crops of wheat are gene- rally stated at from 3 to 4 quarters (Winchester measure) per acre on good land, from two bushels to two and a half sown : this is a very low average produce for good management. But the fact and the misfortune is, that wheat crops are seldom free from a pretty large admixture of grass and weeds, which share with the crop the nutri- ment from the soil. The following was the result of an examination in September, 1814, upon a twenty-acre field of wheat at Showell farm, near Wolverhampton : the occupier (Mr. Miller), had well drained and fallowed the land, manuring with both muck and lime : the soil mixed loam, of not above average quality. An acre in the middle of the field produced 99 mows of 8 sheaves each, or 33 thraves of wheat; some of the land had a sheaf on six square yards: a sheaf weighed 10|lbs. and produced 4f Ibs.of corn : this is 3tonsl5 cwt. 2 qr. 141bs. per acre weight of the crop, and 60f bushels at 601bs. per bushel per acre produce of grain. The grains, when dry, weighed 96 to a half-guinea weight, or three grains of wheat were two grains troy weight, which is 10,500 grains of wheat to llb.avoirdupoise : the ears of corn were 276 on a square yard, or 30 and 2-3ds on a square foot, containing on an average 28f corns each. It will appear by this, that if a wheat crop fill and occupy the whole ground, and be free from weeds, the average produce may be greatly increased. Wheat is commonly sown at the rate of about 1401bs. weight per acre ; this, weighing as above, would be 304 grains on a square yard, or little more than two inches asunder every way : yet it has so great a tendency to tillering, or making lateral shoots, that every grain sown in August might, upon an average, be divided into four plants, and re-planted in October. If taken up the March follow- ing, and again divided four-fold, and planted at nine inches, it will make a full crop, if the ground be free from weeds. A single grain would thus furnish the plants of a square yard, or less than half a pound weight of seed wheat would supply an acre ; and this method may very probably come into practice when cultivation be- comes systematic, and more hands are employed therein. At present wheat is often drilled in rows at seven inches : this, at one bushel per acre, would be one inch and a quarter distant in the rows, and it is thus more ready to clean by the hoe. The great improvement wanted upon the present practice is, to keep the crop clear of grass and weeds. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [33 . Of the common lammas, or winter wheat, there are four varieties : 1. Spike and grain red, or, as the farmers call it, red straw red ; 2. spike white, grain red; 3. spike red, grain white ; 4. spike and grain both white. The first variety is most generally cul- tivated, but instances of the greatest produce from the last have occurred. Spring Wheat Cultivation. This is a modern introduction to British husbandry not generally known till about the year 1800. It is supposed to be a native of Tartary, and was first introduced underthe name of Siberian wheat. The grain is rather longer and thinner than the common wheat, is liable to be hurt by frost, and must not be sown till spring ; it has ripened when sown May 15th before barley sown at the same time ; but is best sown in April : average value about ten per cent, less than the best autumn wheat. Being a smaller grain, it will ripen with less sunshine, and receives less injury in a wet harvest, drying sooner for grinding. There are three varieties of the spring wheat, (triticum testivum) : 1. Spike and grain red ; 2. spike white, grain red ; 3. spike and grain white. It has been found by experiment that 9 grains of spring wheat are the same weight with 7 of autumn wheat, and that a 38-quart bushel of spring wheat weighing 721bs. contained 984,375 grains of corn, which, if equally distributed over an acre of land, would be 203| grains upon a square yard, or only 2f inches distant asunder every way. As many bushels per acre are generally grown of spring as of autumn wheat ; but it is looked upon by the millers as inferior to autumn wheat, particularly when wheat is plentiful. In 1814, Mr. Pratt, of Saredon, an eminent miller, who well knows the value of all the varieties of wheat, grew near 30 acres of it after turnips, which proved well, and yielded per acre 27 or 28 bushels 38-quart measure ; which is full four quarters per acre statute measure : some were sown as late as May-day. Cons-wheat (triticum turgidum), is not much grown in Staf- fordshire: there are four varieties ; 1. White cone; 2. Red cone ; 3. Bearded cone ; 4. Many-eared cone. Steeping of Seed. This is commonly done to wheat before sowing, either by immersion in brine, stirring up and skimming-off whatever swims on the surface ; or by sprinkling over it in a heap a sufficient quantity of brine or urine, and afterwards drying it with quick lime : the former method is, doubtless, superior. This, when properly done, has seldom been known to fail keeping the crop free from injury by smut, which is a contagious disease in wheat, and should 34] A TOPOGRAPHICAL be rejected as seed when tainted with it : the before-mentioned method is used as a preventative and cure. Mildew is also sometimes very injurious to wheat : the cause is supposed to arise from a too humid atmosphere, and want of sunshine, which are the proximate causes ; and improper tillage, and an abundance of weeds, the predisposing ones. A want of circulation in the air, rendered stagnant by high hedges, may be considered as having a tendency to mildew : hedges should always be plashed against a wheat field. It has been asserted, that minute fungi are the cause of this disease ; but this is beginning at the wrong end : such, if they exist, being the effect of the distemper, and not the cause, their natural growth being upon putrid and decaying substances. Rye, for a crop, is not much grown in Staffordshire, but some- times a little may be sown on light land, or on head-lands. No particular preparation is necessary except a fallow manured upon very poor sands ; its produce may be reckoned more than that of wheat on light poor land : in a scarce time of wheat it is a welcome addition to that grain for bread. A valuable use of rye is to form a very early sheep-pasture for ewes and lambs in April ; if a pea, oat, or other stubble, be cleared of its crop in August, and imme- diately ploughed up and sown with rye, and half a bushel of winter vetches per acre to fill up the bottom, it may be half a yard high by the beginning of April following, and form a valuable pasture for ewes and lambs at that pinching season : it may be eaten oft' in good time to work the land thoroughly for turnips. Barley is generally sown after turnips on all land where turnips are grown ; on loams it is sown after fallow wheat, the wheat stubble being pin-fallowed in autumn, and well worked in spring ; or after a clean wheat fallow barley has been grown at one plough- ing given in autumn upon the wheat stubble, laid in a proper form for sowing, and drained by proper furrows or gutters, and the barley sown early in the spring following without farther ploughing ; as the amelioration of the ground by winter frosts disposes the ground to work kindly under the harrows without more tillage ; this upon strong loams : clover, and grass-seeds, are always sown with barley as above. Drilling-in of barley in rows is practised by some. After drilling, the Rev. Mr. Dickenson defers sowing the grass-seeds for a month, and then hoes them in between the rows of barley ; or has har- rowed-in grass-seeds by a single-horse harrow without injuring HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [35 the barley : the grass-seeds late sown succeed equally well, and do less injury to the barley crop in harvest than when more fully grown. Oats are grown upon one ploughing-up of grass land, and if such land be mellow and in good condition, the greatest crops are thus obtained ; 5 or 6 bushels per acre of Poland oats are sown, which upon such land may produce 40 or 50 bushels in return, and on turnip soils should be followed by turnips. Or the oat stubble may be manured, and immediately ploughed and sown with winter vetches. These may be used in spring, time enough to make a good fallow for wheat or for turnips. Oats are also grown in succession after fallow wheat on cool land (improper for barley), generally upon one ploughing of the wheat stubble, when grass-seeds are sown with the oats. This is too much prac- tised, and an imperfect tillage : it would be much better to sow grass-seeds in spring upon the fallow wheat, and let oats and vetches precede the wheat as above. The oats adapted to the better kind of land are the white oats, Dutch or Poland, also a variety called potatoe oat, which is an im- proved variety of the Dutch oat. Red oats are preferred by some for horses, and the black oat is sown upon inferior soils ; but the better kind of white oats is alone used for groats and oatmeal, and in that form for human food. Oats are a considerable article of human food in this county, be- sides their general use as groats, and in soups and gruels. Oat bread is eaten in the Moorlands over a considerable extent of country ; the origin of which custom seems to have arisen from that high mountain-land being too cold to ripen wheat. It is believed that oatmeal is equally nutritious with wheat flour, weight for weight; and two bushels of oats are nearly equal to one bushel of wheat as human nutriment. For, one bushel of good wheat, Winchester measure, weighing 601bs. will yield 491bs. of flour, lOlbs. of pollard or bran : lib. waste. Two bushels of oats, same measure, weighing SOlbs. may yield 501bs. of oatmeal, 281bs. of husks : 21bs. loss. Advantage on the side of the oats lib. meal, (281bs. of husks being supposed equal to the lOlbs. of pollard or bran) ; oats there- fore to be equal to wheat in cultivation as human food, must be pro- duced in double quantity per acre. Beans are grown considerably upon the strong loams, and are principally sown broad-cast, and left to chance. The Worcestershire 36J A TOPOGRAPHICAL practice cannot be too strongly recommended as much superior,- where none but the greatest slovens think of sowing them broad- cast. They are there very generally either set by hand, or drilled by a machine ; in the former case women and children are princi- pally employed, who set from 3 to 4 bushels per acre of the large tick bean, or less measure of smaller sorts. The expence of hand-setting there in 1807 was about 8s. per acre, and a quart of cyder daily to each setter. A gentleman by letter thus informs the writer : " We excel in nothing so much as setting beans \ it is superior to the most perfect drilling. They are all set by line, and we prefer setting them north and south, to have the benefit of sunshine between the rows. They are hoed three times with the gardener's common hoe, and they produce sufficient to satisfy the cultivator/' The time of setting is February and March. Various machines are now in use for drilling beans (see "Imple- ments"} ; and the expence may be reckoned at less than one- half of that of setting : it is practicable upon all broken land, particularly after fallow wheat ; but turf land should be set by hand, and if clean hoed, must equal any fallow for wheat. Pease are extremly well adapted for drilling by a machine, their globular form insuring a delivery with great accuracy. They should be grown only upon land in clean culture, and kept perfectly clean by the hoe, which they may be when in rows ; the land is then fit for any crop. Turnips after the early sorts, and wheat after the latter, or any other crop, at pleasure. In the neighbourhood of London <60. per acre was made long ago by early pease for podding, immediately succeeded by turnips, also for the market ; and both cleaned in a garden style : the same practice is applicable to this county in all dry warm situations near a populous town or neighbourhood. The garden Rounceval has long been sown in the common fields of Milwich with great success. Vetches, of the winter kind, are very properly sown in autumn, upon land intended for wheat fallow the next summer, as the crop may be used green or made into hay, in time for working such fallow ; if the vetches are well manured for, less manure would be required for the fallow. It would be a good plan to muck for the vetches, and lime the fallow for wheat. Ten tons per acre of green retches, or from two tons and a half to three tons in hay, may be thus obtained instead of barren fallow. It may be here observed, that vetches mown before they are in full blossom, will shoot again 5 HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [37 but when the full blossom is attained, the ground should be ploughed as the crop is cleared. Buckwheat, called here French wheat (polygonum fagopyrum), has been grown both for ploughing under as manure, and for a crop. This plant is riot considered good enough to cultivate, except on new inclosed or unimproved land, where ploughing it in may in- crease the vegetable matter ; it is, however, good enough for game and poultry, as well as swine. Dr. Withering prefers to it for culture the black bindweed, (bearbine of the farmers, polygonum convolvulus}, the seeds of which, he says, are produced in greater quantity, and the plant bears cold better. Hemp and Flax are grown in this county, but upon a small scale : hemp generally in small yards, or in the gardens of cottagers, or sometimes an acre or two may be grown by a farmer after turnips ; and some few instances have been known of large crops upon a deep black peat, well drained. It should be sown the beginning of May. Flax is generally grown upon a turf on one ploughing, and should be sown in March or the beginning of April, two bushels and a half of seed per acre. The land should be well harrowed before sowing the seed as well as after, and rolled, and harrowed again very fine : care should be taken that the seed be ripe when pulled, it being a valuable part of the crop. The chaff of flax is excellent food for horses, mixed with oats or beans. A middling crop will produce 30 stone of flax per acre, and a full crop considerably more. Turnips. Their usual culture has been before stated, to which may be added, that they have been drilled-in upon the Northum- berland system, both common and Swedish, by several public- spirited gentlemen, particularly by Sir John Wrottesley, and Sir George Pigot, who have cultivated considerable portions of their own estates. The system is thus managed, as detailed by a gen- tleman who practises it. After well working the land, and laying on lime four tons per acre, the lime being spread and well harrowed- in, the land is stricken into two furrow ridges, about two feet from middle to middle ; the dung cart is then applied, and a row of well- reduced dung laid along every fifth hollow, at the rate of about ten tons per acre ; this is immediately divided and distributed along the hollows, and another plough follows to cover the dung by dividing the ridges upon it in single furrows. The drill machine follow*, drawn by one horse, going along one of the furrows : a roller presses down two ridges, one on each side the horse's path. 38] A TOPOGRAPHICAL The seeds are deposited over the manure on the crown of the ridge, and covered in by short rollers following the delivery. Two rows are thus drilled at a time by one horse. They can get on thus at the rate of about an acre and a half per day, with four horses in two teams to plough, one at the drill, and two or three at the dung carts. The whole is immediately done on the fresh soil, by which the vegetation of the seed is promoted, the dung covered up under the seed, and a good crop generally insured. When dung is not used in addition to the lime, the drill immediately follows without turning back the furrows, and five horses do the whole business. The cleaning is performed by a hoe plough between the rows, which are further thinned and cleaned by women and children, no skill being necessary. About ^glbs. of seed is drilled to an acre. ^1 Sir John Wrottesley states^ that to form the ridges he uses m double furrow plough with two horses, which turn a furrow either way, and the muck is laid in every eighth row, which one person spreads, and four women or boys follow, each distributing the dung- in two furrows : two common ploughs follow with two horses in each, to cover-in the dung, after which comes the roller and drill, which being very light work, is best done by a hackney or blood horse ; and that turnip sowing being at a busy season, with the above strength and sufficient horses at the dung carts, according to the distance the muck is drawn from, they generally finish four acres per day. The Fly. The insect which most commonly attacks and destroys turnips is of the beetle kind (chrysomela nemorum), wings two, covered by two shells, skippers, hop or take-wing, length half a line, or one-twenty-fourth of an inch: when much disturbed, it takes wing, and is soon out of sight. To keep off this insect, it is recom- mended to mix an ounce of flour of brimstone with every pound weight of turnip-seed twenty-four hours before sowing : if this be neglected, and the fly be discovered, immediately harrow with light harrows, which will disturb or drive the fly : or if the fly continues, sow eight bushels per acre of dry lime, or dry sifted fine ashes, early in the morning, or in the evening, when the dew is on, that it may adhere to the leaves. Hoeing in time, and repeatedly, is said to disturb and drive the fly : it is asserted that where these precautions have been used, no turnip crop has ever been destroyed by the fly. The following method is said to have succeeded last year, in preserving twelve acres of Swedish turnips. A board was drawn over the field, having its upper surface fresh painted : on HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [39 the approach of the board the flies hop, and are entangled in the fresh paint, which must be renewed as often as necessary, or tar may be used instead of paint. The following system is proposed by the inventor : Take two boards, half an inch thick, from a deal plank, connect them together by three or four pieces of cord, leav- ing an interval between them of about a foot ; both the boards to be painted, or tarred on the top ; some strings or fringes of netting hanging loosely from the hinder edge of the first board will, by playing on the ground, make many of the insects hop and alight on the second : a strip of wood to be nailed under the fore-edge of each board to keep it from warping or catching the ground, will make them mount any clod or stone in their way. A piece of cord, four or five feet long, is to be put through each fore corner of the first board, with a cross stick at its fore end, to be drawn by a person at each end. If the boards be twenty feet long, and laid crosswise, they will thus sweep twenty feet in breadth ; and two persons in going less than half a mile will sweep an acre, and in going five miles will sweep more than ten acres : by following the hinder board, you will have the pleasure of seeing the enemy entangled in the paint or tar. The operation to be repeated daily, or twice a- day if necessary, until the turnips get into the rough leaf, when they will be secure from further danger. Mildew on Turnips, caused, as is generally supposed, by the aphis brassier, an insect so extremely minute in its animalcule state, that fifty or more may be found beneath one pair of seedling leaves of a young turnip plant. In its fly state it has four wings, two long and two short, body black, size of a grain of mustard seed, is extremely prolific, and produces ten generations in one season, each successive generation beginning to breed at ten or twelve days old. First generation (oviparous), hatched by the sun ; the succeeding ones, except the last (viviparous), and fifty on an ave- rage produced at a time ; so that the production of a single fly in a season is 50x50x50, to the tenth power, which amounts to countless millions. Dr. Darwin believed this species to be so wonderful in its increase, that, from their immense numbers, they may in pro- cess of time destroy the vegetable world. The top-dressings before mentioned are very probable means of checking the progress of their increase. Turnip Tenthredo (tenthredo rustica), less frequent on turnips than the former, common on willows, and when they increase beyond the usual numbers, resort to turnip-fields. Great ravages were 40] A TOPOGRAPHICAL committed on turnip-fields by the caterpillar of this fly in the sum- mer of 1785 ; when, after hot weather, they attacked the turnip plants when full half grown, perforated the leaves into net-work, and did not finally disappear till the frost set in : they have not been very formidable since. Many farmers were alarmed, thinking a new enemy to the crop had appeared : it is supposed that some circumstances in the weather had been favourable to their increase, and that their progeny was prematurely destroyed by frost. Ducks were employed in large droves with some success in destroying this caterpillar. They should be pent up all night, and driven early in the morning, fasting, into the midst of the turnip-field, when they will fill their craws as full as they will hold ; they will also devour slugs and \worms : the former are said to be injurious, and some- times destructive, to a turnip-crop. Mr. Vagg's grand secret of jright-rolliftg is well known, and still recommended by some per- sons, as tending to squeeze and destroy injurious insects better than rolling in the day-time. Some persons are said to have soaked the seed, and made it spurt before sowing, to promote a quick vegetation, which method Dr. Darwin advises to be more attended to. He also advises to prevent or destroy insects, that the ground be strewn with soot, and thinks it probable that if infusions were made in hot water, or for a longer time in cold water, of those leaves which no insects devour, as of walnut, laurel, foxglove, henbane, hounds-tongue, ragwort, or tobacco, and were sprinkled on the ground just after the young plants spring up, it might prevent or destroy insects, without injuring the crop. This, however, can be practised only on a small scale. < Potatoes have been, and are a good deal, cultivated, both with the spade and plough, in various ways, and the culture well under- stood. They have been applied to the fattening of cattle, hogs, and poultry, as well as for food for mankind. The refuse potatoes, and inferior kinds, are generally applied to feeding hogs, which they will bring on fast, when boiled and mixed with barley-meal, and the inferior or damaged barley will do for this purpose. The markets are principally supplied with potatoes by cottagers who have large gardens, or who rent land for the purpose of growing them : some also are grown for the market by farmers. The curl is now pretty well got rid of, the sorts liable to it having been rejected, and new varieties raised in their stead. The animal nutriment from potatoes is decidedly superior to that from HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [41 any other plant or vegetable in common culture and use, from the same breadth of land ; this, perhaps, is owing to the starch and muci- lage which they contain. An acre of potatoes produces, on an ave- rage, as much human or animal nutriment as from three to four acres of wheat ; and it has been found by experiment that an hundred weight, properly used in feeding hogs, will produce 41bs. of pork, or 10 tons from an acre would produce SOOlbs. of pork, and so in proportion. Potatoes are thus worth a farthing a pound as hog's meat, when pork is worth 7d. The hog-manure remains to pay for the trouble of feeding, and the labour and expence of taking the potatoes to market will be saved. Cabbages. Their cultivation in the field has been common for many years, but has been less attended to since Swedish turnips have become a favourite. They are generally grown on three-feet ridges, manured under the rows, with one plough-hoeing, afterwards hoeing by hand. It may be observed, that they succeed best on deep strong loams, too moist for Swedish turnips ; and that they can be come at in frost and snow, when turnips are buried or locked in the ground. To stand the winter, they should be raised from spring-sown plants ; but the greatest crop will be raised from plants sown in July or August, planted out the following spring, and having the whole summer for their growth. The excellence of cabbage for milch cows, and ewes and lambs, is well known. Rape. This plant has never been known to be cultivated in this county for its seed, and many leases contain restrictions to pre- vent it. It is properly sown on early stubbles ploughed up as spring-feed for sheep, and followed by turnips. The smooth chad - lock is the same plant in its natural state. Mangel Wurzel, a variety of the beet species, very productive of leaves, with large conical fleshy roots, which appear beautifully variegated when cut across in slices. The author was one of the first cultivators of this plant, having received his seeds from Dr. Letsom, when he first introduced it under the name of the Root of Scarcity. The roots are very sweet, and must contain much sugar, but they have a nauseous flavour. He thought the plant inferior to potatoes, turnips, carrots, or parsnips, and therefore dropped its cultivation. It has since been considerably cultivated ; but has lately sunk into disrepute, upon a charge of paralyzing cattle that eat it. This arose, perhaps, from its having been eaten too freely, it probably requiring to be given only in a limited quantity. Unpleasant effects 42] A TOPOGRAPHICAL have also accrued from cattle eating raw potatoes too largely, by hoving and swelling them. Potatoes, when raw, possess conside- rable acrimony, and should not be given to a beast in larger quan- tities than a peck at a time, nor more than three times a-day : the acrimonious quality is dissipated by heat. It is probable, the mangel wurzel would be made perfectly safe by baking or boiling. Its cultivation should be upon good deep soil, well pulverized and manured ; the seed should be sown in April, and buried about three-quarters of an inch deep. It may be dibbled to advantage by having a stop on the lower part of the dibble, to prevent the holes being made deeper than here directed. It is proper to form a germination before the seed is planted, by steeping it in soft water twenty-four hours, to forward its growth, and (if necessary) to ascertain its vitality, especially if the ground is dry at sowing. A proper distance would be 12 inches asunder every way, which gives 43,560 plants upon an acre, and would require 21bs. of seed. When the plants are fairly above ground, give them a hoeing with a carrot-hoe to kill the weeds, and fill up vacancies by trans- planting from a seed bed. A second hoeing should be given with a turnip-hoe when the roots are the size of a radish, and again fill up vacancies. The whole number of plants above-named may thus be preserved, which, at lib. weight each plant, would amount to 19 tons 9 cwt. per acre, and so in proportion. When full grown, the leaves may be stripped off and given to cows, deer, sheep, or swine, taking care to preserve the middle leaves, which will soon form another head. The stripping may be repeated. The crop must be taken up in October or November, (in dry weather if possible), and the leaves stripped for use, leaving the crown of the plant perfect ; then put them under cover in straw, in alternate layers, to preserve them from the wet and frost ; or they may be laid in ridges the same as potatoes, and covered with straw. They may be given all the winter in limited quantities to horses, cattle, sheep, deer, and swine ; and in spring, if the whole are not consumed, the roots may be planted out for seed, or for use ; for, after ripening the seed, the roots are still fit for use, and may be sliced and given to cattle as before. Carrots and Parsnips may be cultivated in a similar way, as well as preserved and used ; they would be extremely valuable for all kinds of stock in the winter and spring months, and would well repay the trouble of the cultivator. Weeds. These are a great plague to the plough farmer, and oc- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [43 casionthe necessity of summer fallows. On neglected farms they are known to take away more corn than the tithe-man. The follow- ing are those principally infesting the arable land of this county. 1. Couch grass, provincially squitch, which signifies the roots of peren- nial grasses, as the bent grasses, (agrostis) ; dog's-grass, (triticum repens) ; creeping soft grass, (holcus mollis) ; the tall oat-grass, (avena elat tor) ; and some others: the last-mentioned grass has bulbous roots, which breed or shelter grubs, worms, &c. These roots are sometimes so interwoven with the soil in hard tilled land, as to form a perfect matting, and choke up the plough. They are only to be destroyed by repeatedly ploughing the land and working it in hot dry weather, or by forking-out and burning the squitch. 2. Coltsfoot, (tussilago farfara) ; and, 3. horse-tail, (equisetum ar- vense}. These are to be destroyed by early spring ploughing, as they blossom and seed in March ; and will then, if cut, bleed to death. To extirpate them entirely requires repeated ploughing and hand-weeding, and by perseverance, and laying clean to grass, they will at length disappear. 4. Creeping thistle or saw-wort, (serratula arvensis], growing every where, may be weakened by good tillage and weeding ; but its seeds fly all over the country, if suffered to ripen, as well as those of coltsfoot and the ranker thistles, and also groundsel (senecio vulgaris). They should, by universal consent, be cut before seeding, in hedges, waste places, and elsewhere, and might thus be extirpated. 5. Chadlock, pro- nounced kedlock : three distinct weeds bear this name, viz. wild mustard, wild rape, and wild radish. If they are suffered to shed their seed in one tillage they appear in the next, and are thus per- petuated, which is the case with all the seedling weeds. They can only be destroyed by pulverizing the land early in spring, and ploughing them up or harrowing them out as they appear, or by hoeing or weeding them out of all crops before they ripen and shed their seed. Other weeds of this class are, 5. Ivy-leaved chick- weed, (veronica hederifolia) ; 6. common chickweed, (alsine media) ; 7. bindweed, (convolvulus arvensis) ; 8. pale arsmart or lake-weed, (polygonum pensylvanicum) ; 9. bladder campion, (cucululus behen) ; 10. corn poppy, (papaver rh&as) ; 11. corn crowfoot, (ranunculus arvensis); 11. nettle hemp, (galeopsis tetrahit) ; 12. shepherd's purse, (thlaspi'bursa-pastoris) ; 13. groundsel, (senecio vulgaris) ; 14. tare, (ervum tetraspermum) ; 15. corn marigold, (chrysanthe- mum segetum) ; 16. corn chamoraile, (anthemis arvensis) ; 17. knap- weed, (centaurea) ; and, 18. fern, (pteris aquilina); and many others. 44j A TOPOGRAPHICAL The weeds common in grass-land which should be extirpated, are, 1. docks, (rumex); to be destroyed only by perseverance in rooting up ; 2. thistles, (the carduus lanceolatus, palustris, and pratensis, are called boar thistles, from their roughness) ; these, with the creeping thistle, (serratula arvensis), should be cut off close, or rooted up ; 3. knapweed, (centaurea nigra and scabiosa), should be rooted up, being useless and unsightly ; 4. goose tansy, silver weed, or feathered cinquefoil, (potentilla anserina], refused by cattle, and a mark of surface-water and want of shallow draining ; 5. rushes, (juncus], where permanent, a general indication of under- water and want of deep drainage ; 6. red rattle or louse wort, (pedicularis sylvatica), another indication of want of drainage, and a sure mark that the land is unfit for sheep, which soon become scabby and unsound where this plant abounds ; 7. ramsons, (allium ursinum), common near streams, and give a garlic flavour to the milk of cows that eat it ; 8. dog's mercury, (mercurialis perennis), common on the hedge banks of moist land, and said by Dr. Withering to be noxious to sheep and deleterious to man ; 9. common nettle, (urtica dioica), common on rich land in patches, but should be rooted out ; and, 10. sedges, (carex), on moist land, and to be extirpated by draining and top-dressing. Care should be taken always to sow clean seed. The following are often sown with the seed, and will, in that case, abundantly in- crease : 1. white darnel, (lolium temulentum) ; 2. eriff or goose grass, (galium Jparine) ; 3. beggar's needle, (scandix pecteri) ; 4. bearbind, (polygonum convolvulus} ; 5. cockle, (agrostemma githago] ; and some of those above-named. Summer fallowing, and well-managed hoe crops, with attention and industry, are the means of destroying all weeds. Weeding, For extirpating weeds, the drill husbandry is to be highly recommended. It gives a good opportunity of working be- tween the rows of grain, and particularly of pulse, beans, and pease, and thereby keeping the crops clear. In broad-cast sowing, thistles which cannot be handled should be drawn up with tongs, and grasses and other weeds by hand. Turnips are cleaned first by the hoe, and if any weeds remain they should be drawn by hand, and not suffered to shed their seed. Every good farmer will root up the docks, and the ranker thistles, which infest his pastures, which may be done by a docking-iron when the ground is moist after rain ; if they are only mown, it checks but not destroys them. Other luxuriant weeds, as knapweeds and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [45 scabious, should then also be drawn by hand, and this should always be done before their seeds are perfected, as thereby a great increase of these noxious plants may be prevented. To shew the importance of attending to this subject of destroying weeds before they perfect their seeds, it may be observed that the business, if well done, will lessen every year, but if neglected will increase be- yond calculation ; for One year's seeding, makes seven years' weeding ; But one year's good weeding, may prevent seeding. As a preventative is much better than a cure, it would certainly be an improvement in our rural polity, if it were made presentable and fineable at quarter sessions, and the offender punished by fine accordingly who should suffer weeds to run to seed on his premises, particularly those of the class syngenesia, which having their seeds furnished with feathers and wings, will disperse them over a whole country. Mr. Marshall thinks an indictment at the court-leet might be preferred for such a nuisance, and matters of less import- ance have engaged the attention of the Legislature. The following is a list of the most troublesome and pernicious weeds of this class, growing in hedges, road-sides, on heaps of compost and manure, and in waste places, as well as in grass and cultivated land : 1. coltsfoot, (tussilago farfara), the seed flies in April and May ; 2. creeping thistle, (serratula arvensis), the seed flies in July or August ; 3. great or spear thistle, provincially boar thistle, (carduus lanceolatus), flies in August and September ; 4. sow thistles (sonchus arvensis), flies in August and September ; 5. smooth succory, (crepis tectorum), often in foul oat crops, the seed flies from midsummer to autumn; 6. groundsel, (tenecio vulgaris), the seed flies all the summer. Many other sorts have the same quality, as ragwort, (seneciojacob&a) ; hawkweed, (hieracium umbel" latum), and many others. The seeds of these weeds, when fully ripe, will hover in the air, and in windy weather, like winged insects, fly to any distance, till saturated with moisture or becalmed, when they deposit themselves on cultivated ground, or newly-raised banks of earth, where they soon vegetate and establish themselves in vigour. Many persons have supposed, from observing their growth upon newly-raised banks of maiden earth, such as canal spoil, &c. that they had been dug with such soil out of the earth ; whereas, nothing can be more simple or natural than their flight from the parent plant, borne up by feathers through a current of air. 46] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Weeds are often suffered to grow on heaps of compost, or manure, so as to perfect their seeds : this is great neglect, as such manure may afterwards do as much harm as good. They should be mown, and not suffered to seed, if the heap cannot be turned over ; or if the growing weeds were smothered with fresh muck, or soil, or lime spread over the heap, they would add to the value of the ma- nure instead of fouling it and the country with their seeds. The true use of summer-fallow is to destroy weeds, and to apply the whole force of the land to the intended crop ; but the end is frus- trated unless the fallow be well managed. Ploughing in dry weather has a tendency to destroy root weeds, as squitch, thistles, coltsfoot, horsetail, &c. and for the two last the ploughing should be early in the season (March or April) ; but the ground should afterwards be harrowed down fine, and left for showers to force the vegetation of seedling weeds, and when vegetated, they should be ploughed-in, and the ground again harrowed, to vegetate those seeds which were before too deep : some of the seedling weeds require early pulve- rization to force their growth, or they will appear in the crop, and sow their seeds there if not rooted out. GRASS : Natural Meadows and Pastures. The natural situation of these is in the valleys, and on their sloping sides, where the sedi- ment of water from the upland has for numberless ages been accu- mulating and increasing the soil ; and the stagnant water, for an equal length of time, has, in the lower parts, accumulated the in- creasing roots of aquatic plants into regular beds or strata of peat. By the drainage of such peat, a fermentation is brought on, and its surface is converted into vegetable mould, which, by top-dressing, consolidating by rolling, &c. is rendered productive of grass, and becomes meadow-land. By these operations, the vegetable matter of the peat (which before was in an inert state), is brought into action, and an improved peat-moss in length of time becomes valu- able meadow-land. That part of a vale which is composed of sediment of water brought from the upland, is, however, generally richer, and produces a better staple of herbage than that whose origin is from peat. Some of the richest meadow-land in the county has originated from the sediment brought thither by water, accumulating and increas- ing from the beginning of time. The low-lands adjoining all our rivers and brooks come naturally under this head of meadows and pastures, as well as considerable tracts of flat land, which, by the backing on of water in former times, have acquired a stratum of peat HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [47 on their surface. Considerable tracts of such land, lying near the rivers and brooks, are improved and kept in heart by the natural overflow of the streams ; but this advantage is enjoyed at the risk of having the crop occasionally swept away, or soiled over by un- timely floods, which frequently occur. Very rich meadows are to be found on the Trent, near Burton ; and the fertile meadows on the banks of the Dove are an interesting object. This river, which separates the counties of Stafford and Derby, arises from springs under the lime-stone hills of the Moor- lands and the Peak, and at times receives an amazing addition from torrents rushing down those hills after heavy rains or the melting of snow. Its upper channel has a great declivity ; in many places the river comes tumbling over the rocks in cascades, and in its greatest swell pushes on with astonishing rapidity. The water has a greyish cast from the calcareous earth it contains, to which may undoubtedly be attributed the extraordinary fertility of its banks, which is and always has been proverbial ; "As rich as Dove," being an epithet applied to any spot highly fertile. The farmers are accustomed to say, that it is scarcely possible to overstock a few acres of Dove land. This land has an almost perpetual verdure, and the spring-floods of the river are very gratifying to the land- occupiers, who have this proverb : " In April Dove's flood is worth a king's good/' It is also said of Dove banks in spring, that a stick laid down there every night shall not be found the next morning for grass. This river fertilizes its banks like another Nile, but some- times rises so high in twelve hours as to carry off sheep and cattle, to the great alarm of the owners ; and in as few hours abates, and returns within its own channel. Below Rocester, where this river receives the Churnet, the plain spreads wide, and continues so with variations to below Uttoxeter, where it is near a mile in breadth, and amounts to several thousand acres, almost entirely pastured with cows, sheep, and some horses, very little of it being mown for hay, the uncertainty and suddenness of the floods making the risk of hay too great. The rent of Dove land was many years ago forty shillings to three pounds per acre ; and it would be worth ten shillings per acre more at least, were it not for the inconvenience of floods, which sometimes occur when there has been little or no rain on the spot, from sudden rain or melting of snow on the Moorland or Peak hills. It must be remembered, however, that these floods are, and have been, the cause of the extraordinary fertility of the land. The following is a list of our principal spontaneous pasture and 48] A TOPOGRAPHICAL meadow herbage, ranked according to the author's conception of their merit : 1. meadow-grasses, (poa pratensis trivialis}, the staple grass of our best meadows, most luxuriant by watering ; 2. fox-tail grass, (alopecurus pratensis} ; 3. rough cockVfoot grass, (dactylis glomerata) : these two last are the most productive of all our grasses, and particularly on grass-land that cannot often be watered; the last is eagerly eaten by all sorts of cattle when young, and would bear mowing three times in the season, if well manured. The fox-tail is also early and very productive. 4. Annual meadow- grass, (poaannua}, sweet and fine grass, ripening its seed and sow- ing itself three or four times a-year, after which the old root dies : said to have been sown in Suffolk, and thence called Suffolk grass, 5. Meadow fescue, (festuca pratensis} ; 6. dog's-tail grass, (cyno- surus cristatus} ; 7. meadow oat grass, (avena pratensis} ; 8. vernal grass, (anthoxanthum odoratum}, fine, sweet, and early, but not very productive. The above grasses are all certainly well worthy of trial in cul- tivation. The following are also common in grass-lands. 9. Ray- grass, (lolium perenne} ; the seed common at market, and the only grass that has been much cultivated, although seemingly in- ferior to most of the above-named. 10. Oat grass, (bromus mollis} ; this has also been cultivated, is hardy and productive, but somewhat coarse; it will flourish on poor thin soils. 11. Yellow oat grass, (avena flavescens] ; common in good grass land, and is good herbage. 12. Timothy grass, (phleum pratense} ; this is also sometimes cul- tivated, and is productive and durable in the ground, but somewhat coarse. The other most common grasses, are bent-grasses of dif- ferent sorts, (agrostis alba, &c.) ; tall oat grass, (avena elatior} ; a bad couch grass in arable, but a productive meadow-grass ; dog's couch or squ itch-grass, (triticum repens} ; hair grass, (aira c&spi- tosa} ; quake grass, (briza media} ; brome grasses, (bromus arvensis, &c.) ; meadow barley grass, (hordeum pratense} ; soft grass, (holcus mollis} ; and many others. The water meadow grass, (poa aquatica}, and reed canary grass, (phalaris arundinacea} , grow very tall, six feet and upwards, are extremely productive, and very common in streams and hedges : cattle eat these grasses, and they are said to be cultivated in the Isle of Ely. They mow it twice a-year for their cattle in Scandia : (Linnteus}. A variety of the latter, with striped leaves, is cultivated in our gardens, and called ladies' traces. The flote grass, (fesluca fluitans}, generally growing in water, is a sweet good herbage, and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [49 very productive. Geese and ducks are very fond of the seeds of this grass. Water hair-grass (aim aquatica), generally grows in water, is not uncommon, has a sweet taste like liquorice, and cattle are very fond of it. Other principal meadow-herbage, valuable for hay and pasturage, is composed of plants of the diadelpkia class, as follow : 1. The meadow or cow clover (trifolium flexuosum), the seed of which is professed to be sold under the name of cow-grass : it abounds naturally in many meadows and old pastures, but the seed bought under this name seldom proves perennial and durable. 2. White clover, (trifolium repens], abounds naturally in sound meadows and pastures, is highly valuable, and much cultivated. 3. Hop trefoil, (trifolium procumbens], good herbage, abounding in meadows, and sometimes cultivated. The bird's-foot trefoil (lotus corniculatus] ; tufted vetch, (vicia cracca) ; meadow vetchling, (lathyrus pratensis); meadow burnet, (sanguisorba officinalis) ; meadow sweet, (spiraea ulmaria) ; and meadow sorrel, (rumex ace- tosa) ; are common in meadows, and grateful and wholesome to cattle, either green or in hay : the cow-weed, (ckoerophyllum syl- vestre), has an uncouth and weed-like appearance, resembling hemlock, but paler in colour ; common in meadows ; cows eat it greedily when not too old, and it is wholesome food. The crow- foot, (ranunculus bulbosus, repens, and acris], the butter-cups of the meadows, so very abundant in themselves, acrid and pungent, are, notwithstanding, a grateful and desirable admixture, acting as an astringent, and probably correcting the flatulent qualities of the more luxuriant grasses, and are useful in the hay. The dande- lion, (leontodon taraxacum,} and yellow goat's-beard, (tragopogon pratense), have durable qualities, salutary to cattle ; the yellow rattle or penny-grass, (rhinanthus crista galli], and yarrow (achiltea millefolium), are nutritive and wholesome to cattle. The following may be considered neutral plants, in meadows, neither worthy the farmer's attention to encourage their growth, nor his efforts to destroy them. They ornament the foliage, and (as Dr. Withering has observed,) a display of beauty may have been in some measure the design of the Great Creator. Daisy, (bellis pe- rennis] ; daffodil, (narcissus pseudo-narcissus) ; harebell or English hyacinth, (hyacinthus non scriptus] ; cowslip, (primula veris); prim- rose, (primula vulgaris) ; lady smocks, (cardamine pratensis, and hirsuta) ; wood or meadow anemone, (anemone nemorosa) ; goose grasses, (galium palustre and uliginosum] ; bistort, (polygonum 50J A TOPOGRAPHICAL bistorta) ; cinquefoil, (potentilla reptans) ; meadow rue, (thalic- trum flavum) ; valerian, (valcriana officinalis] ; orchis, several species, of great beauty ; meadow boot, (cultha palustris) ; ladies' mantle, (alchemilla vulgaris) ; eyeb right, (euphrasia officinalis, and o'dontites) ; veronica, several species ; white saxifrage, (saxi- fraga granulata). The fritillary, (fritillaria meleagris), adorns in great profusion some meadows in the parish of Wheaton Aston, and a meadow near Wolseley Bridge, on the road to Stafford. The pilewort (ranunculus ficaria), is one of the earliest flowers in grass-land, pushing out its yellow flowers in April ; the water avens (geum ribale), grows in the meadows near Shenstone, and shows an elegant flower in June ; the purging flax, (linum catharticum) , and lesser centory, (chironia centaurium), are common in dry pastures; the restharrow, (ononis arvensis}, is a produc- tive plant, but rather to be extirpated than encouraged, though cattle eat it well when young. The roots of it are troublesome in arable land, being strong, and almost stopping the plough. The hogweed or cow parsnip, (heracleiim sphondylium) , though a coarse and weed-like plant, is common in pastures and hedge-sides, and well eaten by cattle when young. If this plant had the advant- age of culture, it would bear cutting two or three .times in the season, for hogs and cattle. Artificial Grasses. The grass-seeds generally sown for laying land to pasture are, red and white clover, trefoil, and ray grass ; of the three former mixed, from 10 to 201bs. per acre> and of the latter from a peck to half a bushel. The meadow or cow-clover is professed to be sold by seedsmen as having the perennial quality of continuing in the land. The natural grasses before-mentioned being in appearance superior to ray grass, it were much to be wished that a more general trial should be made of the best of them, by collecting their seeds for cultivation. The cock's-foot (dactylis glomerata) is much cultivated by Mr. Coke,at Holkham, and strongly recommended by that eminent agriculturist, for the laying down of land instead of ray grass. A great variety of grasses, and other agricultural seeds, ^were^a few years ago (and perhaps still), professed to be sold by Gibbs and Co. of Half-moon-street, Piccadilly, London. The writer has had some experience of the following : Burnet, (poterium sanguisorba) ; hardy, and strictly perennial ; cows prefer it to clover, but it is less productive : it is a very diffe- rent plant to the meadow-burnet, being a native of calcareous soils, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [51 limestone, or chalk. It grows naturally on the Wever-hills, in the Moorlands, and in Dove-dale, will stand the winter frosts, and be ready for pasture early in spring. It will also bear the greatest drought of the dryest soils, by striking a long tap-root deep into the earth ; but it is best adapted for dry calcareous soils. Lucern (medicago saliva}, is very productive, equally so with the best vetches or clover, and is perennial and durable, but requires cleaning and nursing for the two or three first years ; it will bear transplanting * from a seed bed, which is perhaps the best way of cultivating it : or it may be drilled between rows of barley on very clean land, and might be hoed in autumn and spring, when the barley-crop is cleared, after which it would maintain itself and last many years, and might be cut two or three times each year, being at times manured. Saintfoin (hedysarum onobryckis), is an excellent perennial plant for hay or pasture, equally productive with clover, and may be mown annually for many years. It succeeds best on calcareous soils, with a substratum of chalk, having fissures which the roots can strike through. It will not thrive on thin soils having a hard gravel or clay bottom near the surface, but is quite worthy of culture on loose bottoms, and succeeds well on poor land, having that quality, if in clean culture. It should be sown three or four bushels per acre, with oats or barley, and care should be taken to sow only new seed, as the old seed will not vegetate. It is grown plentifully upon the Gates wold-hills, Gloucestershire, and the Chalk hills of the southern counties. Many other of our native plants seem well worthy of cultivation, particularly the perennial vetches so common in our meadows; with cichory, which has been highly-recommended by Arthur Young, Esq. as food for sheep and cattle. The yellow goatVbeard, be- fore-named, seems equally worthy of attention ; the common sow- thistle is also very productive, and well eaten by cattle ; also com- frey, (symphylum officinale), and lettuce, (lactuca), might.be culti- vated for hog-food: the garden-beet is also extremely productive and durable, as well as early in spring. Hay Harvest, in this county, is mostly in July. Upon regular farms the artificial grasses, clover, and ray-grass, are generally cut first, and the meadow-grasses follow : on the highly-forced lands near large towns, the meadow-grass is somewhat earlier than in * See Harte'g Essay on Transplanted Lucern. 