Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Duke University Libraries https://archive.org/details/newcompendioushi01smit eomT.rr ©jf • k mm , IPK BIOID To y COMPRISING W ' V\7 m O F T H E MODERN IMPROVEMENTS, SEATS OF 'THE NOBILITY & GENTRY, E€©LEESlASTi©AL EDIFICES From actual Survey BY WILLIAM SMITH, F.R.S.A. M (flOWED ON STEEL , WA A'W'I LA SAYl'^o — BIRMINGHAM . l/l&js I' Oi 5 y t f +* »h>; <2.=T5 V PREFACE. It has been generally supposed, that fame or emolument is the only stimulus to author¬ ship ; yet had not motives of a more mixed character actuated the present writer, the following pages would never have appeared to solicit the indulgence, or deprecate the severity of criticism. After devoting considerable time in ascertaining the different alterations and changes that have taken place, the author hopes it will not he deemed presumption in him to hint, that he is sensible some pleasure and improvement will be derived from perusing the following history. Every possible care and attention has been bestowed on the work to render it accurate. When a publication, on a new subject, makes its appearance, curiosity is excited; the work is eagerly sought after and perused. But when a fresh hook, upon a subject which has been hackneyed for ages, is announced, it is natural to enquire what improvements can this work contain—is the writer aiming to turn the literary spirit of the age to his own advantage, or to force his name into publicity ; these are not captious, but in the present state of literature, just and reasonable questions. The author believes it to be a history of facts, and, as such, he presents it to the world ; and will think himself well rewarded, should the public conclude he has employed the time for the real benefit or service of the reader. 175185 - r ‘ . INDEX Alcester Division .. 285 Ditto Town. 286 Ditto, Charter granted. ib. Arrow. 288 Ditto, Castle. 289 Alveston. 279 Aston CantJow. 277 Ardens Grafton. 275 Aston Hall. 305 Allesley Park. 169 Alley. 165 Astley. 144 Astley Castle, &c. 148 Arbury Hall, &c. 149 Ashaw. 120 Atherston-upon-Stowe. 77 Arlescote . 67 Avon Dorset. 64 Artificial Waters and Streams... 9 Aston. 362 Atherston Division. 372 Ditto, Town. ib. Ansley... 373 B Birmingham. 292 Visited by Plague. 294 Riot, in 1791. Manufactures, &c. 307 Government and Police. 308 Alarkets. 309 Fairs. 310 Wakes. ib. General Improvements. ib. Intended Improvements. 313 Places of Worship—St. Mar¬ tin’s Church. 315 St. Philip’s Church. 3IS Christ Church. 319 St. George’s Church. 321 St. Paul’s Church. 323 St. Thomas’s Church. 324 St. Bartholomew'^ Chapel.... ib. St. Mary’s Chapel. 325 St. Paul’s Chapel. ib. St. John’s Chapel. 326 St. James’s Chapel. 328 Trinity Chapel. ib. Jews’ Synagogue. 330 Catholic Chapel. ib. Quakers’ Meeting-house. ib. Old Meeting-house. ib. Unitarian NewMeeting-house 331 Carr's-lane, (Independent)... ib. Livery-street Meeting-house ib. Page Ebenezer Meeting-house. 332 Baptist ditto. ib. General Baptist. 333 Methodist ditto. ib. Calvinist. ib. Swedenborgians. 334 Scotish Church. ib. General Hospital. ib. Dispensary. 337 Self-supporting Dispensary... 338 Fever Hospital. ib. Institution for bodily defor¬ mity . ib. Free School. 339 Blue Coat Charity School... 343 Protestant Dissenting Chari¬ ty School. 344 Deaf and Dumb Institution... ib. Lenehe’s Charity. 301 Public Library. ib. Lancasterian School. 346 National ditto. 347 Welche’s Charity. ib. Infant School. ib. Fentham’s Trust. 348 Crowley’s Trust... ib Scott’s ditto. ib. Piddcock’s ditto. ib. Lenche’s ditto. 349 Society for Relief of Poor Women. 349 Female Penitentiary . ib. Savings Bank. 350 Workhouse . ib Asylum . 351 Theatre . ib. Harmonic Society . 352 Philosophical Institution. ib. Mechanics’ Institution . 353 Society of Arts, New-strect .. ib. School of Medicine . 354 Library . 355 Theological do. ib. News Room . ib. Public Office and Prison, Moor-street. 356 Court of Requests . ib. Post Office . ib. Excise Office . 356 Assay Office . ib. Proof House . 357 Barracks . ib. Market-place . ib. Old Cross. ib. Welsh Cross . ib. Nelson’s Monument .. Smithfield. Deritend Bridge . Lady Well Baths. Birmingham Caual, see Ca¬ nals . Fire Office . Gas Works . Baskerville-place. Beardsworth’s Repository ... Soho Manufactory . Bingley House. Brearley. Budbrooke. Beaudesert Castle. Binton. Billisley. Bidford Grange . Bidford . Bishopston. Burton-on-Dunsmore. Bridinbury . Bishop’s Itchington. Biltou . Ditto, House. Riggin. Brandon . Brownsover. Baskerville. Bedworth. Biidey. Bransford Grange. Brinklow. Bulkington. Branscote . Barnacle . Burton Hastings. Brockhurst. Bubenhall. Bagginton. Bagginton Hal!.. Bishop’s Tachbrook. Bush wood. Barf cm I. Blacklow Hill. Butler's Marston. Broughton... Brookehampton. Battle of Edge-hill. Burton Dorset Division. Burton Dorset Village. Burmington. Barchester. Bradmore. Bartou-on-the-Heath. Pag® ib. 35S ib. ib. ib. 359 ib. 360 ib. ib. 306 283 284 291 274 273 ib. 272 271 1S6 188 192 177 ib. 184 169 176 161 164 165 166 168 158 159 ib. 160 150 137 138 139 90 96 85 ib. 82 78 73 72 62 ib. 57 58 60 54 2 INDEX. Page Barton-on-the-Heath Church 55; curious Epitaph on a Tablet on the north wall to the Memory of Walter Overbury, Escp Brails Division. 47 Brails Town and Parish. ib. Ditto Fair and Market 48; Ancient Customs ib. Blythe Hall. 374 C Combe Abbey. .. 166 CJopton House. 271 Coventry, History of.. 196 Made free by'Earl Leopie 192 to 200; Peeping Tom, history of, 200 ; Monastery founded 198 ; Death of Earl Leopie and his Lady Godiva 199 ; the Town made Corporate 202 ; Henry VI. held his Parliament in 1404, ib. ; Earl Rivers and his Son beheaded 204; Conspiracy of Earl of Warwick against Edward VI. ; Visits of Richard III. and Henry VII. ib.; Visits of Henry VIII. and Prin¬ cess Mary 205; ditto of Queen Elizabeth ib. ; Queen Mary con¬ fined 206 ; King James’s visit ib .; King Charles attacked by the Ci¬ tizens ib. ; City Garrisoned 207 ; James’s second visit ib. ; City of Coventry 208; Origin uncertain 209 ; Trade and Manufactures 210; St. Michael’s Church ib.; the Mercer’s Chapel 212 ; the Draper’s Chapel ib. ; Epitaph to the Memory of Captain Greaves 8croope2l3; the Choir 213; Tri¬ nity Church 214 ; St. John’s Church 216; St. Mary’s Hall 218; the Draper’s Hall 224; the Coun¬ cil Hall ib. ; Free School 225 ; St. John’s Hospital ib. ; Bablake Hospital 226 ; Barracks 227 ; Ford’s Hospital 228 ; Cheylse- more 229; White Friars ib ; the Cathedral of Coventry 231 ; the Palace 232; Spoil Hospital ib. ; the Cross 233 ; City Walls, ib. ; Friar’s Minors234 ; Cheylsemore Castle 236 ; the Grey Friars’ Spire, and New Church 237 ; the Canal 238 ; Coventry first made Corporate 239 ; history of Godiva, and Procession at the Show Fair 240; Spoil Wake 242; visited by Pestilence 243 ; Coventry inun¬ dated ib. ; Eminent Natives of Coventry 244. Coton House. 177 Church Lawford. 180 Cawston. 181 Clifton . 183 Page Couldon. 169 Coundon. 171 Compton Magna . 151 Chester Over. ib. Cloudley Bush. 152 Cubbington . 124 Cry field. 119 Cauley. ib. Cloud. 117 Chesterton. 91 Chesterton House. 92 Ditto, Church, ib. ; Curious Wind¬ mill ib. Charlecote. 86 Crimscott. 78 Compton Murdock. 75 Canbroke. 73 Chadshunt. ib. Compton Wyngate. 49 Ditto Family 50; Mansion and Park 51; Compton Wyngate House ib. Compton, Long, 51; do.Church 52 Cultivation of the County. 4 Cattle. 6 Coal Mines, &c. 7 Canals, Grand Junction. 9 Birmingham Old do. ib.; Birming¬ ham and Fazely do. 10 ; Warwick and Birmingham do. ib.; Worces¬ ter and Birmingham do. ib.; Co¬ ventry do. ib.; Warwick and Nap- ton do. ib.; Ashby-de-la-Zouch do. 11. Castle Bromwich. 363 Coleshiil 368 ; do. Church 369; do. Park and Mansion ib. Caldecote Hall. 374 D Drayton and Dodwell. 271 Dunchurch . 179 Ditchford Fray . 57 E. Exhall, near Alcester . 275 Exall, near Coventry . 247 Eathorpe. 193 Easenhull . 150 Emscote . 123 Eatington, Lower and Upper ... 83 Edgbaston . „ . 365 Erdington. 363 F. Fulbrooke . 279 Flecknoe . 193 Franckton.. . 1S5 Finburgh . 118 Finham . ib Fletchamstead . ib. Fulbridge . . . 84 Foxcote . 80 Fenny Compton . 69 Famborough . 65 Farms in the County . 6 Four Oaks Hall . 368 Page Granborough . 194 Gaydon. 74 Great Woolford . 56 Guy’sCIiff.. 45 Ditto, occupied by a Hermit ib. Chantry Founded . ib. Grounds . 46 St. Mary Magdalen’s Chapel 47 General History from the Inva¬ sion of Julius Caesar . 14 Great Packington . 376 LI. Hampton Lucy . 282 Halseby . 284 Llonilay . ib. Henley division . 290 Henley-in-Arden. ib. Hatton, near Wroxall. 280 Haseler. 277 Honingham . 294 Hardwick, (hamlet). 189 Hillmorton . 182 Harborough Magna. 170 Llopford . 156 Harbury . 132 Hill Wooton. 121 Hurst. 119 | Halford. 84 Honington. 59 Haudsworth. 363 Hamsted. 364 Harborne. ib. Hartshill. 373 I. Ihnington. 79 Ditto, Medicinal Water, &c... ib. Idleeole. 60 Invasion of Great Britain, by Julius Caesar, &c. 14 The Carnibal. ib. The Hygantus. ib. Ostrious visits to Arden. 15 Woodlands in Arden Inha¬ bited by the Wiccian Cangi ib. Military Station of Ostrus.... 16 Cydimus King of the Dobuni ib, Battle of Sickington . 17 War of the Roses . ib. Coventry constituted acounty ib. Civil War in the l7thCentury 18 Great Roman Roads in the time of Julius Caesar . 19 K. Kirby Division . 141 Knightlow Hundred . 98 Kenilworth Division . 99 Kenilworth Town . 100 Ditto, Monastry founded, ib.; Ma¬ nufacturers,^. ; The Church Road from Coventry to Warwick, 103 ; The Castle, ib .; Siege of the Cas¬ tle in Henry 3rd time, 104; Sur- INDEX. 3 render of the Castle, 105 ; Grand tournament, 106; King Edward Imprisoned, ib. ; Visit of Queen Elizabeth, Castle, &c. seized by the Ciown, 109; LancasterBuild- ings, ib .; Grand Hall, ib. ; Prin¬ cipal Entrance, 110; Curious Chimney Piece, ib .Castle de¬ molished by Cromwell’s Army,111 Kingswood . 96 Kineton Division. 71 Kineton Town. ib. Knightcote. 64 Kings’ Norton. 365 L. Loxley . 282 Luddington. 273 Long Itchington . 187 Limington Hastang. 1S9 Ladbrooke . 191 Little Law ford. 179 Lillington. 123 Leamington Priors... 125 Ditto Medical Springs. ib. Ditto New Baths. 128 Ditto Latchwell’s Charity. ib. Ditto first Baths founded by Thomas Abots. ib. Leek Wootou. 120 Lapworth . 93 Ditto Church, 95, Cross in the Church-yard. 95 Longridge House. . . 86 Lamscote . 84 Lighthorne. .... 76 Little Woolford. 57 Long Compton. 51 Ditto Church. 52 Land cultivated in the County.. 6 M. Marston Jabet. 159 Monks’ Kirby . 141 Milverton. 122 Moreton Morrell. 90 Myton . 86 Millington. 65 Meadow Lands, &c. in the county. 7 Medical Springs. 9 Minerals. 11 Manufactures. ib. Moseley. 366 Moxhull. 368 Middleton. 372 Manchester . 373 Maxstoke Castle. 375 Merevale Hall . 374 N. Norton, Lindsey . 283 Nethercote . 193 Nafton. 192 Newton. 183 Newbold Revel . 151 Page Newbold Hall . 151 Newnham Padox. 148 Newbold Pacey . 93 Northern! . 64 Nuneaton . 374 O. Oversley . 276 Offchurch . 136 Oxhill . 81 Oldbury .. 373 P. Priediey . 292 Princthorp . 185 Pack wood. 97 Priors Hardwick . 70 Priors Marston . ib. Pillerton Hersey. 61 Park Hall. 363 Pooley Hall. 371 Polesworth Park. ib. IL Rugn Clifford . 273 Radburn (Upper and Lower)... 191 Ryton on Dunsmore . 184 Rugby Division . 171 Ruby Town and School. 172 Do. Alins’ Houses . 175 Charity School, &c. ib. Remains of Castle . 175 II y ton . 159 Radford Semele . 135 Railway . 82 Radway House, seat of F. Mil¬ ler, Esq . 74 Red Horse . ib Rateley . 68 River Avon . 7 S. Stud ley Priory . 289 Sherbourne . 280 Smitherfield Division . 278 Salford Priors . 274 Stratford Division, and town of Stratford-on-Avon . 248 Ancient Monastry . 249 Great Fires . 250 Great Bridge broken down ib. Grand Festival in honour of Shakspeare . 251 The Town of Stratford ... 254 Population . ib. New Palace . 255 Entertainment of Garrick ib. The Church . 257 Shakspeare’sMonument... 258 Mrs. Shakspeare’s Tomb . 259 Dean Balsall’s Tomb . ib. Do. of John Combe, Esq ib. and . 260 Do. of Elizabeth Rawlins ib. Chantry founded by John de Stratford . ib. Guild of the Holy Cross . 261 Antique Paintings and de¬ scription of . 262 The Guild Hall . 263 Alms Houses . 264 The Town Hall . ib. Statue of Shakspeare; Por¬ trait of do. 265 Do. of Garrick . ib. The Market-house . ib. Stratford Bridge . ib. Ancient Wooden Bridge... 266 Bridge Town ; the Avon ib. The Canal . 267 Stratford Railway . ib. History of Shakspeare ... 268 Sturshall Hall . 247 Stockton . 194 Sawbridge . 193 Stretton on Dunsmore . 185 Southam . 187 Shirford . 161 Shitlon. 156 Sow . 157 Street, Aston . 150 Stretton-under-Foss . ib. Starton... 118 Stoneleigh Abbey . 116 Do. Church. 117 Stoneleigh Village. 112 Shotswell. 66 Stretton on the Foss . 58 Situation of the County, and Vignette 1 ; Extent of do. 2 ; Soil, &c. 3 ; Cultivation 4; Cat¬ tle 6 ; Farms ib. ; Waste and Wood Lands 6; Coal Mines 7 ; Meadows, Rivers, aud Streams ib .; The Avon ib .; Medical Springs 9; Artificial Streams ib. Sutton Coldfield . 366 Do. Church. 367 Do Park . 368 Shustoke . 374 Solihull Division. 374 Do. Town. ib. Seckington . 372 Smethwick .. 364 T. Temple Grafton . 275 Thurluston . 181 Temple House Farm . 150 Taclibrooke Mallory . 131 Thorudon. 84 Tysoe . 81 Tamworth . 370 Do. Castle . ib. Tanworth. 97 Temple Balsall . 375 U. Upper Shuckburgh. 189 Upton . 134 Umberslade Hall. . 98 Upton . 68 4 INDEX. Wolverton . 283 Wootton Waweu . 291 Whittey Hall . 247 Weston-under-Whitherley . 195 Wappenbury . ib. Wolfhamcote . 193 Wolston and Priory . 181 Willoughby . ib. Willenhall . 170 Wolvey. 153 Do. Hermitage . 154 Withybrook . 155 Weston-in-Arden. 158 Wolvershill . 159 Walton. 150 Willey . 152 Wibtoft, and Ancient Roman Road . ib. Whitnash. 130 Woodcote . 122 Wellesbourne, Hastings. 90 Wellesbourne Mountford . ib. Wasperton . 89 Woodlow . 86 Whimpston . 78 Walton. 75 Do.Hall . 76 Wormleighlon. 69 Page j Warmiugton . 66 Whatcote . 60 Woolford Settle . 57 Weaton. 52 Whichford . 54 Woolford Great. 56 Ditto Church. ib. Warwick Castle. 36 Ditto first erected, 915, ib. ; De¬ struction of in 1265, 37; Repaired in Henry, 3rd time, ib. ; Guys’ Tower built 1394, ib, ; Used as a Gaol, 38 ; besieged in 1642, ib. ; Approaches to the Castle, 39; Caesar’s Tower, ib. ; Guy’s Tower, ib. ; Inhabited part of the Castle, ib. ; interior of the Castle, ib. ; the Hall, ib. ; Dining Room, 41 ; AntiChamber, ib. ; Drawing-Room, ib. ; Gilt Room, ib. ; State Bed Chamber, 41; Ancient Armour, 42; Park and Pleasure Grounds, ib. ; Green House Magnificent Vase, 43; Artificial Mount, Guy the supposed Earl of Warwick, ib. Warwick Priory of . 44 Warwick Town. 21 I Ditto Castle Improved, 22 ; Fair! Page granted, 23 ; Streets first paved, 23; Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth, ib. ; Great Fire, 24: Ancient Churches, 25; St. Mary’s Church, ib. ; Rebuilt, ib. ; De¬ stroyed by Fire, ib ; Tomb of Sir Thomas de Beauchamp, 26; Lord Brook’sMonument, 27; St.Mary’s Chapel, ib. ; Tomb of the Earl of Warwick, 28; Monument of the Earl and Countess of Leicester, 29; ditto of Ambrose Earl of Warwick, ib. ditto of Son of Earl of Lei¬ cester, ib. ; St. Nicholas Church, 30; Town Hall, ib. ; County Hall, ib. ; County Gaol, ib. ; ditto Bride¬ well, 31.; Market Flouse, ib. ; Lei¬ cester Hospital, ib. ; Chapel ‘School, 32; Charitable Institu¬ tions, ib. ; Improvements, 33; Theatre, ib. ; Public Library, ib.; Dissenting Chapels, 34 ; Race Course, ib. ; Manufactures, ib. ; Government, ib. Town made Cor¬ porate, ib. ; Representa'ion, ib. ; Population. 35; Distinguished Characters, ib Waste and Wood Lands . 6 Ward End. 363 DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. Page Alscote . 07 Astley Castle . 148 Allesley Park. 169 Aston Hall . 305 Baginton Hall. 139 Bull-ring, Birmingham. 292 Free School, New-street. 300 Ditto Theatre. 351 View of New-street . 311 Arts and Science. 353 Swan Hotel. 313 St. Philip’s Church. 318 Christ Church. 319 St. George’s Church . 321 Ditto Trinity Chapel ... 328 Ditto General Hospital. 334 Bitto Public-office, Moor-street. 356 Dingley House. 306 Baddesley Clinton. 375 Compton Wyngate House. 51 Charlecote House . 88 Chesterton Church. 92 Coventry General View . 208 Coventry High-street. 200 Coombe Abbey . jgg Ford Hospital. 228 Coughton Court. 289 Castle Bromwich Hall. 363 Edgbaston Hall. 335 Ditto Church. 335 Elrndou Hal . ’ 373 Guy’s Cliff House ... Guy’s Cliff Church. Packington Hall . Kenilworth Church . Ditto Castle. Ditto Principal Entrance . Knowle Hall ... Maxtock Castle . Middleton Hall . Maps of the County . New Hall... Offchurch Bury . Pooley Hall. Rugby School. Bagley Hall. Stoneleigh Abbey . Ditto Ancient Gate House . Stratford-on-Avon View of. Ditto View of the Town. Ditto Avon Bank View of... Solihull High-street View .,. Summerfield House. Tam worth Castle .’ Umberslade Hall. Warwick General View . Ditto Part from the Race Course. Ditto Castle. Weston Hall . Wroxall Abbey ... Wootton Hall. Vignette .. \ ’ Page 45 47 374 102 103 110 376 375 372 21 367 137 371 172 288 116 117 248 254 266. 375 376 370 98 1 34 37 53 280 291 l Hshbydrjn Zouth SeeitingHv* Sh/stentto , Hna/nn ^ » wortl) ( ii.crif on t/ieffi/l lfflnerfr t//Fna JirLtLslL > fil e* FrprOa/.s HM WiHter/ey NsJhSutton \ . ZanalfiTt T V/,/r ' W, ^Vnti * WisiunF ^ ( J: Wufoi/er (r. r ' / (iinlwortiiyS^y^F iierita /'i /.\_ ■Jfnfrr 7 ’rfo mian /’fiibnrg ' XRulgeLane 'j/hihn/l jrfabr J/n/r Bentiet f) —_ Ferry Br/.ioe jCeirrsbr Grange ;:m.catoiL JfilUU io Lutterworth High Inn J* Xhertbnl Hramirhh bet Wolrers i/L.irrim s/olese, (jjinf/rV' {Binning Smercotr • Xmifhe nit* fr, >m J Vi •urbrufyt fi Tbttyi^* Hinh/eyFhuy / fl ^ White it xm/v/hnw^^ JHarbourn ursion Green Jfcnie- ttU/IUI ng-dord To/kshiH Santo •+J/err,/en MoreeotrHa/l inS i. _.ii * uutrden i —v H erntoexl -rj-^K.tr'fe evens JHarbarow , ~ Moon •! i/’dWrr l iethaggKffati* (onlry ' ^ Hurst •• - Jjjcnilmk rH/nesto^T' =r~ Grange h 3) ran lit '/i y'tf.u/m. > tan WCii J) uns mo re sHi/tgff, ;■,///,ry ,,^/tWtr yinton Fran/ttim lire ~/>iWc Hmueo/th Healey owmo t'uinng yebomn Jpsiev/ niton.’ Aiit }/iirx/tritic ySFoni Churlon _ Hail " irtWi Clma&m, \Cidbemn Jii/lingto. Xenhohl- ' e/ni/nrt/r, ihistino fctrWnarJiin ■( Weilurtil Grore .l TFbtton Warm Jl’/uinia.Ji \Jtiehbri u’lA Wo/irrton Spenial Coiu/hton J tinker Hsian \ 'hueAiior, tap Xiq'ertor ; JV//«Av„ the/u/i JJueU ('audit n \y Xroniaun Snulterfeld+ Heurberbury s •l Vusterton ff s* d*«r + - , /\ terton SM He titrate t\£ad broke Aloe Iter^S Ifttni't \ Wtbnrar' Affrsia/e, Fn> r.r Ha/nptvi jBesnaps irlcate I Heirba hi Farr \ Afortatr v \XbrfW/ JcWr/n int/ u nter \HHelens t'ha iigton ( HWhrl^ . M ‘ (ai/barne hteh/ngtan Hnlen Gni/'fa. War, rnnv (ampte/u. Grtvilfr tartan Basset- Fitin mirth,- Jfer.etaik _ Boltehi • - ■ +JJas>yt Famht Frestou Horrtrujta /Lin t/niton' $ w ilrrnknste. uvnun/ton 'mo to _ Bn tie r botsterll; i ii/ntnifilo * leUia 'te ''St/n/tvn Honing ton ifo/roar mn Jbninntio Hampton - /he Hoi, fBarc/ie.tto ’/h/mua/t) KPi/ihGipet " / '/i<„o Hi/inuu/ Mrrib'n >. n ' tV . CrloKter l. .*«./. I \ 9 nbti'/>i // ♦ V (unilK'-fr tilt Heath hiii HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. BOOK I. GENERAL HISTORY. CHAPTER I. SITUATION, EXTENT, SOIL, AGRICULTURE, CANALS, ROADS, POPULATION, &C. This county, the most central, is one of the most interesting in the kingdom, not only on account of the illustrious characters who have dignified it by their great and memorable actions, but by its beauty of situation, extent, the commercial speculations carried on in it, and its manufactures, which add so largely to its stock of national wealth and importance. We should be wanting in justice not to mention, that England’s great poetical ornament, Shakespeare, was born in this county, whose master genius developed with equal felicity the beauties of nature and the images of art; of whom more will be said when treating of the town which gave birth to this great man. Confined to delineation, it is hoped that in every circumstance the delineations will, at any rate, be found to possess fidelity. This county is of an irregular figure, terminating in a point at the north and south, is bordered upon almost equally by six counties, viz. Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, on the western side, from north to south ; and Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, and Oxfordshire, on the eastern side, in the same order. B CHAP. I. Situation. o HISTORY OF BOOK I. Extent. The greatest length of the county is fifty-one and a quarter miles, and the greatest breadth thirty-six miles, statute measure; it contains 597,477 and a half acres, at the calculation of eighty chains to a mile. On the division of England into shires, Warwickshire evidently took its name from the town of Warwick, which, in the Saxon annals of the county is written Weringscyre, which appears to be the most ancient information we can collect on this subject. From that truly invaluable work called Domesday Book (caused to be com¬ piled by William the Conqueror, as the commencement of the written history of this kingdom,) we are informed the county contained ten hundreds—a singular circumstance of division, and which no doubt proves the consequence and great population of this district at that period. These hundreds existed but a short time under the names mentioned in Domesday; but though they fluctuated in title, the number for some time remained nearly the same; these are now divided into four hundreds only, which are subdivided for convenience into eighteen parts. The city and county of Coventry are usually considered in the character of a fifth hundred. Warwickshire, thus constituted, contains only one city, and thirteen market towns. The whole is in the province of Canterbury, and in the dioceses of Lichfield, Coventry, and of Worcester. This district sends six mem¬ bers to parliament, viz. two for the shire, two for the city of Coventry, and two for the town of Warwick. Warwickshire is described by early writers as naturally divided into two parts, the Feldon (or champaign), and the Woodland. The river Avon formed the line that separated these tracts, and the sylvan district was denominated Arden, which term was well known to have been common among the Celtae in general, for a forest, however situated. The Arden of this county is justly asserted by Drayton to have been the largest of the British forests, its extent being from the banks of the Avon to the Trenton the north, and to the Severn on the west; on the east, the tract so termed was formally bounded by an imaginary line drawn from High Cross to Burton on Trent. When England was divided into shires, the counties of Worcester and Stafford took to themselves respective portions of this wild, and bestowed on the forests so claimed, the names by which they are at the present time distinguished; but this large division has long since been cleared of those thick matted woods which formerly incumbered, rather than ornamented, its soil. There are still remaining some appearances of its pristine character; and an occasional air of wildness is to be found, which denotes the former complexion of the country when occupied by the Ceangi of the Cornavii, and their numerous herds. This county, in its general appearance, presents a beautiful scenery, THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 3 diversified by an alternation of hill and valley, which renders it the most gratifying chap. x. scenery to the eye of the traveller and other beholders. The highest points of land are at Corley, in Hemlingford hundred, and the neighbourhood of Packington. From this elevated ridge, the water runs on one side into the Avon, and thence to the Bristol Channel; on the other it descends to the Blythe, Tame, Trent, and Humber, at Hull. A ridge on the south-east, including the Brailes and Edge-hills, is also much elevated, and commands a variety of pleasing prospects. The insulated situation of the country, and its free¬ dom from any great inequalities of surface, render the climate mild, and the vegetation generally early. It is observed that the winds are from the south-west, and are usually accompanied with rain; but frequently the effects of an easterly variation are felt towards the middle of May, and it is scarcely necessary to remark that the vegetation consequently suffers severely. But this county is not to be considered as subject to any extreme damps or frosts. The soil, as is usual with almost all parts of the midland district, generally Soil &c< possesses a great variety; in fact, nearly every species is to be found, except that incorporated with chalk and flint; and often many of these varieties occur within the space of a few acres. The greater part of the soil is generally of a description and quality which render it extremely beneficial to the agriculturist; and it may be safely asserted, that few counties in England possess less bad land. The labours of Mr. Murray, the surveyor appointed by the board of agriculture, assist materially in making the following observations, which, it is hoped, will be highly interesting to the reader. The hundred of Knightlow (a district chiefly in tillage) consists principally of a red clay loam and sand, in some places upon freestone and limestone, and in others on a good sharp gravelly bottom ; a strong clay loam or limestone rock; a light sandy land in several places, mixed with sharp gravel, well calculated for husbandry purposes; and a rich clay loam on limestone and marl. The principal portion of this hundred is grass; it has for its soil a clay of desirable strength. Coventry, and its surrounding country, is principally composed of a red and deep sandy loam of great richness, chiefly cultivated as grass land. The same quality of soil prevails nearly in the whole tract of land, denominated the county of Coventry ; but, in some instances, an admixture of clay is pei'ceptible, and a few parishes consist of what is generally termed strong land. Kineton hun¬ dred consists of a clay loam of various strength, on limestone, and a cold clay, very strong, but poor. A tract of rich grass land, from four to five miles bioad, begins at the Brailes Hills, and extends heyond Gaydon and Knightcote. The soil of the Barlichway hundred, in the neighbourhood of Warwick, and to the south and south-west of that vicinity, is frequently a strong clay loam on marl and lime¬ stone rock ; the remainder of the hundred consists principally of a fine dry red 4 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Cultiva¬ tion, &c. clay loam, and a sandy loam, both of which render it good tillage, aud afford abundant produce. A great proportion of Hemlingford hundred is tillage, but the soil in this part is of a more inferior quality than in any other division of this county. There is also a moorish sort of white and yellow clay, on clay and marl, and a dry sandy loam, of a very inferior description, which render this part scarcely worthy the labour of the husbandman, the produce being barely sufficient to pay him for his trouble; but there are large spots which may, in some degree, be called exceptions; amongst which it may be observed, that the land in and round the neighbourhood of Birmingham, is found to be often of a dry and light red sandy soil, and is evidently well calculated for the production of turnips, in pre¬ ference to other species of the vegetable kind. Towards the north-east part, there is to be found a strong clay loam or marl. This portion of the county, (particu¬ larly that part which borders on Leicestershire,) produces excellent grass, and is principally cultivated as grazing laud. In consequence of the great variety of soil in this county, the systems of agricul¬ ture are various; and it has often been remarked, very justly, that the Warwick¬ shire farmers are far from being neat in ploughing, and otherwise cultivating their farms. The general mode of ploughing the strong clay land, is to lay it up in large ridges, very high, with a small ridge between them, and the lighter part of the soil is often tillaged in the same manner. It is a general observation of Mr. Murray’s that “ the country from Stafford to Warwick has every appearance of being by far the best cultivated part of the county. The general mode of ploughing in this part is from five to eight inches deep; and, on the clays, is cast into ridges about thirty feet broad, with a similar ridge of the width of ten or twelve feet between. On the lighter soils the ridges vary from fifteen to thirty, and in some instances to forty feet. In ploughing the strong lands four or five horses are generally used in a train, not abreast as in other parts of England; but in the light soils a much lighter plough is used, generally drawn by two or three horses only. Anciently it was the custom to use very heavy and badly constructed ploughs drawn by two horses, which ren¬ dered the mode of cultivation very inferior to that of the present time. But now the breed of horses being so much improved, and the instruments of tillage made on a better principle, the lands may be cultivated with half tile labour. Such, however, is the veneration which some of the farmers still entertain for the customs and manners of their predecessors, that it will no doubt take some time to turn their opinion on this subject, although they must see what improvements have been effected in Norfolk aud other counties in England, which are much indebted to the celebrated agriculturist Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, and other distin¬ guished gentlemen of that society. The drill is in some few instances used in THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 5 this county ; wheat is occasionally drilled ; but the species of corn commonly sown by this sort of instrument is beans, peas and vetches. The horse-lioe, so favourable to drilling, is as yet but little adopted in this part by the agriculturalist, although much used and approved of in other counties, and generally considered as the best method of weeding the ground. The crops mostly cultivated are wheat, barley, oats, peas, beans, vetches, and turnips. Those usually prohibited from the ordinary course of farming are rye, potatoes and flax. “ It appears from every possible notice which has been taken, not only by us, but others, that the most part of the soil in this county is well calculated for the cultivation of wheat; which might be much increased if a different system of husbandry was pursued.” And after taking particular notice of the various soils which are generally considered capable of such improvements, and which would no doubt realize to the farmer a permanent gain, it is to be observed, that “ on the more rich loams there is only a wheat season once in every six or eight years, instead of three crops, which might be grown in the same period; but it would be almost useless to attempt the growth of wheat on the poor sandy soils.” The seed time consequently varies with the different soils; but wheat, unless after a summer’s fallow, is usually sown in the months of September and October. The red lammas is generally preferred to any other. Barley is principally cultivated “ on the dry loams after turnips, the clay soils being more uncertain.’’ The seed time is early in April; and a change from other counties is seldom procured, which appears less necessary, as the barley of this county is generally of an excellent quality. The produce of this grain, on the soil best suited to its growth, averages five or six quarters per acre. Various kinds of oats are cultivated, which the soil produces of very good quality, though not so good and plentiful as in other counties; the quantity sown per acre is five bushels, which generally produces, according to the soil, from three to eight quarters per acre. The grey pea is also generally cultivated, which is observed to thrive particularly on land that has lately under¬ gone a course of lime. Beans till of late years were rarely sown in this county ; but they are now becoming general and productive, and appear to be much esteemed by the farmer; the principal kinds which are most approved of are the common tick and horse bean. Both winter and spring vetches are grown here to considerable extent: two bushels is the quantity sown per acre; the produce of which is often eaten off the ground by sheep, or cut green for the use of horses, and often ploughed in the ground for manure. Turnips, the introduction of which is generally considered as one of the most important additions that English agriculture has yet experienced, find a suitable soil in nearly every division of this county, and are cultivated with much success: if sown after wheat, oats or barley, it is necessary to give the land a good coat of manure. The crops too 6 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Extent of land culti¬ vated. Cattle. Sheep. Farms. Waste lands. Wood¬ lands. frequently are hoed only once, which evidently is very detrimental to the farmer’s own interest. The ruta raga, or Swedish turnip, once so much esteemed in this county, is now but seldom grown, which is attributed to the natural mildness of the climate, and consequent early abundance of grass. The extent of land cultivated as meadow and pasture in Warwickshire amounts to 235,000 acres, and the quantity in artificial grass to about 00,000 acres, making together annually in grass 295,000 acres, out of which quantity it is supposed 80,000 to 85,000 are meadow, and generally mown for hay; and of artificial, from 10,000 to 15,000 are cut green for horses and other cattle ; the remaining 195,000 to 295,000 are pastured with sheep and cattle. The live stock thus employed by the farmers are of various breeds : but the most esteemed is the long horned cow, which is principally bred in this county. The Warwickshire sheep, which are of a large polled kind, have been judiciously crossed with the Leicester; and a breed has resulted, certainly not inferior to the stock in general request in almost all parts of England. The farms in this county principally run rather small; but of late years the system of consolidation, as in most other counties in England, appears to be rapidly increasing with the great landholders; and in the general opinion of farmers 150 acres are at present 'about the average size of farms, throughout the county. Few leases are granted ; but the rent of land (with the exception of such of the districts as border on the principal commercial towns) is considered very moderate. Mr. Murray supposes that the average rent of the whole county would not amount to more than 29s. per acre, per annum. According to an estimate formed a few years back by Mr. Wadge, the waste lands, including roads in this county, amounted to 120,470 acres, the commons and common fields he stated at 27,000 acres. Since the time of this calculation many acts of inclosure have been obtained, and only a small portion now lies unculti¬ vated. The uninclosed tracts consist of heaths and common of very indifferent quality on the north and west sides of the county. The principal woodlands formerly in this county are still to be traced in the middle of the western and northern districts; but nearly every division is inter¬ spersed with valuable and ornamental timber. Oak, natural and grand, appears to have been very plentiful in former ages; and although diminished considerably, is still in a flourishing state, and in all probability will continue to be so for suc¬ ceeding generations; it forms part of the original and present beauty of almost every gentleman’s residence of hereditary consequence. The estate of Mr. Leigh, of Stoneleigh, near Coventry, is beautifully situate in the most luxuriant part of the county, and is well stocked with oak timber of the largest growth and best quality. At Merivals, at Ragley, the seat of the Marquis of Hertford, and at THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 7 Charlecote, the seat of the Rev. Mr. Lucie, are likewise woods which abound with this stately and venerable monarch of the forest. Elm is also found in a most flourishing state in abundance, and equal in beauty and growth to that of any part of England, on the estates belonging to the above mentioned gentlemen. 'This county does not depend for its beauty and wealth in woodland recesses, it having undergone very great improvements in plantations recently made, which are very numerous, and add greatly to its beauty. There are also many coppices, consisting of oak, ash, hazel, alders, birch, beech, and elm, which are generally set in proper and regular allotments, and which admit of falling in every year, and consequently leave a general succession, which renders timber in this county good and plentiful, and as cheap as in any part of the kingdom. Coals are found in abundance in various parts of the county. There are very extensive mines and collieries, which afford plenty of employ for the poor classes, and which are exported to most parts of England by canal conveyance, conse¬ quently but little wood is consumed for fuel in this county. Warwickshire is watered by various streams, which render the pasture lands very rich and productive, and add much to the pictorial beauties of the county. The river Avon is the principal: the Tame, the Learn, the Rea, the Stour, the Alne, the Arrow, the Anker, the Blythe, the Swift, the Cole, and the Dove, which are of a trivial character compared with the Avon, will be more fully treated of hereafter in due course. The river Avon (generally called the Upper or Warwickshire Avon) claims our most particular attention, from its affluence of waters, and from the interest so generally attached to its picturesque and beautifully ornamented banks; it derives its source from a spring which rises in or near a village named Naseby, iu Northamptonshire, and enters the county of Warwick at Brensford bridge, being joined at the village of Brownsover by the river Swift, a stream that rises in Leicestershire, and is memorable for having borne far abroad, through its narrow channel, the violated ashes of the great reformer John Wickliffe. * Proceeding in a south-west direction, but with devious and dilatory windings, the Avon reaches the town of Warwick through valleys which conspicuously increase in beauty as it approaches that venerable and much admired place; passing close to the base of Warwick castle, whose beautiful and lofty towers so finely decorate its course, and expanding in some places to the width of two hundred feet, as it pursues its track through the grounds attached to this magnificent and princely residence, * After the bones of Wickliffe had remained thirty-one years in quiet sepulchre, they were removed by order of the council of Sinna, and were burnt and thrown into the river Swift. See Beauties of Leices¬ tershire, p. 468. CHAP. I. Coal mines, &c. Meadow lands, ri¬ vers, and streams. River Avon. HISTORY OF g book i. it moves with a flow too gentle, and a course too devious, for the warm anticipations of the examiner, as he draws towards the neighbourhood which imparts classic immor¬ tality to its name. It passes Fulbroke, where, in the park, formerly stood a man¬ sion house, in which, it is said, Shakespeare committed his first youthful error, in condescending to become one of those who with unhallowed licence “ gored in their own confines, the round haunches of dappled fools.” It looks most beautiful and commanding on Charlecote, the former residence of Sir Thomas Lucie, condemned to never-failing fame as Justice Shallow ;—and then, after making a fine and large sweep towards the north, washes the border of the town of Stratford. On quitting this town, which is admired by all who ever saw it, the river Avon proceeds, with no deviation of striking interest, to Bidford, a spot worthy of some notice, and consequently not to be passed by with indifference, it being generally supposed to have afforded frequent retreat for convivial relaxation to the great native of the county. The village of Cleve is not more than one mile distant from Bidford; and in the neighbourhood of this village the river, though much broader than in many other parts, is only four feet in depth, which shortly after leaves this county. While making its progress through Warwickshire, it re¬ ceives the aid of several minor streams, among which the Dove, the Leam, the Stour, and the Alne, are the most important: its course is easy and gentle; its borders, though sometimes flat and dreary, are, as we have shewn, in many places highly picturesque. Mr. Ireland * mentions, as a most curious incidence of this river, the circum¬ stance of its occasionally freezing first at the bottom, which opinion it appears he principally forms on the information conveyed by a miller in the neighbourhood of Rugby ; by whom he was told, that “ the icy particles do not, in every frost, arise from the bottom of the river, but only in one particular kind of frost, which he denominates the ‘ anchor frost,’ a term appropriate to such a singular incidence.” This aged informant of Mr. Ireland has been consigned to the tomb of mortality many years since ; but from other inquiries which have been strenuously made in the neighbourhood of his former residence, such statement is found correct; but the phenomenon only occurs in seasons of extreme severity, and under the effects of particular winds. It does not appear, from the most minute inquiries and examination of this river which have been made by many antiquarians, that it possesses those freezing qualities in any other part than the vicinity of Rugby, which render it worthy the particular notice of the curious. The Avon was made navigable for vessels of about forty tons burden, from Stratford to its conflux with the Severn at Tewkesbury, in 1637; but in consequence of the great Picturesque Views on the Avon, p. 63 THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 9 improvements which have been made since that period in the neighbourhood of the canals, which have recently been cut, its traffic is considerably di¬ minished. The chief medicinal springs in this county are those of Leamington and Newn- ham Regis; the former are found efficacious in many chronic disorders of the skin and visceral obstructions, in ccnsequence of which, the village in which they rise has, within these last few years, become very populous, and the number of buildings, which are principally of very costly and most approved architecture, have rapidly increased. The streets are so much improved, that it has nearly lost every vestige of its original appearance, and is now frequented by the first nobility in the kingdom, which renders it one of the best watering places, and most fashionable resorts in England. The latter, which is generally called Newnham, is a weak chalybeate : a bath formed from its waters was once looked upon as one of great consequence for the cure of scorbutic complaints; but, in consequence of the celebrity of the former, it is now little noticed and re¬ sorted to but by few. In this part, considerable sheets of water or mine-lakes have been formed by the work of art, which contribute to the embellishment of the many adjacent mansions; but the canals which pass through the country are the greatest objects of consideration, while treating of artificial waters. Warwickshire vies with most other counties in the kingdom, for its commercial enterprise, and for the peculiar spirit with which its manufactures are cultivated. It is natural to suppose, that a people possessed of industrious habits, and situated in a country like this, are celebrated for this qua¬ lification, and, combined with it, have been extremely active in profiting by the great advantages of the canal conveyance. No county, indeed, can boast of more numerous facilities of this description ; and, as the work proceeds, no doubt can be entertained but great and important results will be effected by new'-formed projects, in diverting and improving the original channels : these improvements, which are now only in a state of anticipation, will, if realized, add much to the wealth and beauty of the county in future ages. The Grand Junction canal, which commences in the river Thames, near the extremity of the tide-way at Brentford Creek, and terminates in the Oxford canal, at Branston, has for its chief object a communication between the metropolis and the various canals in the midland districts, which is evidently of the highest im¬ portance to the water trafic in this county. The Birmingham old canal has its commencement in the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, at Aldersley, near Wolverhampton, and terminates in the Birmingham and Fazeley canal, near the town of Birmingham. By this channel coals are conveyed from the numerous mines near its banks, and the manufactured c CHAP. I. Medicinal springs. Artificial waters and streams. Grand Junction canal. Birming¬ ham old canal. 