52] A TOPOGRAPHICAL the country. The seasoning or making of clover and ray-grass into hay, is as follows : After mowing, the swathes are suffered to re- main till they are well dried on the, upper side ; they are then turned over, and the other side dried in like manner, and afterwards turned a second time, if necessary ; they are then put in larger rows, the ground raked, the rows put in cocks, and carried to the stack: the stalks of clover take a good deal of time to dry through- out. Fair weather and .sunshine are very desirable in this business. In making hay from meadow-grass, the first operation after mowing, is spreading it all over the meadow, which is called tedding ; in the evening it should be raked into win-rows, and afterwards divided into grass cocks ; next morning (if fair weather), the grass cocks are cast about into square beds, and the vacant spaces between the beds (if any) raked clean ; the beds, after turning, are put in the evening into middle-sized cocks. Next morning (if fair), these cocks are again spread open and turned over, and being sufficiently made, are put into large cocks and carried to the stack. The time for these operations, and their effect, is much facilitated by sunshine and fair weather. In showery weather, the following is a better process. After mowing, and the swathes being seasoned, rake them clean over ; when the other side is seasoned, make them into small cocks ; when the cocks are dry on the upper side, turn them over, and when dried on the other side, half a dozen of them may be put together into quarter cocks, and so by degrees into large cocks : this process will require more time than the former, but will keep the hay better protected from the weather. Hay, when spread over all the ground, catches all the rain, but when in cock only a part of it : it will lose its juices and its colour in proportion to this greater or less saturation. Sir John Sinclair has detailed a Lancashire and a Scottish method of making hay in tipples, adapted to a humid season or climate, thus : The swathes are rolled up in bunches, and set on end like flax, two bunches meeting of ten or twelve pounds weight each ; a rope is twisted of the grass, and tied round near the top ; the strag- ling stems are twisted round the top to give it a conical shape ; after standing a few hours they become smooth on the outside, so that no rain can penetrate, and they are soon dry after rain : they are never opened or tedded, but carried from the tipple. Not a leaf is lost, and the hay is as green as a leaf dried in a book. Hay for saintfoin or vetches must be made by the same process as HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [53 that from clover ; but the last-mentioned process seems applicable to them all in bad weather. Stacking of Hay. Some people carry tunnels up their hay-rick either by drawing up a bundle of wheat straw, or by a tunnel of wood drawn up and out at the top. These are meant to discharge a part of the vapour generated in fermentation, and thus prevent the danger from the hay firing : those who practice it say they can thus carry their hay a day or two the sooner. A hay stack should not be begun above four yards wide at the bottom, when, if well put together, and the sides sloped outwards, it will hold two waggon- loads in every yard in length or more ; and if carried so as to be four yards high, besides the roof, when settled, it may contain from a ton and a half to two tons of hay for every yard in length. Produce of Meadow Land. Mr. Curwen has stated that a good meadow may produce annually twenty tons of grass per acre ; but this will be seldom realized. To ascertain this point, the fresh- mown grass of two perches of land was weighed in July, 1814, in a meadow of Mr. Miller's, at Dunstall, near Wolverhampton : it was well-grown, and by the side of a floating gutter ; the weight was 3 cwt. nearly. This is 12 tons per acre ; and reckoning the after- math at half as much, the whole product would be 18 tons per acre. When made into hay it was a few pounds short of a hundred weight, but the weather had not been remarkable for sunshine. It may be assumed from this experiment, that a well-grown meadow may cut from 10 to 12 tons of grass per acre, and make 3 tons of hay, but that in general not more than half this quantity is obtained ; that if a meadow will not give a ton of hay per acre, it is not rich enough to be mown ; that a good crop of clover, or vetches, may be 10 tons per acre green, or more at two cuttings : hence will appear the great importance of keeping meadows in good heart. A meadow that will produce three tons of hay per acre is as valuable as an ave- rage crop of wheat. It is calculated that an hundred weight of grass per day would maintain a dairy cow ; that the hay made from it would do the same in winter ; and therefore, that an acre of meadow producing 18| tons of grass, would maintain a dairy cow the whole year. But in general it takes two or three acres to do this ; one acre of rich meadow is therefore worth two or three acres of average land. Gardens and Orchards. Every house in the country should have a spacious garden, as the land will thus produce more human sus- tenance than in any common course of agriculture. The usual 64] A TOPOGRAPHICAL garden-plants cultivated are : potatoes, beans, pease, cabbages, French or kidney beans, broccoli, savoys, turnips, carrots, onions, beets, spinach, lettuce, and many other sorts of pot-herbs and sa- lads. A garden should be well fenced, and sheltered from the north and east winds, and the hedge-rows and corners should be planted with useful fruit trees. A labourer's garden should be from a quarter to half an acre : those sorts of apples and pears which keep sound for a length of time should be planted, as well as those for present use, together with gooseberries, currants, damsons, and other plums : such articles would in pies be a cheap and wholesome food for children, and might at times turn to good account for sale. Suppose a labourer's garden of half an acre thrown into two equal lots, the one for garden vegetables, the other for wheat alternately; let the garden lot be again divided in two, the one-half for potatoes, the other half for garden vegetables: the whole might be cultivated with the spade and hoe without loss of time, by doing a little every day, morning and evening, and in the hoeing and weeding the wife and children might assist. By this plan there would be one- eighth of an acre potatoes, which might produce forty bushels ; one quarter of an acre of wheat might (drilled and hand-hoed) produce eight bushels ; and a hog might be kept from May to Christmas on the refuse of the garden and wash, and fattened after harvest with boiled potatoes and bran, and ground barley from gleanings : the straw of the wheat would furnish the hog with litter, and dung for the garden would be produced. From these resources many family comforts might be derived ; and it were to be wished that gentlemen of landed property would put them in the power of industrious labourers on their estates, by letting them land upon average terms ; and if some premium or reward (as a store-pig in May), were given to such as managed in the best style with the least loss of time, it might be a stimulus to industry. At some intervals it might be advantageous to sow the one-half with hemp, in which case half the wheat stubble, and half the potatoe ground, ridged-up with the spade to lay through the winter, would, on digging down in the spring, be in excellent order for hemp. Half the wheat and potatoes would then be omitted for one season ; but the hemp would find employment for the wife and children in manufacturing, to the comfort and convenience of the family. The Orchards of Staffordshire are inconsiderable ; but little fruit-liquor is made, and perhaps the produce is insufficient for its own consumption even at table. This is certainly a great neglect, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [55 as many soils and situations are well adapted for fruit, and it appears to have been more attended to formerly, many orchards having been suffered to go to decay. In former times there was a crab-mill in most villages ; these have gone to decay with the orchards, and the cottagers, who might have drank cyder and perry (had such been attended to), are now obliged to drink water. It would be a laudable effort to endeavour to restore the orchards, and would add to the comforts of the labouring people in the country. The parish of Tettenhall has one singular circumstance in the fruit way ; it produces a peculiar kind of pear called Tettenhall pear, and known by no other name. Many hundreds of the trees grow in the parish, though scarcely to be found at a distance. The tree is large, and a plentiful bearer, the fruit well-flavoured, bakes and boils well, but will not keep long enough for carriage to a distance unless gathered before they are ripe. The average annual produce of this parish is many thousand bushels more than its own consumption. The pears ripen about Michaelmas, and their whole duration is about one month, during which time the neighbouring markets are plentifully supplied, and they are carried by the canals into Lancashire. They make but a weak perry, and are but Iittl6 used in that way, there being a demand for them all at market. We must repeat that the culture of fruit-trees in this county has been too much neglected, and that the raising of orchards is a desidera'- turn in its agricultural improvements, as producing an useful article little interfering with its present productions. In such a business due attention should be paid to the proper kinds of fruit, and to those that produce fruit-liquor of the best quality. Fruit-trees might certainly be raised in pasture land, and in hedge-rows, with very little injury to the other produce of such land ; and perhaps the increase of human beverage from fruits, instead of rain, is much to be desired, as tending to increase the quantity of grain for food, and being more conducive to health than malt liqiior. It has been stated that fruit-liquor is an antidote to the stone and gravel, and that malt-liquor promotes those diseases. Large tracts of this county are well adapted for the growth of apples and pears ; deep rich friable loams are their natural soil, or lighter soils of a good depth, and not too much elevated. In thin soils upon gravel, the hard under-stratum should be taken out, ana* loam put in its place ; and bottoms too moist should be under-drained, which would adapt them to grass and corn as well as fruit-trees. It is an unpardon- able neglect for a house in the country with land to it to be with- 56] A TOPOGRAPHICAL out an orchard, or for a village on a fertile soil to be -without a crab-mill to make verjuice, cyder, and perry, and the means of em- ploying it. The French are far before us in this respect ; and though we are superior to them in strong ale and good beef, their peasantry drink wine whilst ours drink water, when at the same time they might drink cyder and perry, if due attention were paid to fruit-trees. But the business can only be done by the land- owner, it not being consistent with the uncertain tenure by which land is commonly held in occupation. Timber, Plantations, and Woodlands This county still continues well-stocked with all kinds of timber, notwithstanding the immense quantities that have been cut of late years. Amongst the many well-timbered estates, that of Lord Bagot is most prominent. The woods (in the neighbourhood of Abbot's Bromley), extend over many hundred acres, and are almost wholly of oak of th(f first quality : many of these oaks are of great length, and contain from 60 to 70 feet of timber. In the Park are many hundreds of extra- ordinary bulk, containing from 200 to 400 feet of timber each : some of these are of great antiquity, being mentioned by Dr. Plot as full-grown timber in 1686. The succession woods and young plantations are very extensive, and still continuing : they are some- times made by sowing acorns with fallow wheat, sometimes by planting-out young plants of oak and other wood, and at the end of two years, when such plants have taken well to the ground, they are cut off near the surface, and the second shoot trusted to for the tree, this thriving with more vigour and luxuriance than the first, checked by transplanting. After cutting down a wood, the re- planting is also sometimes effected by striking-in with'a pick-axe a sufficient number of acorns, and other seeds of forest-trees and under- wood ; and all these methods have been attended with success. The soil is a moist gravelly loam, upon a clay or marl bottom ; the young plantations are always well fenced, and carefully guarded from trespass by a woodman appointed for that purpose. The Chillington estate, belonging to Thomas Giffard, Esq. is extremely well-timbered. From this estate has been sold, within thirty years, timber to a great amount ; but the growth of suc- cession wood more than supplies the place, and keeps up the value. Some very fine ripe oaks grow in the woods, and around the pool, a large and beautiful piece of water. The woodlands remain very extensive, and in the modern plantations oak has been particularly attended to ; but there are all or most of the other varieties, of ex- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [57 tremely promising growth ; the young plantations are always well- fenced and secured from trespass, without which planting would he in vain. This branch of agriculture is peculiarly the province of the gentleman landholder, to whom, it may be conceived, nothing can be more pleasing than thus to improve his estate, and at the same time shelter and ornament the country. The demesne and neighbourhood of Beaudesert, the magnificent seat of the Marquis of Anglesea, is well stocked with fine ripe oaks. The woods upon this estate are of considerable extent. Its situation is upon very elevated ground on the north point of Cannock Forest or Chase, the most extensive waste of the county, said to have been formerly covered with timber, and still called Cannock Wood. The prospect from Beaudesert commands a very extensive view over Need wood Forest, and the Moorland and Peak Hills into Derbyshire. Upon the pleasure-grounds and estates of Lord Dudley, at and near Himley-hall, are large quantities of well-grown timber, and very extensive woods and coppices of oak, particularly a fine wood called Baggeridge, beautifully intersected with pleasure-roads, cut through it in various directions, and well stocked with pheasants. Teddesley Parkis the seat and property of E. J. Littleton, Esq. one of the representatives of the county in Parliament : the timber and plantations on this estate are very considerable. Manstey-wood is an extensive coppice of fine ripe oak ; and there are many other cop- pices, dingles, and clumps, of full-grown oak and other timber, with spring coppices, and young plantations of different growths, to a great extent. These plantations are generally upon poor cold land, but having a clay or marl bottom, the oak succeeds well, and comes to a large size and the best quality. Wrottesley estate, belonging to Sir John Wrottesley, Bart, has some considerable woods of ripe well-grown oak, with extensive plantations of modern growth of different varieties. At Patshull, (Sir George Pigot's), the park and estate are very well timbered. At Enville (Lord Stamford's), the woods and plantations within the compass of the pleasure-grounds are of great extent, and extremely well stocked with timber and underwood of every sort, amongst which the oak predominates. The woods of Upper Areley (upon the Severn), are very extensive, and well stocked with oak in every stage of growth. The Bishop's woods, in the neighbourhood of Eccleshall, are said to contain 1300 acres, which are cut in regular rotation, keeping pace with their growth, and producing an annual revenue without injuring them. The woods at Broughton (Sir John D. 58] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Broughton's), abound with plantations, clumps, and particularly fine sycamores, with a fine promising spring coppice of oak. Hilton Park (Mr. Vernon's), contains some very fine ripe oaks, and other timber trees ; and a great extent of modern plantation by the late Mr. Vernon, who was a very early and persevering planter: a great many trees of his planting are now fast approaching to maturity. To these may be added, the fine and extensive plantations of oak and other forest-trees at Trentham (the Marquis of Stafford's), and at Whitmore (Mr. Mainwaring's). Many other estates are extremely well timbered, and the county is not likely to experience a scarcity of that article for ages to come. The estate of Richard Fryer, Esq. at the Wergs, Tettenhall, amongst plenty of various sorts of well-grown trees, contains two of the finest oaks in the county, perfectly sound, and at full ma- turity ; they contain, it is conjectured, near 300 feet of timber, and from one to two tons of bark each. We shall here make two observations on planting trees ; the one on the proper site of ground for plantations, the other on the sorts of timber, respecting pleasure, profit, and utility. With respect to the proper site of ground, every land-owner of prudence and taste, who resides on his property, will furnish him- self with shelter and shade near his habitation, in such situations as local circumstances shall direct ; but large plantations should not be made on good land, of much more value in this county for corn or pasture ; but always (where such abounds), upon land im- practicable to the plough, upon precipices, sides of hills, or in dingles, where the land unplanted is of little value. Plantations upon this systeni have been made by the late John Holliday, Esq. to a great extent. The Dilhorn woods form a chain of three or four miles in length, and those of Kingsley and Oakamoor, are upon steep uneven hills : the underwood will bear cutting every seven years for cratewood, and pay near besides those above-named, are in the north of the county, and in the Moorlands. Some of them are but cold barren spots, but they are all capable of being improved, and applied to useful purposes, either for tillage, grass land> or plantation. Waste land in general is thus best reclaimed: 1. Pare and burn, spread the ashes directly, and plant potatoes ; 2. oats ; 3. lime well, and make a clean turnip fallow ; 4. barley, or spring wheat, with plenty of seeds ; but draining must be the first operation, if necessary. Improvement of Heath Lane?. Waste lands are admirably adapted to the growth of potatoes. " The east side of Dilhorn- heath was cultivated with potatoes, after the heath and gorse had rotted, and been mixed with lime and compost ; the crop of potatoes was so abundant as to admit of many waggon-loads being sent in the winter into the vicinity of the Pottery, about six miles from Dilhorn, which afforded a seasonable supply to many thousand manufacturers. The quantity was not only immense, but the quality of the potatoes was in so high repute, that the Dilhorn potatoes produced two-pence per bushel above the common market price. In this part of the Moorlands the potatoe harvest is of great consideration, and the 30,000 artificers and yeomanry there eat less wheaten bread than in most other places with the same numbers. Give a cottager in the Moorlands, with a wife and large family, a cow, and a few roods of potatoe-ground, and you make him a happy man ; he goes to his daily labour, earns money to purchase clothing, &c. for his large family, the younger children collect the dung and soil from the public roads for the improvement of the potatoes-ground, and the industrious dame, with her stouter children, keep the ground clean, and assist to get in the_ potatoe harvest, the chief support of their family about nine months in the year." A pig might be added, to eat up the offal, which> when fat, would add to the general plenty. Many instances have occurred of great success in raising pota- toes on waste land, but the shortest way is first to pare and burn. Two day-labourers gave a guinea for an acre of waste land to plant HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [61 with potatoes ; they pared and burnt it by moonlight after their daily labour, spread the ashes, and paid for ploughing them in ; the crop proved so good, and the price of potatoes so high, that they shared c40. between them, besides reserving plenty of potatoes for their families. A peat-bog on waste land was drained, then pared and burnt ; the ashes immediately regularly spread, and the land ploughed in twelve furrow ridges (it could not be ploughed in narrow ones from toughness), the furrows were hacked and levelled with heavy hoes, then planted across the ridges with potatoes in rows, and Owing to the large quantity of ashes, produced an abundant crop. The land afterwards produced the two next years two very strong crops of oats in succession : it was then well limed, and clean fallowed, and is now a good meadow. IMPROVEMENTS : 1. Draining. Of this most essential improve- ment of all land that requires it, much remains to be done, though great exertions have been made in it, and are now making. The practice generally adopted is, after having found a sufficient fall, to open ditches and main drains to a proper depth, arid to cut from and into them, through all wet and unsound spots, a number of drains of about fourteen inches wide at top, four or five at bottom, and of a proper depth, three feet or more ; these last-mentioned drains to be filled up with proper materials, so as to let a current of water pass along the bottom, thus at all times keeping the moisture in circulation, and freeing the land from the chill of stagnant water. The materials now used for filling up drains are most generally draining tiles, made on purpose at the brick kilns, of a semi-elliptical form, about four inches deep, two inches and a half wide within, and a foot long, placed end to end along the bottom of the drains. On the top of these is laid some straw, or heath, then turf, with the turfy side downwards, and then filled up with loose earth : this is the practice in arable land. In grass-land the natural turf may be reserved, and replaced on the surface. In countries where stone is plentiful, two side stones, and a covering stone may be used instead of tiles : close drains thus exe- cuted will last a great length of time if properly done, and are a very capital improvement to all lands injured by springs or stagnant "water. The open drains and ditches must at times be cleaned out, to let the water pass off freely. It is also a common practice to bore the bottom of Hollow drains, with a view of tapping the spring, and sometimes with great sue* 62] A TOPOGRAPHICAL cess. After boring through a clayey stratum into one of gravel beneath, the water has been known to rise in a constant stream up the hole, and thus to drain considerable breadths of land above which the water had injured it for want of a vent, which is now given along the bottom of the hollow drain. 2. Irrigation,, or the watering of land, is a very important part of agriculture, the advantages of which are generally admitted, and well known by all intelligent farmers ; but it is by no means carried to the extent of which it is capable. The omission is in part owing to the jealousy of millers and others interested in the streams. The industry of many individuals has, however, been successfully ex- erted in this valuable species of improvement. Respecting a system for irrigation, no general one can apply to particular cases ; but in all cases where a stream naturally falls down a valley, and the sides of such valley consist of easy and regular declivities, the best way undoubtedly is to draw the water nearly upon a level along a main carrier, as far as it is intended to use it, this water to be let out of the said main carrier at pleasure by sluices constructed in different places in its sides, into floating- gutters, such floating gutters being cut nearly on a level along the sides of the declivities, one below another. These floating- gutters marked out by a level, will collect the water from the spaces of land above them, and deliver it upon the spaces below with a little attendance and attention. The land should be watered in rotation, different parts successively, and not too long in a place : the gutters will require an annual cleansing or scouring out, other- wise they will choke up with grass. Watering will not have the same good effect upon all soils : it makes the greatest improvement upon warm soils, but on strong cold clay it should be used sparingly ; and every one knows the necessity of draining the land properly previous to watering. Reservoirs. The greatest benefit would be derived from watering in dry seasons, when all kinds of land would be most improved by it. This might be effected by reservoirs constructed in valleys, to retain the water of rainy seasons, or violent showers ; and however visionary the idea may appear, it is economically practicable where the fall is not already occupied by mills or public works. A reser- voir of a few acres might be constructed at the head of a vale on entering an estate, at (in general) less than twenty pounds per acre, to receive violent rains, or the melting of snow ; the usual current, if such there be, might pass along side it in common, if HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [63 claimed by others ; and the flood water thus collected might be distributed at pleasure upon any part of the estate below its level. A very large proportion of the rain water now runs away in waste, which might thus be collected for use, and the mischief of floods prevented. Such reservoirs, as a fishery, might be equal or superior in value to the same breadth of land, and might be drawn down to a certain depth for watering at pleasure without injuring the fishery ; water might thus be applied to such land as it would most benefit, or in dry seasons to any land below its level. Reservoirs for water- ing the land have been constructed in Spain, and other hot countries, and it is surprising they have not been more attended to in England. Many of the ancient water corn-mills are now of very little use. The natural situation of a corn-mill, under the present circumstances of the country, is not in a remote situation upon a stream, where a team must be employed to carry in and out, but upon a canal, and near a large town, where coals can be commodiously delivered to keep the machinery in motion, and where the consumption of the flour ground is upon the spot. Upon this principle, when the ma- chinery of mills upon streams is worn out., they will be removed to more convenient situations, and the streams be left for the improve- ment of the land ; in which case the construction of reservoirs in proper places, for public use, in proportion to every person's quantity of land, might effect a great public improvement. Paring and Burning has not been much practised in this county, and opinions vary much as to its propriety. It is most applicable to waste lands, as the shortest way to get rid of rubbish, and to correct the acids in the soil. Excellent potatoes, as well as grain, have been grown on such land, after paring, burning, spreading the ashes, and then ploughing them in : some few persons have tried it upon inclosed land, and it is found to stimulate the soil to a crop, but it must waste the vegetable substance of the soil, and thus lower its staple. It is most applicable to deep peaty soils, which being composed of inert vegetable matter, may, by the ashes, be stimulated to action : the ashes should be spread immediately in a live state. Burning of couch-grass is practised by some active farmers, but most people think even that is better destroyed by tillage and sun- shine upon the land, if the season will admit ; if not, by carting off and mixing with quick lime. Manuring. The manures in general use in Staffordshire are, 1. The muck of the farm-yard, composed of the dung and urine of animals, littering straw, and rain water : most farmers turn this over 64] A TOPOGRAPHICAL once before laying it on the land, to promote fermentation, or draw- it to a heap. 2. Town manure, which can be only used by those who are conveniently situated for conveying it : when of a good quality, it is the best of all manures, either for tillage or grass-land. 3. Lime ; this is a manure much used upon all sorts of land : it is supposed to dissolve strong soils, and to bind light ones, and to cor- rect the acidity of old uncultivated land. When laid on hot from the kiln, it is destructive to grubs, snails, and caterpillars : it is laid on tillage land, either for barley, turnips, or wheat, from six to ten quarters per acre. It is best laid on in a quick state, soon after slacking, and should be harrowed-in when the land is dry. It is laid on grass land with good effect, sweetening the herbage, by forming sugar in the joints, so that cattle bite it close with avidity : it is sometimes fetched fifteen miles by land-carriage for manure. 4. Marl has been much used on arable land for ages back, as is evi- dent from the very extensive marl-pits to be found in different parts of the county. In many places complaints are made that the land has been over-marled, and rendered harsh ; this may be remedied by well- fallowing and liming. It is in general only in the loamy soils that a true marl is found ; in the mixed gravelly soils is often found a clay marl, which has been laid on such soils with good effect; the quantity laid upon an acre about 128 cubic yards, which adds nearly an inch to the staple of the soil. The improvement by marl is believed in this county to be much more adapted to tillage than pasture, and its gooij effects on corn land are long visible ; indeed, in the case of thin, light, unimproved lands, the benefit of marling must endure for ever, as it not only consolidates the soil, but adds to its thickness and staple. It has formerly been much practised in this county, but the high price of labour has of late years been a check to its progress. The above are the staple manures of the county, to which may be added composts, consisting of shovelings of soil, scrapings of roads, scouring of ditches, and mud from pits and ponds, either used alone or mixed with lime or muck, and generally used as a top-dressing for meadow and pasture land. The ashes of our culinary fires are used as top-dressings for coarse pastures, but are improved by mix- ing with night soil. Soot is used as a top-dressing on wheat, or for turnips ; the land should be free from weeds, as soot will force the weeds as well as the crop. It is also a good top-dressing for mown grassland. The soot merchant always undertakes the sowing of the soot into the bargain of sale. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [65 Pigeon's or fowFs dung is a good top-dressing for grass, turnips, or any other crop, to be sown on by hand. To increase the quantity, strew malt-dust over the floor every time the dove-house or. hen- roost is cleared, and keep this compost in a dry place till used. Before sowing it, it should be turned over and well mixed : enough of this has been collected upon a farm in one year to top-dress ten acres equal to a dressing of other manure. Bone or horn-shavings from Birmingham, is esteemed a good manure for light tillage land, as is ground bones and chopped rags. Manuring Waste Land.Some persons have contended that wasteland can only be improved by robbing the land already in tillage of part of its manure ; but waste land ought to be improved from its own resources, or foreign aids, as from paring and burn- ing, lime and marl, with clean fallowing, turnips, clover, sheep, and other stock, with the manure they make from the product of the land in question, without robbing the old inclosed laud. Embankments. Connected with the improvement of our valleys and low land, is the embanking them from external waters, to secure them from the damage, depredation, and ruin, that may be caused by inundation. The water of many rivers and brooks is liable to overflow its banks after excessive rains, and if this happen* in summer, when mowing grass is growing on the land, such grass becomes greatly injured^ Vy being fouled with mud, sand, and ex- traneous matter ; it is~ difficult to mow, and of little value for hay when mown. If such flood occur in hay harvest, as is sometimes the case, the damage is still greater; the hay is sometimes totally ruiped, or floated away. In some valleys of rich meadow land, this misfortune is expected once in three years upon an average; in others, the meadows are always grazed as the safest way. It is very certain that such meadows may in most, or all cases, be secured from floods by embankments, and at the same time greatly improved by drainage, and by watering or not at pleasure. If the business were taken up in a general way, embankments should be raised parallel to the river or brook at a proper distance from it on either side, and carried up the collateral streams to the same level ; these embankments to be formed of materials dug out of drains on their outside, such drains to be continued by culvers under the col- lateral streams, which would at all times drain the land. The dis- tance between the embankments and their height must be propor- tioned to the swell of water, or flood, that it is proposed to guard against. The land between the embankments would be subject to 66] A TOPOGRAPHICAL floods as before, and should therefore be grazed ; that on the out- side the embankments and drains may be mown or watered at option ; also in floods wholly, or partially, by trunks and paddles laid in the embankments, and over the drains. Every work of this kind, where different interests are concerned, must of course be left to a commissioner, to award to each his due share of expence, as well as benefit ; and the distribution of waters for floating should be duly attended to, particularly from the collateral streams, and each one ought to be at liberty at all times, injuring none other, to take in water through the embankment in floods for the purpose of soaking or floating his land when required. LIVE STOCK. The principal profitable stock of the Staffordshire fanner consists of, 1. horned cattle ; 2. sheep ; 3. horses; 4. hogs ; to which may be added, 5. rabbits ; 6. poultry; 7. pigeons; 8. bees. Horned Cattle. Those of this county are generally of the long- horned breed, but with a few of other varieties ; differing in value and quality in proportion to the attention of the breeder, and his resources for keeping. It was a maxim of the old farmers that " all breed is put in at the mouth/' but it is now established upon the principles of Bakewell, that the soft handling beast, with a sound constitution, well proportioned and light in offal, is inclined to fatten, and will thrive better in any reasonable keeping* than a coarse beast with thick hide and large bone. That blood and breed will shew itself, has been proved by well-bred beasts paying double for their krep to what others have done. The cattle stock of the county hath been for some years improving ; but as it is not in the power of the lower order of farmers to pay the prices for prime stock, it would be a good plan if gentlemen would procure for the use of their tenants the best bulls, rams, stallions, and boars, which might be thrown upon a plan to indemnify expences, and would facilitate the improvement of the stock of the smaller farmers. The great object in the produce from horned cattle being first, milk, and second, beef, the uniting of these two products in the greatest quantity from the least food or quantity of land, is the ultimatum of breed. It has been observed that cows with the best disposition to fatten give the least milk and soonest go off their milking, but this has been contradicted by others, who say that cows of a good sort that are good milkers, will, on being dried, make themselves fat in less time than a loose, open, ill-made beast ; that bad milkers often occur in the unimproved breed ; but that a well-bred beast being a bad milker, is sooner marked for it. A good HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [67 or average cow should give, in the height of the season, from eight to twelve quarts of milk at a meal, and two meals per day ; but they soon decline to three-fourths, and one-half of that quantity and less, A good cow, it is said, will make five hundred weight of cheese in a season ; but three hundred weight is a good average. We have a well-authenticated account of a small farmer adjoining Needwood Forest, who kept seven cows, began and ended with the same, and sold on an average two tons of cheese annually. Sixteen pounds of butter have been made weekly from a prime cow, in the height of the season. The value of a good milch cow and calf at prime age, is nearly the same as the cow will be worth when fat. The long-horned cows of this county vary in size, when fat, from seven to twelve score pounds the quarter, and sometimes more. Many instances have occurred of superior cattle stock. The late Mr. Princep, of Croxall, on the borders of the county, brought the long-horned cattle to their highest perfection. An ox of his breed was fattened at the Marquis of Donegal's, in 1794 : weight of the four quarters 1988 Ibs. tallow 200 Ibs. hide 177 Ibs. This ox, when beef was at 9d. per pound, as was the case a year or two ago, would have been worth o80. or guineas. Very superior cow stock are kept at Lord Bagot's, and in that neighbourhood; by E. J. Littleton, Esq. ; by Lord Anson, Lord Talbot, and many others. At Oxley, cows were fed by the late Mr. Huskisson to 374 Ibs. the quarter, which, when beef fetched 9d. per pound, would have been worth <6Q. or guineas each. The late Mr. Miller, of Dunstall, near Wolverhampton, had, perhaps, the largest and best dairy in the county. The number of his milkers were once upwards of seventy ; but they have since been lessened, and the sheep stack increased. The main object was cheese, of which at least 4 cwt. was made per cow. Early in the spring, calves were fattened to 8 or 10 weeks old. The cows, when taken from the dairy, or when accidentally barren, were fat- tened for the butcher upon the farm, to 10, 12, or 13 score the quar- ter, and seldom any sold in store order, or in any other way. His suc- cessors are pursuing the same plan. Mr. Miller, in his cow manage- ment, had two main objects in view, milk and beef; in pursuit of which, the carcass and the milk bag were equally attended to, and the cows were bred of good size, good milkers, and well made, with a disposition to fatten. The dairy too has always been managed in a first-rate style. A large breadth of land, capable of. irrigation, has been attended to, which, by furnishing an abundant 68J A TOPOGRAPHICAL supply of winter keep, maintains not only the dairy cows, but also a number of young cattle for succession stock. Mr. Miller, by length of time and perseverance, succeeded in raising a new and very valuable variety of the breed of cattle. Their peculiar characteristics are, hornless, milk white, ears some- times tipt with red, size and weight large, producing well to the pail, and weighing, when full grown and fat, the cows 12 score per quarter, and the male 15 score and upwards. One of these cows, six years old, was weighed in Wolverhampton market, June 26, 1811, whose weight was 11 score lOlbs. or 230 Ibs. per quarter; she had been milked three summers, and to Michaelmas 1810, but having missed being in-calf, was then let dry, and fattened with turnips and hay. This cow had probably produced 480 Ibs. weight of cheese per annum from her milk, besid.es a calf 120 Ibs. and whey butter from the dairy, &c. equal to 120 Ibs. more ; this would be 2160 Ibs. weight of human food, besides its own carcass (920 Ibs. more), and the eatable parts not weighed may be reckoned 80 Ibs. making in all 3160 Ibs. weight of human food, and principally of the richest and best quality. This cow had not very probably cdnsumed more than the produce of 12 acres of land, which gives the produce of the dairy at 263 l-3d Ibs. per acre per annum of the best and richest of human food, and is much superior to what can be produced by breeding oxen, or even sheep. This breed of cattle is well formed, and disposed to fatten, handles sleek and well, with great weight in the more valuable joints, and are of singular and beautiful appearance. They are not derived from any particular country, breed, or descent : the originals were selected at fairs and markets, and Mr. Miller bred the rest himself, still selecting for rearing what he most approved, and particularly the bull calves. There is now a full dairy, and suc- cession stock, and any gentleman or farmer may be supplied with calves of either sex for fearing. It appears, by some well-authenticated experiments, that dairy cows would be the most profitable, if fed constantly in the cow-shed or yard : in summer with cut-grass, vetches, lucern, or other green food ; and in winter, with turnips, cabbages, and hay, or with grains at any time. They produce more milk from being less harassed in hot weather in procuring their food, and their dung, thus col- lected, turns to better account as manure. When dairy cows are fed with turnips, if butter be made, a tainfc or strong flavour is given to it from the turnips. To prevent this, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [69 the following is recommended : Pick off the decayed leaves, and then dissolve saltpetre in water, half a pound to the gallon ; bottle the liquor for use, and put a glass of it (containing l-12th of a pint, or from 2| to 3 cubic inches), into each pan of milk, warm from the cow, containing a gallon : one ounce of nitre is thus applied to 12 gallons of milk, and will, it is said, effectually prevent the un- pleasant flavour. Some persons recommend an ounce of nitre to Spans of milk, stirring the milk when set up, and skimming it at every meal. A lump of nitre put in the vessel that holds the cream has the same effect. Feeding. Staffordshire is not a great feeding county, at least not comparable with the neighbouring one of Leicester ; yet there are some gentlemen, and many considerable farmers, that think much of the trouble of a dairy, who fatten a good many cattle and sheep. Calves and hogs are fattened upon most farms. The horned cattle fattened here are principally heifers and cows, with a few bullocks or oxen. This county breeds more cattle than it feeds, as a good many partly fattened are sold to dealers, who drive them into other counties. Cattle are sometimes fattened at grass, at others only brought forward, and finished by stall-feeding. A heifer brought into good plight at grass, will generally, on the approach of winter, come on well. in a stall, with plenty of, turnips and. straw only. Potatoes have been given with success when not wanted at market, and ground barley, when plentiful and cheap ; but otherwise only tail- en3 or damaged barley. Linseed oil-cake is also used ; also pollard and bran, cabbages, Swedish turnips, and hay. Cattle stall-fed are generally sold to t>he butcher without being put again to the spring grass. Dried or barren cattle are often kept through the winter in a turnip-field, with a little hay or straw given in severe weather, or kept in a turnip-field by day, and, in a. yard by night ; or on a turf by day, with an allowance of turnips drawn to them, and hay< or straw given in the field or in. the. yard at night. With a tolerable allowance of turnips: in this way they, will thrive and improve through the winter, and may be either fattened on tne spring grass, or sold to dealers at the early spring fairs,, who buy up with avidity all such cattle, being dry and in an improved state. The system of fattening cattle is np^ supposed to pay so well as the dairy, nor indeed ought it, as the labour is considerably less. Sheep are fattened with the summer's, grass or cloyeiv and what 70] A TOPOGRAPHICAL are not sold during that season are kept in winter on turnips : a little hay is given in severe weather. From the native or common breeds of sheep, the lambs are often sold fat, but seldom from the improved breed. Calves are oftentimes well fattened, especially in the winter seasons, until six or eight weeks old or more, and to 30 or 40 Ibs. per quarter, and upwards. A good many hogs are fattened in this county, both for pork and bacon : the food generally used in the country for fattening them, is the refuse of the dairy, boiled potatoes mixed with barley or bean-meal, and grey pease or pease-meal. In towns various kinds of offal, and the refuse of the butcher's slaughter-house, with pollard, bran, barley-meal, pease, and bean-meal, are the general food. A small pamphlet has been published by a Scotch farmer, called the Grazier's Ready Reckoner, directing how the weight of fat animals may be found by measure. We shall here give a short dissection of the principle. The girt of a beast, calf, or sheep, is to be taken just behind the shoulder and fore legs, and the length from the fore part of the shoulder to a plumb line from the hind part of the buttock, allow- ing a little for the protuberance ; the solid content in feet is then to be found, and reckoning 42 Ibs. to the foot gives the weight of the animal. The operation may be abridged as follows : Square the circumference ; multiply that product by the length all in inches ; multiply the last product by 46, and point off 6 figures, and you have the true cylindric content of the animal, weighing 42 Ibs. each foot. Example. Suppose a beast 80 inches circumference, and 60 inches long; required its weight of butcher's meat 80X80X60X46= 17,664000, or 17,664 cubic feet, the true cylindric content of the animal. 1 7,664X42=741,888 lb. or 185,472 Ibs. per quarter, the weight of butcher's meat, or 185f Ibs. per quarter. Rule 2: find the content timber measure thus: square one-fourth of the circumference ; multiply by the length in feet, and divide by 144, gives the feet timber measure, two-thirds of which is the weight per quarter. Again: 20X20X5 feet=2000, divide by 144, gives 13,888 feet content timber measure, two-thirds of which is 9 score 5 Ibs. and a fraction per quarter, as before. If the animal be not fully fat, de- duct one-twentieth part, and the same for a cow that has had calves. SHEEP. -Of the different varieties to be found in this county, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [71 three only are deserving of particular attention. These are, 1. the grey-faced, hornless, with fine wool, natives of Cannock-heath and Sutton Coldfield ; 2. the white-faced, hornless, with long or combing wool, introduced from Leicestershire ; 3. the South Down breed, introduced by Lord Bradford, Lord Anson, and some other public-spirited gentlemen. The grey-faced, without horns, are the native common sheep : their characteristics are grey faces, lighter or darker, varying from white to black in different shades ; the legs of the same colour with the face ; wool fine, closely and compactly covering the carcass, of a moderate size. Those from a sound walk, and a good managing master, are well disposed to fatten, and produce mutton equal to that from any other breed. The better breed of these sheep are similar to the South Down, and not inferior : their general fault has been the want of thickness in proportion to their length. The late Sir Edward Littleton, with a patriotism highly commendable, for many years set the example of improving this breed, by crossing with Ross rams, by which he produced what he called the Teddes- ley breed, improved in form, increased in weight, and the wool re- fined in a very high degree. Sir Edward kept several hundreds of these sheep, the ewes fattening from 12 to 16 Ibs. the quarter, and the wethers 16 to 20 Ibs. The ewes of this breed are good milkers, and, if taken into pasture at lambing time, will feed every lamb be- fore Midsummer fit for the butcher, and themselves the same by Michaelmas. These sheep, taken into pasture and crossed with strong rams, make a heavy breed of sheep, and have been brought to weigh, the ewes to 20 Ibs. and the wethers to 30 Ibs. the quarter. The fleeces of those of the original size will average about 3 Ibs. each. 2. The white-faced polled sheep, with combing wool. The best flocks of this breed now in the county have been introduced or crossed from Leicestershire, and refined and improved in a high degree upon principles introduced by the late Mr. Bakewell, of Dishley. They are fine and light in the bone, thick and plump in the carcass, broad across the loin, with the back bone well covered, and not rising into a ridge, but sinking in a nick ; fine and clean in the neck and shoulder ; not too short in the leg, and of a sufficient bulk to weigh, when fat, the ewes 20 to 25 Ibs. per quarter, and the wethers at from 18 months to two years old, 24 to 30 Ibs. per quarter ; but if kept another year, or till full grown, select sheep will rise to 40 and even 50 Ibs. the quarter, and upwards. The ewe fleeces weigh about 7 Ibs. each, and the rams and wethers 8 to 72] A f GEOGRAPHICAL 10 Ibs. or sometimes more. The advocates of this breed say that pasture may be stocked harder and closer with them than with any other of equal weight, as they are always in good condition, even when suckling lambs, or hard kept. They are not, however, famous for fattening lambs for the butcher, which is no defect, as lambs of this breed are much better kept on for mutton and wool, and it, would be a public loss to slaughter them prematurely. Many pub- lic-spirited gentlemen and farmers have paid great attention to this breed, and brought it to high perfection. Mr. Princep, of Croxall, had a very numerous, choice, and select flock ; Richard Dyott, Esq. of Freeford> near Lichfield, kept of this breed between 200 and 300 breeding ewes, rearing annually 300 lambs. Excellent flocks of this breed were also many years ago upon Lord Bagot's estate, belonging to Mr. Harvey, and others; and they are now common in various parts of the county, in the hands of the most respectable and intelligent farmers. Mr. Miller, of Dunstall, near Wolverhampton, 'with great spirit, crossed his ewes of this breed several years successively with first-rate Leicester rams, procured from Dishley, and frdm Messrs. Green, Farrow, Stone, and Buckley, at from 50 to 200 guineas each ram : he also purchased ewes up to ten and twelve guineas each, and raised his flock to the first-rate new Leicester blood : he has had in his possession 40 rams at a time, which were let out for the season at from five to fifty guineas each. His successors continue the same plan, and have prime rams to let of this breed to any gentleman or farmer desirous of im- proving their flock. Many farmers, however, irt this populous manufacturing county, finding a demand for lamb as well as mutton, have been induced to keep none other than an annual stock of sheep consisting of ewes and wethers, bought in at Michaelmas, from Cannock-heath, Shropshire, Leicestershire, and from other counties and places. The ewes are immediately put to a ram, the lambs suckled in spring and sold to the butcher, and the ewes fattened in pasture and sold after them : the wethers are wintered in turnips and sold to the butcher, and the whole flock generally cleared off within the year, thus making room for the same rotation to succeed. South Down Sheep. The chief flocks of these sheep in this county are those upon the farms of the Earl of Bradford, Lord Anson, and Sir George Pigot. They came originally from the south downs of Sussex, where they have been greatly improved in their size, fornv and feeding qualities, by Mr. Ellman, of Glynd, who has been to HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [73 this stock a second Bakewell. They are a grey-faced, active sheep, hardy, and of sound constitution. The wool is short and fine, and nearly of the same quality as the Ross Ry eland. Of late years they have been so much improved by attention in breeding them, as to become, in some instances, rivals of the Leicesters in shape, weight, and early maturity. But between them, in fact, there should be no rivalry. The long-woolled Leicesters are adapted to the rich pastures of the county, from whence they have originated, and to other counties equally rich and fertile. The short-woolled South Downs are best suited to the lighter arable districts, which is the character of the country from whence they have come. They are both excellent in their respective qualities ; and in the choice of either of these, the circumstances of soil and situation should be the chief guide of the agriculturist. Disorders of Sheep. Those most common in this county are the rot, the scab, the foot-rot, and the striking or dying in the blood. The rot is supposed to be occasioned by feeding on wet lands, where the animal licks up the spawn of the fleuk-worm (fasciola hepatica), which insect creeps up the gall-ducts from the intestines, and preys upon the livers of sheep. A spoonful of spirits, or oil of turpentine, is a specific ; and to prevent the disease, drain the lands where wanting, and let no sheep graze on water meadows in summer. No danger is to be apprehended from the first frost to the return of warm weather, the water in winter being too cold for these insects. The scab is a very troublesome disorder, and when got to any considerable height, requires a good deal of pains and attention to cure. The following is given as an effectual remedy : Take green broom two good handfuls, tobacco, stone brimstone, saltpetre, and bay salt, of each one pound, common salt two pounds, terebinthin- ated balsam of sulphur half a pound ; boil all in five gallons of soft water for half an hour, and rub a little on the parts affected. The foot-rot is to be cured by paring the hoof, cleaning out the dirt and matter, and anointing it with butter of antimony. The striking or dying in the blood, is a very serious complaint, and generally happens to sheep in a growing or fattening state, often in turnips in winter, in clover in spring, and sometimes to young fat lambs. To prevent this complaint, bleed the sheep in the nostril about a week after they are put to good keep, and again about a fortnight or three weeks after, and give to each two or three spoonfuls of salt and water, made rather strong ; to lambs one spoonful ; the ewes suckling lambs to be omitted. 74] A TOPOGRAPHICAL For maggots from the fly, apply tar water, or spirits of turpen- tine, to dislodge the maggots, and white lead to dry the parts. The best shepherds dissolve one ounce of sublimate in one gallon of spring water, and then add three spoonfuls of spirits of turpentine : this applied to the Hy-blown part will destroy the maggots. Horses. The draught horses are generally of the Flemish breed, in colour black or brown, and some valuable stallions are kept of either colour, but mostly black. There are some considerable shows or fairs, where a great many excellent colts and horses are offered to sale, at Stafford, Burton, and Rugeley : many of these are bred in the county. The poorer sort of land in the Moorlands answers well for breeding ; and a few acres of rich feeding land, on the banks of the Dove, pushes up the young stock surprizingly. They produce a good price at these fairs at two years old, so as to give a fair profit to the farmer who breeds them, and an inducement to attend to this discrimination of poor and rich laud for the breed and improvement of live stock. Lord Talbot has introduced upon his farm the Suffolk breed of draught horse. They have good bone, are clean legged, active, and very well adapted either for the waggon or the plough. For eco- nomical ploughing, an active, quick-stepping horse, is quite essential. In the slow pace in which that operation is too generally performed in this county, the resistance is much increased by the want of im- petus, afforded by the more acti've step of the Suffolk horse. His Lordship has two stallions of that breed, and several mares. With the same object in view, Mr. Toilet has introduced upon his farm the breed of Cleveland horses, so called from a district in the north- east part of Yorkshire. They are a native breed, colour bay, large in size, and equal muscular power, clean in the leg as a blood horse, but with sufficient bone, and are good for the coach or the plough. By crossing with blood stallions, in order to breed the lighter sort of carriage horses and hunters, the pure race of Cleveland bays had nearly become extinct. Mr. Mason, of Chilton (the celebrated breeder of Durham cattle), with some other spirited agriculturists in the north, have taken great pains in preserving the small rem- nant of them. Mr. Toilet has procured his by the exertions of Mr. Mason, and has in his possession two stallions, six mares, and two foals. The consumption of landed produce by horses has been much complained of, and they are doubtless in many cases great con- sumers, but it is very questionable whether their numbers can be HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [75 much lessened, consistent with the convenience, or even the wel- fare of the nation. The greatest consumers are not those used in agriculture, (they are indeed the least), but those kept for pleasure and luxury, for harness, the saddle, and the road, as well as for the army ; and of which the farmers are generally the breeders, and their stock in hand the source from whence they proceed, and with- out which they eould not be supplied. It has been calculated, that the number of horses kept in the kingdom is about 24 upon a square mile ; of these one-fourth are colts and young horses in the breeder's hands, one-half are working horses employed in agriculture, and one-fourth are used for the saddle, harness, draught on the road, for the army, and for all other uses ; and that these horses consume one-fourth of the whole pro- duce of the land, leaving three-fourths for mankind, and for animals used as human food. If we allow this county its average propor- tion, the number kept of all sorts will be 29/280, which may be divided in the above proportion. Many economical practices in keeping horses have been proposed, but as they are generally attended with more trouble and labour than giving hay and corn, they have not been generally adopted. It is very certain that horses working easy need not be much pam- pered ; and those not working at all, will get their living and im- prove, in any sour rough pasture even in the winter ; but if they are closely and hard worked, they must be well kept, or they will sink both in flesh and strength. Vetches or green clover, or mown grass, are sometimes given in the stable, which is an excellent practice, as it prevents waste by treading. Carrots, or Swedish turnips, are good food for horses, but the latter require to be washed and sliced by a machine. Boiled potatoes are said to be excellent for horses. These kinds of food would maintain horses from less land than giving them hay and corn. Horses turned to pasture waste a considerable proportion of their food by treading, and by their dung, and when full-bellied are apt to range, and do much mischief: they are such great consumers, that every means of keeping them well with economy deserves, the utmost attention. A person who kept nine cart horses at jobbing, in constant heavy work, gave them his oat crops cut in a straw-cutting engine all to- gether, corn and straw, but mixed with beans, about 61bs. weight of beans to a heaped bushel of the former to each horse per day. The oat straw is thus wholly eaten up instead of hay, and the horses were in irood working condition, and equal to their work. 76] A TOPOGRAPHICAL A hard-working horse, if kept on hay and corn, requires daily 28 Ibs. of hay, and 81bs. of corn, suppose 61bs. oats, 2 Ibs. beans. A. n. p. Hay, at a ton and a half per acre, will require of land 300 Oats 2190lbs. at 40 Ibs. the bushel, 54j bushels, 120 Beans 730 Ibs. at 12 Ibs. the bushel, at 4 quarters per acre, 1 20 Land to maintain a working horse the whole year, 4 3 20 An aeen so long manifested in this county, has caused the establish- ment of two Societies, viz. one at Lichfield, and the other at Newcastle. The former is denominated the Staffordshire General Agricul- tural Society. It is liberally supported by the Nobility, Gentry, and the prin- cipal farmers of the county, and possesses ample means for at- taining the useful and patriotic objects of the institution. The premiums are confined to the practical farmer, as there can- not be expected to be a fair state of competition between the owner of the soil aud one who rents it only. Therefore, the Landed Proprietors in all matters of competition, either make Matches among themselves, or enter into different sets of Sweepstakes, which of course are open to the tenants also. It is a gratifying circumstance to have to record, that notwithstanding the great pains, skill, and expence which have been bestowed by many of the principal Staffordshire proprietors upon the selection and improve- ment of their stock, several of the Sweepstakes have been carried off by the tenants. The principal premiums of this Society are given to encourage a general good cultivation, rather than that of particular crops, or specific modes of cultivation and improvement. In the latter cases it was often found that the chief attention was drawn to the single object held out by the premium, to the detriment of the rest of the farm. Thus there is offered to the tenant who shall cultivate, and improve in the best manner, the farm he occupies, consisting of not less than 200 acres, a piece of plate of the value of c50. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [99 To the second best, a piece of plate of the value of <'25. To the tenant who shall cultivate and improve in the best man- ner the farm he occupies, consisting of not less than 100 acres, or more than 200, a piece of plate of the value of of 30. To the second best, a piece of plate of the value of 15. The judges, who are always persons of the first-rate character for their agricultural attainments, and from some other districts, are di- rected in looking over the farms of the claimants, to pay particular attention to the system of cultivation as adapted to the nature and quality of the soil to which it is applied ; to the quantity and de- scription of the several manures made use of (or in reserve), with the application of each ; to the quantity, quality, and management of the stock ; to the degree of cleanliness of the arable, meadow, and pasture land ; and to the best execution and mode of conduct- ing the whole concern. A detailed report of the state of the several farms is given in by the judges, and read by the president to the meeting. To gain one of these silver cups is a high agricultural honour, and will no doubt in future times be considered as such by the family of him by whose merits it was gained. Besides these, there are the usual premiums given for the various sorts of horned cattle, sheep, and pigs ; and to the person who shall invent and exhibit the best tool or implement of husbandry, found to be better adapted to the intended purpose than any now in use, a premium of <10. There are also several premiums offered to day-labourers who have brought up the greatest number of children without parish relief ; and also to those who, producing a good character, shall have continued the greatest number of years upon the same farm. The candidates for these premiums are required (in addition to the usual certificates of the persons they have served), to produce one from the Clergyman, or some other respectable householder of the parish in which they reside, not only of good character, but of the cleanly state and condition of the cottage and garden they oc- cupy. The latter stipulation has an excellent effect in encouraging the cottager to attend to those circumstances which administer so much to his own comforts, and which do so much credit to the dis- trict in which they are practised. There are also premiums for domestic servants in husbandry, of both sexes, who have continued the greatest number of years in the same service. The certificates produced at the annual meeting of 100] A TOPOGRAPHIC AL,&c. the characters of these persons, and the accounts given of their faithful services, reflect the highest credit to these humble indivi- duals, and are an honour to the county in which they live. Of this excellent institution, Earl Talbot, the Lord Lieutenant of the County, is the President, and Mr. Blount, of Bellamore, is the Vice-president. The annual meetings are well attended, and the shew of stock of every description of the first-rate quality; afford- ing a convincing proof of the improved state of the county in this important branch of agriculture. The Newcastle and Pottery Agricultural Society was established about 20 years ago by some gentlemen of that neighbourhood, who devote their time to the study and practice of agriculture. The limits are confined to a district of 15 miles round that town. The premiums are directed to promote the best modes of husbandry ; and the objects of the patriotic founders of the institution have been answered, by the various improvements that have been introduced into the district. This Society also offers premiums to that useful class of men, the labourers and servants in husbandry. The meet- ings are annual, and are held in the month of November. BOTANY OF STAFFORDSHIRE ACCORDING TO THE CLASSES OP LINNAEUS. CLASS L MONANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Ckara tomcntosa, (brittle stonewort) on Needwood-Forest vulgaris, (common stonewort) ditches and pools hispida, (prickly stonewort) ditches in Forton-moors Aphanes arvensis, (parsley piert) cultivated land, on dry soil Hippuris vulgarisy (mare's tail) near Stafford in ditches, adjoining the foot- road to Aston. Dr. WITHERING DIGYNIA. Callitriche aquatica, (star grass) ditches and shallow waters CLASS II. DIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. JLigustrum vulgare, (privet) hedges, common on moist land Circcea Lutetiana, (enchanter's nightshade) woods, marsh-lands, Pendeford Veronica arvensis, (corn speedwell^ fallow fields and walls ojficinalis, (male speedwell) heaths and barren ground serpyllifolia, (smooth speedwell, Paul's betony) pastures Becabunga, (brook-lime) watery places Anagallis, (long-leaved brook-lime) ditches and watery places scutellata, (narrow-leaved speedwell) on swampy ground montana, (mountain speedwell) hedges and moist woods Chamcedrysy (germander speedwell) hedges and road sides agrestis, (procumbent speedwell) cultivated lands hederifolia, (ivy leaved speedwell) often abundant amongst corn Pinguicula vulgaris, (butterwort) bogs and moors Utricularia vulgaris, (hooded water milfoil) bogs near Blymhitt Lycopus europceus, (water horehound) moist places Salvia verbenaca, (wild clary) about Kinver, and ruins of Tutbury Castle Fraxinus excelsior, (ash tree) woods and hedge-rows DIGYNIA. Anthoxanthum odoratum, (sweet-scented vernal grass) meadows and pastures 102] A TOPOGRAPHICAL CLASS III. TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Valeriana dioica, (small valerian) moist meadows ojficinalis, (great wild valerian) moist hedges and marshes Valeriana Locusta, (lamb's lettuce, corn salad) corn-fields and ditch-banks Crocus nudiflorus, fnaked flowering crocus^) field near JVohtanton t in great abundance Iris Pseudacorus, (yellow flag) marshes and banks of rivers Nardus stricta, (small mat-grass) heaths and marshes, common JEriophorum angustifolium, (many-headed cotton grass) bogs, common vaginatum, (single-headed cotton grass) Moreton-moors Scirpus sylvaticus, (millet cyperus grass) marshes and bogs, Weston- under-Lizard palustrisy (club-rush) lakes and ditches ccespitosus, (dwarf-rush) heaths and bogs, Weston-under-Lizard fluitans, (floating club-rush) shallow waters lacustrisy (bull-rush) rivers and lakes setaceusy (least club-rush) Blymhill, in wet sandy land Cyperus longus, (sweet cyperus, English galingale) wet ditches, Hamstall- Ridware SC/KEHUS Mariscus, (long rooted bog-rush) moors near Moreton nigricans, (round black-headed bog-rush) Moreton-moors DlGYNIA. Phalaris arundinacea, (reed Canary grass) banks of rivers and moist ditch banks, common. Stem grows to the height of six feet Phleum pratense, (timothy grass) common Alope.curus pratensis, (meadow fox-tail grass) meadows and pastuies agrestis, (field fox-tail grass) in wet arable land geniculatus, (spiked float-grass) in shallow waters frequent Milium effusuniy (millet grass) in the Park, Weston-under- Lizard Agrostis palustris, (bent grass) cold arable land canina, (dog's bent) wet pastures and peat bogs vinealis, (short-bearded bent) moist pastures, Blymhill alba, (white couch) the root will perforate a potatoe j in ditcher and moist lands nigra, (black couch) in cold, clayey, arable land stolonifera, (black couch) moist meadows vulgaris, (common bent) dry land and road sides Holcus lanatusy (soft grass) common in meadows mollisy (creeping soft grass) corn-fields and hedges Air a aquatica, (water hair grass) shallow waters caspitosa, (turfy hair grass) moist land flexuosa, (heath hair grass) on heaths \ HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [103 Aira prn-under- L/izard Oenanthe Jistulosa, f water drop-wort) watery places, frequent crocata, (hemlock drop-wort) at JVillowhridge Phellandrium aquaticurn, f water hemlock) ditches, Church-Eaton Cicutavirosa, (long-leaved water hemlock) sides of pools and rivers JJZthusa Cynapium, (fool's parsley) a common garden weed Scandix odorata, (sweet chervil) Tixall, near Stafford ; Dimsdale and Bradwell, near Nevjcastle Pecfen, (shepherd's needle) common on corn-land Anthriscus, (rough shepherd's needle) rubbish, hedge-sides Chturophyllum sylvestre, (cow weed) orchards and pastures temulum, (hedge chervil) hedges, common Pimpinella saxifraga, (lesser saxifrage) dry pastures, Dudley Castle magna, (saxifrage) Moorland pastures, JVedneslury -field sEgopodium Podagraria (ground-ash) common in gardens. TRICYNIA. f^iburnum Opulus, (water-elder) moist hedges Sambucus Ebulus, (dwarf elder) Tutbury-Castle, Tamwarth- Castle Hill nigra, (common elder) hedges, common Var. 2. White berries, Blymhill, Essington Alsine media, (chick-weed) in land in a high state of cultivation. TETRAOYNIA. Parnassia palustris, (grass of Parnassus) Motty Meadows, TVever-hilh , Blymhill. PENTAGYNIA. L/inum usitatissimum, (common flax) common catharticuni, (purging flax) dry meadows and pastures Radiola, (all-seed flax) in light sandy soil, frequent Drostra rotundifolia, (round-leaved sun-dew) wet heaths, Blymhill-heath longifolia, (long-leaved sun-dew) on a bog at FPillowbridge, Bal~ , terley. POLYGYNIA. Myosurus minimus, (mouse -tail) corn-fields, Elford fy HamstaU Ridware* CLASS VI. HEXANDRIA. MoNOOYNIA. Galanthus nivalis, (snow-drop) hedge-sides Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus, (daffodil) meadews 108] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Allium ursinum, (ramsons) near brook-sides Fritillaria Meleagris, (fritillary) meadows near Blymhill / in a meadow near Wolesley -bridge, on the road to Stafford Narthecium ossifragum, (Lancashire asphodel) bogs near Moreton ; bogs in the Moorlands Convallaria majalis, (lily of the valley) Rough- Park- Woods at Belmont multiflora, (solomon's seal) Needwood-Forest, Moorlands ffyacinthus non scriptus, (hare-bell hyacinth) woods and hedges Acorus Calamus, (sweet-smelling flag) Tamworth Juncus conglomerates, (round-headed rush) wet places, common effusust (common rush) marshes and miry places inflexus, (hard rush) moist pastures squarrosus, (moss rush) wet heaths articulates, (jointed rush) meadows, woods, and pastures bufonius, ^toad rush) moist places bulbosus, (bulbous rush) wet heaths, Moorlands uliginosus, (rush-grass, proliferous-headed) Petmoor-pool, JVeston pilosus, (hairy rush) woods, common maximus, (wood rush) in a dingle at Cotton-hall, Burnt-wood, near Mucclestone campestris, (hairy field rush) pastures Berberis vulgaris, (barberry bush) hedges Colchicum autumnale, (meadow saffron) wet meadows Peplis Portula, (water purslane) near Russell's Hall, Sedgley Old Park, Dudley Mr. WAIN WRIGHT. TRIGYNIA. Rumex sanguineus, (blood wort) near Cheadle Mr. BOURNE crispus, (curled dock) pastures acutus, (sharp-pointed dock) moist grounds, by sides of rivulets Hydrolapathum, (water dock) pools and river sides pulcher, (fiddle dock) dry meadows near Cheadle, Mr. BOURNB obtusifolius, (broad-leaved dock) rubbish and pastures Acetosa (meadow sorrel) meadows and pastures Acetosella, (sheep's sorrel) barren sandy soil Triglochinpalustre, (arrow headed grass) marshy meadows, Blymhill maritimum, (sea arrow-grass) in a salt marsh near Tixall. PoLYGYNIA. Alisma Plantago, (water plantain) pits and wet places ranunculoides, (lesser thrumwort) pits and pools, rare lanceolata, (narrow-leaved thrumwort) shallow waters. CLASS VIII.OCTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA.' Epilobium angustifoliwn, (rose bay willow herb) Cotton-wood, Moorlands HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [109 Epilobium hirsutum, (codlins and cream) moist ditches and brooks parviflorum, (woolly willow herb) in rivulets, common niontanum, (smooth leaved willow herb) woods and ditches palustre, (marsh willow herb) marshes and sides of lakes Acer Pseudo-platanus, (sycamore tree ) hedges and plantations campestre, (common maple) hedges Chlora perfoliata, (yellow-wort) limestone hills near Dudley Castle, abundant f^accinium, Myrtillus, (bilberry) woods and heaths Vitis-idcedy (red whortle-berry) dry heaths, summits of barren hills Qxycuccos, (cranberry) bogs near Aqualate-mere, Cannock-hcath Erica tetralix, (cross-leaved heath) common vulgaris, (common heath) moors and commons cincrea, (fine-leaved heath) common on heaths Dapfine Mezereum, (spurge olive, mezereon) Needwood forest, woods, rare Laureola, (spurge laurel) woods and hedges, Walsall-wood. TRIGYNIA. Polygonum amphibium, (amphibious lake weed) pits and moist places Hydropiper, (lake weed, water pepper) watery places Persicaria, (spotted lakeweed) moist arable land JBistorta, (bistort) meadows aviculare, (knotgrass) road sides, common Fagupyrum, (buckwheat) corn-fields Convolvulus, (black bindweed) corn-fields and gardens. TETRAGYNIA. Paris quadrifolia, (herb paris) hedges and woods, Pendeford, Bradwtll- wood Adoxa Moschatelllna, (moschatel) hedge banks and woods. CLASS IX. ENNEANDRIA, HEXAOYNIA. Butomus umbellatus, (flowering rush, water gladiole) in the Penh, at Rickerscote near Stafford Mr. J. H. DICKENSON. CLASS X. DECANDRIA. MoNOGYNIA. Monotropa Hypopithys, (primrose scented bird's-nest) Earl of Stamford's woods, Enville, WITHERING, STILLINGFLEET Andromeda polifolia, (marsh cistus, wild rosemary) Chartley moss Pyrola rotundifolia, (winter-green) in a wood near Cotton-hall t woods at Belmont, Moorlands 110] A TOPOGRAPHICAL DlGYNIA. Chrysosplenium alternifolium, (alternate-leaved golden saxifrage) shady woods, Moorlands oppositifolium, (golden saxifrage) shady moist ditch banks Saxifraga granulata, (white saxifrage) meadows near Tarn-worth tridactylites, (rue-leaved saxifrage) Burton Abbey walls Sckranthus annuus, (german knotgrass) sandy corn-fields Saponaria offic'malis, (soapwort) Blymkill, Moorlands, in hedges near Hedgford, on the road to Rugeley Dianthus Armeria, (Deptford pink) Morry hills near Yoxall deltoides, (maiden pink) Trysull, and Swindon meadows Mr. WAINWRIGHT. TRIGYNIA. Cucubalus Behen, (bladder champion) in corn-fields, frequent Stellaria holostea, (stitchwort) hedge sides, common uliginosa, (bog stichwort) springs and rivulets graminea, (grass-leaved stichwort) moist grounds Arenaria trinervia, (plantain-leaved sandwort) woods and moist hedges serpyllifolia, (least chickweed) walls and sandy hedge-banks marina, (sea spurry) in a salt marsh near Shirleywich rubra, (purple spurry) corn-fields, in a light sandy soil. PENTAGYNIA. Cotyledon Umbilicus, (navelwort) rocks under Heyley Castle bank, rare Sedum Ttlephium, (orpine, livelong) hedges and pastures, on roofs of houses, in the Moorlands acre, (pepper stone-crop) walls and dry hedge banks reflexum, (yellow stone-crop) walls and roofs Oxalis Acetosella, (woodsorrel, cuckoo-meat) woods and hedge-banks Agrostemma Githago, (cockle) in arable land Lichnis dioica diurna, (red-flowered campion) in hedges, common vespertina, (white campion) amongst corn and clover Lychnis flos cuculi (cuckoo flower, ragged robin) in meadows, common Var. flore plena (double-ragged robin) near Norton in the. Moors Cerastium viscosum (clammy mouse-ear) walls, dry banks, and ant hills vulgatum (mouse-ear) pastures and hedge banks Spergula arvensis (corn spurry) in light arable lands nodosa (knotted spurry) marshy places, Moorlands. CLASS XL DODECANDRIA. MoNOGYNIA. Lythrum Salicaria (purple-spiked willowherb) banks of rivers, common HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [Ill DlGYNIA. Agrinionia Eupatoria, (agrimony) hedges and borders of corn-fields. TRIGYNIA. Reseda luteola, (dyer's weed) road sides Dudley and Tutbury Castles, near Red-Street lutea, (base rocket) rough ground, near Russell's Hall, Dudley Euphorbia Peplus, (petty spurge) in cultivated land, common exigua, (dwarf spurge, devil's milk) corn-fields helioscopia, (sun spurge, wart spurge) gardens amygdaloides, (wood spurge) Needwood forest Characias, (red spurge) Needwood forest. DODECAGYNIA. Sempervivum tec forum, (house-leek) roofs and walls. CLASS XII. ICOSANDRIA. MONOQYNIA. Prunus Padusy (bird cherry) hedges at Pendeford, Byshbury, and in the Moorlands insititia, (bullace) hedges, frequent spinosa, (sloe, black thorn) hedges, common. DlOYNIA. Cratosgus Aria, (white-beam) rocks and mountains, in the Moorlands torminalis, (wild service) in a hedge at Pendeford Oxyacantha, (white thorn, hawthorn) hedges. TRIGYNIA. Sorbus aucuparia, (quicken tree, mountain ash) hedges and barren hills Sorbus domestica, (service tree) in the Moorlands. PENTAGYNIA. Pyrus communis, (wild pear) woods and hedges Malus, (crab-tree) in hedges, common Spiraea Filipendula, (drop wort) flPever Hills, very rare Ulmaria, (meadow sweet) meadows and banks of rivers. PoLYGYNIA. Rosa arvensis, (white dog-rose) in hedges spinosissima, (burnet rose) Betley tomentosa, (downy-leaved dog-rose) in hedges canina, (dog-rose) in hedges, common rubiginosa, (sweet-briar rose) hedges, Belmont, Moorlands Rubus ideus, (raspberry) in hedges and woods fruticosus, (blackberry) hedges, common Fragaria vesca, (strawberry) woods and hedge-banks ftirilis, (barren strawberry) hedge-banks. Moorlands 112] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Potentilla anserina, (silver weed) road-sides, in wet places reptans, (common cinquefoil) hedge-banks, pastures Tornientilla officinalis, (tormentil) wet pastures Geum urbanum, (herb bennet) hedges, frequent rivale, (water avens) Moreton-Moors, meadows at Stretton, meadow at Shenstone Comarumpalustre, (marsh cinquefoil) in old pits, common CLASS XIIL POLYANDRIA. MoNOGYNIA. Chelidonum majus, (celandine) old hedges, Sedgley and Rowley Papaver Rkaeas, (red poppy) corn-fields, in a sandy soil dubium, (smooth-headed poppy) in sandy fields Rev. SAMUEL DICKENSON Argemone, (rough-podded poppy) corn-fields Nymphcca lutea, (yellow water lily) rivers and pools alba, Cwhite- water lily) Aqualate-Mere, River Sow, near Stafford Tilia europaea, (lime or linden-tree) groves and plantations Cisttes Helianthemiun, (dwarf cistus> Moorlands, near Thors-hmtse cavern PENTAGYNIA. Aquilegia vulgar is, (columbine) in thickets, Needwood-Forest , Moor- lands. POLYGVNIA. Anemone nemorosa, (anemone) hedges and meadows, common Thalictrum flavum, (meadow rue) marshy meadows Ranunculus Ficaria, (pilewort) pastures and hedges Flammula, (spearwort) moist ditches, common Lingua, (great spearwort) pits and ditches auricomus, (sweetwood crowfoot) woods and hedges reptans, (narrow-leaved crowfoot) moist places, Moorlands sceleratus, (round-leaved water crowfoot) wet places acris, (upright crowfoot, butter-cups) meadows and pastures parviflorus, (small-flowered crowfoot) hedge-banks on dry soil hederaceus, (ivy-leaved crowfoot) watery places aquatilis, (\vater crowfoot) on ponds in May hirsutus, (pale hairy crowfoot) corn-fields, near Newcastle bulbosus, (bulbous crowfoot) meadows and pastures, common repens, (creeping crowfoot) pastures, common arvensis, (corn crowfoot) in corn-fields Trollius europ&us, (globe flower) woods at Belmont Helleborus f&tidus, (bear's foot) Moorlands, woods at Belmont Cult ha palustris, (marsh marigold, meadow-boot) meadows. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [113 CLASS XIV. DIDYNAMIA. GYMNOSPERM.IA. Ajuga reptans, (common bugle) moist meadows and woods Teucrium Scorodonia, (wood sage) dry hedge banks and woods Nepeta cataria, (cat mint) ruins of Croxden abbey, Moorlands Verbena ojficinalis, (vervain) waste places about villages Mentha viridis, (spear mint) watery places, near Cheadle Mr. BOURNE Far. 2 villosa, near Cheadle Mr. BOURNE aquatica, (water mint) sides of rivulets piptrita, (pepper mint) watery places near tVolstanton gentiliS) (red mint) watery places arvensis, (corn mint) frequent in stubbles on moist land Pulegium, (penny royal) moist heaths, Blymhill hirsuta, (round headed mint) watery places Lamium album, (white dead-nettle) hedges and amongst rubbish purpureum, (red dead-nettle) gardens and rubbish amplexicaule, (great henbit) in cultivated land Galeopsis Tetrahit (nettle-hemp) corn-fields and hedges cannabina, (bee-nettle) corn-fields, near Newcastle, Blymkill, not uncommon Galeobdolon luteum, (yellow dead-nettle) shady places Betonica officinalis, (wood betony) sides of roads amongst bushes Stachys sylvatica, (hedge nettle) hedges, common palustris, (clown's wound wort) moist places arvensiSy (corn woundwort) corn-fields, frequent Ballot a nigra (stinking horehound) hedges and waste places Marrubium vulgare (white horehound) road-sides, frequent Clinopodium vulgare, (wild basil) pastures in calcareous soil Origanum vulgare f (wild marjoram) road-sides, ruins of Tutbury-Castle, Moorlands Thymus Serpyttum, (wild thyme) sandy heaths and dry road sides Melissa Calarnintha, (calamintj hedge-banks, near Wolseley-bridge, Dudley-castle Scutellaria galericulata, (hooded skull-cap) marshy ground, Pendeford Prunella vulgaris, (common self-heal) pastures, common Leonurus Cardiaca, (motherwort) hedges, Gornall-wood. ANOIOSPERMIA. Rhinantkus Cristagalli, {yellow rattle) meadows, common Eupkrasia officinalis, (common eye-bright) pastures, frequent Odontites, (purple eye-bright) moist pastures and corn-fields Melampyrum pratense, (cow wheat) woods and pastures Lathrasa Syuamaria, (great toothwort) Longley meadows, King's Bromley Pedicularis palustris, (marsh louse wort) wet land, near Betley 114] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Pedicularis sylvatica, (common lousewort) marshy meadows Antirrhinum Cymbalaria, (ivy-leaved snapdragon) walls at Lapley minus, (least snapdragon) corn-fields, Blymhill, rare linaria, (toad flax) dry hedge banks majus, (great snapdragon) walls at Rushall-hall Scrophularia nodosa, (great figwort) sides of moist hedges aquatica, (water betony) sides of rivulets Digitalis purpurea, (foxglove) road-sides and hedge banks Orobanche major, (broom rape) in the Pyehill-lane, Blymhill. CLASS XV. TETRADYNAMIA. SlLICULOSA. Draba verna, (whitlow-grass) walls and pastures muralis, (speedwell-leaved whitlow-grass) Wever-hills, very rare Lepidium petrtsum, (mountain dittander) ^Fever-hills Thlaspi arven^e, (French mustard) in fields, Tittensor campestre, (mithridate mustard) in corn-fields Bursapastoris, (shepherd's purse) amongst rubbish and in corn Jberis amara, (bitter candy-tuft) Moorlands, between Cheadle and Oak" a-moor nudicaulis, (rock cress) hedge banks, Blymhill, and near Betley. SILIQUOSA. Cardamine impatiens, (impatient ladies smock) Barrow-hill, at the quarriex of Rowley-Regis, and at Sedgley pratensis, (ladies smock) meadows hirsuta, (hairy-leaved ladies smock) near springs and ditches flexuosa, (ziz-zag ladies smock) moist places, Blynihill- marsh ditch amara, (bitter cress) moist places, Blymhill Sisymbrium Nasturtium, (watercress) ditches and rivulets, common sylvestre, (water rocket) watery places amphibium, (water radish) banks of rivers and ditches terrestre, (land rocket) near Stafford, towards Castle-hill Sophia, (flix-weed) walls and rubbish, Tutbury-castle Erisymum officinale, (hedge mustard) hedges and rubbish, common Barbarea, (winter cresses) wet places jflliaria, (jack by the hedge) hedges, near houses, common cheiranthoides, (treacle wormseed) in fields and by hedges, road-sides near Mat hfield, Mr. RILEY Arabis thaliana, (codded mouse-ear) dry cultivated land Twritis glabra, (tower mustard) hedges, near Lichfield, Wes tun-under - Lizard hirsuta, (hairy towerwort) stony places, ruins of Jutbury-castU HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. Braasica Napus, (wild rape) corn-fields and ditch-banks muralis, (wild rocket) walls, Lie/field Close Sinapis arvensis, (rough charlock, wild mustard) in corn land alba, (white mustard) corn-fields and roads nigra, (common mustard) corn-fields, near Tutlury Raphanus Raphanistrum, (wild radish,) in arable land. CLASS XVI. MONADELPHIA. DECANDRIA. Geranium dissectum, (jagged-leaved geranium) hedge banks and meadows columbinum, (long-stalked geranium) pastures, near Barr-beacon, on the road from Birmingham molle, (dove's-foot geranium) hedges and'dry banks, common pratense, (crow-foot geranium) moist pastures tnarifimum, (sea geranium) JVombourne and Orton, Mr. WAINWRIGHT lucidum, (shining geranium) walls, and hedge banks, Alton Castle'&nd Croxden Abbey, stone walls, Rowley robertianum, (herb robert, stork bill) hedges and amongst rubbish moschatum, (musk geranium) pastures, Rowley Mr. WAIN- WRIGHT ctcutarium, (hemlock-leaved geranium) light arable land. PoLYANDRIA. Malva rotundifolia, (round-leaved mallow) road sides, common sylve.stris, (common mallow) rubbish near villages moschata, (jagged-leaved mallow) hedges and pastures, road-skies. CLASS XVII. DIADELPHIA. HEXANDRIA. Fumaria bulbosa, (bulbous fumitory) shady places, Perry-hall Park y near the river Tame offic'malis, (common fumitory) gardens and corn-fields capreolata, (ramping fumitory) cultivated land, Wolstanton claviculata, (climbing fumitory) hedges, common. OCTANDRIA. Poli/gala vulgaris, (milkwort) meadows and pastures, frequent. DECANDRIA. Spartium scoparium, (broom) dry preserves Genista tinctoria, (dyer's broom) pastures and hedge-sides pilosa, (hoary green-weed) marshy ground, Pendeford anglica, (p^tty whin, hengorse"! moist spungy ground 116] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Ulex europceus, (gorse) heaths and barren neglected land Ononis spinosa, (thorny rest-harrow) pastures and hedge-banks arvensis, (hairy rest-harrow) pastures, more common in this county than the preceding species Orobus tuberosus, (wood peas) common in pastures Lathyrus Nissolia, (crimson grass-vetch) Cot ton- fields, woods at Belmont pratensis, (yellow vetchling) hedges and meadows sylvestris, (narrow-leaved pea-everlasting) Redhill, near Stone- Park Vicia sylvatica, (wood vetch) woods and hedges near Stone, Mr. FOSTER Cracca, (perennial tufted vetch) meadows and hedges sativa, (common vetch) hedges and borders of land sepium t (bush vetch) hedges, pastures and woods Ervum tetraspermum, (smooth-podded tare) corn-fields hirsutum, (wild tare) corn-fields Omithopus perpusillus, (common bird's foot) on dry sandy land Astragalus glycyphyllos, (liquorice vetch) on ditch banks Trifolium Melilotus officinalis, (melilot) in hedges about Tutbury repens, (white clover) pastures, common striatum, (soft-knotted trefoil) pastures, near Stafford medium, (cow clover, perennial clover) pastures pratense, (common clover) pastures, common procumbens, (hop trefoil) pastures filiforme, (least hop-trefoil) sandy pastures Lotus corniculatus, (bird's foot trefoil) meadows and pastures Medicago lupulitia, (trefoil) light soil. CLASS XVIII. POLYADELPHIA. POLVANDRIA. Hypericum 4ndroscemum, (tutsan, St. John's wort) woods and moist hedges quadrangulum, (St. Peter's wort) moist and shady places ptrforatum, (common St. John's wort) thickets and hedges dubium, (imperforate St. John's wort) thickets, Stretton, E. GROVE, Esq. kumifusum, (trailing St. John's wort) pastures, Blymhill elodes, (marsh St. John's wort) watery places on Calf-heath kirsutum, fhairy St. John's wort) hedges near Tutbury pulchrum, (heart-leaved St. John's wort) heaths. CLASS XIX. SYNGENESIA. POLYGAMIA i^QUALIS. Tragopogon pratense, (yellow goat's beard) pastures and hedges, on a clayey soil HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [117 Sonchns arvensis, (corn sow-thistle) corn fields and hedges palustris, (marsh sow-thistle) banks of rivers and watery places oleraceus, (common sow-thistle) gardens and cultivated land Lactuca virosa, (strong-scented lettuce) near Chartley Castle, Hamstal Ridware Prenanthes muralis, (wall ivy leaf) walls and hedge banks Leontodon officinale, (dandelion) pastures uutumnale, (autumnal dandeHon) grass land hispidum, (rough dandelion) meadows and pastures Hicracium Pilosella, (mouse-ear hawkweed) hedge banks on a dry soil subaudum, (shrubby hawkweed) woods and hedges paludosum, (marsh hawkweed) on the banks of a rivulet near Biddulph murorum, (French lungwort) hedge banks, Blymhitt sylvaticum, (wood hawkweed) woods, Hatch'lane, JVeston- under- Lizard umbellatum, (bushy hawkweed) hedges and woods Crepis tectorum, (smooth succory) road sides and among oats Hypochceris radicata, (long-rooted hawkweed, cat's ear) meadows and pastures Lapsana communis, (nipplewort) gardens and cultivated land, frequent Cichorium Intybus, (wild succory) road sides and borders of fields Arctium Lappa, (burdock) waste places and on rubbish Serratula tinctoria, (sawwort) woods and marshy meadows arvensis, (common thistle) road sides, corn fields, and pastures Carduus palustris, (marsh thistle) hedge sides and marshes acanthoides, (welted thistle) near Chartley Castle y in the road lanceolatus, (spear thistle) road sides and pastures nutans, (musk thistle) pastures in calcareous soil eriophorus, (woolly-headed thistle) road sides and pastures pratensis, (gentle thistle) wet meadows Carlina vulgaris, (wild carline thistle) heaths, dry hills on the Moorlands Bidens cernua, (water hemp, agrimony) watery places tripartita, (trisid leaved water hemp) agrimony) pits Eupatorium cannabinum, (hemp agrimony) about rivulets, common. POLYGAMIA SuPERFLUA. Tanacetum vulgare, (tansy) borders of fields and banks of rivers Artemisia Absinthium, (wormwood) on rocks and light soil vulgaris, (mugwort) hedges and waste places Gnaphalium margaritaceum, (pearl everlasting) meadows, Longdon, Ftor. Brit. 3, 1405 dioicum, (cat's foot cudweed) on hills, Moorlands rectum, (upright cudweed) pastures, Blymhill uliginosum, (black-headed cudweed) moist grounds 118] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Gnaphalium montanum, (least cudweed) light sandy pastures germanicum, (common cudweed) pastures and road-sides Erigeroncanadense, (canada flea-bane) road-sides, Ashwood, Mr. WAIN. WRIGHT acre, (blue flea-bane) Dudley-castle, Stretton-bridge, on Street- way Tussilago Farfara, (coltsfoot) in arable land Petasites, (butter-bur) sides of rivulets Senecio vulgaris, (common groundsel) cultivated ground sylvaticus, (bushy groundsel) dry heaths and sandy ditch banks tenuifolius, (hoary groundsel) pastures, Blymhill, near Etruria Jacobtea, (ragwort) road sides and pastures aquaticus, (water ragwort) marshes and watery places saracenicus, (broad-leaved groundsel) hedges near Complon-mill, Bradwell Aster Tripolium, (sea starwort) salt marshes, Tixall, and Shirleywich Solidago rnrga-aurea, (golden-rod) woods Inula dysenterica, (elecampane) moist ground, road-sides Bellis perennis, (common daisy) meadows and pastures Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum, (greater daisy, oxeye) meadows and pastures segetum, (corn marigold) on light soil Matricaria Parthenium, (feverfew) hedges and waste places Chamomilla, (chamomile feverfew) road sides and farm yards Anthemis arvensis, (corn chamomile) corn fields, common Cotultty (stinking Mayweed) a corn weed nobiliSy (sweet chamomile) heaths and pastures, Blymhill-road near Hedgford Achillea Ptarmica, (sneezewort) in moist places Millefolium, (yarrow) pastures and road sides. FRUSTBANEA. Centaurea Cyanus, (blue bottle) corn fields nigra, (black knap weed) road sides and pastures Scabiosa, (greater knap weed) a corn weed, frequent. CLASS XX. GYNANDRIA. DlANDRIA. Orchis bifolia, (butterfly orchis) Restlar's meadow, Blymhill, Wcver hills, near Bradwell Morio, (meadow orchis) moist meadows, common mascula, (early orchis) meadows and woods lafifolia, (broad-leaved orchis) marshy meadows maculata, (spotted orchis) meadows, common conopsca, (red-handed orchis) Blymhill, Moorlands HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [119 Satyrium viride, (frog satyrion) Restlar's moor, Blymhill Ophrys ovata, (tway-blade) woods and marshy meadows, Blymhill Serapias latifolia, (helleborine) Pipe marsh, Lichfield, Pendeford. CLASS XXI. MON^ICIA. DlANDRIA. Lcmna trisulca, (ivy-leaved duck meat) in pits, Blymhill minor, (common duck meat) ditches and ponds gibba, (gibbous duck meat) ditches and ponds, Blymhill polyrhiza, (greater duck meat) ditches and ponds, near Breewood, in a pit by the road. TRIANDRIA. Sparganium ramosum, (greater bur weed) pits and banks of rivers simplex, (lesser bur weed) sides of pools natans, (floating bur weed) ditches, near Aqualatc-mere Carex dioica, (small sedge,) in boggy ground pulicaris, (flea sedge) marshes and wet meadows stellulata, (star sedge) marshy meadows, Blymhill eurta, (white sedge) marshes, Hide Rough, near Breewood ovalis, (oval spiked sedge) meadows and pastures remota, (remote sedge) moist ditch banks vulpina, (great sedge) banks of rivers and pits paniculata, (panicled sedge) bogs, frequent pendula, (pendulous sedge) moist woods and hedges, Big Hide Rough, near Breewood prFkite-sitch-pool floccosus, (shag agaric) Bishop s-wood and Burnt-ivood fascicularis, (clustered agaric) ne;ir decayed timber, in clusters, very frequent cumulatus, (crowded agaric) hedge banks, frequent cinereus, dung-hills and meadows ovatus, (egg agaric) hedge banks and woods semi-ovatus, (half egg-shaped agaric) dung-hills and pastures semi-glob atus, (hemispherical agaric) pastures, frequent plicatilis, (plaited agaric) decayed roots campanulatuS) (bell agaric) woods and pastures, common variusy (variable agaric) roots of trees stercorarius, cow-pastures eeruginosus, (verdigris agaric) in the grove at TVyrley-hatt araneosus, Hatch-lane plantation, JVeston-under- Lizard clypeatus, (long-stalked agaric) birch plantation, White-sit ch-pool casspitosus, side of White-sitch-pool castaneus, (chesnut agaric"! birch plant ation t White-iitch-pool calyciformis, grove at Wyrley-hatt ericeus, near White- sit ch-pool eburneus, (ivory agaric) pastures, common fulvus, (tawny agaric) pastures farinaceus, (mealy agaric) fPeston-park fusco-flavus, JVeston-park lacer, (lacerated agnnc) near EPhite-sitch-pool livido-purpureus, moist woods, Brockhurst coppice, Blymhill nemoralis, wet ground, near JVhitt-sitch-pool subcwruleus, fir plantation, Blymhill-heath violaceus, (violet agaric) grove at Wyr ley -hall ardosiaceus, (black-stalked agaric) birch plantation, by the side of the Whitesitch-pool velutipes, (velvet-stalked agaiic) toot of decayed posts, in clusters West on-under' Lizard lateralis, (short-stalked agaric) decayed trees and posts 126] A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. Agaricus quercinus, (stemless oak agaric) decayed trees and posts, common Boletus flavus, (yellow boletus) side of Weston-park-wall, on the road to Tonge aurantiacus, (orange boletus) near fFhite-sitch-pool, frequent squamosus, (honey-comb boletus) trunk of an ash-tree, IVeston versicolor, (striped boletus) trunks of decayed trees and posts igniarius, (touchwood boletus) trunks of cherry trees Helvella mitra, (mitre mushroom) tVeston-under- Lizard-park Peziza cochleata, (wreathed peziza) JVeston-under-Lizard-park, birch plantations near the side of White-sitch-pool Phallus impudicus, (stinking morel) shady hedge banks Clavaria Hypoxylon, (horned club top) rotten sticks, common ophioglossoides, (black club top) road-side, Btymhill- heath pistillaris, ^hollow club top) Chartley and Jngestre parks, tVeston-under- Lizard muscoides, (yellow pointed club top) Heyley Castle-bank Lycoperdon Bovista, (great puff ball) drained peaty ground equinum, (horse puff ball) PFeston-under- Lizard stellafum, (star puff ball) hedge-bank, Blymhill Sphceria scripta, (lettered sphaeria) on the trunks oj trees in Heath-birchts- wood, JVeston-under- Lizard tremelloides, (red-knobbed sphaeria) rotten sticks tubsrculosa, (knobbed sphaeria) dried hazel-sticks. A SYNOPSIS MINERALOGY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. EARTHS, including stones, form aggregates: the surface-soil is composed of clay, colorific earth, marl, and mould. Clay is a decomposition of the primitive stones with other matter, silica alumina, carbonate of lime, oxyd of iron, carbonate of mag- nesia, water, and air. The colorific earths are composed of clay and oxyd of iron. Marl is a mixture of carbonate of lime and clay. Mould, the soil on which vegetables grow, contains silica alumina, lime, magnesia, sometimes iron, but always carbon, derived from decayed vegetable and animal substances, and carbonic acid and water. Giobert the chemist, found a fertile soil near Turin to contain 78 parts silex (sand), 12 alumina (clay), and 8 to 9 lime, the whole being supposed 100 parts: the annual rains there 30 inches. Near Paris, where the rains are 20 inches, M. Tillet found 46 parts silica, 16| alumina, 37f lime : total, 100. The four Earths, silica, alumina, lime, and magnesia, are the principal basis of soils. If silica most abounds, the soil is dry ; if alumina preponderates, the soil is wet : lime and magnesia are cor- rectors ; they increase the moisture of land, and diminish the wet- la compiling this article, it will be seen that the excellent letter of Mr. Keir, communicated by that gentleman to Mr. Shaw, and published in his " Antiquities of Staffordshire," has been had recourse to ; and it may be proper to add, with the entire concurrence of the venerable writer, who would cheer- fully have gone into the subject a second time, and furnished us with whatever uggesled itself, if age and bodily infirmity did not prevent him from accom- plishing so laborious a task. Some apparent inaccuracies will be accounted for in the altered circumstances of the times, but these do not in the least affect the substance of this very able and elaborate view of the mineral treasures of this county. 128] A TOPOGRAPHICAL ness of clay. Different proportions of these four earths will form soils of every degree of dryness or moisture, and their fertility is derived from carbon : dung-hill water contains much carbon. A fertile soil should contain one-sixteenth its own weight of carbon, but it must exist in the soil in a particular state of combination to promote fertility ; it must be in a state to be soluble in water. Manures, on putrefaction, part with their carbon, which is absorbed by the soil, and by the plants growing thereon. Mr. Keir conceives that the coarse bluish clay-soil of Rowley is principally decomposed rag-stone, which stone, from its analysis, is of the kind called basaltes or trapp : it first decomposes into a reddish powder. Marl is clay mixed with carbonate of lime ; sand consists of small grains of siliceous stones, not cohering nor softened by water ; clay-soils are formed of common clay mixed with de- cayed vegetable and animal substances. Loam, not cohering so strongly as clay, is of several varieties : the stiff, strong, heavy loam, is composed of clay and coarse sand ; calcareous loam is a mixture of lime, clay, and coarse sand, the lime predominating ; sandy loam, the same ingredients, the sand predominating to eight or nine-tenths of the whole. Thus are all the upland soils formed and composed, and by degrees impregnated with carbon by vegetation. Peat-earth, or the meadow and lowland soils, have been formed by the decomposition of aquatic vegetables, root and branch, mixed and impregnated with earthy particles, brought from the upland by wind and water, during a long course of succeeding ages. The mineral clays of this country are a mixture of alumina and silica, the alumina in powder, the silica in small stones : besides these, clay often contains lime, magnesia, and oxyd of iron. The varieties are common brick-clay, potter's-clay, indurated clay, and shistose clay, the latter found in strata in coal mines, and when impregnated with bitumen, called shale, roach, and clunch, by the miners. The aggregates of stone are small grains of sand, consisting of quartz, flint, hornstone, siliceous shistus, felspar, and mica, all or in part cemented by lime, alumina, silica, and iron. The southern part of Staffordshire, to a great extent, contains valuable mines of coal, iron-stone, lime-stone, and clay, to which are owing the foundation and prosperity of the populous villages of this part of the county, and of the neighbouring towns, Bir- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [129 uiingham, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sioux-bridge, Walsall, Wednes- bury, Bilston. &c. ; and the surrounding counties are, by means of numerous canals, supplied with the comfort and benefit of fuel, as well as lime, iron, and the other productions of these mines. By an examination of the country, from actual survey, under the direction of experienced miners, the coal country was found to extend over about 60 square miles, of which one-half, including Bilston, extends southward to Brierley Hill, and Amblecot, near Stourbridge, which may be about seven or eight miles in length, and four in breadth. This tract of land contains beds of coal ten yards in thickness, through which the Birmingham canal, with its several branches, passes ; also the Netherton and Stourbridge ca- nals, the Dudley tunnel, and Lord Dudley's canal, including the townships of Bilston, Darlaston, Wednesbury, Dudley, Rowley, Oldbury, Tipton, Sedgeley, Netherton, part of Westbromwich, and the collieries about Dudley-wood, Brettel-lane, Amblecot, Brierley Hill, and the Lye, near Stourbridge. The abundance of coal, iron-stone, lime-stone, and clay, together with the intercourse opened by canals to distant parts, and sea-ports, has induced the establishment of iron furnaces, forges, founderies, and other extensive manufactories, and given employment to a vast number of smiths, and other workmen, in making guns, locks, screws, and above all, nails, of which the quantity manufactured here jexceeds all others in the known world. Besides the above, there are other thinner beds of coal, of four, six, and eight feet in thickness, extending northwards from Bilston and Darlaston, through Essington-wood, Pelsall, and Brown-hills, to Cannock-heath, and are at least of equal extent to the thicker beds before-described. It was calculated, about the year 1800, that the whole coal land of this district was 40,000 acres, and that the consumption from the beginning had not been more than a tenth of the whole. The thin mine of coal last-mentioned commences near the ter- mination of the ten-yard coal, which there ceases and crops-out, that is, rises abruptly to the surface of the ground, and appears no more. This district of thin coal is intersected by the line of the Wyrley and Essington Canal, which, with its different branches, passes through its whole length, and into the lime-stone strata of Rushall, and Hay-head, north-east of Walsall. To return to the district of thick coal : A range of lime-stone mountains rise on the west side of this district, extending, from R 130] A TOPOGRAPHICAL their commencement, two miles south of Wolverhampton, in a southern direction to Dudley Castle, being about four miles in length, and one in breadth. A second remarkable feature, is ano- ther range of mountains, which begin to rise from the side of Dud- ley opposite to the lime-stone, and inclining to an easterly direc- tion: these are a basaltic rock, proceeding from Dudley through Rowley, called Rowley-hills, and, dividing into two branches, ter- minate between Oldbury arid Hales Owen. There are two other detached hills, on one of which stands Wednesbury Church, and the other near the village of Netherton. These hills are supposed to be lime-stone elevations, although lime-stone does not appear on the surface. The range of lime-stone mountains between Dudley and Wol- yerhampton, is formed of beds of lime-stone elevated to a high pitch on each side, and inclining to each other so as to form an oblong ridge near their tops, not unlike the roof of a house. In a similar manner the coal, and its accompanying strata, lying on the sides of these mountains, rise or crop-out in directions correspond- ing with the neighbouring lime-stone elevation; so that, generally, the nearer a pit is sunk to a lime-stone hill, the coal is found at less depth. Most of the coal is got to the east of the lime-stone. In the same manner that the coal rises or crops-up to the sides- of the great ranges of lime-stone mountains, so it also follows the direction of the detached hills. In some intermediate space be- tween the lime-stone range and Wednesbury on the east side, and between that range and Netherton, the coal lies nearly level, and from thence rises on both sides towards the respective hills, form- ing what the colliers call a trough ; but though the coal follows the direction of the lime-stone hills, it does not always follow the direction of the surface of the ground, the ordinary rising or falling of which it seems to have no correspondence with. How the coal is affected with relation to the rising of the basaltic hills, has not been fully ascertained, excepting that it certainly does not crop-out along the skirts of these hills as it does along the lime- stone range, but is to be found at the foot of them at moderate depths. Various opinions have been formed respecting the formation and -origin of coal, as well as of other minerals, and which is certainly a fair subject of speculation, though probably above the reach of human genius. Some consider coal as an argillaceous schistus, impregnated with bitumen, which indeed may be the case with HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [131 some species ; but in the best kinds there is too little argillaceous matter to consider it as the basis of the composition. The most generally received opinion is, that coal is formed from vegetable matter. Dr. Darwin says there is reason to believe that bitumen or petroleum, with jet, amber, and all the fossil coal in the world, owes its inflammable part to the recrements of destroyed forests of terebinthinate vegetables so important to the present race of mankind has been this vegetable secretion. The incumbent strata of coal, sand, iron, clay, and marl, are chiefly the products of ve- getable organization, changed in the long progress of their de- composition ; and all these solid parts of the earth have been thus fabricated from their simpler elements by vegetation, and by animal life. Mr. Keir says, " but we know no similar fact or experiment, from the analogy of which we can infer the possibility of such con- version." He believes, that in all or most coals, the vestiges of vegetable fibres are to be seen ; " not, however, forming the whole substance of the coal, but interspersed as thin laminae between the thicker and more shining bituminous layers of the coal." We know also, that in all coal-mines, the superincumbent strata of clunch and rock, contain abundance of vegetable impressions, chiefly of reeds and broad leaves, like the stems and foliage of aquatic plants. The substance or body of the reed is sometimes rock and sometimes iron ore, audits surface only is covered with a thin coat of coal, as if the rocky or ferruginous matter which filled up the space which had been occupied by the decayed vegetables, had, by the contraction of drying, left an interval which was after- wards filled up by a bitumen, whether that bitumen came in a liquid form or in the state of a distilled vapour, or whether it was the remaining oil and resin of the plant hardened by age, or by absorption of air, Some kinds of coal are entirely free from vegetable vestiges, and are an uniform, compact bitumen ; it therefore seems most probable, that the vegetables have done little more towards the formation of coal, than to furnish a conve- nient space for the insinuation of the ejected, or distilled bitumen. But in whatever manner coal was formed, it is very certain that it was formed all over the country together, (where now existing) and that its irregularity has been caused by internal convulsions of the earth, which convulsions broke through and raised the strata of lime-stone into the form of mountains, and which also raised the superincumbent strata of which coal is one, and left it in the form it now appears, except the softer parts near the surface, which have 132] A TOPOGRAPHICAL been carried off by the action of air and water. The formation of coal must therefore be referred to a very remote period in the history of the earth, as it must have preceded the existence of mountains. The shells of marine animals seem to have furnished the substance of those immense beds of lime-stone which envelope the earth, raised into their present form and appearance. It appears also, from the rearing of the beds of lime- stone, and their broken and irregular position, that theiv present state could not have been the effect of any gradual operation of nature, but of some sudden and violent effort or earthquake. When the elastic vapour and air, that were the cause of the earthquakes and elevation of strata, began to lose their force, either by escape at the fractured tops, or by condensation from cold, the weight of the incumbent strata would incline them to subside ; and this subsidence being irregular, would occasion still greater irregularities in the fractures, and be the cause of the faults, falls, and slips, which now appear. Many irregular vacuities must also have been left, which since have been filled up by argillaceous and rocky substances, that have fallen or been washed into them, more or less consolidated. The most singular and extensive vacuity in the coal of this country, now filled up with clay and argillaceous rock, is that oc- casioned by the separation of the two upper beds of the main coal, called the flying reed, and which begin to part from the lower beds of the coal at Bloomfield colliery, from whence they continue to di- verge for several miles, till they crop-out at the surface, and are lost before they arrive at Bilston. The separation of strata origi- nally contiguous, and the subsequent interposition of adventitious matter, is a very curious fact in the history of the earth. The coal does not crop-out on its approach to the Rowley-hills, as it does to the Dudley lime-stone hills, but continues its course some way under them. The formation of these basaltic hills seems more difficult to explain than that of the lime-stone hills, for we know that the latter are part of strata which extend themselves horizontally over a great tract of country, but which in some places are elevated from their inferior situation by some violent convulsion, of which we see manifest indications, both in their own dislocated state, and that of the superincumbent strata. But, with regard to the stone composing Rowley -hills, we do not know of any such inferior stratum, by the elevation of which these hills could have been formed. If it be pretended that basaltic hills are of the kind HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [133 called primitive, that is, anterior to all other formation or change on the earth's surface, this pretension will be defeated by the con- sideration that coal lies under them ; and, consequently, that their formation is posterior to that of coal. Under all circumstances, (says Mr. Keir,) " I do not know any other mode of formation that can be supported by analogy, excepting that by means of matter ejected in a fluid state from the bowels of the earth, through a chasm in its surface, whether that fluidity was the consequence of fusion by fire, or of water mixed with the smaller particles of earth ; after which ejection, the fluid matter may have been consolidated, either by cooling, or by gradual evaporation and drying." The formation of basaltic rocks has lately been a subject of con- troversy with mineralogists, some of whom consider them as a lava thrown out of volcanoes, and others as the produce of a watery de- position ; and the advocates for these two opinions have been called Vulcanists and Neptunists. Bergman ascribes the basaltic matter to ejection from volcanoes, but not always as a lava melted by fire, but a mass of earthy particles softened and diluted with water, which afterwards has become dry and consolidated. The Rowley-stone is in large masses in the mountains, of a qua- drilateral form, with perpendicular and horizontal joints or cracks, standing on their edges ; but on the surface, and declivities, it is confused in all directions. It has been accurately analysed by Dr. Withering, who found that 1000 parts of it contained 475 parts of siliceous earth, 325 argillaceous earth, and 200 calx of iron ; but this iron seems to be in a very small degree of calcination from the dark-blue colour of the stone, and from the rusty colour it assumes on being exposed to air and water. The range of lime-stone hills extends from Dudley in the direc- tion nearly of N.N.w. It consists of oblong hills of which the west sides are the steepest : the most conspicuous are Dudley Castle hill, Wrens-nest hill, and Sedgeley hill. The construction of the two former is, that of several large beds of lime-stone stand- ing at a very steep inclination, corresponding with the surface in opposite directions, till they meet and rest against each other along the summit or ridge of the hills : the elevation of these lime- stone-hills is less than that of the hills of Rowley. The Birming- ham canal summit, Wyrley and Essington canal, and Dudley tunnel, form a level (varying only a few inches) of more than 40 miles in length ; this level is 500 feet perpendicular above the 134] A TOPOGRAPHICAL mean title of the ocean. The lime-stone hills may be estimated ai 200 to 300 feet above this level, and Corney-hill Rowley at 400 feet : a considerable part of the lime-stone is upon the level of the canal, and some beneath it, that to the N. E. of Walsall being nearly on the same level, but none there so much elevated as the Dudley and Sedgeley hills. The coal-pit shafts are generally sunk at near the canal level, but none have, we believe, yet pene- trated so deep as to the level of the sea. The lime-stone beds consist of thin layers of the thickness from three to eight inches. In the centre of the hills are large indefi- nite masses, called crog, of good lime-stone. The beds are sepa- rated from each other by substances called ratch and bavin, which are mixtures of calcareous and argillaceous earth. Immediately under the surface of the ground, detached masses of good lime- stone are found in loose earth, which masses are called turf-stone. Some of these beds contain abundance of petrified shells, amongst which is a representation of an animal called by the workmen a locust, by others the Dudley fossil. * Strata above the Coal. These are very various in different places, without uniformity; and the depth of the pits are very different. In some places the coal has been got at the surface of the ground in open quarries, in others the pits are 140 yards deep, though the beds of coal are similar in a considerable degree in thickness, qua- lity, and relative position. The strata containing iron ore (called iron-stone,) and those of the finer kind of clay, called fire-clay, pipe-clay, and pot-clay, from its power of resisting heat and its fitness for making tobacco-pipes and glass-house pots, are the next in order with regard to uniformity. As to the other intervening masses of rock, bind, clunch, and especially the upper earths, they vary frequently in the same field, or even at a few yards distance. The following is a list of measures found in digging a coal-pit in Tividale colliery : Feet In. 9. White clunch, 3 3 10. Grey clunch, 7 3 11. Red wild stuff, 41 6 12. Greenish rock, 4 13. Red Avild stuff, 7 6 14. Binds, with balls of grey rock, 11 Carried forward, .... 107 1 Feet In 1. Soil, 1 2. Brick clay, 5 6 3. Brown-coloured roach, (1) 6 4. Blue clay, 1 5. Red-coloured roach, 5 6. Rock, with coal interspers- ed, (2) 5 7. Clunch and iron-stone, (3) 8 3 8. Smutt, (4) 10 HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [135 Depth brought forward,. . 107 15. Wild stuff 16 16. Rocky black stuff, 1 17. Smutt, 18. Black rocky stuff, 8 19. Kind clunch, with iron- stone 11 20. Clunch binds, 12 21. Soft clunch, 8 22. Coal called the two-foot coal, (5) 1 23. Fireclay, (6) 4 24. Fine clunch, 12 25. Rock, 2 26. Rock-binds, 2 27. Parting, (7) emitting in- flammable damps, .... 28. Rock-binds, 7 29. Kind clunch, 1 30. Broach coal, (8) 3 31 Black clunch, 7 32. Coal, 1 In. 1 33. 8 34. 3 35. 36. 37- 2 38. 39. 9 40. 41. 6 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 3 48. 49. 50. 9 51. 3 Feet In. Penny-earth, (9) with iron- stone, 7 Clunch-binds, 26 Clunch, with iron-stone,.. 2 9 Rock-hinds, 17 Clunch, with iron-stone,. . 14 Rock-binds, 16 Strong rock, 4 Rock, with laminae of coal 4 Strong rock, 4 Clunch parting, 10 Chance coal, (10) 9 Clunch-binds, ....4 Rock, or rock-binds, .... 8 10 Clunch and iron-stone, . . 2 9 Black batt, (11) 6 Chance coal, 10 Catch earth, a clunch, . . 2 9 Black batt, 7 Main coal, 31 6 Total, 360 3 (\) Roach is ferruginous clay, of a coarse quality, differently coloured and veined. (Z) The rock is white, composed of siliceous earth, with a smaller proportion of argillaceous. Next to this are the rock-binds, which, having more argillace- ous earth, are softer than the rock ; then the clunch-binds, which have still less siliceous earth ; and lastly, clunch, which has the least, and is Ihe softest. The clunch and clunch-binds shiver into flakes when exposed to the weather. The rock-binds, and still better, the rock, retain their texture. The rock is subject to cracks or fissures, through which the water flows, and it is chiefly from these fissures in rock that the water in mines issues : thin laminae of coal often lay horizontally in the rock, and frequently there is thin coal in the form of broad leaves of aquatic plants running m all directions through the rock. (Z) Clunch is a smooth soft earthy matter, which soon shivers into flakes.' When of a reddish or yellowish colour, the colliers call it wild ; but when of its proper bluish or greyish colour, it is said to be kindly, by which the colliers mean the latter indicates coal. Those called wild, being irregular and acci- dental clunch, generally contain balls of iron stone. (4) Smutt is a mixture of coal and clunch. (5) This coal is too thin to get for use. (6) Fire-clay, called also pipe-clay, from its having been made into tobacco- pipes, for which it is not now used, not being white enough. (7) A Partiny is a small quantity of clunch, or soft earth, separating thicker beds from each other : from these interstices between the strata generally pro- ceed the inflammable gas, or air, that incommodes the miners. (8) Broach-coal is of very good quality, and is sometimes got, but generally neglected, not being thought thick enough to pay the expence. (9) Penny-earth is a clunch which contains a good many nodules of iron- stone, for the sake of which pits are sunk at Wednesbury. ("10} Chance-coal is a name given to accidental masses of coal, which are not regular strata. (11) A smooth schistus, rendered black from its vicinity to the coal. 136] A TOPOGRAPHICAL The main coal consists of divisions, and indeed is a number of beds, differing regularly in quality and thickness, and separated by very thin partitions, which are sometimes wanting ; so that it is generally named as a single bed of coal. These divisions, with their thickness, are as follows : Feet In.j 1. Roof floor, top floor, (Dr. Plot,) 4 2. After a parting of 4 inches of soft and dark earth top-slipper ; over-slip- per, (Plot,) 2 2 3. Jays, 2 IFhite stone, called Patchel, \ inch. 4. Lambs, 1 5 Tough kitts, or heath, .... 1 6 6. Benches, 1 6 7- Brassils or corns, 1 6 Foot coal parting (sometimes only) Thickness, 13 8 Feet In. 8. Foot coal, or bottom slipper 1 8 John coal parting 1 inch. 9. John coal, or slips or veins, 3 Hard stone 10 inches, or less. 10. Stone coal, or long coal,. . 4 11. Sawyer, or springs, 1 6 12. Slipper, 2 6 Humphrey parting. 13. Humphreys, or bottom- bench Omfray floor, (Plot,) 2 3 Total main coal, .... 28 The coal, including the partings, which vary in thickness, gene- rally exceeds ten yards. A very extraordinary variation occurs in one instance ; the two upper beds of the main coal, namely, roof, floor, and top slipper, separate from the rest of the coal at the Bloomfield colliery, and the separation grows wider and wider, in a northern direction, till at length those two beds which, when thus separated, acquire the name of the flying reed, crop-out to the surface, and are lost, whilst the lower part of the coal proceeds on to Bilston, where consequently it has only the thickness of eight yards. The interval between the flying reed and the main coal, is filled up with soft clunch at the place of separation, which by degrees assumes a harder texture, and changes to a rock that will strike fire with steel. The measures which are generally known, under the main coal, which in some places are dug for the sake of the iron-stone and glass-house pot-clay, and sometimes for the sake of the coal called heathing coal, are as follows ; but here it may be ob- served, that the main coal is not in such places at so great a depth from the surface as in the instance heretofore given : HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [137 Feet In. 1 . Dark chinch, generally about 1 6 2. Light-coloured clay, with small round iron-stone, called white grains, 2 6 3. Main iron-stone, in balls or nodules, involved in clunch : of this mine there are three distinct measures, 3 4. Table batt, a smooth level-faced schistus, sometimes thicker, 3 5. White clay, containing white iron-stone, 1 6 6. Heathing coal, in three distinct layers : good coal, 6 7 Measures of clunch and white-rock to the pot-clay, which is about 16 or 20 yards below the main coal at the lye, where it is principally got, the clay being there nearer the surface of the ground, and of a better quality than in most other places which have been tried. This is what is called Stour- bridge clay, and, from its quality of resisting the most vio- lent heat, has caused the establishment of the glass-manu- factories in this neighbourhood. Iron-stone is found in several of the measures or strata, as be- fore-named. Of these two only are worked for the ore, namely, that which lies immediately under the broach coal, and that which lies under the main coal. In the neighbourhood of Wednesbury, the former bed is worked ; and in the other parts of the country, the latter is most considerable. The iron-stone is generally got in coal-works after the coal has been extracted, particularly where it lies at a moderate depth from the surface of the ground, that the expence of sinking pits, and raising it, may be less. Iron-stone, when dug, is put up in masses called blooms, the dimensions of which are three feet by four feet, with a height of 22 inches, and the weight is estimated at 35 hundred, each hundred being 120 pounds. Sometimes 1000 or 1200 such blooms are good from one acre of good mine. The quantity of iron-stone now (1800) got, is sufficient to keep at work about 14 smelting furnaces in the coal country, which produce annually about 18,000 tons of pig-iron ; all of which, and more, from other countries, is worked up in the founderies and forges of this neighbourhood. Spars, calcareous and gypseous, chiefly the latter, in very thin plates, are sometimes found on the coal : when this abounds, its vitriolic acid forms with the coal in the tire a sulphur which smiths observe to be injurious to their iron, they therefore avoid using such coal. The coal of this country in small pieces, does not cake or con- glutinate in the tire, as that of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and some 138] A TOPOGRAPHICAL other coals, do ; but being stronger in texture, and not so apt to break, this quality is not requisite. It kindles more readily, and makes a pleasanter fire, requires less trouble in the ma- nagement, and makes less dust then the caking coals, and is preferred for chamber-fires. It is also a good coal for all kinds of metallic processes. Of the different beds of the main coal, the upper bed, called roof-floor, is generally left to support the earth or clunch above it from falling. The second bed, called top-slipper, and the third and fourth beds, which together are called the white coal, are reckoned the best for chamber-fires. Next to them in goodness are reckoned the eleventh and twelfth beds, called sawyer and slipper; after them come the eighth, ninth, and tenth, called foot- coal, john-coal, and stone-coal. The tows and benches are prefer- red for making coaks, and are generally reserved for the furnaces; they do not kindle and flame so vividly as the foregoing measures, but they give a more durable and stronger heat. The part of the brassil measure, which contains pyrites, is generally laid aside, or used for burning bricks or lime ; the humphreys being the lowest measure, is cut away to let those above it fall down, and therefore most of it is reduced to small coal or slack. The same beds of coal, however, vary in quality in different fields, or in parts of the same field. In general the collieries on the east side of the Dudley and Rowley-hills, yield better coal than those on the opposite side. The coal is liable to variations and acciden- tal defects, and some is black without lustre, others appear broken or crushed, and some very bright and shining, burns with little or no flame. In getting of this coal, in order to support excavations ten yards high, it is necessary to leave very large pillars of coal, eight or ten yards diameter. When the pits are sunk, and communica- tion made with the engine-pit for the water to go off, and roads made for the conveyance of coal to the shaft of the pit, the colliers begin to get coal by working a stall. They first cut out the lower bed called the humphreys the length of their stall, ten, twelve, or fourteen yards ; and when they have thus removed the foundation to a certain breadth, they loosen its adhesion to the sides by cut- ting as high as the beds called slipper and sawyer, which makes the first fall of coals, the stone-coal makes the second fall, the john-coal or slips makes the third, the foot-coal makes the fourth, the brassil makes the fifth, the benches and tow-coal make the HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [139 sixth, the lambs make the seventh, the jays make the eighth, the top slipper the ninth, and the roof is seldom cut, but only as much of it got as drops of itself and can be safely collected. It is the facility of separation, by means of the partings, that principally determines these different falls. A large proportion of the coal is left ungot in these collieries. It is generally reckoned that one- third part is left in pillars, and about another third is small coal, part of which is made into coaks, and part consumed by the fire- engines ; the rest is left in the pit. So there remains only about one-third of the mine to be sold as marketable coal, which, at one ton per cubic yard upon a ten-yard mine, is upwards of 16,000 tons per acre. In the Marquis of Anglesea's park, (Beaudesert), there is a mine of cannel coal, which is reserved for the exclusive use of the Mar- quis's family. This coal has a brownish-black colour, and much less lustre than common coal. The fracture is flat conchoidal, and quite smooth ; but the cross fracture is more rough, and on that ac- count has a blacker appearance. This coal is hard, and does not soil the fingers. Interspersed through it are numerous specks of a brown matter, very similar in appearance to Bovey-coal. Many faults occur in this coal-field. They are rents in the beds, which are usually filled with clay. Very frequently the height of the beds varies on the two sides of a fault. By a great fault which occurs near Bilston, the dip of the coal is reversed ; that is to say, the coal beds on the south side of the fault dip south, and those on the north side dip north : but this is an unusual occurrence.* The quantity of coals raised weekly on the banks of the Bir- mingham canal, and its several branches, has been computed at 15,000 tons, of which about 8,000 tons are sent to Birmingham and beyond, 2,000 tons to Wolverhampton and the Severn, and 5,000 tons consumed in manufactories, towns and villages, near the canal, and the neighbouring country. There are also about 1,200 tons carried weekly upon the Stourbridge and Dudley canals, which makes 16,200 tons of coal, or the produce of an acre raised weekly from these mines. Dr. Plot reckoned in his time (about 1680) twelve to fourteen collieries, each yielding from 2,000 to 5,000 tons annually, which is about 45,500 tons annually, not equal to three weeks' present consumption. The consumption of coals in this part of England is prodigious. * Thomson's Annals, Vol. VIII. p. 169. 