10 HISTORY OF BOOK I- Birming¬ ham and Fazeley canal. Warwick and Bir¬ mingham canal. Worcester and Bir¬ mingham canal. Coventry canal. Warwick and Nap- ton canal. goods of Birmingham are forwarded to Liverpool and Manchester. Near a place called Farmer’s bridge, it connects itself with the Worcester and Birmingham, at Dipton Green with the Dudley, and near Wolverhampton with the Wyrley and Essington canal. The Birmingham and Fazeley canal has for its principal object the conveyance of the Birmingham manufacture towards Loudon or Hull, and the supply of grain and other articles to Birmingham and its vicinity. It commences in a detached part of the Coventry canal, at Whittington brook, and terminates in the Birming¬ ham old canal, at Farmer’s bridge. The Warwick and Birmingham canal is that which is generally termed the Warwick and Napton, in Budbrook parish, near Warwick, and ends in the Digbeth cut of the Birmingham and Fazeley, at Digbeth. It assists in forming part of the most direct water communication between Birmingham and London, and supplies the town of Warwick with coals. The Worcester and Birmingham canal is found of great utility, notwithstanding the great opposition which it met with in various stages of its progress,* the principal object of which is the export of coals, and a more direct communi¬ cation between Birmingham and the river Severn. It commences at the Severn river at Diglis, near Worcester, and proceeds to the junction of the old Birmingham and Fazeley canal, at Farmer’s bridge. The Coventry canal is of equal importance, in aiding the line of communication between London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, &c. Many coals are exported from the mines in the immediate vicinity of its banks; and from these the city of Coventry receives its principal supplies. It commences in the Birming¬ ham and Fazeley canal, at Fazeley, and terminates in that of Oxford, at Longford. A detached part, of five miles and a half in length, begins at the termination of the Birmingham and Fazeley, at Whittington brook, and ends in the Trent and Mersey canal, at Fradley heath. There is also a cut, of about one mile in length, to the Griff collieries; and another, of different branches, to the collieries near Suswood pool and Bedworth, proceeding from Longford to Coventry, which is four miles and three quarters in length. The Warwick and Napton canal commences in the Warwick and Birmingham, and terminates in the Oxford canal at Napton on the Hill. In this line of canal a great change is now in contemplation, which, if it should be effected, it is confidently stated, will save some miles in the line of canal between Birmingham and the metropolis. * For many particulars connected with canals in general, we beg to refer the reader to the work of Mr. Phillips, on Inland Navigation, and to the very judicious and historical essay, by Mr. Farey. under the head “Canal,” in Dr. Rees’s Encyclopaadia. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 11 The Stratford canal commences in that of the Worcester and Birmingham, at King’s Norton ; and it is intended that it shall terminate in or near the river Avon, at Stratford, the works of which are not as yet completed, though the summit level, from its commencement to Hockley heath, was finished and opened in May, 1796. Ashby-de-la-Zouch canal proceeds through some parts of the county of Warwick, Leicester, and Derby. It commences in the Coventry canal, at Marston bridge, near Nuneaton ; and the traffic terminates by a rail-way, three miles and a half in length, at Ticknal lime works. “ The first thirty and three-quarter miles of this canal,” writes Mr. Farey, “ are level, and form, with the Coventry and Oxford canals, a level of seventy-three miles in length; being, without the branches, the longest in the united kingdom ; and rendered more singular, by its being on so high a level as to cross the grand ridge without a tunnel.” While so much liberality has been evinced in the extension and improvement of water conveyance, the chief roads of the county have undergone very great im¬ provements. The materials principally used for this purpose are limestone and gravel; and with these the high turnpike ways are kept in excellent order, which is absolutely necessary for the accommodation of the manufacturing interest; but where the agriculturalists are left to their own exertions, we return to such rough and homely channels, as were tediously trodden by the unambitious tenantry of past centuries. The cross country roads, not only in this part of the kingdom, but in other counties, are too much neglected. The minerals principally found in Warwickshire consist of limestone, freestone, iron-stone, flagstone, marl, and blue clay. The best coal which the county produces is that found at Bed worth. The seam at this place is from three to four feet in thickness. The coal sells at the pit for ten, or eleven, and twelve shillings per ton. At Chilvers coton, Nuneaton common, Hunt’s hall, Oldbury, and Griff hollow, considerable quantities are also found. Limestone abounds in many parts; freestone rock is found in most divi¬ sions, where the soil is a light sand; and considerable quarries of blue flagstone, generally used for paving and flooring, are wrought in the vicinity of Bidford and Wilnecote. The west part of the county is prolific of marl of a good quality; and blue clay, which it was once fallaciously thought might be made to answer the purposes of soap, abounds in the eastern districts. A vein of iron-stone was for¬ merly wrought in the neighbourhood of Oldbury. In this county, manufactures of various descriptions are cultivated to a very considerable extent. The manufactory of hard-ware goods at Birmingham, has obtained for that town the appellation of “ The toy-shop of Europe,” which is certainly a just subject of national pride. In consequence of the convulsed state of CHAP. i. Ashby-de- la-Zouch canal. Roads. Minerals. Coals. Lime and other stones. Manufac¬ tures. 12 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Popula¬ tion of the county. Europe, through recent periods, it has unavoidably affected the trade of this place. The manufacture of muskets for government is now carried on to so large an extent, that from six to seven thousand are sent weekly to London. In Coventry and its vicinity, the manufacture of ribbons is also carried on to a considerable extent, affording employment to about sixteen or seventeen thousand persons. The manufacture of watches is also cultivated at Coventry with great success; so much so, that this city appears to take the lead in this trade, admitting, at the same time, the metropolis to the scale of comparison. At Kenilworth, the manufacture of horn combs, of every description, forms a considerable trade. At War¬ wick there are very extensive manufactories of worsted for the hosiery trade; of calicoes and other goods, from yarn spun at Manchester and the neighbourhood; and a mill for the purpose of spinning cotton yarn. At Alcester, there are from six to seven hundred persons employed in the manufacture of needles; and in various other parts of Warwickshire are considerable flax manufactories, and much linen yarn is also spun. Within the last half century, various other manufactories have been introduced. The state of property in this county, at the present period, is very unequal in regard to division. One estate (that of Stoneleigh) comprises 25,000 acres; and there are many other proprietors possessing very large tracts of land. The greater part of the county is freehold, but there are more copyholders on an extensive scale, and a considerable portion is held by the church, principally of the cathedrals of Worcester and Lichfield. Some of the great landholders have no residence in the county. This county contains the remains of many fine buildings of ancient and modem architecture; and mansions of more recent erection are frequent, in a good state of preservation. Few religious edifices will be found conspicuous either for magnitude or beauty, with the exception of those of Coventry, St. Mary’s, Warwick, with its attached chapel, and the church of Stratford on Avon. There are but very few crosses now remaining, and those that still exist are generally plain in construction and mutilated by time. In 1811, when the returns of population were published by authority of parliament, the number of inhabitants in the county of Warwick was estimated at 204,9-18, exclusive of 23,787, the population of the city and county of Coventry, making together a total of 228,735. And in the last returns, made and published by authority of parliament in 1821, the amount of population was 245,012, exclusive of 29,380, the number of inhabitants of the city and county of Coventry, making together a total of 274,392, the number stated in the list of 1822, so that it will be seen the population of this county had increased within THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 13 eleven years by the astonishing number of 45,657. This account of population will be subdivided, and the respective numbers given to each town and village as we proceed. In 1810, according to the returns that were laid before the house of commons by the commissioners of taxes in this year, there was about 15,131 families en¬ gaged in agriculture in this county, and about 29,775 families were supported by manufacture and trade ; the annual profits of the latter were then supposed to amount to £601,500, which may now be estimated at nearly double that sum, when we consider the vast improvements in manufactures, and the increase of the popu¬ lation that has taken place since that period to the present time. In 1803, a very detailed return was made by authority of parliament, of the number of paupers in England at that time, when it was found that the number of persons relieved in and out of workhouses, throughout the whole county of Warwick, then amounted to one-eighth part of its population ; that is, every eighth person was a pauper! And as the causes of pauperism have continued ever since to operate with accelerated progression, we may fairly conclude the proportion at the present time is very much augmented. In many parishes in the county, parochial rates were scarcely known a few years previous to that time; they have ever since been increasing rapidly, and are now felt as a most serious burden upon all classes of the community, and it is much to be feared that pauperism has not as yet arrived at its summit. Alarming as this state of pauperism was at that period, and is at the present time, little attention has been paid by the legislature to this great and important subject. Since the census was taken, in 1821, but little use has been made of the information obtained with a view to lessen this fast growing evil, which ultimately must (at no distant period) force itself upon the public, “ and particularly on those more immediately connected with the govern¬ ment of the country.” They at present treat this important subject as a secondary consideration, although they must see (if not wilfully blind) the necessity of adopting some measures to remove this great and impending evil, which must eventually come forth with irresistible claims. But we are willing to hope the legislature will not allow this important subject to pass any longer unnoticed, and that this evil (with others) may meet with a speedy and satisfactory relief. CHAP. i. Statements of families supported by agricul¬ ture and trade. State of pauperism. 14 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Invasion of Great Britain by Julius Cae¬ sar. The Carna- bii. TheWi- gantes. CHAPTER II. GENERAL HISTORY, FROM THE INVASION OF JULIUS C.ESAR, ETC. When Julius Caesar invaded Great Britain, A.M. 3971, and by introducing it to the notice of the more polished portion of the globe, bestowed a date on the first sa¬ tisfactory page of its annals, two nations, or tribes, divided the soil of Warwickshire : these were the Cornavii, or Cornabii, and the Wigantes or Wiccii. The Cornavii possessed all Staffordshire and Cheshire, those parts of Shropshire which lie on the north and east of the Severn, and small portions of Flintshire and Warwickshire. Camden declines to form a conjecture respecting the origin of the name by which they are distinguished; but Mr. Whittaker observes, that these and the Britons of Cornwall in the south-western regions of the island, and those of Caithness in north-eastern, are all equally called Carnabii by Richard: all of them were named, we may be sure, from some striking circumstance of position or origin which was common to them all. The Carnabii of Cornwall and Caithness inhabited a region exactly similar in this great particular, that open upon one side, it narrowed gradually on the other, and shot out in a promontory into the sea; such a pro¬ jection the Britons called a korenab, or an horn of the sea; and from this the common and significative characteristic of the two counties, the two tribes that possessed them would naturally be denominated. The Carnabii are expressly declared by Richard to have been originally situated by the Dee ; and we have a region there similar to Cornwall and Caithness, open on one side, narrowing on the other, and shooting out into the sea.”* The dominions of the Carnabii, as is further observed by the same writer, appear to have reached across the whole extent of Warwickshire, as that people enjoyed Benuouae, or Cleycester, on the skirts of the neighbouring county of Leicester. They had for their capital at the time of the Roman invasion, Uriconium, or Wroxeter, in Shropshire. The W igantes, or V* iccii, are the nation erroneously termed Jugantes by Tacitus. They were a warlike tribe, as is sufficiently expressed by their name, which signifies History of Manchester, p. 118. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 15 a brave people. Besides their possessions in this county, their dominions extended over Worcestershire and the north of Gloucestershire. Bramrogenium, Worcester, it is believed at that time was their capital. However, these tribes were no doubt a peaceable race of people, as they maintained a strict friendship for their neigh¬ bours, the Iceni and Cor-Iceni, who were in some degree subject to the Romans at the same period with those states, by Ostorius Scapula, the second Roman governor of Great Britain. But little is preserved of the subsequent history of the British nations during the time they were under the Romans, and which is of but comparatively little importance, consequently cannot be given very satisfactorily. It appears, however, the Cornavii are the more frequently mentioned; as it is seen by the breviary of the western empire, that some of these people served under the latter emperors. The Wiccii were allowed to remain under the government of a chief¬ tain, (which at that time was their ancient government, prior to the interference of the Romans,) and Venusius, a Briton, was their chief, who had rendered himself conspicuous for his bravery, and who married Cartismandua, queen of the Bri- gantes in her own right. But during the administration of Aulus Didius, the successor of Ostorius, Venusius induced the Wiccii to accede to his wishes in joining the Silures, in opposing the Romans. This breach of friendship unfortu¬ nately led to the ruin and subsequent conquest of the Wiccii, under the ensuing administration of Suetonius Paulinus, by whom the tract of land denominated Arden, was completely rendered subject to the Roman influence. Ostorius, of whom much has been said, visited the Arden in the year 50. At that time he led his troops from the banks of the southern Ouse, taking in his northward progress the course of the Watling-street, and in all probability fixed his encampments on the sites of British stations. To increase, no doubt, his line of communication, and to augment his security, he constructed forts and en¬ trenched camps along the banks of the rivers Avon and Severn. But few circum¬ stances have been stated tvith a greater difference of opinion than those of the number and situation of the great military stations constructed by the Romans in this country. It is, therefore, quite unnecessary to attempt to follow the various writers through their labyrinths of mere conjecture, which would be troubling the reader with a long and tedious narration of merely supposed events, which could not be otherwise, as no sufficient and grounded authority of them can possibly be given; in consequence, we think it necessary only to mention the few following re¬ marks, which are founded on the best authorities that can be collected on the subject. The woodland recesses of the district, generally denominated Arden, formed the greatest part of Warwickshire, which were formerly inhabited by the Wiccian Ceangi, or herdsmen. Ostorius, it appears, did not think it necessary to fix any CHAP. II. Ostorius visits Ar¬ den in the year 50. Wood¬ lands in Arden, in¬ habited by the Wic¬ cian Cean¬ gi- 16 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Military stations of Ostorius’s armies. Cogidumus king of the Dobuni. military station in the interior of the country, on the north side of the river Avon ; but it appears his great Ardenian was, certainly, Tripontum (Lilford, Northampton¬ shire, on the borders of this county). A second settlement was at High Cross, which is now included in the county of Leicester, further north, on the Watling- street, Manduessedum (Manchester). The chain of camps on the Avon afforded a ready communication with these places of military congregation. By some writers it is considered, the praesidium of the Romans was at Warwick, nearly in the centre of the line; but this must still remain a subject of dispute among the ingenious. It can with much greater certainty be stated, that Alcester was no doubt one of the principal stations of the Romans, as it is situated immediately on the Ickneild, or Ryknild-street, in the south-west division of the county. Many minor works connected with the history of the military operations of this people, will he noticed in an ensuing section ; but we cannot at this moment lose sight of the subject without observing, that Antoninus, during his second journey from beyond the wall of Severus to Richborough, in Kent, passed through this part of England, from north to south; and he at all times strenuously adhered to the track of the great and noted street. When on the confines of Warwickshire, he only mentions in his itinerary the name of one station, Manduessedum. The Romans shewed some degree of clemency to Cogidumus, who was originally king of the Dobuni, whom they permitted to retain a degree of nominal authority, or, in other words, to become an imperial legate; and to whom they added various extents of country to increase his dominions ; amongst these was a part of War¬ wickshire ; and he retained his titular supremacy to the time of Trajan. In the beginning of the third century Severus divided the Roman territories in Great Britain into two provinces, which comprehended the greater part of this county. It appears that during the secession of the Romans, and the conquest of the mid¬ land districts of England by the Saxons, little notice is taken of this tract by the historians of that day, for which reason it may naturally be concluded that the inhabitants of this part of the kingdom wisely avoided civil commotion. The first intrusion that was made on these peaceful natives was by Credda, the first Saxon commander. On the formation of the heptarchy, Warwickshire constituted a principal part of the powerful kingdom of Mercia ; hence arose the commencement of those military arrangements and details that form the principles of ordinary history. At that period the kings of Mercia often maintained the rude pomp of their court in this county. 1 amworth was a favourite seat with several of the sovereigns of that day, until the town was destroyed by the overpowering hand of the Danes. I here was a charter of Biuthwalf, king of Mercia, in the Textus Roffensis, which is dated from \ ilia Regulis Werburgewie (Warwick). Kingsbury was also a THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 17 regal abode. Among the numerous conflicts produced by the ambition of those fresh invaders, to which this country had then become subject, the great battle of Seckington is, like all others of a similar description, especially memorable. At this place Ethelbald, the tenth king of Mercia, fought Cathred, king of the West Saxons, who was slain by Bargred his own officer; at which time the Danes com¬ mitted the most brutal ravages in Warwickshire; and in their progress they burnt and destroyed most of the principal towns in this county. During this calamitous period, the War of the Roses forms the next and prin¬ cipal part of our historical era. In common with most other districts, the inhabit¬ ants of this county were much opposed in sentiment, which occasioned several desperate conflicts, and produced much bloodshed, by which they lost some of their best men in the field. Still this place fortunately was not the immediate scene of any of the most important actions. As the chief members of the house of Neville (of which the earl of Warwick was a distinguished branch) strenuously supported the pretensions of the duke of York, it may readily be supposed, that the York faction at this time was become extremely strong in the county. It is generally the case when any nation or body of men become divided in sentiment and opinion, confidence is immediately lost, and those who were once the most sincere friends become the avowed enemies of each other ; it was thus in those infuriated days; so that one citizen could not with safety place the smallest dependence in the proffered assistance of his neighbour’s sword, however graciously it might have been offered. The town of Warwick, at this time, was completely influenced by the Earl, and the city of Coventry was equally attached to the house of Lancaster. Henry and Margaret proved successful in obtaining the esteem of the inhabitants by frequent visits, and had conferred on them a most gracious favour in constituting their city and some neighbouring parishes a separate county. The citizens, in consequence of such special favour being granted to them, were most firm and gratefully attached. Iu 1460, when a strong power, under the earl of Warwick and the earl of Marche (afterwards Edward the fourth), proceeded from London in search of the royal forces, the Lancastrians were quartered in Coventry. They shortly afterwards quitted that city, and the battle of Northampton ensued; in which battle, on Henry’s side, was slain Sir William Lucie, a person in that day of considerable consequence iu this county. The earl of Warwick, who was then a partisan of the Lancastrians, possessed himself of Coventry in the year 1470 ; and the citizens re¬ fused admission to Edward IV. Though refused admission at Coventry, that king met with a friendly reception in the town of Warwick. When Richard the third commenced his operations and took up arms against the earl of Richmond, the sheriff of this county levied men for his use, and otherwise used every influence in his power. But it appears they were not engaged in the decisive battle, from D CHAP. II. Battle of Secking- ton. War of the Roses. Coventry constituted a county. 18 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Civil wnr in the se¬ venteenth century. an inquisition then taken; the sheriff (Richard Broughton) was slain two days before the battle of Bos worth; and it was generally supposed that some of the earl of Richmond’s troops met with him, gave him battle, and overpowered him and his army while marching with all possible expedition to assist the king. This kingdom was again plunged into the most serious civil war, in the seven¬ teenth century, by a deluded court and a fanatical parliament, and it appears at this time the people of Warwickshire were much more united in sentiment. Some cavaliers readily stepped forward to adventure life and fortune in support of their king; their number, however, was so small that they could render him little assist¬ ance. The influence of Lord Brooke was at this time great in the county, he being one of the most zealous advocates of the popular faction. He succeeded in doing every thing in his power to excite and kindle the ardour and zeal of the natives; and his local resources rendered the greatest possible assistance to his party. Warwick castle being situated so near the centre of England, and rendered so extremely strong by nature as well as art, was at that time one of the most convenient and secure places in the kingdom for arms ; and the possession of such a formidable garrison gave the greatest possible confidence to the first movement of the parlia¬ ment. The flame of the most inveterate opposition spread rapidly at this period through every part of the kingdom, and no county shewed a more decided wish to take an active part in the sanguinary business of the time. The parliament sent a commission to Lord Brooke to get the Warwickshire militia arrayed, which it appears he did with all possible expedition, in June and July 1642; and in the month of October following the armies met at Edgehill and fought the first great and memorable battle. On this eventful day Lord Brooke’s own regi¬ ment, composed of the finest men Warwickshire could produce, fought most cou¬ rageously on the right wing, which broke through and entirely destroyed the king’s army. The success which his lordship met with in this memorable battle raised him high in the estimation of the parliament; and as a reward for his bravery they appointed his lordship to be general and commander-in-chief (under the earl of Essex) over the united counties of Warwick and Stafford, on the 3rd of January, 1643. During this time of civil war the castle at Warwick sustained a siege, and the town of Birmingham was set on fire by the troops under the command of Prince Rupert, when many attacks and skirmishes of an inferior description took place. During these miserable and hostile times a comparatively small portion of the population of the kingdom took an active part; although the people of War¬ wickshire were famed, and ever ready to furnish a full quota to render assistance to parliamentary faction; as was evident, when we observe, that Lord Brooke found no difficulty in adding numbers to his bands. On one case of emergency Warwick furnished one hundred men, Coventry two hundred, and three hundred THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 19 were raised in the adjacent villages, who came forward voluntarily and offered chap, ii their services. As has been the case in all civil wars and commotions, wher¬ ever the scene of violence took place, several of the most magnificent religious structures and nunneries, mansions, and other buildings of note belonging to the nobility and gentry, suffered much injury; for fanatics, whether they be considered friends or foes, generally prove dangerous visitors, and the most secret and desperate enemies. After the great battle which was fought at Nasely, in 1645, and which terminated in the total destruction of the royalists, Warwickshire, with other mid¬ land counties under the government of the parliament, rested in a perfect state of quietude, until the restoration of national good order. The most prominent and durable relics of antiquity are the vast extended Great Ro. Roman roads, which are generally supposed by all historians to have been con- lnan loa,ls ' structed sixteen or seventeen centuries back, and which were evidently made for the purpose of aiding the progress of their armies and facilitating conquest, many parts of which still remain in a perfect state, and which may be traced through the king¬ dom in the different lines they formerly run; and no doubt will continue so for many ages yet to come. The principal and most stupendous of these roads is the Watling-street road, which divides the county on the north-east from Leicestershire, and is a private road from Weedon to Lilburn. At this place it forms the public turnpike road for a few miles from Daventry to Lutterworth ; there again it be¬ comes private, and continues so till it reaches High Cross. From thence it forms the turnpike road from Atherstone to Lutterworth, about two miles in length, towards Hinkley, and returns to it again at the distance of about two miles from Hinkley, continuing its course along to Atherstone. It proceeds from thence by Hints and Weeford, and here becomes the basis of the great Chester road, on its way for Ireland, the great object of its destination. The next of these ancient roads which claim our attention is the Foss-way, which crosses the Watling-street in direct angles at High Cross, passing near to Monks-Kirby and Stretton. It then takes its course through Brinklow, Bretford, and Stretton-on-Dunsmore. Then crossing the river Learn, to the west of Marton, it leaves Chesterton, Light- borne, and Cornbrooke, to the east, and Stretton-on-Foss to the west; near which parish it enters Gloucestershire. This road (supposed from well grounded opi¬ nions to have been constructed in the third consulship of Adrian, nearly seventeen hundred years hack), being minutely traced, will be found to point out clearly to the antiquarian its original track through many parts of the kingdom, traces of which will remain for centuries to come, notwithstanding the great altera¬ tions and improvements that are daily in progress throughout England. There is another Roman way which enters the south of Warwickshire, called the BOOK I, Roman camps. 20 HISTORY OF Rykuild-stveet, and a still smaller one, called the Ridgeway. It borders on part of the county on the east side; but little traces of these are left. According to several of the modern writers, disputes have arisen as to the correctness of the name of this ancient road, which Mr. Reynolds positively asserts to be correct; and observes, that the street is so termed in a deed of Hilton abbey, in Stafford¬ shire, dated 1223, and other deeds of a more remote date concerning lands bounded by this road near Birmingham ; which must be considered as good authority, although the positive tracks of the Roman roads cannot in some instances be readily traced at the present day. We proceed to notice such parts of the road as run through this county: it evidently enters on the south, and is easily traced in the vicinity of Bidford; between Wixford and Alcester there does not appear a vestige remain¬ ing; but as we proceed to the north of the latter place, it again presents itself to notice, and is known at this time by the name of the Haden-way. After passing Studeley it enters a part of Worcestershire, and returns in the neighbourhood of Birmingham. Slightly touching the outskirts of Staffordshire, it takes its course to Sutton Park, where it may be distinctly traced. It meets the Watling-street at a place called Wall, notice of which has been taken in the former part of this work, as having been one of the Roman stations. The remains of different camps, con¬ structed by the Romans, are to be found in various stages of preservation. The chief of these are very visible on the Foss-way, where places suited for the enter¬ tainment and accommodation of their troops, on the march, are evidently formed; and on the banks of the river Avon, where Ostrius arranged a chain of minor fortifications for the purpose of keeping the natives under subjection. Many relics of the Romans have been found in the vicinity of the roads and camps, consisting of coins and other vestiges, which are often discovered nearly in every district in the county; and which will be mentioned more fully as the towns and places in the following part of this work are treated of in the order in which they occur. There are but few relics remaining o-f the Saxons and Danes. The principal of these are some fragments of Saxon architecture, the most striking of which are those of Polesworth nunnery, which principally consist of a fine arch and a gate¬ way, carved in several divisions. Round-headed doorcases are to be seen in the churches of Badgley, Kenilworth, Stretton-on-Dunsmoor, Ryton, Shuttendon, Honingham, Wolstou, and Burton-Dorset- Merevale abbey contains some in¬ teresting, though ruinous, specimens of the Saxon style; and there are likewise some fragments in the churches of Salford-Priors and Beaudesert. These are the principal objects of antiquity which claim our immediate notice. Having given a brief statement of the county which is the subject of the present work, and traced the particular circumstances and events of general and public / ‘u.bbvfh&d by W F, THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 21 importance, which have taken place from the earliest periods to the present time, chap, hi. with as much precision as possible, we shall now proceed to give a full history of every town and place in the county. In describing every circumstance and event that has happened in their respective neighbourhoods, we shall commence with the county town of Warwick, stating the hundreds and divisions in which each place is situated, and particularizing the distinct parishes combined in each sepa¬ rate hundred and division. CHAPTER III. KINETON HUNDRED CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING DIVISIONS-VIZ. BRAILES, BURTON-DORSET, KINETON, AND WARWICK. THE TOWN OF WARWICK Is most delightfully situated on a rocky eminence, near the centre of the county Warwick, to which it imparls its name, and is watered by that much admired river, the Avon, the banks of which are overhung with a castle of stupendous grandeur. The town is adorned with numerous ancient and modern public buildings, possessing great attraction; it has occupied much of the attention of the celebrated historian, Sir. W. Dugdale, and other early writers, who considered it to have been a Roman station; but as no Roman relics whatever have been discovered, or any other corroborative circumstances shewn, which would strengthen such an opinion, it is rendered doubtful whether it has been a Roman station or not. Camden was disposed to think that this place was the Praesidium of the Romans. Whether this be correct or not, must still remain a matter of conjecture, although in the opinions of others there appears but little doubt on the subject. Dugdale says, “ At any rate we may conclude it was originally one of the forts, and garrisons were raised on the banks of the river Avon, by P. Ostorius.” The Romans had a oo HISTORY OF BOOK I. William the Con¬ queror possesses himself of the crown of Eng¬ land. The castle improved. large camp so near as Chesterton, about five miles distant on the opposite side of the river. But it appears most probable that this place is of Saxon origin, as Dugdale shews, from various authorities, that the town of Warwick was. By the distinguished patronage of Etheltleda, the celebrated daughter of King Alfred, and Lady of the Mercians, who in the year 915 constructed a fortified building (which was termed the dungeon) on artificial mounts on the west side of the castle, and which is still remaining, the town rapidly advanced in population and repute. On reference to the N orman Survey, we find that Warwick is termed a borough, and it is there stated to contain two hundred and sixty-one houses, of which one hundred and thirty were in the possession of the king, one hundred and twelve possessed by certain of his barons, and nineteen were the property of so many burgesses,* who enjoyed them with soc and sac, and all customs, + as in the days of Edward the Confessor. The same record in¬ forms us that at the time of Edward the Confessor’s reign a castle was erected here, which was then vested in the crown ; that it was “ a special strong hold for the midland part of the kingdomand that Turchill, the son of Alwin, was appointed governor. None of the titular earls of Warwick had possessed this fortress of their own right before the conquest (which appears to have been a propitious era for the town of Warwick), but were merely considered as substitutes to the earls of Mercia, or officers to the king. When William the Conqueror possessed himself of the English crown, Turchill, the son of Alwin, was vicecomes of Warwick ; and in consequence of his refusal to render any assistance to Harold, in opposition to the Normans, he was not only suffered to remain in possession of his estates, but was for some time permitted to hold his local office, and was employed to enlarge and fortify the castle, which at that time consisted of little more than the keep or dungeon. He was also directed to surround the town with a deep ditch or moat, and to strengthen it with gates. In a short time afterwards the Conqueror gave the castle to his adherent, Henry de Newburgh, and at the same time advanced him to the dignity of earl of War¬ wick ; thus commenced a long line of protecting nobles, and in consequence the town acquired much celebrity. The castle being much augmented, stretching forth its lines, assumed a for¬ midable and majestic appearance, so much so as to bid defiance to the assaults of an enemy. At this time commenced various religious foundations; while the * At this period twelve burg-esses were bound to attend the kings of England in time of war. He that failed to attend a summons paid one hundred shillings to the king ; but if the king went by sea against his enemies, this town sent either four batsueins, or four pounds in money. + That is. with the entire jurisdiction. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 23 Fosse which encompassed the town, and the gates which were constructed at the channels of approach, rendered security to the efforts of the industrious, and tended to the advancement and prosperity of the place. In the forty-fifth year of the reign of Henry the third, John de Plesselis, then earl of Warwick, in right of his wife, Margaret de Newburg, granted to the bur¬ gesses of Warwick a fair for three days, and directed “ that in case any stranger repairing thither at any such time, should set up a stall of twelve feet in length upon the bare ground, he should pay a toll of fimrpence; but privileged the inhabitants to erect stalls at their pleasure free of toll.” And in the seventh of Edward I. “ William de Beauchamp, then earl of Warwick, held here a yearly fair, lasting sixteen days ; as also a market on the Wednesday.” In the eighteenth of Edward I. the same earl obtained another charter from the king, to hold another fair to last fifteen days. Towards the latter end of this king’s reign the paving of the streets commenced, and at the same time the walls were also began: the expense of both was chiefly defrayed by a toll on vendible commodities. In con¬ sequence of the improper management of these two great works, they were far from being finished during this king’s reign; and in the eighth of Edward II. the same earl obtained permission to levy another toll of three years; and in the sixth of Edward III. Thomas de Beauchamp, the then earl, had a third patent granted, empowering him to take toll for the further charges of the paving and walls, for a fresh term of seven years. It may not be improper to observe, that various chivalric festivals took place at Warwick in the reign of Edward I. in which Rodger Mortimer, who conducted the nightly revels at Kenilworth castle, already noticed, performed a conspicuous part. Other tolls appear to have been exacted by the successive earls of Warwick, which were found to be extremely burdensome by all the traders who resorted there, and which occasioned them to forsake the market and take their commodities to other places: this excited much prejudice in the minds of the inhabitants; but they were, in the thirty-second of Edward III , relieved from them. In con¬ sequence of which the town in a few years afterwards regained its former visitors, and the trade revived again rapidly. In the first of Philip and Mary a charter of incorporation was granted to the burgesses, and in the year 1752 the town was honoured by a visit of Queen Elizabeth.