140] A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. All the neighbouring counties, to a considerable distance, are sup- plied by means of the numerous canals of which Birmingham con- stitutes the centre. Besides this, an immense quantity of coal is required for the iron-works, which are established in the neigh- bourhood of Dudley to the amount of 68. These smelted an im- mense quantity of iron ; probably more than the quantity manufac- tured in all the rest of Great Britain. But the low price to which iron has of late sunk, (about c9. or c10. sterling per ton) has in a great measure destroyed this formerly lucrative manufacture. No less than 32 of the 68 furnaces have stopped, or been blown out, as the phrase is in Staffordshire. The Welsh iron manufacturers, it seems, produce a greater proportion of iron from their ore, and work with less coals than they can do in this county. They are able, in consequence, to undersell them. This opposition has been carried so far as to sink the price of iron much lower than it seems possible to manufacture it at. Before the late peace it sold at <18. per ton, which was almost double its present price. There are also extensive tracts of coal country in the northern parts of this county, and collieries are now working at Kidcrew, Apedale, Silverdale, Cobridge, &c. to all of which the preceding remarks are generally applicable. A correct account of one of the principal collieries in this district, is given in the account of the POTTERIES. A SKETCH OF THE ZOOLOGY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. QUADRUPEDS. ORDER I. PRIMATES. VESPERTILIO MURINUS The Common Bat: Teeth sharp point- ed, length 2 inches : fly like birds. ORDER III. FERjE. CANIS FAMILIARIS The Dog : Bends his tail to the left. Va- rieties many, as mastiff, hound, greyhound, pointer, spaniel, terrier, shock, lap-dog, cur, &c. 2. VULPES The Fox : Tail a brush, tipped with white, legs white, fore-feet black. FELIS CATUS The Cat: Domesticated, tail long, annulated, body marked with spiral and three longitudinal stripes. Our tame cats are less in size, and vary in colour : the tortoise-shell most esteemed. MUSTELA LUTRA The Otter: Colour dark brown, with two white spots on each side the nose, length three feet three inches, tail com- pressed and taper, eyes small, ears short, long whiskers, feet webbed. The otter is found in the Trent, and smaller rivers com- municating with it, and affords much diversion in hunting; no animal defends itself with greater obstinacy, and will make a des- perate resistance to the hounds, who are frequently maimed in the , conflict. In rivers where weirs are set, otters will force their way in, and devour the fish, and then effect their passage out by biting asunder" the twigs. Dr. Plot says, " at Ingestre I ate potted otter, so well ordered by the cook, that it required a very nice palate to distinguish it from venison." 2. PUTORIUS TheFitchetor Polecat: Length about two feet, 142] A TOPOGRAPHICAL colour blackish tawny, muzzle and ears white, nose sharp. Its fierceness is remarkable. We have known one, when confined and unable to escape, attack a large greyhound : it has the faculty of stinking most abominably when irritated, to annoy and drive away its enemies. 3. VULGARIS The Weazel : Upper part of the body and tail tawny, throat and belly white, length nine inches. 4. ERMINE A The Stoat or Ermine : A beautiful white variety, with the tail tipped with black, is sometimes seen. These two last are so fierce, that they will devour rats, young hares, or poultry. A rat larger than themselves will fly instantly at their approach. URSUS MELES The Badger: Length two feet and a half, upper part of the body grey, under black, tail short, with long stiff hair, face black and white, fore claws long, a transverse orifice between the tail and the anus, three black bristles over each eye. In Man- stey and other woods. This harmless animal is sometimes subject- ed to much cruelty in being baited by dogs for amusement. TALPA EUROPE A The Mole : Five toes on each foot, snout long, eyes small, fur remarkably soft, no external ears, fore legs short, with broad feet turned outwards: a cream-coloured varietyhas been taken near Blymhill. These creatures are great destroyers of earth worms, though injurious to the land and crops by their hillocks. SOREX ARANEUS The Shrew Mouse; Nurserow: Snout and tail long, above brown, beneath dirty white, toes five on each foot, eyes small, length four inches. ERiNACEUsEuROP^ius TheHedgeHog; Urchin: Five toes on each foot, long snout, body covered with long sharp bristles, length 11 inches. This animal is capable of folding itself up in its rough prickly husk, as a retreat from danger, and appearing like a rough senseless ball, and thoughtless boys sometimes torture it with dogs, and otherwise, to. make it appear. The peasantry charge it with sucking the teats of cattle. ORDER IV. GLIRES. LEPUS TIMIDUS The Hare : Ears tipped with black, mosi a- bounding on light dry soils. 2. CUNICULUS The Rabbit: Ears almost naked, pupil of the eyes red. They abound on Cannock-chase, and Bishop's-wood, near Breewood. Mus NORWEGICUS TAe Brown Rat : Length to the tail 9 inches, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [143 tail nine inches more, back tawny, belly dirty white, feet and legs almost bare, tail scaly. This species has extirpated the black rat, but they are a dreadful substitute; they swarm about farm- houses, destroying pigeons, poultry, leather, and all kinds of grain in great quantities. Though so rapacious and fierce, they are great cowards, being put to flight in a moment, or destroyed, if caught by the ferret, or by our native animal the weasel, either much less than themselves. 2. AMPHIBIUS The Water Rat : Length to the tail seven inches, tail five, body covered with long hairs, brownish black, belly grey, tail black, white at the extremity, ears and eyes small. 3. MUSCULUS The Common Mouse: Differs very little from the common rat except in size ; in other respects similar. 4. SYLVATICUS The Field Mouse : Larger than the common mouse, back brown, belly grey. 5. AGRESTIS The Short-tailed Field Mouse: From nose to tail two inches and a half, tail two inches, ears naked, weight one-sixth of an ounce. 6. AVELLANARIUS The Dormouse : Found in oat-ricks. SCIURUS VULGARIS The Common Squirrel : Upper fore-teeth like wedges, lower compressed, colour red brown, belly white, ears tufted, tail a brush. A lively little creature, and nut-cracker: said to do much injury to fir-plantations in severe winters. ORDER V. PECORA. CERVUS ELAPHUS The Stag , Red Deer, or Hart: Horns round, branched, and turned backwards. A few are kept in parks ; but their ferocity at certain seasons has caused their numbers to be reduced. Weston Park, Chartley > &c. 2. DAMA The Fallow Deer : Horns compressed, branched, turned backwards, and broad at the extremities. Many of those on Cannock-chase are of the deep brown kind, introduced from Norway. CAPRA HIRCUS The Goat : Horns hollow, erect, bending back- wards, body covered with long hair, long beard: domesticated. ,Ovis ARIES The Sheep: Horns compressed, rough, hollow, sim- ple, spiral, turning outwards; face grey or black, legs of the same colour, wool short, fine : Cannock-wood sheep: improved in pasture. 2. DOMESTICA: Face and legs white, wool longer, but fine in staple, hornless, fine in bone, thick, compact, inclined to fatter?, quiet in pasture, not inclined to roam or leap : New Leicester sheep. 144] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 3. MERINO or Andalusia : Looser and lighter made, longer, and less compact, twirling horn, wool silky, extremely fine : Spanish sheep. Bos TAURUS The Wild Ox : Chartley-park is among the few places where the indigenous wild cattle of Britain are now found : the breed has been here preserved pure and unmixed, having been constantly confined in a separate enclosure. The following are their characteristics : colour white, muzzles and ears black, horns white, fine, tipped with black. Their native wildness appears at the first approach of man ; the whole herd instantly sets off at full Speed to a considerable distance, and then wheels round, at the same time staring with eager curiosity. The calves, even when very young, have a natural shyness; if disturbed, they bleat to alarm their dams, which will immediately attack the intruder : their flesh is finely marbled, and of excellent flavour. The domes- ticated varieties of this species are most generally the long-horned breed in different degrees and stages of improvement ; and where due attention is paid to selection, this variety is very respectable both as milkers and feeders. Other varieties are 2. TAURUS ALBA: Hornless, colour milk-white, ears tipped with red, size and weight large, producing well to the pail, and weighing, when full grown and fat, the cows 10 to 12 score the quarter, and the male 12 to 15 score : they are well-formed, and disposed to fatten, and handle sleek and well, with great weight in the more valuable joints, and the cows of singular and beautiful appearance. To be found at Dunstall-hall, near Wolverhampton. ORDER VI. BELLILE. EQUUS CABALLUS The Horse: Tail with long hair, ears short, erect, mane long. The sort generally preferred for draught is the heavy black breed, having the greatest weight and strength; but some of the brown, and other colours, have doubtless more action and energy of motion, and are to be preferred in all cases where dispatch is more the object than strength. The Welsh mountain breed is often very hardy, and useful, for the saddle and road. 2. ASINUS The Ass: Ears long, flaccid, a black cross on the top of the shoulders. This animal finds its value in the revolutions of time, being now kept by many respectable females as a donkey or pad, for short rides. Sus SCROFA The Hog: Hoof divided, two tusks in each jaw, ridge beset with strong bristles. The dividing of the hoof was HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [145 formerly considered as an essential character, but a variety has been lately produced with the hoof undivided, having otherwise the same specific character. BIRDS. ORDER I. ACCIPITRES. FALCO CHRYSAETOS The Golden Eagle: Cere and legs yellow, feathered to the toes, wings reach to the extremity of the tail, beak lead colour, irides hazel, colour dark brown, weight I21b. tail clouded with dark ash colour. Two birds of this species were discovered on Carmock-chase, preying upon the carcass of a sheep, one of which was shot by the late Sir Edward Littleton's game- keeper : they have also been seen at Beaudesert, and in Need- wood-forest. 2. CYANEUS The Hen-harrier: Male cere and feet yellow, above grey, beneath white, weight 12 ounces, length 17 inches. Female, a ruff round the head, under each eye a white spot, back dusky, rump white, belly reddish brown, weight 16 ounces, length 20 inches. 3. MILVUS The Kite-Glead: Cere and legs yellow, head grey, back brown, tail forked. Flies remarkably steady ; preys much on mice. 4. BUTEO The Buzzard: Cere and feet pale yellow, beak lead colour, above ferruginous brown, beneath yellowish white, spotted with brown, tail barred with black and ash colour, and tipped with brownish white ; weight 32oz. length 22 inches. 5. TiNNUNCULUS-^TAe Kestrel or Standing Hawk : Cere and feet yellow : male, head light grey, tail the same, with a black bar near the end tipped with white; back purple spotted with black, weight 6| ounces, length 14 inches. Female, back less bright, head and tail pale brown spotted with black, weight 11 ounces. 6. Nisus The Sparrow Hawk: Cere green yellow, feet yellow, bill blue, claws black, above brown or grey, beneath tawny white waved with brown, tail ash colour, barred and tipped with white, weight of the male five ounces ; female nine. Most destructive to game. 7. JEsALON The Merlin: Cere and legs yellow, bill lead colour, above purplish ash colour, with ferruginous spots, beneath yellowish white with brown* spots, tail barred with brown, length 6| inches. 146] A TOPOGRAPHICAL STRIX BRACHYOTUS The Short-eared Owl: Horns or ears a single feather, above brown, beneath pale yellow, quill feathers bar- red with red, tip of the tail white, wings when closed reach beyond the tail ; length 13| inches. Migrates with the woodcock. Does not perch on trees, and prefers wild solitary parts abounding with heath, amidst which it breeds on the ground. It flies by day, and destroys many mice. The ears being small and decumbent, are scarcely conspicuous in dead birds. Found in Chartley Park. 2. FLAMMEA The White Owl : Above pale yellow with white, spots; beneath white; interior sides of the quill feathers, four black spots on each side ; edge of the middle claw serrated ; weight 11 ounces, length 14 inches. The plumage is exquisitely pencilled with unrivalled delicacy. 3. ULULA The Brown Owl : Above deep brown spotted with black and white, beneath pale ash colour mixed with tawny, with black strokes ; disk round the eyes ash colour, with brown spots. Flies by night. LANIUS EXCUBITOR The Cinereous Shrike or Ash-coloured Butcher Bird: Bill and legs black, tail wedged, black in the middle, and white on the sides, crown and back ash colour, wings black with a white bar; cheeks white, with a black stroke; weight three ounces, length 10 inches : migrates. ,Dr. Plot says, there is of them in Needwood-forest, and in Bramshall-park, and that one was killed at Scierscot, near Tamworth, colour and size of a thrush. Feed on insects and small birds, and have sometimes been re- claimed by falconers to fly at small game. ORDER II. PIC^l. CORVUS CORAX The Raven : Above shining bluish black, be- neath dusky; weight 31b. length 26 inches. 2. CORONE The Common Crow: The whole body bluish black, tail rounded; weight 20 ounces, length 18 inches. White crows are named by Dr. Plot. 3. FRUGILEGUS The Rook: Colour bluish black, nostrils, chin, and sides of the mouth, white and bare, somewhat larger than the last. Multitudes of them resort to the sea-coast in severe winters, in search of periwincles ; having found a shell, they raise it to the height of 40 feet, and drop it upon the rocks, instantly descending; if the shell should not break, the operation is repeated ; the labour is immense for so small a recompence. A cream-coloured variety was taken in a nest at Wyrley-grove. Rooks abound in this HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [147 country to the great injury of corn-land. (Mr. Dickenson.) They may be serviceable in a moderate degree, in picking worms and caterpillars out of the earth, and will often examine each furrow after the plough. 4. CORNIX The Royston Crow; Hooded Crow: Back, breast, belly, and upper part of the neck ash colour, the rest bluish black ; weight 22 ounces, length 22 inches. Migrates: rare. 5. MONEDULA The Jackdaw: Back of the head, breast, and belly, ash colour, the rest black, irides white ; weight nine ounces, length 13 inches. 6. GLANDARIUS The Jay: Head covered with long feathers, forehead white with black strokes, neck black, coverts of the wings fine blue, barred with black and white, back, breast, and belly purple, dashed with grey, rump white, tail black; weight six ounces, length 13 inches. Dr. Plot names a white popinjay. 7. PICA The Magpie : Black and white tail, long, wedge- fashioned and richly tinged; weight nine ounces, length 18 inches. Build their nest with thorns. Picus VIRIDIS The Green lo or Woodpecker : Bill angular, straight, finely squared, admirably adapted in all the species for the perforation of trees, crown crimson, back green, rump pale yellow, beneath pale green, tail tipped with black, bill lead colour, legs and feet greenish ash colour, weight six ounces and a half, length thirteen inches. Has a tone of voice resembling the human laugh. 2. MAJOR The Greater Spotted French Magpie: Irides red, crown of the head black, back part crimson, a black collar round the neck, back and rump black, cheeks and scapulars white, breast yellowish white. This bird is more common than the former, fly- ing in the same manner from tree to tree. It is erroneously as- serted to keep entirely in the woods. 3. MINOR The Little Spotted Woodpecker: Crown crimson, above black barred with white, beneath dirty white ; weight one ounce, length six inches. In the female the crown is white, rare, and a miniature of the preceding, insomuch that some have esteemed it a young bird of that species. YUNX TORQUILLA The Wryneck ; Cuckoo's Mate: Above ash colour, with black and brown strokes, beneath light brown, with black spots, tail ash colour, with four black bars, irides hazel, weight one ounce and a quarter, length seven inches : migrates with the cuckoo, with whom it has great affinity in other respects. ALCEDO ISPIDA The King Fisher : Bill, upper mandible black, 148] A TOPOGRAPHICAL under yellow, wings dark green, spotted with blue ; scapulars and coverts of the tail bright azure, beneath orange, tail deep blue, feet orange ; weight If oz. length 7 inches. It skims along our rivers and brooks, and devours small fish. CUCULUS CANORUS The Cuckoo: Bill roundish, and curved a little ; nostrils circular, with a raised margin, tongue entire, two fore, and two hind claws ; above ash colour, beneath white, waved with transverse black lines, tail rounded and spotted with white; weight five ounces, length 14 inches: migrates. Zoolo- gists have in all languages assigned to this harbinger of nature's fairest season, a name expressive of its singular note. Cuckoos were known in Greece in the time of the poet Hesiod. These birds are observed to rest twice annually on Malta, at times which prove them to be on their migration to and from Europe. In Staffordshire, a vulgar error prevails, that cuckoos feed entirely on the eggs of other birds; but this is disproved by anatomists, who have found in their stomachs worms and insects. SITTA EUROPE The Nut Hatch or Wood Cracker: Upper mandible black, lower white, crown black, black stroke across the eyes, cheeks and chin white, coverts of the wings bluish ash co- lour, beneath dull orange, legs pale yellow, twelve feathers in the tail; weight one ounce, length six inches : rare, but found in Earl Bradford's woods, at Weston. CERTHIA FAMILIARIS The Creeper: Bill arched, slender, and somewhat angular, tongue sharp, above brown, streaked with black, quills tipped with white, beneath white, tail of twelve long fea- thers ; weight five drams, length 5| inches. ORDER III. ANSERES. ANAS ANSER The Grey Lag Goose: Weighs lOlb. length two feet nine inches, extent five feet, bill pale yellow, general colour grey, legs flesh colour. Origin of the domestic goose : originally from the fens. Other varieties are sometimes met with, as the Anas Canadensis, shot at Shenstone. The French Goose, kept about Amerton near Chartley, called, from the blackness of its bill, Anser Guineensis, and Swan, are met with near Rugeley, with legs flesh-coloured, like those of a goose, and may be termed Anser Cygnoides. 2. BOSCHAS The Mallard or Wild Duck : Bill green yellow, tail of 24 feathers, four middle ones black. Origin of the tame duck. Found in vast numbers on Aqualate-mere,Chillington-pool,&c. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [149 and sometimes stray off, and build their nests in rivers and pits ; and in winter frequent the smaller brooks. They dive to a great depth in search of subaqueous plants. 3. CRECCA The Teal: Bill and vent feathers black, head bay, with a green and white line on each side, beneath dirty white, a green and a black spot on the wings, coverts of the wings brown, tail pointed ; weight 12 ounces, of the female nine, length 17 inches. The male, when it has attained its true colours, is the most beautiful of our aquatic birds. 4. CYGNUS The Wild Swan : Gere yellow, bill black, plu- mage white, legs and feet brown. On the Trent. 5. MANSUETUS The Tame Swan: Cere knotty and black, bill red, tipped with black, feet lead colour. Larger than the former ; long-lived. 6. ANAS PENELOPS The Widgeon: Bill lead-colour, tipped with black, head bright bay, back waved with black and white, breast purplish, belly white, vent black, middle quills green, tip- ped with black, tail two middle feathers black, longer pointed, the rest ash colour; weight 23 ounces, length 20 inches. MERGUS MERGANSER The Gooseander; Sowgander: Male; bill, irides, and legs red, head green black, neck, breast, and belly pale yellow, wings and tail black and white ; weight four pounds, length two feet four inches. Dundiver; female; head ferruginous, back and tail ash colour, less than the male. Aqualate-mere. PELECANUS CARBO The Cormorant: Bill ash colour, with a yellow naked skin round the base, head and neck black, chin white, a short pendant crest, above bluish green, beneath dusky, a white tuft on the thighs, tail long and rounded, legs black, the middle claw serrated ; weight four pounds, length 32 inches. Frequent in winter about Aqualate-mere. 2. BASS ANUS The Solan Goose or Gannet : Bill bluish grey, jagged at the sides, a long furrow in the upper mandible, eyes yel- low, surrounded by a blue skin, a black pouch under the chin, neck long, crown buff-colour, wings and legs black, the rest of the plum- age dirty white, tail rounded ; weight 4f pounds, length 37 inches. Aqualate-mere, in winter. LARUS CANUS The Common Gull, Mew, or Sea Mall : Bill yellow, back grey, the rest white ; weight 12 ounces, length 17 inches. At Batchacre. 2. TRIDACTYLUS The Tarrock : Bill, tips of the wings, and of .the tail black, head, neck, breast, belly, and tail white, a black u 150] A TOPOGRAPHICAL cresc'ent on the back of the neck, back bluish grey, legs dull ash colour, a small protuberance in lieu of a back toe ; weight seven ounces, length 17 inches. At Weston-nnder-Lizard. 3. HIDIBUNDUS The Pewit-Gull, Black Cap or Sea Crow: Bill and legs red, head, throat, and tips of the wings black ; back and wings ash colour, the rest white, the wings long, and adapted to long flights its note a hoarse laugh. These birds formerly visited the Skrymsher estate, about half a mile south-west of Nor- bury church, to build and breed : some curious particulars of them from Plot will be found under " High Offley." COLYMBUS CRISTATUS The Great-created Grebe: Killed at Com- berford, near Tamworth : a pendant ruff under the chin, no tail, above black brown, beneath silver white, weight 2|lb. length 21 inches, legs near the rump, made for diving, not walking or flying, j 2. AURITIS The Little Grebe, Dobchick, or Doucker: Above black brown, beneath white, head and neck black, ridge and tips of the wings white, a tuft of long feathers on each side the head, legs green, irides red, less than a teal. These birds are so shy, they are with much difficulty shot, having a most exquisite quickness of sight, with a power of remaining long under water. They emerge always towards the water's edge, for the purpose of sheltering in holes, or under the roots of trees ; if taken alive they strike furiously with the bill, like the heron or bittern. Builds its nest in the water, but generally attached to a subaqueous twig : on approaching the nest, the bird darts from it, covers the eggs, and instantly disappears. 3. STELLATUS The Grey Speckled Diver : Bill turns a little upwards, above grey speckled with white, beneath white, tail of 20 black feathers, some tipped with white, feet finned. Vast flocks on Aqualate-mere, in winter. ORDER IV. GRALLJB. ARDEA MAJOR The Common Heron: Bill greenish above, yellow- ish beneath, black at the end, a short pendant crest, above grey, beneath white, with longitudinal spots; a greenish naked skin be- tween the bill and the eyes, irides yellow, quills black, legs greenish. The vulgar imagine their legs attract fish. The heron feeds on fish, but nests in the highest trees. " This bird in numbers is on the decline, having been marked out by man as a fish-stealer. Builds in Norbury Park." Plot. 2. STELLARIS The Bittern: Bill a little arched, irides yellow, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [151 crown black ; a short pendant crest, a black spot at each corner of the mouth ; plumage pale dun yellow, spotted with black, feathers of the breast long and loose, legs greenish, hind claw very long ; makes a bellowing noise, hollow and loud, which may be heard afar, and formerly deemed ominous. RECURVIROSTRA AVOSETTA The Avosseltt Bill 3f inches long; above black and white, beneath white, legs blue and very long ; thighs naked. Rare: Aqualate-mere. SCOLOPAX ARQUATA The Curlew; Bill arched, six inches long, plumage white, spotted with black, quills black, tail white, barred with black, legs bluish grey ; weight from 22 to 37 ounces. Shot near Breewood. 2. RUSTICOLA The Woodcock: Bill three inches long ; above variegated with red brown, black, and grey, beneath dirty white, with transparent dark lines, chin yellow ; weight 12 ounces, length 14 inches. 3. GALLENAGO The Snipe-. Bill three inches, four black and red longitudinal lines on the head; chin, breast, and belly white; neck red and brown; scapulars black and yellow; tail tipped with white ; legs pale green : weight four ounces, length 12 inches. 4. GALLENULA The Jack Snipe ; Beckett: Bill If inch, crown black, rump shining purple, over each eye a yellow stroke ; weight scarce two ounces, length nine inches. 5. CALIDRIS The Redshank; Whistling Plover : Bill two inches, red at the base, black at the end ; head, back of the neck, and sca- pulars dusky ash colour, spotted with black ; back and under side of the body white, spotted with black ; tail barred with black and white ; legs orange : weight 5f ounces, length 12 inches. The note of this species is shrill, resembling the human whistle, and may be heard half a mile. Aqualate-mere. TRINGA VANELLUS The Lapwing; Pewit: Bill, crown, crest^ and throat black ; a black line under each eye, back purplish green, wings and tail black and white, legs red ; weight eight ounces, length 13 inches. Has great powers of flight, and darts with great celerity ; during nidification shew great anxiety, and to divert the attention of a man or dog approaching their nest, will fly so near as almost to come in contact. 2. HYPOLEUCUS The Common Sandpiper: Bill, head, and quills brown; neck dark ash colour, back brown mixed with green, with transverse dusky lines ; longitudinal black lines on the head ; a 152] A TOPOGRAPHICAL white stroke above each eye, beneath white ; legs greenish ; weight two ounces. In hikes and rivers. 3. ALPINA The Dunlin ; Summer Snipe: Bill, legs, and feet black, above red brown, beneath white, with black spots, wings ash colour, back toe very short ; length eight inches. FULICA ATRA The Coot : A thick callus red membrane above the bill; bill and legs olive; garter yellow; belly ash colour; margin of the wings white; the rest black, or very dark ash colour ; weight 26 ounces ; toes scolloped. 2. CHLOROPUS The Water- Hen; Moor- Hen: Callus, irides, up- per part of the bill, and garters red; head, neck, and breast black ; belly deep ash colour; margin of the wings white; the rest glossy olive brown; fins of the toes strait, narrow; weight 15 ounces, length 14 inches. RALLUSAQUATICUS The Water Rail: Bill slightly arched, slen- der, above black, beneath orange ; above black, the feathers edged with olive brown ; beneath ash colour ; base of the wings white ; tail short, legs reddish, and near the tail; weight 4| ounces, length 12 inches : rare. 2. CREX The Land Rail; Corn Crake: Bill and legs grey j above black edged with light brown; beneath 'white; legs very long; weight seven ounces. CHARADRIUS PLUVIALIS The Green Plover: Bill, head, back and legs black, breast brown, belly white; upper part of the body and breast spotted with green ; tail barred with black, green and brown; weight nine ounces, length 11 inches. Migrates; rare. 2. MORINELLUS The Dottrel: Bill, head, shafts of the quills, belly, tip of the tail, and legs black ; a broad white line above the eyes ; cheeks, throat, and thighs white ; breast and sides orange, the rest olive ; weight four ounces. Migrates ; rare. ORDER V. GALLINJE. PHASIANUS COLCHICUS The Pheasant: Bill horn colour, cheek membrane bright red, a tuft of black feathers near the ears, head and neck tinged with rich green purple, beneath brown, tail of 18 feathers, long and of various colours, a short sharp spur; weight 45 ounces, length 36 inches. TETRAO The Grouse: Bare scarlet spot above the eyes, legs feathered to the feet. 2. TETRIX The fflacj? Game or Heath-Cock: Plumage black, a HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [153 white spot on the shonlders, tail of 16 feathers, forked ; thighs and legs dark brown; weight neai 41b. length . 22 inches : female, plumage mixed with red, weight 21b. Cannock-chase, Burntwood, BishopVwoods, and Chartley-park. Feed on whortle-berries, but in summer and autumn wander into corn-fields, being polygamous. Sportsmen aim at destroying the males only. 3. SCOTICUS The Red Grouse or Moor Game: Bill black, irides hazel ; a white spot on each side the lower mandible, threat red, head and neck tawny red, mixed with black ; back red with black spots; beneath purplish brown; streaked with dark lines; tail of 16 feathers ; thighs pale red ; legs feathered to the claws ; weight 19 ounces, length 15 inches: female, belly spotted with white, weight 15 ounces. These birds prefer the summits of hills, braving the utmost rigour of winter, and never seek shelter in woods; when other food fails, they will devour the tops of heath, and abound in the Moorlands of Staffordshire, and on Cannock- heath. Legs naked. 4. PERDIX CINERRA The Partridge: Bill white, plumage orange, black, and brown; a semilunar mark on the breast, tail of 18 feathers ; -weight 15 ounces, length 13 inches: female, less. Plentiful in cultivated lands: in Need wood-forest they subsist on ants' eggs. A brace of white partridges were killed at Wrottesley in 1796. 5. COTURNIX The Quail : Bill dusky, head black, a yellowish line from the crown to the back, chin and throat whitish, breast pale orange spotted with black, back black and yellow; tail of 12 feathers black and red ; length seven inches. Migrates : rare. These birds are seldom seen, but their note has been heard most seasons in corn-fields at Pendeford. ORDER VI. PASSERES. LOXIA COCCOTHRAUSTES The Cross Beak or Haw Finch: Bill, under side the body, and legs reddish, head chesnut, chin and quills black, the ends of the middle quills curved outwards, a black line from the bill to the eyes, back brown ; weight two ounces, length seven inches. Migrates. Feed on berries of yew and hawthorn. 2. PYRRHULA The Bullfinch: Bill, crown, coverts of the wings, and tail black, back of the neck and back grey, coverts of the tail and vent white, cheeks, breast, and belly crimson, a white line across the wings : the breast and belly of the female dirty buff colour. 3. CHLORIS The Green Finch : Plumage yellow green, exterior 154] A TOPOGRAPHICAL webs of the outmost feathers of the tail yellow, lower belly white ; length 5| inches. FRINGILLA CARDUELIS The Goldfinch; Redcap; Seven-coloured Linnet : Circle round the bill red, breast, back, and rump brown, middle of the wings yellow, tip of the bill, line to the eyes, crown, wings, and tail black, the rest white. The most elegant of our small birds in form, plumage, and nidification. 2. CJELEBS The Chaff Finch ; PiedFinch: Bill, crown, back, and sides of the neck bluish, forehead, wings, and tail black, three white lutes across the wings, above the eyes, cheeks, and throat red, belly reddish white : female, without red feathers. 3. MONTIFRINGILLA The Brambling: Back and crown black, edged with brown, chin, throat, breast, and less wing coverts orange> inner coverts yellow, quills edged with yellow, belly whitish ; length six inches. The male is a bird of great beauty : they breed in Scan- dinavia, and a few migrate here in winter. 4. DOMESTIC A TAe House Sparrow : numerous, and injurious to corn in summer. 5. MONTANA The Tree Sparrow or White Cap: Back of the neck, under the eyes, and belly white, rest of the body brown and black, legs pale red. Observed here only in autumn and winter, and sup- posed to breed elsewhere. 6. LINOTA The Common Linnet : Back ash colour and brown, belly white. 7. CANNABINA The Red-headed Linnet ; Back, scapulars, and coverts red brown, on the forehead a dark red spot, breast pale red, rest black and white. EMBERIZA MILIARIS The Bunting: Above olive brown, with black spots, beneath yellow white, edges of the wings and legs yel- low, sides of the tail white; length 7| inches. 2. CITRINELLA The Yellowhammer ; Goldfinch : Crown, chin, throat, and belly yellow, back of the neck, less wing coverts, part of the quills, and part of the tail green, breast orange, rump brown red ; length six inches. 3. SCHJENICULUS The Reed Sparrow: Above black, edged with red, beneath white, a white circle round the head of the male ; length near six inches. CAPRIMULGUS EUROP/EUS The Goatsucker: Plumage black, white, brown, and ash colour intermixed, mouth purple, irides hazel, weight 2| ounces, length 10 inches. Woods near Walsall, and in Sutton Park : migrates, and found here from April to September. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [155 It sings at the close of day, and at times in the night ; the noise resembles the whizzing of a spinning wheel, and when near gives a sensible vibration to the human frame, and it is difficult to discover whence the sound is emitted. This bird is a natural ventriloquist, has wonderful powers of wing, and may be termed the night swal- low, never flying in the day unless disturbed ; it is nearly as large as a cuckoo; its unfledged young squat amongst heath, and resem- ble a toad. HIRUNDO RUSTICA The Chimney Swallow: Above purplish black, beneath reddish white, a red spot on the forehead, and under the chin, mouth black ; length seven inches. Two birds of this spe- cies, entirely white, were bred at Horsebrook, 1796. 2. URBICA *The Martin : Head and back purple black, breast, belly, rump/white, feet covered with white down, month yellow ; length six inches. 3. RIPARIA The Sand Martin: Above mouse colour, beneath white, feet black, a mouse-coloured ring round the neck, length five inches. Will penetrate several feet into the banks of sand- pits to deposit their eggs, the shell of which is white, and beau- tifully pellucid. 4. APUS The Martlet; Swift ; Jack Squealer : Black, except a white spot on the chin, all the toes stand forward; weight less than one ounce, length near eight inches. This species cannot rise from off the ground, from its shortness of legs and length of wing. TORDUS VISCIVORUS TheMiMoe Thrush; Thricecock: Above brown grey, beneath yellow white, with dark spots, irides hazel, tail of 12 feathers, exteriors tipped with white; inner coverts of the wings white; weight five ounces, length 11 inches. Our largest singing bird: builds often in orchards, and propagates the misletoe. 2. PILARIS The Fieldfare: Bill yellowish, tipped with black, head and rump ash colour, back deep brown, tail and legs black, be- neath white, breast reddish, with dark spots; weight four ounces, length 10 inches. Migrates. 3. Musicus The Throstle: Above brown grey, beneath white, with black spots, throat and breast reddish, inner coverts of the wings yellow ; weight three ounces, length nine inches. Sings loudly, and early in spring mornings. 4. ILIACUS The Redwing: Above brown grey, beneath whitish brown spots, sides and under coverts of the wings red yellow, a yel- low white line athwart the eyes ; weight 2$ ounces. 156] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 5. MERULA The Blackbird: Plumage black, bill and edges of the eyelids yellow. MUSCICAPA GRISOLA The Spotted Fly-catcher: Bill, legs and feet black ; above brownish grey, beneath white, quills edged with yellow, throat and sides tinged with red, mouth yellow, length 5| inches, builds in the corner of walls, or on the end of beams, and lays five eggs. This bird frequents gardens, and devours cherries as well as flies. MOTACILLAALBA The White Water Wagtail: Bill, mouth, head, neck, back, tail, and legs black, breast, belly, and sides of the tail white, tail and back claw very long ; weight six drams, length eight inches. 2. FLAVA The Yellow Water Wagtail : Above olive green, be- neath yellow, a yellow line above the eyes, tail edged with white ; length eight inches. 3. REGULUS The Golden-crested Wren : Weight 70 grains, length four inches. One of our smallest birds : in a woo4 near Blymhill. 4. LUSCIANA The Nightingale: Head and back tawny olive, tail tawny red, beneath pale ash colour, lower belly white, irides hazel, eyes large, legs deep ash colour; weight one ounce, length seven inches. They have been heard, though very rarely, in the woods at Weston. " I have (aays Mr. Dickenson) no con- ception why this species is not more common in Staffordshire, for it inhabits much farther north, being found in plenty near Doncaster, Yorkshire." It is found in the south of Staffordshire, near Himley, Swindon, and Enville. 5. MODULARIS The Hedge Sparrow: Head deep brown and ash colour, back and tail blackish, throat and breast bluish ash colour, belly dirty white, legs reddish; weight less than an ounce. A number of white ones were observed some years near Norton-under- Cannock. 6. PH/ENICURUS The Redstart : Bill, cheeks, throat, and legs black, forehead white, crown, nec^k, and back blue, grey, breast, rump, and tail red ; weight six drams. 7. RUBICULA The Robin Redbreast ; Bill and and legs blackish, forehead, chin, throat, and breast yellow red, above green ash colour, belly white ; weight half an ounce. It was formerly held impious to destroy this species, or the common wren, or tjie martin^ or the swallow. 8. OENANTHE The Wheat Ear ; A black and a white line across HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [157 the face, head and back ash colour, tinged with red, beneath yel- lowish white, bill, mouth, quills, and half the tail black, other half and rump white ; size of a sparrow. Migrates. 9. TROCHILUS The Willow Wren; Weight two drams; very diminutive. 10. TROGLODYTES The Wren: Weight three drams, length 4| inches ; of a sprightly nature, perpetually in action, and flirting up its tail, and often observed to sing in its flight. 11. ROBETRA The Whinchat : Above red brown, with black spots, beneath reddish yellow, a white stroke above the eyes, and a broad black one under them, tail black and white, bill, mouth, and legs black ; weight one ounce. 12. RUBICOLA The Stone Chatter; Gorse Hatcher: Bill, mouth, head, neck, back, tail, legs black, sides of the throat and rump white, beneath reddish yellow, white spots on the wings ; size of a linnet. 13. SYLVIA The White Throat: Above brown ash colour, be- neath white, breast and belly tinged with red, tail edged with white ; length six inches. PARUS MAJOR The Tomtit; Greater Titmouse: Billhead, throat black, back green, beneath green yellow, rump bluish, quills tip- ped with blue and white, tail edged with white, legs lead colour: lays many eggs ; nests in holes of trees. 2. CCERULEUS The Blue Titmouse: Crown, wings,tail blue, fore- head, cheeks white, back yellow green, beneath yellow ; weight 3| drams, length five inches. 3. ATER The Colemouse : Bill, head black, with a white spot, above green grey, beneath white, wing coverts tipped with white, legs bluish ; weight two drams. 4. PALUSTRIS -The Marsh Titmouse: Head black, cheeks white, above greenish, beneath white, legs lead colour; weight above three drams. 5. CAUDATIS The Long-tailed Titmouse; Canbottle ; Bill black, thick and convex, crown white, coverts of the wings black, tail black and white, remarkably long. The nest is very beautiful, and arched over, with the entrance on one side. ALAUDA ARVENSIS The Sky Lark ; Ground Lark : Lower man- dible spot above the eyes, soles of the feet, and under side of the body yellow, head and breast spotted with black, exterior web of the quills edged with white; weight If ounce, length seven inches. Sings flying, or soaring in the air. x 158] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 2. PRATENSIS The Tit Lark: Bill, spats on the head, breast, and back black ; above greenish brown ; breast yellow, throat and belly white, sides of the tail white. 3. ARBOREA The Wood Lark: A white ring round the head; crown, throat, and back, spotted with black ; breast tinged with red; belly white; tail black edged with white. Sings in the night soaring in the air, or in early morn. STURNUS VULGARIS The Stare or Starling : Bill yellow, depres- sed, the base of the lower mandible furrowed on each side, a promi- nent margin round the nostrils, tongue bifid, horny; irides hazel; plumage black, tinged with green purple; tips of the feathers yel- lowish, legs and feet reddish black. COLUMBA (ENAS The Common Pigeon : Plumage deep, bluish ash colour, breast tinged with purple green, two black bars on the wings, and one near the end of the tail, back whjte. All our tame pigeons are varieties of this species. 2. PALUMBUsTAe Ring Dove; Queest: Above bluish ash colour, breast tinged with purple, belly dirty white, on the back of the neck a semicircular white line; weight 20 ounces, length 18 inches. In winter they congregate in vast flights, and feed on the shoots of turnips ; in spring they separate in pairs, and seek remote places : their nest is very slightly constructed of a few short sticks only. AMPHIBIOUS ANIMALS. ORDER I. REPTILES. BUFO The Toad: Back broad, black, beset with tubercles, belly swollen, yellow with black spots ; crawls : a loathsome crea- ture. Many well-authenticated instances are recorded of toads found in solid stones, and timber trees : they are supposed to have crept in through an aperture, and growing, could not get out again, and so are grown round, in trees by vegetation, and in stones by petrifaction ; and in that dormant state require little or no sustenance, having little or no stimulus to exhaust them : they generally die upon the access of fresh air. 2. TEMPERARIA The Frog : Less than the toad, back smooth, margin of the upper jaw white; leaps: torpid in winter: in ponds and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [159 ditches. In March, enlivened by the warmth of spring, they rise to the surface in vast numbers, and soon make a great croaking : the young tadpole is a curious interesting little animal. LACERTA AGILIS The Common Lizard or Swift : Tail round, scaly, five toes and nails on each foot, belly black, spotted. 2. VULGARIS The Common Eft; Brown Lizard; Newt ; Asker: Fore-feet four toes, hind-feet five, without nails, a brown line on each side the head. 3. PALUSTRIS The Water Eft or Lizard: Three or four inches long, above black brown, beneath deep yellow, spotted ; feet like the former. ORDER II. SERPENTES. COLUBER BERUS The Viper or Adder: Numerous on Canuock- heath and Sutton Coldfield, and often seen on Morton-moors ; the bite said to be very dangerous, yet swine and peacocks devour them greedily. 2. NATRIX The Snake: Swim very swiftly, prey on lizards under water, very prolific if undisturbed; 70 have been destroyed in one dunghill. ANGUIS FRAGILIS The Blind Worm : Common heaths and the Moorland hills, perfectly harmless, though reckoned poisonous by the peasantry. ORDER III. NANTES. PETROMYZON MARINUS The Lamprey: In the Severn and Trent rivers. 2. FLUTIATILIS TheLampern: In the Severn, about one foot long. 3. BRANCHIALIS The Nine Eyes : In rivulets, length five or six inches. FISHES. ORDER I. APODES. Murana Anguilla (common eel). Plot says they are vivapa- rous, and make journies by land, stocking waters themselves, being night-walkers, and catch snails ; and adds, they will live six days out of water. 160] A TOPOGRAPHICAL ORDER II. JUGULARES. Gadus Lota, (burbot, eel pout) in the Trent ; a great delicacy, but of hideous appearance ; head like a toad, body like an eel. ORDER III. THORACICI. Coitus Gobio, (bullhead) in rivers and rivulets. Perca Fluviatilis, (perch) in ponds, pools, lakes and rivers. 2. Cernua, (ruff) length five inches j in the Staffordshire canal, and in rivulets. Gastrosteus Aculeata, (stickleback, sharpling) in rivers, brooks, and rills. ORDER IV. ABDOMINALES. Cobitis Barbatula, (groundling or loach) length three inches ; brooks and rivers. 2. Taenia, (bearded loach) in the Trent. Salmo Tatar, (salmon) in the Severn, and sometimes in the Trent and Dove. 2. Fario, (trout) highly esteemed ; in rivulets, brooks, and rivers. 3. Thymallus, (grayling) in the Churnet, Trent, &c. ; have been taken four pounds weight. Esox Lucius, (pike) grow to great size, will swallow young ducks ; voracious : taken in Aqualate-mere 36 pounds weight. Cyprinus Carpio, (carp) ponds and pools in Aqualate-mere ; 33 inches long, weight 15 pounds. 2. Barbus, (barbie) in the Trent; have been taken llf pounds weight. 3. Tinea, (tench) ponds, pools, and rivers. 4. Gobio, (gudgeon) in Black-brook; seven inches long and four about. 5. Brama, (bream) in large rivers ; frequent : length 12 inches. 6. Rutilus, (roach) in brooks and rivers ; length six or seven inches. 7. Leuciscus, (dace) length six or seven inches ; in the Trent. 8. Cephalus, (chub) in the Trent ; have been known five pounds weight. 9. Alburnus, (bleak) in the Trent; length five inches. 10. Phoxinus, (pink or minnow) in the Penk ; length two inches. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [161 INSECTS. THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW OF THE MOST REMARKABLE: Scarcib&us Melolontha^ (free beetle humbuz) sometimes ex- tremely numerous. 2. Solstitialis, (fern chaffer) supposed to eat off the roots of wheat and clover. Coccinella, (lady-cow) seeks its food on the leaves of trees. Crysomela Nemorum, (turnip beetle) skippers; prey on the young turnip plants. Curculio Granarius, (weevil) long-snouted ; devours corn in granaries. Lampyris Noctiluca, (glow-worm) the light arises from two small specks under the tail. Gryllus Domestica, (house cricket) sometimes very numerous, within and without doors. 2. Grossus, (common grasshopper) the larger sort greenish. Cancer Astacus, (crayfish) in brooks and rivers. Aphis BrassiccB, (cabbage louse) very minute, and very nume- rous on plants. Papileo Brassica, (cabbage butterfly) caterpillar; breed from May to July. Libellula Grandis, (great dragon fly) : Libellula Pulgatissima, (small dragon fly) sport and fly over waters, and about in fine summer weather. Ephemera, (short-lived insect) produced and exhausted in a day or two. Tenthredo Rustica, (turnip fly) the caterpillar of this fly some- times preys on turnips. Vespa Crabro, (hornet) length one inch ; sometimes gets into up- per rooms. 2. Vulgaris, (common wasp) female larger than the male ; sting well known. Apis Mellifica, (common hive bee) well known for its excellent honey. Formica Fa-sea, (common ant) proverbial for industry. Oestrus Bovis, (breeze or gad-fly) breeds on the backs of cattle. 162] A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. Tipula Oleracea, (long legs) one of our domestic insects. Musca Carnaria, (common flesh fly) : Musca Domestica, (domes- tic house fly) two very common well-known species. Tabanus Bovinus, (horse fly) a plague to horses and men. Culex Pipiens, (common gnat) often dancing in the air. Apis Terrestris, (humble bee) builds deep in the ground. Bumbylus Medius, (humble bee fly) hovers in the air, and darts with celerity. Phalangium Opilio (long-legged spider) eyes on the top of the head. Limax Ater, (black snail) in moist shady places. MISCELLANEOUS PARTICULARS CONNECTED WITH THE NATURAL HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. IT has been observed in Leek church-yard of the setting of the sun at the summer solstice, near a hill called the Cloud, about six miles distant, (which hill being a precipice, and appearing almost perpendicular on the northern side,) that the sun seems so nicely to cut the edge of it at setting, it can plainly be perceived by the help of this hill that no two days are equal, but that there is a sensible va- riation of the solar motion. If the parts were well defined by solid work and painting, and one or more fixed stations established in Leek church-yard, this might be converted into a quadrant of six miles radius, and applied to the purpose of very accurately deter- mining the obliquity of the ecliptic, and its variation. Dr. Plot mentions a Black Moist Rotten Earth, that lies just under the turf in heathy soils, where he was told seriously by different gentlemen, near Beresford and Rudyerd in the Moorlands, and also at Bescote,near Walsall," that if one ride in a dark night, in a moist season, when a horse breaks through the turf, and throws up this black, moist, spongy sort of earth, he seems to fling up so much fire, which lies shining upon the ground like so many embers ; by the light whereof one horse may trace another, though at some distance, and never so dark, it continuing light upon the ground, and being gradually dying away for some minutes, or near a quarter of an hour." We have heard of similar phenomena occurring at Chartley-moss, or some moist ground thereabouts ; and without personal experience can conceive it possible, upon the principle of some other bodies or substances shining in the dark, as rotten wood, glow-worms, &c. Tobacco-pipe C/ai/was formerly got in different parts of the county. 164] A TOPOGRAPHICAL " as at Stile-cop, on Cannock-heath, whereof they made pipes at Armitage and Lichfield ; and again at Darlaston, Wednesbury, and in Monway-field, towards Willingsworth, of a whitish colour, which makes excellent pipes ; and again in Pensnet-chace, south of Dudley. And Charles Riggs, of Newcastle, made very good pipes of three sorts of clay, which he had from Shelton, Hanley- green, and Grubber's Ash/' We believe these have all given way to the superior whiteness of the Broseley clay, which now enjoys a monopoly of the pipe-trade of this county. The Amblecot Clay, on the banks of the Stour, near Stourbridge, famous in the time of Plot, still maintains its superiority as a fire- clay, and will bear the most violent heat unmoved : it is used in the neighbouring glass-houses, and exported to all parts of the world. Potter's Clay, for the more common wares, is found in Monway- field, and near Tipton, Wednesbury, and Bilston, where some small manufactures of this kind are now carried on. But the largest Potteries in this county, or perhaps in the world, are established at Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Lane End, &c. which places occupy an extent of about ten miles, and contain upwards of 30,000 inha- bitants, chiefly employed in this extensive manufacture. Plot says, " of Earths used in Colouring and Painting, we may reckon the yellow and red ochres met with near Stansope, in the parish of Alston-field. Ruddle, or red ochre, they dig very good in the parish of Ipstones ; and I was told there is also of it at Dilhorn." The ochres are, doubtless, an imperfect or decomposed ore of iron. The Peacock Coa/, dug at Hanley-green, near Newcastle-under- Lyme, is much softer than the cannel; it most vividly represents all the colours of the most glorious feathers of a peacock's train, whence it borrows its name : Plot. " At Waterfall, in the Moorlands, the Lime-stone rises in tables or flats of about two inches thick, and of so very fine a grain and close texture, that it polishes like marble, whereof in the arbours up and down the country I find tables made of it." Dr. Plot also relates that a Sweet Liquor is sometimes contained in the iron-stones of Staffordshire, particularly in those found in the " lands of Henry Legh, Esq. of Rushall; where, in the Mill-meadow, in the Moss-close, near the old Vicarage-house, and in the Furnace- leasow, it was frequently met with amongst the best sort of iron- stone called Mush, in round or oval, blackish or reddish stones, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [165 sometimes as big as the crown of one's hat, hollow and like an honey-comb within, and holding a pint of this matter, which, ac- cording to the colour of the comb within, is either red or white, of a sweet sharp taste, very cold and cutting, but greedily drank by the workmen/ 7 This may be matter of fact, but nothing is known of it at present, and no iron-stone is now got there, though there are evident traces of it formerly. Building-stone is found plentifully in various parts of the county. One of the most remarkable quarries was formerly at Pendeford, in the lands of Mr. Fowler, where it lies in depth 14 to 20 yards ; in- deed the workmen found no bottom, and the deeper they went the finer the grit, the colour whiteish at the top, then reddish to 10 or 12 yards, and then whiter than at top for five or six yards more ; it being all good weather stone, but not enduring the fire, as the stone in the quarry in Purton-park will, which is both a good weather and fire stone too, and so free from clefts that a stone may be had of any magnitude. Specimens of this stone may be seen in the new Church, Wolverhampton, which was built from this quarry. The quarry at Bilston is also remarkable, it laying in beds in horizontal planes one under another, twelve beds deep, every bed being thicker than that above it an inch or more; so that the lower bed is about a yard thick, of which they make troughs, cis- terns, &c. The grind-stones dug here are of a peculiarly fine grit, and frequent exportations of them to America have been made. The stone is also excellent for building-stone, and fit for cornices and mouldings. Grind-stones of a coarser quality are got at Gor- nall and Upper Areley, in this county. A very large facing of stone is now open in a quarry at Coton, on the north bank of the Trent, facing Rugeley ; and very good stone is also raised upon the Brockton estate of Sir George Chet- wynd. The Tixali stone is also famous for canal buildings, well resisting the action of water ; very large quantities of it are used in canal locks, raised in a quarry upon the Tixali estate, about half a mile west of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. Mill-stones have been made out of great round pebbles, found in different parts of the county, and used for grinding wheat. At Mole-Cop they dig them as in a quarry, which they cleave from the rock with a great number of small wedges, driven with slight strokes lest the stone should crack or flaw. This stone lies well in building, the parish church of Biddulph being built with it. Between Swithamley and Wharnford, in the north-west Moor- Y 166] A TOPOGRAPHICAL lands, is a stupendous cleft in the rock, called Lud-Church, 208 yards long and from 30 to 50 feet deep, the sides steep and so hanging over, that it sometimes preserves snow all the summer. Snow has been brought from thence to Leek July fair. Alabaster is contained in the whole bank of red marl between Need wood-forest and the river Dove, from Marchington to Tut- bury; but that at Castle-Hayes is the best, of which they make grave-stones, tables, chimney-pieces> &c. and many smaller utensils. In the lordship of Grindon are whole mountains of Marble. Yelpersley To IT, and most of the hills thereabouts, are (says Dr. Plot) a ranee marble, of a white hard shining grit, striped red, and capable of a good polish ; and at Stansope, in the parish of Alston-field, is a grey marble not inferior in its kind, and in quan- tities sufficient for any purpose. Timber-trees of great bulk have been produced in this county : the following are upon record. On Needwood-forest, Swilcar Oak, the father of the forest, girths at five feet high 21 feet, the lower stem is 10 feet clear; the whole height about 65 feet, the extent of the arms about 45 feet. The great oak at Norbury was six yards in the girth ; and one standing on Cannock-wood nine yards girth. An oak was felled in the Grofield-coppice, Chii- lington, about 20 years ago, of nine yards in circumference. The trunk of an oak in Ellenhall-park was of so vast a bulk, that though sunk in the ground, two men on horseback could not see each other over it. A prodigious Witch-elm grew at Field, upon the Bagot estate, of which it is attested that it fell 120 feet in length, was 17 yards in circumference at the butt-end, and 25 foot f girth in the middle, containing 96 tons of timber; that 14 loads of fire-wood, as much as six oxen could draw, broke off in the fall, and 47 such loads more were cut from the top; that they were forced to piece two saws together, and put three men to each end, to cross-cut the body ; that there were cut out of it 80 pair of naiths for wheels, and 8000 feet of sawn timber in boards and planks. Plot. A Fir-tree grew at Walton, in the parish of Norbury, six yards about, and 47 yards high, according to admeasurements of it by three distinct persons at different times. Trees are often found beneath the earth in a fossil state, and Dr. Plot has made loug and elaborate dissertations to account for their being there ; but nothing can be more simple and natural HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE [167 than to suppose that they may have fallen down by natural decay, or iu consequence of high winds, or have heen cut down to clear the ground, and not taken away, and that the natural accumulation of earth over them, from decayed vegetable growth, or from inun- dations, or other causes, has left them beneath the surface in the state they are found. From the instances given of Fruit-trees growing formerly in this county, it should appear that more attention has heretofore been paid to their culture than has unfortunately been the case in later times. An apple-tree grew in the moat of the parsonage-house at Leigh that spread its boughs to 17 or 18 yards diameter, and 54 circumference, and having borne some years -50 strike of apples. All sorts of fruit-trees were then cultivated (about 1680) much more than they anciently were, and they have been too much neglected since. Many good orchards have been suffered to de- cay for want of a succession stock of young trees, and the crab-mills of many villages where they occasionally made perry, have been disused for want of fruit. The parish of Areley was planted in the Worcestershire manner, having all sorts of pippins of the best kinds. These were afterwards neglected, but were again partially reinstated. Dr. Plot says, for fruits of the parterre or house- gardens, they were as choice at Ingestre as in most gardens of the south; and in the gardens at Okeover were then growing 60 different sorts of apples, 20 sorts of pears, 16 of cherries, 35 of apricots and plums, and seven sorts cf nectarines and peaches. Some instances of remarkable Echos are given in the particulars of parishes. Dr. Plot mentions one at Norbury, north-easterly from the manor, near a little bank under the wood side, at about 440 yards distant, where in a still day the echo will repeat ten to twelve syllables distinctly, or more if spoken quick, the object whereof must needs be the manor. A similar remarkable echo is from the front of Pendeford Hall, at about 200 yards distant : this was weakened some years ago by cutting down the side groves, which gave room for the air to expand. The theory of echos seems to depend upon the vibration of the air being stopped or confined by surrounding objects. Among remarkable Pools, Dr. Plot mentions one at Pendeford, which, though a standing lake, is seldom dry, and tolerably clear in settled fair weather, only against rain it becomes troubled, rising full of bubbles, and thickening at the top into a yellow scum, which presently as it rains vanishes away, and the water recovers 168] A TOPOGRAPHICAL its former colour and clearness. Mr. Fowler, the owner, said that he had often been admonished by it in time of harvest to fetch-in his corn. Similar circumstances, we believe, occur upon most standing waters in hot seasons previous to a change of weather, the variation of heat putting the insects, and other creatures prey- ing upon them, in motion : thus, upon the approach of rain in hot weather, ducks and other water-fowl clap their wings, and as it were rejoice, and are busy with their heads under water, which is a symptom of a change of weather. " As some pooles and ponds (says Plot) thus foretell rain, so there are other ponds and springs that prognosticate dearth, by rising or overflowing ; such is the Moss-poole near Mearton, in the parish of Forton, not far from Newport ; and Druid-meer, in the parish of Aldridge, the rising or exudation of which being taken for a certain sign of a dearth of corn. But what excels all others in this feat is Hungry-pit, situate in a field below the old fortifica- tion not far from Billington, but in the parish of Seighford, which predicts scarcity by its rise upon sticks set upright in the mud, which people place there for observation, fore-judging the rise or fall of corn in the mercats by the rise or fall of the water on these sticks, and keeping or vending it accordingly ; yet it little re- gards the quality of the weather, overflowing sometimes in droughts, and having nothing in it after falls of rain ; yet these superstitious notions have been profitable to some, who, whether by casualty or not, had thereby advanced their fortunes/' These circumstances are less noticed now than in former times, though probably founded on just principles, for dearths of corn in England are most frequently or always the consequence of wet seasons ; and though this spring might not be much affected by a sudden shower, or partial drought, yet it probably follows very ac- curately the general tenor of the season. The cause of springs is doubtless the atmospherical moisture condensing on the summits of hills, which water, thus condensed, descends between the strata of the incumbent soil, till it settles in the earth, or bursts forth on the surface : the whole process is a work of time, and it is only the exuberance of the season that appears in these springs. The Nileometer of Egypt is well known, as foretelling plenty or scar- city by the rise of the Nile ; but their greatest plenty is when water is most abundant, by spreading the farther to fertilize the naturally barren sand. Dr. Plot mentions another kind of springs he met with in this HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [169 county, " that have this surprising- quality, that though they are cold, they never freeze in the hardest weather ; such is the spring that feeds the mill-pool at Overholm, near Leek, and the spring which supplies the mill at Tittensor ; whence it is that the mills of hoth these places never fail going in the severest frost. There are springs also about Hints that do not freeze ; also ClayerVpool, in the corner of the park at Enville, which is fed by a spring (com- ing out of a spout) called Shadwell, under which if you set a ves- sel of water frozen, it will certainly thaw it." The Brown-hills engine coal-pit water, in a very severe frost, kept the Wyrley canal fluid for a considerable distance from its place of supply, though the canal was hard frozen over in general. This is to be accounted for, because the supply of spring water comes from a degree of heat within the earth higher than the freezing point, which consequently keeps fluid till cooled by the external air to a degree below 32. We remember some years ago observing the effects of water, from a spring of sensible warmth near Mo- thershall, early in the season, in fertilizing the grass, and meadow- bouts in blossom, a fortnight or three weeks before other places : water within the earth is often warmer than the external air, gene- rally so in winter, though not in summer. Of the Salt Springs in divers parts of the county, (says Plot) the most considerable are in the parish of Weston-upon-Trent, be- longing to Earl Ferrers, of Chartley, where they make as good white salt for all uses as any in England, though not to so great advantage as in Worcestershire and Cheshire, where the brine is so strong as to yield from a fourth to a sixth part salt ; whereas here in Staffordshire it affords but a ninth: 15 hogsheads of brine made nine strike of salt after 16 hours of evaporation. Besides these salt springs, there are other weak brines that gently rise out of the earth about Enson, St. Thomas, and iu the parish of Ingestre, in a ground called the Marsh, where the brine of itself breaks out of the ground, and frets away the grass, and the very earth also, so that it lies in a plash half a foot lower than the turf about it : the cattle standing in it in the summer time, and throw- ing it on their backs with their tails, the sun so candies it upon them, that they appear as if covered with a hoarfrost. -Brine lately appeared in the meadows of Rickerscote, near Stafford, upon dig- ging into the earth, but was soon diluted by the river water; and a water has been since found there strongly impregnated with salt and sulphur. 1 70] A TOPOGRAPHICAL In Pensnet-chase, south from Dudley, there was a brine found upon the estate of Lord Dudley, where they once attempted to make salt, but the brine proving too weak, they thought proper to desist. The following information respecting the MEDICINAL WATERS in this county, is extracted from Plot (ch. ii. sees. 115 129) without strictly regarding, in some places, either his precise words or arrangement, though such are for the most part observed. Whatever may be the opinion of some, most certain it is, that divers strange unaccountable cures have been performed at various Wells in Staffordshire : and more there might be were the waters attended (as some others are) with a skilful physician to prepare the body before-hand, direct the use of the waters, and how to order the body after drinking and bathing. Lord Bacon well ob- serves, that some medicines, if unadvisedly administered, will do no cures, but being orderly applied, will do great ones ; even so the success of using medicinal waters depends much upon method. Various waters may be taken inwardly, or applied outwardly, for the prevention or cure of divers distempers : both drinking and bathing in such waters have been attended with beneficial effects. And no one need to wonder that there should be any such thing as a cold sulphur bath, or one in waters which hold an oily sub- stance and salt. The Well of St. Erasmus, situate in the parish of Ingestre, and grounds of Walter Chetwynd, Esq. was formerly of so great esteem, that there was a chapel built near it, and endowed ; where the offerings were so considerable, that the rector of Ingestre pays at this day (1686) for the dismes (tenths) of them more than for the profits of the whole parish beside; notwithstanding its revenue, with all other such lands given to pious uses, were taken into the king's hands at the Reformation, and the chapel be now demo- lished, and all applications thither long since ceased. Although the well is wholly neglected and overgrown with weeds, the water is clear, remains as good, and might be as beneficial as ever it was. It has no very eminent smell or taste, and is exactly of the colour of sack. Codsall Well, situate near Codsall-wood, is such another. Though its water is much clearer than at Ingestre, yet it most certainly is sated with sulphureous particles; for it always emits a sulphureous smell: and in winter, and sometimes against rain, the odour is so strong, that, with the advantage of the wind, one may smell it now and tiien at least 23 yards off. Moreover, so vo- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE [171 latile is it, and so little restrained, that when set over the fire, it flies away so fast, that the water quickly loses its smell. In ancient times, when leprosies were frequent, this water was accounted a sovereign remedy for such as were troubled with that foul distemper ; and for whose better accommodation there was a house built near it, which retains to this day the name of the Leper House. This water is in use at present against scabs and itch, both in man and beast, and purges both by siege and urine. It not only rakes the body within, but most effectually drives forth all ill humours, and sometimes it vomits, according to the consti- tutions of the patients, who commonly drink about three quarts at a time. Less, scarce works except by vomit, where it meets with weak stomachs. The inhabitants hereabout brew their drink with this water, especially at that which they call the Brimstone Alehouse ; and boil their meat with it. Upon which it is observed, that none of them are ever troubled either with scabs or itch, or such like cuti- cular diseases. Willowbridge Well, situate in Willowbridge Park, near to Ash- ley, is a water that carries with it the most rectified sulphur, it being hardly visible in the water itself, which appears, not like others, of a yellow, but clear chrystalline colour; only on the sides of the glasses, after they have been used awhile, one may perceive with good attention a bright oilyness. So abundant was this water in Plot's time, that he computed no less than sixty springs of it, of a most uninterrupted profluence, all rising within the space of ten yards square. It cures many diseases by its balsamic virtue and great subtilty and volatility, easily permeating the closest texture, and most in- accessible parts of the body, when once heated by the stomach if taken inwardly ; or by the external heat of the skin, if applied outwardly by way of bath. The Right Honourable Jane Lady Gerard, Baroness Gerard of Gerard 's Bromley, was the first who discovered the restorative virtues of these waters ; and at her charitable expence several of the springs have been inclosed with squared stone, to preserve them pure and fit for bathing and drinking; and divers apartments built for lodging the poorer sort of diseased impotent people. By which deeds she was justly entitled to the praise of a pious and charitable lady. This lady's son, Digby Lord Gerard, had a stately seat at Brom- 172] A TOPOGRAPHICAL ley, within two miles and a half of these wells, which was consi- dered the most magnificent structure in the county. The above Wells, whose properties are thus enumerated by Plot, he terms sulphureous oleagenous waters. He then proceeds to give an account of otaer Sulphur Waters, which, he says, are at many places in this county, though not so clear and well-concocted as these : being generally thick, of a bluish colour, and emitting un- pleasant fetid odours. Such as that at TATENHiL,on the highway-side near the pound, which in the sum- mer-time, if undisturbed by fowl, has been observed to lay down a sediment almost of all sorts of colours, and might possibly have the same use, that other stinking spaws have, were it but kept clean. And so might that stinking water, which crosses WATLING-STREET way, not far from Horsebrook, and another of this kind betwixt WILLENHALL and BENTLY, could it be kept from a mixture with other water. There is another of these in a watery lane not far from ECCLESHALL, and another was said to be near HARTLEY GREEN, besides that, which also petrifyes, between SANDON and GAYTON. And there is another at BUTTERTON, in the parish of Mathfield by How-brook side, which, like the baths of Banca in Hungary, will tinge silver of a blackish colour in an hour's time. There are other Sulphur waters combined with Vitriol in this county, whereof there is one in a ditch in the Park meddow under BROUGHTON Park pale, and another at MONMOORE green near WOLVERHAMPTON. Another at GRINDLESTONE edge, about a quarter of a mile eastward of HORTON church. One purely Vitriolic water is in Needwood Forest, about a mile and a half south easterly from H ANBURY. Another is said to be at BURSLEM, near Newcastle-under-Lyme : but respecting the quality of this last Plot entertains a doubt. Among what he terms milky waters, that hold somewhat of vitriol in them, he notices one at HAMPSTED, the seat of Sir John Wyrley, knt. Aluminous waters are found at DRAYCOT in the Clay, in the parish of Hanbury, and near HORECROSS, westerly from the hall by the brook side in a ground called Broadfield, belonging to Robert Howard Esq. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [173 The water of the well at HORE-CROSS HALL seems of this kind, and the well water of the house of Mr. John Cmnherlege, mayor of WALSALL, is also aluminous; and so is the fountain head of the rivulet called STICHBROOK, between Lichfield and Elmhurst, which is so apparently such, that the very alum slat may be seen sticking in the bank side, whence the water issues. Besides these, there are many other waters not mineral, which no doubt carry with them some more subtile steams whereby they perform unaccountable cures. Such is the water of the. well near GAWTON STONE, in KNYPERSLEY PARK, which has some reputa- tion for the cure of the king's evil ; and so has the spring called Saltar's Well, near NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME ; and such is the water of the three wells near Shuston House, and of St. Edith's well, both in the parish of CHURCH EYTON ; of the two St. Mod- wen's wells, at BURTON and Cannal, and all the holy wells in the country, which the people still adorn, at some certain times of the year, with green boughs and flowers, in grateful memory of the good they have formerly done. *And among these must be reckon- ed all sorts of eye-waters, such as that of the Elder well betwixt BLYMHILL and BRINETON, and many others of the kind all over the country. And so must a spring in a narrow lane about mid way betwixt WOLVERHAMPTON and a house called Sea well, which was anciently of such repute, that it still retains the name of the Spaw. The above were all the wells of note in this county in the time of Plot ; and the names of the owners above-mentioned, were pro- prietors in his day. The following observations appear in another part of his work, (ch. viii. see. 89) and may aptly conclude this subject. " They have also a custom in this county, which I observed on holy Thursday at Breewood and Bilbrook, of adorning their wells with boughs and flowers : this it seems they do at all gospell- places, whether wells, trees, or hills ; which being now observed only for decency and custom sake, is innocent enough. Hereto- fore too it was usual to pay their respect to such wells as were eminent for cureing distempers, on the saint's day whose name the well bore, diverting themselves with cakes and ale, and a little musick and danceing; which, whilst within these bounds, was also an innocent recreation. " But whenever they began to place sanctity in them, to bring alms and offerings, or make vows at them, as the ancient Germans z 174] A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. and Britons did, tind the Saxons and English were too much in- clined to, for which St. Edmund's Well, without St. Clements, near Oxford, and St. Laurence's at Peterborough, were famous here- tofore; I doe not find but they were forbid in those times, as well as now, this superstitious devotion being call'd (in English) well- worship, and was strictly prohibited by our Anglican councills, as long ago as king Edgar ; and in the reign of Canutus ; not long after again in a councill at London, under St. Anselm, archbishop' of Cant. ann. 1102; as it was also particularly at those two wells, near Oxford, and at Peterborough, by Oliver Sutton, bishop of Lincoln." Dr. Darwin relates that a complete cylinder of bark, an inch in length, was cut from the branch of a pear tree against a wall in Mr. Howard's garden at Lichfield, about five years after the cir- cumcised part was not above half the diameter of the branch above and below it, yet the branch had been full of fruit every year since, when the other branches bore only sparingly; the leaves of the wounded branch were smaller and paler, and the fruit less, but ripe sooner than on the rest of the tree : another branch had the bark taken oft' not quite all round with similar effect. The following instance of longevity was transmitted by a -gentle-- man who was a neighbour to the individual referred to, who died a few years ago at the age of 115 years. The industry of his early years acquired a competence with which he purchased a small farm called Lapley Hayes, near Wednesfield. His name was William Hyven : he lived on this farm a great many years, and at the age of 105 married a third wife, and in defence of his marriage used the words of St. Paul : " It is better to marry than to burn." He was rather under the middle size, but robust and strong, of a lively dis- position, and retentive memory, which he retained to the last ; he took for breakfast a gruel of oatmeal and leeks> the latter in plenty, as he considered them as conducing to health ; he was an early riser, but observed no rigid discipline of abstinence, not rejecting that stimulus by which mirth aud vivacity are augmented, nor in- deed at times refusing larger potations to dispel the cares attendant on mortality. He died at Little Bloxwich at the age above men- tioned, and was buried in Wednesfield chapel-yard. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES EMINENT NATIVES OF STAFFORDSHIRE LORD ANSON: PERHAPS no other country in the world has produced so many eminent and memorable men as England; and among the great frames which adorn the history of this celebrated spot, several na* tives of STAFFORDSHIRE will be found, whose genius or heroism were conducive to national greatness. This midland county y^ remark- able for having been the birth-place of several naval heroes, parti- cularly an ANSON, a GARDNER, and a ST. VINCENT; names which will be frequently repeated by every admirer of British en- terprise, skill, and intrepidity. GEORGE ANSON, the fourth son of William Anson, Esq. and Eli- zabeth, eldest daughter of Robert Carrier, Esq. was born at Shug- borough manor-house, in the parish of Colvvich, in Staffordshire, on the 23d of April 1697. The bent of Mr. Anson's genius was directed rather to an active than a studious profession, and having been instructed in the rudiments of a classical education, he was entered as a midshipman on board a man of war, which sailed with a squadron to the Baltic in the spring of 1716. On the 16th of May in that year, Mr. Anson was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant of the Hampshire; and thus at the early age of nine- teen, the hero who was afterwards destined to exalt the naval cha- racter of his country, had the honour to receive a commission as. an officer in one of his Majesty's ships of the line. That his ar- dour for distinction was stimulated by this early preferment will not be doubted by the reader of his eventful history, yet no par- ticular instance of his superiority of juvenile talent is on record. 176] A TOPOGRAPHICAL In 1717, a British fleet was sent to cruize in the Baltic, under the command of the unfortunate Admiral Sir George Byng, and in this fleet our hero served in the Hampshire. On the 15th of March 1718, Lieutenant Anson was appointed Second Lieutenant of the Montague ; that ship was one of the squadron which sailed under Admiral Byng to protect the island of Sicily from the intended invasion of the Spaniards ; and in the course of the summer, the British brought the Spanish fleet to action, which terminated in the total destruction of the enemy, and the consequent relinquishment of the King of Spain's ambitions projects against the independence of the Sicilians. Lieutenant Anson was highly distinguished for his skill and bravery on this occasion. On the 19th of June 1722, he was appointed comman- der of the Weazle sloop of war ; and on the 1st of February 1724, he was raised to the rank of Post Captain in the Royal Navy, and to the command of the Scarborough man of war. Captain Anson was immediately ordered in the Scarborough to the South Carolina station, where he continued about three years and a half. During his residence on the shores of that colony, Captain Anson was from time to time actively employed in the improvemgnt of a tract of land which he had purchased, in which he built a small town which he called Anson-Brough, and gave name to a division of the province, still called Anson county. In consequence of orders from the Admiralty, Captain Anson returned to England in October 1727, and the Scarborough was paid off in May 1728. On the llth of October 1728, our hero was appointed Captain of the Garland man of war, and sent again to the coast of South Carolina, to watch the motions of the French cruisers. He was ordered home in December 1729, and the ship was paid off at Sheerness. In May 1731, he was appointed com- mander of the Diamond, but that ship was paid off in August, and in January 1732, he was again sent to South Carolina, as com- mander of the Squirrel man of war. Captain Anson continued on this station three years, and had an opportunity of pursuing his favourite plan for the improvement of Anson-Brough, doubtless with the honourable ambition to perpetuate a name which will ever adorn the annals of his country. It does not appear, how- ever, that his wishes and expectations respecting this town were ever realized ; perhaps his pecuniary resources were insufficient to procure the requisite supplies of furniture, utensils, &c. from the mother country for the accommodation o.f settlers ; and from the HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [177 uncertainty of his own profession as a naval officer, he was unable to bestow that uninterrupted attention to this infant establishment, which would have insured its permanence. In his public em- ployment he behaved with that firmness and discretion which were among his most conspicuous characteristics : when ordered home in the spring of 1735, he left South Carolina for the last time, and on his return to England his ship was put out of commission. Our hero now enjoyed the calm pleasures of retirement at his birth-place for some time,, but like all active and aspiring men, he was still emulous of distinction. His former services were not forgotten, and on the 9th of December 1737, he was appointed Captain of the Centurion, a ship in which he afterwards added new lustre to the naval glory of his country, and signalized himself by his fortitude and achievements during his celebrated voyage round the Globe. In February 1738, Captain Anson was ordered in his ship to the coast of Guinea, to prevent the French cruisers from annoying our merchantmen in their trade to the Gold Coast ; and during a cruise of eighteen months, he effectually protected the British traders without the necessity of coming to actual hostilities with our ambitious rival. His vigilance and prudence wer& highly ap- proved by Government. But the era now approached which was to eternize Captain Anson's fame as an enterprising and skilful navigator. At the commencement of the war with Spain in 1739, it was determined by the British Government to attack the Spanish American Set- tlements in the Pacific Ocean, and our hero was appointed Com- modore of the fleet designed for that purpose. The expedition, however, was delayed till September 1740. Commodore Anson in the Centurion doubled Cape Horn in March 1741, and arrived at the island of Juan Fernandez in June, with only two ships of his squadron, and 335 men. During this disas- trous voyage, the seamen on board the Centurion were afflicted with the scurvy, which proved fatal to many ; on their arrival at Juan Fernandez, Commodore Anson by exemplary humanity and attention to the sick excited the emulation of his officers, who ac- tually lent their aid in carrying the infirm sailors ashore in their hammocks to the temporary infirmary erected for their comfort and accommodation. During the three months that he remained in Juan Fernandez, he sowed the seeds of several culinary herbs and roots, and a variety of plum, apricot, and peach stones, for 178] A TOPOGRAPHICAL the purpose of producing salutary herbs, roots, and fruits, for the use- of such seamen as might touch there. He also employed. his officers in examining the creeks and havens along the coast of the island, and in comparing their observations with their charts, to facilitate the. progress of future voyagers. Commodore Anson sailed from Juan Fernandez in September 1741, and in his voyage towards the Spanish settlements in Quito he took some prizes. He afterwards took the town of Paita, which was but feebly defended by the Spanish garrison, and burnt it, because the governor refused to pay a sufficient ransom. He continued cruising off the American coast till May 1742, and then proceeded on his voyage to China. All his squadron were now dispersed or lost except the Centurion. During his voyage across the Southern Ocean, he found it expedient to touch at the island of Tinian for wood, water, and fresh provisions. Here he found numbers of cattle and fowls, but no inhabitants. There was no harbour along the shore of this island sufficient to afford safe an- chorage for the Centurion, and that ship was driven out to sea, leaving Commodore Anson, several of his officers, and part of the crew, on shore. The fortitude of our hero was now put to the test ; hopeless of the return of his ship, which was now considered as lost, he animated the exertions of his men by his example, and assisted in the construction of a vessel. The return of the Centu- rion revived his hopes of ultimate success, and he continued his voyage to China, where he arrived in Nov. 1742. The Chinese at Macao are sufficiently vigilant on the approach of armed Euro- peans, and it required the utmost prudence and address in Com- modore Anson to procure the necessary aid from them. When this was accomplished, and a fresh stock of provisions got on hoard, he left China in the spring of 1743, and cruised off the Philippine islands, in expectation of meeting with the Acapulco galleon. This Spanish ship, laden with treasure, came in sight on the 20th of June 1743, and was captured by the Centurion, after a smart action. Some ladies on board the prize, who were passengers for Spain, were treated with the greatest propriety by the, victor, whose moderation on this occasion was only exceeded by his equa- nimity when in the hottest part of the engagement : the Centu- rion was on fire near the powder-room, and the instantaneous de- struction of the ship and her crew was expected. On his arrival at Canton with his prize, Commodore Anson firmly, maintained the honour of the British flag; his remon- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [179 strance was heard with respect, and the requisite supplies of pro- visions, &c. granted. He removed the treasure taken in the Spa- nish ship on board the Centurion, sold his prize to the Chinese, and sailed for England in December 1743. After a voyage of about six months he entered the English Channel, where he nar- rowly escaped being captured by a French fleet, from which he was fortunately concealed by a fog. He arrived at Spithead on the 15th of June 1744, and was received on shore with acclama- tions. His Sovereign, as a reward for his services, promoted him to the rank of Rear-admiral of the Blue ; and he was soon afterwards chosen Member of Parliament for the borough of Heydon, in Yorkshire. Thus Admiral Anson, after having been exposed to great perils and hardships, was publicly rewarded for his patience and success- ful perseverance in the performance of his duty as a naval com- mander. A series of auspicious circumstances now succeeded his temporary adversity, and in his life the assertion of the poet was completely illustrated : There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood leads unto fortune ; Omitted, all the voyage of their lives, Is bound in shallows and in miseries! He was now popular, and his preferment kept pace with his po- pularity. On the 27th of December 1744, he was appointed one of the Commissioners of the Admiralty ; and on the 23d of April 1745, promoted to the rank of Rear-admiral of the White. In the winter of 1746-7, Admiral Anson commanded the Bri- tish fleet which cruised in the Channel, to intercept the French fleet, commanded by the Duke D'Arville; but the object of the cruise was frustrated by intelligence communicated by the cap- tain of a Dutch ship to the French admiral, who was thus ap- prized of his danger. Onr hero suffered the hardships of a long and tempestuous winter navigation with his characteristic fortitude, and his vigilance was crowned with success on the 3d of May 1747, when with his fleet, consisting of fourteen sail of the line, he intercepted, off Cape Finisterre, a French fleet bound to the East and West Indies, and laden with treasures, merchandise, and warlike stores. On this occasion, all the French men of war, consisting of six sail of the line, were taken, besides four East In* diamen, with valuable cargoes. By this fortunate achievement, ISO] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Admiral Anson defeated the purpose of two hostile expeditions, fitted-out at a great expence to annoy our settlements in the East and our West India islands, and for this important public service he was promoted to the rank of Vice-admiral of the Blue, and raised to the dignity of the peerage, by the title of Lord Anson, Baron of Soberton, in the county of Hants. The motto chosen by his Lordship, on this elevation, was Nil Desperandum, which was a very apposite allusion to his former perils and even- tual success. On the 25th of April 1748, Lord Anson married Elizabeth, el- dest daughter of Lord Hardwicke, then Lord Chancellor. This lady died without issue on the 1st of June 1760. On the 12th of July 1749, Lord Anson was appointed Vice-admiral of Great Bri- tain ; and on the 12th of June, he was made First Lord of the Ad- miralty. During the absence of King George II. in the years 1752 and 1755, his Lordship was appointed one of the Lords Jus- tices of the Kingdom, a proof of the high opinion entertained by his Sovereign of his knowledge and prudence. On a change of the Ministry in 1756, Lord Anson resigned his office in the Admiralty ; on the 24th of February 1757, he was made an Admiral ; and on the 2d of July the same year, he resumed his place at the head of the Board, and retained that honourable post during the remainder of his life. In 1758, he hoisted his flag as Admiral of the White, on board the Royal George of 110 guns, and sailed from Spithead on the 1st of June, with a formidable fleet. The celebrated Sir Edward Hawke served under him ; and these two naval heroes, by their skilful manoeuvres while they cruised before Brest, effectually pro- tected the descents made by the British troops and seamen that summer, at S^. Maloes, Cherburgh, and other places along the French coast. While their shores were thus insulted by invaders, the French fleet did not venture to come out of Brest, and Lord Anson kept his fleet and seamen in constant exercise, for the pur- pose of thus acquiring a superiority in naval tactics. The highest dignity which could be conferred upon him as a naval officer was the reward of these important services ; for on the 30th July 1761, his Lordship \>as appointed Admiral and Com- mander-in-Chief of the British Navy. A few days afterwards he sailed from Harwich, in the Charlotte yatch, to convey Her pre- sent Majesty to England. In 1762, Lord Auson accompanied the Queen's brother, Prince HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [181 Charles of Mecklenburgh, to Portsmouth, to shew him the arsenal, and the fleet which was ready to sail under the command of Sir George Pocock, for the Havannah. On this occasion his Lordship caught a cold, which was accompanied with a fit of the gout, under which he languished two or three months, and died at his seat at Moor-park, in Hertfordshire, on the 6th of June, 1762, in the 65th year of his age, and was buried in the family-vault at Colwich. He bequeathed his fortune to his brother, Thomas Anson, Esq. who was then Member of Parliament for Lichfield. On the decease of this gentleman, the united fortunes of the family devolved to his nephew, George Adams, Esq. who, in consequence, assumed the name of Anson. This gentleman was father to the present pro- prietor of Shugborough, who was raised to the dignity of the peer- age on the 17th of February 1806, by the titles of Baron of Sober- ton, in the county of Hants, and Viscount Anson, of Shugborough and Orgrave, in the county of Stafford. The public character of the first Lord Anson is illustrated in the naval annals of his country, where his enterprize, skill, perse- verance, and intrepidity, are recorded, to excite the emulation of other heroes. By the discoveries made during his perilous and celebrated voyage, he enlarged the boundaries of nautical science, and was consequently a benefactor to all the maritime states of the world ; and by his firmness in sustaining toils, his skill and bravery in action, and the strictness of his discipline, he greatly contributed to that superiority which the British navy has since so gloriously obtained over all others. As a man of business, in his official character, he was attentive and indefatigable, and as a member of the Senate, an honest and incorruptible patriot, equally devoted to his King and Country. Of his private character, little has been recorded : a habit of gaming has been mentioned among his foibles, but it appears from the best authority, that he merely had recourse to cards as an amusement. Though a prudent man, he was not avaricious, and the gamester is generally under the influence of that ignoble passion. But whatever may have been his errors or de- fects, they are lost in the contemplation of his merit, and his fame as a circumnavigator will be transmitted through the successive generations of posterity to the latest period of time. A A 182] A TOPOGRAPHICAL THOMAS ALLEN. THOMAS ALLEN was born at Uttoxeter, on the 21st of Dec. 1542, and, according to Camden, was a descendant through six generations of Henry Allen, of Bucknall. In 1561, he was ad- mitted a Scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, became a Fellow in 1565, and, in 1567, took his Master's degree. He continued to pursue his studies for three years afterwards in this college, but in consequence of his disinclination to enter into holy orders, as re- quired by the statutes, he resigned his Fellowship, and went te Gloucester Hall (now Worcester College) in the year 1570. He now pursued the study of the mathematics with great attention and success, and in consequence of his attainments, acquired a high reputation for his superior knowledge of his favourite branch of learning. Henry Earl of Northumberland, a nobleman much devoted to mathematical science, now patronized Mr. Allen, invited him to his house, and introduced him to those celebrated mathematicians, Thomas Harrison, John Dee, Walter Warner, and Nathaniel Tor- porley. In their society Mr. Allen enjoyed the highest gratifica- tion, by the discussion of topics most congenial to his habits of thinking, and his friends were no less pleased and instructed in their intercourse with a young philosopher, whose demonstrations of science were so complete and conclusive. Among other distinguished characters who respected the talents of Mr. Allen, Robert Earl of Leicester was emulous to patronise him, and offered to confer a bishopric upon him, but our philosopher declined this clerical preferment, and continued in that retirement which was so agreeable to his unostentatious character, and his simple and temperate habits of life. Devoted to the studious pur- suits of science, Mr. Allen continued in the University, and avail- ing himself of the advantages of his situation, he collected many valuable manuscripts relating to Antiquities, History, Philosophy, Mathematics, and Astronomy. A catalogue of this collection is preserved in the Ashmoleau Museum. Mr. Allen published in Latin the second and third books of Ptolemy, " Concerning the Judgment of the Stars/' with an Expo- sition. He also wrote notes on many of Lilly's books, and some on Bale's work, entitled " De Scriptoribus Maj. Britannia ;" and HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [183 was doubtless misled by the belief in judicial astrology, so preva- lent in that age. His skill as a mathematician induced the vulgar to suspect him of practising the art of magic; and the author of a book entitled " Leicester's Commonwealth," accused him of exer- cising his necromantic art to promote the Earl of Leicester's am- bitious schemes, and effect a match between that nobleman and Queen Elizabeth. This absurd assertion doubtless originated in the well-known confidence which existed between Mr. Allen and his patron, between whom a constant correspondence was kept up ; insomuch, that nothing important respecting the State was trans- acted without the cognizance of the philosopher, who, in return, in- formed the Earl of what passed in the University. From the uniformity of a collegian's life, few interesting inci- dents are to be expected; and Mr. Allen was content with the es- teem of a few select friends in preference to emolument or fame. He was highly respected by several celebrated contemporaries, particularly Mr. Camden, Sir Thomas Bodley, Sir Henry Savile, Sir Robert Cotton, Sir Henry Spelman, and Mr. Selden. Mr. Allen died at Gloucester-hall, Sept. 30, 1632, in the ninetieth year of his age, and was interred with great solemnity. Mr. Burton, who delivered a funeral oration on that occasion, called him " not only the Coryphanis, but the very soul and sun of all the mathe- maticians of his time ;" and Mr. Selden, who was his intimate friend, mentions him as " a person of most extensive learning and consummate judgment, the brightest ornament of the University of Oxford." Camden says, " he was skilled in most of the best arts and sciences." These high panegyrics from such distinguished men are certainly honourable memorials of the learning of Mr. Allen, yet he does not seem to have been ambitious of transmitting his name to posterity by any literary production, which might have promoted the progress of science. In fact, it has long been the practice of the learned to compliment each other most hyperboli- cally; and in the ardour of their admiration, and wish to shine as encomiasts, they overpraise the abilities and attainments of men of real merit. The following sketch of Mr. Allen's character is from a manu- script in the library of Trinity College, Oxford: "He studied polite literature with great application, he was strictly tenacious of academic discipline, always highly esteemed both by foreigners, and those of the University, and by all of the highest stations in the Church of England, and the University of Oxford." Yet with 184] A TOPOGRAPHICAL all this boasted knowledge how much is it to be regretted by the world, that Mr. Allen was so secret a lover of the Muses, for we have not a single scrap to illustrate his taste for polite literature, and very few articles indeed from his pen respecting even his favourite mathematics. The majority of those students in the academic shades are either very selfish or very indolent, for few of them communicate knowledge to others. In this respect they resemble the Monks, who seemed to consider religion as their peculiar study, and amused the people with a number of absurd or unmeaning ceremonies. Our Universities have indeed been censured with some appearance of truth for the laxity of their discipline and the indifferent progress made by the majority of students. This defect has been accounted for in the following epigram, which however, like all witticisms, is rather to be admired for its point than its truth : No wonder that Oxford and Cambridge profound, In wisdom and science should ever abound j Since each one takes thilher some knowledge each day, And we meet with so few that bring any away. Mr. Allen founded and endowed a free-school in Uttoxeter, his natal town. ELIAS ASHMOLE, Was the only son of Simon Ashmole, saddler, and Anne, the daughter of Mr. Boyer, of Coventry, woollen draper. He was born in Lichfield, May 23, 1617, received the rudiments of his education at a grammar-school in his native city, and afterwards, at his own request, instructed in the science of music, to which his genius was strongly inclined. In consequence of his proficiency in music he was admitted a chorister in the cathedral ; but a more favourable opportunity for his advancement soon afterwards pre- sented itself, in the patronage of James Paget, esq. Puisne Baron of the Exchequer, who married his mother's sister. Accordingly in 1633 he went to London. His father died in 1634, leaving him in the seventeenth year of his age, with little property, and conse- quently dependant on his uncle, with whom he lived about four years, during which period he made a considerable progress in the study of the law. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [185 In March 1638, he married Eleanor, daughter of Mr. Main.wa- ring, of Smallwood, in Cheshire. In Michaelmas term the same year, he became a Solicitor in Chancery, and subsequently an At- torney in the Court of Common Pleas. On the 5th of December 1641, his wife died, of whom he left an affectionate memorial; and London at this period being in a very disturbed state, he retired into Cheshire, where he remained till 1645, and on the 9th of May that year, he joined the Royal standard in opposition to the Par- liament, and was appointed one of the engineers or gentlemen of the ordnance in the garrison of Oxford. Mr. Ashmole had now an opportunity for the full exertion of his active corporeal and mental powers, and as he was a zealous loy- alist, he was advanced to places of considerable trust. From Ox- ford he was removed to Worcester, where he was appointed com- missioner, receiver, and register of the excise, a very difficult and troublesome office, at a time when a civil war raged in the land, and the royal revenue was so uncertain. Ardent in the cause of his Sovereign, he was desirous to devote his life to his service, and was appointed captain in Lord Ashley's regiment of infantry, and comptroller of the ordnance. Yet amid the perils of civil warfare, he found moments of leisure, in which he applied himself vigo- rously to the study of natural philosophy, mathematics, and astro- nomy. His intimacy with Mr. Wharton, who was an astrologer, diverted his attention from more useful pursuit;; to the whimsical theories of that science as it was then called, and highly prized by many learned men in Britain, and on the Continent. In July 1646, his mother died. She had always been a kind pa- rent, and the object of his filial affection. On the 16th of Octo- ber, the same year, he was elected a free mason, and wrote an ac- count of the lodge established at Warrington. After the surrender of the garrison of Worcester, and the fatal termination of the war, Mr. Ashmole again retired into Cheshire, where he continued a few months, and then went to London, where he became acquainted with Sir Jonas Moore, Mr. Lilly, and Mr. Booker, at that time considered as the most eminent astrologers in the world. From these his philosophical friends Mr. Ash- mole imbibed all the ridiculous absurdities of judicial astrology. An anniversary feast was then held in honour of the science, and persons of high distinction thought it an honour to associate with these English magi. lu 1647, Mr, Ashmole retired to a pleasant seat in Berkshire, 186] A TOPOGRAPHICAL where he studied botany, with the aid of able masters. Bat a more agreeable pursuit soon engaged his attention in the rural shades, for he was introduced to Lady Mainwaring, widow of Sir Thomas Mainwaring, an attachment took place, and they were married on the 16th of November 1649. He now returned to London, and by the acquisition of a considerable fortune with his wife, he was enabled to live in a splendid style, and his house be- came the resort of several of the most ingenious and learned men of that age. Mr. Ashmole's passion for occult philosophy seems now to have returned with renovated force, the golden dreams of alchymy took possession of his imagination, and under the influ- ence of the illusion, he published Dr. Dee's Treatise on the Philo- sopher's Stone. He also occasionally amused himself by engrav- ing seals, and learning the trade of goldsmith and jeweller, but his principal employment during two years, was in preparing the un- published works of English alchymists for the press, with illus- trative engravings produced under his immediate direction. Whilst engaged in this work, he found that a competent knowledge of the Hebrew was requisite for the complete elucidation of the ar- eana of the hermetic philosophy; and, indefatigable in the pur- suit of his favourite science, he studied the rudiments of this ancient language, and towards the close of the year 1652, pub- lished his " Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum" This work ad- vanced his reputation in the learned world, and obtained him the friendship of the celebrated Selden, Mr. Oughtred the mathema- tician, and Dr. Wharton. But whatever eclat he might have obtained by his marriage with Lady Mainwaring, the litigation in which he was involved respect- : ing her property must have been a great diminution of his domestic happiness ; and to render these circumstances still more disagree- able, the lady entered a suit against her husband in the Court of Chancery, which came to a hearing in October 1657, nearly eight years after their union. On this occasion, the Counsellor employed by Mr. Ashmole observed, that in eight hundred sheets of deposi- tions taken on the part of the lady, not a word of censure nor a serious charge was brought against his client. According to the decision of the Chancellor, the lady's bill was dismissed, and she was required to return to her husband, but it does not appear that they were cordially reconciled. Mr. Ashmole, however, found solace in his studious pursuits, and he now turned his attention to antiquities and records, and be- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE [187 came intimately acquainted with Sir William Dugdale, whom he accompanied in his Survey of the Fens. In a letter to Sir William, he gives an account of the Roman road from Weedon to Lichfield, mentioned in the Itinerary of Antoninus. He now discontinued his " Theatrum Chemicum," which accord- ing to his original plan was to have consisted of several volumes ; yet he still retained such a regard for alchymy that he published a short treatise on the Philosopher's Stone, with a well-written preface, in which he bids farewell to the philosophical gold-manu- facturers. In the spring of the year 1658, Mr. Ashmole began to collect materials for his great work, " The Institution , Laws, and Cere- monies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter," which occupied his attention nearly fourteen years, and was published in folio iu the year 1672. In September 1658, Mr. Ashmole went to Oxford, where he was well received, and engaged to write a description of the Coins and Medals presented to the public Library by Bishop Laud. On his return to London, he lodged and boarded at Mr. Tradescant's, in Lambeth ; this gentleman was a botanist, and had collected many rare and curious subjects in natural history, which he presented to his lodger on the 16th of December 1659. Soon after the Restoration of Charles II. in 1660, Mr. Ashmole was introduced to his Majesty, who, as a reward for his zeal and attachment, bestowed on him the office of Windsor Herald. The King afterwards appointed him to give a description of his Ma- jesty's Medals, which were delivered to him for that purpose. Henry the Eighth's closet was appropriated to the use of our anti- quary, and he was allowed to reside and diet in the palace. Mr. Ashmole was now a courtier, and high in the estimation of his Sovereign, to whom he presented the three books which he had published, and who received them very graciously. Preferments now poured rapidly upon him. He was appointed commissioner of excise, secretary of Surinam, one of the commissioners for recovering the King's goods, a commissioner of the white office, and accomptant-general, and country accomptant of the excise. In the beginning of the year 1662, he presented a set of Ser- vices and Anthems to the Cathedral church of Lichfield, and twenty pounds towards repairing that edifice. In 1666, he presented a. silrer bowl to the Corporation of Lichfield. On the 1st of April 1668, his second wife died, and although he 188] A TOPOGRAPHICAL does not appear to have enjoyed much conjugal felicity from that connexion, he made another matrimonial experiment, and on the 3d of November following, was married at Lincoln's Inn Chapel, to Elizabeth, the daughter of his friend Sir William Dugdale, Knt. Garter King at Arms. The academical distinction of M. D. was conferred on Mr. Ash- mole by the University of Oxford in the year 1669; the diplo- ma was dated t the 16th of July, and presented to him on the 3d of November, by Dr. Yates, Principal of Brazen Nose College. As he had never regularly studied the medical art, this compliment was doubtless paid to him for his works on chemistry. Dr. Ashmole was now visited at his Chambers in the Temple by some of the most eminent men in the kingdom, both with respect to title and merit. In a summer excursion he visited his native city, and was splendidly entertained by the Corporation. On the 8th of May 1672, he presented his work on the Most Noble Order of the Garter to Charles II. who, as a proof of his ap- probation, granted the author c400. out of the duty on paper. This curious production, the work of years of research, is in its kind one of the most valuable books in our language. The infirmities of old age were now creeping on, and in January 1675, Dr. Ashmole resigned his office of Windsor Herald, which, by his influence, was bestowed on his brother-in-law, Mr. Dugdale. As a proof that his learning and abilities were not forgotten at Court, on the death of Sir Edward Walker, Garter King at Arms, February 20, 1677, on a contest arising between the King and the Duke of Norfolk about the right of disposing of the place, the matter was left to the decision of Dr. Ashmole, who, like a true courtier and loyal subject, decided in favour of his Majesty, This high office was then offered to Dr. Ashmole, who modestly declined it, but employed his interest in favour of his father-in-law, Sir William Dugdale, on whom it was conferred. In October 1677, he made an offer to the University of Oxford of all his coins, medals, and manuscripts, on condition that a build- ing should be erected for their reception : to this proposal theUni-* versity assented. About the close of the same year, a proposal was made to Dr. Ashmole to become a candidate for the city of Lich- field ; to this flattering proof of the esteem of his fellow-citizens he could have no objection, but on application to several of the bur- gesses, he found himself so poorly supported that he prudently withdrew his pretensions. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [189 In January 1679, his Chambers in the Temple were consumed by an accidental fire, which destroyed the noble library which he had been collecting for thirty-three years, together with 9000 coins, and a vast collection of seals, charters, and antiquities. His gold medals, and his MSS. escaped, being at his house in Lambeth. On the 15th of May 1679, the first stone of the Ashmolean Mu- seum was laid on the west side of the Theatre in Oxford : the build- ing was finished in March 1682, and in 1683 Dr. Ashmole sent thither his collection of rarities. In the beginning of 1685, he was invited by the Magistrates and the Dean of Lichfield to become a candidate for the representation of that city in Parliament, and he probably would have been elected without opposition, but King James sent an intimation to him that he wished another individual to be returned, on which Dr. Ashmole not only declined the honour intended by his fellow-citi- zens, but successfully exerted his influence in favour of Mr. Lew- son, the person nominated and approved by his Majesty. On the demise of Sir William Dugdale, the office of Garter King at Arms was a second time offered to Dr. Ashmole, and again declined by him. From this time he spent the remainder of his life in honourable retirement, and died on the 18th of May 1692, in the 76th year of his age; after having witnessed a re- markable variety of political vicissitudes in his native land, parti- cularly the dethronement and death of Charles I. ; the usurpation of Oliver Cromwell ; the restoration of Charles II. ; the abdica- tion of James II.; and the final re-establishment of the Protes- tant religion, and th v e British constitution, by the glorious Revolu- tion of 1688, which placed William III. on the throne. His remains were interred in Lambeth church on the 26th of May 1692, and a tombstone of black marble, with an encomiastic Latin inscription, placed over his grave. On a general view of the life of Elias Ashmole, his character will be found irreproachable, his learning considerable, and not- withstanding his early predilection for the absurdities of astrology and alchymy, his subsequent attention to the antiquities of his country, entitle him to respect. His liberality to indigent men of letters may also be mentioned to his praise, particularly the care he took in the education of Dr. George Smalridge. Dr. Ashmole's published and unpublished works, including trans- lations, are seventeen in number : 1. "Fasciculus Chemicus; or Chemical Collection, expressing a B 190] A TOPOGRAPHICAL the ingress progress, and egress, of the secret hermetick science, out of the choicest and most famous authors. Whereunto is added, the Arcanum, or grand secret of hermetick philosophy." 2. " Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, containing several poeti- cal pieces of our famous English Philosophers who have treated the Hermetique mysteries, in their own ancient language. Faith- fully collated in one volume, with annotations thereon, by Elias Ashmole, Esq. qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus." London, 1652, quarto. 3. "The Way to Bliss," in three books, made public by Elias Ashmole, Esq. qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus." London, 1658, quarto. This was the treatise in which he took leave of the astro- logers and alchymists. 4. " The Institution, Laws, and Ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Collected and digested into one body by Elias Ashmole, of the Middle Temple, Esq. Windesore Herald at Arms. A work furnished with variety of matter relating to honour and noblesse." London, 1672, folio. 5. "The Arms, Epitaphs, Inscriptions, with the Draughts of the Tombs, &c. in all the Churches in Berkshire." It was written in 1666, and published under the title of The Antiquities of Berk- shire, in three volumes octavo, in 1717. 6. " Familiarum Illustrium Imperatorumque Romanorum Numis- mata Oxonise in Bodleinee Bibliotheese Archivis descripta et ex- planata." This work was published by the author in 1659, and given by him to the Public Library in Oxford, in 1666, in three volumes folio, prepared for the press. 7. " A Description and Explanation of the Coins and Medals belonging to King Charles II." A MS. in folio. 8. "A Brief Ceremonial of the Feast of St. George, held at Whitehall, 1661, with other Papers relating to the Order." 9. " Remarkable Passages in the year 1660." 10. " An Account of the Coronation of our Kings, transcribed from a MS. in the King's private Closet." .11. " The Proceedings on the Day of the Coronation of King Charles the Second." 12. " The Arms, Epitaphs, &c. in some Churches in Staffordshire." 13. " The Arms, Epitaphs, Inscriptions, &c. in Cheshire, Shrop- shire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire," &c. 14. value on them as others did, nor regarded so much worship as the use of worship, placing the chief point of religion in the practice of a good life. His advice to young noblemen and gentlemen, who by their parents' command resorted daily to him, was always : 'Let it be your principal care to be honest men, and afterwards be as devout and religious as you will. No piety will be of any advantage to yourselves or any body else, unless you are honest and moral men/ His worthy notions of religion meeting with an excellent temper in him, gave him that even tranquillity of mind by which he was still himself, and always the same, in adversity as well as in prosperity ; and neither over-rated nor des- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [263 pised life, nor feared nor wished for death, but lived agreeably to himself and others." This is the character of a great and good man, and the more praise-worthy, as he lived in an age remarkable for hypocrisy at one period, and for profaneness at another. On the Restoration of Charles II. when the former members of the University of Oxford returned to their places, and re-esta- biished the ancient institutions, Archbishop Sheldon munificently founded a Theatre for the acts, exercises, &c. of the students, laid the first stone, and defrayed the whole expence of the edifice, which amounted to above <12,000. He also bestowed large sums in benefactions to other public institutions, especially those connected with the established Church. DR. ROBERT JAMES. This ingenious gentleman was born at Kinverston, in this county, in the year 1703. His father was a major in the army, his mother a sister of Sir Robert Clarke. He received his education at St. John's College, Oxford, where he took the degree of A. B. and af- terwards became a licentiate in the Royal College of Physicians. In 1743, he published the "Medicinal Dictionary," in three vo- lumes folio ; and shortly afterwards a translation, with a supple- ment by himself, of " Ramazzani de Morbis Artijicum" to which also he prefixed a piece by Frederic Hoffman, upon " Endemical Distempers." In 1746 appeared " The Practice of Physic," in two volumes octavo; in 1760, the Treatise " On Canine Madness/' octavo ; and in 1764, the " Dispensatory/' also in octavo. On the 25th of June, 1755, while the King was at Cambridge, Mr. James was admitted by mandamus to the Doctorship of Physic. Three yeara after this, were published " A Dissertation upon Fevers ;" "A Vindication of the Fever Powder ;" and " A Short Treatise on the Disorders of Children," with a good print of the author. This was the eighth edition of the "Dissertation;" the first having been published in 1751. The "Vindication" was in fact a posthumous publication, the author dying before it was completed, in 1776, while he was employed upon it. Dr. Johnson, in his Life of Smith, makes an affectionate mention of Dr. James, for whom he had a great regard. It appears also that Johnson acquired from Dr. James some knowledge of physic. 264] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Speaking of Dr. James, Johnson on one occasion said, " No man brings more mind to his profession than James." This character, from such a judge of mind, must ever stamp the memory of Dr. James with respect. Dr. James was somewhat rough and unpo- lished in his manners. Some whimsical stories are told of him ; particularly of his evening prescriptions. However this may be, and whatever might be Dr. James's failings, there can be no doubt of his having been a skilful and experienced physician. For a long time his Fever Powder was violently opposed by the Faculty ; an opposition which all secret nostrums ought to experi- ence, but, in this instance, it subsequently appeared, unmerited. Dr. Pearson took great pains in analyzing it, and concluded thai " by calcining bone ashes, that is, phosphorated lime, with antimony in a certain proportion, and afterwards exposing the mixture to a white heat, a compound may be formed containing the same ingre- dients, in the same proportion, and containing the same chemical properties."* The London Pharmacopoeia now contains a prescrip- tion under the title of Pulvis Antimonialis , which is intended to answer the same purposes. " It is well known," says Dr. Pear- son, " that this powder cannot be prepared by following the direc- tions in the specification in the Court of Chancery." It has long been doubtful whether Dr. James was really the in- ventor of this powder. Dr. Pearson remarks, that " the calcina- tion of antimony and bone ashes produces a powder called Lile's and Schawenberg's fever powder; a preparation described by Schroeder and other chemists 150 years ago." "According to the receipt in the possession of Mr. Bromfield, by which this powder was prepared forty-five years ago, and before any medicine was known by the name of James's Powder, two pounds of hartshorn shavings must be boiled, to dissolve all the mucilage, and then, being dried, be calcined with one pound of crude antimony till the smell of sulphur ceases, and a light grey powder is produced. The same preparation was given to Mr. Willis, above forty years ago, by Dr. John Eaton, of the College of Physicians, with the material addition, however, of ordering the calcined mixture to be exposed to a given heat in a close vessel, to render it white." " Schroeder prescribes equal weights of antimony and calcined hartshorn; and Poterius and Michaelis, as quoted by Frederic Hoffman, merely or- der the calcination of these two substances together (assigning no proportion) in a reverberatory fire for several days." It has been * Philosoph. Trans, for 1791, p. 367. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [265 alleged, that Dr. James obtained the receipt of this powder of a German baron named Schawenberg, or one Baker, to whom Schaw- enberg had sold it. However all this might be, it is certain that Dr. James gave a credit and currency to this valuable powder, which it otherwise, would probably never have obtained. It is to this day prescribed by the Faculty ; and is almost the only secret medicine, or medi- cine bearing the name of the inventor, which our cautious physici- ans have introduced into their own practice. It has proved a noble fortune, (says the editors of the General Biographical Dictionary,) to Dr. James's family.* EDMUND DUDLEY. The life and death of this celebrated lawyer and statesman may afford a moral lesson to posterity, by offering an illustration of the danger attendant upon a deviation from rectitude, and the propriety and wisdom of a strict adherence to the principles of common ho- nesty. Edmund, the son of Sir John Dudley, second son of John Dudley, Baron of Dudley, and Knight of the Garter, was born in Staffordshire in the year 1442. After having received the first ru- diments of education, he was sent in the sixteenth year of his age to the University of Oxford, and was afterwards removed to Gray's Inn, in London, to pursue the study of the law, for which he had a great aptitude, and from his natural acuteness it was foreseen by his friends that he would rise into eminence. Young Dudley made so rapid a progress in jurisprudence, that he obtained the reputation of an able lawyer when scarcely out of his minority, and was taken into the service of Henry the Seventh. This was only the prelude to farther advancement, for the King was so well pleased with his prudence, knowledge, and fidelity, that he was sworn of the Privy Council in the 23d year of his age. In 1492 he went with the King to France, and was one of the commissioners who were chiefly instrumental in making peace with the French monarch. In the year 1494, Mr. Dudley was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Grey, Viscount L'Isle; and in 1499, he was one of the British commissioners who signed the rati- fication of a peace with France. He was now in high favour with * Beauties, Vol. XIII. p. 1196. 