* In the seventeenth century this town suffered severely from the civil war, and the active part taken by Lord Brooke in public affairs. The castle was * An account of the proceedings at this visit is preserved in the black book of Warwick. This book, which is still in the possession of the corporation, contains some interesting notices relating to the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. A copious extract, comprising an account of the visit of Elizabeth to Warwick, is inserted in Bib. Brit. Top. No. 17. CHAP. III. Fair grant¬ ed in the forty-fifth 1 ' of Henry HI. Streets paved. Charter granted by Queen Eli¬ zabeth. 24 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Great fire at War¬ wick. placed in a regular state of garrison : at one period of the war it sustained a siege, and several skirmishes took place in the neighbourhood. The hooks upon which woolsacks were hung, as a means of protecting the walls during the siege, are still to be seen in the wall over the principal gateway. In the year 1694 the town of Warwick was plunged into the deepest calamity in consequence of a great fire, which consumed a considerable part of the town, and which was supposed to have taken place in consequence of a spark being simply blown from a stick as it was carried across a lane. By this accident the High- street and a great part of St. Mary’s church were destroyed; the chancel, the chapter house, and Beauchamp’s chapel, being the only parts of that venerable structure that escaped. The loss sustained was computed at £96,000, but it is said, that £120,000 was expended in repairing the damage. Briefs at that time were much more efficacious than at the present day; and the sum of £11,000, we are informed, was collected by those means: to which Queen Anne added £1000, as a royal gift; but this collection, according to Dr. Thomas, was principally employed in rebuilding the church ; and subscriptions were set on foot at Coventry, Birmingham, and other places, for the relief of the wretched inhabitants. In the rebuilding and repairing, the town was much improved in consequence of this fire, dreadful as it was at the time to the individual sufferers. It was afterwards re¬ built by an act of parliament, in a much more commodious form, and partly of freestone from the rock on which it stands. The best and most picturesque view of the town of Warwick is that from the Leamington road, which crosses the Avon by a handsome stone bridge of modern architecture. Here the castle, proudly seated on a beautiful and elevated rock, with lofty towers and battlements, majestically strikes the eye. The spire of St. Nicholas, and the tower of St. Mary’s, come likewise into view. The High- street is entered from this part, and is considered by all spectators the most spacious and handsome approach. This street is formed in a direct line, and is ornamented with an ancient gateway at its eastern, and another at the western extremity. The latter is surmounted by a chapel of ancient architecture, which presents a plain but impressive feature, preserved in all its antique character. The court house, or town hall, is a good stone building, standing near the middle of the street on the south side. The ancient cross, mentioned by Leland, has quite disappeared, and also the wall, with the exception of a few fragments, from one of which, adjoining the eastern gateway, it does not appear to have been of great thickness; some traces of the dyke are still to be found, from which it appears that the whole work was never of a very important description Rous, and other authorities, make mention of various religious foundations which existed at Warwick before, as well as after, the Norman invasion. Several THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 25 churches (more than at present) are mentioned as having stood in this town in ancient times, of which but little traces now remain, except in the pages of the historian. St. Helen’s appears to have stood on the spot where the priory of St. Sepulchre was afterwards founded; St. Michael’s was built at the lower end of the street called Saltsford; * St. John’s stood near the centre of the market place, and of this “ the outward fabric” was to be seen, according to Dugdale, in the seventeenth century. St. Peter’s is stated to have stood in the midst of the town. This church was taken down in the reign of Henry VI. and a church, dedicated to St. Peter, was built over the east gate. The church of St. Lawrence then stood on a spot at the lower end of the west street, in the suburbs. The last presentation that occurs appears to have taken place in the year 1380. Most of the great and magnificent buildings of early ages, were either of a castellated or a devoted character; of both which classes of architecture Warwick has been most fortunate in retaining those ancient piles of building, the castle, and a chapel, which rank among their finest specimens. The two churches which now ornament the town are those of St. Mary and St. Nicholas. A church, having a similar dedication to the former, or “ to our Lady,” (so termed by Dugdale,) occupied the same spot previous to the conquest. Henry de Newburgh, the first earl of Warwick, of the Norman line, formed the design of making it a collegiate,which was afterwards carried into execution by his son, Earl Roger, in the year 1123. The latter bestowed on the associated canons tithes and other property of considerable value ; and his successors, the earls of Warwick, and other benefac¬ tors, continued to protect and foster them during many succeeding ages. At the time of the dissolution, under Henry VIII. the yearly revenues were stated to be £334. 2s. 3 d. The above church, and that of St. Nicholas, at the time of the disso¬ lution, were granted, by letters patent, bearing date the fifteenth day of May, 1546, to the inhabitants of Warwick and their successors. It was then valued at £333. 2s \d. Through the munificence of the earls of Warwick St. Mary’s church was rebuilt in the fourteenth century; the choir was began by the first Thomas de Beauchamp, who was so much distinguished in the French and Scottish wars of Edward III.; but he did not live to see it completed; it was, after his death, finished by his son, the second Thomas de Beauchamp, in the year 1394. This powerful family fixed on this collegiate church for their place of burial; and they constructed, towards the middle of the fifteenth century, a stately adjoining chapel, for their peculiar cemetry. In the great fire of 1694 the larger portion of the church perished in the flames ; but the choir, some rooms on the north-east, and the chapel, fortunately escaped the ravages of the devouring element. A Latin inscription on three faces of the tower, at the west end of this renovated chap. in. Ancient churches. St. Mary’s church. Rebuilt in the four teenth cen tury. Destroyed by fire. This church was in a decayed state in the reign of Rdward III. and sunk soon after into ruin. 26 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Tomb of Sir Tho¬ mas de Beau¬ champ. structure, after stating that this ancient building was repaired by Roger, earl of Warwick in the reign of King Stephen, and renewed by Earl Thomas, conveys the information which has been thus translated :—“ Being destroyed in 1G94 by a dread¬ ful fire, sparing neither temples nor houses, this new church, began and carried on by the public, was finished by royal piety under the joyful auspices of Queen Anne, in the memorable year 1704.” The architecture is a singular mixture of different styles, the design of which has been attributed by some to Sir Christopher Wren, but by others is thought too absurd to have been the production of that great artist. The square tower is finely proportioned, and rises to the height of one hundred and thirty feet: a passage, which allows the transit of carriages, is worked between the piers supporting this part of the fabric. The extreme length of this church is one hundred and eighty feet, and the breadth, measured along the transept, one hundred and six feet. The interior is rendered august by the remains of the ancient struc¬ ture. We here view the choir untouched by the ravage of the flames; and on each side are ranges of stalls. The stone ceiling is finely designed and beautifully worked. Among the chaste and plentiful embellishments are introduced the arms of the founder; and his arms, quartered with those of his wife, embosomed by seraphim. This building is warmed by four large stoves, which are placed at the four extre¬ mities of the principal aisle, but which are concealed under the form of unis, stand¬ ing upon pedestals. In the middle of the choir is a massive tomb, of the altar kind, of Sir Thomas de Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, and his wife Catherine, the daughter of Roger Mortimer, first earl of March. This monument is pronounced by Mr. Gough to be one of the most elegant and beautiful of its kind in the kingdom. On the slab are placed two white marble statutes of the earl and his countess, in recumbent postures ; the earl’s figure is in armour, and his right hand clasps the right hand of his countess, whose left hand is on her breast. Round the sides and ends of this tomb are thirty-six figures, male and female, alternately, representing the relations of the deceased earl, with armorial bearings beneath. He died near Calais, in the sixtv-third year of his age. During the minority of Richard II. his son, the succeeding earl, was appointed his governor, but being overwhelmed by the factious machinations of that period, he was dismissed from court, and retired to his castle at Warwick, after which the body of this church was completed by him. He died in the year 1401, and was buried with his countess under a monument of white marble, in the south part of the church : this monument was destroyed by the fire in 1694, and all that now remains is a brass plate, which was found among the rubbish, and is fixed against the wall near the spot which it formerly occupied, with an inscription explaining the calamity 7 it experienced, in addition to the two effigies, &c. that were originally engraven upon it. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 27 This church contains several other monumental tributes, but of inferior import¬ ance. There are three distinct rooms on the north of the choir, all of which are appropriated to different uses. The first, termed the lobby, is now a receptacle for fire engines belonging to the town. The central apartment is of an octagonal shape, and was originally the chapter house of the dean and canons; but Sir Fluke Greville, Lord Brooke, selected this room for his own monument, which he erected in his lifetime, and upon which is the following inscription, remarkable for its conciseness, simplicity, and dignity :—“ Fluke Greville, servant to Queen Elizabeth, counsellor to King James, and friend to Sir Philip Sidney.” The noble remains of his lordship lie in a vault beneath, embalmed and enclosed in a coffin of lead; his lordship lamentably fell by the hand of a domestic assassin, in 1028, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. The particulars of this murderous deed are thus described :—“ A crea¬ ture, pampered to insolence by the plenty of his lord’s table, felt offence at not being named in his will (to which instrument he was called in as one of the witnesses to his lordship’s signature), and stabbed him, either with a knife or a sword, in an apart¬ ment of Brook-House, Holborn. Immediately after committing the horrid deed he put an end to his own existence.” The third apartment is used as a library and vestry room; beneath which is a mausoleum for the noble remains of the Warwick family. St. Mary’s chapel, usually termed the Beauchamp chapel, adjoins, on the south, the chancel of St. Mary’s church, and was erected according to the directions of the will of Sir Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, by his executors. It was began in 1443, and was not finished till 1464. The total expense of this structure, including the tomb of the founder, was £2481, equal at the present day to more than twenty times that sum. * The exterior is a fine specimen of the Gothic, or English style of architecture, and is in a good state of preservation. It. had experienced some injury in the seventeenth century, when Lady Catherine Leveson,t a daughter of Sir Robert Dudley, gave, at the recommendation of Sir William Dugdale, the sum of fifty pounds towards its repair. The interior of this chapel is richly embellished with such ornaments and devices as were formerly thought necessary to the practice of devotion. The principal apartment is fifty-eight feet long and twenty-five wide, and is furnished with a variety of splendid monuments. The grand entrance is from the southern part of the church, through a kind of porch, or vestibule, which is most beautifully ornamented ; the ceiling is of stone, richly carved, with the armorial bear¬ ings of the Beauchamps, &c. and the floors are of black and white marble ; the altar- * At the above period bread corn sold for 3s. 4r/. per quarter. + ‘This lady bequeathed in her will forty pounds per annum “ for the perpetual support and preserva¬ tion of the monuments.” The mayor of Warwick, for the time being, was appointed one of the trustees, and Sir W. Dugdale was the first coadjutor of the mayor. CHAP. 111. Lord Brooke’s monument. St. Mary’s chapel. •28 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Tomb of the earl of Warwick. piece is a modern bass-relief of the salutation, designed by Lightoley, and executed by Collins; on each side, high against the wall, is a shrine of a delicate and elabo¬ rate workmanship, in which, according to Dugdale,two images were formerly placed, of pure gold, each weighing twenty pounds. The great east window is enriched with curious painted glass, containing, among other subjects, a portrait of the founder kneeling before a desk, with an open book; and in the mouldings are introduced many wrought figures, apparently intended for angels and saints. The north and south windows have no painted glass, except in the tracery, which is so much damaged that it is become quite indistinct. The south side of the interior is highly worked. Beneath the three beautiful large and uniform windows which constitute the upper portion, is a series of panels tastefully designed and finely executed. In the central window are various paintings, containing many religious allusions and family portraits. The western compartment is faced with a wooden screen, carved to correspond with the ornamental parts of the north. On different spots are fixed desks and seats, embellished with carvings of the bear and griffin. Nearly in the middle of this principal apartment of the chapel stands the principal monument of its founder, for the reception of which it was expressly built and designed. This is an altar tomb of grey marble, and on the slab lies the figure of the earl, in brass gilt, in the pro¬ portion of life. He is represented with the head uncovered, and resting on a helmet and crest: the hair is short and the beard curled. The hands are lifted, but not united. The body is clad in plated armour, and at the feet are a griffin and a muzzled bear, both sitting; over the effigies is a hearse of brass hoops gilt; at the extremities of the poles of the hearse are enamelled shields, pendant from oak leaves, in starred quatrefoils, with a variety of armorial bearings. The tomb is surrounded by fourteen niches, in which are placed as many images of copper gilt, representing male and female branches of the founder’s family. Underneath are their coats of arms, enamelled on shields in starred quatrefoils; they are divided by smaller niches, in which are whole length figures of angels holding inscribed scrolls. The inscription in old English is whimsically interspersed throughout with the bear and ragged staff, which occurs no less than forty times. This monument is said to be surpassed by none in England, except that of Henry VII. in Westminster abbey. Richard de Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, whose remains lie beneath this stateh and elegant monument, was one of the most distinguished characters of the fifteenth century. He took in open battle the standard of Owen Glendower, when that hardy chieftain rebelled against Henry IV. and acquired great fame in the battle of Shrewsbury against the Percys, as well as in the French war of Henry V. The inscription on the monument is to the following effect :—“ Richard, earl of Warwick, after a long illness, died at the castle of Rouen, in Normandy, where he THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 29 resided as Lieutenant General of France during the minority of Henry VI. ; that his body, deposited in a stone coffin was brought over to England and conveyed with funeral pomp to Warwick; that it was placed near the monument of his father in St. Mary’s church till the chapel was finished; and that finally it was interred beneath the splendid tomb prepared for it, acccording to the direction of his will, in the year 1460. It is said by Gough, that about the middle of the seventeenth century, the floor of the chapel fell in, when earl Richard’s coffin being broken, the body was found perfect and fresh, but on letting in the air it rapidly fell to decay. The ladies of Warwick had rings and other ornaments made of the earl’s hair. In the same chapel on the north side wall, is the splendid monument of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester,* under the arch of which is placed a Latin inscription, which proclaims the honours lavished upon the royal favourite, who is believed to have been as destitute of moral worth as of intellectual attainments, and to have owed his good fortune solely to his personal attractions. This well known violator of domestic ties, who is said to have poisoned his first wife, disowned his second, dis¬ honoured his third before he married her, and in order to marry her murdered her former husband, is here celebrated for conjugal affection and fidelity : he died in the year 1588.—Near this tomb is a wooden tablet, to the memory of the countess, relict of Walter Devereux, earl of Essex, on which are inscribed, in gilt letters, some verses on the countess, from the pen of Gervas Clifton. At the head of Earl Richard’s monument, is that of Ambrose Dudley, wbo was usually known by the honourable appellation of the good earl of Warwick—he died in 1589. His figure is represented in full stature clothed in armour with a mantle thrown over it. His head reclines on a mat rolled up. At the feet is a muzzled bear. Near the altar against the south wall is the monument of Robert, infant son of Robert earl of Leicester. It is an altar tomb, on which lies the figure of a child dressed in a coat and mantle, with a double row of pearls on the head, which rests on a cushion : at his feet is a bear chained. An epitaph states that, “ here resteth the body of the noble Impe, Robert of Dudley, Baron of Denbigh, sonne of Robert earl of Leicester, and nephew and heir unto Ambrose earl of Warwick.” There is also a marble tablet, placed on the north entrance against the wall, bearing an inscription to the memory of lady Catharine, wife of Sir Richard Leveson, of Trentham, Staffordshire, and grand-daughter of Robert earl of Leicester. The benefaction of this lady towards the repairs of St. Mary’s chapel has been already noticed. To the left of the altar is a small room, which has been supposed to be the * The favourite of queen Elizabeth, of whom particular mention is made in the notice of Kenilworth castle. CHAP. HI. Monument of the earl and count¬ ess of Lei¬ cester. Monument ofAmbrose earl of Warwick. Monument of an infant son of the earl of Lei¬ cester. 30 HISTORY OF BOOK I. St. NichO' las’s church. Town-hall. County hall. County gaol. library built by John Rous the antiquary; but Leland, and after him. Sir William Dugdale, assert that this was built over the south porch of St. Mary’s church. On the north side are an oratory and confessional,—the confessional is ascended by four well worn steps, and retains some very striking features, calculated to call back the mind to the religious customs of former times, and the changes which have subsequently taken place. St. Nicholas’s church as now existing, is a recent structure, though a religious edifice stood on the same spot at an early period. The old tower was taken down in 1748, and the present one, crowned with a spire, erected on its site. In 1779, the body of the church was taken down, being in a state of decay, and the present edifice rose in its place. The spire is low, and the church altogether void of architectural beauty—the interior is neat, but of small dimensions. A new organ has recently been put up in this church, which adds considerably to its appearance. The monuments are neither numerous nor remarkable. The presentation to the vicarage of this church is vested in the corporation. v The Court-house, or Town-hall, is a respectable stone building, situate on the south side of the High street, erected about the year 1730, at the expence of the corporation; and for which, under the charge of misapplication of the public money, they were summoned to appear in the court of chancery, and were sus¬ pended from the exercise of all their power and privileges, to which they were not restored till 1738. The County hall, is a spacious and magnificent building, erected about the year 1776, under the direction of Mr. Hiorne, an architect of eminence, who was a native of Warwick. Its elegant stone front is supported by a range of pillars of the Corinthian order. The interior is spacious, but the courts of justice, at each extremity, which are formed in semicircular recesses, are not so. A plain, but large handsome stone building, adjoining the hall, has recently been erected by Mr. Hakewill, for the accommodation of the judges at the assizes, which adds much to the grandeur and appearance of this building. The town in general has undergone a variety of improvements of late years, which, will be more fully treated of in the latter part of the description of this county. The County gaol.—This edifice adjoins the great hall on the north end, and is a large substantial modern fabric, surrounded by a strong brick wall twenty-three feet high, which incloses nearly an acre of ground. In the disposal of the interior, due regard has been paid to the few comforts necessary for the unhappy tenants, and the whole is kept in good order and in a proper state of cleanliness. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 31 The County bridewell, is also a spacious and modern structure, of a very CHAP - m - judicious character, which stands at a small distance from the entrance into the gaol, on the opposite side of the same street, and adds much to the appearance of that part of the town. The Market house is a substantial and well constructed building, composed of Market house. stone. The lower and open part is appropriated to the use of those who attend the market. The upper rooms are principally used for the purpose of storing the arms and accoutrements of the Warwickshire militia. Leicester’s hospital.—This is a building of ancient architecture, situate at the Leicester’s western extremity of the High street, and was originally the halls belonging to two guilds, in Warwick, the one in honour of “ the holy Trinity and blessed Virgin,” and the other of “ St. George the martyr,” which were founded in the time of Richard II. and afterwards united. After the dissolution of this fraternity, by Henry VIII. the building became the property of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, who, in the 28th of Elizabeth converted it into an hospital, for twelve impotent men, each not possessing means to the amount of five pounds per annum, and one master a professor of divinity. The land with which it was endowed, was at that time valued at £200 per annum; but in 1811, the clear annual value amounted to nearly £2000 per annum, owing to the augmentation in the rent of land—and each of the brethren, after payment of certain expences for taxes &c., received about £130; the master at the same time received only £50 per annum, according to a pre¬ scriptive clause in the act of endowment. In 1813, on application by the heir general, some important changes were introduced by act of parliament, under the direction of which, the number of brethren is to be progressively increased to twenty- two. Each of the fresh pensioners, and each of the whole brotherhood ultimately, to have an allowance of £80 per annum; and presuming it was the intention of the founder for the master to enjoy one quarter of the yearly produce of the estates, his salary was directed to be advanced gradually to £400 per annum, as the surplus resulting from this arrangement might permit. The qualification of property is changed to £50. The appointment ol the master and brethren, is vested in the heir general of the founder, who is, at this time, John Shelly Sydney, Esq. of Penshurst place, in the county of Kent. In filling up the vacancies, as they occur, natives, or inhabitants tor five years, at least, of Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, alone are eligible; and ot these, the priority of choice must fall upon such as are natives and inhabitants ot the five following places :—Warwick, Kenilworth, Stratford-on-Avon, Wotton- under-Edge, and Alingham. In all cases the preference must be given to soldiers. •■32 HISTORY OF book r. Chapel school. Charitable institu¬ tions. “ disabled and decayed in the service of their country.” The brethren are required to wear a blue gown, with the crest of a bear and ragged staff fastened to the left sleeve, and without this badge of distinction they are forbidden to appear in public. The bishop, the dean, and the archdeacon of Worcester, are the appointed visitors of the institution; and the bishop, with the recorders of Warwick and Coventry, are the trustees of the estates. The present master is the Rev. John Kendall. The buildings of Leicester’s hospital consist of lodgings and a public kitchen for the brethren, ranged in a quadrangular form—a chapel dedicated to St. James, over the ancient gate of entrance to the town, and a hall in which the guild is supposed to have held their periodical meetings: this is a spacious room, and is, by the new act of parliament, directed to be converted into apartments for the ten additional members. At one end is an inscription on the wall, importing that King James I. was entertained in it by Sir Fluke Greville, chancellor of the ex¬ chequer, Sept. 4, 1617. The chapel was given by Roger de Newburg in the reign of Henry I. to St. Mary’s church, when it was made collegiate. The next object that strikes our attention is the east gate, situate in the other extremity of the High street, and which supports a building, now called the chapel school, but which was formerly a place of religious worship, termed St. Peter’s church. It w : as erected in the reign of Henry VI. and has in several succeeding ages undergone various repairs and alterations, without paying any attention to the original character of the edifice. It has long ceased to be used as a place of worship, and is now' converted into a place of tuition for many poor children of this borough, who are instructed and clothed in consequence of several charitable bequests for those purposes. There is also a small dwelling for the master adjoin¬ ing the church, which is partly built on a portion of the ancient wall of the town. In addition to these, there are several other charity schools and alms houses in Warwick, erected and endowed for the use of the aged and helpless poor. There is also a new'charitable institution about to be established, which displays the utmost feeling of humanity in the founders ; and presents its claims to the attention and benevolence of every one who possesses a Christian feeling towards his fellow crea¬ tures. It is for providing a refuge for the many juvenile delinquents, who are but too frequently brought to the bar of justice, at the several gaol deliveries for the county, the object of which is, to bring them up (after the term of their imprison¬ ment) to religious, industrious, sober, and steady habits, and lead them into the path of virtue, by which means many may become worthy and honourable members of society. Such a charity as this cannot escape the admiration of the humane, and it is hoped similar ones will, in course of time, be established in every county town in THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 33 the kingdom. It is certainly desirable that an asylum should be afforded for the chap. iii. reformation of such as have not been brought up in the paths of virtue; but, trained to crime from their earliest infancy, ultimately fall victims to bad advice, and evil association ; and, having no chance of obtaining a respectable subsistence, are driven to the necessity of employing all the low arts of cunning and dishonesty to procure the necessaries of life. This asylum is worthy of the patronage and liberal support already bestowed upon it by the affluent classes of the community; and it is hoped, that the great, good which will result from such an institution may be the pleasing reward of its projectors. Besides the institutions above noticed, the various estates and monies left to cha¬ ritable and other public uses, for the benefit of the town of Warwick, are very considerable. Warwick, being the county town, like all other places, has, within the last half Improve- century, experienced very great improvements, and become much augmented in size, by the erection of several new streets, in which are many handsome build¬ ings of modern architecture. The principal streets are handsomely paved with Yorkshire flag stones, which add much to its beauty, as well as to the comfort and convenience of the inhabitants and visitors. This work of improvement was begun in the year 1811, by a public subscription being set on foot, which was supported with great spirit and liberality. It was completed in 1812, to the great satisfaction of the subscribers and inhabitants, at the expense of £4,649. 16s. 10W TIM r; -i uoLnfi/fl ■ • PACKWOOD ■ ; r ' !. 'I, iand j ; v I Is a hamlet in the parish of Wasperton. This place was anciently in the posses¬ sion of the monks of Coventry. After the dissolution it was granted to William Willington and William Sheldon, in whose families it remained till the time of Edward VI. when it became the property of Robert Burdett, Esq. of Bramcott. His grandson sold it to a Mr. Russell, of Warwick, who enjoyed it several years, and on his decease left it to his only surviving children, two daughters, since which it has been in the possession of various owners. At this place is a handsome though ancient mansion, called Packwood House, with pleasure and other grounds surrounding it, which are tastefully and ornamentally laid out. This was lately the residence of Thomas Featherstone, Esq. many of whose family are interred in the church, which is dedicated to St. Giles. The number of houses here were formerly eighty-five, and three hundred and five inhabitants, both of which have of late years increased very considerably. TANWORTH. This place was anciently a member of Brailes, and, although so far detached from it, consequently lies in the hundred of Kineton. This lordship and estate formed a part of the possession given to Henry de Newburgh by the crown on his advance¬ ment to the earldom of Warwick, from whom it descended to several of the succeed¬ ing earls. In the second year of the reign of James II. it was purchased by Thomas Throckmorton, Esq. It was disposed of by one of his descendants to Andrew Archer, Esq. and continued in the possession of his descendants till the year 1778. The church is a very neat building of antique appearance—the interior contains some handsome monuments of the Archer family, with various Latin inscriptions. Anciently there were two chantries founded in this church, one of them in the nine¬ teenth of Edward III. at the altar of the blessed virgin, and the other of St. Kathe¬ rine, in the fourteenth of Richard II. This church is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen. The living is a vicarage, in the patronage of the earl of Plymouth. CHA1*. VIII. o 98 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Umber- si ade hall. Ancient manors. Situation and extent. Umberslade Hall is situate in the parish of Tanworth, and was for many genera¬ tions the seat of the ancient and noble family of the Archers. In the reign of George II. Thomas Archer was created Lord Archer, baron of Umberslade. His lordship was succeeded, in title and estate, by his son Andrew, who died in 1778 without male issue, and consequently the title became extinct. The mansion is a very large and handsome stone edifice, of a square form, erected upwards of one hundred and fifty years since. In the centre of the western and principal front there is a grand portico, supported by pillars of the doric order, and surmounted by a bust of the emperor Titus Vespasian. In the southern front is a similar portico, with the family arms, surrounded by military trophies. The interior has, for several years past, been neglected, and is now unfurnished. This grand mansion and estate are the property of the present earl of Plymouth, in consequence of his marriage with a daughter of the last Lord Archer. Monkspath, Clayhall, Codbarow, Cheswick, Bottesworth, Sulmhall, and Crewn- hall, were anciently separate manors and places in the parish of Tanworth, which principally belonged to the Archer family; neither of these manors at that time contained more than one house. The parish of Tanworth, with its dependencies, some years past, contained three hundred and ten houses, and seventeen hundred inhabitants; and when the last return of the population was made, this parish consisted of nineteen hundred and ninety-three inhabitants, which shews an increase of two hundred and ninety-three; and the buildings and other improvements have proportionately increased. CHAPTER IX. THE HUNDRED OF KNIGHTLOW. This hundred extends from the vicinity of Warwick (nearly to the centre of the county) by Leamington, Tachbrook, and Itchington, to Hillmorton, on the borders of Northamptonshire. This part is separated from the county of Leicester on the north-east by a part of Watling street road. The Foss way enters from the south¬ west, and intersects the Watling street in the immediate neighbourhood of High ( THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 99 Cross, near Wibtoft, which is considered by all antiquarians of note to have been the Roman station Venones, or Benones. The river Avon also passes through this hundred from the same neighbourhood (on the banks of which, as has been observed, a regular chain of camps was constructed by Ostorius: in this part have been dis¬ covered, at various times, many antique relicts of the ancient Romans), continuing its course in various winding directions until it reaches the vicinity of Clifton. Knightlow takes its origin from knight, or soldier, and the tumulus, a heap of earth upon Knightlow hill, which lies in the London road, between Coventry and Dunchurch—the syllable lowe, or lawe, signifies a little hill. These lawes or hills were composed of artificial heaps of earth, which are to be found in many parts of the county, and were evidently formed by placing quantities of the bodies of those who were slain in the field of battle, and throwing the earth over them, as was the custom of the Romans. It is therefore to be considered that the lowe was the tumulus, or monument of some great warrior who fell at this place. A cross was anciently erected here, but was destroyed at the dissolution of the monastic societies. In this hundred is still in existence a peculiar and ancient custom (as recorded by Dr. Thomas, in his addition of the antiquities of Dugdale) of a certain rent due to tire lord of this hundred called wroth money or wrath money, or swarff penny ; pro¬ bably the same with ward penny. This rent was paid every Martinmas day, in the morning, at Knightlow Cross, before the rising of the sun; the party paying it must go thrice round the cross, and say, “ The wrath moneyand then lay it in the hole of the said cross, in the presence of respectable witnesses; and if not duly performed, according to the above customs, the party so liable incurs a forfeiture of thirty shil¬ lings and a white bull. The places that are subject to this payment are thirty-five in number, and the money so due is regularly deposited and paid at this time, but without the ancient formalities. The amount thus payable is nine shillings and one half penny, and the largest portion of this money, amounting to two shillings and threepence, is regularly paid by the parish of Long Itchington. In the reign of Henry IV. when a hundred was found to be too extensive, it was ordered by the proper authorities, for the sake of convenience, to divide such hun¬ dred into proper and equal divisions,! in consequence of which the hundred of Knightlow was divided into four divisions—viz. Kenilworth, Monks Kirby, Rugby, and Southam. KENILWORTH DIVISION CHAP. IX. Etymo¬ logy. Ancient cross. Custom of paying the Wrath Money. Comprises the following parishes and hamlets—Ashow; Baginton ; Bubbenhall; Cubbington; Harbury; Kenilworth; Leamington-Priors; Leek-Wootton; Milverton, 102 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Town of Kenil¬ worth and the neigh¬ bourhood. Manufac¬ tures. The church. was done to avoid the power of this ambitious earl and incurring the displeasure of her majesty; and this estate was accordingly conveyed to the earl with all rights and privileges thereto belonging. The queen had previously given the earl the manor of the castle, to which this estate was attached. This ancient and once magnificent structure is now nearly demolished, there being only the gateway or entrance, and some small fragments of the external walls, remaining; but their distances from each other, and the ancient and beautiful style of architecture, strikes the eye of the beholder with an idea of the former grandeur of this edifice. Notwithstanding this richly endowed abbey and the castle (which will be particu¬ larly treated of hereafter) which once adorned the neighbourhood of Kenilworth, and were considered in the early ages the harbingers of wealth and consequence to the neighbourhood, Kenilworth does not appear ever to have attained much distinc¬ tion either for population or trade; but it is much increased in size, the neighbour¬ hood being ornamented with many handsome country residences ; and the town, which principally consists of one irregular street nearly a mile in length, is much improved in the neatness of its buildings. This place once possessed the privilege of a weekly market on Tuesday, and an annual fair for three days, which were granted by Henry III.; but was never much frequented, and in process of time totally discon¬ tinued. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, obtained a fresh grant for a weekly market to be held on Wednesday, and an annual fair to be held on Midsummer day, which is at this time but thinly attended. There is also a statute fair held in September, for the purpose of hireing servants, which is by far the most attractive, and is well attended by most of the people in that extensive neighbourhood, which gives to the town an appearance of some consequence. We cannot find there was ever any special grant made for hold¬ ing of this fair. Here are manufactures of horn combs, which are carried on to a considerable extent; also some chemical works, where sal ammoniac, Glauber salts, Prussian blue, &c. are made. The church was originally of the ancient Roman architecture. The only remains of the original structure is the principal portion of the tower, the upper part of which, with the fine spire that surmounts it, is of more recent date and different architecture. The body of the church is also more modern, with the exception of some arches, which are of antique architecture. It is a plain structure, and as there are no monu¬ ments of any note it possesses but little interest. It is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and is in the patronage of the king. The population, according to the returns made to parliament in 1811, was two thousand two hundred and seventy-nine, and in the census of 1821, the last return that has been made, the number of inhabitants was two thousand five hundred and seventy-seven, which proves an increase within ten years of two hundred and ninety- I T jt mL ** IhHH * STRONG SQUARE TOWER. AND GREAT JiA.1. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 103 eight, and from that time to the present, being a lapse of eight years, we may rea¬ sonably calculate the increase to be nearly or quite double this number. The road which leads from Coventry to Warwick passes through Kenilworth, which for its extent is considered by all travellers one of the most pleasant and attractive in the kingdom, it being in a direct line for more than a mile, so that two mile stones may be seen from the same spot, a circumstance rare to be met with in any other part of England; one of those mile stones is placed on a hill commonly called Gibbet Hill, which name originated in consequence of three unfortunate men having been (many years past) hung in chains on the top of this hill. This noted spot is situate two miles from Kenilworth and three from Coventry. chap. is. Hoad from Coventry to War¬ wick. KENILWORTH CASTLE. This once stupendous structure was founded by Geoffrey de Clinton, in 1120, which, when firm through all its battlements and courts, and peopled with the baro¬ nial pride of the land, formed so fine an ornament to this town, still imparts a melan¬ choly grandeur to the neighbourhood by the unusual magnificence of its ruins, which are calculated to infuse into the mind of the beholder a train of serious reflections on fallen greatness. They present one of the most splendid and picturesque wrecks of castellated strength to be found in the kingdom, and prove the instability of human grandeur and the perishable nature of the strongest works of man. To the numerous throng which once crowded under these portals of ancient grandeur the solitude of death hath succeeded, and the silence of the tomb is substituted for the noise of revelry and mirth ;—the gorgeous trappings of splendid habitations are become changed into mouldering walls, and the chambers of royalty are now the receptacles of the croking raven and solitary owl. The founder of this ancient and once magnificent structure was a man of humble parentage, but his talents and acquirements were so conspicuous as to obtain for him the special favour of King Henry I. by whom he was elevated to the dignified situ¬ ations of lord chamberlain and treasurer to that monarch, and was subsequently appointed to the great office of chief justice of England. The castle did not long continue in the Clinton family, for when Henry II. came to the crown he took pos¬ session of it, and placed a garrison there when his eldest son rebelled .against him. The account of provisions required at that time for the use of this garrison is worthy our notice as shewing the great value of money at that period, in comparison with the present. In considering this point, however, we ought to bear in mind that till the fourteenth century a pound sterling denoted a pound weight of silver of the then usual alloy of fineness, and that, therefore, the sums then quoted would be more than 104 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Siege of the castle by King Henry 111 forty-five times as much as the same nominal price at the present time. The follow¬ ing are the articles, and the amounts paid for them—viz. one hundred quarters of' bread corn £8. 85. 2d. (little more than twopence per bushel); twenty quarters of' barley £ 1. 13s. 4 d. —one hundred hogs £7. 10s. 0 d. —forty cows salted £4. Os. 0 d .— one hundred and twenty cheeses £2. Os. Orf.—twenty-five quarters of salt £ 1. 10s. 0 d. It is evident that the larger fortified dwellings of the barons in these turbulent times not only afforded a retreat to the more defenceless neighbours, but were pro¬ bably made on that account a source of profit to their owners; for we find that the sheriff, in accounting for the emoluments derived from the ward of this castle, men¬ tions “ certain money that he received, in the nature of rent, from such as took refuge therein.” In the reigns of King John and Henry III. large sums were ex¬ pended on such buildings as assisted in rendering the fortress more defensible. The latter king, in the thirty-eighth year of his reign, granted the castle to Sir Simon Montfort, earl of Leicester, and Elinor his wife; but only for their respective lives. When this earl took arms against his sovereign he appointed Sir John Giffard gover¬ nor of the castle thus recently bestowed as a pledge of amity; and it was constituted for some time the principal place of retreat for the insurgent nobles. After the dis¬ comfiture and death of the earl of Leicester at Evesham, Simon Montfort, his son, remained sheltered in this fortress, where he was joined by those friends of the baronial faction that were able to escape from the field of battle. Thus aided, he exercised his power with the ferocity usual in those barbarous ages. He is said to have sent abroad his bailiffs and officers with an affectation of sovereign authority, and bands of soldiery frequently issued from the castle on predatory excursions, during which they 'spread the miseries of fire and the sword with an unsparing hand. These scenes of violence were interrupted by the approach of the king, who, reno¬ vated by the victory at Evesham, had put himself at the head of his army, and, having been joined by the posse comitatus of Warwickshire, he drew near the castle in grand military array. Simon Montfort, so arrogant while unopposed, now proved his cowardice to be equal to his cruelty, and secretly withdrew to France for the purpose of soliciting assistance, and named Henry de Hastings governor of the castle in his absence. Conscious of the great strength of the place, and being desirous to prevent effusion of blood, the king sent a message to the governor demand¬ ing a surrender; but the inmates of the castle rejected the overture and basely insulted and wounded the messenger, in consequence of which the king immediately commenced the siege, and the garrison defended themselves with the utmost vigour and resolution. The science of war, at the period under review, was, without doubt, very far behind its present state of military skill; but although the sublime invention of THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 105 Congreve rockets was reserved for a more enlightened age, weapons of destruction were not then wanting, the inmates of the castle being well provided with military engines, among which were some that cast stones of an extraordinary size to a great distance. * The royal forces were equally active; but the superior strength of this fortification mocked their most resolute assaults; the king then had recourse to a commendable stroke of policy. An act had then lately been passed at Winchester, disinheriting all those in open rebellion ; and Henry at this juncture caused a conven¬ tion of the chief persons favourable to his interests to assemble at Kenilworth, by which twelve nobles and prelates were elected, with power to make such a further determination concerning the confiscated property as immediate circumstances might render expedient. At this time it was settled by these lords that the disinherited persons (except the wife and children of the earl of Leicester, and a few others) should have the privilege of redeeming their estates by a pecuniary fine apportioned to the extent of the offence; which fine should not exceed five years’ value nor be less than two years. This is the well known decree, termed the Dictum de Kenil¬ worth. The persons elected met at Coventry, but the resolution was published by proclamation in the king’s camp. The besieged, however, treated this offer with scorn; and Henry, quite convinced that no blandishments could afterwards avail, immediately prepared to storm the castle. In the mean time a contagious disease broke out in the garrison, and their provision being nearly exhausted, those efficient weakeners, hunger and sickness, soon arrested the progress of the sword. Although assured that the besieged were reduced to extremity, the king very mag¬ nanimously granted his opponents lenient terms. Henry de Hastings, with the rest of the garrison, were permitted to take with them their horses, arms, and accoutre¬ ments, and had four days allowed them for removing their goods. Thus did King Henry take possession of this once noble castle, after having closely blockaded it for six months. Shortly afterwards he bestowed it on his youngest son Edmund, whom he created earl of Leicester and Lancaster, and to whom he likewise granted “ free chase and free warren in all his demesne lands and woods belonging to the castle. In the seventh year of King Edward I. there were two mills standing upon the water of the pool belonging thereto; also two woods, one called the Frith and the other the Park, then common and containing three hundred acres, according to the large measure. It was also certified that his park here contained forty acres of wood, and the pool extended half a mile in length and a quarter in breadth; and also that he had here a court leet, gallows, assize of bread and beer, with a mercate • Some very large stones have been shewn near the ruins, which Bishop Gibson, in his edition of Camden’s Britannia, “ supposes to have been part of those thrown from slings, in the time of the barons’ wars;” but it is most probable, from their great weight, they must have been those designed for the use of the engines above mentioned. P CHAP. IX. Surrender of the cas tie. 106 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Grand tourna¬ ment. King Ed¬ ward II. imprison¬ ed in the castle. Visit of Queen Eli¬ zabeth. on the Tuesday. In the same year a costly and gallant tournament was held at Kenilworth castle consisting of one hundred knights (among whom were many foreigners of distinction) and as many ladies. The knights exercised themselves by tournaments and deeds of chivalry, and the ladies in dancing, or in witnessing those valiant feats of arms by which alone their attachment could be won. The promoter of this festival, and principal challenger of the tilt yard, was Robert Mor¬ timer, earl of March. It began on the eve of St. Matthew, and continued till the day after the feast of St. Michael. The dances were not less gallantly attended than the lists; and to avoid all painful distinctions that might have arisen from attention to precedence, the whole party banquetted at a round table; and were, from that time, styled “ The Society of the round Table.” In consequence of the attainder of Thomas, earl of Lancaster, son of Earl Edmund, the castle was seized by the crown in the fifteenth of Edward II. and two years after¬ wards Odo de Stoke held it for the king’s use, who intended it as a place of retirement for himself, when he saw T danger augmenting on every side. But this ill-fated king was seized upon in Wales by Henry, earl of Lancaster (brother to the before men¬ tioned Thomas), and was conveyed by him as a prisoner to this place ; and here he received intelligence of his formal deposition by the parliament held at Westminster, who had elected the young King Edward in his stead, who was then only fourteen years of age. After being forced to sign his abdication, he was privately removed from Kenilworth to Berkley castle, in Gloucestershire, where he was treated with the most brutal indignities by his keepers, and finally murdered in the most shocking and barbarous manner. In the reign of Edward III. John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, obtained posses¬ sion of Kenilworth by his marriage with Blanch, daughter of Henry, earl of Lincoln, and duke of Lancaster. The great object of those who had hitherto added to the buildings of this ancient and majestic castle was security: to elegance of domestic accommodation they were strangers. The reign of Edward III. was productive of great improvement in manners; and convenience and splendour of architectural arrangements were first cultivated in England by John of Gaunt, afterwards created duke of Lancaster. Large additions were made to the castle by this nobleman, which are still distin¬ guished by the name of Lancaster buildings, and comprise a considerable portion of the present ruins. In the person of King Henry IV. son to this duke, the castle again became the property of the crown, and so continued until the fifth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who conferred it on her favourite, Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. The earl expended large sums in adorning and enlarging this structure ; and here he had the honour of entertaining Queen Elizabeth in a manner so magni¬ ficent, that the notice of the festivities has been justly said to form an almost THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 107 necessary page of the national annals. Her majesty arrived on the ninth of July, 1575, and the splendid revelry of that season has met with a curious and amusing chronicle in Laneham, an attendant on the court. * From this writing we learn that the queen, after dining at Long Itchington, and hunting by the way, “ was met in the park, about a slight shoot from the Brayz and first gate of the castl,” by a person representing “ one of the ten sibills, cumly clad in a pall of white sylk, who pro¬ nounced a proper poezie in English rime and meeter.” This her “ majestie benignly accepted, and passed foorth untoo the next gate of the Brayz, which, for the length, largeness, and use, they call now the tylt-yard; whear a porter, tall of person, and wrapt also in sylk, with a club and keiz of quantitee according, had a rough speech full of passions, in meeter aptly made to the purpose.” When the porter had con¬ cluded his harangue, six trumpeters, “ clad in long garments of sylk, who stood uppon the wall of the gate, sounded a tune of welcum.” This strain continued while “ her highness, all along this tylt-yard, rode into the inner gate, where a per¬ son representing the Lady of the Lake (famous in King Arthurz Book) with two nymphes waiting upon her, arrayed all in sylks, attended her highness comming.” From the midst of the pool, where was a moveable island, “ bright blazing with torches,” the Lady of the Lake floated to land, and greeted her majesty with “ a well-penned meeter,” expressive of “ the auncientee of the castl,” and the hereditary dignity of the earls of Leicester. A burst of music closed this part of the ceremony. Over a dry valley leading to the castle gates “ waz thear framed a fayr bridge; and upon the first payr of posts were set two cumly, square, wyre cages,” containing live bitters, curluz, shooverlarz, hearsheawz, godwitz, and such like deinty byds. On the second payr were two great sylver’d bollz, featly apted to the purpoze, tilde with applz, pearz, oranges, poungarnets, lemmans,” &c. The third pair of posts, “ in two such sylver’d bollz, had (all in earz green and gold) wheat, barly, ootz,” &c. The fourth post, “ on the leaft hand, had grapes in clusters, whyte and red; and the match post against it had a payr of great, whyte, sylver lyvery pots, for wyne.” The fifth pair had each “ a fayr large trey, streawd with fresh grass,” containing various specimens of sea-fish;— a costly presentation, at that period, for a host in an inland situation. The sixth pair of posts sustained a more elevated burden, and ascended from tokens of good cheer to the dignity of armorial bearings. On them “ wear set two ragged stavez of sylver, as my lord givez them in armz, beautifully glittering of armour thereupon depending.” On the seventh posts, the last and nearest to the castle, were placed various instruments, symbolical “ of the gifts of Phoebustropes of the arts which CHAP. IX. * His work is entitled “ A Letter, whearin Part of the Entertainment untoo the Queenz Majesty, at Ivillingwoorth Castl, in Warwick Sheer, in this Soomerz Progrest, 1575, iz signified. From a Freend Officer, attendant in the Coourt, unto his Freend, a Citizen and Merchant of London,” &c. 108 HISTORY OF book i. should be raised on the pomp of chivalric bearings, and which were thus justly hinted to form the last result of dignified effort. Over the castle gate, on a “ Table beautifully garnisht above with her highness’ arms,” was inscribed a Latin poem, descriptive of the various tributes paid to her arrival by the gods and goddesses. This was read to her by a poet, “ in a long ceru- leoous garment, with a bay garland on his head, and a skro in his hand. So passing intoo the inner coourt, her majesty (that never rides but alone), thear sat down from her palfrey, was conveied up to chamber, when after did folio a great peal of gunz, and lightning by fyrwork.” These magnificent festivities lasted for seventeen days, and comprised nearly every pastime and amusement that the resources of the age could produce. The grand and ancient sport of hunting the hart was had recourse to in the limits of the park; the dance was proclaimed in the gallery, and the tables, in the different parts of the castle appropriated for that purpose, were loaded with every luxury of both English and foreign produce.* The park was peopled with mimic gods and god¬ desses, to surprise the regal visitant with complimentary dialogues and poetical representations. More simple amusements were also studiously introduced; the men of Coventry performed their Hocktide play ;j- the rural neighbours were assem¬ bled to ran at the quintin; and a marriage, in strict consistency of country ceremo¬ nials, was celebrated under the observance of the queen. Every hour had its peculiar sport. A famous Italian tumbler displayed feats of agility ; morris-dancers performed their rude evolutions, by way of interlude, and thirteen bears were baited for the gratification of the courtiers. During her majesty’s stay at the castle she conferred the honour of knighthood on five gentlemen, and “ nyne persons were cured of the peynfull and daungerous deseaz called the King’s Evill.” The expences of these grand festivities and entertainment of her majesty is said to have amounted to one thousand pounds per day. The earl of Leicester occupied the castle of Kenilworth as his occasional residence till his death, when he bequeathed it to his brother Ambrose, earl of Warwick, for life, and in reversion to his son. Sir Robert Dudley, a man noted for his superior learn¬ ing and accomplished manners (whose singular fortunes will meet with more par¬ ticular notice in our subsequent narration of the adjoining lordship of Stoneleigh), * As a proof of the hospitable spirit of the earl, Laneham observes, that “ the clok bell sang not a note all the while her highness waz thear: the clok stood also still withall ; the handz of both the tablz stood firm and fast, allweys pointing at two a clok,” the hour of banquet ! t Founded on the massacre of the Danes, in 1002. The actors were led to the spot of performance by Captain Cox, a person of so much humorous notoriety in his day that the celebrated en Jonson names one of his masques, printed in 1040, “ A Masque of Owls at Kenelworth, presented by the Ghost of Captain Cox, mounted on his Hobby Horse.” THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 109 and whose legitimacy became questionable in consequence of the private manner in which his father’s marriage with Lady Duglas Sheffield was consummated, and during whose lifetime the said earl was married to another lady. This Sir Robert had immediate recourse to legal proceedings to establish his legitimacy after his father’s death, which were abruptly put a stop to by the abused authority of the then lords in council ; in consequence of which' he determined on quitting the kingdom, and accordingly obtained the king’s license to travel for three years, when under the pretext of his not returning, at the expiration of the said license, his estates were seized, with the castle, by the crown, in consequence of an arbitrary decree of that vile court, termed the star chamber, and were then given to Henry, son of King James I. At this period a survey of Kenilworth was taken by the king’s officers, of which the following are the particulars, which show the original state and grandeur of this once magnificent pile of building, and the beauties and extent of its surrounding and attached grounds, and the several additions made to it by its noble owners in dif¬ ferent ages. The castle of Kenilworth is situate upon a rock. From many parts of the present ruins the spectator may enjoy the most commanding, extensive, beautiful, and pic¬ turesque views of the surrounding country. The circuit within the walls contained seven acres. The remaining walls are so spacious that two or three persons may with pleasure walk abreast upon many parts thereof. The castle, with the four gate¬ houses, were all built of freestone, finely hewn and cut; the walls in many parts were fifteen and ten feet in thickness, and others of different thicknesses, agreeable to their situation; but the thinnest of them were four feet in thickness, square. This an¬ cient castle, with its four gatehouses already mentioned, when in their perfect state of grandeur, were all covered with very thick lead. A fine frame-worked oak roof protected it from the tempest or storm, or from any other decay than that which might happen from the glass being broken in the fine gothic windows which at that time adorned this grand structure, had it not been subjected to any other kind of destruction. The principal remains of the castle are those parts constructed by John, duke of Lancaster, termed Lancaster Buildings, which are in different stages of decay, as also those which were founded by the earl of Leicester, some of which, though the last erected, are the most ancient in appearance, and threaten to be the first to give way, which may readily be accounted for, as the stone of which these parts are com¬ posed is a brown friable stone (very inferior in quality to that of the Lancaster buildings) consequently not so well calculated to stand the weather. In this part of the castle ruins are to be^seen the remains of the magnificent hall of entertainment, a fine baronial room eighty-six feet in length and forty-five in breadth, the relics of CHAP. IX- Cast.e and estate seiz¬ ed by the erown. Lancaster and Lei¬ cester buildings. Grandhail 110 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Principal entrance. Curious chimney piece. whose windows, as they now appear, are shewn in the view of those ruins annexed to this description. These ruins are very extensive, and comprise various combina¬ tions of the most romantic and picturesque description. They are in many parts screened and defended from the rain and winds by the nestling shrubs and clinging ivy, which impart a lovely mellowness to the general display ; and, together with the frequent visitors that are often seen traversing its ruins, or reclining beneath their um¬ brageous canopies, present in the summer season the most agreeable and romantic prospects. The entrance to the castle is from the north, by fhe side of the great gatehouse raised by the earl of Leicester, which is now in a good state of preserva¬ tion ; it was formerly through an archway, now walled up, and formed into two large rooms for a dwelling house, occupied as a farm house by Mr. W. Boddington. In one apartment is a large and curious chimney piece of alabaster, finely ornamented with the armorial bearings, crest, and motto, of the Leicester family. This chimney piece, together with the oaken wainscotting of the room in which it is placed, was removed to its present situation from one of the principal apartments of the Leicester buildings. The fine lake which formerly ornamented three sides of the castle when in its meridian splendour, and was the scene of much pageantry during Queen Eliza¬ beth’s visit, is now nearly dried up, and has long ceased to be an attractive object. The remains of a fine pool containing one hundred and eleven acres, well stored with fish and fowl, which at pleasure was made to run round about the castle, is still to be seen. The grounds attached, which were formerly used as chases and parks, were valued at twelve hundred pounds per annum, three fourths of which was used and occupied as pleasure grounds, and the residue cultivated as meadow’ and pasture, by tenants and freeholders. Adjoining was a park like ground called the King’s Wood, with fifteen several copices lying together, containing seven hundred and eighty-nine acres within the same, which in the earl of Leicester’s day were well stored with red deer; since which time it has been cultivated as arable and pasture land, and formed into different farms, which is its present state; and but few traces are to be found of its original boundaries. It is well stored with timber. The timber and woods upon this ground at that time were valued at twenty thousand pounds; but when the last survey was made by the king’s officers, the timber and woods were only valued at eleven thousand seven hundred and twenty-two pounds, which w'as in proportion to the rest of the valuations made to his majesty. The circuit of the castle, manors, parks, and chase, lying round, together con¬ tained at least nineteen or twenty miles, in the most pleasant part of the county, which, at that time, combined with its strength and beauty, rendered it one of the most princely estates in the kingdom. These lands were surveyed by commissioners appointed by the king and the lord ' FuMisked. try W Emaws Si/i r 19 160.9 Bramsgrove. S l Birmiwyhcu THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. Ill privy seal, with directions from his lordship to find all things under their value, and upon oath of jurors, as well freeholders as customary tenants; which course being held by them, were notwithstanding surveyed, and returned £36,554. 15s. 0 d. out of which, for Sir Robert Dudley’s contempt, there was deducted ten thousand pounds, and for the Lady Dudley’s jointure, which was without impeachment of waste, whereby she was empowered to fell all the woods, which according to the survey amounted to eleven thousand seven hundred and twenty-two pounds.” Ashamed to possess the estate under such conditions, while Sir Robert Dudley was unjustly condemned to remain in a foreign country, Prince Henry, to whom these estates were resigned by the king, offered to pay to Sir Robert the sum of fourteen thousand pounds for his title to the castle and domains, notwithstanding the legal incapacity to which he had rendered himself subject; but owing to the death of the prince not more than three thousand pounds were actually forwarded; and no part did the fugitive Sir Robert ever receive, in consequence of the merchant into whose hands this sum was paid becoming insolvent. By the death of this prince the castle and its appendages came into the possession of his brother Charles I. and during the last civil war it shared the disastrous fortunes of its regal owner. “ The castle of Kenilworth may figuratively be said to have died an inglorious death. A mighty building, like a mighty chieftain, seems to fall with consonant magnificence when it shrinks beneath the pressure of conflict, and the general havoc of a wide field of chivalry ; but this castle crumbled into ruins under the petty assaults of sordid hands—bannerless, and without one contending hero to sigh over its destruction.” Cromwell (the spoliator of so many beautiful and majestic structures which flourished previous to his day, the boast and wealth of neighbourhoods which they once adorned) granted the castle of Kenilworth, with its manors and other appurtenances, to cer¬ tain officers of his army, who demolished the splendid fabric in order to make a market of its materials. The majestic towers once dismantled, the relics were open to every spoliator, and this once grand edifice has been for ages past neglected and exposed to pillage, till reduced to its present state. But the hand of depredation is now fortunately put a stop to, and the fragments, if left to the slow inroads of time, are likely to remain the memorials of baronial grandeur, for the melancholy gratifica¬ tion of many a succeeding age. On the restoration of Charles II. the inheritance was granted to Laurence Viscount Hyde, of Kenilworth, in whose descendants, the earls of Clarendon, the property is still vested; and care is taken by the directors of its present noble owner to preserve those grand relics from further violation. At the celebration of peace, in 1814, these majestic remains were illuminated; but owing to the imperfect combustion of the materials employed, the effect produced did not very happily comport with the occasion. Of the original fortress it is believed that only one portion now remains. CHAP. IX. Castle lain in ruins by Crom¬ well’s ar¬ my. 112 HISTORY OF book i. This comprises three sides of a square tower, properly termed Caesar’s Tower, an appellation often bestowed on buildings of a similar construction, and this still carries with it the appearance of the greatest durability. Some of the paintings on the walls of the great staircase, in the south-west angle of this building, were quite visible within a few years past, but they have now nearly disappeared. We cannot take leave of Kenilworth without remarking that this village is delight¬ fully situated. It is a pleasant and healthy place, and contains some large and good built houses, which contribute considerably to its appearance. It has been a matter of surprise that a place like this, so beautifully situated and ornamented with the ruins Gf such a stately fabric as the castle, has not been inhabited by the more wealthy part of society, which would no doubt be the means of improving and reno¬ vating this part of the county, which was a few centuries past so celebrated for its magnificence ; and though now in so ruinous a state it will for ages yet to come be justly considered as once the finest pile of building in the kingdom. The monastery before noticed as the foundation of Geoffrey de Clinton, in the reign of Henry I. was founded for canons regular of the order of St. Augustine, and stood to the east of the castle. This religious house was well endowed, and was valued at the dissolution at the sum of £533. 15s. 4 d. clear of all reprises. The remains consist chiefly of a few fragments of the external walls, and the mutilated gate of entrance. On digging in the vicinity of the ruins, about the year 179'5, some considerable part of the foundation, including part of an aisle or cloister, was discovered. STONELEIGH. This village is situate within three miles of Kenilworth, on the east side. It forms an extensive parish, containing the following petty hamlets — viz. Cloud; Starton; Finham; Fletchamsted (superior and inferior); Hurst; Cryfield; Canley, and Hill. Previous to the Norman invasion, Stoneleigh was held in demesne by King Edward, and afterwards by the conqueror, by whose survey it was stated to contain six hides of land. * At that time (Kenilworth belonging to it) it was four miles in length and two in breadth ; in which was reserved to the king the right of feeding for two thousand hogs. The ancient name was Staneli, subsequently altered to Stoneleigh, which latter name evidently originates from this part of the county being very stony. This estate continued in the possession of the crown till Henry II. paying yearly £17. 14s. 5d. to the king, who had within its precincts two houses, one * “ A hide of land was usually taken for six score acres of statute measure.” Fragm. Antiq. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 113 at Stoneleigh and the other at Cryfield. The king’s tenants were termed sokemen,* * * § chap, ix. and were compelled every three weeks to do their suit to the king’s court, held for the manor, upon a place anciently called the Motelow Hill, on the south side of the river, opposite the church; each tenant holding one yard land,f and paying yearly thirty pence—viz. one penny per acre, every yard land to contain not more than thirty acres. In the hamlets belonging to the manor of Stoneleigh there were eight yard land only, each of which hamlets gave a certain portion of money as a common fine, which was payable twice a year. The sokemen before mentioned were also subject to the further customs and services following—viz. “ 1. That each of them at his death should give an entire heriot, % that is. to say, his horse, harness, and arms, if he had any, otherwise his best beast; and that the heir succeeding his father should be admitted to the inherit¬ ance at fifteen years of age, doubling his rent for a relief; and from thenceforth to be joined with the rest of the sokemen in juries, as also in collecting the king’s rents, and answering to processes as if he had been of full age. 2. That they were entitled to estovers § in the out woods by the oversight of the foresters; seil, housebot, heybot, and firebote, and freedom of paunage for their own hogs; but for such hogs as they did buy after the nativity of St. John the Baptist, to give paunage. 3. That at the bederipe in harvest || they should all come upon request or notice, with every of their tenants; the sokemen to ride up and down on horseback, with wands to see that they worked well, and to amerce those in the court, then and there held, that made default or laboured idly. 4. That they should be in the field at sun rising and work till sun set, not sitting down to breakfast, but each of them eating what he brought with him, as they went up and down the lands to their work ; and after breakfast to sit down once before dinner, the lord finding them drink; but at noon both they and the sokemen to have meat and drink provided by the lord. 5. That the reapers should eat by themselves, every one having a little wheat loaf, four eggs • “ Sokemen (from the French soc, a plough-share) were persons who held land by the tenure of ser¬ vices of husbandry, to be performed for the lord, which services are now generally turned into pecuniary payments.” Fragm. Antiq. + A yard land is a quantity of land which differs according to place or county :—in some counties it is fifteen, in others nearly thirty acres. Vide Jacob’s Law Dictionary. X From this ancient custom originated the present fines and services due, at this day, by the tenants and occupiers of copyhold lands and houses in the several manors throughout England. § Estover was an ancient right for all tenants in the manor to cut wood out of the wild forests and common lands, as also of the lands they rented, for the purpose of repairing their houses and out build¬ ings, and implements of husbandry, and for firings ; which customs are now used in some parts of Eng land, though in most places they are become obsolete. l| A general reap for the lord’s corn, “ the word bede signifying to pray or request.” Q 114 HISTORY OF book i. and pottage—viz. gruel, without flesh boiled in it, except the lord would afford them other, with cheese and beer sufficient; and after dinner one sitting down, with bread and beer, but the sokemen themselves to be served with better diet, accord¬ ing to their degrees. Sixth, and lastly. When the king should assess his boroughs and manors with tallage, he to have from the sokemen, there, the tenth part of their goods.” In Stoneleigh there anciently was an abbey of Cistercian monks, which religious foundation was moved to this place from Radmore, in Staffordshire, in 1154, in the first year of Henry II. on account of the molestation they had experienced in the latter place from the foresters, “ who were in the habit of riding that way, and dis¬ turbed their devotions.” At this time there were in the manor “ sixty-eight villains,* * * § four borders (or freeholders) and two priests; all of which held thirty carucates-f of land. As also four bondmen, or servants, whereof each held one mess and one quartronej of land, by the services of making a gallows and hanging of thieves; every one of these bondmen was to wear a red clout betwixt his shoulders, upon his upper garment, to plough twice a year, to reap as oft, to give aid to the lord at the feast of St. Michael, to make the lord’s malt, and to do other servile work.” A weekly market, annual fair, and free warren, were granted to Stoneleigh in the twelfth of Edward I.; and the benefactions and privileges to the Cistercian monks were very great. The tenants of the crown, within the liberties, were compelled to pay tallage (or tax) to the monks as often as the king had tallage. Some curious circumstances are related by Dugdale, concerning two of the abbots of Stoneleigh, by no means creditable to men of their rank and order: the first is that of William de Guildford, the ninth abbot, being deprived, in the year 1235, for te countenancing a shepherd belonging to that monastery to fight a duel, and to hang a thief that had privately stole away some cattle of theirs;” and “ there was also a complaint made, in the thirty-eighth of Edward III. against Thomas de Pipe, § the then abbot, who granted estates to divers persons, for lives, of several fermes of land without reserving any rent to be paid, to the great prejudice of the monastery; and this was alleged to be for the support of a concubine that he had, called Isabell * These were slaves, and were transferred, with the lands to which they belonged, from which they were on no account at liberty to depart without permission of their lord. They had no deliberative voice in any thing that affected the state, nor were they permitted to carry arms. + “A carucate of land is not of any certain extent, but as much as a plough can, by course of hus¬ bandry, plough in a year, and may contain a mess acre, wood, meadow, and pasture.” Fragm. Antiq. J The fourth part of a yard land. § This Thomas de Pipe had some erudition and industry to palliate his errors. He composed the Ledger Book of Stoneleigh, a work which was of great assistance to Dugdale in several parts of his historical labours. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 115 Benshall, and his children by her, which were more in number, as is stated by the record, than the monks then in the convent.” At the time of the survey taken in the reign of Henry VIII. the revenue of this abbey was found to be £151, 3s. 1 d. over and above all reprises, of which the sum of £4. 5s. 4 d. was then reckoned for the charges of eight quarters of rye made into bread, at five shillings the quarter—three quarters of malt made into beer, at four shillings the quarter, and two hundred herrings at twentypence the hundred. All which were yearly given in alms to the poor and impotent people upon Maunday- Thursday, at the washing of their feet, by the decree of a general chapter of their order, and moreover the sum of £5. 7s. 8 d. per annum for their charge in relief of the poor people—viz. three bushels of rye, weekly made into bread, being in all seventeen quarters and a half; and six quarters of malt made into beer at four shil¬ lings the quarter. The yearly fees then paid to the principal officers were as fol¬ lows:—To Henry Marquis Dorset, their high steward, £2. 13s. id .—to Robert Caster, gent, their general receiver, £1. 6s. 8 d .—and to Thomas Gregory, auditor, £1. 6s. 8rf. This property being under the value of two hundred pounds per an¬ num, it was suppressed by act of parliament in the twenty-seventh of Henry VIII. consequently the monks for the most part were disposed of to other religious houses, which were then undissolved; Thomas Tutbury, the then abbot, being allowed a pension for life of twenty-three pounds per annum. On the dissolution, this property was bestowed on Henry Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, and his heirs, whose sons dying without issue, it was divided among their cousins, and afterwards passed to Sir Thomas Leigh, alderman of London,* who made great purchases of land in this neighbourhood; and in the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth he obtained a patent of confirmation for the whole, together with the manor of Stoneleigh. Lady Alice Leigh, wife of the said Sir Thomas Leigh, was the founder of a range of alms houses at Stoneleigh, “ for ten poor people—viz. five men and five women, all of them to be unmarried persons, and nominated by her; but after her decease by Sir Thomas Leigh, her son, during his life, and his heirs for ever.” For the mainte¬ nance and support of those objects of her charity she charged her estate called Mil- burn-grane, situate in the parish of Stoneleigh, with the yearly payment for ever of twenty-nine pounds, which she directed to be divided—viz. £2. 12s. Od. to each of the poor people, at the feast of St. John the Baptist, St. Michael, the nativity of our Lord, and the annunciation of our Lady, by even portions. Also six shillings and eightpence to each of the churchwardens for the time being, whom she constituted supervisors of the said poor people as to their regular attendance at church every CHAP. IX. * The first of the Leigh family who possessed this estate. BOOK I. Stoneleigh abbey. 11G HISTORY OF Sunday and holy day, except there were urgent cause to the contrary. Also ten shillings per annum to the mayor of Coventry, for the time being, whom she also appointed to see to the performance thereof. And ten shillings yearly towards the repair of the church at Stoneleigh; and also £1. 2s. 8 d. to a preacher, to preach four sermons there yearly; all which Queen Elizabeth, by her letters patent, bear¬ ing date the twenty-eighth of June (nineteenth year of her reign), confirmed. It was the above Sir Thomas Leigh who erected a spacious mansion on the site of the ancient abbey, which has continued the family mansion of his descendants to the present time. Sir Thomas Leigh, his great grandson, was a faithful adherent to Charles I. through the whole series of his troubles, by whom he was created a baron of the realm, under the title of Lord Leigh, of Stoneleigh, in the nineteenth year of his reign. When that unhappy and deluded monarch could not obtain at Coventry such an admittance as he chose to accept of, in August, 1662, he repaired to Stone¬ leigh for the night, where he was received with zealous loyalty. It is somewhat sin¬ gular that so strong an attachment to the house of Stuart pervaded this family through the whole succession of its lords, even to the last, who died near the close of the eighteenth century. They never attended parliament, but resided at Stoneleigh, in eccentric seclusion. Their houses were ornamented with numerous portraits of that fallen family, whose calamities the liberal minded must commiserate; but whom the judicious had long perceived the propriety of discarding from political recollection. Here the Lords Leigh passed their existence in rural sports, quite indifferent to the public affairs of a world, where their fanciful hereditary gratitude could not hope for efficient exercise. The last lord became subject to entire mental derangement pre¬ vious to his decease; but his property passed by a will, made earlier in life, to his only sister, the late honourable Mrs. Leigh, who died unmarried, and left the estate to the Rev. Thomas Leigh, of Addlestrop, in Gloucestershire. At the death of this gentleman it came to James Henry Leigh, Esq. his nephew, who was the late occu¬ pier, and it is now in the possession of Chandos Leigh, Esq. The spacious residence, termed Stoneleigh abbey, is situate in one of the most luxuriant and picturesque parts of the county. The river Avon, here rendered wide, ornaments the ground in a most attractive way wilh its classic waters; and woods, venerable and far spread, bestow an air of dignified quiet on the neighbourhood. A considerable portion of the structure raised shortly after the dissolution of the monas¬ tery still remains; but the front and prime features of the edifice consist of a build¬ ing of freestone, erected about seventy years back by Edward Lord Leigh, after designs by a Mr. Smith of Warwick. The present possessor has recently made con¬ siderable alterations and improvements in this grand mansion; and under his direc¬ tion a handsome new bridge has been constructed over the Avon, which adds much to its beauty and magnificence. FnHuth&ct ty WEma.rvJ £. irmirufhajvx. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 117 One of the most interesting appendages to this capacious residence is a gatehouse, the lingering relic of the ancient monastic pile. This gate was erected by Robert de Hockele, the sixteenth abbot, who died in 1349, and who placed on the outer front a large escutcheon of stone in memory of Henry II. the founder of the abbey. The antiquary will hear with regret that, among the projected alterations, it is proposed to take down this venerable fragment. The church of Stoneleigh is a large but irregular gothic building, which is now finely ornamented with ivy. It contains monuments to several of the Leigh family ; two of them are plain marble tablets to the memory of the last Lord Leigh and his sister, the Hon. Mrs. Leigh, a lady whose life was distinguished by the most exem¬ plary benevolence. The other is a marble monument, erected by herself, of Alicia Duchess Dudley and her daughter Alicia, with their effigies on altar tombs in a re¬ cumbent posture, beneath a canopy with arms on the facing. The titular Duchess Dudley was wife of Sir Robert Dudley, to the unusual circumstance of whose life we alluded in our notice of Kenilworth. Sir Robert Dudley was the son of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, by the Lady Duglass Sheffield. If any marriage took place between the parties it was, for some private reason, kept secret, and could not afterwards be sufficiently proved. The earl married another lady during the life of Sir Robert’s mother; and it was not till some time after his decease that the son endeavoured to establish his legitimacy. Legal measures of inquiry took place; but an abrupt termination was put to the proceedings by a special order of the lords, who directed that all the depositions should be sealed up, and no copies taken with¬ out the king’s special license. It was now that Sir Robert obtained special license to travel; and we have already stated that he never returned. He was a man of rare attainments, and was received into the warm friendship of the duke of Tuscany, who afforded him a competent pension. He was likewise highly favoured by the emperor, Ferdinand II. who conferred on him the title of a duke. The Lady Alice, who was daughter of Sir Thomas Leigh, remained in England, and died (at her house near St. Giles’s church) at the age of ninety, respected and beloved for the active bene¬ volence of her disposition. The church is dedicated to St. Mary—patron, the king; and is valued in the king’s books at only £6. 16s. 5d. In the return made by order of parliament, in 1821, the amount of population of the parish of Stoneleigh, with the following hamlets, is stated to be thirteen hundred and ninety-one. Cloud, once a populated village, is now known only by a bridge over the Avon, between Bubbenhall and Starton, which was “ built by an hermit out of the alms bestowed upon him by good people.” In the conqueror’s time there was a chapel here, which had been an hermitage, CHAP. IX. Ancient gatehouse. The church. Monu¬ ments. Cloud. 118 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Starton. Finborgh. Finham. Fletcaam- stead. the priest of which was called Edmund the hermit. At his death the property belonging to it was claimed by the prior of Kenilworth, as rector of the church at Stoneleigh, and appropriated to the use of that monastery. Starton takes its name from the Stour or Stream. It continued, with Stoneleigh, in the crown until Henry I. granted it to his cook, Simon Hasteler de Arderne, and his heirs, by the service of a soar-sparhawk yearly. This property afterwards passed to the monks of Stoneleigh, reserving the tenure of the soar-sparhawk, to be paid yearly to the king. On the dissolution of their house it was granted by Henry VIII. to Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk. It was purchased by Sir Thomas Leigh, in the seventh of Queen Elizabeth, in the possession of whose descendants it has, com¬ bined with Stoneleigh, continued to the present time. Finborgh. This was the ancient name of a house within the precincts of Stone¬ leigh, to which originally belonged two yard land. This place was given by Henry I. to William his falconer, by the service of keeping a falcon. Finham, anciently a small village containing only twelve houses, four of which were remaining at the time of Henry the seventh’s accession to the crown, was in the possession of the monks of Stoneleigh from the time of the foundation of that abbey, who also had free warren granted to them. At the present time there is only one solitary house remaining in this hamlet. Fletchamstead. This hamlet, in the time of Sir William Dugdale, was divided into two parts. Upper and Lower; but it has nearly lost that distinction, and at the present time contains only seven houses. In the thirtieth of Henry VIII. Over Fletchamstead was granted, by that monarch, to John Beaumont, Esq. and his heirs, by the name of a manor, in whose lineal descendants it continued till the reign of Edward VI.; and in the second year of this king’s reign it passed to William Hum- berston, of whose descendants it was afterwards purchased by the said Sir Thomas Leigh and Alicia his wife, whose son. Sir Thomas Leigh, made a park and erected a mansion on it for his own residence, the remains of which has for many years been appropriated to, and is now used and occupied as, a farm house, called Fletcham¬ stead hall. This place was originally a fine gothic mansion; the part now remaining, as above noticed, is a large building, and afforded that unhappy monarch, Charles I. a place of shelter for a short time, whose cause, as we have previously noticed, was warmly and strenuously espoused by the Leigh family. In the reign of Henry VII. that part called Lower Fletchamstead was purchased by John Smith, an attorney, who then resided in Spon street, Coventry. This gen¬ tleman was one of the commissioners appointed in this county for arraying men in defence of the kingdom, on the threatened invasion by France. He was also one of the justices for the goal delivery at Warwick. After his death his son Henry suc¬ ceeded to it, and in the twelfth of Henry VII. made one half of this lordship into a THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 119 park, converting the remainder into pasture land, in consequence of which four out of chap. ix. five of the houses then in existence, which formed the village of Lower Fletchamstead, fell to decay. Hurst was anciently a small village, containing only nineteen houses, of which Hurst, there was but one remaining in the reign of Henry VII. There are now only three. Cryfield had a house belonging to the kings of England previous to the Norman Cryfield. conquest. This house was of considerable magnitude and antique architecture, in which anciently resided a foreign earl, by the (then) king’s leave. The earl, to whom this royal favour was granted, proved to be a great robber, and infested the neighbourhood with his associates, to the great terror of the inhabitants, till the reign of Henry II. who caused him to be removed. Upon the exchange for Stone- leigh with the monks of Radmore he brought them here, displacing the inhabitants, and finally settling them at Hurst. These monks had a grange here, which was destroyed by fire through the negligence of the soldiers quartered therein, at the siege of Kenilworth castle, in the time of Henry III. “ In the seventh of Edward I. it was certified that this village paid a stone of wax yearly, for the maintenance of the lights in Stoneleigh abbey, burning before the blessed virgin; as also that the free¬ holders here aid suit to the three weeks court at Stoneleigh, and came to the abbot’s bederepe. This place suffered depopulation as well as its neighbouring villages ; for of twelve cottages which were in existence in the commencement of Henry the seventh’s reign, all had disappeared except the grange, which, after the dissolution of the abbeys, when the king disposed of most of their possessions, was, on the thir¬ teenth of April, in the thirty-sixth of Henry VIII. granted to Robert Bocher, then a servant of the king’s court, and to Elizabetli his wife, and to the heirs of the same Robert. At his decease, on the thirty-first of May, in the third or fourth of Philip and Mary, it was left to Robert Bocher, his cousin and heir, then an infant of the age of twelve years, in the possession of whose lineal descendants it remained till it passed into the Leigh family, in which it still continues. Canley. On the foundation of Stoneleigh abbey the monks were dispossessed of this Canley. property. Previous to the siege of Kenilworth, which took place in the fifty-first of Henry III. a suit was commenced against Robert, the son of Peter de Canley, by the abbot of Stoneleigh, who, after considerable law proceedings had taken place, ultimately recovered it, by a verdict given in his favour; and possession was given him by the sheriff, by order of the king (pro forma) at Stoneleigh cross ; whereupon the tenants did their fealty to the said abbot; but after the dissolution the greater part was purchased by the first mentioned Sir Thomas Leigh, and has ever since been attached to, and forms part of the Stoneleigh estate. This village contains only a few small cottages. Near this place was anciently a small village called Hill, named after the situation Mill. 120 HISTORY OF it once occupied, being a pleasant hill, and was called Hull, and sometimes King’s Hull. The monks of Stoneleigh at that time had a grange here, and the only build¬ ing now upon this place is a farm house and out buildings. ASHOWE. This is a small village, situate four miles and a half distant from the town of Warwick, on the north-east side. In the thirteenth of Edward IV. John Hugford, Esq. and Thomas Waldeyve obtained a license from that monarch to grant to the monks of Stoneleigh, for ever, to perform certain religious services, and for the benefit of the said monks and their successors (inter alia ) eight messuages, two carucates, twenty acres of land, twelve acres of wood, twelve shillings, a pound of pepper, and a red rose yearly rent, all of which premises were lying here, also with a right to half the fishing in the Avon. The village of Ashowe is a pleasant and healthy place. The number of popula¬ tion, a few years back, was about two hundred and fifty, which has, like most other places, considerably increased, and may fairly be calculated to contain thrice that number at the present time. Attached to this village is an ancient church of Roman gothic architecture, and formerly was a chapel belonging to Wooton. This church is dedicated to St. Mary; and was valued in the king’s books (twenty-sixth of Henry VIII.) at £6. 2s. 1 d. It is now in the patronage of Chandos Leigh, Esq. the present pos¬ sessor of the Stoneleigh estate. LEEK WOOTON Is a beautiful village situate on the north-east side of the road between Kenil¬ worth and Warwick. It is one mile from Ashowe and three from Warwick. This parish anciently included the following places and hamlets—viz. Milverton, Lea¬ mington, Ashowe, Lillington, and Cubbington, which are detached and form separate parishes, and have been so for many years. In the time of Dugdale it also appears that Heath, Woodcote, Hill Wooton, and Wedgenock park, belonged to this parish; neither of which places possessing any interest, we pass them, by only briefly noticing, in the latter part of the description of this parish, Hill Wooton and Woodcote. At the time of the conquest Leek Wooton was held by one Outti, for Roger de Montgomery, earl of Shrewsbury, when it contained three hides of land and a mill rated at two shillings, which is the mill now called Guy’s Cliff Mill, to which was THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 121 attached some extensive woods, being two miles in length and one in breadth. This chap. ix. place was written in Doomsday book “ Quatone,” in consequence of its situation among woods (the word cott being an ancient term for wood) ; and agrees with the term Wooton; the letter t evidently being substituted for the letter d, which gave the name a softer pronunciation. At the time of the rebellion of the earl of Shrews bury this estate was in his possession ; but Henry I. afterwards granted Wooton, with its appendages, to Geoffrey de Clinton, who bestowed the church of Wooton and one hide of land on the priors of Kenilworth at the foundation of their monastery. Subsequent to the reign of Henry I. much litigation occurred during several reigns as to the right of this manor; and in the time of King John, according to Dugdale, two of the claimants persisted with such obstinacy respecting their claims, that it terminated in “ a trial by battle.” At that time there was attached to this manor a court leet, with the assize of bread, claimed by William de Menill, who was the possessor of this estate in the fifteenth of Edward I. and whose descendant, Sir Hugh Menill, afterwards granted one half of the village of Wooton to Henry, earl of Lancaster (then lord of Kenilworth castle), who enjoyed it during his life; it after¬ wards came to the crown. Those parts which anciently belonged to the canons of Kenilworth were, on the dissolution of their house, granted to John, duke of Nor¬ thumberland, by Edward VI. which afterwards came again into the possession of the crown in consequence of the attainder of that nobleman, and were by Queen Mary given to Sir Rowland Hill and others, in the first year of her reign, and named the manor of Leek Wooton. This property was afterwards purchased by the first named Sir Thomas Leigh, who was knight and alderman of London, in whose noble family it has ever since remained, and is now possessed, with the Stoneleigh estate, by Chandos Leigh, Esq. At the time the above mentioned Sir Thomas Leigh purchased this part of Leek Wooton there was standing in the parish an ancient church in a state of ruin, which was taken down, and a handsome modern gothic one erected on the site of the old one, at the expense of his lady. This church is a vicarage, dedicated to All Saints, and was formerly valued in the king’s books at £5. 12s. Id.—Patron, the king. A few years back the population of this parish was between four and five hundred, which are now greatly increased, though not so much as in many other similar places. Hill Wooton. The name of this place originated from its elevated situation, being Hill Woo- about a mile south-east ot Wooton, the principal part of which consisted of heath; ° and is generally supposed by early writers to have anciently formed a part of the former place, and the remainder lying on the other side of the small stream called Holbroke, on which there is now a good farm house and out buildings called the grange. R loo HISTORY OF BOOK I. WOODCOTE. This hamlet is situate a short distance from Leek Wooton, and was termed in Doomsday book “ Widecote.” It was at first a single house, seated in the midst of woods which surrounded it, and which extended a mile in length and half a mile in breadth. From the time of the conquest, and for many years after, it has always been described as having had various inhabitants, and consequently contained several houses of different descriptions, which, like many other villages, became reduced in those unhappy times when so many fine buildings and places were levelled to the ground by the unsparing hand of the destroyer during the civil wars which raged so violently in this part of the country. It is now reduced to its former single dwelling, of very ancient date. At the time the general survey took place, Woodcote manor house was in the possession of the earl of Mellent, and subsequently of the earl of Leicester, by whom it was given to Robert Botelar, a person of great favour with that earl, and of considerable weight in this county, by whom and his descendants it was possessed for many years, and has subsequently experienced various transmissions and descents till it passed to Robert Mallory, Esq. of Bath. This building has of late years undergone various alterations, and considerable improvements have been made to it, which have added much to its external appearance as well as domestic comfort: it is now a handsome modern dwelling house; and its situation affords a most pleasant and rural place of retirement. MILVERTON. This village is situate within two miles north north-east of the town of Warwick, and was anciently in the parish of Wooton. It is written in Doomsday book “ Mal- vertone,” which evidently shews that it derived its name from one of its ancient pos¬ sessors. At this place was an ancient chapel, but in the reign of Henry III. it was made a collegiate church, and this village, with its lands and grounds, were formed into a separate parish; and the advowson of this church, with fifteen acres of land, were given to the canons of Kenilworth. This church is dedicated to St. James, and is a curacy, formerly valued at only £5. 6s. 8 d. —Patron, H. Boyle, Esq. A few years back the amount of population in this parish w r as two hundred and thirty, and it contained a proportionate number of houses, which are now but little increased. This manor was anciently held by Philip de Astley, of William, earl of Warwick, by the service of holding the earl’s stirrup, when he should mount or alight from his horse.* Blount. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 123 EMSCOTE, Or Edmonscote, was anciently a village, but has for centuries past been depopu¬ lated, and the buildings reduced to one house, which is called the manor house: it is not a building possessing any interest. From the reign of Henry IV. to that of Henry VII. it belonged to the family of the Hugfords, several of whom were per¬ sons of considerable importance in this county, and held several offices of trust under Thomas Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, King Henry VI. and Edward IV.* LILLINGTON Is a small village situate within three miles north-east by east of Warwick, and it is supposed to derive its name from the old English word Lytham, which signifies small or little. At the time of the Norman conquest the earl of Mellent had four hides of land at Lillington, and a fine extensive wood, a mile in length, and half a mile in breadth, a part of which were granted to him by Geoffrey de Clinton on certain conditions; another part he gave to Norman de Verdon, as a dowry with his daugh¬ ter in marriage; and in the time of Edward I. he bestowed the remainder on the monks of Kenilworth, who in the thirteenth year of that king’s reign claimed a court leet and other privileges in right of this property. In this king’s reign the mill at Lillington, called Blakelow mill, belonged to the monks of Combe abbey. Within a short distance of this mill is an ancient bridge, which crosses the Avon, composed of three arches, which, until lately, was beauti¬ fully ornamented with ivy and moss. In consequence of the recent repairs Chesford bridge has undergone, it has been stript of those ornaments which added so much to its beauty. Sir William Dugdale, in his Antiquities, mentions some curious circumstances respecting the repairs of Chesford bridge in early times. “ It being in a state of decay in the reign of Edward I. the several parishes of Kenilworth, Wooton, Hull, Milverton, Ashowe, Cubbington, Lillington, Leamington Priors and Radford, were then presented before the justices itinerant, by the hundred of Knightlow, for not repairing it; when they were discharged, and judgment was given that the abbot o. Combe ought to repair it. In consequence of this decision the said abbot instituted further proceedings to set aside this judgment, which he brought to a trial in the twenty-sixth of Edward III. At this trial it was found, upon a strict inquiry by CHAP. IX Chesford bridge. Dugdale’s Antiquities, p. 187. 124 HISTORY OF book i. examination of witnesses and other evidences then produced, that the lands on either side of this bridge did ever belong to the abbey of Combe ; and upon this discovery the abbot obtained a verdict in his favour, and judgment was given accordingly; and the bridge was allowed to fall to decay several years afterwards, when one of the arches fell in, which caused other proceedings to take place respecting the repairs, when it was decided that the possessor of the abbey of Combe was liable to the repairs, and was obliged to make good the said bridge, which has so continued ever since up to the present time. The parish church of Lillington is an ancient gothic building, but of no material interest. It originally belonged to the canons of Kenilworth, from the foundation of that monastery, as a member and chapel of Wooton; but on the dissolution, this church, with its revenues, was separated from that abbey, and given to the parish of Lillington ; and has been enjoyed therewith ever since. This church is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen. In the twenty-sixth of Henry VIII. it was valued at £ 10. 12«. 3 hd. —Patron, Earl Brooke. The number of inhabitants of this parish is from two hundred to two hundred and fifty. CUBBINGTON Is a small village situate within five miles north-east of Warwick; it derives its name from its low situation, and is written in Doomsday book “ Cubinetone,” and “ Cobintone,” and afterwards “ Cumbyngton.” In the time of Henry III. por¬ tions of this manor were possessed by the prior of Coventry, Rodger de Iveri, and Henry de St. Maure, who violated the law by committing a murder, and was con¬ sequently compelled to take refuge in a foreign country, upon which his properly became forfeited to the crown, and was seized by King Edward I. who shortly after gave it the knights templars, in whose possession it remained till the dissolution, when it was again granted by the crown to Edward Warton and Henry Herdson. That part which belonged to the ancient priory of Coventry was granted by Ed¬ ward VI. to Sir Ralph Sadler and his heirs. In this parish is a church of antique structure, which was formerly a chapel belonging to Wooton, but subsequently granted to the canons of Kenilworth. It is a discharged vicarage, formerly valued in the king’s books at £6. us. 8 d. and is dedi¬ cated to St. Mary.—Patron, Lord Leigh. The population of this parish is from four to five hundred people, and the number of houses is in proportion. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 125 LEAMINGTON PRIORS. This place, the spa of Warwickshire, is distant from the town of Warwick, on the road to Southam, two miles; from Coventry eight, and from Birmingham twenty- two miles. It is indebted to a circumstance of natural produce, and to the partiality of the gay, for recent flattering attentions, which now cause it to disdain the name of village. It derives its name from the river Learn, which passes through it. Anciently this place belonged to the priors of Kenilworth, and contained at the time of the conquest, according to Doomsday book, two hides of land and two mills, and was valued at four pounds. At that time it was in the possession of Roger de Mont¬ gomery, a Norman baron, who was afterwards created earl of Shrewsbury. At his death it descended to his son Hugh, who died without issue, and upon his death to his second son Robert de Belesmo. This nobleman having supported the pretensions to the crown of Robert, duke of Normandy, in opposition to Henry I. he was consequently declared a traitor, and dispossessed of his property. Leamington was afterwards granted by the crown to the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, then termed the bishop of Chester, from his residing in that city. This estate, in consequence of subsequent transmissions, passed to Geoffrey de Clinton, of whom so much has been said as the founder of Kenilworth priory and castle; and by him it was transferred to Gilbert Nutricus of Warwick, and his heirs, in consideration of ten marks paid to Geoffrey, with a silver cup, and to Agnes his wife a basantine of gold, who held it by the service of half a knight’s fee. This estate afterwards came again into the possession of Geoffrey de Clinton, but from what cause is uncertain, though supposed to be in consequence of an ex¬ change between the parties. About the year 1166 it was, with the church and mill of this village, besides other estates, given to the priors of Kenilworth by his son Geoffrey, who was, like his father, a munificent benefactor to that religious fraternity. T 11 their possession it continued till the dissolution of monasteries in the reign of II enry VIII. when it was seized by the crown, by whom it was retained till the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who shortly after her accession to the throne granted it to Ambrose Dudley, earl of Warwick, who died without male issue, and the title became extinct. It was afterwards received by her most gracious majesty in favour ot Lord Rich. From this period Leamington passed into the hands of various pro¬ prietors, and a great part within the parish is now, with the manorial rights, the property of the earl of Aylesford. The saline springs, to which this place is indebted for its present importance and celebrity, have for many years been known to its inhabitants and the neighbourhood as being very efficacious in the cure of scorbutic and other diseases, and were drank CHAP. IX. Medicinal spring’s. 126 HISTORY OF BOOK I. by them as a remedy for these disorders, previous to their becoming of note. They are noticed by Camden in his Britannia, first edition, as also by Dugdale and other early writers. The most ancient of these springs is that at the east end of the church near to the river Learn, which is strongly impregnated with salt, so much so that the inhabitants formerly made use of it for seasoning meat and making bread, since which various springs have been discovered. The qualities of these springs have engrossed the attention of various medical writers from the close of the seventeenth century up to the present time. Amongst these was the celebrated Dr. Guidot, who describes these waters in his writings as nitrous. Dr. Short, in his valuable work on mineral waters, published in 1740, differed in opinion as to the quality ascribed to the waters by Dr. Guidot; in which he states the first as being merely a brine spring. He is succeeded by Dr. Ratty, in whose writings it is described as being strongly impregnated with salt, combined with a portion of calcareous nitre. Dr. Russell corroborates the opinion of the latter gentleman, which is fully stated in his treatise on sea water and salt springs, published in 1765; and according to his statement it appears that one gallon of Leamington water will yield, by evaporation, nine hundred and sixty grains of sediment, thirty of which are calcareous earth and the residue marine salt. Dr. Kerr, a gentleman of great eminence in his profession at Northampton, was the first medical person who strongly recommended the Leamington water, which he did in 1784, and in consequence of his recommendation it soon after obtained great celebrity. Two years afterwards a new well was opened and two baths erected, one hot and the other cold. These were found sufficient for several years for the few invalids who resorted to Leamington. Until this time there were only two small inns, one of which was the Dog and the other the Bowling-green, with no other accom¬ modation for visitors than that which a few small cottages could afford. But the erec¬ tion of the baths and the favourable opinion of Dr. Kerr, strengthened by that of Dr. Johnstone, of Birmingham, and other eminent medical gentlemen, soon occa¬ sioned the number of its visitors to increase; and in 1790 another well was opened and a new range of baths erected on a more commodious and extensive plan. Dr. Lamb, in 1797, chemically analysed the waters of Leamington, and found that they contained medicinal properties of the most valuable description. An account of his discovery was inserted in the fifth volume of the “ Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester,” and the notice of the public was immediately attracted to them. “ Several medical gentlemen of the first respectability corrobo¬ rated the statement of Dr. Lamb, and the diseased on one hand and the fashionable on the other hastened to the spot of promise.” It was then first proclaimed to the “ world of fashion” that the Leamington waters possessed all the valuable qualities of those of Cheltenham, which have been so many years held in the highest estimation; THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 127 the component parts of both being nearly equal, with only this exception, that a larger portion of iron was present in the water of Cheltenham, than in that of its celebrated rival; and the greater abundance of mineral water at Leamington, for bathing as well as for using internally, is deservedly considered as an important ad¬ vantage, which Cheltenham does not possess. Of the saline springs of Leamington, there are six already discovered, and if ne¬ cessary no doubt others might yet be found of equal quality. The most ancient of these springs, is situated on tire waste land, and is called the public well. It was enclosed by the late earl of Aylesford, to whom it belonged as lord of the manor. At the other springs the salt water was found at various depths, through different strata of rock and earth, from twenty feet deep, and in one instance to the depth of sixty feet. The efficacy of the water, it is said, is considered to be the greatest in the summer season on account of its being in some degree affected by the rain. Dr. Middleton, in his analysis of the waters, published a few years back, acknow¬ ledges himself much indebted to Dr. Lamb and Dr. Winthorp, who had each under¬ taken a similar investigation. He submitted these waters to various chemical tests, and made experiments with those of the different springs, with a view to ascertain if there were any variation in the quality of the substances contained in them; and from the result of this analysis the difference was found to be but trifling, which will be seen by an inspection of the following statement. The specific gravity of that in the public well was found, to that of distilled water, as 10,107 is to 10,000. The gaseous contents of a wine pint (in parts of a cubic inch) were found to be as follows :— Nitrogen (or mephitic air).67 Carbonic acid (fixed air) .25 Oxygen (vital air).08 1.00 The Solid Contents of a Wine Pint in Grains. Muriate of soda (common salt) . 48.50 Sulphate of lime (gypsum). 17 Sulphate of soda (Glauber’s salt). 9 Muriate of magnesia (muriated magnesia). 4 Sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salt) . 3 Carbonate of iron (iron carbonated) very trifling CHAP. IX. Dr. Mid¬ dleton’s analysis. 81.50 128 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Newbaths. Satch- well’s cha¬ rity. Thomas Abbots, founder of the first baths. From these as well as other fortuitous circumstances, Leamington has riseu rapidly into notice within the last twenty years. The medical advantages offered to invalids, and the convenience as well as the novelty of a watering place in the centre of the kingdom, to others, are powerful attractions. Every succeeding year the number of visitants have increased beyond all expectation. New wells have been opened and new baths constructed ; amongst which the largest and most complete range of baths are those which have been erected by a joint company of proprietors at the expense of about twenty-five thousand pounds, which are termed the New Baths, at the north well, the spring of which was discovered in the year 1810, about thirty-four feet from the surface of the ground. This elegant building is erected entirely with stone. It is situated close by the river, on the north. Three of its sides are surrounded by a spacious colonnade. The central part of this structure is one hundred and six feet in length, and in height thirty feet. It has two fine wings, each of which extend thirty feet, which form the principal entrances to the baths. In noticing the many benefits derived from the waters of Leamington by the wealthy, we must not forget the more humble branches of the community. When the efficacy of these waters were first discovered, Benjamin Satchwell, a labouring tradesman of the then obscure village, successfully exerted himself in the instituting of a charity for the gratuitous relief of the distressed invalids to whom a use of these waters might be recommended. He was termed the village rhymer, and his productions attracted the notice of the wealthy. It was his practice to wait upon each illustrious visitor of the spa with a laudatory address, in which he always described himself as the oldest inhabitant of the parish; his addresses often afforded amusement to the readers of the Coventry and other provincial newspapers, whose columns were frequently graced with some of his poetical effusions. We have also to notice another character, whose name deserves to be held in grateful remembrance by the inhabitants and visitants of Leamington, Thomas Abbots, formerly a native of the then village, who was the founder of the first baths that were erected in 1786. His remains are interred in the church yard at Leamington; and to the memory of this distinguished personage a monument has been erected. The charitable institutions set on foot by the above mentioned individuals have subsequently met with very liberal support from the wealthy and opulent, which are now established on so firm a basis, that in the year 1812 no less than eight hundred and sixty-eight baths were gratuitously dispensed to poor applicants. The proprie¬ tors of the new baths have humanely appropriated one hot and one cold bath to this benevolent object. Leamington, from a small country village, has arisen in a few years to a distin¬ guished and fashionable watering place. Among the numerous buildings lately erected ample provision is made for the gay and healthy as well as the sick and THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 129 drooping. The streets are wide and handsome, being paved with flag-stones ; and the buildings which ornament them, are of the most magnificent description, and from three to five stories high, especially those which compose the principal parts of what is termed the New Town—among these is a spacious assembly room, fitted up in a style of grandeur in every respect suited to the accommo¬ dation of visitors of rank and fashion. The situation of these elegant places of resort was not judiciously chosen, but the simplicity and grandeur of their exte¬ rior, and the elegance of their interior decorations, may vie with any others of a similar description in any watering place in the kingdom. There is also a splen¬ did pump room, a neat theatre well fitted up—a news room, including a picture gallery and promenade, has been constructed by Mr. Bisset, late of the museum, Birmingham. The lodging houses and hotels, contain every accommodation which the sick or gay may desire; and as a circumstance equally connected with the amusements of the fashionable, and the benefit of the convalescent, it must be observed, that the scenery of the surrounding country is rural and attractive, and the walks and rides well calculated to add to the celebrity of the waters. Several new buildings of a costly and elegant description, have recently been erected in the old as well as in the new town,—some new streets and appropriate buildings are also in progress ; and the general opinion that this place will con¬ tinue to increase in size and consequence, and rank high among the fashionable spas of England, has tended to encourage a considerable spirit of speculation. Leamington church is a small but well built structure of modern Gothic archi¬ tecture, with a moderate sized tower, in which is a good peal of bells, and termina¬ ting with a handsome spire ; the interior is neatly fitted up, and contains a nave and side aisles, with a transept and chancel, which was no doubt large enough for the inhabitants at the time it was first constructed ; but in consequence of the great increase of the population, and influx of visitors in the summer season, it is found to be much too small for their accommodation, although there are several other places of worship for the dissenting classes. It has been in contemplation for some time past to enlarge this edifice and make it more commodious. This church is situated near the river Leam, over which is erected a handsome stone bridge, leading to the pump rooms. In the church-yard are several ancient tombs, and grave-stones, whose inscriptions have been for some years obliterated. 1'here is a handsome tomb of the altar kind, enclosed by palisades, and embla¬ zoned with a long poetic inscription from the pen of Mr. Pratt, to the memory of Benjamin Satchwell, the original founder of the spa charity. In the chancel of this church, is a monument erected to the memory of the Right Honorable Edward Willes, of Newbold Comyn, one of the branches of a family which appear to have been residents in that parish, ever since the time of s CHAP. IX. Assembly Itoom, &c. The Church. 130 HISTORY OF book i, Henry VIII. He was many years recorder of Coventry, and attorney-general for the dutchy of Lancaster, afterwards king’s sergeant-at-law, and finally chief baron of the court of exchequer. This church was anciently a chapel belonging to the parish of Wooton, which from the destructive hand of time became much dilapidated and was taken down; on the site of which the present structure is erected. It is dedicated to all saints, and is a vicarage valued in the king’s books at 67. 10s.—Patron, H. C. Wise, Esq. The population, as stated in the census of 1821, taken by order of the House of Commons was 2,183, which have since that time, very considerably increased. WHITNASH, Is a small village, situate within three miles south-east of Warwick; it is writ¬ ten in Doomsday-book, Whitenas. Its derivation is uncertain, but it is consi¬ dered by most of the early writers to derive its name from a wood which formerly stood near it. In the seventh of Edward I. this manor was held by Sir Thomas de Haseley, knight, of Robert de Hastang, by the service of half a knight’s fee, save 45. To this estate was attached a water mill, and three carucates of land in demesne; also a great pool with nineteen servants holding seven yard land, six acres, and a fourth part, at the will of the lord, subject to certain servile employments; and also six freeholders occupying three yard-land and a half. At that time the knights hospitalars, had four messuages in this place which were then held by four freeholders, and given to them by Atrop Hastang. In the twentieth of Edward III. this estate was passed by a descendant of Sir Thomas de Haseley, to Thomas Savage of Tachebrook, Mallory ; and by him it was granted, in the first of Richard III. to Benedict Medley, of Warwick, who was clerk of the signet to Henry VII, in whose family and its descendants it remained for a great number of years. It is now, and for many years past has been, in the possession of the Leigh family of Stoneleigh. Here is a church of ancient architecture dedicated to St. Margaret. It was given to the canons of Kenilworth in the reign of Henry I. by Atrop Hastang, and his tenants who were freeholders, gave eighteen acres of land to this church, at its dedication. In those days it was a general custom for persons when about to depart from this world, to give some portion of their estates to the church and other charitable institutions, in which case they considered they were doing service and honour to THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 131 God; and it is particularly noticed by Dugdale, that amongst divers concessions chap. ix. made by G. Muschamp, bishop of Coventry, to the canons of Kenilworth in king John’s time, was one of 2s. yearly pension granted to them out of this church, which was endowed with one yard and a half land to defray the same, but on the dissolution of monastic institutions this charity ceased. In the twenty-sixth of Henry VIII. it was valued at £5. 