266] A TOPOGRAPHICAL his Prince, whose coffers he replenished, with the aid of his coad- jutor Empson, at the expeuce of the opulent, contrary to equity and justice. This fact is fully elucidated by Lord Bacon in the follow- ing passage : " As kings do more easily find instruments for their will and humour, than for their service and honour, he had gotten for his purpose two instruments, Empson and Dudley, hold men, and careless of fame, and that took toll for their master's grist. Dudley was of a good family, eloquent, and one that could put hateful business into good language, but Lmpson, that was a son of a sieve-maker, triumphed always in the deed done, putting off all other respect whatever. These two persons being lawyers in science, and privy councillors in authority, turned law and justice into wormwood and rapine. For first their manner was to cause divers subjects to be indicted for sundry crimes, and so far forth to pro- ceed in form of law, but when the bills were found, then presently to commit them : and, nevertheless, not to produce them in any reasonable time to them ; but to suffer them to languish long in prison, and by sundry artificial devices and terms to extort from them great fines and ransoms which they termed compositions and mitigations." The activity of Dudley in these nefarious transactions soon made him very odious to the people, but he retained his consequence at Court, and in the Senate too ; for in 1504 he was Speaker of the House of Commons, and two years afterwards he obtained from the King a grant of the Stewardship of the Rape of Hastings, in Sussex. This was the last favour which he received from his royal master, who is said to have felt great compunction for his arbitrary proceed- ings against the liberties and unjust exaction of the property of his people. Soon after the demise of Henry the Seventh in 1509, the popular clamour against Dudley was so loud that it reached the ears of Henry the Eighth, who imprisoned him and Empsen in the Tower, and commanded that their subordinate instruments should be brought to trial and punished. In July 1509, after about three months imprisonment, Dudley was arraigned before commissioners assembled at Guildhall, and found guilty of high treason, but no sentence was passed upon him. When the Parliament met in January 1510, Dudley and Empson were both attainted of high treason, but Queen Catherine having inter- posed in favour of Dudley, the execution of both the state crimi- nals was deferred. This circumstance excited much indignation HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [267 among the people, and the King was at last obliged to resign these unfortunate statesmen to the executioner. They were both be- headed upon Tower-hill, August 18, 1510. During his confinement, Dudley amused himself with writing a curious piece, entitled " The Tree of the Commonwealth, by Ed- mund Dudley, Esq. late Counsellor to Henry the Seventh, the same Edmund being at the compiling thereof prisoner in the Tower, in 1. Henry VIII." "This treatise," says the author, " consists of three especial points. First, remembrance of God and the faith- ful of his holy Church, in which every Christian prince had need to begin. Secondly, of some conditions and demeanour necessary in every prince, both for his honour, and a surety of his continuance. Thirdly, the Tree of the Commonwealth, which toncheth people of every degree, of the conditions and demeanour they should be of." This work was never published, but several copies of it are still in existence in manuscript. It displays much knowledge of the world, and some courtly panegyrics on royalty; but as it never reached the King's hand, it failed of the intended influence on the royal clemency. Like many other unfortunate statesmen who have been the passive instruments of despotism, Dudley debased his talents by injustice, and with all his eloquence and learning he never knew the truth and value of the honest but important adage, " Honesty is the best policy." ISAAC WALTON. This amiable man and useful writer was born at Stafford, August 9, 1593, but no records exist that throw any light upon the early transactions of his life, which indeed seems to have afforded few materials for the biographer. His father died when Isaac was lit- tle more than two months old. The first notice of Walton fixes him in business as a linen-draper under the Royal Bourse or Ex- change, in London, where he continued to reside till the year 1624. He afterwards removed to a house in Fleet-street, " two doors west of the end of Chancery-lane, and abutting on a messuage known by the sign of the Harrow," which answers to the situation of an old half-timbered house ti!l within these few years known by that name. About 1632 he married Anne, daughter of Mr. Thomas Ken, of Fur- nivalV Inn, and niece of Dr. Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, one of 268] A TOPOGRAPHICAL the seven Prelates sent to the Tower : the Doctor was afterwards ejected, and died in retirement. Mrs. Walton appears to have been a very accomplished and pious woman, and greatly contributed to the domestic happiness of her husband. Death deprived Walton of his amiable helpmate in the year 1662, and he has recorded her virtues in an affectionate and well-written epitaph. After the death of his wife, he retired from business, and left London for scenes more congenial to his contemplative turn of mind; " living (according to Wood) sometimes at Stafford and elsewhere, but mostly in the families of the eminent clergymen of England, by whom he was much beloved." Whilst Mr. Walton resided in London, his favourite recreation was angling, in which art he is said to have excelled almost all men living. Langbaine calls him "the common father of anglers/' His most frequented river for this primitive amusement seems to have been the Lea, which has its source above Ware, in Hertford- shire. While Mr. Walton lived in the neighbourhood of St. Dunstan's in the West, he had frequent opportunities of attending the minis- try of Dr. John Donne, who was vicar of that Church. To this prelate's sentiments, he became, as he himself expresses it, a convert; and upon the doctor's decease, in 1631, Sir H. Wotton requested Walton to collect materials for his life, which Sir Henry had undertaken to write. Sir Henry died before he had com- pleted his work, and Walton undertook it himself, and in 1640, finished and published it, with a collection of the Doctor's sermons, in folio. On the death of Sir Henry, which took place in 1639, Walton was importuned by the King to write his life also ; and it was ac- cordingly finished about 1644. In 1655, he published that most pleasing and highly interesting book, for which he will be ever re- membered by all lovers of the art it is designed to recommend, "The Complete Angler, or Contemplative Man's Recreation," in duo- decimo, adorned with some very excellent cuts of most of the fish mentioned in it. It is not known exactly who was the artist on this occasion ; but it is generally believed to have been Lombart, who is mentioned by Mr. Evelyn in the " Sculptura" and also that the plates were of steel. Walton had not the advantage of a classical education ; yet he frequently cites Latin and other learned authors, as Gessner, Camden, Aldrovandus, Rondeltius, and even Albertus Magnus. He of course had made use of such translations HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [269 as he could meet with ; yet some of the authors whom he quotes, we believe, have never been translated. There has not been a writer who has had occasion to make men- tion of the art of angling, since Walton's time, that has not referred to The Complete Angler, as of undoubted authority on the subject; and it has been read, even as a parlour companion, by men of taste, both at home and abroad. About two years after the Restoration, Walton wrote the Life of Mr. Richard Hooker, long known by the honourable, and in many respects deserved, appellation of " Judicious." This life of Hooker appears to have been written with great care and faithfulness. It is the life of one of the most learned and excellent men of his age the author of a book which has placed a large portion of what are usually called religious people in such a situation as to render it almost criminal in them to dissent from the church establishment of this country till they have carefully read it through, and seriously weighed its reasonings. In 1670 he published The Life of Mr. George Herbert, brother to the celebrated Lord Herbert, of Cherbury, in Shropshire. That part of " The Complete Angler" which treats of fly-fishing, was chiefly communicated by Mr. Thomas Barker, an ingenious and highly facetious person, and a very expert angler. In his eighty-third year, a period when, to use his own words, he might have claimed " a writ of ease," he undertook the Life of Bishop Sanderson. The concluding paragraph of this book has been particularly noticed by Dr. Johnson as a specimen of nervous sentiment and pious simplicity. This paragraph informs us, that Walton was then in the eighty-fifth year of his age. Besides these books, for which the memory of Walton will ever be venerated and esteemed, he was somewhat of a poet ; but in this department of literature he did not excel. He collected materials for some other lives, but did not live to finish them; yet in his ninetieth year he published " Thealma and Clearchus, a pastoral history, written long since by John Chalkhil, Esq, an acquaintance and friend of Ed- mund Spenser." To this he wrote a preface, containing a charac- ter of the author. He lived but a short time after this. He died on the 15th of December 1683, during the great frost, at Winches- ter, in the cathedral church of which a large black flat marble stone, with a miserable poetic epitaph, marks the place of his interment. Such was the life of this excellent man; and such the useful nature of his studies and labours. As a biographer he will always be res- M M 270] A TOPOGRAPHICAL, &c. pected, and as an angler, will never cease to be consulted and re- ferred to. To one of the most pleasing and useful branches of lite- rature, and one of the most primitive of recreations, he devoted a long and valuable life.* The Complete Angler is indeed unique in its kind ; and while it simply professes to initiate in the mys- teries of angling, by a happy combination of ideas, apt allusions, and beautiful imagery, seduces the reader from the low aud unsatis- factory amusements of the throng to the more stable and rational enjoyments of primitive time, that involuntarily lead to a train of thought embracing the contemplation of the Creator, and filling the mind with admiration of the stupendous works of creation. Its praise-worthy aim seems to have been to impress man with a just estimate of himself; and in the pursuit of an innocent recreation, to " look through Nature up to Nature's God." WE have now concluded our BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES ; and it will be seen that STAFFORDSHIRE is rich in Worthies. In the nobler walks of life, and in almost every department of science, Stafford- shire has her representative. She has been illustrious in the Field, eloquent at the Bar, persuasive and dignified in the Pulpit : the graces and essentials of our native language, the flowers of poetry, the intricacies of science, the soundest maxims of morality, the philosophy of faith, and the benign and healing influence of Christi- anity have been expounded, adorned, and illustrated by her com- bined and luminous intellect, the works of her academic mas- ters will descend like " precious ointment" upon posterity, to the edification of the mind, the improvement of the heart to the well-being of Man and the exaltation of Deity. It will be the duty of some future biographer to add other exalted names to this phalanx of wisdom ; and, whilst pausing to admire, we feel at once unequal to the task of fully estimating their worth, and an adequate sense of the emptiness of human praise. * See Sir John Hawkins's Life of Walton, and the Gen. Biog. Diet ia Beauties. PEERAGE OF STAFFORDSHIRE: HISTORICAL jf GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF NOBLE FAMILIES Who derive Titles from the Names of Places in this County. [FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES.] PELHAM, DUKE OF NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME* HENRY PELHAM CLINTON, Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Earl of Lincoln, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Nottingham, K. G. born Jan. 31, 1785, succeeded his father Thomas, the late Duke, May 17, 1795; married July 18, 1807, Caroline Georgiana, daughter and sole heiress of Edward Miller Mundy, Esq. M. P. for the county of Derby, (by his second wife the Dowager Lady Middleton, of Wol- laton, co. Nottingham,) and has issue, Anna Maria, b. Aug. 6, 1808; the Earl of Lincoln, b. May 22, 1811 ; a daughter, b. Sept. 1812. This family derives its name from a place called Clinton in the Valley (now Glimpton), near Woodstock, and is descended from William de Tankerville, Chamberlain of Normandy. He had issue three sons, who accompanied William the Conqueror in his expedi- tion : 1. Osbert ; 2. Renebald ; 3. William ; of which, the 2d had by gift from William the Conqueror the Lordship of Clinton, in Oxfordshire, and his descendants assumed that name ; from whom descended John de Clinton, who in 1298 was created Baron Clin- ton; he married Ida, daughter and co-heir of William de O ding- sells, Baron of Maxtoke. Henry Clinton, the 9th Earl of Lincoln, and 21st in paternal descent from Renebald de Clinton, became Duke of Newcastle by intermarriage into the family of Pelham. He was born April 20, 1720 ; on February 6th, 1742, appointed Gentleman of his Majesty's Bedchamber, and July 24th following, Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the county of Cambridge. On December 25th, 1746, his Grace was appointed Cofferer of his Majesty's Household; and on April 1st, 1751, Auditor of the Exchequer. On March 13th, 272] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 1752, he was elected Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and chosen High Steward of Westminster in 1759. His Grace was also vested with the offices of Comptroller of the Customs in the Port of London, Master of Geddington Chase, co. Nottingham, and President of the Westminster Infirmary. He was a Lord of the Bedchamber to the late King, and for some time in the same station to the present, at whose coronation he carried the sword called Curtana; soon after which he resigned all his places dependant on the Crown, except those of Auditor and Comptroller, which are for life. His Grace Thomas Pelham, Duke of Newcastle- upon-Tyne, being by patent, dated November 13, 1756, created Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme, with remainder on default of issue male to Henry Earl of Lincoln, and his heirs male by Catherine his then wife, was at his death, on November 17th, 1768, succeeded in the said title of Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme by the said Henry Earl of Lincoln, who likewise obtained his Majesty's licence to take and use the name of Pelham ; and on December 16th fol- lowing, his Grace was sworn of his Majesty's Privy Council. On the same day he was also appointed Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the county of Nottingham, and of the town of Not- tingham and county of the same town ; also Steward, Keeper, and Guardian of his Majesty's Forest of Sherwood, and Park of Pole- wood, co. Nottingham. His Grace was also Fellow of the Royal So- ciety, Doctor of Laws, and President of the Westminster Hospital. His Grace m. Oct. 16, 1744, Catherine, eldest surviving daughter and co-heir of the Right Hon. Henry Pelham, brother to the before- mentioned Thomas Duke of Newcastle, and by her (who died July 27, 1760, and was buried at Bamber, co. Lincoln) he had issue, 1st. George Lord Clinton, b. Nov. 26, 1745, and d. Aug. 19, 1752 ; 2d. Henry Earl of Lincoln, b. Nov. 5, 1750, and m. May 22, 1775, Lady Frances Seymour Conway, sister to the Marquis of Hertford, and d. Oct. 22, 1778 : by his Lady he had a son, Henry Pelham, who d. in 1779; and a daughter, Catherine, b. April 6, 1776, m. Oct. 2, 1800, Viscount Folkstone, and d. May 17, 1804 : his Lord- ship d. in France Oct. 18, 1778. 3d. Thomas, b. July 1, 1752, who afterwards succeeded his father; 4th. John, b. Sept. 13, 1755, and d. Nov. 10, 1781. His Grace d. Feb. 22, 1794, and was succeeded by his third son, Thomas, third Duke, who was a Major-General in the Army and Colonel of the 17th regiment of Light Dragoons. He m. Lady Anna Maria Stanhope, sister to the present Earl of Harrington, by HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 273] whom he had, 1st, Lady Anna Maria, b. Aug. 1, 1783, m. Jan. 1, 1801, Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton, Bart, (now Lord Combermere), and d. May 31, 1807; 2d, Henry Pelham, the pre- sent Dul*e ; 3d, Thomas, b. Feb. 27, 1786, a Lieutenant in the 1st regiment of Life Guards, d. of a malignant fever at Gibraltar, Oct. 8, 1804 ; 4th, Lady Charlotte, d. May 23, 1811. His Grace dying May 17, 1795, was succeeded by his eldest son Henry Pelham, the present and fourth Duke. Creations. Earl of Lincoln, May 4, 1572 ; and Duke of Newcastle -under- Lyme by patent, Nov. 13, 1756. Heir Apparent. The Earl of Lincoln. Arms. Argent, six Crosslets fitchy, Sable, on a chief Azure, two mullets, round pierced, Or. Crest In a ducal coronet Gules, five ostrich feathers, proper, banded Azure. Supporters. Two greyhounds Argent, plain collared and Gules. Motto Loyalte na honte (Loyalty is never ashamed). Chief Seat.- Clumber Park Lodge, co. Nottingham, formerly part of the Holies estates. GOWER, MARQUIS OF STAFFORD. GEORGE GRANVILLE LEVESON GOWER, Marquis of Stafford, Earl Gower, Viscount Trentham, Baron Gower of Sittenham, and a Baronet, Knight of the Garter, Recorder of Stafford, and (jure ux- oris), High Sheriff of the county of Sutherland, b. Jan. 9, 1758, suc- ceeded his father the late Marquis Oct. 26, 1803. In 1790 he was sent Ambassador Extraordinary to Paris, and recalled in 1792. In 1798 he was called up to the House of Peers by the title of his father's Barony, as Lord Gower. In Jan. 1803, on the death of his uncle Francis, last Duke of Bridgewater, he became his heir-general, and succeeded to that part of his immense property which consisted in shares in those numerous and splendid inland Canals of which his Grace was the illustrious founder, and by which he has immor- talized his name. His Lordship m. Sept. 4, 1785, Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland and Baroness of Strathnaver, in Scotland, in her own right, and has issue, 1st, George Granville, Earl Gower, b. Aug. 8, 1786, one of the representatives in Parliament for this county ; 2d, Lady Charlotte, b. June 8, 1788, m. Dec. 27, 1814, Henry Howard, Esq. son of Bernard Edward Howard, Esq. (now Duke of Norfolk) ; and has issue, Henry Granville, Lord Fitz Alan, b. Nov. 7, 1815 ; 3d, Lord William, b. June 4, 1792, and d. in 274J A TOPOGRAPHICAL 1793 ; 4th, Lord Henry Leveson, d. June 17, 1804 ; 5th, Lady Elizabeth, b. Nov. 8, 1797 ; and 6th, Lord Francis, b. Jan. 1, 1800. This family is of considerable antiquity in the county of York. Sir Alan Gower, of Sittenham, at the time of the Norman Conquest, was Sheriff of Yorkshire (1066), and from him in a direct line the family have continued their seat at Sittenham to the present time. In 1257 was living Sir Walter, the father of Sir Robert de Guer, living in 1289 and 1293, about which time probably the name began to be differently written ; for in 28th Edward I. Sir John Gower was one of those persons of note summoned to be at Carlisle to march against the Scots ; and the year after he had summons to be at Berwick with horse and arms on the same account. In 1313 Lawrence Gower had the King's pardon for being concerned with Thomas Earl of Lancaster in the murder of Piers Gaveston Earl of Cornwall, the great favourite of Edward II. at Blacklow-hill, co. Warwick, June 19, 1312. Sir John Leveson Gower, 5th Baronet, was created Baron Gower March 16, 1703, in. Catherine, eldest daughter of John 1st Duke of Rutland, and had by her four sons and two daughters. John, the eldest son, was by George II. July 8, 1746, advanced to the dignity of Viscount Trentham and Earl Gower; he m. 1st, March 18, 1712, Evelyn, youngest daughter of Evelyn Duke of Kingston, and by her had four sons, viz. John, who d. July 15, 1723; William, who d. April 4, 1739 ; Granville (the 1st Marquis) ; and Richard, who d. Oct. 19, 1753; also seven daughters. His Lady dying June 27, 1727, his Lordship m. on Oct. 31, 1733, secondly, Penelope, daughter of Sir John Stonehouse, Bart, by whom he had a daughter Penelope, who d. in 1741, and her mother dying in the same year, his Lordship m. thirdly, the Lady Mary, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Tufton Earl of Thanet, by whom he had a daughter and three sons, 1st, Thomas, who was b. Aug. 23, 1738, and d. when about two years old ; 2d, John Leveson, b. in 1743, appointed a Captain in the Navy June 30, 1763, and an Admiral in 1787. He distinguished himself while he commanded the Quebec in the former war, and during the last while he commanded the Valiant ; also while he was first Captain of Lord Howe's ship at the relief of Gi- braltar in 1782. In 1785 he hoisted his broad pennant on board the Hebe frigate, and sailed round the coast of Great Britain and Ireland, having on board his Royal Highness Prince William Henry (Duke of Clarence), who served as Lieutenant on board the ship. In 1788 he commanded a squadron of observation in the Channel. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [275 He was a Lord of the Admiralty from 1783 to 1789, and d. Aug. 15, 1790. 3d, Thomas, b. July 4, 1743, and d. an infant. His Lord- ship dying Dec. 25, 1754, was succeeded by his eldest son, Granville, second Earl and first Marquis, who m. in 1744 Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Fazakerly, Esq. of Prescot, and by her, who d. May 19, 1745, had a son John, who d. an infant. His Lordship in 1744 was elected M. p. for Bishop's Castle, Salop, and in the next parliament in 1747 was unanimously chosen for Westminster; but in Nov. 1749 being constituted a Lord of the Admiralty, he was op- posed by Sir George Vandeput, but succeeded. At the General Election in 1754 he was returned for the city of Lichfield, and sat for the same till the death of his father. On succeeding to the Earldom, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant and Gustos Rotu- lorum of Stafford. On Dec. 19, 1755, he had a grant of the office of Lord Privy Seal, and in Jan. following was sworn a Privy Counsellor. Resigning the Privy Seal, he was, July 2, 1757, made Master of the Horse, and on Nov. 25, 1760, was nominated Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. On April 23, 1 763, he was declared Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household, which his Lord- ship resigned July 10, 1765. On Dec. 23, 1767, he was appointed President of the Privy Council, but resigned in Nov. 1779, ap- pointed again Dec. 19, 1783, and again resigned in 1784, and was appointed in Nov. of that year Lord Privy Seal, which he held till 1794. On Feb. 28, 1786, he was advanced to the title of Mar- quis of Stafford. On Feb. 11, 1771, he was elected a Knight Com- panion of the Order of the Garter. His Lordship 771. secondly, Lady Louisa Egerton, daughter of Scroop, first Duke of Bridge- water, by whom he had issue, 1st, George Granville, Viscount Trentham, b. Feb. 9, 1758; 2d, Lady Louisa, b. Oct 22, 1749, m. to Sir Archibald MacdonaM; 3d, Lady Carolina, b. Nov. 2, 1753, m. to Frederick Earl of Carlisle ; 4th, Lady Anne, 6. Feb. 22, 1761, m. the Hon. Dr. Edward Vernon, now Archbishop of York, His Lordship m. thirdly, May 25, 1768, Lady Susan Stewart, daughter of John Earl of Galloway, by whom he had issue three daughters, 1st, Lady Georgiana Augusta, b. April 13, 1760, m. the Hon. William Eliot; 2d, Lady Charlotte, b. Jan. 11, 1771, m. Henry Charles now Duke of Beaufort ; 3d, Lady Susanna, b. in 1772, m. in 1795, Dudley now Earl of Harrowby ; and one Son, George Granville Leveson, b. Oct. 12, 1773, now Lord Viscount Grauville, and Ambassador in 1807 to St. Petersburg!!, who m. Dec. 24, 1809, Lady Henrietta Cavendish, second daughter 276] A TOPOGRAPHICAL of William, 5th Duke of Devonshire, by whom he has issue. The Marquis dying Oct. 26, 1803, was succeeded hy his eldest son, George Granville, present and second Marquis. Creations. Baronet, June 2, 1620 ; Baron Gower of Sittenham, co. York, by letters patent March 16, 1702-3 j Viscount Trentham and Earl Gower, July 8, 1746; and Marquis of Stafford, Feb. 28, 1786. Arms. Quarterly, 1st and 4ih, barry of eight, Argent and Gules, over all, a cross fleury, Sable, for Gower ; 2d and 3d Azure, three laurel leaves erect, Or, for Leveson. Crest. On a wreath, a wolf passant, Argent, collared and chained, Or. Supporters. T\vo wolves, Argent, each having a collar and chain, Or. Motto. Frangas non Flectes CYou may break, but shall not bend me.) Heir-Apparent George Granville, Earl Gower. Chief Seats. Trentharn Hall, in this county ; and Dunrobin Castle. Scotland. PAGET, MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY. HENRY WILLIAM PAGET, Marquis of Anglesey, Earl of Ux- bridge, Lord Paget of Beaudesert, co. Stafford, a Lieutenant-Gene- ral in the Army, Colonel of the 7th regiment of dragoons, suc- ceeded his father, Henry Bayley, the late Earl, March 13, 1813, b. March 17, 1768, m. July 25, 1795, Caroline Elizabeth,, daughter of George, fourth Earl of Jersey, (which marriage was dissolved by the law of Scotland), and had issue, Lady Caroline, b. June 6, 1796; Lord Henry (Earl of Uxbridge) b. July 6, 1797; Lady Jane, b. Oct. 13, 1798 ; Lady Georgiana, b. Aug. 20, 1800; Lady Augusta, b. Jan. 26, 1802; Lord William, b. March 1,1803; Lady Agnes, b. Feb. 11, 1804 ; Lord Arthur, b. Jan 31, 1805. His Lordship m. secondly, Charlotte, daughter of Charles Earl of Cadogan, and has issue Lady Emily Caroline, b. March 4, 1810; Lord Edward Clarence, b. June 17, 1811 ; Lady Mary, b. June 16, 1812 ; a still-born daughter, June 25, 1813 ; Lord Alfred, b. May 4, 1815, d. May 7, 1815; Lord Alfred Henry, 6. June 29, 1816. The first who attained to the dignity of the Peerage was William Paget, a person of humble origin, but of very great and eminent abilities. On Dec- 3, 1549, he was called up to the House of Peers by the title of Lord Paget of Beaudesert, co. Stafford. His Lord- ship wi. Anne, daughter and sole heir of Henry Preston, Esq. by whom he had issue four sons and six daughters. His Lordship was succeeded by his eldest son, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [277 Henry, second Lord Paget, who m. Catherine, daughter of Sir Henry Knevet, of Buckenham, co. Norfolk, by whom he had issue Elizabeth, who d. June 29, 1571. His Lordship d. Dec. 28, 1568, and was succeeded by his brother, Thomas, third Lord Paget, who m. Nazaret, daughter of Sir John Newton, of BarrVcourt, co. Somerset, and had issue Wil- liam, his son and heir. In the Parliament holden at Westminster in 29th Eliz. he was attainted with his brother Charles, and their lands and possessions confiscated: he died at Brussels in 1589, and was succeeded by his only son, William, fourth Lord Paget : he 1 m. Lettice, daughter and co- heir of He^nry Knollys, Esq. of Kingsbury, co. Warwick, and had issue three sons and four daughters. His Lordship dying Aug. 29, 1629, was succeeded by his eldest son, William, fifth Lord Paget, who m- Lady Frances Rich, eldest daughter of Henry Earl of Holland, and by her had issue, William ; Henry, who m. a daughter of Sandford, Esq. of Sandford, co. Salop, and had issue a daughter Dorothy ; Thomas, one of the Grooms of the Bed-chamber to his late Majesty, and a Brigadier- general, who had issue Caroline, m. in April 1737, to Sir Nicholas Bayley, of Plasnewydd, Bart, grandfather to the present Marquis.; Thomas ; and seven daughters. His Lordship dying Oct. 19, 1678, was succeeded by his eldest son, William, sixth Lord Paget, who m. Frances, daughter of the Hon. Francis Pierpoint, and had issue, William, who d. young ; Henry, created Earl of Uxbridge. His Lordship d, Feb. 26, 1712-13, and was succeeded by Henry, first Earl of Uxbridge, who m. Mary, eldest daughter of Thomas Catesby, Esq. of Whistori, co. Northampton, by whom he had issue Thomas Catesby, his only son, who died in January 1741. His Lordship dying in August 1743, was succeeded by his grandson, Henry, second Earl of Uxbridge, who died unmarried on Nov. 16, 1769, when the Earldom became extinct, but the title of Baron Paget, of* Beaudesert, devolved on Henry Bayley Paget, eldest son of Sir Nicholas Bayley, b. Jan. 18, 1744, and created Earl of Uxbridge May 19, 1784. His Lordship m. Jane, eldest daughter of Arthur Champaign*, Dean of Clonmacnoise, in Ireland, and had issue,' 1st, Henry William, now Marquis of Anglesey ; 2d, William, b. Dec. 22, 1*769, d. in 1794; 3d, Sir Arthur, b. Jan. 15, 1771 ; 4th, Caroline, 6. Feb. 6, 1773, m. John Thomas, seond son of the Earl N N 278] A TOPOGRAPHICAL of Essex; 5th, Jane, b- Sept. 1, 1774, m. April 18, Admiral George present Earl of Galloway; 6th, Sir Edward, K-B. and K. T. s. Lieu- tenant-General in the Army, b- Nov. 3, 1775, m. May 21, 1804, the Hon. Louisa Bagot, daughter of William first Lord Bagot, who d. May 30, 1806; 7th, Louisa, b. March 26, 1777, m- Lieut.-General Sir James Erskine; 8th, Charles, &. Oct. 7, 1778, a Captain in the Royal Navy, m- Elizabeth Araminta, second daughter of Henry Monck, Esq. ; 9th, Berkeley, b. Jan. 2, 1780, m. Nov. 22, 1804, Sophia, daughter of the Hon. William Bucknall Guinston ; 10th, Charlotte, b. Oct. 27, 1781, m. Oct. 15, 1805, John Willoughby Earl of Enniskillen; llth, Mary ,,6. April 9, 1783, m. June 27, 1803, Thomas Lord Graves. The Earl dying March 13, 1812, was succeeded by his eldest son, William Henry, third Earl of Uxbridge, and first MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY. His Lordship was early destined to the army, and after a series of honourable services, embarked for Lisbon at the beginning of the Peninsular war, having received the command of the cavalry attached to the memorable expedition under the la- mented Sir John Moore. Much mystery still attaches to this un- fortunate affair, but there can be no doubt that Sir John was de- ceived by the artifices of the enemy, and the information of pre- tended friends, as to the strength and character of the troops with which he had to contend, composed, as it afterwards appeared, of the flower of the French army, commanded by Buonaparte in per- son, and numbering upwards of 70..000 men, whilst the British consisted of less than 30,000. Sir John marched from Lisbon in four divisions, and assembled his treops at Salamanca on the 23d of November 1808 : here he soon learned that all hope of assist- ance from the Patriots was at an end. Belvidere, Castanos, and- Blake, had been successively defeated, and Burgos and Valladolid were in the hands of the French, the latter town only 60 miles north of him. Thus deprived of the aid which he had been led to expect, prudence dictated retreat ; but a transitory burst of patriotism in the populace of Madrid, and a remonstrance from the Junta against such a measure, determined Sir John to attempt something, though without the least probability of success- He accordingly resolved to attack Soult, who was at Saldanna, and thus make a diversion in favour of the Spaniards in the south. The whole army united at Majorga on the 20th December, where the head-quarters were fixed. At this place Lord Paget had a gallant affair with a detachment of the enemy; and having gained HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [279 information that a strong party of cavalry were posted at Saha- gun, his Lordship resolved to make an attempt to cut them off. The weather was intensely cold, and the ground covered with snow. Lord Paget began his march at two o'clock in the morning, and before day-light approached the town, and surprised a picquet, but two or three of the men escaped, and gave the alarm. He pushed forward, and discovered the enemy already formed. The ground was particularly unfavourable for Lord Paget, and both parties attempted to flank each other : his Lordship however com- pletely out-manceuvred the enemy, charged, overthrew, and dis- persed them in every direction. The British loss was trifling: the French had many killed, and two lieutenant-colonels, and a number of prisoners, fell into the hands of the English. On the following day the army moved to Sahagun, 12 miles from Saldan- na, the object of attack : Soult was strongly posted behind the Carrion with 18,000 men. Sir John wrote to Romana, who was on the enemy's further flank, to prepare for the united attack on the morrow's dawn. In this state of things, messenger after mes- senger arrived, with intelligence that the French were rapidly ad- vancing on all sides, that Soult had been considerably reinforced, that a corps was advancing from the south ; and, to crown all, an express from Romana announced the advance of Buonaparte in person, with an overwhelming force from Madrid. This informa- tion immediately determined Sir John ; the former orders were countermanded, and immediate preparations made for retreat. This accordingly commenced on the following day, December 24, and on the 25th, the whole army were in full retreat upon Astorga. This retreat, however, was not so precipitate as has been represent- ed ; it was both skilfully and deliberately arranged. On the 29th, at day-break, Sir John followed the divisions of Gens. Fraser and Hope with the reserve, Lord Paget bringing up the rear with the cavalry. But at nine o'clock in the morning, before his Lordship had moved, a party of the enemy's cavalry were observed trying a ford near the bridge that had been blown up, and immediately between 5 and 600 of the Imperial Guards plunged into the river, and crossed over. They were opposed by the British picquets under Colonel Otway, wit', a small party of the 3d dragoons; and the colonel charged them with so much fury that the front squadron broke through, and was for a short time surrounded by the enemy's rear squadron wheeling up. They extricated them- 280] A TOPOGRAPHICAL selves by charging back again through the enemy. Lord Paget now galloped up with some of the rear-guard, and found bri- gadier-general Stuart very sharply engaged, and the squadrons on both sides sometimes intermixed. The 10th hussars hav- ing arrived, his Lordship wheeled it into line in the rear of the picquets. The latter then charged the enemy, supported by the 10th hussars ; but before they could close, the French wheeled round, fled to the ford, and plunged into the river. They were closely pursued, and left on the field 55 killed and wounded and 70 prisoners, including General Lefebvre, the commander of the Impe- rial Guards. They formed upon the opposite bank, but a few shots from the horse artillery, who now came up, soon dispersed them, and they fled with the greatest precipitation. It was learned from the prisoners that Buonaparte was only twenty miles behind. Hav- ing so brilliantly concluded this affair, Lord Paget, with the cavalry, followed the reserve to La Banissa. It is not to our purpose to fol- low the retreat in detail. In the course of it, Sir John repeatedly offered the enemy battle, without effect ; and the several affairs in which they were engaged arose more from necessity than choice on their part, and in these the British were always victorious. The steady gallantry of the infantry, and the impetuosity of the cavalry, undertheir intrepid commander, were not to be resisted. The retreat was continued till the 10th of January ; and on the following morn- ing the army marched from Betanzos for Corunna, their last day's march. Here the gallant Moore received his death-wound, after a life of honourable vicissitude, and resigned his last breath with the consoling reflection that he had done his duty. Thus, with a " most admirable degree of military skill and patience on the part of the lamented Sir John Moore, and with a spirit, a heroism, and an alert- ness on the part of Lord Paget, the British army was at length brought to Corunna, having thus made a retreat through nearly three hundred miles of the most difficult country in Europe, and in a succession of mountains, ditches, and rivers, in daily and al- most hourly contact with the enemy, and this enemy more thaa- double its number ! In all this long interval of war, and against this vast superiority of force, the English had invariably the ad- vantage in every encounter ; the rear guard and covering cavalry were never broken, and the main army, secure behind this invincible screen, proceeded almost unassailed towards their ultimate desti- nation. As long as military skill is understood and valued, so long HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [281 will the military name of Lord Paget be united with that of Moore, and both be recorded together as having conducted and success- fully concluded the most masterly retreat on modern record." Lord Paget shortly afterwards returned to England, and passed some years in the bosom of his family. His father dying on the 13th of March 1812, he succeeded him in the Earldom of Ux- bridge. It is probable that his Lordship felt somewhat chagrined at the public discussion which the retreat of Sir John Moore had created : but no blame could possibly attach to either of the com- manders upon that occasion, who, as we have already, seen, con- ducted themselves with a degree of heroic firmness under the most trying difficulties, that has perhaps never been surpassed. Much ill-humour was apparent at the time, and the obloquy intended to be fastened upon Ministers was unjustly extended to those gallant men who had so nobly fulfilled their trust. It is well known that the Peninsular war was at this time very unpopular in England : it had commenced under unfavourable auspices, and much of its equivocal character might undoubtedly be traced to an ill-calcu- lated policy at home. It is the more unnecessary for us to en- large upon this subject, as the leading events of the campaign are fresh in the memory of all. To whatever cause attributable, we do not find Lord Paget again employed on foreign service during the war. But a yet more noble distinction awaited him : the Earl of Uxbridge was destined to become an instrument in the final overthrow of that frightful despotism which he had been one of the first to curb and chastise in the desolated fields of Spain. The important and almost unparalleled train of events that preceded the day of Waterloo need not be re-capitulated. The nation as to a man viewed with silent awe the gathering storm that darkened the horizon, and threatened to engulph the fairer part of Europe in one common ruin. The Moloch ot devastation was abroad, and England, in conjunction with her allies, was driven to wage with him a war of existence. The whole moral and physical strength of the country was called forth to meet the exigency of the mo- ment. The Sovereign summoned his legislators and his warriors to their posts : they threw the gauntlet to the tyrant, and the peo- ple applauded their wisdom. After Wellington, the Prince Regent evinced his sense of the former services of the EARL OF UXBRIDGE by selecting him to second that great commander in the tremen- dous struggle about to be commenced. He cheerfully obeyed the mandate; and the legions of Britain were again marshalled to punish 282] A TOPOGRAPHICAL those traitorous and guilty Frenchmen who had betrayed their King, and delivered over their country to the merciless sway of an Usurper. Little did Buonaparte calculate Upon being compelled a second time to feel the vengeance of an offended and stigmatized people, to fly before her victors, and to sue for safety even at the gates of Paris. The Earl of Uxbridge joined the army at Brussels, where the British head-quarters were fixed. Whilst the most ex- tensive preparations were^making in Flanders for the commence- ment of hostilities, all was anxious suspense in England. The chances of success and defeat were nicely calculated : if the Allies came up in time, all would be well ; if not, it was feared that the result might prove unfavourable. In the midst of these calcula- tions at home, and preparations abroad, the storm suddenly burst, and the demon of war stalked forth in all his gigantic fury. Buo- naparte had left Paris at the head of an immense army, and was already on the frontiers. The Prussians Were immediately attacked, driven back, and ultimately compelled to re-cross the Sambre. Buonaparte quickly forced Charleroi, and dealt destruction in their discomfited ranks : they fled with precipitation. The four Pussian corps on the line of the Sambre fell back upon Fleu- rus, Namur, Cincy, and Hannut : one of these, under Ziethen, had engaged the enemy with partial success. Blucher being apprized of these movements, ordered the other three corps to make a forced march to Sombref, where he intended to give the enemy battle next day. Early on the morning of the 16th, the French army moved forward, and soon discovered the Prussian army drawn up in con- densed columns, and occupying a strong position, with its right on the village of St. Amand, its centre at Ligny, and its left extend- ing towards Sombref: a most sanguinary contest ensued, and each of these places were taken and re-taken several times. This was a day of blood : it is called the battle of Ligny. Buonaparte hoped to accomplish the annihilation of the Prussian army at Ligny, and afterwards bring his united strength against the English. These movements led to the obstinate struggle at Quatre Bras. It was at one o'clock on the morning of this day, that the bugle sounded through the streets of Brussels to summon every soldier to his rendezvous. On the repulse of the Prussians on the 15th, Blucher had sent off intelligence of the state of things to the Duke of Wellington, who had previously received information to the same effect, but he did not consider it authentic. The troops were imme- diately put in motion, and before ten o'clock in the morning HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [263 the whole of them had left Brussels. The Duke of Brunswick and the Prince of Orange had already marched, with their corps. On their arrival at the scene of action, they became immediately opposed to Marshal Ney. He attacked the Belgians and Brunswickers in their position at Quatre Bras with all his force. It was at this time that the Duke of Brunswick was mortally wounded : the Prince of Orange also received a musket- ball in his shoulder. It was near mid-day when the British began to arrive : the Duke of Wellington rode into the field near the post of Quatre Bras, which now fell to the British to maintain. The English became engaged as they successively arrived. The French attacked the British repeatedly with a large body of infantry and cavalry, supported by a powerful artillery, but they were re- pulsed in the " steadiest manner." This dreadful day was sus- tained with great loss, owing, perhaps, to the want of cavalry, which had not yet arrived. Night put an end to the contest. Blucher had suffered dreadfully ; and, as his fourth corps had not yet arrived, he fell back in the night, and concentrated his army upon Wavre. This rendered a correspondent movement on the part of the British necessary : the Duke of Wellington retired from Quatre Bras to Genappe, and thence, on the morning of the 17th, upon Waterloo. The enemy made no effort to pursue Blucher, nor did he attempt to molest the march of the British to the rear, al- though made in the middle of the day, excepting by following with a large body of cavalry the cavalry under the Earl of Uxbridge. This gave his Lordship an opportunity of charging them with the 1st Life Guards in an effective and gallant manner. Indeed the cavalry were constantly fighting with the enemy whilst covering the retreat of the infantry, and the Duke of Wellington declared that he never saw finer charges, or more ably conducted. Both ar- mies now appear to have been exhausted : a sort of respite ensued, but this was only to prepare for the dreadful 18th, when all was to be consummated. Whilst engaged in the arduous task of covering the retreat on this day, the Earl of Uxbridge, being in the rear of the last troop of the cavalry, he observed a French regiment form across the road to charge. He instantly turned round, and alone, gallopped back towards the enemy, waving his hat to his soldiers, who had advanced some way in their retreat. Major Kelly joined his Lordship at full gallop. The regiment soon came up, and dashed amongst the enemy, who were entirely overthrown. A vio- lent thunder-storm raged at this time, accompanied with torrents j>84] A TOPOGRAPHICAL of rain. Sunday the 18th arrived : this was the day, " the great the important day." We shall content ourselves with giving the Duke of Wellington's account of this awful battle the " grave of France, the deadly Waterloo." It would be an endless task to point out individual traits of heroism; but we must advert to the cool and steady manner in which the Earl of Uxbridge conducted himself on this never-to-be-forgotten occasion. Where- ever danger appeared, he was to be found, euspiriting his troops, and alluring them to victory by his courageous and intrepid ex- ample in the hottest of the fight. His Lordship headed every squadron that was ordered forward. His division was literally annihilated ! Some accounts say that he had formed the determi- nation of taking Buonaparte in person, and that he was nearly accomplishing his purpose, when he received the unfortunate wound which compelled him reluctantly to quit the field but the work of Victory was complete ! " The position which I took up, in front of Waterloo, (we use the words of the dispatches from Wel- lington) crossed the high roads from Charleroi and Nivelles, and had its right thrown back to a ravine near Merke Braine, which was occupied, and its left extended to a height above the hamlet Ter-la-Haye, which was likewise occupied. In front of the right centre, and near the Nivelles road, we occupied the house and garden of Hougoumont, which covered the return of that flank ; and, in front of the left centre, we occupied the farm of La Haye Sainte. By our left we communicated with Marshal Prince Blucher, at Wavre, through Ohain ; and the Marshal had promised me, that in case we should be attacked, he would support me with one or more corps, as might be necessary. The enemy collected his army, with the exception of the third corps, which had been sent to ob- serve Marshal Blucher, on a range of heights in our front, in the course of the night of the 17th and yesterday morning ; and at about ten o'clock he commenced a furious attack upon our post at Hougoumont. I had occupied that post with a detachment from General Byng's brigade of Guards, which was in position in its rear ; and it was for some time under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Macdonald, and afterwards of Colonel Home ; and I am happy to add, that it was maintained throughout the day, with the utmost gallantry by these brave troops, notwithstanding the re- peated efforts of large bodies of the enemy to obtain possession of it. These attacks were repeated till about seven in the evening, when the enemy made a desperate effort with the cavalry and in- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE ['285 fantry, supported by the fire of artillery, to force our left cen- tre near the farm of La Haye Sainte, which after a severe contest was defeated ; and having observed that the troops retired from this attack in great confusion, and that the. march of General Bulow's corps by Frichermont upon Planchenoite and La Belle Alliance, had begun to take effect, and as I could perceive the fire of his cannon, and as Marshal Prince Blucher had joined in person, with a corps of his army to the left of our line by Ohaim, I determined to attack the enemy, and immediately advanced the whole line of infantry, supported by the cavalry and artillery. The attack succeeded in every point ; the enemy was forced from his position on the heights, and jied in the utmost confusion, leaving behind him as far as I could judge ONE HUNDRED AND FIFT\ PIECES OF CANNON, with their ammunition, which fell into our hands. I continued the pursuit till long after dark, and then discontinued it only on ac- count of the fatigue of our troops, who had been engaged during twelve hours, and because I found myself on the same road with Marshal Blucner, who assured me of his intention to follow the enemy throughout the night ; he has sent me word this morning that he had taken 60 pieces of cannon belonging to the Imperial Guard, and several carriages, baggage, &c. belonging to Buona- parte, in Genappe. The Earl of UXBRIDGE, after having succes- fully got through this arduous day, received a wound, by almost the last shot fired, which will, I am afraid, deprive his Majesty for some time of his services." The illustrious Wellington's fears were but too fatally realized. The Earl of Uxbridge's wound was so severe as to require the almost immediate amputation of his right leg* and thus his country was deprived of his active services for ever ! His Lordship underwent a tedious and painful operation with great composure ; and expressed his gratitude to God for having brought him through that dreadful day in comparative safety. What a noble struggle ! What an incalculable victory ! that at once averted the dreadful calamities which threatened Europe, * Lord Uxbridge's leg is buried in a garden opposite to the inn, or rather public-house, at Waterloo. The owner of the house in which the amputation was performed considers it as a relic which has fallen to his share. He had de- posited it at first behind the house, but as he intended to plant a Iree upon the spot, he considered, that as the ground there was not his own property, the boys might injure or destroy the tree, and therefore he removed the leg into his own garden, where it lies in a proper sort of coffin, under a mound of earth about three or four feet in diameter. A tuft of Michaelmas daisies was in blos- som upon this mound when we were at Waterloo ; but this was a temporary or- O O 286] A TOPOGRAPHICAL and altered the destinies of nations. It was a day both of joy and of grief: England rejoiced in her triumph, but mourned for her heroes. The flower of her fine army was no more. The uncon- querable descendants of Cressy and Agincourt, the bold assertors of their country's rights and the gallant avengers of her wrongs who had traversed the burning sands of Egypt in pursuit of their deadly foe who had encountered and beaten him on the mountains of Portugal who had chased and discomfited him in the devoted fields of Spain who had scaled the Pyrennees, conquered him in his native rocks, and planted the British standard on the towers of Bayonne and who, four centuries after the soil of France had been immortalized by the victories of their ancestors, attacked and defeated him almost in the very heart of his kingdom. Peace to thy manes, departed warriors ! Thou art avenged : the day of Water- loo dated the existence of England's avowed enemy. There he fought, and there he fell : thence he flew before the victorious arms of Britain, and soon lay crushed even under the walls of his usurped capital. The names of Alexandria, of Maida, of Vimiera, of Co- runna, of Talavera, of Barossa, of Albuera, of Salamanca, of Vit- toria, of Orthes, of the Pyrennees, of Thoulouse, and lastly, of WATERLOO, no time shall obliterate : they will form the rallying cries of distant posterity, and animate many a future race of war- riors whilst hurling the thunders of Britain upon her enemies in either hemisphere, responding to the patriotic war-cry of some un- born chief whose genius shall have grasped the inspiring mantle of WELLINGTON ! As the Prince Regent cherished and brought into action the military talents of Lord Uxbridge, so was he ready to reward their developement : on the 23d of June, 1815, whilst the Earl was suffering under the effects of his severe wound, his Royal Highness was pleased to raise him to the dignity of a Marquis of the United Kingdom by the name, style, and title of MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY ; and on the same day he received the thanks of Parlia- ment for his services at Waterloo. The Emperor of Austria namcnt ; in November the owner meant to plant a weeping willow there. He was obliging enough to give me a copy of an epitaph which he had prepared, and which, he said, was then in the stone-cutter's hands. It is as follows : Ci est enterree la Jambe de I'illustre, brave, et vaillant Comte I7xbridge t Lieutenant General, Commandant en Chef la Cavalerie Angloise, Beige, et Hollandoise ; blesse le 18 Juin, 1815, a la memorable battaille de Waterloo; qui par son heroisme a concouru au triomphe de la cause du Genre humain, ylorieusement decideepor Veclatante victoire du cW jour.- SOUTHEY' WA- TEBLOO, p. 212. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [287 and the Emperor of Russia sent him the Cross of a Commander of the Order of Maria Theresa, and the decoration of St. George, in testimony " of their Imperial Majesties' approbation of his services in the late battles fought in the Netherlands." The Marquis of Anglesey is also a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. As soon as he could be removed with safety, the Marquis returned to England ; and Beaudesert received the mutilated warrior, who had so lately left its noble do- main in all the plumy pride of chivalry, and in the full vigour of manhood. In November following he received a visit from the Prince Regent and other branches of the Royal family. The Noble Marquis may henceforth recline under " his vine and his fig-tree," in the proud recollection of having fulfilled the expectations of his Prince and the hopes of his country : long, long may he live to enjoy the confidence of the one, and the admiration of the other. Long may he wear his hard-earned laurels, and continue to be a living monument of the pre-eminence of his native county in Worth and Valour. In the peaceful haunts of Beaudesert he may recount his many hair-breadth escapes " shoulder his crutch and shew how fields were won :" and were we called upon to select the proudest feature in his heraldic honours, (we speak with some- thing of latitudinarianism) we should point to the crutch-head, and exclaim, " Here is Waterloo, the noblest emblem in the field of the Pagets !" Creations. Baron Paget, of Beaudesert, in co. Stafford, January 19th, 1550, 4 Edward VI. ; Earl of Uxbridge, May 19th, 1784 j and MARQUIS of AN- GLESEY, June 23, 1815. Arms. Quarterly, first and fourth, Sable, on a cross engrailed, between four eagles displayed, Argent, 5 lions passant of the first, for Paget ; second and third, Azure 9 Estoiles, 3, 3, 2, and 1, Argent for Bayley. Crest. On a wreath, a demi tiger, Sable, tufted and maned, Argent, and ducally gorged, Or. Supporters. Two tigers, Sable, tufted and maned, Argent, and ducally gorged, Or. Motto. Per il suo contrario. (By the reverse of it) Heir Apparent. The Earl of Uxbridge. Chief Seats. At Sinai Park, and Beaudesert, both in Staffordshire; and. Plasnewydd, in the county of Anglesey. TOWNSHEND, MARQUIS TOWNSHEND. GEORGE FERRARS TOWNSHEND, Marquis of Townshend, Earl of Leicester, Viscount Townshend, Baron Townshend of Lynn, Baron de Ferrars of Chartley, Baron Bouchier, Lovaine, Basset, and Comp- 288] A TOPOGRAPHICAL, ton, and a Baronet, born Dec. 13, 1778, succeeded his father George Fcrrars, the late Marquis, July 27, 1811; married May 12, 1807, daughter of W. D. Gardner, Esq. This family have long flourished in the county of Norfolk. John Townshend, son of Sir Roger, was of Raynham, in Norfolk, (the present seat of this family), as appears by his will, dated 1465. His son Roger was returned for Calne, and in the 1st. Edward V. was constituted a Serjeant at Law ; the following year he was appointed Justice of the Common Pleas, which office he retained till his death, which happened in 1492 ; he m. Anne, daughter and co-heir of Sir William de Brewse, Knt. and had a numerous issue ; from whom descended Roger, who in 1617 was created a Baronet; wi. Mary, second daughter of the celebrated Horatio Lord Vere, of Tilbury, and had issue two sons and five daughters. Sir Roger d. Jan. 1, 1636. From this marriage descended Sir Horatio, 1st Viscount ; in 1660 he was elected for the county of Norfolk, and was deputed with several other members to wait on the King at the Hague, and invite him " to return to his dominions, and take the government thereof into his own hands;" in consequence of his loyalty he was advanced to the Peerage by the title of Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis, in Norfolk, and in 1682 was created Viscount Townshend of Rayn- ham ; by his second wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Joseph Ashe, Bart, he had three sons ; 1st, Charles, second Viscount ; 2d, Roger, d. May 22, 1709 ; 3d, Horatio, d. Oct. 24, 1751. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, second Viscount, m. first, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Lord Pelham, father of Thomas Duke of Newcastle, who d May 11, 1711, leaving issue a daughter, Elizabeth, m. Charles, first Earl of Cornwallis, and four sons ; 1st, Charles, the third Vis- count ; 2d, Thomas, b. Jan. 2, 1701, d. in May 1780 ; 3d, William, b. Jan. 9, 1702, d. Jan. 29, 1738; 4th, Roger, d. unm. Aug. 7, 1760. His Lordship m. secondly, in July 1713, Dorothy, daughter of Robert Walpole, of Houghton, co. Norfolk, and by her, who d. March 29, 1726, had issue, 1st, George, a Rear Admiral of the White, d. Aug. 9, 1762 ; 2d, Augustus, Captain in the East India Service, d. in 1746 ; 3d, Horatio, d. in Feb. 1764 ; 4th, Richard, d. young; 5th, Edward, Prebend of Westminster, b. May 11, 1726, d. Jan. 27, 1765 ; 6th, Dorothy, m. in 1743 to Dr. Spencer Cowper, d. in 1779 ; 7th, Mary, m. 1753, to Lieutenant-Gen. Edward Corn- wallis, d. Dec. 29, 1776. His Lordship dying in June 1738, was succeeded by HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [289 Charles, third Viscount, who m. in May 1723 Audrey, daughter of Edward Harrison, Esq. and had issue, 1st, George, first Marquis; 2d, Charles, d. Sept. 4, 1767 ; 3d, Edward, d. June 29, 1731 ; 4th, a son, who d. young ; 5th, Roger, killed at Ticonderago July 25 1759 ; 6th, Audrey, d. Feb. 1781. His Lordship dying March 12, 1764, was succeeded hy his eldest son, George, first Marquis, b. Feb. 28, 1724. His Lordship served under George I. at the battle of Dettingen, and was second in command at the taking of Quebec, which city surrendered to him after the death of General Wolfe, and m. Dec. 1, 1751, Charlotte, Baroness de Ferrars in her own right, and by her had issue, 1st, George, the second Marquis; 2d, Lord John, b. Jan. 19, 1757; 3d, Lord Frede- rick Patrick, b. Dec. 30, 1767 ; 4th, Lord Charles Patrick Thomas, b. Jan. 6, 1768, d. May 27, 1796, also four daughters, Ladies Char- lotte, Caroline, Frances, who d. young, and Lady Elizabeth, b. in Aug. 1766, d. March 21, 1811. His Lordship m. secondly, Anne, daughter of Sir William Montgomery, Bart, and had issue, 1st, Lady Anne, b. Feb. 1, 1775 ; 2d, Lady Charlotte, b. March 19, 1766; 3d, Lady Honora Maria, b. July 6, 1777; 4th, Lord Wil- liam, b. Sept. 5, 1778, d. in 1794; 5th, Lady Henrietta, b. April 20, 1782; 6th, Lord James Nugent Boyle Bernardo, b. Sept. 11, 1785. His Lordship dying Sept. 14, 1807, was succeeded by his eldest son, George, second Marquis, b. April 18, 1755, who, on the death of his mother, succeeded to the titles of Baronde Ferrars of Chartley, Bourchier, Lovaine, Bassett, and Cornpton, created Earl of Leices- ter, May 18, 1784, m. Dec. 24, 1777, Charlotte, second sister and co-heir of Roger Mainwaring Ellerker, Esq. and by her had issue, 1st, George, the present Marquis ; 2d, Lord Thomas Compton, b. March 29, 1780, d. Jan. 7, 1787; 3d, Lord Vere Charles, b. Sept. 16, 1785; 4th, Lady Charlotte Barbara, 6. June 26, 1781,d. Oct. 3, 1807; 5th, Lady Harriet, b. May 23, 1782; 6th, Lady Elizabeth Margaret, 6. Aug. 16, 1784; 7th, Lady Arabella, b. April 2, 1787. His Lord- ship dying July 27, 1811, was succeeded by his son George Fer- rars, the present Marquis. Creations. Baron de Ferrars, of Chartley, in the county of Stafford, origi- nally by writ of summons to Parliament, 27 Edw. I. Baron Bourchier, by writ also 16 Edw. III. Baron Lovaine, by writ 22 Edw. I. Baron Bassett, of Drayton Bassett, in the county of Stafford, by writ 49 Hen. III. and lastly, Baron Compton, of Compton, in the county of Warwick, by writ 14th Elizabeth j Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis, by letters patent April 20lh, 1661, and Vis- count Townshend of Rainhara, December 2d, 1682, Baron of Lynn, by writ May 24th, 1723 ; Earl of Leicester, May 18th, 1784, and Marquis Townshend, October 27, 1787. 290] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Arms Quarterly, of six, 1st Azure, a chevron ermine, between three escallop shells, Argent, (TownshendJ 2d, France and England, quarterly, within a border, Argent ; (Plantagenet of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester^ 3d, Sable, a lion of England, between three helmets, proper, garnished, Or, (Compton) 4lh, Paly of six, Or, and Azure, a canton ermine, (Shirley) 5th, quarterly, 1 and 4, Argent, a fess, Gules, three torteauz in chief, (Devereux) 2 and 3, Varre, Or and Gules, (Fe.rrars of C hartley ) 6th, Gules, seven Mascles conjoined, 3, 3, and 1, (Ferrars of Groby and Tamworth.^ Crest. On a wreath, a buck tripping sable, a hind proper. Also out of a ducal coronet, Or, a swan rousant Argent, ducally collared and chained of the 1st, holding in its beak Sable, an ostrich feather of the 2d ; (which crest was granted to his Lordship, by sign manual of his present Majesty, in regard to his being the direct lineal heir to Thomas Plantagenet, surnamed of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, sixth son to Edward III. whose cognizance was a swan, with an ostrich feather.) Also on a wreath, an unicorn passant ermine, armed, hoofed, maned, and tufted, Or, the crest of the family of Ferrers, of Tamworth. Also on a wreath, a peacock's tail erect, proper ; the crest of the ancient Lord de Ferrars, of Chartley. Supporters. Dexter, a buck Sable, attired Argent. Sinister, a greyhound Argent. Motto. Hcec generi increment a fides (Ennobled for our Fidelity.) Heir- Presumptive. Lord Charles Vere T,ownshend, brother to the Marquis. Chief Seats. At Tamworth Castle ; and Rainham, in Norfolk. SHIRLEY, EARL FERRERS. ROBERT SHIRLEY, EARL FERRERS, Viscount Tamworth, and a Baronet, F. s. A. born Sept. 21, 1756, succeeded his father the late Earl, April 18, 1787; married 1st, March 13, 1778, Elizabeth Pren- tise, by whom, who d. Sept. 14, 1799, he had issue Robert Sewallis, Viscount Tamworth, b. Nov. 9, 1778, m. Sept. 5, 1800, Sophia Caroline, daughter of Nathaniel Curzori, Lord Scarsdale. His Lordship m. 2dly, Elizabeth, youngest daughter of the late Wrightson Mundy, Esq. of Markeaton, co. Derby. The family of Shirley is descended from Sewallis, whose residence at the time of the Conquest was at Ettington, co. Warwick. His descendant, James, of Ettington, first assumed the name of Etting- ton, temp. Henry III. His grandson, Sir Thomas Shirley, m. a daughter and co-heir of the Bassets, of Drayton, temp. Richard II. His descendant, Sir Ralph Shirley, was created a Knight-banneret for his distinguished gallantry at the battle of Stoke, in 1417. Sir George Shirley, his great grandson, was created a Baronet in 1611, from whom descended, Sir Robert Shirley, Knt. first Earl Ferrers, b. at East Sheen, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [291 eo. Surry, during his father's confinement in the Tower for his loyalty to Charles I. where he d. during his imprisonment, on Dec. 14, 1677. His Majesty was pleased to confirm unto him and his heirs the ancient Baronies of Ferrars, of Chartley, Bourchier, and Lovaine, which honours had been in abeyance between the ladies Frances and Dorothy Devereaux and their descendants from the decease of their brother, the Earl of Essex, without issue. His Lordship was in the 1st of Anne advanced to the dignity of Viscount Tamworth. He m. first Elizabeth, daughter of Lawrence Washing- ton, Esq. of Caresden, co. Wilts, by whom, who d. Oct. 2, 1693, he had issue ten sons and seven daughters ; and by his second wife, Selina, daughter of George Finch, Esq. he had five sons, 1st, Robert, d. young ; 2d, George, d. an infant ; 3d, George, b. in 1705 ; 4th, Sewallis, b. in 1709, d. Oct. 31, 1765 ; 5th, John, b. in 1752, d. Feb. 15, 1768; and five daughters. His Lordship dying Dec. 25, 1717, was succeeded by his second son, Washington, second Earl, b. June 22, 1677. He m. Mary, daughter of Sir Richard Ley ings, Bart, by whom, who d. in Jan. 1740, he had issue three daughters, his co-heirs : 1st, Elizabeth, m. June 24, 1725, Joseph Gascoigne Nightingale, of Enfield, co. Middlesex, d. Aug. 1731 ; 2d, Selina, m, June 23, 1728, Theophi- lus, Earl of Huntingdon, and d. in 1791 ; 3d, Mary, m. June 29, 1730, Thomas Needham, Lord Viscount Kilmorey, and d. Aug. 4, 1767. His Lordship dying April 14, 1729, and leaving no heir male, the title devolved on Henry, third Earl, his next brother, who was b. April 14, 1691, and dying in Aug. 1745 unmarried, the title devolved on his nephew, Lawrence, son and heir of Lawrence Shirley, tenth son of Robert first Earl Ferrars. Lawrence, fourth Earl, b, Sept. 16, 1752, m. Mary, youngest daughter of Amos Meredith, Esq. son and heir of Sir William Mere- dith, Bart, of Hanbury, in Cheshire, from whom he was separated by act of Parliament. His Lordship, though he was at times a very intelligent person, and a nobleman conversant in the Constitution of his country, yet, on several occasions, exhibited symptoms of a constitutional insanity of mind. In one of these fits of disorder he shot his steward, Mr. Johnson, in Jan. 1760; in April following he was tried by his Peers, in Westminster-Hall, and suffered death on the 5th of May following. His title and estate descended to his next brother, Washington, fifth Earl, 6. May 26, 1722, m. April 19, 1746, 292] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Miss Anne Elliot/ of Plymouth, was made Captain in the Royal Navy, in which he gave eminent proofs of courage, and was pro- moted to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue. His Lordship dying Oct. 1, 1778, was succeeded by his brother, Robert, 6th Earl, b. July 10, 1773, m. Catherine, daughter of Rowland Cotton, of Etwall, co. Derby, by whom, who d. March 16, 1786, he had issue, 1st, Robert, the present Earl ; 2d, Lawrence Rowland, d. young; 3d, Washington, b. Nov. 13, 1760, m. Frances, only daughter of the Rev. William Ward. His Lordship dying April 18, 1787, was succeeded by his son Robert, the present and seventh Earl. Creations. Baronet, May 22, 1611, Viscount Tamworth, co. Stafford, and Earl Ferrars, Sept. 3, 1711. Arms. Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Paly of six. Or, and Azure, a Canton Er- mine j 2d and 3d, France and England, quarterly, \vithin a border, Argent. Crest. On a Wreath, the Bust of a Saracen, side-faced, and couped, proper, wreathed about the Temples, Or, and Azure. Supp orters. --Dexter a Talbot Ermine, eared Gules, and gorged with a du- cal Collar, Or, Sinister, aUein-deer of the second, attired and gorged with a ducal Collar, Or, and charged on the Shoulder with a Horse-shoe, Argent. Motto. Honor Virtiitis Prcemium, (Honour is the reward of Virtue^. Heir-Apparent Viscount Tamworth, his Lordship's eldest son. Chief Seats. At Stanton Harold, in Leicestershire ; at C hartley-castle, in Staffordshire ; and at Shirley, in Derbyshire. CHETWYND, EARL TALBOT. CHARLES CHETWYND TALBOT CHETWYND, Earl Talbot, Viscount Ingestre, in Staffordshire., and Lord Talbot^ Baron of Hensal, co. Glamorgan, Lord Lieutenant of the county of Stafford, b. April 25 1777, succeeded his father the late Earl, May 19, 1793; m. Aug. 28, 1800, Frances Thomasine Lambart, eldest daughter of Charles Lambart, of Beanpark, Ireland, Esq. by whom he has issue, 1st, Lady Frances b. May 17, 1801; 2d, Charles Thomas, Viscount Ingestre, b. July 11, 1802 ; 3d, the Hon. Henry John, b. Nov. 8, 1803; 4th Arthur, b. Jan. 12, 1805; 5th, John, b. May 31, 1806; 6th, Lady Cecil, b. April 18, 1808 ; 7th, George Gustavus b. March 19, 1810 ; 8th, Walter Chetwynd, b. Sept. 29, 1812 ; 9th, William Whitworth, b. Jan. 17, 1814; and 10th, Gilbert, b. April 28, 1816. This noble branch of the ancient and illustrious house of Talbot, is lineally descended from Sir Gilbert Talbot, of Grafton, Worces- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [293 tershire, third son of John 2d Earl of Shrewsbury, by his wife Eli- zabeth, daughter of James Butler, Earl of Ormond. ' Charles first Lord Talbot, was the eldest son of Dr. William Talbot, Bishop of Durham. On May 31 1717, he was nominated Solicitor-General to George Prince of Wales, the late King ; and on April 22, 1726, was constituted Solicitor-General to George I. in which post he continued till Nov. 29, 1733, when he was appointed Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, and at the same time sworn of his Majesty's Privy Council. He was by letters patent, dated Dec. 5, 1733, created a Peer of Great Britain, by the title of Lord Talbot Baron of Hensol. His Lordship nu Cecil, daughter of Charles Matthews, Esq. of Castle-y-Menich, co. Glamorgan, by whom he had issue, 1st, Charles Richard, who d. a bachelor in 1733; 2d, William Earl Talbot; 3d, John, m. Henrietta Maria, daughter of Sir Matthew Decker, Bart, who dying in Sept. 1746, he m. secondly, Catherine, eldest daughter of John Lord Viscount Chetwynd, in Ireland, by whom he left issue four sons ; 4th, Ed- ward, who d. an infant ; 5th, George D. D. m. Anne, eldest daughter of Jacob, late Lord Viscount Folkstone, by whom he had issue two sons and four daughters. His Lordship dying Sept. 23, 1756, was succeeded by his second son, William, advanced to the dignity of Earl Talbot March 21, 1761 ; m, Mary, sole daughter of Adam de Cardonnel, of Bedhampton- park, co. Southampton, Esq. by whom he had a son, William, who d. an infant; Cecil, b. in July, 1735, m. Aug. 16, 1756, George Rice, Esq. of Newton, co. Carmarthen, by whom she had issue. His Lordship d. April 27, 1782, on which the Earldom became ex- tinct ; but having been created Baron Dinevor Sept. 29, 1780, with remainder to his daughter Lady Cecil, she succeeded to that Barony, and the Barony of Talbot descended to his nephew and heir male, John Chetwynd Talbot. John Chetwynd, eldest son of the Hofo. John Talbot, succeeded his uncle as third Baron Talbot, and was created Viscount of In- gestre, co. Stafford, and Earl Talbot of Hensol, co. Glamorgan, by patent. His Lordship m. May 7, 1776, Lady Charlotte, daughter of Wills Hill, first Marquis of Downshire, and by her, who d. Jan. 1804, left issue Charles Chetwynd, the preseut Earl ; John, b. April 4, 1779. His Lordship dying May 19, 1793, was succeeded by his eldest son Charles Chetwynd, the present Earl. Creations. Baron Talbot, of Hensol, in the county of Glamorgan, D- ember 5th, 1733 ; Viscount Ingestre and Earl Talbot, Julys, 1784. P P 294] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Arms. Gu. a lion ramp, within a border engrailed, Or, a cresent difference. Crest. On a chnpeau, Gules, turned up ermine, a lion, Or, his tail extended- Supporters. On each side, a Talbot, Argent, collared with a double tressure fleury, counter fleury, Gules. Motto Humani nihil Alienum. (Nothing is foreign to me which relates to man.) Heir-Apparent. Yiscou nt Igetre. Chief Seat .---Ingestre, Staffordshire. JERVIS, EARL OF ST. VINCENT. JOHN JEKVIS, Earl of St. Vincent, Viscount St. Vincent of Mea- ford, and Baron Jervis, of Meaford, in Staffordshire ; Admiral of the Red, G. C. B, General of the Royal Marines, an Elder Brother of the Trinity House, and one of the Council of State for the Prince of Wales in Cornwall, b. at Meaford, Jan. 9, 1734, and baptized at Stone the 26th of the same month ; m. his first cousin Martha, daughter of the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Parker, who d. February 8, 1816, and was buried in Caverswall church, in the county of Staf- ford, but has no issue. He is descended from James Jervis, of Chatkyll, in the parish of Eccleshall and county of Stafford, who left two sons, 1st, Robert, who died without issue; 2d, William, who had issue, John, who m. Ellen, daughter of Whittington, by whom he had issue, Tho- mas; John, who m. Elizabeth, daughter and sole heir of John Jervys, by her he had issue (beside other children) John Jervys, b. Sept. 25, 1631, m. Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Wakelin, of Gentleshaw, in the parish of Longdon,co. Stafford, and had issue, John Jervis, b. at Chatkyll, and buried at Darlaston, in the parish of Stone, m. Mary, only daughter and heir of John Swynfen, heir-apparent of John Swynfen, of Swynfen, co. Stafford, Esq. By her he had issue, John; William, b. in 1695; Benjamin, b. 1695; Thomas, b. in 1699; Swynfen, in Nov. 1700; Matthew, b. in 1704. Swynfen, fifth son of John Jervis, before-mentioned, was b. at Darlaston in Nov. 1700; he was Auditor of Greenwich Hospital. He m. in 1727, Elizabeth, daughter of George Parker, Esq. of Park Hall, and sister of the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Parker, and d. at Meaford in March 1784, leaving issue, William, b. in May 1 728, m. Jane, only surviving sister of Thomas Hatrell, late of Newcastle, JEsq. and d. in 1813; John, now Earl of St. Vincent; Elizabeth, b. in 1729, m. the Rev- Mr. Batewell ; Margaret and Mary d. in- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [295 fants ; Mary, m- April 19, 1759, William Henry Ricketts, and by him had issue, Capt. William Ricketts, R. N. b. Nov. 4, 1764, who took the name of Jervis by royal sign manual, m. Nov. 9, 1793, Elizabeth Jane Lambert, daughter of Richard Earl of Cavan, (which marriage was dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1799), by whom he had issue, Edward Jervis Ricketts, Barrister-at-Law, who m. Jan. 29, 1790, the Hon. Cassandra Twissleton, daughter of Thomas, late Lord Say and Sele, from whom he was divorced in 1799, and by whom he had issue, one son and two daughters, William Jervis, b. April 11, 1794; Eliza, d. Aug. 29, 1805; and Maria, b. in 1797. The Captain was drowned by the upsetting of his barge, Jan. 26, 1805. John Jervis, second son of Swynfen Jervis aforesaid, now EARL of ST. VINCENT, was born at Meaford, in this county, Jan. 9th, 1734, and baptized at Stone 26th of the same month. Being early brought up to the navy, he was promoted to the rank of Post Captain, October 13th, 1760, and early distinguished him- self in his profession, particularly in the action with the Pegase, when he commanded the Foudroyant, April 20, 1782, for which he was made a Knight of the Bath. In 1787 he obtained the rank of Admiral. In the latter end of 1793, his Majesty having determined to send a formidable armament to the West Indies, to reduce the French Islands in that quarter, and to secure his own from any attack of the enemy, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Grey, K. B,, Vice-Admiral Sir John Jervis, K. B. was nominated Commander in Chief of the naval force on the same ex- pedition. On Monday Jan. 6, 1794, they arrived off Barbadoes, and immediately prepared for the expedition against Martinique ; for which the total military force embarked was 6085 effectives, be- sides 224 sick. The fleet sailed from Barbadoes on Febuary 3d 1 , and approached Martinique on Wednesday February 5th. On the following day the General effected a landing. After some inter- mediate operations, the town of St. Pierre was attacked by sea and land, and carried. The enemy's strength was then concen- trated in one point at Forts Louis and Bourbon. These the Admi- ral now attacked ; and on the 20th of February, these strong holds were completely invested. On March 25, Fort Bourbon was sur- rendered ; Fort Louis was also taken by storm. The island of Mar- tinique being thus conquered, the fleet and army proceeded on March 30th for St. Lucia, which- also surrendered on the 4th of April. 296] A TOPOGRAPHICAL On Tuesday April 8th, the commanders proceeded against Gua- daloupe ; Fort Fleur D'Epee was taken on the 12th, and with this fell Hog Island, and Fort Louis, an old fortification, commanding the entrance into the harbour of Point-a-Petre, which town was also taken possession of at the same time by Sir Charles Grey. On the 13th, the army was re-embarked, and landed on Basse- Terre at Petit-Bourg, in another part of the island. The Admiral anchored in Auce-de-Bailiff. The Palmiste was taken by assault, and the island of Guadaloupe was surrendered to the Commander in Chief on the 23d of April. In June an armament arrived from France, made good their landing on Grand Terre, and retook Fort Fleur D'Epee by storm. The Admiral was at this time with the General at St. Christopher's, on his return to England. The com- manders instantly determined to return to Guadaloupe, and pushed for Basse-Terre, where they arrived on June 7th. Sir Charles Grey took the heights of Mascot, and several actions took place; but the General found it now in vain to attempt any thing against Fleur D'Epee, at this season, with an army so greatly reduced by the yellow fever, as well as service. Having therefore made the best arrangements to enable him to renew his attacks after the hurricane months, he embarked on board the Boyne, which pro- ceeded to Fort Royal Bay, where she was laid up during those months in a strong harbour called Trois Islet Bay, and the sick and wounded were lauded for the benefit of fresh air. The Gene- ral then sailed with the Admiral to Martinique, and established his head-quarters at St. Pierre. On the 30th of September, the enemy having been too successful against the little remnants of the army in Guadaloupe, the Admiral embarked, and sailed from Martinique, and anchored off Grozier, in the bay of Point-a-Petre. But our troops there, under General Graham, reduced by fatigue and sickness, and no longer able to undergo duty, were forced to capitulate. Sir John Jervis, who had made every attempt to suc- cour General Graham's camp at Berville, and had been an unwil- ling spectator from the fleet of the surrender of that camp to the enemy, now made sail for Basse-Terre, to render every assistance in his power to General Prescot; and on October 9th, anchored within half a cable's length of the town. However, after various attempts to assist General Prescot, the Admiral, worn down by long and severe exertions, the fatigues of which were augmented by the anxiety for the welfare of the service, that not all his ex- ertions could promote without the arrival of a strong reinforce- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [297 ment, together with the unhealthiness of the climate, found him- self no longer able to continue on this station, and therefore, to the great grief of General Prescot, was obliged to give up his command to Admiral Caldwell, and embarking his seamen, under Lieutenaut James, from Fort Matilda, sailed for St. Pierre, when every thing being arranged between the several commanders, Sir Charles Grey and his suite embarked once more with Sir John Jervis on board the Boyne. On November 27th, they sailed for England, and after a tedious voyage (being for near a month tossed about in the Channel by contrary winds) arrived at Spithead, January 21st, 1795. In February 1797, he fought the famous battle off Cape St. Vin- cent, for which he was rewarded with a Peerage. The New An- nual Register gives the following account of this glorious victory : "The British fleet, or to speak more correctly, the British squadron, under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervis, amount- ed to no more than fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter. Of these six were three-deckers, eight were of 74 guns, and one of 64. The Spanish fleet consisted of twenty- seven sail of the line, one of which was a four-decker, and carried 136 guns, six were three-deckers of 112 guns each, two of 84 guns, and eighteen of 74. The Spanish Admiral, Don Josef de Cordova, had sailed from Carthagena on the 4th of February, and passed Gibraltar on the following day ; having left in that bay three line-of-battle ships, supposed to be laden with military stores for the Spanish troops before that garrison. On the night of the llth, this fleet had been discovered by the Minerva frigate, which carried the broad pennant of Commodore Nelson, then on his way from the Mediterranean to join Admiral Jervis. Captain Foote, of the Nigre, also kept company with them for some days previous to the 13th, and that night they approached so near the British fleet, that their signal guns were distinctly heard. The signals were, therefore, made that night for the British fleet to prepare for bat- tle, and at day-break on the 14th they were in complete order. The morning was dark and hazy, but about half-past six the Cullo- den made the signal for five sail in the south-west quarter; at eight o'clock the squadron was ordered to form in close order, and in a few minutes after, the signal was repeated to prepare for bat- tle. At a little after ten, the Minerva made the signal for twenty sail in the south-west quarter; and in about half-an-hour after, the enemy's fleet were visible to all the British squadron. The 298] A TOPOGRAPHICAL ships first discovered by the Culloden were at this period sepa- rated from their main body, which was bearing down in some con- fusion to join the separated ships. It appeared to have been the British Admiral's intention at the first, to cut off these vessels from the enemy's fleet before the main body could arrive to their assistance, and with this view the fast-sailing ships were ordered to chase, but observing the near position of their main body, he after- wards formed his fleet into a line of battle a-head and a-stern as most convenient. At about twenty-six minutes past eleven, the Ad- miral communicated his intention to pass through the enemy's line, and immediately after the signal was made to engage. At about half-past eleven, the action commenced by the van ship, the Cul- loden, commanded by Captain Trowbridge, firing against the ene- my's headmost ships to the windward. As the squadron advanced, however, the action became more general ; and it was soon appa- rent that the British Admiral had accomplished his design of pass- ing through the enemy's line. In the mean time, the regular and animated fire of the British fleet was but feebly returned by the enemy's ships to windward, which were also completely prevented from joining their companions to leeward, and obliged to haul their wind on the larboard tack. Thus a part of the Spanish fleet was effectually cut off from the main body, and they were reduced to the necessity of also forming on their larboard tack, apparently with the intention of passing through or to the leeward of the British line; but such was the reception they experienced from the centre of the British, that they were obliged to put about, and did not appear again in the action till the close of the day. The Bri- tish Admiral having thus fortunately obtained his first object, now directed his whole attention to the enemy's main body to wind- ward, which was reduced at this time^ by the separation of the ships to leeward, to eighteen sail of the line. At a little after twelve o'clock, the signal was made for the British fleet to tack in succession, and soon after, the signal for again passing the enemy's line ; while the Spanish Admiral's design appeared to be to join his ships to leeward by wearing round the rear of the British line. The intention of the enemy was, however, soon perceived by Commodore Nelson, whose station in the rear afforded him an opportunity of observing the manoeuvre. In order to frustrate the design, therefore, his ship, the Captain, had no sooner passed the Spanish rear, than he ordered her to wear, and stand on the other tack towards the enemy. In executing HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [299 this bold manoeuvre, the Commodore found himself alongside of the Spanish Admiral, the Santissidma Trinidada, of 136 guns, which is said to be the largest ship at present in existence. Not- withstanding this immense disparity (the Captain being only a seventy-four), this brave officer did not shrink from the contest; though the Spaniard was also warmly supported by her two seconds a-head and a-stern, which were each of them three-deckers. While he sustained, however, this unequal conflict, his friends were eagerly pressing to his assistance ; the enemy's attention, therefore, was soon directed to the Culloden, Captain Trowbridge ; and the Blen- heim, Captain Frederick ; and the able support afforded by these vessels to Commodore Nelson, and the approach of Rear- Admiral Parker, with four others of the British line, determined the Spanish Commander to relinquish his design of rejoining his ships to lee- ward, and to make the signal for his main body to haul their wind, and make sail on the larboard tack. The advantage was now evi- dently on the side of the British, and while the advanced division warmly pressed the centre and rear of the enemy, the Admiral medi- tated with his division a co-operation which might effectually com- pel some of them to surrender. In the confusion of their retreat, seve- ral of the Spanish ships had doubled on each other. It was therefore Admiral Jervis's plan to reach the weathermost of those ships, then to bear up and take them all in succession, with the seven ships com- posing his division. The casual position of the rear ships in his own division, however, prevented the executing this design. He there- fore ordered the leading ship, the Excellent, Captain Collingwood, to bear up, while with his own ship, the Victory, he passed to lee- ward of the rearmost ships of the enemy. Captain Collingwood, in obedience to the Admiral's orders, passed between the two rearmost ships of the enemy, and gave one of them, the San Isidro, so effec- tual a broadside, that having been much injured before, she was obliged to submit. The Excellent then passed on to the relief of the Captain, which was engaged with a three-decker, carrying a, flag ; but before she could arrive, the vessel became entangled with the second, a two-decker. In this state they were both boarded by the Captain, and the smaller of them, the San Nicholas, was in a short time in the possession of her opponents. The three-decker, the San Joseph, followed the fate of her second, and became imme- diately a prize to Commodore Nelson, who headed the party which boarded her from the San Nicholas. In the mean time Admiral Jervis ordered the Victory to be placed on the lee quarter of the 300] A TOPOGRAPHICAL rearmost ship of the enemy, the Salvador del Mundo ; and threw-i* so effectual a discharge, that her Commander seeing the Barfleur carrying Vice-Admiral Waldegrave's flag, bearing down to second the Victory, thought proper to strike. Thus four of the enemy's ships were in possession of the British, while the van ships continued to press hard on the Santissima Trinidada, the Spanish Admiral's ship, and the others which composed the rear of the flying fleet. The career of victory was however stopped by circumstances not in the power of the British Commander to control. The ships which in the morning had been separated from the main body of the Spanish fleet, were now able to make their approach ; two fresh ships which had not appeared in the action, bore down from wind- ward, and two of the flying ships tacked about to support their chiefs. These circumstances, therefore, with the lateness of the hour, and the necessity of securing the prizes, determined the con- quering Admiral to bring-to. A little after four in the afternoon the signal was made to this effect; and a strong line was formed for the protection of the prizes and disabled vessels. The enemy's fresh ships, on approaching, opened a fire on the covering ships ; but though superior in number, and fresh for action, they contented them- selves with a few irregular broadsides, and left the British Admiral to sail off triumphantly with his prizes, which the reader will remem- ber amounted to four ; viz. two, the Salvador del Mundo, the San Jo- sef, of 112 guns; the San -Nicholas, of 84, and the San Isidro, of 74 guns. The Spanish Admiral, which was greatly the object of atten- tion to the British ships, was rendered a perfect wreck ; her firing had ceased before the close of the action, and some even affirm that she had struck her colours. The loss of the British in this engage- ment, in killed and wounded, was exactly 300 men. The loss of the Spaniards which were captured amounted to 693; and the ships which escaped must also have suffered considerably. So important a victory with so decisive a disparity of force, is, perhaps, unpa- ralleled in our naval annals. The ability displayed by the Com- mander was only to be equalled by the valour and adroitness of the seamen ; indeed, we have been informed by an eye-witness that the fire of the British was superior to that of their opponents, in the proportion of five or six to one, during the whole of the action; and the expenditure of ammunition was consequently beyond ex- ample. The Culloden, it is said, expended 170 barrels of powder ; the Captain, 146 ; and the Blenheim, 180. The Spaniards fought bravely, but with little skill ; and it is but fair to remark, that their HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [301 fleet was ill-equipped, and very indifferently manned, and in no re- spect fit for action ; their flag-ship had not more than sixty or eighty seamen on board : the rest consisted of impressed landsmen, or soldiers, of their new levies. As the port of Cadiz had been their original destination, and as many of their ships were disabled, the Spaniards manifested no inclination to renew the action, but took shelter in Cadiz." For this victory Sir John Jervis was rewarded with an Earldom, being created Baron Jervis of Meaford, in the county of Stafford, and Earl of St. Vincent, to him and the heirs male of his body, by patent dated June 23d, 1797. He afterwards obtained a patent for a Viscountcy, with a collateral limitation, being created by patent dated April 27, 1801, Viscount St. Vincent of Meaford, in the county of Stafford, to him and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, and in default to William Henry Ricketts, Esq. Captain in his Majesty's Navy, son of Mary Ricketts, by William Henry Ricketts, Esq. late of the Island of Jamaica, (which said Mary Ricketts is the sister of the said John Earl of St. Vincent,) and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, and in default of such issue, to Edward Jervis Ricketts, Esq. Barrister-at-Law, another son of the said Mary Ricketts, by the said late William Henry Ricketts, and brother of the said William Henry Ricketts, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten ; and in default of such issue, to Mary Countess of Northesk, daughter of the said Mary Ricketts ; and after the decease of the said Mary Countess of Northesk, and in default of such issue, as well of the said John Earl of St. Vincent, as of the said William Henry Ricketts, and Edward Jervis Ricketts, as aforesaid, to the heirs male of the body of the said Mary Countess of Northesk, lawfully begotten. In March 1801, when the reins of Administration were committed to Mr. Addington, the Earl of St. Vincent was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. His Lordship had afterwards for some time the command of the Channel fleet. Creations. Earl of St. Vincent and Baron Jervis of Meaford, by patent, June 23, 1797 j and Viscouut St. Vincent of Meaford, April 27, 1801. Arms. Sable, a chevron Ermine, between three martlets, Or. Crest. A demi-Pegasus issuing from a wreath. Supporters. On the dexter side, an eagle grasping in its left talon a thun- derbolt; on the sinister side, a Pegasus charged on the wing, with a fleur-de- leuce. Motto. Thus. Seat. Rochelts, Essex. Heir-Presumptive. Edward Jervis Ricketts, Esq. to the Viscountcy only. ft Q, 302] A TOPOGRAPHICAL RYDER, EARL OF HARROWBY. DUDLEY RYDER, Earl of Harrowby, of Harrowby, in the County of Lincoln, Viscount Sandon, of Sancton, in the County of Stafford, Lord Harrowby. of Harrowby, in Lincolnshire ; High Steward of Tiverton, President of the Council, L. L. D. F. S.A. ; born Dec. 22, 1762, succeeded his father, Nathaniel, the late Lord, June 20, 1803 ; married in 1795, Lady Susan Leveson Gower, daughter of Gran- ville, first Marquis of Stafford, and has issue, 1st, Susan, b. June 20, 1796, 2d, Dudley, Viscount Sandon, b. May 20, 1797; 3d, a son, b. Oct. 27, 1809; 4th, a daughter, b. Jan. 28, 1811. The name of Rythre, Ryther, or Ryder, is local, being derived from Ryther, in the hundred of Barkston, in the county of York, in which county, as well as Kent, respectable families of that name have at various times settled. Robert Ryder, whose son was the Rev. Dudley Ryder, of Bed- worth, in the county of Warwick, m. Anne, fourth daughter of Richard Bickley, of Halloughton, co. Warwick, by whom he had issue four sons, and two daughters, Richard; Benedi; Francis; Dudley Ryder., who m. Catherine, daughter of , Shiers, and had several children, of whom John Ryder, D.D. was Archbishop of Armagh, and left issue Richard, who left by his first wife two daughters. He m. secondly, Elizabeth Marshall, by whom he had three sons, Richard ; Sit 1 Dudley; William, who by Mary his wife, daughter of Burton, left an only child, Elizabeth, married to Dudley Baxter, Solicitor of Excise, who died without issue, at Farnham, co. Surrey. Sir Dudley Ryder, Knt. second son, father of the late Lord Har- rowby, was born in the year 1691. After receiving a good school education, he went to the University of Edinburgh, and from thence to that of Leyden. On his return to England he settled in the Temple, where he studied the laws of his country with that assi- duity and attention which laid the foundation of his future rise in his profession. He was made Solicitor-General in 1733; was in 1736 advanced to the office of Attorney-General, and discharged with integrity and ability the duties of that laborious situation during a period of about eighteen years. In 1754, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, and in 1 756, his Ma- jesty, in reward for his long and faithful services, determined to HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [303 raise him to the dignity of the peerage ; for which purpose the King signed a warrant on May 24th of that year, hut Sir Dudley dying the next day, before the patent was completed, it did not take effect. He married Anne, daughter of Nathaniel Newnham, of Streatham in Surrey, Esq. and by her, who d. May 9th, 1774, left one son, Nathaniel, first Lord Harrowby, who represented the borough of Tiverton in 1768 and 1774, till his Majesty was pleased to advance him to the dignity of a Peer of Great Britain, by the style and title of Baron Harrowby, of Harrowby, in Lincolnshire (with the like dignity to the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten) by letters patent, bearing date May 20th, 1776. His Lordship m. in January 1762, Elizabeth, daughter of the Right Reverend Richard Terrick, D. D. Lord Bishop of London, by whom (who d. August 24th, 1804), he had issue, Dudley, the present Peer; Henry, d. young; the Right Hon. Richard Ryder, b. July 5th, 1766, late Judge Martial and Advocate General to the Army, and First Jus- tice of Cardigan, Pembroke, and Carmarthenshires ; m. August 1, 1799, Frederica Skymer, daughter of Sir John Skymer, Knight, and has issue, of which Frederica- Anna, the eldest, d. December 12, 1808. Elizabeth, b. November 22, 1777; Nathaniel, d. young; Nathaniel, b. June 7, 1775, d. young; Henry, M. A. Vicar of Lut- terworth, in Leicestershire, m. in December 1802, Sophia, daughter of Thomas March Phillips, Esq. ; Anne, b. Dec. 1, 1779, d. June 26, 1801. His Lordship dying June 20, 1803, was succeeded by his eldest son, Dudley, second Baron, and first Earl of Harrowby, who was b. Dec. 22, 1762, and was educated at St. John's College, Cam- bridge. While a Commoner he sat in Parliament for Tiverton. In 1790, he was Under Secretary of State to the Duke of Leeds. He then became Comptroller of the Household ; and, in 1791, was Joint Paymaster of the Forces, in which office his brother Richard was his deputy. In 1801 he was appointed Treasurer of the Navy, and a Member of the Board of Controul ; and in 1804, held for a short time the place of Secretary of State for the Fo- reign Department. In 1805 his Lordship was appointed Ambas- sador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Court of Berlin, when the plans of our government were suddenly defeated by the battle of Austerlitz. His Lordship was elevated to an Earldom on the 18th of July 1809, by the titles of Viscount Sandon of Sandon, in Staffordshire, and Earl of Harrowby. 304] A TOPOGRAPHICAL Creations. Baron, by patent, May 20, 1776 ; Earl and Viscount, by patent, July 18, 1809. Arms. Azure, three crescents, Or, each charged with an ermine spot, Sable. Crest . In a mural crown, Or, a Wyvern's head, Argent, thereon an Ermine spot, Sable. Supporters. Two Griffins, Argent, charged on their breast with an Ermine spot, Sable, collared Azure, thereon three crescents, Or, and chained Azure, Motto, Servata fides cineri (The promise made to my ancestors is now kept.) Heir-Apparent. Dudley Viscount Sandon. Chief Seat. Sandon, Staffordshire, WHITWORTH, EARL WHITWORTH. CHARLES WHITWORTH, Earl Whitworth, Viscount Adbaston, of Adbaston, in Staffordshire, Baron Whitworth, of Newport-Pratt, in Ireland; Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and Grand Master of the Order of St. Patrick, a Privy Counsellor, a Lord of Trade and Plantations, High Steward of Stratford -upon- Avon, a Lieutenant- General, G. c. B. and D. c. L. born in 1760, appointed Minister Plenipotentiary at Warsaw in 1786 ; Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Russia, in September 1788; invested with the Military Order of the Bath in 1793; Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Denmark in 1800; created a Peer of Ireland, March 21, 1800, by the title of Baron Whit- worth, of Newport-Pratt, in the county of Galway; Ambassador Extraordinary to the Court of France in 1802; appointed a Lord of the Bedchamber in 1813 ; created a Peer of Great Britain by the title of Viscount Whitworth of Adbaston, sworn of the Privy Council, and appointed Viceroy of Ireland in 1813 ; married April 7, 1801, Arabella Diana Duchess of Dorset, widow of John Frede- rick third duke of Dorset, and eldest daughter of Sir Charles Cope, Bart, of Orton Longueville, by Catherine Countess of Liverpool. The Viscount's grandfather, Francis Whitworth, Esq. of Ley- borne Castle, in Kent, was younger brother of Charles Lord Whit- worth, Baron of Galway, who was created a Peer of Ireland in 1721, but d. without issue in 1725, when the Barony became ex- tinct. His Lordship had filled many important diplomatic situa- tions, being successively appointed Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of St. Petersburg!! in 1707, in the reign of Queen Anne ; HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [305 Minister Plenipotentiary to the Diet of Augsburgh and Ratisbon in 1714; Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of Prussia in 1716; Envoy to the Hague in 1717; Ambassador Extraordinary to the Congress of Cambray in 1724. His Lordship's estates devolved to his brother, Francis Whitworth, of Leyborne, whod. in 1743, leaving issue, Sir Charles Whitworth, Knt. M. P. m. Miss Shelley, and d. in 1772, having had issue, 1st, Charles, the first Viscount; 2d, Sir Francis, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army,d. Jan. 16,1805; 3d, Rich- ard, Captain R, N., lost at sea; 4th, Diana, m. 1st, Sir Bellingham Graham, Bart, of Norton Conyers, co. York, and 2dly, in Jan. 1800, Francis Gerard, second and present Viscount Lake. 5th, Catherine, m. Feb. 23, 1774, Henry, fourth Lord Aylmer ; 6th Mary, m. Thomas Lloyd, Esq. ; 7th, Anne, m. Sir Henry Russell, Chief Justice of Bengal. The extraordinary circumstances attending Lord Whitworth's celebrated mission to Paris in 1802, deserve recapitulation. At this time, Buonaparte finding himself firmly established in power, took every opportunity of provoking a rupture of the ill-ad- vised peace of Amiens, which had given him leisure to recruit his armies, and to renew with increased vigour his long-che- rished designs upon Great Britain. Buonaparte had been re- elected First Consul for ten years, and soon afterwards attained the Chief Consulate for life. Finding himself thus elevated, he took occasion to question the right of this country to discuss with freedom the actions of his public life, and intimated a desire that a kind of censorship should be established for inspecting all writ- ings of this description prior to their appearance in print. The noble and manly reply of the British Government upon this occasion, ought to be written in letters of gold- " His Majesty cannot, and never will, in consequence of any representation, or any menace from a foreign power, make any concession which can be in the smallest degree dangerous to the liberty of the press, as secured by the Constitution of this country, which admits of no previous restraints upon publications of any description/' In the mean time Lord Whitworth repaired to Paris, and General Andreossi was replaced by M. Otto at the Court of St James's. One de- mand succeeded another in a tone of arrogant superiority and in- sulting irony. France complained that one of the principal articles of the Treaty, which stipulated for the evacuation of Egypt, had not been complied with. This delay arose from a misunderstanding on the part of General Stuart, who held the command there, but 306J A TOPOGRAPHICAL instructions were immediately sent out for withdrawing the King's troops from that country. Buonaparte could no longer dissemble his ambitious projects. The shameful violation of the treaty of Luneville, in overrunning and subjecting the Swiss Cantons, the an- nexation to France of Piedmont, Parma, Placentia, and the Isle of Elba, confirmed the suspicions entertained by the British Go- vernment that Buonaparte was preparing for the worst. Indeed, the First Consul little less than avowed his intentions in a confer- ence with Lord Whitworth on the 17th February. A tedious ne- gotiation for the giving up of Malta was interrupted by an in- sulting demand, accompanied by a threat on the part of the French Government, for its immediate evacuation ; and an official note was delivered to their Legislature, rudely asserting " that Great Britain was not able to contend single-handed against France." With the avowed intention of reducing the refractory West India colonies, immense naval and military preparations were making in the ports of France and Holland. In this state of things it be- hoved his Majesty's Ministers to resort to something like precau- tionary measures, especially as they were said to be in possession of certain intelligence, which left no doubt of Buonaparte's ulterior ob- ject. On the 8th of March, therefore, the following Message from his Majesty was delivered to the House of Commons, and another of a similar import to the Lords : " His Majesty thinks it necessary to acquaint the House of Commons, that as very considerable military preparations are carrying on in the ports of France and Holland, he has judged it expedient to adopt additional measures of precau- tion for the security of his dominions. Though the preparations to which his Majesty refers are avowedly directed to colonial service, yet as discussions of great importance are now subsisting between bis Majesty and the French Government, the result of which must be uncertain at present, his Majesty is induced to make this commu- nication to his faithful Commons, in the full persuasion, that whilst they partake of his Majesty's earnest and unvarying solicitude for the continuance of peace, he may rely with perfect confidence on their public spirit and liberality, to enable his Majesty to adopt such measures as circumstances may seem to require for supporting the honour of the Crown, and the essential interests of his people/' This Message was immediately transmitted to Lord Whitworth, who was instructed to assure the French Government of his Majes- ty's earnest desire for the preservation of peace. M. Talleyrand asserted that there were no grounds for his Majesty's apprehensions, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [307 and assured Lord Whitworth of the pacific intentions of the First Consul ; adding, that he should always consider a refusal to evacu- ate Malta as a commencement of hostilities, and as we had hitherto hesitated upon that point, his Government was justified in the pre- cautionary measures which it had taken. At a subsequent confe- rence, M. Talleyrand informed his Lordship of the extreme displea- sure of the First Consul at his Majesty's suspicions, yet he (Buona- parte) would not suffer his passions to master him so far as to entail upon humanity the sufferings which this discussion might lead to. M. Talleyrand then delivered to Lord Whitworth a sort of Proces Ver- bale, which stated in substance, that if his Britannic Majesty in his Message meant to speak of the expedition of Helvoetsluys, all the world knew that it was destined for America, but that in conse- quence of his Majesty's Message it must be countermanded ; that if the armaments in England actually took place, it would be na- tural for the First Consul to march 20,000 troops into Holland ; to form an encampment on the frontiers of Hanover ; to embark addi- tional troops for America ; to form several camps at Calais ; to continue a French army in Switzerland ; to send a French force into Italy ; and as England was arming, and arming with so much publicity, to put the armies of France on the war establishment a step so important, as could not fail to agitate all Europe. Two days afterwards, the British Minister had a conference with the First Consul himself, which is thus described by Lord Whitworth, in his dispatch to Lord Hawkesbury, dated March 14, 1803: " The messenger Mason, went on Saturday with my dispatches of that date, and until yesterday (Sunday) I saw no one likely to give me further information such as I could depend on, as to the effect which his Majesty's Message had produced on the First Consul. At the Court which was held at the Thuilleries on that day, he accosted me, evidently under very considerable agitation. He began by asking me if I had any news from England. I told him that I had received a letter from England two days ago. He immediately said, " And so you are determined to go to war." ' No/ I replied, ' we are too sensible of the advantages of peace.' "We have," said he, " already waged war these 15 years." As he seemed to wait for an answer, I observed only, ' That is already too long.' " But," said he, " you wish to carry it on for 15 years more, and you force me to do it." I told him that was very far from his Majesty's intention. He then proceeded to Count Markoff and the Chevalier Azara, who were standing together at a little 308] A TOPOGRAPHICAL distance from me, and said to them, " The English wish for war ; but if they be the first to draw the sword, I shall be the last to sheath it. They have no regard for treaties. We must henceforth cover them with shame/' He then went his round. In a few minutes he came back and resumed the conversation, if such it can be called, by something personally civil to me. He began again, " For what reason are these armaments ? Against whom are these measures of precaution ? I have not a single ship of the line in the ports of France ; but if you will arm I shall arm like- wise ; if you will go to war I shall go to war also. You may per- haps be able to destroy France, but never to intimidate her." ' We do not desire,' said I, ' either the one or the other : we wish to live in good understanding with her/ It is requisite to pay regard to treaties/' replied he, " woe to those who pay no regard to treaties : they will be responsible for it to all Europe." He was too much agitated to make it advisable for me to prolong the conversation, I therefore made no answer ; and he returned to his apartment repeating the last phrase. It is to be remarked, that all this passed loud enough to be overheard by 200 people that were present ; and I am persuaded that there was not a sin- gle person who did not feel the extreme impropriety of his con- duct, and the total want of dignity as well as of decency on this occasion." All attempts at conciliation between the Governments of England and France proved abortive. Andreossi received his passports, and quitted England on the 16th of May. On the 13th of the same month, Lord Whitworth demanded his passports, and arrived in London on the 19th, his Majesty's declaration of war having been issued on the preceding day. The First Consul, with a degree of mean perfidy unknown in former wars between civilized states, detained all those persons who were so unfortunate as to trust themselves in the French dominions after the departure of the British Ambassador. The number of English thus detained as prisoners in France, Italy, and Holland, was estimated at 7500, among whom were several Generals, Colonels, and officers of all ranks. Thus commenced the " long ten years' war," that termi- nated in the downfal of Buonaparte, and the re-establishment of the Bourbon dynasty, after an exile of nearly twenty-five years. Creations. TZ*r on Whitworth, of Newport-Pratt, March 21, 1800 ; Viscount Whitworth, of Adbaston, 1812 ; and Earl Whitworth, Sept. 30, 1815. Arms. Argent, a bend, Sable, in the sinister chief point, a garb, Gules, t. Out of a ducal coronet, Or, a garb, Gules. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [309 'Motto. Dum spiro spero ( While I breathe I hope.; Supporters. Two eagles, wings erect, Sable, ducally gorged, Or, and a shield pendant, Argent, charged with a garb, Gules. Heir- Apparent. None. Chief Seats.- Knowle, Kent; Burghurst, Sussex; and Batchacre, Stafford- shire. ANSON, VISCOUNT ANSON. THOMAS ANSON, Viscount Anson t of Shugborougk and Or- greave, in the county of Stafford, Baron Soberton, of Soberton, co. Hants, by patent ; born Feb. 17, 1767, LL. D.; married September 15, 1794, Anne Margaret, second daughter of Thomas William Coke, Esq. of Holkham Hall, in the county of Norfolk, and has issue, 1st, Thomas William, b. Oct. 20, 1795- 2d; George,* 6. Oct. 13, 1797; 3d, Charles-Littleton,t b. Jan. 28, 1799; 4th, William,; 6. Feb. 26, 1801 ; 5th, Henry, 6. May 15, 1804; 6th, Edward, b. June 21, 1805, d. an infant.; 7th, Anne Margaret, 6. Oct. 3, 1796 ; 8th, Georgiana, b. June 6, 1802, d. an infant; 9th, Georgiana, b. Jan. 3, 1807; 10th, Edward Harcourt, 6- Aug. 20, 1808 ; llth, Frances Elizabeth, b. Jan. 9, 1810 ; 12th, Frederica Sophia, b. Aug. 24, 1814; 13th, Eliza Jane, b. FeU 26, 1816. The family of Anson have been seated in this county for many generations ; first, at Dunstan, in the parish of Penkridge, till William Anson, Esq. having purchased, in the reign bf James I. the manor of Shugborough, made it his chief residence, and it has continued to be the seat of the family to the present day. William Anson, Esq. his son and heir, m. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Stafford, of Botham Hall, Derbyshire, Esq. and by her had issue, three daughters, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Mkry ; also a son, William, his hneir, who m- Isabella, daughter of Charles* Car- rier, Esq. of Wirkworth, co. Derby, (sister to Janette Countess of Macclesfield) from whom is descended the present Earl. ' He d. -in Aug. 1720. Thomas, the eldest son, b. in 1695, and dying unmar- * A Lieutenant in the 3d Regiment of Foot Guards, and served with his regi- ment at the memorable battle of Waterloo. f Served as a Midshipman on board II. M. S. Bacchante, commanded by Capt. (now Sir William J Hoste, and was unfortunately killed by the bursting of ft cannon off Lissa. X A Midshipman, and served on board II. M. & Glasgow, commanded by the Hon. Capt. A. Maitlaud, under Lord Exmoutb, in the late severe engagement with the Algerines. R B 310] A TOPOGRAPHICAL ried in 1773, left his estate to his nephew, Mr. Adams; George, the celebrated Admiral, who for his signal naval services was re- warded by George II. with a Peerage, by the title of Lord Anson, Baron of Soberton, co. Hants, June 13, 1747; he m. the eldest daughter of the first Earl of Hardwicke, and d. June 6, 1762, with- out issue, (for an account of the eminent services of this great man, see article "Anson," in the Biography of this work) ; Janette, m. Sambrook Adams, Esq. by whom she left issue George, (who took the name of Anson,) father of the present Peer ; Isabella, Anne, and Johanna. George Adams, Esq. his Lordship's nephew, (already mentioned) succeeded to his Lordship's property, as well as to that of his uncle Thomas Anson, Esq. He m. Jan. 5, 1763, Mary, daughter of George Venables Vernon, first Lord Vernon, and had issue, Thomas, the. present Viscount ; George, b. Aug. 12, 1769, who received the una- nimous thanks of the House of Commons three different times for his gallant services in the Peninsular war, a Major-General in the Army, M. p. for Lichfield, Aid-de-Camp to the King, and K. c. B. m. May 27, 1800, Frances, sister of Sir Francis Hamilton, and has issue; Charles, in holy orders, M. A. b. Aug. 20, 1770; Sir William, Z>. Aug. 13, 1772, a Major-General in the Army, Knight Commander of the Most Hon. Order of the Bath, who likewise received the una- nimous thanks of both Houses of Parliament, (well-earned rewards of his military services ;) Henry, in holy orders, M. A. b. Dec. 19, 1793; Sambrook, b. Feb, 18, 1779, a Captain in the King's Own Militia, m. in Jan. 1801, Henrietta, daughter of James Ramsbottom, Esq. ; Frederick, in holy orders, M. A. b. March 23, 1779, m- in May 1807, the only daughter of the late Rev. Richard Levett, of Milford, co. Stafford; Mary, b. Dec. 8, 1763, m. Jan. 22, 1785, Sir Francis Ford, Bart. ; Anne, 6. Feb. 22, 1768, i. Bell Lloyd, Esq. of Bodfach, co. Montgomery ; and Catherine Juliana, 6. Dec. 27, 1780, Creations. Viscount Anson, of Shugborough and Orgreave, co. Stafford, and Baron of Soberton, February 17th, 1806. Arms. Argent, three bends, engrailed, Gules, a crescent for difference. Crest . Out of a ducal coronet, Or, the top of a spear, Argent. Supporters. On the dexter side, a sea-horse, Argent; on the sinister, a lion guardant, collared. Motto. Nil Despgrandum~(ew not;. Heir-Apparent. The Hon. Thomas William Anson. CAie/Seaf.Shugborougb, Staffordshire. HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [311 GOWER, VISCOUNT GRANVILLE. GRANVILLE LEVISON GOWER, Viscount Granmlle, of Stone-Park, Staffordshire, and a Privy Counsellor; lorn October 12, 1773, mar- ried December 24, 1809, Harriet, second daughter of the late Duke of Devonshire, by whom he has issue, 1st, Susan, b. October 25, 1810; 2d, Georgiana,6. September 23, 1812 ; 3d, Granville-George, b. May 11, 1815 ; and 4th, William, b. October 2, 1816. His Lord- ship is youngest son of Granville-Levison, late Marquis of Stafford, by Susan, daughter of Alexander Earl of Galloway. Viscount Granville was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. Petersburg!!, in 1807. [For an account of this noble family, see " Gower, Marquis of Stafford/'] Creation. Viscount, June 15, 1815. Arms. Quarterly, 1st and 4th, barry of eight, Argent and Gules, over all a cross flory, Sable, for Gower j 3d, Azure, three laurel leaves erect, Or, forLevi- son ; 3d, Gules, three clarions, Or.* In the fess point a crescent for difference. Crest. On a wreath, a wolf passant, Argent, collared and chained, Or. Supporters. -Two wolves, Argent, collared and chained, Or, bearing on the shoulder a shield charged with a clarion. Motto. Frangas non Flectes CYoumay break but shall not bend me.} JF/tr-^jjare?it.---Granville-George, his Lordship's eldest son. Chief Seat. Tixall, Staffordshire, GARDNER, VISCOUNT GARDNER. ALAN-LEGGE GARDNER, Viscount and Baron Gardner, of Uttox- eter, in Staffordshire, and Baron. Gardner, of Uttoxeter, in Ireland; born January 29, 1810, and succeeded his father, Alan-Hyde, the late Viscount, Dec. 27, 1815. William Gardner, grandfather of the late Lord Gardner, was born at Coleraine, in Ireland, March 24, 1691, and d. at Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire, August 14, 1764. He was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the llth regiment of dragoons, to which he, with distinguished honour, rose from the rank of a Cornet ; and m. at Preston, in Lan- cashire, Dec. 27, 1729, Elizabeth, eldest daughter and co-heir of Valentine Farrington, of Preston aforesaid, M. D. (youngest son of William Farrington, of Werden, in Lancashire), by his wife Agnes, * This is a correct description of the Stafford Arms : Sir E. Bridges', in. Collins, and the other Peerages, describe the 3d quartering inaccurately. We ' copied Collins, in our previous account of it. 312] A TOPOGRAPHICAL sole daughter and heir of Prickett, of Nutland Abbey, eo. Westmoreland, Esq. and by her (who d. Aug. 16, 1783,) had is- sue, William, of Liverpool, merchant, b. 1731, d. unm. Oct. 27, 1788 ; Anne, b- May 1733, m. Thomas Dixou, Esq. d. Nov. 1803; Agnes, b. Nov. 1735; Elizabeth, d.unm. August 30, 1738; Valeii- tine, late a Major in the Army, b. May 16, 1739, m. in 1762, Alida, third daughter of Colonel Robert Livingston, of Livings- ton Manor, New York, and a. September 1791, leaving issue, Wil- liam LinnaBus, a Captain in the Army, and in. 2dly, Dec. 1, 1792, Frances, 2d daughter of Samuel Holworthy, of Elsworthy, co. Cambridge, widow of Framing-ham Thruston, of Weston, co. Suf- folk, Esq. and had issue Valentine, b. in 1794 ; Mildred, d. unm, Dec. 29, 1758; Henry, d. unm. in 1740 ; Alan, the first Lord ; Sa- rah, b. May 26, 1745, m. Nov. 9, 1771, Henry Humphreys, Esq. of London, merchant, and by her (who d. May 27, 1778) had is- sue, John-Montague, b. Oct. 7, 1772, Henry, b. April 29, 1774; Sophia, who d. in 1776; Harry-Farrington, b. in 1746, Colo- nel Commandant of the 20th regiment of dragoons, d. unm. at Jamaica, July 20, 1792; Margaretta, d. unm. Nov. 8, 1777; Doro- thy, b. September 29, 1751, m. at St. Augustine, in East Florida, May 10, 1772, Robert Barrie, Esq. in the Army, who d. in 1775, having had issue William-Oughton, d. June, 1773, and Robert, May 5, 1774, she m. 2dly, Sept. 22, 1784, George Clayton, of Los- tock Hall, in Lancashire, Esq. and has issue Frances, b. July 29, 1785; George, b. Nov. 9, 1787; William, b. June 17, 1790; and Elizabeth, b. Oct. 15, 1792. Alan Gardner, fourth son, commenced his naval life, May 1, 1755, by entering on board his Majesty's ship, the Medway, Captain Peter Dennis, of Harwich, which ship, under Lord Anson's orders, conveyed George II. to Helvoetsluys ; he was Admiral of the White, Major-General of Marines, and a Baronet by patent, September 1794. His Majesty, in consideration of a series of gal- lant services to his country,* was pleased to advance him to the dig- nity of the Peerage, by the title of Baron Gardner of Uttoxeter, in Ireland, Dec. 23,1800; and further advanced him to the Peerage of England, Nov. 27, 1806; born April 12, 1742, married, in Jamaica, May 20, 1769, Susannah Hyde, sole daughter and heiress of Fran- cis Gale, of Liguania, in Jamaica, Esq. and had issue, 1st, Alan- Hyde, the late Loi'd; 2d, Francis-Farrington, b. June 21, 1772, R. N., m. in 1809, C. V. Straubenzee, third daughter of C. S. V. * See Memoir of his Lordship, p. 213- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [313 Straubenzee, of Yorkshire, Esq.; 3d, William Henry, b. Oct. 6, 1774, a Captain in the Royal Horse Artillery, m. Feh. 20, 1803, Eliza Lydia, third daughter of Colonel Fyers, Commanding Royal Engineer at Gibraltar, by whoia he had issue, Anne Europa, b. Dec. 10, 1804; Eliza, b. June 17, 1806; and Susan, d. Aug. 7, 1809, and a daughter, b. Oct. 30, 1811 ; 4th, Henry Crosby, d. Nov. 5, 1792; 5th, Herbert, b. Aug. 20, 1.781, a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, m. Nov. 7, 1804, Miss Cornwall, youngest daugh- ter of the late John Cornwall, Esq. and has a son, b. in Dec. 1808; 6th, Edward, b. March 9, 1784; 7th, Valentine, d. Fcb, 1, 1786; 8th, Valentine, 6. March 20, 1787 ; 9th, Samuel Martin, b. on board his Majesty's ship Europa, Aug. 10, 1789; 10th, Susannah Hall, 6- July 1, 1773 ; m. Jan. 7, 1794, John Cornwall, of Hcndon, in Middlesex, Esq.; and by her, who d. June 20, 1802, left issue, John, b. Jan. 22, 1795; llth, Susan Caroline, d. in Jan. 1797; 12th, Susannah, b. May 20, 1797; 13th, Alan, b. July 16, 1798; 14th, William Henry, 6. Sept. 4, 1799; 15th, Augusta, b. Jan. 13, 1801 ; and 16th, ophia, b. April 2, 1802. His Lordship d. Dec. 30, 1808, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Alan-Hyde, the second Lord and first Viscount Gardner, Vice- Admiral of the Bine, b. Feb. 8, 1772, and succeeded his father Alan, the late Lord, Dec. 30, 1808 ; married, 1st, in March 1796, Maria-Elizabeth, only daughter of Thomas Adderley, Inni- shannon, in Ireland, by Margaret Baroness Hobart, (which mar- riage was dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1805); his Lordship m. 2dly, April 10, 1809, Charlotte, daughter of Robert Smith, Lord Carriiigtmi, and sister to Catharine-Lucy Viscountess Mahon, and by her (who d. March 27, 1811,) had issue, Alan-Legge, b. January 29, 1810; and Charlotte-Susan. His Lordship dying December 27, 1815, was succeeded by Alan-Legge, the present and second Viscount. Creations. Baron Gardner, in Ireland, Dec. 13, 1800 ; Baron Gardner, Nov. 15, 1806, Viscount Gardner, both in England, Sept. 30, 1815. Arms. Argent, on a chevron, Gules, between three griffins' heads erased, Azure, an anchor, between two lions combatant, Or. Crest. A demi-griffin, Azure, collared and lined, holding an anchor, Or. Supporters. Two griffins, Azure, murally gorged, and resting their hind off- leg upon an anchor, Or. Heir -Presumptive. Francis-Farrington, his Lordship's uncle, Motto. Vidtt anchor a virfus -(Virtue is a sheet-anchor), 314] A TOPOGRAPHICAL TUCHET, BARON AUDLEY. , GEORGE THICKNESSE TUCHET, Baron Audley, of Heleigh Castle, in the county of Stafford ; born Feb. 4, 1758, and succeeded his uncle John, the last Earl of Castlehaven, as Baron Audley, April 28, 1777. His Lordship, April 3, 1784, assumed the name of Tuchet, by permission of his Majesty ; married, 1st, May 19, 1781, Eliza- beth, co-heiress of John late Lord Delaval, by whom, (who d. July 11, 1785, he had issue, Elizabeth Susannah, b. April 3, J782; m. in Nov. 1805,) John Coffin, Esq. ; George John, b. in March 1783. His Lordship m. 2dly, May 2, 1792, Mrs. Moorhouse, relict of Colonel Moorhouse. This family is of great antiquity, William Tuchet having sum- mons to Parliament among the Barons from 1295 to 1307. Thomas, his son, was beheaded, being concerned in the insurrection of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in 1321. Sir John Tuchet m. Joan, daughter of James, and sister-co-heir of Nicholas Audley, Baron Audley, of Heleigh, and had issue, Sir John, who was, in 1391, found to be heir to Joan, his grandmother, and assumed the title, and was possessed of many lordships and inheritances. He d. Dec. 19, 1409. He left issue, James, the second Baron Audley, who dis- tinguished himself in the wars of France in 1418; but, in 1428, being sent by Queen Margaret to oppose Richard Neville Earl of Salisbury, then in arms in favour of the House of York, he. was de- feated and killed at Blore-heath, co. Stafford, with 2400 of his com- panions. He m. Margaret, daughter of William Lord Roos, of Hamlake, (ancestor of Charlotte, the present Baroness de Roos,) leaving issue, John third Baron ; and Anne, m. Sir Thomas But- ton, of Button, co. Chester, whose 5th daughter, Eleanor, m. Richard Cholmondeley, Esq. ancestor of the Earls of Chol- mondeley. James, third Earl of Castlehaven in Ireland, and twelfth Baron Audley, m. Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Bard, Esq. by Anne, daughter of Charles Villiers, Earl of Anglesea, and widow of Thomas Ratcliffe, Earl of Sussex, and by her had James, fourth Earl of Castlehaven, and Baron Orrier in Ireland, and Baron Audley in England. James, fourth Earl of Castlehaven, m. Elizabeth, only daughter of Henry, fifth Lord Arundel of Wardour, and by her, who d. 1743, had issue, 1st, John, his successor j 2d, Mary, m. Nov. 20, HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 1749, Philip Thicknesse, Esq. late Lieutenant-Go vernor of Lan- guard Fort, and d. 1762, leaving issue, George, the present Baron f Philip, R. N. b. June 23, 1760; James, d. an infant; Elizabeth, b. Aug. 4, 1750; Joyce, b. March 25, 1753; Charlotte, m. July 15, 1786, Mr. Wilder. His Lordship d. at Paris, November 1740, and was succeeded by his only son, John, fifth Earl of Castlehaven, m. 1776, Mrs. Cracraft, and d. without issue, April 22, 1777, when the Earldom became extinct; but the Barony of Audley descended to his nephew, George, pre- sent and sixteenth Baron Audley. Creation*.-- -Baron Audley, of Heleigh Castle, in the county of Stafford, by writ of summons, Oct. 20, 1403 ; but originally Jan. 26, 1296. Arms. -Ermine, a chevron, Gules, quartering, Gules, a fret, Argent, fop Audley. Crest . -In a ducal coronet, Or, a swan rising, Argent, ducally gorged of the first. Supporters.- Two wyrerns, with wings expanded, Sable. Motto. Je le tiens (I hold it.) Heir-Apparent. George John, his Lordship's son. Chief Seat . Grovely, near Sarum, Wiltshire. BAGOT, BAJION BAGOT. WILLIAM BAGOT, Baron Bagot, of Blithfield, in Staffordshire, and a Baronet; F.L.S.; born Sept. 11, 1773; succeeded his father, William, the late Lord, Oct. 22, 1798; married, 1st, May 30, 1799, Emily Fitzroy, daughter of Charles first Lord Southampton, (who d. June 8, 1800), leaving a daughter, who d. Jan. 1, 1801 ; and, 2dly, Feb. 17, 1807, Louisa Legge, eldest daughter of George, third Earl of Dartmouth, K. G. and has issue by her, (who d. Aug. 13, 1816,) Louisa, b. March 1, 1808; Agnes, b. August 10, 1809; William, son and heir, b. March 27, 1811 ; Harvey, 6. Dec. 17, 1812 ; Eleanor ; and Alfred. This noble family is of great eminence and antiquity ; and, as appears by Domesday-Book, were possessors of Bagot's Bromley, in Staffordshire, at the time of the Conqueror's Survey, which they held of the Baron Stafford, whose male line became extinct, 1195, and they became possessed of it by marriage with the heiress of Robert de Stafford with Hervey Bagot, a younger branch of this family, who thereupon assumed the surname and title of Stafford 316] A TOPOGRAPHICAL and became progenitor to the succeeding Barons and Earls of Stafford, and Dukes of Buckingham. From Bagod Dominus Me- dietatis de Bramale, descended Sir John Bagot, Knt. Lieutenant of Calais, and Privy Counsellor to Henry IV. ancestor of Sir Lewis Bagot, Knt. who was of the hody to Henry VII. and from whom descended Walter Bagot, who m. Elizabeth, sister to William Lord Burleigh, by whom he had four daughters and five sons, the eldest of which died in the life-time of the father, and the second, Her- vey, ancestor of the present Lord, was created a Baronet May 30, 1627. His Lordship's grandfather, Sir Edward Bagot, the fourth Baronet of the family, and lineally descended from Henry the first Baronet, m. Frances, daughter and sole heir of Sir Thomas Wagstaffe, Knt. of Tachbrooke, in Warwickshire (who surviving^ him, m. the late Sir Adolphus Houghton, Bart.) By this Lady he had issue two sons and two daughters ; Hervey, d. an infant, 1699; Walter Wagstaffe, his successor ; Frances, m. Sir John Chester, Bart, of Chichley, in Bucks ; Jane, m. Craven Kynnersley, Esq. of Loxley, in Staffordshire. Sir Edward d. May 1712, and was succeeded by his only surviving son, Sir Walter Wagstaffe Bagot, Bart. m. in 1724 Barbara, eldest daughter of William Earl of Dartmouth, by whom (who d. Oct. 29, 1765) he had eight sons and eight daughters : the sons were Edward and John, d. infants; William, his successor, the first Lord; Walter, in holy orders, b. Nov. 2, 1731, m. September 7, 1773, Anne, daughter of W., Swinnerton, Esq. of Staffordshire, and has five children, one of whom, Honora, m. Dec. 15, 1795, Augustus-George, brother to the present Earl of Dartmouth; Charles, b. Sept. 1, 1730, who took the name of Chester, on the death of Sir Charles Bagot-Chester, Bart. m. Catharine, daughter of Heneage Legge, Esq. son of William Earl of Dartmouth, and has twelve children; he d. April 2, 1792; Richard, b. Nov. 13, 1733, m. February 25, 1783, Frances, sister to the twelfth Earl of Suffolk, and, by the King's permission, changed his name to Howard; Lewis, D.D. Dean of Christ-Church, Oxford, and late Bishop pf St. Asaph, b. January 1, 1740, and d. June 4, 1802, hav- ing *K Mary, daughter of Edward Hay, brother to Thomas eighth Earl Kinnoul, and his Lady d. August 17, 1799; Thomas, b. Feb. 14, 1746, and d. unm* The eight daughters were, Barbara, m. Ralph Sneyd, Esq. of Keel, in Staffordshire ; Anne ; Frances, d. an infant ; Jane ; Elizabeth ; Maria, m. Richard Wingfield, Esq. Catharine ; and Harriet. Sir Walter was one of the trustees for exe- HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [317 cuting the will of the learned Dr. Ratcliffe, and was a member of Parliament for six Parliaments of Great Britain, and dying Janu- ary 28, 1768, was succeeded by his son, William, the tirst Lord, created a Baron Oct. 17, 1780, b. February 20, 1728, m. August 20, 1760, Louisa, only surviving daughter of John St. John, second Viscount Bolingbroke, by whom (who d- June 7, 1800) he had is- sue, Edward, b. January 23, 1763, and d. 1773; Walter, 6. March 28, 1776, and d. 1763 ; William, the present Lord ; Hervey, b. March 14, 1777, m. July 22, 1806, Miss Pole, daughter of the Hon. William Pole ; Louisa, b. September 30, 1764, m. Walter Sneyd, Esq. of Keel Hall, by whom she has issue ; Barbara, b. October 25, 1768, and d. 1773; Henrietta, b. February 14, 1780, and d. January 13, 1797; Charles, b. September 22, 1781; Richard, b. November 22, 1782 ; Frances, b. November 9, 1785, m. May 21, 1805, Major-General Edward Paget, third son of Henry Earl of Uxbridge, and she d. May 30, 1806. His Lordship died October 22, 1798, and was succeeded by his son William, the present Lord. Creations. Baronet, May 30, 1627 ; Baron Bagot, of Bagot's Bromley, in the county of Stafford, Oct. 17, 1780. Arms. Ermine, two chevronels, Azure. Crest. In a ducal coronet, Or, a goat's head, Argent, attired, Or. Supporters, Two goats, Argent, attired and unguled, Or. Motto. -Antiquam obtinens (Possessing antiquity.^ Chief Seat. Blithfield, near Lichfield, in the county of Stafford. CHICHESTER, BARON FISHERWICK. GEORGE AUGUSTUS CHICHESTER, Baron Fisherwick, in the county of Stafford, and Marquis of Donegal, Earl of Belfast, Vis- count Chichester* and Baron of Belfast, in the kingdom of Ireland; born Aug. 13, 1769, married, Aug. H, 1795, Anne, daughter of Sir Edward May, of Mayfield, in the county of Waterford, Bart, and has issue, 1st, George Hamilton, Earl of Belfast, b. Feb. 8, 1797 ; 2d, Edward, b. June 11, 1799 ; 3d, Spencer Augustus, b. Nov. 27, 1805; 4th, Arthur, b. Sept. 30, 1808; 5th, Hamilton Frances, b. March 9, 1810; 6th, John, b. Nov. 12, 1811. This family seems anciently to have borne the name of Ciren- cester, and was one of the most eminent in the county of Devon, S 8 318] A TOPOGRAPHICAL for its antiquity, estate, employments, and alliances, having flou- rished for several generations at South Poole, not far from Kings- bridge. Arthur, Viscount Chichester, was created, in 1647, Earl of Do- negal, and was succeeded, pursuant to the limitation of the patent, by his nephew, Arthur, second Earl. He m. Jane, daughter and sole heir to John Itchingham, of Dumbrody, co. Wexford, Esq. by whom he had four sons, Arthur ; John ; Edward, in holy orders, who, by Elizabeth, daughter of Captain John Chichester, had issue the Rev. Arthur Chichester. b. Jan. 5, 1716; Charles ; and three daughters : Anne, m. Dacre-Lennard Barret, of Bell-house, in Essex, Esq. by whom she had three daughters and one son, viz. Jane m. John Ranby, Esq. ; Dorothy, m. Hugh Smith, of Weald Hall, in Essex, Esq. and had issue, Lucy, mother of Edward, the present and twelfth Earl Derby ; Henrietta, d. unm. ; and Richard, the son, m. Anne Lennard, daughter and heir of Thomas Earl of Sussex, Lord Dacre, and dying in 1716, four months after his mar- riage, left her (who became Baroness Dacre) with child of a son, Thomas, Lord Dacre, who m. Anne Pratt, sister of the first and aunt of the present Marquis Camden, and a daughter, who d. in 1749, and her father d. Dec. 13, 1785: her Ladyship m. 3dly, the Hon. Robert Moore, sixth son of the third Earl of Drogheda, and next brother of William, whose son m. one of the daughters and co-heirs of M. Cassan, of the Queen's County, Esq. ; Catharine, m. John Taylor, Esq. ; Mary m- Sir Robert Newcomen, Bart, by whom she has issue, Sir Arthur, and five daughters. Arthur, the eldest son, succeeded his father, and was the third Earl ; in 1705 he was Major-general of the Spanish forces, and was killed on April 10, 1706, at the fort of Montjuick. He m. 1st, Barbara, youngest daughter of Roger, first Earl of Orrery, by whom he had a son, Charles, who d. young ; and his lady dying, he m., 2dly, Catharine, daughter of Arthur, first Earl of Granard ; and by her (who d. in June 1743) left two sons and five daughters; Catharine, m. Clotworthy, third Viscount Masserene; Jane, Fran- ces, and Henrietta, were unfortunately burnt at the house in Bel- fast ; Mary d. unm. ; Anne, m. James, fourth Earl of Barrymore : the sons were, Arthur; John, b. in 1700, who, in 1726, m. Eliza- beth, eldest daughter of Sir Richard Newdigate, of Arbury, co. Warwick, Bart. He d. June 1, 1746, and his lady in 1747, leaving 1 two sons, Arthur, 1st Marquis; and John b. Dec. 26, 1750, who d. Feb. 6, 1783 ; and a daughter- Arthur, eldest son of Arthur, third HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 4 [319 Earl, 6. March 28, 1695, was, in 1716, m. to Lucy, one of the two daughters and co-heirs of Robert Ridgway, Earl of Londonderry; but by her (who d. July 16, 1732) he had no issue; and dying ia 1756, was succeeded by his nephew, Arthur, fifth Earl, who was created Marquis of Donegal and Earl of Belfast, June 27, 1791, having been created Baron Fisher- wick, an English Peer, July 9, 1790; 6. June 13, 1739, m. 1st, Nov. 16, 1761, Anne, eldest daughter of James, fifth Duke of Ha- milton, by whom (who d. in 1780) he had Charlotte- Anne, Hen- rietta, and Amelia, who all d. infants ; Elizabeth Juliana, d. April 24, 1787; George- Augustus, the present Marquis ; Arthur, b. May 3, 1771, d. Sept. 11, 1788; Spenser-Stanley, b. April 20, 1775, m. August 8, 1795, (on the same day as his brother,) Lady Harriet Stewart, daughter of John eighth Earl of Galloway, K.T. and has issue a son and a daughter. His Lordship m. 2dly, Oct. 24, 1788, Mrs. Moore, who d. without issue, Sept. 18, 1789; and, 3dly, Oct. 12, 1790, Barbara, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Godfrey. The Marquis died Jan. 5, 1799, and was succeeded by George, second Baron Fisherwick. Creations. Lord Chichester, Baron of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Viscount Chichester, April 1, 1625 ; Earl of Donegal, March 30, 1647 ; Mar- quis of Donegal in Ireland, 1791 ; and Baron Fisherwick, in England, July 9, 1790. Arms."- -Quarterly, the first and fourth cheque, Or, and Gules ; a chief, vair ; the second and third Azure, frettee, Argent. Crest. On a wreath, a stork, proper, holding in its beak a snake, Argent, the head, Or. Supporters. Two wolves, Gules, ducally gorged and chained, Or. Motto. In vitum sequitur honos CHonour follows against his will.,) Heir -Apparent George Hamilton. Chief Seats. Belfast and Carrickfergus, in the county of Antrim. [The mansion, formerly at Fisherwick, in Staffordshire, is now taken down.] ERRATA. DEPARTMENT I. Page. Line. JS 7 and *, for ' Thestenhall,' r. Tkeotenhall. 18 (note,) for ' and may be reckoned three lives to a century,' r. thru lives may he reckoned to a century. 128 BQ for ' Hamerwich,' r. Hammerwich. 129 9 for ' Charles Bournes, Esq.' r. John Bournes Flayer, Esq. 156 4 for Oakenhill,' r. Ocker-hill.Also, same page, the statement that the * road to Birmingham passes through West-Bromwich,' is in- correct. l6 from the bottom, for ' Walton', r. Warton, part of which is in the parish of Norbury, and part in Forton parish, and not wholly in the latter, as stated in page 272. 1. 19. 181 8 for ' liberty of Byshbury,' r. parish ofByshbwy. [There does not seem any good authority for including the Coughs as owners of this manor.} 184 1 and 9, after ' inhabitants about 2000,' r. which may be increased in some degree; ex- punging ' from i to 13 per cent.' Same page, line 30, for 'Joseph Pearson, Esq.' r. John Pearson, Esq. 166 7 for ' Codsall-wood is an extensive waste,' r. a moderate-sized teaste. 2i5 last line, after ' Rev. Richard Slaney, omit Vicar; Penkridge Ua royal peculiar. 256 26 for ' the principal manufacture of Penkridge is iron,* r. Penkridge is not remarkable for any trade or manufacture. 274 26 for * wild geese and ducks', r. wild ducks and geese, occasionally, in se- vere seasons. The ducks, -c. S13 2 for ter,> r. after. S33 SO In the list of benefactions, Mr* Breck's bequest should have been thus stated ; Mr. J. Breck left to the poor twenty shillings a-year, charged upon lands in BarUuton parish, which Mr. T. Breck afterwards In- creased to one-fourth of the rent of the land, and which, at the present rent, amounts to two guineas a-year,' 1 DEPARTMENT II. 17 26 for ' fll.'r. \&3 parishes. 38 13 for ' seed 28lbs. is drilled to an acre,' r. 2Ku. or lest. IM> 4 for ' Hidibundus,' r. Ridibundus. 164 20 for contain upwards of 30,000 inhabitants,' r. 60,000 inhabitants. 360 last line, for ' 1821, r, 1621. 7i 26 for ' Feb. 9,' r. Jan. 9. 2gl 30 after ' Lawrence, fourth Earl, 6.> insert in August, 1720. [The two last errata occurinthe PEERAGE, in which, we fear, there are many similar blunders in the several accounts compiled from the standard " Peerages." These are very incorrect, and will sufficiently apologize for our having been drawn into mistakes, which we had no means of avoiding ; nevertheless, we have endeavoured, as far as our information enabled us, to render this part of the Work correct. But it is a subject of all others the most liable to error from the constant changes making in the different branches of Noble Families by marriage, intermarriage, Sfc. COLLINS, TjONGMATE, and DEBRETT, are the writers that we have chiefly consulted. The judicious reader will also make allowance for inaccuracies tn other parts of this Work, to whom the nature of such an undertaking, and its concomi- tant difficulties, are well fenown; to the injudicious, all apology were useless.] TO DEPARTMENT THE FIRST. TOPOGRAPHY, &C. A. .BBEYS, ancient, 32, Burton, 42 Croxden, 225,. Alveton, 228 ABBOT'S BROMLEY, ancient market town, 309, large parish, free school market and fairs, ibid, hobby horse dance, 310 Acton, hamlet of Swinnerton, 386 Trussell, village and chapel, 267 Adbaston, parish and manor, 322 Agardsley, manor, chapel, Earl Tal- bot's, 58 Alabaster, at Hounhill, 58 Aldershaw, near Lichfield, 129 Aldridge, large village, soil, canal, and Christmas customs, 161, church, monuments, distillery, and popula- tion, 162 Alfred, English monarch, 13 Alrewas, a large and ancient village on the Trent and Mersey Canal, 64, ancient church and manor, Tur- ton family there, 65, now Lord An- son's with Orgreave estate, 66, church register extracts, 67 Alstonefiild, parish on Dove, 242, church, hamlet, and population, 243 Alveton, fortress, 9, a large populous parish on Churnet, its church and castle, 326, wire and cotton works, corn mill and tan-yard, 227, abbey, Lord Shrewsbury's, 228, tower, free- school, earthquake and hail storm, ib. Amblecote, coal pits, 193, fire clay, 194, glass making, 194 5 Ancient and modern names of places in the county, 20 to 23 Antiquities, i to 33 Areley, on Severn, its soil and fruit, 201, parish and church, mansion, Roman camp, hamlets & mines, 202 Armitage, south of theTreut, its church and hamlets, 78^79 Ashley, parish, village, and church, 324 Aston, Little, hamlet of Shenstone, an elegant mansion of Mr. Tennant's, 163 Audley, parish, church, &c. 345. B. Bage Robert, anecdotes of, 136 Bagnall, parish on the Caldon canal, manor-house and church, 246 Bagnall, township and chapel, 373 Ball, Rev. John, his piety, 377 Barlaston Church, hall and village, 388 Barr Beacon or Hill, 1, village and parish, 160, mansion and chapel, 161 Barons' wars, 14 Barrows or lows, 9 10 Barton-under-Needwood, its antiquity, manors and chapel, 61, curious ori- gin of its chapel, 69, school and school-house, ibid. Bastard, curious custom, (note) 1 1 Baswich, church and hamlets, 266, po- pulation and mansions, 267 Beamhurst, ancient village, 222 Beaudesert, Marquis of Anglesea's, 80, mansion and f am ily,8 14, visited bj the Prince Regentj 86 Bednall, township and chapel, 267 Beggar's Petition, original, 195 Bent, Esq. and Dr. Bent, mansions of, 401 Bentley Hall, formerly Lane's, 1 50 Betley, town, mansions, church, mo- numents, &c. 341 344 Biddulph, parish and hamlets, 350, an- tiquities, church, &c. 351 Sillington, ancient camp, 9, 279 Bilston, large and populous, oh the Birmingham canal, 173, vast mines of coal and ironstone, quarry stone and clay, 174, chapel and meeting houses, ibid, stratum of the mines,, old and new, 174 to 178, derange- ment and stagnation of trade, 178, efforts of the workmen, 179, excel- lent grindstones and sand, popula- tion, 179 T T INDEX. Birmingham Canal, 173 Bishops of Lichfield, 118 to 127 Blitbfield, village aud mansion, Lord Bagot's, 310, church, paintings, and park, 311 Blore, small parish on Dove, formerly of the Bassetts, its church, &c. 237 Blore-heath, battle, 12, 328, pedestal & inscription, 330 Bloxwich, large village and chapel, 1 47, common field, and Wyrley canal, ih. Blurton, chapelry of Trentham, 384 Blymhill, village, church, and hamlets, extent and population, rector, &c. 281 Blythhury, church aud priory, 77 Bobbiugton, village, soil, 36', and church, 200 Bonehill, hamlet of Tamworth, 145 Bradley colliery, Sir Joseph Scott's, 1 80 Bradley-in-the-Moors, parish, church, and village, 226 Bradley Moor, hamlet of Bilston, wild- fire there, and extensive iron works, 180 Bradley, village and hamlets, 279 Bramshall, parish, church and village, 216 Breewood, large parish, and ancient market town, 253, church spire and grammar-school, 254, manufacture and hamlets, 255 Brierly-hill Chapel, 195, vast trade in glass, 196 Briudley, engineer, his life, bred a mill- wright, 429, paper and silk mills* 430, inland navigation, Duke of Bridgewater's patronage, 431, tun- uels and aqueducts, canal to Man- chester and the Mersey, 432, Trent and Mersey grand trunk or Stafford- shire canal, 433, Harecastle-hill, tunnels, aqueducts over Trent and Dove, Staffordshire and Worcester- shire canal, 434, also Birmingham, Droitwich, Coventry, Oxford, &c. canals, 434, his character, and death, 435436 Brineton, hamlet of Blymhill, " John of Brinelon," 281 Brockton Hall, Sir Geo. Chetwynd's, 266, village, and lodge (Mr. Chet- wynd'*), 267 Bronie, village, church, &c. 204 Bromley Regis, on Trent, 68, its an- cient manor and demesne, now Mr. Lane's, its soil, canal, mills, church, and charities, 69 Brougbton, parish, mansion, church, and plantations, 323 Bucknall, church, population, &c. 373 Bunbury, ancient fortress, 9 Bunster, a limestone mountain, 38 Buruet, indigenous, 37 Burslem, origin of the Pottery, 395, ex- tensive works carried on, church, meeting's, population, 396, schools, bath, machinery, canal, clay and coal, Wedgwood family, 397,schrag- ers, horse gins, steam engines, coal mines, 398, varieties of coal, popu- lation how increased, 399 Burstou, hamlet of Stone, 391 BURTON-ON/TRENT, antiquities, its ab- bey, and patron saint, 41 2, bridge, burgess rights, town and hamlets, 43 44, market, fairs, chronology, manufactures, navigation,and farther hamlets, 459 Bushbury, village and parish, 180, church and monuments, 181, epitaph, hill, mansions, and lows, hamlets, Fordhouses, Moseley, and Essing- ton, 182 Bulterton, village and church, 240. C. Caldon, a small moorland parish, bar-* ren aud dreary, but in limestone in- exhaustible, 235, church, oat bread, ibid. Callingvvood, near Needwood, 60, Ro- man coins found. Calton, township and chapel, 235 Camps, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 Cannock, an ancient market town, very extensive parish, 26 i, water- works, 262, hamlets, church, and heath, 2634, Mr. Gilpia's manu- factory, ibid. 448 CanwelLJ Sir Robert Lawley's, 164 Castles, 8, 10, 11, 14, 190, 227, 268, 308 Castle Church, parish near Stafford, 267, hamlets and church, 268, an- cient castle, demolished and new erected, ibid. Caverswall, parish and village, 232, castle and hamlets, modern nunnery, ibid, church and monuments, 233 Charles II. his escape, 15, 16 Chartley Castle, 1 1 , Earl Ferrers, 308, Chartley Park, and wild cattle, 309 CHEADLE, market town, population and manufactures, 229, brass and copper works, church, chapel, &c. 230 Cheapness of former times, 379 INDEX. Cbebsey, church and village, 318 Checkley, battle, 1 2, on Tean river, 220, church aud monumental stones, 221 Cbeddleton, a parish and village OH Churnet and the Caldou canal, 247, neat church and good houses, ibid. Cherry wake, Enville, 36 Cliorlton, village and chapelry, 387 Church Eaton, village, parish, and hamlets, 278, church and manor, Earl Talbot's, Wood Eaton, High & Liltle Onn, ibid. Civil wars, 14 Clayton, liberty of Stoke, 388 Clent hills, 35, parish church and ma- nors, 203, St. Kenelm's church, and cheese fair, ibid. Clifton Campville, large village and manor, 137, No Man's Heath, ibid, hamlets Clifton & Haunton, 137-138 Cobridge, large pottery village, and Catholic chapel, 399 Codsail, small village and parish, 185, church and monuments, ibid, ham- lets, the Birches, Oaken, Woodhall, aud Bilbrooke, 186 Collegiate churches, 32 Colton, parish, village, church, and mansions, 31 1 Colton Clanford, Wollaston's birth- place, 300 Col wich, village and church, 3 1 2, monu- ments and hamlets, Oakedge Hall, Great Hay wood, Wolseley, &c. 113, Staffordshire and Trunk Canals. Comberford, ancient seat & manor, 144 Commons or wastes, 36, 40, 264, 267, &c. Cougreve, hamlet of Penkridge, 257 Convulsions of nature, 40 Coppenhall, chapel and township, 261 Cotes family, & hamlet of Standon,386 Cotes-under-Needwood, hamlet, man- sion, Mr. Adderley's, 57 Cows, breed of, 37, (note) C res well, mansion, estate & land, 314 Croxden, parish and village, the abbey a picturesque ruin, 225, the chureh and hamlets, 226 Cuddiestone Hundred, 19, 253. D. Danes on Severn, their customs, 10, (note) 12 Dariaston, a populous manufacturing parish, with good mines, and canal, 149, church, meeting-houses, and school, ibid. Dariaston Hall, & bridge on Trent, 388 Declivities, should be planted, 37 Dilhorne, parish and village, 23 1 , im- provements, coal-mines, schools, church, curious register, &c. ibid. Divisions of the county, 13 Dove river, 33 Draycott-in-the-Moors, small parish & village, tape manufacture, church, longevity, &c. 230 Draycott-under-Needwood, manor, Ld. Vernou's, ruins of an old mansion at, 57 Drayton Bassett, mansion and church, 165 Druids, their customs, 1, 2 Dudley Castle, antiquity and romantic appearance, 190, cannon balls and civil wars, 191, Lord Dudley owner, limestone, fossils, and subterraneous canal, ibid. Duustall,60, 144, 173 manor, Mr. Meek's, 60 Dunston, township and chapel, 261. E. Eaves, township of Bucknall, 374 ECCLESHALL, its antiquity & extensive parish, 315, church and market, 3 1 6, fairs and castle, 317, Bishop's seat and woods, 318 Edingale, village and church, 137 Elford, village, church, mansion, and low, 132, enclosure, 133, agriculture, 134, bridge, paper & corn mills, 135 Elkstone, moorland parish, 243 Ellastone, a large parish containing the Wever Hills, 223, church and ham- lets, school, &c. 224 Ellenhall, church and parish, 315 Elmhurst, pleasant mansion, 128 Endon, church, village and hamlets, 246 Entrenchments, 11 Enville, its soil, cherries, aud magni- ficent mansion, 36, parish, manor, and estate, Earl Stamford's, 199, church ornaments and hamlets, 200. Etruria, Mr. Wedgwood's pottery vil. lage, seat and family mansion, named from Italy, 39?, chapel, Jo- siah Wedgwood's memoirs, 400. F. Fairwell, village and church, 88 Fazeley, Watling Street leaves the county here, 145, Tame river, canal, INDEX. cotton mills, large factories, and po- pulation, ibid. Fisherwick, dilapidated, 130131 Fish, petrified, 38 in Trent river, 74 Flash, moorland church & village, 245 Forton, parish and hamlets, 272, Sut- tou and Mereton, 273, Aqualate Hall and Mere, Sir John Boughey's, 274, battle, 275, church, tombs and in- scriptions to 278 Footherley, hamlet of Shenstone, 163 Fradswell, village and chapel, 308 Freeford, manor near Lichfield, 129 Fulford, village, church, Fulford Hall, white building stone found, 392 Furnaces and ancient forges, 32 33. G. Gayton, village, parish and church, 307 Gnosall, large parish, 269, church and hamlets, 270, extended prospect, 271 Golden-hill, mines and prospects, 393 Grand Trunk Canal, 429-433 Gratwich, parish, church & village, 217 Grindon, ancient manor, parish and church, school, &c. 239. H. Hagley, near Rugeley, Lord Curzon's, 265 Hampstead, mansion of Handsworth, 159 Hamraerwich, village and chapel, 128 Hamstall Ridware, north of Trent, anc on Blythe, 69, ancient manor house, watch tower and curiosities, 70, bri- dle for a scold, 71 Hanbury, ancient nunnery, church vicarage house and mansion, 56 hamlets and manors, 57 Hanch Hall, near Lichfield, 87 Handsacre, moat and old manor, 78-9 Handsworth, extensive village and pa risb, 157 church, rectory, and po- pulation, ibid. Soho manufactory coining mill, and elegant mansion 158, hamlets, 159 Hanley, large modern pottery town 401, canal and market, 402, popu lation, church, meetings, &c. ibid. Harbourne, west of Birmingham church, charity school, longevity &c. 159 Horecross, now a hunting-seat of Lore Scafsdale's, 59 larlaston, village and chapel, 138 laselor Hall, village and chapel, 1ST Hatherton Hall, Mr. Walhouse's, 263 Haughton, village and church, 269 ly wood, on two canals & Trent, 313, remains of a priory, ibid, remarkable bridge formerly at, 443 Heyley Castle, remains of, 11, 346 Heptarchy, 13 Hides of land, 13 High Offley, parish, church, and ham- lets, 319, Shebben-pool, sea crows or pewits, 320 Hilderstone, manor, Mr. Bourne's, 442 Hilton Hall and park, 259 Himley, pleasant village, church, and noble mansion, Lord Dudley's, 188, extensive park and great variety, 1 89, Baggeridge-wood and pheasants, 190 Hints, mansion, Mr. Floyer's, 164, church, pig of lead found, ibid. Hixon, ancient village, 309 Hopton Heath, battle, 14, 300 Hopwas, west of the Tame, on the Bir- mingham and Fazeley canal, 144, bridge over Tame, ibid. Horton, village and hamlets, 245, church, and canal reservoir, 246 Hounhill, manor, alabaster, Lord Ver- non's, 58 Hundreds of the county, 18, Offlow,4I, Seisdon, 167, Totmanslow, 205, Pirehill, 283, Cuddlestone, 253. I. Ham, romantic villa, 38, parish, ham- let, church, &c. 2378 Improvements proposed, (note) 36 37 Infirmary, North Staffordshire, 401 Ingesire, parish and manor, 297, new church, 298, magnificent mansion, Earl Talbot's, 299, battle, 300 Insects, singular application of to cure the tooth-ache, 449 Ipstones, sharp cliffs, 39, parish and village, church, and singular cus- tom, 234, Belmont, Mr. Sneyd's, ibid. K. Keel, parish, village, and mansion, Mr. Sneyd's, 337, church register, wake, &c. to 341 Kinfare Edge, camp, 9, its soil, 35, vil- lage, formerly a market, 196, church, manufactures, hamlets, 197 Kiugsley, parish and village, 233, INDEX. church, trees on the roof, school, and tape manufactory, 234 Kingston, parish, church, and fertile land, 217 Knave's Castle, 6. L. Lapley, priory arid church, 258, soil and situation, formerly a market, 279, fortifications, land proprietors, and hamlets, 280 Lane Delph, suburb of Lane End, 410 Lane End, modern populous town, 408, population, church, and market, church tower, longevity, charity school, &c. 409 Lanes, of Bentley, protect Charles II. 16 Leigh, large parish, 217, fertile, on JBIythe, 218, church and hamlets, 219, schools, &c. 220 Loam, 35 3G Longcroft, mansion and park, &c. 59 Longevity, instances of, 88, 208, 224, et passim Longdon, large village, 79, ancient manors and families, 80, Beaudesert, ibid, cannel coal, 81, Paget family, 82, 83, 84, visited by the Prince Regent, 85, hamlets, 867, Gothic church, 88, longevity, ibid. Lows, 9, 10 LEEK,Roches, 39, parish and township, 247, population and iuclosures, 248, market and fairs, church, meetingSj schools,charities, 249, eminent men, 250, rebel army, 25 1 LICH FlELD,city and Bishop's see, 89 9 1 ,sheriffalty,92,perambulations,93 Greenhill bower, 95, burgage tenures 96, parishes, the close and wards houses and population, 97, state o the poor, wages and rents, churches 98, BorrowcopHill,St.Chadd's well 99, popish customs, mansions, gar dens, 100, Johnson's willow, Queen Elizabeth, and a great storm, 101 the plague, ibid, almshouses, manu factures, markets, conduits, soil streets, public buildings, canal, &c 102 103, close and cathedral, civi wars, population, monuments, Bi shops, hamlets, &c. to 131 Limestone and lime, 34 to 37, 146, Longnor, moorland market town, 244 church and monuments, ibid. Longport, manufactories and Metho dist chapel, 395 M. ladeley, parish, church and village, 336, park, Lord Crewe's, 337 Heath, Roman coins, &c. found, 447 laer, camp, 8, 9, parish and village, lake, &c. 332, church, Sunday school, heath, &c. 335 larisions of Nobility, &c. 32, 33 Vlanyfold river, 39 larchington, 57, woodlands, 58, Houn- hill hamlet contains alabaster, ibid. larket towns, 17, 33 larstoii, 279, village and chapel, 313 laveston Rid ware, south of the Blythe, family feud, 72, now Mr. Cuadwick's, ancient manor house, ibid, extent and pleasant country, 73, Vale of Trent, fish, and swans, 74, otters ib. quails, old and new church and cemetery, parish register, 75, 76, hamlets and priory, &c. 77 Hayfield, on Dove, pleasant and fertile, 224, stone bridge, cotton works, church, Dove-dale, j>rospects,&c.225 VIediolanum, Roman station, 319 Vleerbrook, moorland parish, 245 Members of Parliament for Stafford- shire, 30,31 Mercia, 8, 15, Kings of, 33 Mill Dale, 39 Milstone Green, hamlet, 386 Milwich, large parish and village, 308 Moated houses, 12 Modern farming, suggestions for im- proving, 450 Moorlands, 36, great elevations of, 37- 38, peculiarities of, 89 Morredge, peat mosses, 40 Mucclestone, parish, village, &c. 332. N. Naseby, battle of, 16 Needwood Forest, 53, 54, its lodges and dingles, 55, Mr.Mundy's poem* on, 56 Newbold, manor, Mr. Webb's, curious property ascribed to the soil of a place called the Clots, 60 Newborough, its chapel, 58, linen weavers, ibid. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, its ori- gin, 1 1 , borough town, 35 1 , markets, fairs, manors, castle, 352, waters, antiquities, charters, confiscations, burgage tenures, church, meetings, schools, manufactures, roads, canals, inc'osures, population, ancient cus- toms, eminent men, &c. to 369 INDEX. New-chapel, village and chapelry, 349 Brindley's tomb, 350 New-field, coal mines, &c. 393 Norbury, village, parish, and manor 271, its lakes or meres, aud church 272 Norman conquest, 13 Norton -on -the-Moors, parish, hamlets church, 370, meetings, population &C.371 Norton-under-Cannock, manor, ant church, 16'5 Nunneries, ancient, 32, modern, 232. O. Oaken, hamlet of Codsall, 186 Oakover, 38, parish, Roman barrows and hall, 235, paintings and church 236, monuments, &c. 237 Offley, or High Offley, elevated situa- tion, 319, manor, church, and pa- rish, 320 Offlow Hundred, 18, boundaries, 41 Onecote, township of Leek, 240, Nar- rowdale noon, chapel, &c. ibid. Outlands, hamlet of Adbaston, 323. P. Paget family, account of, 82, 84 Parishes of Staffordshire, 18, 20 Patteshull-house, taken by Capt. Stone, 15, village, church, demesne, and mansion, 188, park, and Pigot dia- mond, ibid. Pattingham, a pleasant village, pa- rish ckurch, and vicarage, 187, of great antiquity, Roman reliques, 1 88 Peat, for fuel, 40, peat ashes for ma- nure, 320 Peculiars, list of, 441 Pelshall, on the Walsall water and Wyrley canal, 165, chapel and popu- lation, ibid. Pendrills, save King Charles II. 15 Penkridge, large parish aud ancient market town, on the Penk, collegiate church, and stone bridge, 255, cha- rity school, market, and fairs, 256, Littleton family owners, hamlets, 257, Cuttlestone bridge, ibid, popula- tion, &c. Pennocrucium, 7 Penn, Over, a pleasant village and pa- rish, charity school aud alms-houses, hamlets, and resident families, 186 Pewits, their natural history, 320 Pipe Rid ware, small parish, but ancient manor, 70, ancient church and plea- sant church yard, 71 Pirehill Hundred, 19, its boundaries, fertility, and population, 283 Plantations on impracticable land re- commended, (note) 37, 40 Population, see different parishes; also Totmanslow Hundred, 205, Pirehill Hundred, 283, aud the whole county. POTTERIES OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 393, history of, 411, materials analysed, ingenuity, and science, 4 1 213, ma- nufacturing process, increased popu- lation, 414, butter pottery, Burslena, 415, modern improvements, glaz- ing, flowering, female employment, schragers, white stone ware, crouch ware, tough torn, candlesticks, plas- ter moulds, saggars, pottery ovens, volumes of smoke, to 419, cream- coloured ware, 421, the Wedgwoods, 422, chemical improvements, and moderate wages, Queen's and other wares, clays from Devonshire, vari- eties of porcelain, clay and ground flint, &c. to 428 Powerful machinery, at Bilston coal-pit field and Ocker-edge,445, the "Nep- tune and Vulcan," aud mud chain- pump, 446 Priories, ancient, 32 Public charities, account of one at Staf- ford for the relief of clergymen's widows and orphans, 438. R. Rebellion 1745, 17 Elickerscote, village and spa water, 269 tlocester, a parish on Dove, 222, mo- nastery, church, and village, 223, cotton manufactory, Churnet, Cow- bridge, Mince-pie Hall, ibid. Rolleston, its soil, church, and man- sion, 48 Ionian Conquest, 3, roads, 4 to 7, sta- tions^, camps, 5,6, 193, 202, coins, 60, 148,208,447 lonton, parish, village, & abbey, 314 lowley Regis, hills, 202, church, 203 RUGELEY, market town & parish, 264, Trent river and canal, ibid, church, vicarage, grammar school, Brind- ley's bank and coal mines, 266 Rushall, manor and village, 147, cas- tellated mansion, and cannon balk, 148, church, population, ruins, 149 lushton Spencer, township and parish, church, tombs, &c. 251. INDEX. s. Saline spring, analysis of one near Staf- ford, 448 Sandon Hills, remains of tumuli there, 449 Saudon, village and manor, 305, man- sion, formerly Erdeswicke's, now Lord Harrowby's, church and mo- nument to Erdeswicke, 306 Sandwell, park and mansion, 157 Saredon, Great and Little, 259 Saxons in Britain, 7, 8, camp, 9, 10 Sedgley, large and populous parish, high ground and lofty spire, 1.91, Sedgley park, popish seminary, ham- lets, and thunder storm, 192 Seighford, parish, church, and hamlets, 314 Shareshill, village and land owners, 258, church, monuments, & hamlets, 259 Sheen, small moorland parish, 243 Shelton, its excellent porcelain, 403 Shenstone, pleasant village and large parish, 162, longevity, gentlemen's seats, hamlets, &c. 1 63 Sheriffs of Staffordshire, 34 Sheriff Hales, parish, population, church, and hamlets, 282 Shirleywich, salt works, 3034 Shugborough, vale of, 443, scenery, seat of Lord Anson, statues, monu- ments, arch of Adrian, 444, Chinese bouse, ancient mansion, 445 Silkmore, Mr. Mottershaw's, 269 Smethwick, manor and population, 159, chapel, iron foundry, and canal, 160 Smith-field, coal mines, 394 Soho manufactory, Bolton &Co.'s, 157 Soils of Staffordshire, 34 Standon, parish, church, & village, 386 Stanton M oor, 37 STAFFORD, county town, antiquities 283, burgess rights, markets, Mr Sheridan, 288, fortifications, edifices ; 290, manufactures, population, cus- toms, eminent men, &c. to 296 Stafford castle demolished, 14 Statfold, the manor, Mr. Wolferston's, manor house, observatory, &c. 138 Stoke, hamlet of Stone, 391 Stoke-upon-Trent, parish, and Pottery town, 403, Trent river, canal, church and monuments, ibid, sexes separat- ed, national school, meetinghouses, machinery, to 407 StonaH, hamlet of Shenstone, 163 STONE, town and parish, 389* church market,fairs,canal, & population, 390 Itone, ancient monuments, 2-3 Stone wall fences, 37 Stoniwell, Bishop, 86 Stow -heath manor, 173 Sto\y, large parish and hamlets, 308 Street-hay manor, 130 Swinfen, its church and mansion, 163 Swinford Regis, church and monu- ments, mansions and village, 192, Roman camp, brine spring, and hamlets, 193 Swinnerton, parish and village, 384, mansion, church and park, 385. T. Talk-o'th'-hill,township & chapel, 346, explosion, sulphur- well, 347 TAM WORTH, on the Anker and Tame rivers, 138, antiquities, ancient foss and castle, 139, town, borough and charter, 141, fairs, population, ma- nufactures, church, and meeting houses, 142, school, public buildings, and moat-house, ibid, the plague, invasion of Ireland, 143, hamlets, Scierscote, &c. ibid. Tatenhill, east of Need wood, 59, its church, manors, and hamlets, 60, remarkable echo, screw mill, ibid. Tean, Upper and Lower, populous vil- lages, 221, tape manufactory, 222, chapel and Sunday schools, ibid. Teddesley Hall, Mr. Littleton's, 257, late Sir Edward's,his hospitality,ibid. Terley Castle, 11 Tettenhall, a great battle, 12, 183, the church a free chapel, ibid, in four prebends, hamlets, ditto, population and register, 184, resident gentry and good villas, 184, Tettenhall Wood picturesque, ditto, Elm Grove, ham- lets, thunder storm, great degree of cold, 185 Thorp Constantino, village and church, 138 Thor's-house cavern, 39 Tipton, on the Birmingham canal, rich iron mines and works, also manu- factures of iron, Keir's chemical works, great population, church and bells, 150 Tittensor Heath, lunatic asylum, 388 Tixall, manor and parish, 297, hall re- built, canal, &c. ibid. Totmacslow Hundred, 205, village, 230 Trentham, parish and hamlets, 382, magnificent mansion, the Marquis of Stafford's, grounds, bridge, mauso- leum, &c. 384 INDEX. Trysull, small village and parish on Sraestall, stone church and tower, 187, Seisdon, an hamlet giving name to the hundred, ibid. Apewood Castle, ditto Tubber Patrick, a well in Ireland visit- ed by the superstitious, 437* St. Ca- nice's well, 438 Tunstall, excellent tiles, 394, Metho- dist chapel, ibid. Tutbury Castle, 14,48, ancient customs, 49, Mary Queen of Scots confined there, 50, besieged in the civil wars, 51, market and manufactures, Dove meadows and bridge, ibid, church and ancient priory, abstinence of Ann Moore, 53, Needwood Forest, 53, 55. U. Urns, Roman, 447 UTTOXETER, antiquity and population, 205, market, fairs, church, 206, meeting houses, free-school, and meadows,208,chronology, 209, Lord Gardner, to 213. W. Walford, Mr. his farming, 320 Wall, hamlet of Lich field, the Roman Etocetum, 128 WALSALL, ancient borough and mar- ket town, mayor and aldermen, 145, population, manufactures, parish and church, 146, limestone, canals, meeting-houses, school, &c. 147 Walter Parsons, the strong man, 150 Walton, hamlet of Stone, 391 Waterfall, moorland parish, river Ma- nifold disappears, 239 Warnslow, village and chapel, 243 Watling-street, 128 Wedges Mill, and Church Bridge ma- nufactory, 448 Wedgwood family, their seat and man- sion, 400, their important scientific improvements, 401 Wednesbury, manor house, 153, coal mines, manufactures, wild fire, 154, steam engines, furnaces, powerful machinery, 155, Methodist riots, church and monuments, ibid. Weduesfield, battle, 12, 152, parish, church, population, 153 Weeford, village and parish, on Black Brook, 163, a low called Offlow, church, and hamlets, ibid. West Bromwich, village and parish, manufactures, and population, 156, valley of the Tame, and villas, ibid. Sand well park and mansion, 157 Weston-on-Trent, village and church, 303, canal, &c. 304 Weston-under-Lizard, mansion, Earl of Bradford's, 281, church and village, Watling-street way, 282 Wetton, moorland parish, 240, Thor's- house cavern, Ecton Hill, and Warns- low, 241, copper and lead mines, church and village, 242 Wever Hills, 37 Wheaton Aston, village and church, 210, fire there, a May-pole, ibid. Whicbnor manor, and bacon flitch, 62, ancient moated mansion, and the lodge, 63, church, visited by King James, 64, bail storm and vorago, mills burnt, ibid, stone bridges, large iron forge, and slitting mill, 64 Whitgreave, Esq. Moseley, loyalty to Charles II. 16 Whitmore, parish, church, andvillage a 375 Whittington, parish and race course, 131, mansion, 199 Wiggingtou, near Tamworth, village, and chapel, 143, Low Flat and Robin Hood's Butt, money lands, ancient coin, ibid, instance of great abstemi- ousness, 144 Wilkes, Dr. View of Staffordshire, 32 Willenhall, populous manufacturing place, church, &c. 150, Dr. Wilkes' account of, 151 Willows, account of some species found at Blymhill, 447, 448 Wolseley, parish and bridge, 266 Wolstanton, extensive parish, 347, mar- riages under Cromwell, 348, coal mines and minerals, 349 WOLVERHAMPTON, antiquity and po- pulation, -167, deanery, mansions, churches, 168, meeting houses, springs, market, situation, and ma- nufactures, 171, grammar school, 172, thoroughfare and hamlets . Wombourn, ancient village, and spire church, 186, early soil and Sraestall water, 187, hamlets, Woodhouses, Heath Forge, Orton manor, Sir John Wrottesley's. Worcester, battle of, 16 Wyrley bank, Great Wyrley, 263 Wyrley Grove, or Little Wyrley, 165, Mr. Hussey's, rookery, 166 Yoxall, formerly a market, 58, church and rectory, 59, hamlets, ibid. Yoxall lodge, Needwood Forest, 55,. INDEX; TO DEPARTMENT THE SECOND. AGRICULTURE) NATURAL HISTORY, &C. A, AGRICULTURAL Societies, 98, 100 Agriculture of Staffordshire, 1 7 Alabaster, 166 Anson Lord, his farm and demesne, 90 Aqualate, Sir John Bougbey's, ditto, 96 Arable land, cropping and cultivation 29,86,96. B. Barley, its culture, drilling, &c. 34, 35 , consumption of, 81, 82 Basaltic rocks, formation of, 133 Beans, setting by hand recommended, 29 , culture, 35, setting and drill- ing, 36 Bees, 80, 81 BIOGRAPHY OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 175 to 270 Birds of Staffordshire, 145 to 158 Blount, Mr. of Bellamore, his farming 96 BOTANY OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 101 to 126 Bradford, Earl, his demesne, 94 Brewster, threshing machine maker, 27 Buck wheat, its culture, 37 Buildings, 22, 23 Burnet, 50, indigenous, 51. C. Cabbages, in field cultivation, 41 Canals, 21 Carrots recommended, 42 Chambers, drill machine maker, 29 Clays, fire clay, potter's clay, 1 64 Cleft in a rock remarkable, 165, 166 Climate, 17 Coal mines, thick and thin, 128 to 140 , fofmation of, conjecture on, 130 " " ', strata above, intervening and be- neath, 134 ' , qualities, and means of working, 138 , quantity raised, 139, peacock coal, 164 COINAGE OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 1 to 8 Comfortb, winnowing machine maker, 27 Comparative View of Agriculture, 85 Cottages, 23 Courses of crops, 29, 30,' 87, 92 Cow stock, 66, sundry owners of capital cattle, 67, new breed introduced by Mr. Miller, their size and qualities, ibid. D. Dairying, 67, great produce from a cow, 68, superior to oxen and sheep, and improvements proposed, ibid, turnip butter to cure, 69 Divisions of the county, 17 Dove river, 9-10 Draining, the first of improvements, 8.5 Ducks, their utility, 79. E. Earths, analysis of, J27, 128 Echos, 167 Elevation above the sea, 18, 19 Embankments proposed, 65 Estates, 21. F. Fallows, sometimes necessary, 30, 46 Farms, size of, 24, of land-owners, 87 Feeding cattle, 69, sheep, 70, hogs, ib. weight to ascertain, 70 Fencing on good land, 28 fertile soil, analysis of, 127 Wishes of Staffordshire, 159 i'lax culture, 37 dossil wood, 166, 167 "ruit trees, neglect of, 55 , their importance, 167 - > their ripening promoted, 174. ardens and orchards, 53, great im- portance to country houses, 6*4, 65 ^eese, 79 u u INDEX. G. Grass land, 46, 89, 93 Grasses, recommended for cultivation, 50,89 Glove, Esq. Sheustone, his farming, 97. H. Harvest, ancient, 14, 15 Hay harvest, making and stacking, 51, 52, produce of, 53 Heathy land, 11, 12 Hogs, breed most esteemed, 77 , experiments and economy on, 78 , powers of increase, 84 Horses, the Flemish breed, black, or brown, Suffolk, at Lord Talbot's, and Cleveland, at Mr. Toilet's, 74, 97, consumption of landed produce and numbers kept, 75, economy in keeping, 76 Horses and oxen for draught, 76 Houses and offices, 22, 23 Hundreds of Staffordshire, 17* Implements of husbandry, 26, 86 Increase of animals and vegetables, 83 Inge, Esq. of Thorp, his farming, 96 Ingestrie, farm and demesne, 88 Insects, 161 Iron gates, hurdles, and ploughs, 27 . stone strata, and quantity made, 137 Irrigation of land, 63, 89, 97. L. Labourers' gardens, importance of, 54 Lamprey, and nine eyes, 159 Lawley,SirRobert's,demesne&farna,96 Leases, 22, usual covenants, ibid. Leek coinage, 7 Lichfield coinage, 3, 5 Lime-stone, 128, 130, with petrified shells, 134, rises in large tables or flats, 164 Live stock, 66, 90, 98 Longevity of William Hyven, 174 Luce ru, 51, will bear transplanting, ib. Meadow land, 46, 47, rich on Trent and Dove, ibid, meadow herbage, 48, 49, neutral plants and weeds, 50 Miller, Mr. hir, wheat culture, 32, mea- dow grass, 53, cattle stock, 68, sheep, 72 Millstones, 165 MINERALOGY OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 127 to 140 Miscellaneous natural history, 163 Moorlands, 9 N. Newcastle coinage, 6, 7> O. Oat culture, 35, compared with wheat as human food, ibid. Ochre or raddle, 164 Orchards neglected, 54, importance of, 55, landlords should promote and en- force their culture, 56, more culti- vated formerly, 167. P. Paring and burning, 63 Parks, 9 Patteshull, demesne and farm, 95 Pease, culture, 36 Peat earth, its formation, 168 PEERAGE OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 271 te 319 Pigeons, 80 Pools, foretelling weather and dearth, 167 Poor, 81 Poor rates, 25 Population, 82 Potatoes, culture and use, 40, the cur), ibid, superior in nutriment to most other plants per acre, 41, cautions in giving to cattle, 42 Poultry, 78, 79 Produce and consumption of provisions,, 81, 83. Q. Quadrant of six miles radius, 163 I Quarries of stone, 165. R. M. Rabbits, 78, increase of, 84 Rape or cole seed, 41 Mangel wurzel, a variety of beet, its I Rents, 24 culture and utility, 41, 42 | Reptiles, 158 Manuring, 63 to 65, and 86 Marbie, 166 Reservoirs for irrigation proposed, 65 Rivers, 9 INDEX. Rowley atone analyzed, 133 Rye, its culture, 34. S. Satntfoin, an excellent plant, 51 Salt springs, 169 170 Serpents, 159 Sheep, 10, varieties of, 70, 143, sheep masters, eminent ones, 72, disorders of, 73, increase of, 83 Shining earth, 1 63 Shugborough demesne, 90 Springs that do not freeze, 169 Stafford coinage, 1 to 3 STATISTICAL TABLES, [see end of " Topography."] Stone for building, 165 Strata of earths in mines, 134, 137 Soils, 19, 20, analysis of, 127, 128 Superstition of former times, 15. T. Talbot, Earl, his agriculture, 87 Tamworth coinage, 5, 6 Tennant, Esq. his farming, 97 Tenures, 2 1 Tettenhall pears, 55 Tillage, ancient, U to 13 Timber and woodlands, 56 to 59 Tithea, 24 Tobacco-pipe clay, 163, 164 Tollett, Esq. of Betley, his farming, 9 Trees, of great bulk, 166 Twf, for fuel, 16 Turkies, 79 "urnips , common, and Swedish, 30, 3 1 , weight grown per acre, ibid. , fly, mildew, and caterpillar, 38-40 , Northumberland culture, 37 88 , Sir John Wrottesley's method, 38. U. Uttoxeter coinage, 8. V. Vale of Trent, its beauties, 19 Vegetable increase astonishing, 84 Vetches, their culture, 36. W. Waste land, improvements, 59 to 62 Water, 20, 21, medicinal ditto, 170 to 173 Weeds, a great evil, 42, different varie- ties, and means of destroying, 43, 46 Weights and measares, 25 Wheat, ancient culture, 13, seed and produce, 31, spring wheat, weight and number of grains, 32, varieties, 33, steeping of seed, mildew, &c. 34, astonishing increase of, 84, 85 Woodlands, 9 Wool, 10 Wrottesley, demesne and farm, 95. Z. ZOOLOGY OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 141. NAMES OF PERSONS IN DEPARTMENT THE FIRST. ABNETT 338 Aikin 428 Adams 66, 388 Adderley57,351 Addenbrooke 1 1 3 An wyll 327 Adey374 Adie 265 Aysheton 142 Aitkens402 Allen 208, 220 Allporte 207 Amphlett 204 Anson,L.270,S71, B. 272,313 Anson, V. 66, 150, Baddeley 159 Anaon 444, 445 Bagnall 360 Bagot, L. 55, 21 8, 219,311 Bagot 220, 309, 311, 361 Bailey 237 Bailye 56 Baker 98 Bakewell 388, 390 Ball 376, 379,381 Balderstone 245 Arden71 Argyle, D, 288 Ash 249 Asheburn 995 Ashraole 107 Astle217 Astley 188 Anglesea, M. 43, Aston 291 48, 80, 84, 86, Austrian Arch 88, 89, 131, 261, dukes, John and Bamford 231 264,288 Lewis, 85 Barber 410 Barker 258 Barlow 335, 33G Barnes 230 Barrett 185 Bate 186,344 Bateman 35 1 Bath, M. 141, 145 Beane 44 Bedford 185 Bedford, D. 288 Beetham 244 Belcher 225 Bettenson 272, 276 Benson 288 Bent 401 Bentley 249 INDEX. Berwick, L. 162 Chetwynd 267,298, Dudley and Ward, Gisborne 55, 62 Best 1 67 299 V. 1 88, 1 90, 1 9 1 , Goodwin 366-369 Biddulph, 127,262, Child 393 192, 193, 194, Cough 153, 159, 280 Clarke 269, 297, 202 180,182,270 Bill 230, 388 309 Dunn 231 Gould 242 Billinge244 Clare 153, 182 Dyott 129, 131 Gower 383, 384, 309 Clare 153, 182 Birch 156, 157, 159 Clarence, D. 85 Blackey 227, 235 Clayton 389 Bloomfield 85 Cleyton 333, 381 Blount265 Clements 31 3 Blunt 361 , 384 Glinton,B. 88, 90, Bouncy, 305 106 Booth 389 Clutterbuck 183 Boughey 274, 278, Cobb 87 335, 359, 403 Collins 266. Bourne 132, 408, Congreve 257 410,442 Cook 410,419 Bowyer 333, 351 Corns 297, 385 Boynton 65 Cornwallis, B. 318 Bradburnel28, 264 Cotes 286, 387 Bradford, E. 279, Cotterill 409 281,282 Cotton 243, 361 Brasier 376 Courtenay, V. 201 Breck 338 Cowper 265 Brett 232, 338 Cox 102, 333 Bridgwater, D.431 Coyney232, 233 Bridgman 282 Gower, L. 360 Granville, Cts. 360 Granville 224,361, 391 Granville, V. 288, 297, 357 Evans 218, 219, 220 Ensor 238 Enfield 195 Ellerton 266, 293, Graves, L. 85 314 Green 146, 270 Eliot 120 Gresley 351, 362, .Egertou 336 396 Egginton, 158,161, Grove 117, 162 186 Grundy 143 Eddowes 236, 233 Guy 142 r. Bridone 223 Bright 278 Brindley 429 Broadhurst 374 Bromfield 61 Bromley 291 Bromwich 161 103,390 Brook L. 108, 109, Curzon, V. 265 137 Broughton 323 Buckeridge 312, 390 Falconer 94, 100 Farmer 243 Fey Id 48 Crewe',L.332,337, Fenton 403 447 Fereday 191, 192 Crockett 270, 278, Fernyhough 408 279 Ferrars E. 308 Cross 69 Fieldon 294 Croxall 161 Fitzgerald 189 H. Haden 155, 292, 332 Hake 223, 224 Hall 280 Harding 314, 319, 323 Harper 243 Harris 293 Harrison 366 Cumberland, D. 17, Fitzherbert 2, 95, Harrowby, E. 305, D. Boiler 31 Buonaparte 84 Burke 287 Burnel86 Brewster 254 Butler 98 Butt 382 C. Dale 333 Daniel 41 8 Darlington E. 167 385 Fleetwood 241 Fletcher 341 Floyer 1 64 Fofey 153, 193, 196 307 Harvie219 Husseyl65, 166 Hastings 287 Hatrell 361 Heath 338 Foley, L. 193, 194 Heathcote41O 165, Forster 182 Hellier 187, 259 Fowke 165 Henderson 53 Dartmouth, E. 156 Fowler 46, 88, 185, Henshall 434 207 Fox, C.J. 216 Fox 287 G. Caldwell 359, 397 Carless 347 Carlisle 234 Carringtou 226 Carteret, L. 361 Caswell 201 Chadwicke73, 108, 109 Dolphin 162 Chetwode 332, 359, Downing 142 Chetwynd, V. 326 Drayton 141 Darwall 277 Darwin 240 Davenport 224 Degge 167, 207, 208, 310 Devonshire, D. 234, 241 Galway,V. 254 Dickenson 6, 260, Gardner 208 269, 281, 292, Gardner, L. 213 Garrick 117 130, Giffard 254, 278 Gilbert 234 Gildart 165 Giles 338 Gilpin 263 Girdler 137 447 Donegal, M. 144,319 Dolman 161 Hewett 277 Heyrick 173 Hicken314, 315, 345 Hickman 194 Higgins27l,272 Hni346,360 Hilditch 308 Hilridge217 Hiuckes 181, 184, 185 Holbrook 75 Holiday 231 Holland, L. 288 Holland 336 Hollius 410 INDEX. Holyoake 184 Leveson 169, 170 O. Honeybourn 186 Levett, 63, 127, Hoo 153, 179, 180 144,266 Horderu 167, 173, Lewis 217 182,259 Lister 53, 78 337 Horton 61, 182, Littlor 422,423 Okeover 235, 236 337 Littleton, 172, 234, Oldfield 207 Hougb,B. 262,3 18, 255, 256, 257,Orme36l 387 258, 261, 263, Orritt385 Howard 131, 132 267, 279 Owens 163 Howe, E. 2 1 5 London. B. of, 288 Lowe 270 Lyttelton, B. 197 Lyttelton 193, 201 ? R. Howe 154 Hulme248,251 Hunt 56, 57 Huntingdon 335 Hurd, B. 254, 257 Huskiisou 181, 132 Hutton 135 Paget, L. 83 M. Paget 85 Palmer 344 MacclesBeld, E. Parker 44, 410 226, 247, 249 Parkes 159, 278 I. J. 398 Parkhurst88 Mainwaring, 375, Parr 243 Inge 265 376, 377, 381, Parsons 156 Jackson 129 386, 383, 407 Paulett 44 Jell 223 Mander 173 Pearson 184 Jenkinson3l8,319, Marsh 186 Peel 141, 145 388 Mason 437, 441 Pennant 443 Jeruingham 268 Massarene, V. 130 Peunington 344 Jennings 169, 172 Maude 292 Johnson, 100, 103, May 88 117, 118, 128, Mayer 447 O'Connor 438 Rathbone 292 Offley 63, 332, 336, Rawlins 103, 104 Reid 169 Repington 142 Repton 407 Reynolds, 114, 159 Rice 308 Richardson 243 Roberts 337 Robinson 3 12, 385, 403 Rogers 396, 401 Rollestou 225 Ross 437 Rovlance 393 Russell 238 S. 303, 308 Jones 100, 176 K. Keen 269 Meaykin 252 Meynell 326, 327 Milley 105 Mills 224, 248, Pepioe 267 Perkins 269 Perry 173 Pershouse 155 Peter 161 Petit 259 388, 410 Milton 369 Kempson 173, 254 Minor 207, 103 Kemsey 254 Mitchell 425 Ken rick 327 Kinnersly 327 Kirk 62 Knightley 254 Pigot 188, Philips 221 Phillips 182 Pitch ford 313 Pitt 133, 287, 303 Moncktou, 85, 172, Plaxton 271 254,260 Pole, C.I 98 Montague 116 Poole, 335, 447 Moore 52, 288, 304, Port 231, 239 305 Porter 230 Molineux 158 Salt 246, 396 Sands 159 Savary 154 Scarsdale, L. 59 Scott 153, 156, 160, 180, 193, 204 Sedgwick 186 Sell 308 Simeon 360, 391 Simpson 162, 337 bewell 351 191, 258, Shaw 196, 202 Shelburne, L. 287 Shenstonel6l,203, 204 Sheridan 286, 287, 288, 294 Shrewsbury,E.227, 228 Skrynisher 271, 272, 273, 274, 276, 319, 322, 331 Moore, Sir John, 84 Portland, D. 286, slaney 255, 256 ' Morgan 332, 334 287 Smithe 393 Lane 69, 158, 176, Mosley 48, 60, 200 Pouutney 182 Smith 23!, 247, 263 Moss 195 Powell 31 8 258, 334, 388, Langelly 98, 221 Mottersfcaw 269 Powlett, L. 344 390, 394 Lauderdale, E 288 Mulgrave, E. 288 Powys 247 Suape 329, 334, Lawley no, 164 Mundy 55 Pratt 259 340, 344 Lawton 346, 350 Prince Regent, H. Sneyd55,217,234, Lea 162, 389 R. H. 85, 401 247, 338, 340, Ledwick 438 N. Printon 47 341, 347, 348, Lees 150 Pritchard 222 357, 396 Lefebvre, Gen. 84 Noble 250 Pritchett 230 Southwell 162 Leigh 148, 149, Newton 69, 235 174,360 Neale309 Proby 254 Pye 138, 149 Sparrow 246, 265, 359 X X INDEX. Spencer, L. 288 Toilet 335, 341, Wai ford 31 9 Wilkes 147, 150, Spode 408 343, 344, 345, Waiker 158, 386 200 Stafford 295 385 Wallis 435 Willatt 231 Stafford, M. 150, Tomlinson 408 Walmsley 116 Williamson 227 186, 240, 282, Twike 216 Warburtori 421 Willoughby de 357, 361, 381, Toplady 369 Ward 242, 361 Brooke, L. 216 388,401 Townshend,M.140, Watkins 137 Wilmol 130 Stamford, E. 169, 141 Weld 391 Wilson 288, 334, 199 Turner 245, 252, Wesley 155,369 369 Stretch 336 372 Wedgwood 326, Wilton E. 342 Stubbs 1 85 Turton 65, 66 332, 333, 334, Witrings 365 Sussex, D. 288 397, 399, 400, Wood 186, 234, Sutherland 128 U-ir 403, 421, 422, 397, 418, 424, Swiufeii 164,280 V. 424, 426, 427 425 Unwyn 345 Wheeldon 235 Woodhouse 403 Valentia, V. 201 Wevmouth V. 142 Wollaston 300, 302 T. Vaughau 319 Wh'ieldou 396 Wolseley 266 Vaughton 143 Whitaker 240, 243 Wright 59, 345,409 Talbot, E. 57, 217, Vernon, L. 51,55, Whitby 153, 161, Wrottesley 1 83, 278, 299 57,58 180,314 184, 186, 187 Talbot 278 Veruon 183, 259, White 232, 319 Wyatt 66, 114 Tankenille,E. 185 260, 345 Wbitehurst 338 Wyim 186 Tarratt 186 Vincent, E. 391 Whitehall 2 19, 221 Taylor 6 1,273 Vincent, C. 233 Whitgreave 181, y. Tenant 163 183 Tether 333 Whitworth 275,322 Yarmouth, L. 85 Thacker 186 w. Wickliffe 295 Yeoman 403 Thomas 219 Wigan 280 York, D. 288 Tindall 173 Waldron 194 Wightmau 46 Young 128. NAMES OF PERSONS IN DEPARTMENT THE SECOND. ALLEN 1 82 Anglesea M- 31, 57, 13p, 276 Anson L. 67, 71, 72, 90, 93, 94, 175, 309 Ash mole 184 Astle 244 Audley L. 312 B. Bakewell 66,71 Bagot L. 56, 67> 72,315 Barker 4 Bergman 133 Blake 25 1 Blick 6 Biouni 96, 100 Bou^hey 96 Bradford E. 71,72, 94 Brewster 27 Browne 227 Broughtou 58 Buckley 89 C. Caldwell 236 Cartwrigbt 8 Chambers 27 Childe 97 Coke 50, 94 Corn forth 27 Cotton 237 Curwan 53, 78 D. 40, 131, Darwin 174 Dickenson 34 Donegal M. 57,317 Dray ton 10 Dudley L. 57, 129 Dudley 265 Dyott 72 E. Ellmau 72 F. Fenton 221 Ferrers E. 1 69, 290 Fryer 58 G. Gardner V. 311 Giffard 56 Cinders 88, 89 GranvilleV. 311 Greene 4, 5 Grove 97 Guy 6 H. Hancock 5 Harding 6 Harrowby E. 302 Harvey 72 Holliday 58 Horton 3 Huskisson 67 Hurd, B. 232 I. J. Inge 96 James 263 Johnson 5, 191 K. Keirl27, 128, 131, 133 Kempson 3, 5 L. Lawley 96 Lettsora 41 Lightfoot 246 INDEX. Littleton 67,71 M. 57, 59, Newton, B. 243 Rudge 27 NorthuuiberlaadD. 256 Townshend, M.287 Maimvaring 58 Marshall 45 Mason 7-i, 97 Mead 6 Meadowcourt 252 Mellor32, 53, 67, 68,72 Mountford 219 N. Newcastle-under- Lyme, D. 371 P. Pennant 97 Pi^ott, 37, 57, 72, 95 Plott 9, et passim Pratt 33 Priucep, 67, 72 R. Rich 7 Robyns 226 Shaw 8, 253 Sheldon, A. 260 Siuallridjre, B. 242 Snelling3,7 Sinclair 52 Stamford E. 57 Stamford 93 Stafford, M. 58, 273 T. Talbot, E. 67, 72, 87,88, 100,292 Taylor 447 Toilet 72, 96, 97 V. W. Vagg 40 Vernon 58 Vincent, E. 294 Walton 267 Wakelin 8 Wheelock 93 Whitworth,E. 304 Willetts 3 Withering 37, 49 Wright 5 Wrottesley 37,38, 57, 86, &5 Wyatt,91. FINIS. Printed by JAMES SMITH, High Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme. 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are^ubject to immediate recall. z*npr39Uu ?:; . ; JUft .] 9 , , | ? *_'D JAN 11 1%0 28489