9s. 9 \d. TACHBROOK-MALLOKY, Is situated three miles and a half south-east by east from Warwick. In Original Doomsday-book it is written Taschebroc, and in order to distinguish this place from Bishop’s Tachbrook, the additional name of Mallory was added to it by an ancient possessor of that name in the reign of Henry I. This property passed to Geoffrey de Clinton, in whose family it remained for a few years, and was given by Henry, son of the said Geoffrey de Clinton, with the whole village, the mill, and the service of the freeholders, to the canons of Kenilworth. It is writ¬ ten in the grant made to the said canons, Taschelesbroc. Some disputes afterwards arose concerning the title to this manor, when it was agreed that the canons of Kenilworth should enjoy that part which lay north, to¬ gether with the ancient mansion house and the mill; and the rest of the village was settled on Henry Mallory and his heirs, by the service of half a knight’s fee to Ralph Boteler, the superior lord of the fee. Edward III. in the ninth year of his reign granted a charter of free warren to John Mallory and his heirs; and in the following year he obtained a “ Licence to armontize one messuage with the appurtenances, lying within this lordship, for the maintenance of a priest to sing mass daily, in the chapel of St. James’s situate in Tachbrook, for the health of his soul, and the soul of Margery his wife, with all the faithful deceased.’’ It continued in this family till the time of Henry IV. It passed to Benedict Medley in the reign of Henry VII., and by his sons, Wil¬ liam, and Ralph Maxfield, then prior of Kenilworth, eight houses were taken down, and three hundred and ten acres of land, were converted into pasture; so that at that time, according to Dugdale, no more than four houses were left in the village. After the dissolution, that part which was held by the canons of Ke¬ nilworth, was, by queen Elizabeth, granted to Brokesly who sold it to George Medley, Esq. heir to the above mentioned Benedict, and from various transmis¬ sions, it came into the WagstafF family in the reign of Charles I. from whom, by marriage it came into the possession of the Bagots of Blithfield, Staffordshire, by a late descendant of whom, it was alienated to the Earl of Warwick, its present 132 HISTORY OF book i. proprietor. The manor house is an ancient edifice, the principal part of which is still remaining; and although some parts of it were taken down a few years back, it still presents the relics of an ancient Gothic structure. HARBURY, Is a large straggling village, situate four miles west-south-west from Southam, and is spelt variously in Doomsday-book,—as Edburberie, Erburberie, and Er- burgeberie; originating from the name of a lady who was the possessor in- the Saxon era, of the name of Erneburga, or Erburga. In the time of the conque¬ ror, Harbury was held by divers persons, amongst whom were the monks of Co¬ ventry, who were in the possession of one hide,* and one Yirgitj-f* which being wasted by the king’s army, were then certified to be worth but 2$. This portion afterwards came to the canons of Kenilworth, but as to the exact time and under what circumstances, does not appear. The total quantity was five yard land, four of which the canons held in demesne ; the fifth was occupied by three servants, “ subject to certain services.” Considerable other portions of this manor were at that time held by other religious orders. The monks of Combe abbey held a considerable quantity of land in this parish with two windmills, twelve servants, two cottages, and two freeholders, which were then held of the heirs of Reginald Basset, by the eighth part of a knight’s fee. Two windmills and one yard land was possessed by the canons of Kenilworth ; and other portions by Turchill de Warwick, who gave it to Henry de Newburgh, the fifth earl of Warwick, of the Norman line, by whom it was afterwards granted to Geoffrey de Clinton. The church of Harbury was given by the said Geoffrey to the canons of Kenilworth, at the time he founded that monastery. Great part of this property appears to have been possessed by the Ladbroke family under a grant from the then earl of Warwick ; concerning which he had a severe contest with Geoffrey de Clinton, who set up a claim; and although Lad- broke set aside his claim, and recovered the estate, yet so great was the power and influence of Geoffrey de Clinton, that Ladbroke was obliged to submit to usur¬ pation, and hold the estate of him as a menial tenant, which he was advised to do by Walter Durdent, the then bishop of Coventry,J “he confirmed the grant of this church to Kenilworth monastery, in the presence of that Bishop and a great * A hide of land differs in quantity according to the custom of the country. •f A Virgit is 40 acres. . £ Such was the power and sway which the Catholic bishops had in those days, that a man dared not own his own property, if contrary to the bishop's interest. i THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 133 part of his clergy ; which was subsequently ratified by his brother William and chap. ix. heir, who was likewise induced or rather compelled, by those priests, to free the canons of Kenilworth from the payment of the yearly rent of 5s. which had been paid by them to his predecessors, which said rent was charged and made payable out of a yard land, belonging to the church.” That part of Harbury which by right belonged to the said Ladbroke was given by Geoffrey de Clinton to Ralph, the son of Robert de Ladbroke, sirnamed Macer or Megre, who also confirmed the church to the canons of Kenilworth ; and his son Robert de Megre, ratified his father’s grant, and gave an addition to the said canons two yard land. The last mentioned Robert de Megre in the twentieth of Henry III. answered for half a knight’s fee in Harbury, then held of the earl of Warwick. This man was famed for his great knowledge and talents, in consequence of which he filled several offices of importance. He was one of the justices for the gaol de¬ livery at Warwick, in the twenty-eighth of Henry III. and in the thirtieth he was chosen by that monarch for this county, on a commission of inquiry concerning his escheats and sergeanties, the certificates of which are still preserved in a record in the exchequer, entitled Testa de Neville. During this monarch’s reign, this manor and estate came again into the possession of the Ladbroke family ; and in the time of Edward VI. it passed to Thomas Freeman and others. Another part of Harbury was given by William the Conqueror to Henry de Ferrers, in whose family it remained till the reign of King John, when it became the pro¬ perty of Robert fil. Odoms, who gave part of his possessions with this to the ca¬ nons of Kenilworth, of which several acres of land were given for the celebration of mass every Saturday. He also gave to the monks of Combe, his manor-house, and all other his estates of which he was possessed in this manor; as also his Ches¬ terton estates consisting of ninety-five acres of land, “ for the health of his soul, and of the souls of Elizabeth his wife and of all his ancestors and successors.” The monks of Kenilworth at that time were entitled to the court leet of this manor, which they enjoyed till the dissolution of monasteries, from which time to the reign of Elizabeth, this manor and estate was held by the crown, when her majesty, in the twenty-fourth year of her reign, granted it to Edward Frost and John Walker, and their heirs. From them it passed to Thomas WagstafF, and from him to William Cookes of Smitherfield, in whose family and descendants it remained till the time of Sir William Dugdale. That part which belonged to the canons of Kenilworth, except the advowson of the church, was granted hy her majesty to John Fisher and another, with the title of a manor, in whose families it remained tor many years, and of whom it was purchased in the nineteenth of James I., by Richard WagstafF, whose descendants w ere in possession of it to the time of Dugdale. 134 HISTORY OF hook i. Harbury church is dedicated to ali saints, it is an ancient pile of plain building, but does not possess any features of importance. It is a vicarage, anciently va¬ lued at £5 . Patron, — Newton, Esq. The population of the village and parish of Harbury in the census of 1821, was one thousand and forty-five. UFTON. This village, though m rather a remote part of the county, is beautifully situa¬ ted on a rocky eminence, three miles and a half west by north, from Southam, and derives its name from Ulfe, who was one of its ancient Saxon possessors. It ap¬ pears by Dugdale, this is one of the towns that Leofric gave to the monastery of Coventry, at the time of its foundation, in the first of Edward the Confessor, in whose charter it is written Ulfetone, and is stated in Doomsday-book to contain four hides of land, then valued at £ 5. is written in that record Ulchetune. Shortly after that period, the monks were disturbed in the possession of this property, with other manors and estates, which they however recovered in the reign of King Stephen ; and in the forty-first year of Henry III. “ free warren was granted to them of all their demesne lands, which they enjoyed till the reign of Edward I. who in the seventh year of his reign extended it to two carucates of land, then held in demesne; at which time they had thirty tenants holding fifteen yard land subject to certain servile offices, to be performed by them ; also four cottiers that did the like; and six freeholders, who held four yard land and a fourth part, besides a certain wood containing ten acres, with the court leet, assize of bread, and beer, and other privileges.” In that ancient record the name of this place is written, Olueweton, Oulfton, Olufton, and Olughton, from which, in course of time, it became modernised to its present name, Ufton. A claim was set up and proceedings commenced against the prior of Coventry to recover it from him, in the thirteenth of Edward I. by Robert de Pinkney, who laid his claim from Gerard de Leinesy, his ancestor, stating that the said Gerard was seized thereof in the reign of King; John. To which claim the then prior put in his answer, stating that Earl Leofric, by the licence of King Edward the Confessor, gave it to the monastery of Coventry, and that the said King Edward confirmed the donation ; as also King William the Conqueror, King Henry II. and King Henry III.; and that notwithstanding all this, the said prior was content to make an agreement with him the said Robert, who thereupon acknowledged the right of the monks, by a fine levied, fourteenth Edward I., and for so doing was made partaker of all their prayers and devout exercises. From this time the monks peaceably enjoyed it till the dissolution of their house THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 135 in the thirtieth of Henry VIII. when it was seized by the crown and continued chap. ix. so till the thirty-seventh of that king’s reign, when his majesty granted it to Thomas Lord Wrothesley, then Lord Chancellor of England, and his heirs, who in the same year, disposed of it to William Stamford, Esq. and his heirs; which William the next year passed it to Sir Andrew Flammock, knight, and Elizabeth his wife, who enjoyed it during his life, when it descended to his son and heir, Francis, who possessed it till the first of the reign of Elizabeth, when he sold it to Sir John Spencer, of A1 thorp, Northamptonshire, knight, from whom it de¬ scended to Thomas Spencer, Esq. late of Clardon in this county, (a younger son of the said Sir John), by whom it was enjoyed for many years, and after his de¬ cease, by his lineal descendants. Ufton church is dedicated to St. Michael, it was appropriated to the priory of Coventry, by Roger de Molend, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, in the year 1260, and was anciently endowed with one yard land. In the twenty-sixth of Henry VIII. it belonged to two prebendaries in the catholic church of Lichfield, who provided a stipendiary to serve the cure, to whom they allowed certain small tithes of the value of £ 4. 13$. 3d. per annum. It is now a curacy valued at £ 24. 6s. 8 d. Patron, the prebendary. RADFORD SEMELEY. Is a small village, situate four miles east from Warwick, and derives its origin from its situation on the ford of a small rivulet, over which the road to Warwick passes. On reference to Doomsday-book, in which it is written Redeford, we find that the additional name was added by the ancient family of Semley, to whom it then belonged, who settled in this part of the county, in the reign of Henry I. for the purpose of distinguishing it from another village called Radford in the li¬ berty of Coventry. At the time of the conquest it belonged to Turchill de War¬ wick, (before mentioned) when it contained five hides of land, and a mill then rated at 6a\ 8 d. and valued at only £ 7. At that time this village consisted of seventy-four houses and four hundred inhabitants. This manor and estate anciently belonged to Henry de Newburgh, the first earl of Warwick, who also possessed at that time the greater part of Turchill’s lands, which afterwards passed to Geoffrey de Clinton, (but by what means it is uncertain) who sold it to Henry de Stanley, who was prevailed upon by his wife Emma, in the first of Henry I. to give his consent that Roger de Clinton, bishop of Chester, should confer the church of this village on the canons of Kenilworth. During the time of the Romans the canons of Kenilworth obtained possession 136 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Radford Hall. of great part of this village, by purchase, gifts, and other means, and in the ele¬ venth of Richard 11. free warren was granted to them by that monarch, of all their demesne lands, which they enjoyed till the dissolution by Henry VIII., when that monarch granted the manor of Radford to Sir Thomas Darcy (after¬ wards created Lord Darcy) and his heirs, in whose family it remained for many years. It was subsequently disposed of, by one of his descendants, to John Brown, the lineal heir, to John Brown, Esq. who was the standard-bearer to the duke of Bedford, when that noble duke was regent of France. Much of the land in this parish recently belonged to the late H. G. Lewis, Esq. of Malvern- hall near Solihull, who erected a neat little country box, fitted up in the most tasty style, where he used occasionally to reside. The manor house of Radford now called Radford-hall, is a building of some antiquity, pleasantly situated on a commanding eminence. The church, which is rather a plain old building, is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and is a vicarage anciently valued at £ 5. 16$. 0 d. OFFCHURCH. This was a place of great note in the time of the Saxons, and its name is sup¬ posed to have been derived from Offa, king of the Mercians, having according to tradition, held his court there, at a regal place, which is generally supposed to have stood at Off’church Bury. The word signifying, “ Burgus or Curia'”—a court where a senate is held. Thus the name of Offa is said to have been first given to the church and afterwards to the village. This village is about half a mile distant from Offchurch Bury. It is five miles east by north, from Warwick, and anciently contained only forty-eight houses, and two hundred and sixty inha¬ bitants. There is an elegant parsonage bouse near the church, surrounded with pleasure grounds, which are laid out with great taste, a la Repton. The church is a structure of antique appearance, which is dedicated to St. Gregory, and va¬ lued in the king’s books at only £1. 7 s. Gd. It is in the patronage of the Knightly family. In the time of Edward the Confessor, the manor of Offchurch with its appen¬ dages was the property of tarl Leofric, and was given by him to the rich monks of Coventry, at the foundation of their monastery, and continued in their posses¬ sion till the dissolution in the reign of Henry VIII. In the forty-first of Henry III. the prior of Coventry, with his convent, had free warren granted them by that king of all their demesne lands here, which prior, in the seventh of Edward I. was certified to hold this lordship of the king THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 137 in capite, as.a member of his barony, wherein he then had “three earucats of land in demesne, three water mills, twenty-eight tenants, holding four yard land and a half, at the will of the lords, subject to the performance of certain servile labours for the monks ; and also that he had a court leet, assize of bread and beer, with other privileges. At the time of the dissolution of those I'eligious houses, this property was seized by the crown, and in the thirty-fourth of Henry VIII. it was granted by that monarch to Sir Edward Knightly, knight, and re¬ mained in his family till the male line became extinct, and subsequently descended to the female line, who have taken his name, in whom the inheritance still con¬ tinues. Offchurch Bury, was the seat of the late John Wightwick Knightly, (now pos¬ sessed by his legal descendant) is a large and venerable edifice. Part of this building still retains marks of considerable antiquity. To the more ancient divi¬ sion of this structure, large additions have been made. Just before the Gothic entrance of the mansion, is an object of great curiosity, a large chesnut tree, of moderate heighth, which spreads its branches over an immense space, forming a sort of canopy ;* not unlike the Boabob tree in North America, as described by Mr. Adamson in his “ Voyage to Senegal,” although the latter for magnitude and longevity, is by far the most extraordinary. BUBENHALL, Is a small village, situate within five miles south south east of Coventry, it is called, in Dugdale, Bobenhull (although it is written in Doomsday-book Buben- lialle) consequently we are led to give preference to the latter way of spelling, as being most ancient and correct, the former in all probability is an error. In the reign of Edward I. this manor and estate was in the possession of John Fitzwith, that gentleman was one of those who attended the king in his expedition into Wales. “ In the twenty-ninth year of that reign, he was one of those who re¬ ceived the king’s precept to be at Berwick-upon-Tweed with horse and arms, to march against the Scots.” This manor after various descents, came by marriage, to John Beauchamp, who had the honor of being the first gentleman who was created to the dignity of baron in England, by a patent, dated at Woodstock, in the reign of Richard II. which he enjoyed only a short time. The rebellious lords, having raised a potent army, proceeded to London; where they mustered * This, though a single chesnut tree, has, at a short distance, the appearance of a great duster, stupendous Boabob is said to resemble a forest. T The CHAP. IX. First Baron created in England. 138 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Sir John Beauchamp executed, and his es¬ tates confis¬ cated. Ancient Tenure. their men, in sight of the tower, and forced the king and parliament to grant them their request, causing Sir Robert Tresilian, who was then chief justice of England, and various others to be attainted of treason; among which was the said Sir John Beauchamp, then lord steward of the king’s household, who was inhu¬ manly hanged, drawn, and quartered, and his estates seized by the crown; by whom they were retained till the twenty-ninth of Elizabeth, from which time it was possessed by the Wootton family, during several reigns. In the thirty-second of Henry III. the church at Bubenhall, dedicated to St. Giles, being a prebend belonging to the cathedral of Lichfield, was granted there¬ to by Roger, then prior of Coventry. It has a curacy of the yearly value of £ 10. in the patronage of the prebend. BAGINTON, Is a small village, situate three miles and a half, south by east, from Coventry. At the time of the Norman survey, it was possessed by Turchill de Warwick, in which it is recorded by the name of Babechintone. Baginton previous to the con¬ quest appears by “ The Leiger book of Stoneley, to have belonged to that lord- ship; of which there can be no doubt; for upon the confirmation made of the church of Stoneley to the canons of Kenilworth in the time of Henry II. Bath- kinton is there included as a chapell belonging thereto. And in the reign of King John, when Stoneley first became appropriate to the priory of Kenilworth, a pen¬ sion of 22$. was granted to it yearly, by the bishop out of this chapell .” The pos¬ terity of Turchill-de-Warwick were not permitted to enjoy any of their father’s inheritance, in consequence of the severity of William the Conqueror to the Eng¬ lish nobles:—but it appears to have been given with Ryton by Henry I. to Sir Henry-de-Arden, knight, whose father, Siward-de-Arden son of Turchill, was aHowed by that monarch to hold it. Sir Henry-de-Arden, a descendant of the above, with the consent of Olivia his wife and William his son, “ Batchintone, which was then held by lloger-de-Wirenhall of his father and himself, was granted to Felicia his sister ; to hold to her and her heirs by the service of a sour hawk yearly, in consideration of which, she gave him a gold ring.” In the thirty-second of Henry III. the Baginton estate came by inheritance to William-le-Savage, rector of Newton, whose brother, Robert-le-Savage, then steward to the nuns of Polesworth, gave certain rents issuing from lands in Frese- ley, “ For maintenance of the lights belonging to the chapel of our blessed lady, in that monastery, by reason of his purpose to be buried there (as was Petronhill his brother); and that there was a special indulgence of twenty days penance af- Hive K4DJLJMIOV0 THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 139 forded by Brandanus, bishop of Ardagh, in the year 1253, to all those of what diocese whatsoever that should say three pater-nosters, and as many ave’s, for the health of his the said Robert and Petronh ill’s souls.” At the time when the barons were united in rebellion against Henry III. this manor and estate was in the possession of Thomas-de-Ednesour, who being one of that nunnery, the lands were confiscated and given to Philip Marmion, lord of Tam-worth, by virtue of a decree called Dictum de Kenilworth, and in the reign of Edward I. was certified to be “ lord of this manor, then held of Thomas-de- Arden by the service of half a knight’s fee; having in his demesne one carucat, one yard land, and four acres, a water-mill and grove containing one acre of land and a half, with a park of four acres. As also twelve villains* holding four yard land and a half, in bond service, eleven freeholders, occupying eleven and a half yard land and one acre, by certain rent and suit to his court at Bathkinton, and free warren; reserving to himself (the lord of the manor) the fishing in the river Avon on the one side, from Flintford bridge to the bounds of Stoneley, and also the fishing of Sow on the one side, from the lands belonging to the prior of Co¬ ventre , unto Bathkinton park.” And was also entitled to the court leet, gallows, assize of bread and beer, and all other things pertaining to such liberties, where- unto the said Thomas answered, that he used those privileges by virtue of a cer¬ tain cup that King Henry I. gave to Letitia the daughter of the said Siward-de- Arden, then his concubine. Baginton afterwards descended to Amicio, the wife of Sir Walter-de-Meriden, at whose death she married - de-Derley, whom she also survived ; “ and in the twentieth of Edward I. founded a chantry in the church at Bathkinton, en¬ dowing it with one carucat of land, and 30s. yearly rent; for which she obtained a licence from the king, and of William Brandanus, then earl of Warwick, the priest to serve there, being to sing mass daily for the health of her soul, and the souls of her ancestors and successors; and for the souls of the said William Beau¬ champ, Maud his wife, and their children, and of all the faithful deceased. And also gave one acre and a half of land, one rood, and three selions, lying in this lordship, to one Richard Deverell and his heirs; to provide for her and her heirs, two torches to be burning daily, at the high altar in the church at Bathkinton , at the elevation of the host; as also, to find one lamp burning at all divine exercises in her chapel there for ever.” Baginton hall is situated about three miles distant from Coventry, on the north east.—In the reign of Richard II. the manor of Baginton was possessed by Sir • Men who had violated the laws of their country, who were doomed to work for the lord of the manor for life, by way of punishment for the offences they had committed. CHAP. IX. Ancient Tenures and Cus¬ toms. Jlaginton Hall. 140 HISTORY OF book i. William Bagot, who had here a castellated residence. This Sir William Bagot was a firm adherent to his misguided king, (from whom Baginton took its name). But when it was intended, in the year 1397, that a trial at arms should take place between the dukes of Hereford and Norfolk, the former nobleman lodged in this building; and hence he issued, on the morning of projected contest, armed at all points, and mounted upon his white courser, “ barded with blue and green vel¬ vet gorgeously embroidered with swans and antelopes of goldsmith’s work.” These hardy champions were not permitted to engage in combat; their spears were mea¬ sured and found of equal length, but the contest was prohibited by royal author¬ ity, and both noblemen were banished. Of the castle thus connected with scenes of important chivalry there is now no remaining part, except a solitary piece of masonry that merely guides the enquirer to the site where the edifice once stood. In the sixteenth of James I. the estate was purchased by William Bromley, Esq. and left by him to his family, which long flourished on the spot. Among those who took arms in behalf of Charles I. we find the name of William Bromley, son of the original purchaser of Baginton ; the grandson of that gentleman, was the secretary Bromley, one of the most honest and able servants of queen Anne. A memorable circumstance, appertaining to the residence under notice, proves the high esteem in which the secretary was held. In the year 1706, the family seat of Baginton was reduced to the ground by fire. Intelligence of this calamity was conveyed to the owner while attending his duty in the House of Commons, when a considerable sum was immediately voted by parliament towards a restora¬ tion of the structure. The mansion erected subsequent to this catastrophe, is of a description suited to a country gentleman of the best order ; capacious, but devoid of ostentation, and adapted to all the purposes of hospitality. In different parts of the house are some interesting family pictures, among which is a full length portrait of the secretary; and in the library are some curious original let¬ ters, several of which are by royal hands ; and also a fine collection of Greek and Roman classics. The estate is possessed, and the mansion occupied, by Mrs. Price, a descendant of this ancient and respectable family. Baginton church is dedicated to St. Giles, being a prebend belonging to the cathedral of Lichfield ; it was granted to this church by Roger, prior of Coven¬ try, in the thirty-second of Henry III. It has a curacy of the yearly value of of.' 10. Patron the prebendary. I THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 141 CHAPTER X. I KIRBY DIVISION, Contains the following parishes, hamlets, and townships; Allesley; Arley ; Bedworth ; Binley, with the liberty of Eansford ; Brandon and Bretford (ham¬ let); Brinklow; Bulkington ; Burton Hastings; Combe Fields, or Combe Ab¬ bey; Copston (hamlet); Coundon ; Easenhall (hamlet); Harborough Magna; Monks Kirby; Paliton (hamlet); Shilton; Sow (part of) ; Stretton Baskerville; Stretton-under-Foss, and Newbold Revel (township) ; Wibtoft (hamlet); Wjl- lenhall (hamlet); Willey; Wolvey ; Whythebrook, with Hopsford. MONKS KIRBY, Is a parish of considerable importance, situate seven miles north north west from Rugby; and scarcely one mile from the Foss-way, comprising the following villages or hamlets, some of which are nearly depopulated, while others have at present a more respectable appearance than Kirby itself: viz. Brockhurst, Stretton, Stretton-under-Foss, Walton, Easenhall, Paliton, Ncw’oold Revel, Compton Magna, Ncwnham Padox, and Chester Over;—There are still to be traced remains of a Roman station here ; in digging the ground near the church, there have been discovered foundations of old walls, and Roman bricks; there are also remaining three or four heaps of earth, in an adjoining pasture, which appear to have been monuments of sepulchre in those days. From these traces of antiquity, it is ge¬ nerally considered by historians and antiquarians, that the Romans constructed here a place of entertainment for their troops when on the march. Previous to the Conquest, the name of this place was written Crichbyrig; and is written in Doomsday-book, Crichberye. Cyric, an ancient Saxon word, after¬ wards called kirk, (at the present day church) and byrig in the Saxon, equal to the old English word, lye, signifying a habitation or dwelling-place. This, and many other parts of Warwickshire, anciently belonged to Lenvinus, a Saxon, CHAP. X. Ancient Names. 142 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Charter to hold Fair and Mar¬ ket. Lands, &c. seized. Priory, &c. seized again. previous to the Conquest, and was afterwards bestowed by William the Conque¬ ror, upon Geoffrey-de-Wrice, who bore a strong attachment to the monastery of St. Nicholas, founded at Angiers, in the year 1020; and by his deed, bearing date at Kirby, the twelfth year of King William, he gave to those monks both lands and tythes out of divers lordships in England, and in particular to the church of Kirby, which he rebuilt, and dedicated to the blessed Virgin and St. Dennis. These monks were induced by his munificence, to send part of their convent to Kirby, and to found a cell or alien priory of their order; from which circumstance the place was called Monks Kirby. This monastery being “amply endowed with lands, tythes, and other possessions the monks, in the fiftieth year of the reign of Henry III., obtained a charter from that monarch to hold a weekly market on Wednesday, with an annual fair, to commence on the eve of St. John, Baptist, for three days ; but in consequence of the Wednesday mar¬ ket being found inconvenient, it was changed to Tuesday, in the thirty-third year of the reign of Edward I. At this time they had free warren in their lands, with trial of malefactors, and weyfts, for which they paid five marks yearly to the king. In the reign of Edward I. all the lands and tenements belonging to the alien priories, in the counties of Warwick and Leicester, were seized by authority of that monarch, and were, by his precept, committed to Robert-de-Stowell, and Roger- de-Belgrave; and in the eighteenth year of his reign, were, on certain conditions and agreements, delivered to the prior of Kirby, with the monastery, and all other appendages belonging thereto. In this indenture of agreement, wheat was stated at 6^., a quarter, rye 5s., barley 3s., beans and peas 2 s. 8 d., swans 3s. 4 d., and ducks one penny each. In the fourteenth year of Edward III. a similar seizure was made by order of that monarch, who appointed secular persons to rule over the monks, which ap¬ pears to have annoyed them so much, that they executed a lease of all their lands &c. in this county, for the term of twenty-five years, to Sir Cannon Robsart; and, the superior House of Angiers, discovering they could no longer derive any ad¬ vantage from this institution, they gave up all their right, title, and interest there¬ to to Thomas Mowbray, earl of Nottingham, who, in the twentieth of Richard II. obtained permission from the crown to found a Carthusian monastery in Lin¬ colnshire, and also procured the king’s licence for the abbot and convent of St. Nicholas, to make over to him the revenues of this cell, or priory, in aid of such foundation, and it was accordingly annexed to that priory of Carthusian monks, with all the usual ceremonies “ to the honour of the visitation of the mother of God.” During the time this alien priory, &c. remained in the king’s hands, the annual rent for the same, paid into the exchequer, was £ 40.; but we find by Dugdale, THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 143 that an extent was levied on the estates belonging thereto, at which time they were valued at £ 220. 8s. 4 d. per annum. On the accession of Henry IV. to the crown, the alien priors began again to receive favour from this monarch, and were restored to their former possessions; but which they enjoyed only during this king’s reign, of which they were once more deprived in the next, and they were again bestowed upon the Carthusian monks of Angiers, with whom they continued, “ until the complete dissolution of those religious houses in the reign of Henry VIII.;'” by this monarch the manor of Monks Kirby, with the appur¬ tenances were granted to Charles, duke of Suffolk, from whose family it passed by purchase, to that of Basil, Lord Fielding, afterwards earl Denbigh, and in his descendant, the present earl of Denbigh, they still remain :—but the rectory, tithes, and rents, of certain lands in the adjacent villages, formerly belonging to the Carthusians, were also included in the endowment of Trinity college in Cam¬ bridge, by the said King Henry VIII. in the thirty-seventh year of his reign. The church is an ancient Gothic building, the tower of which was formerly sur¬ mounted with a spire of extraordinary height, which, in those remote times, served as a land-mark, and in consequence of its becoming out of repair, it was reduced about twenty feet, by the inhabitants, to save the expence of repairing it, which was done near two hundred years back. The population of Monks Kirby, including the hamlets belonging thereto, amounted to one thousand six hundred and fifty-nine, in the last return made to parliament, in 1821. Near Monks Kirby is Nezcmham Padox, the seat of the earl of Denbigh. This place is supposed to acquire the second and distinctive part of its appellation from its attached park. At different periods it was termed Newnham Juxta; Monks Kirby; Newnham Parva; and Cold Newnham. The estate was purchased by the family of Fielding, ancestors of the earl of Denbigh, in the reign of Henry VI. The mansion is substantial and commodious, with an ornamental wing pro¬ jecting on either side. The walls of various apartments are ornamented, with fa¬ mily portraits. The dependant grounds gain a high interest from their contiguity to the two great Roman roads, viz. the Watling Street, and the Fossway. The former lies to the north and east boundary ; and at the distance of four miles from Newn- ham, is High Cross, the presumed Benonoe of Antonius. Here the roads inter¬ sect each other, and on this spot a pillar was erected, in 1712, by Basil, carl of Denbigh, and some neighbouring gentlemen. chap. x. Newnham Padox. LU HISTORY OF BOOK I. ASTLEY'. This village, which consists of a few humble cottages and one ancient resi¬ dence of a more commanding character, is situate four miles to the north west of the town of Nuneaton. Previous to the conquest, this manor was held by Alsi, and afterwards by the earl of Melbut (who has been before noticed) ; at which time it was estimated at one hide, to which was attached very extensive w'oods. In Doomsday-book it is written Estleia, which is supposed to have originated from its easterly situation, and has, from course of years, become altered to the name of Astley. In the twelfth of King John, this manor and estate was held by Thomas Estley, wdio paid to that king a fine of one hundred marks, in lieu of his services in accompanying that king and his army to Ireland. The ancient family of Astley, the early branches of which were, with the vil¬ lage, called Estley, flourished for several reigns, and filled various and impor¬ tant offices. One of them, Nicholas-de-Astley, was created a knight in the fifth of Edward II. and in the time of his illustrious successor, Sir Thomas-de-Astley, nephew' of Sir Nicholas, obtained great credit “ for his noble actions of piety,” in having founded a chantry at the parish church, of one priest to sing mass daily, for his soul’s health, See. with divers other benefactions. This great man obtained authority to grant the advowson of Astley church, “to the guardian and priests belonging to the chapel of our blessed lady therein the chantry of w'hich consisted of four secular priests; but the number became augmented two years afterwards, to seven priests and one clerk. About this time the said Sir Thomas-de-Astley was appointed to supervise the “ ninth sheaf, land and wool, for this county, granted to the king in parliament.” He afterwards obtained licence of the king to change these chantry priests into a dean and secular canons; and to grant to them and their successors, the perpetual patronage of the church of Hill Morton. He also caused to be erected “ a fair and beautiful collegiate church in the form of a cross, which was dedicated to the assumption of the blessed Virgin,” the tower of which was surmounted with a fine tall spire covered with lead. The said Sir Thomas’s son, Sir William-de-Astley, was in the eighth of Ri¬ chard II. retained to serve that king in an expedition which he then personally made into France, “ with three archers well armed and fitted for the war, receiv¬ ing for himself, l.s, per diem, besides the accustomed reward ; viz. in proportion, three hundred marks, for thirty men at arms, by the quarter; and for every one of his archers, (id. per diem ; of which he was to receive a quarter’s pay in hand; and to have the benefit of all such prisoners as himself or his archers should take. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 145 except he or they were fortunate enough to take the King of France himself, or any of his sons, or captains general; any of those that acted in, or were concern¬ ed in the murder of John, duke of Bourgoine.” The chivalric and far-famed John-de-Astley, a descendant of the above ancient family, residing at Patshull, in Staffordshire, on the twenty-ninth of August, 1438, had a combat on horseback with Peter Masse, a Frenchman, when he pierced the helmet of the latter, which, according to agreement, was thereby for¬ feited, and the vanquished knight banished. The helmet, conformably to the customs of chivalry, he presented to his lady. This valiant challenger, three years after the above, had another combat with Sir Philip Boyle, an Arragonian knight, at Smithfield, in London, in the presence of King Henry VI., which was per¬ formed on foot with battle axes, spears, swords, and daggers. In consequence of the victory this valiant challenger obtained over his adver¬ sary, at Smithfield, he gained such great favour with the king, that his ma¬ jesty conferred the honour of knighthood on him, with an annual pension of one hundred marks for life ; and was also elected a knight of the garter.* Sir William-de-Astley, who was the eldest son of the founder of the collegiate church before mentioned, was at various times in commission for the preservation of the peace. In the third of Henry IV. he was delegated to enquire about, “ the disturbers of the laws, and the framers of lies.”—He left issue only one daughter, by whom his inheritance passed to the Greys-de-Ruthyn. For many successive years, in the reigns of Edward I. II. and III., several members of the Astley fa¬ mily were summoned to parliament, as barons, and the posterity of Joan, the heir of Astley, by Reginald Lord Grey-de-Ruthyn, resided occasionally at Astley castle: a considerable portion of this ancient structure still remains, and the grounds surrounding it being tastefully laid out and kept in good order, render this once magnificent pile of building, still a handsome and grand mansion. The family of the Astley’s were succeeded by Sir John Grey, who married a daughter of the Lord Rivers, who survived him, and was afterwards married to King Edward IV. ; the said Sir John was slain in the battle of St. Albans, leav¬ ing issue, one son only, Sir Thomas Grey, who was created Marquis Dorset, by the king, his father-in-law.' He is>said to have been dispossessed of Astley lord- ship, in the turbulent days o? Richard III., and to have been restored to its pos¬ session in the first year of Henry VII. This nobleman by his will, bequeathed his body to be buried in his closet, in the collegiate church here, before the image of the blessed trinity. He also or- * It is thought probable that at the battle of Cressy, a garter was employed some way, as the signal of battle ; and hence this distinction of the knights, became not only a symbol of their union, but a comme¬ moration of that victory. CHAIh X. U 146 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Conspiracy, to seat Lady Jane Grey on the t throne. dered, “ that his executors should cause to be said for the benefit of his soul, in every of the four orders of friars in London, an hundred masses by the friars in each place, with as much haste as might be after his decease. And that one hun¬ dred marks should be disposed of in alms to poor people at his burial. Likewise, that the hospital of Lutterw’orth, in Leicestershire, of his patronage, to be appro¬ priated to the said college of Astley, if the dean and his brothers, or their succes¬ sors, should obtain such appropriation to be lawfully made within three years after his decease; to the intent that they should specially pray for the souls of his fa¬ ther-in-law, King Edward IV. and Queen Elizabeth his consort, and all Christian souls.” On the death of this marquis he was succeeded by his son Thomas, who took his father’s title and estate, who caused great improvements to be made, by laying out thirty acres of wood and pasture for a park, called the little park ; and en¬ larged the great park with ninety acres of land, in the twelfth of Henry VII. ta¬ ken from the side towards Arley, and which was, in consequence, termed Arley land. He directed in his will, that he should be buried in Astley church, near his father, appointing his mother’s will to be observed for the maintenance of two priests, in the chapel there; and also, “ that his executors should, with all speed and diligence, after the payment of his debts, &c., build a chapel here at Astley, according to the will of his father, with a goodly tombe over his lather and mo¬ ther, and another tombe in the middle of the chancel, where he himself desired to be buried; and that they should build an alms-house for thirteen poor men, to be nominated by her executors during their lives, and thenceforward by his heirs; each of them to receive for his maintenance 12d. per week, with a livery of black cotton, value 4s. yearly.” This nobleman was succeeded in title and estate by his son, Henry, who mar¬ ried Frances the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, by Mary, Queen of France, and in consequence of his wife’s tw r o brothers dying without issue, was raised to the dukedom of Suffolk, by her right. The said Henry, duke of Suffolk, had issue by his wife Frances, three daugh¬ ters only, the eldest, Jane, married a son of the duke of Northumberland ; the second, Katherine, married a son of the earl of Pembroke, from whom she was divorced, and was subsequently married to the earl of Hertford ; and Mary the youngest, married Martin Keys sergeant-porter to Queen Elizabeth. On the death of Edward VI. the duke of Suffolk united with the duke of Northumberland, in an endeavour to seat his daughter, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne, and in consequence of their failing in this attempt, the duke of Northum¬ berland, as being propogator of the scheme, lost his head. A short time after¬ wards, the duke of Suffolk, hearing of Queen Mary’s intention to marry Philip I THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 147 of Spain, son of the emperor Charles V., issued proclamations in this county, chap. x. and in Leicestershire, tending to incense the people against that union, which proved the presage of persecution and blood. The earl of Huntingdon was sent with a superior force against him, and the duke, forsaken on all sides, secreted himself for some time in the neighbourhood of his castle in a hollow tree, placing himself under the care of one Underwood, a keeper of his park at Astley ; who, under the promise of a reward, betrayed the duke, who was shortly afterwards carried to London and beheaded on Tower hill. His duchess, afterwards mar- Duke of ried Adrian Stokes, Esq., who held this lordship during her life, as a part of her headed. be " dowry. The church of Astley, is still a building of some interest, though deprived of more than half its original extent, and otherwise much humbled in pretensions (as will be seen in the following particulars). By Thomas-de-Astley, in the reign of Edward III. a chantry was first founded in this church; and afterwards the same baron procured a licence from the king, for changing the chantry priests into a dean and secular canons. Having thus rendered the building collegiate, he pro¬ ceeded to erect a new church, in the form of a cross, with a spire so lofty that it acted as a landmark, in the then deep woodlands of this district, and was popu¬ larly termed the lanthorn of Arden. Succeeding lords confirmed and enlarged his bounty; and the structure made progressive advances in magnitude and de¬ coration. Many of the noble owners of the manor, chose this church, as their place of burial, and several chapels were added by the zeal of their well-intended piety. The work of demolition commenced in the reign of Queen Mary, and was guided by the person above mentioned, to whom the duchess of Suffolk was mar¬ ried, which he commenced by causing the tall and costly spire made of timber, together with the battlements all covered with lead, to be pulled clown : and also the two side aisles, and a handsome chapel adjoining, called St. Ann’s chapel, the roofs of which were also leaded, and the steeple being exposed to the wet, it soon decayed, so that, about the year 1600, it fell to the ground, with a great por¬ tion of the church. The manor and estate, with the church of Astley, falling to the crown in conse¬ quence of the conduct and death of the duke of Suffolk, (which has previously been noticed) was granted by Queen Mary, to the father of Richard Chamberlain, Esq. who was the lord of this manor, at the time Astley church became so nearly destroyed. This gentleman, with the aid of some contributions, began, about the year 1607, to rebuild the tower; but instead of doing this, he took away all the west part of the church, making that which was the choir, the body of the church, and raising the present chancel from the materials of the chapel which stood on the north side. 148 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Portrait of the factious Duke of Suffolk. At that time several of the monuments were removed and defaced, among which were those of Thomas Grey, Marquis Dorset, and his lady, upon which were “ their statues in alabaster, exquisitely cut, and in the vault beneath them, their bodies; that of the marquis embalmed, and wrapt in cerecloth with many doubles, in a coffin of lead, which was then opened, and the remains of that nobleman, was found entire and free from any seeming corruption, as though he had been but newly dead.” The ancient choir is now the body of the church, on each side of which are eight stalls, with painted figures of saints, and scrolls containing sen¬ tences of scripture. On the north side of the west end are the alabaster effigies, on an altar tomb, of a warrior and a lady,—at the feet of the former is a lion: on the opposite side is an altar tomb, with the mutilated figure of a lady in a recumbent posture ; but neither of these have any inscription. At the west end is a square tower chiefly rebuilt in 1608, and the chancel is marked with the same date. This church is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a curacy valued in the king’s books of £ 10. per annum. Patron,-- Newdigate, Esq. ASTLEY CASTLE. The ruins of this ancient structure are surrounded by a moat, and the remains of massy walls range along the whole inner edge. In some parts these fragments of wall are lofty, but on every side they are crumbled, by time and accident, into forms most favourable to picturesque effect, and are screened by over-hanging ever-green. The area within the walls is not extensive, and the larger portions of the mansion are probably not older than the time of Queen Mary, at which period, on the attainder of the duke of Suffolk, it. appears that the castellated building was dismantled. The court is entered by a stone-bridge with embattled parapets, through a painted gateway richly clad with ivy. The building has an embattled parapet at the top, and the windows, of dissimilar shapes, are divided into numerous lights by heavy mullions of stone. The apartments are of fair proportions, but are marked by the cold and gloomy air so frequent in structures of the sixteenth century. In a window of the hall, and in panels of other rooms, are armorial paintings ; and in one parlour is preserved, a portrait of the factious and turbulent duke of Suffolk. This piece is meanly executed, but is curious as it has never been engraved, and we are not aware that any other portrait of this nobleman exists; he is represented with a ruff round the neck, a long narrow beard and a high crowned hat; the countenance is somewhat saturnine, and in¬ dicates habitual reserve. In the hall are shewn a heavy inlaid table, and a rude cumbrous chair, which are said to have belonged to the duke. V.F.MANS JUNE 20* 1819 BROMSGROVE S? BIRMINGHAM THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 149 CHAP. X. ARBtJRY HALL, Is situate about two miles from Astley, and is the seat of F. P. Newdigate, Esq. This mansion was raised on the ruins of an old priory, and is indebted to the tasteful exertions of the late Sir Roger Newdigate, Bart, for such improve¬ ments as render it a most elegant specimen of the compendious Gothic style. The house is seated in the midst of an extensive park, well wooded and adorned with artificial expanses of water, and the approach on the north is through a magnificent avenue of trees. The exterior of the building is entirely cased with stone, and each front presents a separate design of architectural beauty, though all are con¬ sistent in general character. Sir Roger commenced his task of alteration on a large square house, where the reception of numbers was chiefly studied. The whole range of principal apart¬ ments is finished in the most costly style, and combines a selection of the more beautiful parts of Gothic architecture, made with exquisite taste. The ceiling of the dining room is enriched with pendant ornaments, and supported by taper pil¬ lars ; in niches, delicately canopied, are placed good casts from the antique; and, in a recess at the farther end, is inserted the top of a sarcophagus brought by Sir Roger Newdigate from Rome, on which is sculptured the marriage of Bacchus and Ariadne. The drawing room is of moderate but pleasing proportions, and ornamented in a style peculiarly chaste: every use is here made of the wild and prolific genius of Gothic designers, with such corrections as occur to the cri¬ tical taste, that perceives their errors by comparison : inserted in the pannels of this room, are five whole length family portraits; and different armorial bearings are introduced, on small shields, in the tracery work of the ceiling. The fine bay window of the saloon, looks into the gardens, which are extensive and disposed with much elegance : the cieling of this apartment is elaborately worked, in imi¬ tation of that of King Henry VIl.’s chapel. In a room adjoining, is the picture presented, to Sir Roger Newdigate, by Sir John Astley from Astley castle, in 1773, when it was in a state of decay, through age; but it was restored by the skilful hand of an artist, previous to being placed in the spot it now occupies. This curious painting commemorates the achievements of John-de-Astley; it is comprised in two central compartments, and four smaller divisions on each side, the combats of John-de-Astley with Beter-de-Masse, in Faris, and with Boyle, in London, are represented in the two larger divisions, and the others describe the interesting passages connected with them : this production affords an interesting specimen of the costume and manners of that chivalrous age. It has previously been remarked, that the truly splendid alterations of Harbury hall, were effected Ancient painting of the achieve¬ ments of John-de- Astley. 150 HISTORY OF BOOK J. Temple house Farm. Brockhurst. Street-As¬ ton. Stretton- imder-Foss Walton. Easenhull. Pailton. under the direction of Sir Roger Newdigate. The chapel remains untouched by the tasteful hand of the improver. The apartment dedicated to religious pur¬ poses by the original builders of the mansion, is of fair proportion, and is embel¬ lished with some carving by Gibbon. In the picture gallery, and in several other parts of this mansion, are many good casts from the antique. The late Sir Roger Newdigate, Bart, was a distinguished ornament of the county in which he passed his best days. His education was completed at Uni¬ versity college, Oxford ; and lie retained through life a warm attachment to the scene of Ins youthful studies, and was a constant friend to the learned institution, on which he reflected so much honour. He was an officer in the Warwickshire militia, when first that regiment was established, and was, through many sessions, a representative in parliament of the university of Oxford. His discharge of the duties of a magistrate was exemplary, and most beneficial to his neighbourhood: the improvements of canal navigation, and every other work connected with the interest of the county of Warwick, met with judicious patronage from his hand. In manners, Sir Roger Newdigate was the true English country gentleman of the ancient school; simple, benevolent, and urbane. He died at Harbury hall, beloved by all his equals, and respected by every dependant, in the year 1806, at the ad¬ vanced age of eighty-eight; and was interred at Harefield, in Middlesex. At a short distance from Harhury park, is a farm called temple house. The building was formerly surrounded by a moat, and in the front are still, the re¬ mains of a lofty painted window, which is the only principal relic of this ancient building. Attached to the Newdigate estate is a nondescript extent of manor, of St. John’s of Jerusalem, for which the present proprietor, regularly deputes a keeper. Brockhurst, (commonly called Brox) is in the parish of Monks Kirby, and takes its name from its situation, being on a hurst or bank, by the side of a brook, which runs a little eastward from the church. Street-Aston, called also, Streetation, lies eastward from the Foss, commonly called the Street, from whence it derives its name. Stretton-under-Foss, has its name also from the street below which it lies, and was originally a member of Newbold Revel. Walton, is a small hamlet, of which it is recorded in the nineteenth of Edward I. “ that the prior of Kirby had four carucats of land here,” which shared the same fate as the others, at the dissolution. Easenhull, commonly called Easenhall, takes its name from its situation, east¬ ward from Monks Kirby, and was originally a member of Newbold Revel. Pailton, which is written in Dugdale, Paylington, is seven miles from Rugby. In the first of Edward IV. there were four messuages, and four carucats of land, THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 1/51 within the precincts of this village, which had afterwards the name of a manor. A few years back there were in this village, eighty-four houses, and three hundred and eighty-nine inhabitants, both of which have increased considerably. Newbold Revel, was anciently part of the possessions of Lenvinus, a Saxon. In Doomsday-book it is written Fent Newbold, and was certified to have contained eight hides. Its great extent, and the fact of its possession having gone with that of Stretton-under-Foss, Easenhull and Pailton, induced Dugdale to suppose those places were formerly united with it. In the twelfth of Henry II. it was reputed as a member of Wappenbury ; the owners of Wappenbury having been lords of this manor. From Thomas-de- YVappenbury, it descended to Revell, and from Revell, to Mallory, both families of distinction. Newbold Revel has been depopulated for centuries past, and con¬ sists now, of only one house, which is a handsome brick building called Newbold- hall, the seat of Lady Skipwith. Copston Magna, or great Copston (to distinguish it from Copston Fields, once a hamlet called Copston Parva, in the parish of Wolvey), owes its name to one Copst, who possessed it in the time of the Saxons. All the information we can find relative to this almost depopulated hamlet, is comprised in our account of Monks Kirby. Chester Over, was anciently, a considerable village, containing many houses; but in Dugdale, it is described as having been “ long depopulated,” and re¬ duced to only one house, which was the manor house, at that time a poor mean building, 'l'his solitary house, notwithstanding, has been repaired, and subse¬ quently occupied by several graziers, since that time. This village, in the time of Edward III. was possessed by Sir Robert de Wavre, who was a great bene¬ factor to the monks of Combe, to whom he gave a yard land, common of pasture for one hundred sheep, twenty-four beasts, and thirty hogs; and also, for twenty- two marks of silver, he gave them ninety-six acres of land in this village, with his body to be buried in that monastery ; appointing the same solemnity to be performed for his death, as for a monk of that convent. This manor and estate passed from the family of Wavre, in consequence of their becoming much reduced, until Henry (a descendant, who was citizen and draper, and afterwards alderman of London) “ resolved to restore this ancient estate of his progenitors; and in the sixth of Edward IV. he obtained a patent from the king, to rebuild it with turrets and walls embattled ; and to enclose five hundred acres of land and pasture, with twenty acres of wood for a park ; al¬ so, to hold a court leet here, with free warren and fishing, in all his demesne lands thereto belonging. This wealthy alderman enjoyed the estate during his life, and at his demise bequeathed it, with others, to his son Harry. At the dis- chap. x. Newbold Revel. Newbold Hall. Copston Magna. Chester Over. 152 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Cloudiley Bush. Willey. Wibtoft. Anciently a Roman city. solution it was seized by the crown, and in the thirty seventh of Henry VIII,, it was sold, by order of his majesty, to Sir Fluke Greville, who possessed it during his life, in whose family, and their legal representatives, it remained for many years. Cloudsley Bush. On the west side of the Foss-road, stands a heap of earth, similar to that upon Knightlow hill. A bush is now growing upon it, which serves as a mark : it having been the place of burial of a Roman soldier, of the name of Claudius, from whom this place derives its name. Willey is a small village on the Watling-street road, seven miles north by west from Rugby, and three from Lutterworth. In the twenty-sixth of Henry II., Ro¬ bert de Wilega paid three marks, to have a trial in the king’s court, against Si- mon-de-Verdon, for this village; and, in the thirty-eighth of Henry III., there was a trial between Roger Herdeburgh and the abbot of Preaux, in Normandy, concerning the right claimed by the abbot, upon Willey church, on account of the cell at Warmington, founded by the earl of Warwick, which was subordinate lo the monastery of Preaux: this suit was decided in favour of the abbot. In the time of Queen Elizabeth this manor was possessed by Robert Winter, and Henry Leigh, Esqs. after which it was sold in lots to various persons. It now be¬ longs to the earl of Denbigh, under whose authority a court leet is held here. The church is dedicated to St. Leonard, and is a rectory valued at £ 8 65. 9 Jd. Patron, the king. Wibtoft is also a small village in this county, and in the division and hundred now under notice, and lies in the parish of Claybrook, in Leicestershire. It has an ancient chapel dedicated “ to the assumption of our Lady.” Previous to the Conquest, it belonged to Ulfric Spot, founder of Burton abbey in Staffordshire. In the time of William the conqueror it was written Wibetot—Willey at that time belonged to it. In the ancient time of the Romans, a flourishing city stood on the site of the present village, called Cleychester, of which, scarcely a vestige was to be found in the time Dugdale wrote, “ the very foundations having been, for the most part, turned up by the plough and spade; and large stones, Roman bricks, with ovens and wells ; coins of silver and brass, mixed with its ruins, have of late, frequently been discovered ; the earth so far as it extends, being of a darker colour than the rest of the surrounding lands, and of such richness, that great quantities of it have been earned by the farmers and others to distant lands, as manure, it being found to possess those qualities.” On crossing the two great roads—Watling-street and the Foss,—is High Cross, an eminent cross, which the country people called by that name, having anciently been erected there. About the end of the seventeenth century, a pole onJv bear- THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 15 3 ing that inscription, stood on the spot; but, in 1712 a pillar was erected on the same place by Basil, earl of Denbigh, and some other gentlemen of the neigh¬ bourhood. This is presumed by Camden, to be the Benonce of Antonius. WOLVEY. This place is situate five miles and a half south east by cast, from Nuneaton. In the time of Edward the Confessor, it was possessed by Alricus, and after the Norman invasion, by Robert-de-Veci, and is certified, in Doomsday-book, to con¬ tain five hides and a half, valued at T2. 10s., there being at that time a church ; it is therein written Ulveia, taking its name originally from Ulf or Wolf, one of its Saxon possessors. It was here that king Edward IV., being surprised by the earl of Warwick, was carried away prisoner to Middleham castle in Yorkshire. In the time of Henry II. it belonged to the earl of Warwick, who disposed of it to Robert Basset, of Rushton in Northamptonshire, who was a great benefac¬ tor to the monks of Combe, having purchased and given a great part of Binley to that monastery, with an hundred acres of other land in this lordship, which grant was confirmed by his son Reginald, who was equally devoted to the monks of Combe and Kirby; and in addition to the above grant, made by his father, he gave pasture to these monks for five hundred sheep upon Wolvey heath; and also bestowed on these monks the church of St. John, Baptist, at Wolvey, with all the lands, tithes, &c. thereto belonging. “ To the monks of Kirbv he gave common of pasture, upon Wolvey heath ; viz. for their draught oxen at Cop- stone, with five kine and a bull ; and to their tenants of that village, common of pasture upon the same heath for all kinds of cattle, as also twenty loads of heath and fern yearly, to be cut upon the same heath for the use of those monks ; with liberty to their tenants at Copstone, to get heath and fern yearly for the space of fifteen days before Christmas, and for eight days before Easter, subject to the performance of certain services, which was afterwards released to them, for the health of his soul, and the souls of his father and mother, &c.” The said Reginald died at Wolvey without leaving any lawful issue ;—leaving his two sisters, whose issue became his heirs:—Yew-de-Dene, and Robert-de- Leicester, the former of which gave to the monks of Combe, u pasturage for their horses and oxen that were employed in tillage; and likewise for twelve kine and a bull in all places within Wolvey, with liberty for them to dig turf yearly, with two men for six days ; and also his mill here, with the pool below his manor house, and the course of water thereto, excepting all the fish and eels, of which the monks were to have one half. And afterwards, in further testimony of his chap. x. Edward IV. taken prisoner. X 154 HISTORY OF BOOK I. A Hermit appointed to the ancient Hermitage, on Wolvey heath. bounty, gave them his manor house, and the whole lordship of Wolvey, with the homage and services of all his tenants; which grants were confirmed by his only son, Nicholas-de-Dene; and Richard-de-Harcurt, the then superior lord of the fee, also ratified and confirmed those grants, by which means the monks of Combe and Kirby became possessed of the whole manor or lordship of Wolvey, which in the twentieth of Henry III. and twentieth of Edward III., answered for a whole knight’s fee; they claimed in the thirteenth of Edward I. a court leet, and other privileges therein, which was allowed them, and in the eighteenth of the same reign obtained a charter of free warren of all their demesne lands. And in the nineteenth of Edward II., the like for a mercate (market) every week on Wed¬ nesday, with an annual fair for three days; viz. the eve of St. Mark the Evan¬ gelist, and the following days.” Sir Thomas-de-Wolvey owned a considerable estate there, (exclusive of the possessions of the monks of Wolvey), whose de¬ scendant, Alice, the wife of Giles-de-Astley, who survived her husband, founded a chantry in the seventeenth of Edward III. “ in the chapel of our Lady within the parish church.” She left issue, only one son, Thomas, Lord Astley, who on her death, came into possession of all his father’s estates, upon which he gave to the prior and convent of Erdburg, and their successors, one messe and thirty-six acres of land, lying therein, towards the maintenance of a canon in that monastery, to sing mass daily for the good estate of him, the said Thomas and Elizabeth his wife; and of the said Alice-de-Wolvey, and Andrew-de-Astley, whilst they lived ; as also for the health of their souls after their departure; and for the souls of their heirs and ancestors, and all the faithful deceased. This estate descended to William Lord Astley, who gave it to Giles his bro¬ ther, and Katherine his wife, subject to the payment of a grain of wheat to the said William and his heirs. The said Giles, in the eighteenth of Richard II., with the consent of the abbot of Combe, admitted William-de-Scregham to the hermitage on Wolvey heath, “ there to live a hermetical life in the service of God, and to pray for the souls of him the said Giles, his ancestors, and all the founders and benefactors of the said monastery of Combe.” When this hermitage was first founded, we cannot decidedly ascertain, but it seems, that it stood in a solitary place upon Wolvey heath, which, long before that time, had been inha¬ bited by hermits. In the first of Henry V. there was an award made by Reginald Grey, Lord Hastings, Weysford, Ruthin, and Richard Crosby, prior of Coventry, upon cer¬ tain differences, which were at that time betwixt the abbot of Combe, and the be¬ fore mentioned Giles, touching the bounds of their lands .on Wolvey heath, and concerning common of pasture, which the said Giles challenged in these one hun¬ dred acres of land, granted long before to the monks of Combe, by Robert Bas- THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 155 set and Reginald his son (as before stated) ; and also concerning the sole presen¬ tation to the said hermitage, and common of pasture upon that heath ; by which arbitrators it was determined, that the said abbot and Giles should present to the hermitage in common, and hold all the said heath in common, except the above- mentioned one hundred acres of land. Little Copston, in the parish of Wolvey, is now, and was in the time of Dug- dale, a depopulated place, and is now known only by the name of Copston fields. Its name was originally derived from Copst, the name of the owner in the time of the Saxons. In the lime of Henry III. it was in the possession of Thomas- de-Astley, who was slain in the battle of Evesham ; and after which his lands were confiscated, but were afterwards restored to his son, Andrew-de-Astley, from whom they passed to the monks of Combe, in consideration of three hundred and twenty marks sterling, which he received of them to redeem his lands, which had been so forfeited. These monks, in the eighteenth of Edward I., obtained a char¬ ter of free warren in all their lands here, which continued in their possession till the dissolution. WITHYUHOOK, Is situate eight miles north east by east from Coventry ; and derives its name from the brook that runs near it. There is no mention of this place in Dooms¬ day-book, but it has been generally supposed to have formed at that time, a por¬ tion of Monks Kirby or Hopsford. In the seventh of King John, Nicholas Hulf, afterwards called Nicholaus-de-Withibroe, recovered the right of presenta¬ tion to the church, against the abbot of Combe. In the twenty-fifth of Henry III. there was an agreement entered into, between Nicholaus, on the one part, and the monks of Combe on the other, concerning the right of pasture and other matters. William de Castell succeeded him as lord of this manor, who was a great benefactor to the monks of Combe; and his son Nicholas-de-Castell, was at that time the king’s remembrancer in the exchequer. In the seventh of Ed¬ ward I., to him succeeded another William, who, in the thirteenth of that mo¬ narch’s reign, paid a fine of 40s. replevin, of his liberties at Withybrook, viz. court leet, and punishing breakers of the excise of bread and beer : this Wil¬ liam was sheriff to the county of Warwick. His successor, Robert-de-Castell, was sheriff of this county, in the twelfth of Henry IV., and its representative in parliament, in the second of Henry V. In the seventh of that reign, he was commissioned to treat with the people for a loan of money to the king ; and in the ninth, he again joined in commission for the peace in this county ; being in the mean time steward for the manor of Cheylesmere in Coventry. CHAP. X. Copston Fields, an¬ ciently a village, &c. 156 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Hopsford. In what manner the lordship passed from this family, does not appear; but in the eighth of Henry IV. it was in the possession of Thomas Copsworth, by Wil¬ liam Botner, of Coventry, a man of considerable property, who settled at Withy- brook, and was made a magistrate for the county the same year. This gentle¬ man gave a piece of land in Coventry, one hundred and forty-one feet long, and forty-five feet broad, to the friars Carmelites there, for the enlargement of their house, on condition, “ that they should keep the anniversary of John Percy, and Alice his wife, deceased, for ever.” In the twelfth of Henry VI., this gentleman is mentioned as one of those who took the oath of observance of divers articles ordained in the parliament then held. By a composition made between the monks of Combe and Kirby, and the in¬ cumbent of Withybrook, it was settled that the monks of Combe should receive all the tithes of those lands which they then held in Kirby and Withybrook, pay¬ ing to the prior and convent of Kirby, two marks of silver yearly. And for such lands as the monks of Combe should after that time obtain within the parishes of Kirby and Withybrook, they should pay to the monastery of Kirby their twelfth sheaf of corn. The priory of the monks of Kirby, was afterwards granted to the Carthusians, who, in the twenty-second of Richard 11 . obtained a licence for the appropriation of this church to them and their successors for ever. In the twen¬ ty-sixth of Henry VIII., the vicarage was valued at <£8. 6s. 8 d., the incumbent then receiving yearly, just so much in salary from the prior of Achlome. Patron, the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. Hopsford, in Doomsday-book, written Apleford, by mistake of the s, for 1 , and the h, omitted—that letter not being, in early times, regarded as essential, and consequently left out in writing. The manor of Hopsford was purchased for the small sum of £ § 12 . 3 s. 9 d., in the time of Henry VIII., and was at that time in the possession of Humphrey Wright, who resided in the manor house; and filled the office of justice of the peace, for this county, for several years in the reign cf Queen Elizabeth. SHILTON, Is situate within six miles of the ancient city of Coventry, previous to the Conquest, this place contained two hides of land, “ to which were attached, woods extending two furlongs in width, and one in breadth,” and is written in Dooms¬ day-book, Scelftone. This village formerly belonged to the parish of St. Michael, in Coventry, and the chapel was appropriated to the priory of Coventry. The inhabitants of this village were not permitted to bury their dead here, but were THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 157 compelled to carry them to the mother church of St. Michael’s, at Coventry. The chapel is dedicated to St. Andrew. Patron, the king. sow. This place is partly in the Kirby Division, and partly in the county of the city of Coventry, and is three miles distant from the latter. In the reign of Edward the Confessor, part of this village was given to the priory of Coventry, by earl Leofric the founder, which comprised “ one carucat of land, with a mile in demesne, and ten servants holding five yard land, subject to the performance of certain services. As also, thirteen freeholders, who held twelve yard land, subject to the payment of an annual rent, and doing suit at the prior’s court twice in the year for all services ; and also the royalty of eighty acres of out wood, in which all the freeholders were to have house lot,* and hey- lot.*f- And moreover the chapel appropriate, with half an acre of land adjoining thereto, which said appropriation was made by Roger-de-Meuland, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, whereby it appears to have been appurtenant to the church of St. Michael, in Coventry ; but the greater tithes, viz. corn, hay, wood, and of the mill, the prior held in his own hands ; the small tithes being allowed to the priest that served the cure there, who bad also a house adjoining the church¬ yard, and ten acres of glebe, subject to the pleasure of the prior. In addition to the above they had a manor house, court leet, gallows, pillory, ducking- stool, felon’s goods, as also power to punish the breakers of the assize of bread and beer. This proportion was in the year 1604, with the manor house, in the possession of Alexander Lapworth, whose grandfather obtained it by purchase of Sir John, afterwards Lord Harrington. Other parts of this village were held, in the time of Edward I., by the family of Loges, to whom they were granted by that king, having been previously forfeited to the crown by a former possessor, William-de- Crock, who suffered for felony, Five tenements were held by Hugh-de-Loges, of the earl of Chester, “ by the service of conducting the said earl towards the king’s court, through the midst of the forest of Tanck ; meeting him at Rothford-bridge, upon notice of his coming, and at Hopwas-bridge upon his return; the king giving unto Loges at each time he should so attend him, a barbed arrow.” In the time of Henry III., Hugh-de-Loges granted to William Bagot and his chap. x. Ancient te¬ nures, &c. * Liberty to cut wood for firing. + Liberty to cut gTMS, and make hay, for their own eattk. 156 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Wcston-in Arden. heirs, all his lands in Sow, to hold of him, “ by the payment of a pair of white gloves value one penny, or one penny in money, at the feast of St. Michael, yearly, for all serviceswhich grant was- subsequently confirmed by the king, but was afterwards set aside on the proof, by Richard*de-Lcges his son, that his father was not compos mentis, at the time of executing the deed. Thus recovered, it was settled on the widow of Richard-de-Loges, who held in dowry, “ certain lands here by pettit-serjeantry ; viz. giving to the king one barbed arrow as often as he should pass through the road-way in Sow, towards Wales to hunt there.” The church is dedicated to St. Mary; the living of which is in the gift of the crown. BULKINGTON, Is an extensive parish, situate four miles from Nuneaton, and five from Coven¬ try, containing the following hamlets; viz. Weston-in-Arden, R.yton, Bramcote, Wolvershill, Merston Jabet, and Barnacle. In Doomsday-book it is called Bo- chintone. In the seventeenth of Edward I., it was in the possession of John-de- Boys, at whose death it descended to his brother, William, who afterwards set¬ tled this manor upon William de-la-Zouch and Maud his wife, in whose family it continued for several generations. Bulkington Church is dedicated to St. James, and, about the year 1143, was granted to the abbey of Leicester, with two yard land called the glebe. The rectory was granted by Queen Elizabeth, in the thir¬ ty-third year of her reign, to the free-school of Uppingham, in the county of Rutland. Weston-in-Arden derives its name from its situation, being west of Bulkington. In all the ancient records in which this place is mentioned, it takes the lead of Bulkington, and the other hamlets within that parish, hence it is believed that the owner or lord of them, had his manor house here, where, the court leet being kept, the inhabitants of these villages met, as well as those of other places which belonged thereto In the nineteenth of Edward III., William de-la-Zouch had licence for “amor¬ tizing eight messuages, nine yard land and a half, and 30s. annual rent, with the appurtenances lying at Claybrook, and Leir Leicestershire, at Weston-in-Arden, and other places, for the maintenance of two priests to sing mass daily, in the chapel of our Lady within this manor, for the good estate of himself, whilst he lived, and for the health of his soul after his decease ; as also for the soul of William Danet, and for the souls of the father and mother of the said William de-la-Zouch, and William Danet, and all the faithful deceased. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 159 To the manor house of Weston there was attached a park possessed by Sir Wil¬ liam de-la-Zouch, who, in order to enlarge it, obtained authority to divert a turn¬ pike road for that purpose. In the time of Henry VI., Weston was called Weston Arnold, for the purpose of distinguishing it from other places of the same name in the county ; Arnold-de-Boys, having formerly been the owner of it. Sir William Dugdale relates a traditional story of one ol the Lord Zouches who resided here, and who, wanting to possess himself of a large meadow that lay contiguous to his own land, invited the freeholders of Bulkington to his house, “ and welcoming them with good entertainment,” proposed to purchase their se¬ veral portions, all of whom agreed, except one Rogers, who would not be pre¬ vailed upon to part with his:—Whether he regarded it as “his birth-right,” or the proffered boon, as “ a mess of pottage,” is not set forth : in consequence of his refusal, the noble host is stated to have said, “ let the churle alone with his piece,” and from that hour it was called, “ The Churle’s Piece.” Ryton, or Rieton, is situate within a short distance of Bulkington;—the first mention of this place is in the grant of its tithes to the abbey of Leicester, in the twelfth century. Bramcote, called in Doomsday-book, Brancote,—supposed to be derived from Bran, the Saxon for burnt, and colt or coed, the English word, wood, meaning burnt wood. Some parts of this village, with that of Bulkington, were granted to the abbey of Leicester, in the time of Edward I., who had free warren ex¬ tended to his lands here, as well as those of Weston, Bulkington, and Ryton. Wolvershill, anciently called Walfareshull, which originated from a Saxon pos¬ sessor, belonged to William la-Zouch in the time of Edward II., and was sold by one of his descendants to H. Davenport, Esq., in whose family it continued for many years ; from this family it passed in the reign of Elizabeth to George Pur- fey, of Caldecote, ami has subsequently fallen into the hands of various owners and occupiers. Merston Jabet, takes the former part of its name from its flat and marshy si¬ tuation ; and the latter, from one of its former lords. Portions of this place were bestowed upon the abbeys of'Leicester and Combe, in whose possession it remained till the dissolution. Barnacle is stated, in the Norman survey, to contain three virgates of land, and woods four furlongs long, and three broad, and is supposed to have anciently be¬ longed to the family of Eitzwith. The canons of Leicester having granted to the lord thereof, that he and his heirs should have an oratory or chapel at Barna¬ cle, “ provided that such priest who was to celebrate divine service there, before he entered upon that duty, should take a solemn oath before the vicar of Bulk¬ ington, for the time being, that it might be no damage to the mother-church of chap. x. Singular circum¬ stance. Ily ton. Bramcote. Wolvers- h ill. Merston Jabet. Barnacle. 360 HISTORY OF BOOK !. Ralph Has¬ tings oe- headed, and his Estates confiscated. AVilliam Hastings beheaded. Bulkington, and that he would be faithful to the said vicar.” In the reign of Queen Elizabeth this manor was granted to Michael Fielding, from whom it de¬ scended to Basil Fielding, earl of Denbigh. BURTON HASTINGS, Is situate three miles and a half south east by east, from Nuneaton. At the time William the conqueror invaded England, this place being then in the pos- sesssion of certain English gentlemen, he seized it and gave it to Henry de-Fer¬ rers (an ancestor of the Derby family). It then contained four hides of land, and had two mills standing upon it. The ancient name was Borton, and afterwards Burthon, Burugton, and Burughton. The derivation of its name, Burton, is un¬ certain, but that of Hastings originated from the name of one of its early posses¬ sors.—A part of this village, in the time of Henry II., was given to the monas¬ tery of Nuneaton, and the remainder belonged to Henry-de-Hastings, whose de¬ scendant, Ralph Hastings, held it till the sixth of Henry IV., when having joined the earl of Northumberland, the archbishop of York and others, in a conspiracy against the king, he was beheaded at Durham, and his estates confiscated; which were afterwards held by the crown, till the second of Henry V., at which time, they w’ere restored to Richard Hastings, (younger brother to the said Ralph Hastings) who w 7 as in the first, fifth, and eleventh of Henry VI., sheriff for the counties of Warwick and Leicester; and in the ninth of Henry V. “w T as retained to serve the king, in his w r ars beyond the seas, “ with ten men at arms and thir¬ ty archers,” receiving 2s. per day for his own wages, Is. for each of the men at arms, and 6d. for each archer. William Hastings, nephew of the above, suc¬ ceeded to the possessions, he was lord chamberlain to King Edward IV.—money changer and master w'orker of the king’s monies, both gold and silver. It was this nobleman whom, according to our chroniclers, the duke of Gloucester (after¬ wards King Richard III.) caused to be pulled from the council table, in the tow¬ er of London, “ and led forth unto the green before the chapel, where his head was laid on a long log of timber, and there stricken off.”* By his grandson. Lord George Hastings, (created earl of Huntingdon,) this manor was sold, in the twenty-first of Henry VIII., to Thomas Harvey, Esq , an opulent merchant, after which it passed, (with his daughter in marriage) to Tho¬ mas Cotton, Esq.; from whom it descended to his great grandson, Sir Thomas Cotton of Connington, Huntingdonshire. This gentleman was the possessor of a * Baker’s Chronicles, Edit. 1660, page 238. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 161 valuable library, comprising a rare assemblage of books and manuscripts, which chap. x. were principally collected by his father, Sir Robert Cotton, to which we are much indebted, as they serve to throw considerable light upon the history of early times. This library is now in the British Museum, an act of parliament was obtained in the year 1700, for preserving it for public use. That part of this lordship which belonged to the monastery of Nuneaton, was, after its dissolution, granted to Sir Marmaduke Constable, by whose descendants it was afterwards disposed of. The church, at Burton Hastings, is an ancient structure which was at a very early period, granted to the monastery of Nunea¬ ton. It is dedicated to St. Botolph, and the curacy was formerly valued at £12. per annum. The village of Baskerville is a hamlet in the parish of Burton Hastings, and Baskerville. takes its name from the road called the Watling-street, lying on the north side of it; and belonged, in the reign of Henry I., to the ancient family of Baskerville, in which family, and their descendants, it remained for many years. In the reign of Henry IV., this manor and estate was in the possession of Ralph Fitz-Nicholas, a man of great eminence, who it appears during his time erected a manor house, and stored a large pool with fish ; to accomplish this ob¬ ject, he obtained the king’s warrant to the then constable of Kenilworth castle, to deliver to him one hundred breams* out of Kenilworth pool. Baskerville was a hamlet of considerable importance previous to the time of Henry VII., at which period it was in the possession of Thomas Twyford, when it began to decrease; and that gentleman, continued its decrease, by taking down four dwelling houses and three cottages, to which belonged one hundred and nine acres of arable land, which he disposed of to Henry Smith, who following his prede¬ cessor’s example, enclosed six hundred and forty acres more; in consequence of which, twelve other dwellings and four cottages fell to decay, with their inhabit¬ ants, which rendered it but a small and insignificant village, compared with its original state, but which has of late years, been partially improved. Un the south side of Burton Hastings, and in the same parish, lies Shirford, Shirford. which has, for some centuries past, been depopulated, and the ancient manor house, which once adorned it, long since levelled with the ground : it is supposed to have derived its name from Shire, signifying clear,—and ford, a passage under which a little brook runs, on the west side towards Nuneaton. In the time of Henry VII. the manor of Shirford was purchased by Henry Smith, Esq., whose father was a wealthy citizen of Coventry. This Henry Smith, is represented as having “ borne so great a love to that city, that he contributed to the purchase * The Bream was a fish of great value, and esteemed as a great delicacy in those days. Y 162 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Sir Walter Smith mur¬ dered by his wife. of lands, for the maintenance of one priest, twelve poor men and one woman, in the guild of the Holy Trinity, St. John, Baptist, and St. Katherine there situate.” He was in commission for the peace, from the seventeenth Henry VII. to his death ; and also for gaol delivery in the seventeenth and twenty-third years of that reign. His son, Sir Walter Smith, fell a victim to his own folly, and the mad fury of disappointed love. By his own wife, with the assistance of two domestics, he was horribly murdered, about the year 1553. The circumstances connected with this tragical affair being somewhat interesting, we think it proper to give them in the following narration. “ Sir Walter having arrived to an advanced age, at the time of the death of his first wife, and considering of a marriage for Richard, his son and heir, then grown to man’s estate, made his mind known to Mr. Thomas Chetwin, of fngstre, in Staffordshire; who, encouraging the proposal on behalf of one of his daugh¬ ters, Dorothy, was willing to give £ 500. as a portion with her. But no sooner had the old knight seen the young lady, than he became a suitor for himself, be¬ ing so captivated with her beauty, that he tendered as such for her, besides a good jointure, as he should have received, in case the match had gone on for his son : which liberal offer so wrought upon Mr. Chetwin, that he spared not for arguments to persuade his daughter to accept of Sir Walter for her husband, and the marriage shortly after took place; but with what a tragic issue will quick ly be seen : for it was not long, ere that her affections wandering after young men, she gave entertainment to one Mr. William Robinson (then of Drayton Basset, a gentleman of about twenty-two years of age), son of a rich mercer in London; and grew so impatient at all impediments, which might hinder her full enjoyment of him, that she rested not till she had contrived a way to be rid of her husband. For which purpose, corrupting her waiting gentlewoman, and a groom of the sta¬ ble, she resolved by their help, and the assistance of Robinson, to strangle him in bed, appointing the time and manner how it should be effected. And, though Robinson failed in coming on the designed night, (probably through a right ap¬ prehension of so direful a fact) she, no whit staggered in her resolutions, watch¬ ing her husband till he had fallen asleep, then let in the assassins, before named, and casting a long towel about his neck, caused the groom to lie upon him to keep him from struggling, whilst herself and the maid, straining the towel, stop¬ ped his breath. “It seems that the good old man, little thought that his lady had acted there¬ in ; for when they first cast the towel about his neck, he cried out, “ help Dolly, help.” But, having thus dispatched the work, they carried him into another room, where a night convenience was placed, upon which they set him; and, after an THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 163 hour, that the maid and groom were got away, to palliate the business, she made chap. x. an outcry in the house, wringing her hands, pulling her hair, and weeping ex¬ tremely ; with pretence, that missing him for some time out of bed, she went in search of him, when she found him accidentally in that posture. Which subtile and feigned shews of sorrow, prevented all suspicion of his violent death ; and she, not long after, went to London, setting so high a value on her beauty, that Robinson, her former darling, became neglected. Rut within two years after, this dark and dreadful act was brought to light, by the groom before mentioned, who continued in the service of his young master, Mr. Richard Smith, son and heir to the murdered knight; while he was attending him at Coventry, he became sensibly affected with the horrid crime he had participated in, and, being elevated with liquor, he took his master aside, and, upon his knees, besought forgiveness from him, for having assisted in the murder of his father; giving at the time a full description of the manner in which they perpetrated the horrid deed. In con¬ sequence of that information, Mr. Richard Smith considered it prudent not to discover his feelings upon the occasion, but treated the informant kindly, and im¬ mediately made the case known to some of his confidential domestics, and re¬ quested them to keep a watch over him during the night, lest he should make his escape; however, notwithstanding those precautions, he fled away with his mas¬ ter’s best horse, hastening with the utmost speed into Wales, which he accom¬ plished ; but, on his attempting to go beyond the sea, he was prevented by con¬ trary winds, and, after three essays to launch out, being closely pursued by his master, he was taken prisoner and brought back to Warwick ; and, in a few days afterwards, the lady and her maid were taken into custody, and on their ex¬ amination before the proper tribunal, they all with the greatest confidence, de nied the charges made against them ; at the same time the groom accused his master of endeavouring to corrupt him to raise the accusation against the lady, (his mother-in-law) with a view that he might possess himself of her jointure. But, upon his being arraigned at the bar, his confidence left him, and the horrid deed evidently preyed upon his mind so much, that he publicly acknowledged his guilt, and corroborated the statement of the facts, which he had previously made in the first instance to his then master, and, with the greatest firmness, ac¬ cused the lady and her maid, face to face; who, at first with much apparent confi¬ dence, pleaded their innocency, till they found their asservations of no avail, and the facts of the case made out so clear, that no doubt could be entertained of their guilt; they both being struck with remorse at the thought of so dreadful a deed, their confidence forsook them, and softened them down to an immediate confes¬ sion of their guilt; in consequence of which, the awful sentence of the law was pronounced against them, and the lady was (according to the laws of those days) 164 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Coal mines. burnt at a stake, near the hermitage, on Wolvey heath, where the place is shewn to this day, by the inhabitants of the country : and the groom and maid servant were executed at Warwick. BEDWORTH, Is situate on the road between Coventry and Nuneaton, five miles from the former, and three from the latter. It is written in Doomsday-book, Bedeword, and is stated to have contained four hides of land, and considerable woods ex¬ tending one mile in length, and half a mile in breadth, at that time in the posses¬ sion of Edwyn, earl of Mercia. In the reign of Henry VI. this manor and es¬ tate was in the possession of John Clarke, of Coventry, gentleman, and lady Margaret Astley (widow of Sir William Astley before noticed), which they held by the service of a knight’s fee. It afterwards passed to Reginald, Lord Grey- de-Ruthyn by marriage with the female heir of Astley, and from him it descend¬ ed to Henry, duke of Sussex, who enjoyed this estate till his attainder, in the forty-fourth year of Queen Elizabeth, when it became confiscated to the crown, and was afterwards granted by her majesty, to Clement Fisher, Esq. and his heirs, together with the advowson of the rectory, &c. In this parish, are very extensive coal mines, which produce coals of a superior quality, and although they have been worked for many years, still they appear almost inexhaustible. These collieries provide employment for the greater part of the working class in this parish and the neighbourhood, which will be seen by the following account. In the year 1765, about two hundred of the colliers of Bedworth, emerged from their subterraneous occupations, and repaired in a body to the city of Co¬ ventry—broke open the warehouses of several cheese factors, and took away their contents; and, another incursion was made by a similar number, in the year 1800, when the relative price of provisions and labour was such, as to prevent many from obtaining the necessary articles of life. After considerable confusion, these desperate invaders were dispersed by the posse comitatis, assisted by the military, stationed in the city of Coventry, which, happily for that city, prevented any fur¬ ther depredations. The number of population of the parish of Bedworth, (inclu¬ ding its hamlets) was three thousand five hundred and nineteen, when the last return was made to parliament in 1821. The village of Bedworth has been considerably improved within the last twenty years, and the number of houses much increased, as will be seen by the number of population, stated in the return made to parliament in 1811, which was then THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 165 two thousand nine hundred and sixty-four, which shews an increase, within ten chap. x. years, of five hundred and fifty-five, and, subsequent to the last return of 1821, has, like all other popular villages, continued to increase both in size and popu¬ lation : in this village is a house of industry, and two charity schools. The church, which is an ancient edifice, is dedicated to All Saints, and the living was formerly valued at £ 10. 3$. Wld. Patron, the earl of Aylesford. ARLEY. Is a small village, in the parish of Astley, situated six miles west by south from Nuneaton, and derives its name, according to Dugdale, from its situation. At the time of the Conquest it was possessed by Cristina a lady of considerable con¬ sequence, and is stated, in the Norman survey, to have contained extensive woods, and is written in that record Ablie, evidently by mistake of introducing b, instead of r. The church is an ancient Gothic structure, and the principal object worthy of Arley notice, is a monument of the altar kind, on the north side of the chancel, on Chuul which is a female figure in the attitude of devotion, and a tablet with the follow¬ ing inscription. Jane Saynt Andrew descended of generous ancestors, Piovas toward God, piteovs to the poore, Wise above her tender years, a patterne of virginall modesty, A staffe of reverend old age, a fverther hope of glory to Christ, and of comfort to his church; so prepared of God, Here her body resteth, expecting the blessed resurection. And the revnion of the sovl for a fvll glorification. Died 15th February, 1619.—Aged 17. “ Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116. This church is dedicated to St. Wilfred, and the rectory is valued in the king’s books, at £ 9- 0$. 7 \d. HENLEY. This village, situate near the western border of Combe park, is conspicuous for its church, a building erected by the late earl of Craven : the roof is embellish- 166 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Bransfora Grange. Improve¬ ments made to the man¬ sion. ed with medallions expressive of scriptural history, thorny crowns and other cir¬ cumstances of pious allusions : the altar is in a tribane, with marble pillars; and the east window is filled with painted glass, representing a holy family, by Wil¬ liam Pecket. Bransford Grange is within the precincts of Binley, and anciently belonged to Combe abbey. COMBE ABBEY. The noble mansion termed Combe abbey, is erected on the site of a religious house, formerly of the Cistercian order, founded by Richard-de-Canvill in the time of king Stephen. This was the first settlement of the Cistercian monks in the county of Warwick; and, at the time of the dissolution of those religious houses, in the reign of Henry VIII., the revenues of this monastery were stated at £302. 15s. 3d. per annum. This mansion and estate was subsequently granted by Edward VI., to John, earl of Warwick; and, after the attainder of that no¬ bleman, was let on lease at the rent of <£196. 85 . Id., to Robert Kahvay, surveyor of the court of wards and liveries, whose daughter Ann conveyed the possession, by marriage, to John Harrington, Esq. afterwards Lord Harrington. Lucy, the daughter of this Lord, and wife to Edward, earl of Bedford, became heir on the death of her brother; but in consequence of the extravagances in which she impru¬ dently indulged, caused the estate to be disposed of by public sale, when an an¬ cestor of the earl of Craven became the purchaser, in whose noble and ancient family it has since remained. The name by which this seat is distinguished, implies the flatness of its situa¬ tion ; but the adjacent country is of a pleasing character, and the attached park, which comprises five hundred acres, is finely adorned with wood and water. The greater part of this noble mansion was raised by Lord Harrington, on the ruins of the monastic pile ; and the form of the structure is that, which was so much es¬ teemed in the seventeenth century ; but, in selecting this mode of architecture, it would appear, that his lordship, in some measure, attended to the shape of the original building; the remains of two cloisters are still to be seen, which mark the ancient structure. These fragments, chiefly consist of Norman arches and pillars, which are exhibited on the inner face of a fine corridor that ranges along the lower division of the mansion. Considerable enlargements have been made by different noble owners, but due attention has been paid to architectural consistency in the great front view. On the west, an additional pile has been raised, from a design as it is said of Inigo 1Q2.9 THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 167 Jones: this division, though by no means allusive to the prevailing character of chap. x. the edifice, is sufficiently distinct to avoid offending by incongruity of style, while it forms a fine and judicious augmentation to the interior. Few ancient mansions contain ranges of apartments better suited to purposes of state, and dignified hospitality, than Combe abbey. Many rooms are of noble proportion, and the avenues of communication are chiefly light and spacious; the walls are lined throughout with paintings of great interest; accumulated memo¬ rials of the taste and liberality of many of the noble proprietors. From our li¬ mited notice of those which appear most attractive, it will be seen that the collec¬ tion is particularly rich in portraits of the ill-fated Stuart family ; this circum¬ stance is to be accounted for in the following manner. Lord Craven, one of the heroic characters of the seventeenth century, was one of the most forward, and entirely devoted, of the many champions produced by the charms and misfortunes of Elizabeth of Bohemia. This princess was the eldest daughter of James I., and was married to Frederic, the elector-palatine, who was advanced to the regal honour, as king of Bohemia, by the revolted states, when an attempt was made to shake off the yoke of the Emperor Ferdinand II. The battle of Prague, deprived Frederic at once of regal dignity and hereditary right. On descending from the throne he encountered fortune in her most ad¬ verse state, and was compelled to take refuge in Holland, which he entered, as a fugitive and a beggar. Many English cavaliers, the latest offspring of decayed chivalry, struggled without avail to reinstate him in power : the ardour of these knights was stimulated by a romantic admiration of Elizabeth his Queen ; the votaries of this bright star of the Stuarts were numerous, and it is supposed that in an after period, when Elizabeth resided in England, widowed in love as well as ruined in hopes, she found consolation in the tenderness of William, Lord Craven, and was privately married to him, though political motives forbade the public avowal of her nuptials. By will she bequeathed to this nobleman her col¬ lection of pictures, including many original portraits of distinguished persons, brought from Germany. The Great Gallery is entirely hung with portraits, among which are half length’s of the king and queen of Bohemia, and of the princes Rupert and Maurice, by Houthurst. The apartment now termed the Breakfast Room, is of magnificent dimensions, and was fitted up for the reception of Queen Elizabeth. The ceiling is stuccoed, and the pannels of the side are abundantly carved ; over the rich chimney piece are the arms and initials of the queen. The principal pictures are five large land¬ scapes, with figures, by J. Lootens, in one of which is introduced a person draw¬ ing, probably intended for the portrait of himself. 168 HISTORY OF book i. The North Parlour is likewise of noble proportions, and presents the same as¬ pects as when visited by some of the august persons whose portraits now form its most attractive ornaments. The sides are of wainscot, and the massy fire irons, of the past century, still occupy the wide hearth. The Vandyck Room. This noble room commands a fine view over the park, which here displays, in an advantageous point, the beautiful spread of water, which forms its greatest ornament. The paintings in this apartment are truly estimable. The Gilt Parlour is a room well adapted to family comfort. The pictures are not very numerous, but selected with great taste, and contain some excellent productions of Rembrandt, Zorest, Miereveld, and Vandyck : among these are a student with his preceptor, and a father instructing his son, two exquisite pieces by Rembrandt: and, a whole length of William, earl of Craven, in armour, with a baton in his hand, by Houthorst. The small apartment termed The Cedar Room, is embellished with several interesting specimens of the pictorial art, among which will be noticed, a sea-piece by Willarts, with the queen of Bohemia on her passage to Holland; and Moses with the brazen serpent, by Rubens. The above are the rooms usually submitted to the inspection of the curious; the more private apartments are, likewise, uniformly adorned by productions of the noble art, that is so admirably calculated to shed lustre on the mansions of the great. BRINKLOW. This village is situate three miles from Brandon, on the north east. On this manor formerly stood a castle, once possessed by the family of Mowbray, and af¬ terwards by that of de-Stuteville. Nicholas-de-Stuteville, obtained from King John a grant of a weekly market, to be held on a Monday; and a subsequent grant was also obtained in the reign of Henry III., by Steven-de-Segrave, to hold a market on Tuesday, in consequence of the former grant and market becoming obsolete. Scarcely a vestige of the ancient castle remains, and the principal ob¬ ject that is now worthy of notice, are the traces of an encampment on the Roman Foss-way, which passed a little to the east of the village. The church is dedi¬ cated to St. John, Baptist; and the living is valued in the king’s books at £ 17. 10$. Id. Patron, the King. AJLX.E SLJEr Pill THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 169 BRANDON, Is a hamlet in the parish of Wolaston, six and a half miles south by east from Coventry; within the limits of this hamlet, on the bank of the Avon, are the re¬ mains of an ancient castle : the precise period when it was erected cannot be as¬ certained, but it is known that military service was performed here in the reign of Henry I., at which time the building was denominated, Brandon or Brandune Castle. The number of population are included in the return made by the parish, of which this hamlet forms a part. ALLESLEY PARK, Is situate two miles north west of Coventry, and was formerly considered a member of that city. At an early period it w r as vested in the family of Hastings, who, at that time had here a spacious residence, termed a castle. “ Here still re¬ mains,” writes Dr. Thomas, “ a pier of an ancient castle, which seems to have been double moated; in the innermost moat was found a well, steined about with stone, five feet deep, which being cleansed, proves an admirable spring, and now serves the house and offices. By the side of the well there was a stone trough, in which were five holes, with pieces of India pipe in them, which were evidently so placed for the purpose of conveying the water five different ways.” This well and the masonry which surrounds it, constitute the sole remains of the ancient edifice. The present mansion is built after the style of modern architecture, in which internal accommodation is evidently studied, in preference to arrangement of outward features. The chief front has a central compartment, slightly project¬ ing, with a pediment and vacant tympanum in the upper series. Allesley church was built in the time of Henry I., and is a Gothic building, with a low square tower, from which springs a modest spire ; it was originally a chapel belonging to the priory of Coventry. CALUDON, Was also originally a member of Coventry, and was afterwards possessed by the earls of Chester. By Ralph, the last earl, it was given to Stephen-de-Segrave and his heirs, to hold by the service of te a sore-sparhawk ” yearly. The estate continued in the Segrave family till the extinction of the male line, and afterwards z chap. x. Remains of an ancient Castle. 170 HISTORY OF book i. passed, by marriage, to the Mowbrays. John-de-Segrave, in the thirty-third of Edward I. obtained leave to fortify his house with a moat, and to surround it with embattled walls. This estate is vested in the Lords Clifford ; and, about forty years back, the father of the present lord, acceded to the wish of a farmer, his tenant, and built for the agriculturalist a convenient house, from the venerable re¬ mains. One fragment of a massy wall, and some traces of the moat yet exist, for the gratification of the curious, and on the inner part of this fragment, are the remains of two pointed windows now stopped up. HARBOKOtTGH MAGNA, Is three miles and three quarters north, north west from Rugby, and is com¬ monly called Great Harborough, to distinguish it from Little Harborough in the same parish. In the Conqueror’s time there was a mill here, rated at Is. 4 d. and also a priest resided in the village, which shews that it had a church at that time. In Doomsday-book it is written Herdeberge, but from what cause it origi¬ nated is matter of conjecture. The principal part of Harborough, in the time of Henry II., was in the possession of a family, whose surname (Herdeberg) was de¬ rived from this place; and it continued in that family till the first of Edward IV. and afterwards passed with the female heir, to the family of Corbet. In Harborough Parva, the monks of Combe had four messuages, and thirty- three acres of land; and those of Kirby, the fourth part of a knight’s fee. The church is dedicated to All Saints, and has a rectory valued, in the king’s books, at £ 14. Ss. 4 d. WILLENHALL, Is situate on the London road, two miles distant from Coventry, and within the liberty of that city. This place is not particularly mentioned in the charter of earl Leofric, on his foundation of the priory, yet it was then a member of that half of Coventry, which was given by him to the monks; the first particular no¬ tice Dugdale found of it, was the grant to those monks “ of free warren here, and in divers other places,” in the forty-first of Henry III., wherein the name is writ¬ ten Wyahale —but, in the appropriation of all the tithes in their several manors, made to them by Roger-de-Meuland, bishop of Coventry, in 1260, it was written Wylenhal—from the wells or springs in several parts of it. In the seventh of Edward I. the, priory of Coventry had here in demesne, half a yard land, a fourth THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 171 part, with four acres and a half of meadow ; and certain tenants holding lands chap. xi. of them, subject to certain servile services. After the dissolution this manor and estate was granted by the crown to Sir Richard Lea, by whom it was sold with the tithes, &c. to John Hales, Esq., who left it to his nephew and heir, John Hales Esq. of Coventry. COUNDON, Is a small village within two miles of Coventry, and is written, in Doomsday- book Candone, and in another record Candelme, but from what cause these names were derived, is uncertain. The monks of Coventry, in those days, possessed the principal part of this hamlet, which was mostly granted to them by earl Lcofric, and the remainder was held in part by their tenants and freeholders, subject to certain servile offices, and laborious services. The greatest part of those lands, together with the tithes, were, after the dissolution of the monasteries, granted unto Richard Andrews, Gent, and Leonard Chamberlain, Esq. which have subsequently become the pro¬ perty of various proprietors. CHAPTER XI. RUGBY DIVISION, Contains the following parishes, townships, and hamlets, — Bilton ; Bourton upon Dunsmore, with the tithing of Draycot; Brownsover; Churchover; Clif¬ ton; Cosford, (hamlet) ; Dunchurch with Toft; Frankton; Hill-Morton; Law- ford ; Church Lawford, Little, (township) ; Lawford, Long (township) ; New- bold upon Avon ; Newnham Regis; Newton and Biggin, (township); Rugby; Ryton upon Dunsmore; Stretton upon Dunsmore; Thurlaston ; Willoughby; Wolston with Marston. 172 HISTORY OF BOOK I. KUGBY. Origin of Name. School e- rected in the seventeenth century. The town of Rugby, is situate near the eastern border of the county, and is distant thirteen miles from Coventry, and sixteen from Warwick,—and is writ¬ ten Roclieberie in Doomsday-book, and the place was so called, according to Dug- dale, from Roach, a rock or quarry of stone, and berie, a court or habitation of note. This derivation appears simple and explicit, and appears to agree with the circumstances of the town, there being a quarry of stone in the neighbourhood, and the elevated spot on which the town stands, has, probably a similar stratum at no great depth ; but, in Dictionnaire Celtique, the appellation is said to be of Celtic origin, derived from Rue, a river, and bye, a town, which will also suit the local circumstances of Rugby, for the river Avon is at no great distance from its streets : shortly after the compilation of Doomsday-book, it was written Rokeby , and that mode of orthography prevailed throughout several centuries. This town is seated on a beautiful and pleasant eminence, and consists of va¬ rious clean and cheerful streets ; it appears to have been a place of little note, till a period not far remote from the present. A castle was constructed here, in the reign of Stephen, which was erected only for a military purpose of a temporary description, and it seems evident that the pile was soon levelled with the ground : for few inland towns, not favoured with the neighbourhood of religious institu¬ tions, attained much note or wealth in the early ages of history. Rugby never witnessed the foundation of any monastic pile; but in the latter part of the seven¬ teenth century, it was honoured with a benefaction still more propitious. A school was founded in the ninth of Elizabeth, by Laurence Sheriff, grocer, of London, chiefly as a free grammar school, for the children of the parish of Rugby and Brownsover, “ and next for such as were of other places thereto ad¬ joining.” In the act obtained in 1771, “ to enable the feoffees and trustees of the Rugby charity estate to grant fresh leases, &c.” the bounds of limitation in regard to boys admissible on the foundation are thus noticed; “ The boys of Rugby, Brownsover, or any other towns, villages, or hamlets, lying within five measured miles of Rugby, or such other distance as the major part of the trustees present at any public meeting shall ascertain, regard being had to the annual revenues of the said trust estate, for the time being, be instructed by the said master and ushers, respectively, in grammar, and such other branches of learning as are here¬ inbefore mentioned, without taking from the said boys, or their parents, friends, or relations, any fee or reward for the same, directly or indirectly.” For the accommodation of the master, who was, “ if it conveniently might be, to be ever a master of arts,” he bequeathed a messuage or mansion, at Rugby, in o C j H M ' £*J j; ' 5 • ' K v P'i O’ O to ■"2 • S K w <3*' ®0 •5 «» kgj >* b i w £ S n , . • . THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 173 which it is probable he had himself resided through the few last years of his life, chap. xi. and he directed that there should be built, near this messuage a fair and conve¬ nient school house. To defray the expences of this foundation, and of a conti¬ guous alms house, he bequeathed the revenue arising from the rectory of Browns- over, and a third portion of twenty-four acres of land, situate in Lambs’ Con¬ duit Fields, near London, and termed the Conduit close: these eight acres of land were of trivial value at that period; and in 1653, they produced so little, that the commissioners appointed for charitable uses, under the great seal of England, were enabled on duly considering the annual income of this charity, to make only the following decree; “ That the trustees should, out of the rent of the said trust estate, pay quarterly to the schoolmaster his salary of £ 3. and to every of the almsmen his allowance of 7 s. Id. according to the founder’s intent; and out of the remainder of the said rents, should defray the necessary charges of repairing the said school, the schoolmaster’s house, and the almsmens lodgings; and the overplus, after the charges of meeting were deducted, which were not to exceed 20s. per annum, should be distributed between the schoolmaster and the almsmen, according to the proportion of £ 3. to the schoolmaster, and 7 s. Id. a quarter to every almsman.” In 1686, the Lamb’s Conduit property was leased to Dr. Barbon of London, for fifty years, at the annual rent of £ 50. In 1702, (thirty-four years before the expiration of Barbon’s term) the trustees granted a fresh lease to William Milman, Esq. afterwards Sir William Milman, of forty- three years ;* such new lease to commence at the termination of the former, at the annual rent of £ 60.; thus, until the year 1780, the annual produce of the Rugby school estate, was only £ 116. 7 s. 6d. shortly after the new grant of an ex¬ tended term to Sir William Milman, extensive streets of commodious family houses were erected, and it was computed that a ground rent of at least £ 1600, would have accrued to the charity on the expiration of the first mentioned lease, had not the latter lease been so prematurely granted. It is pleasing to observe at the present period, that the flourishing finances of this noble institution, are now conducted in a way calculated to spread wide the beneficent intentions of the founder, and to aid the enlarged scheme of education consequent on the improved manners of later eras. The trustees are twelve in number, consisting chiefly of the nobility and gentry of the county. Regular * A most singular occurrence, that the trustees in 1702, should grant a fresh lease thirty-four years pre¬ vious to the expiration of the then subsisting lease, which appears a complete diversion of the donor's intent, and contrary to the tenure of his will,—and must have been very prejudicial to the charity ; but occurrences similar to these are practised daily in various charities in England, by which means the charitable intention of the donor is completely defeated, and the objects of such charity improperly excluded their rights and benefits. 174 HISTORY OF book i. meetings are held by the trustees; and before them (in August) an annual exa¬ mination takes place: fourteen exhibitions have been instituted, and the exhibi¬ tioners are allowed the sum of £ 40. per annum, to assist in their support, for the term of 7 years, at any college or hall they may select for residence, in either university. “ These are termed the exhibitioners of Laurence Sheriff,” and the vacancies are filled up at the annual examination, a scholastic process conducted with exemplary strictness, and which is attended by a member of each of the two universities, appointed for that purpose by the vice chancellor. The scholars are, at present, three hundred and thirty in number, of whom only about fifty are upon the foundation. The ancient buildings of this great seminary, were such as might fairly suit its limited condition, in the early part of the last century; they chiefly consisted of a humble tenement, used by the head master for a residence; a principal school room of moderate size, and two or three additional school rooms constructed at different periods, as the finances would allow. The trustees had long contem¬ plated the erection of an entire new edifice ; and, in a meeting which took place at London, in May, 1808, it was found that the funds were sufficient to carry their object into effect. Mr. Henry Hakewill was appointed architect, and, by that gentleman, designs were submitted to the annual meeting at Rugby, in the ensuing August, which were approved of, and promptly acted on. The new structure is erected nearly on the site of the old one, at the southern extremity of the town. The edifice is composed of white brick, and the angles, cornices, and dressings to the windows and openings, are of Attleborough stone : the style of architecture is that which prevailed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the period at which the school was founded,—a grateful and elegant compliment to the memory of the founder: independent of the tacit respect thus paid to the beneficent person with whom the seminary originated, we are decidedly of opi¬ nion that Mr. Hakewill selected the character of a building best adapted to scho¬ lastic purposes ; the rooms dedicated to different objects of tuition are judiciously separated; in domestic accommodation, the scholars are divided with collegiate regularity ; and the varieties of avenue, allowed by the wild, but agreeable style of builders in the sixteenth century, is an advantage that could scarcely be ob¬ tained in a structure raised according to Grecian rules. The building is massy, and interesting from a graceful disposition of parts, rather than from plentitudeof decoration: the principal front is that towards the south, which extends two hun¬ dred and twenty feet. The schools are entered by a gateway opposite the street, which leads to the principal court, a fine area ninety feet long by seventy wide, with a plain cloister on the east, south, and west sides. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK 175 The buildings on the south of the court, comprise the dining hall, belonging to the boys in the head master’s house, and three schools for different classes ; those on the west are occupied by the great school; and on the south are the French and writing schools. The east side adjoins the offices belonging to the head mas¬ ter’s house; and, by the cloisters on that side, the scholars have access to the ma¬ tron, &c. without interfering with the domestics of the master’s establishment; the head master’s house is placed at the east end of the range of buildings form¬ ing the south front, and adjoins the schools, though in some degree separated from them, by the studies belonging to pupils accommodated in his house; there are small rooms in a compartment of building, three stories high, and such student has one for his own use ; about sixty boys are thus accommodated, the remain¬ der lodge in the houses of the other masters, and in different boarding houses in the town. The head master’s house is suited to the present high character of the institu¬ tion ; the apartments are spacious, and from the bed-room floor there is a commu¬ nication with a gallery extending to the length of the dormitories, which range over the schools, and consist of lofty and well ventilated rooms. The alms-houses constructed according to the directions of Mr. Sheriff, were for four poor men, two of whom had been inhabitants of Rugby, and two of Brownsover: the number of almsmen has carefully been augmented in proportion to the increased amount of the revenues. Each almsman is provided yearly with a gown, of the value of 30,?., and a load of coals, not less than forty hundred weight, and not exceeding forty-four : the weekly allowance to each, experiences an increase at the discretion of the trustees, with an utter limitation prescribed by act of parliament. Besides this great scholastic foundation, there is a school in Rugby, built and endowed by Richard Elborow, gentleman, of Rugby, in the year 1707, for the instruction of thirty boys: attached to the school are almshouses founded by the same person, for six widows. Rugby church is an ancient structure, but possesses no great architectural in¬ terest ; at the west is a square plain tower, without buttresses, and quite devoid of ornament; the stone of which it is composed, is said to have been taken from the remains of the castle : this edifice has, within the last few years, undergone considerable repairs, and been much improved, both externally and internally.— In the church-yard are interred several of the Cave family, among whom is Jo¬ seph Cave, who died in 174-7, aged eighty years; over his remains is a table monument, with an inscription to the memory of himself and his son Edward, written by Dr. Hawkesworth. At the distance of about a furlong to the north of the church, are to be seen the remains of the castle that once stood at Rugby: CHAP. XI. Alias- houses for four poor men. Charity School; and Alms¬ houses for six widows. Itemains of a Castle. 176 HISTORY OF look i. these chiefly consist of an elevation of earth, twenty-one feet wide, and part of a moat. The whole site of the structure is covered with greensward, and is sup¬ posed by Dugdale, to have been erected in the reign of King Stephen, almost all of which were demolished by command of Henry II. about the third year of his reign. The town of Rugby, a few years back, consisted of a few narrow streets of low built incommodious houses ; but, under the auspices of its flourishing seminary, several new streets have been made, and buildings erected, which are of a bold and ornamental description. Like all other places of any note, Rugby has been very much augmented in size and appearance within the last twenty years: it has a weekly market and eleven annual fairs, at which much business is transacted, but the principal is that of the twenty-second of November, which generally lasts a week ; the grammar school is its great support, and the prosperity of the town has evidently kept pace with the progress in the resources of that establishment. Here are two staple manufactories, and the increased facilities bestowed on trade by the improvement of inland navigation, have been the means of adding much to its commercial interest. The improvements and enlargement of the town of Rugby, that have taken place (as above noticed), will be seen by the following statement of the popula¬ tion: viz. in 1811, the number of inhabitants were one thousand eight hundred and five, and in 1821, when the last census was made, they were two thousand three hundred, which shews an increase, in ten years, of four hundred and ninety five, and which has subsequently increased in proportion to the time since elapsed. BROWNSOVER. The village of Brownsover, the birth-place of Mr. Laurence Sheriff, is about two miles from Rugby, on the north east, and is situated on rising ground near Origin of th e confluence of the Avon and the Swift. “ This town,"* says Dugdale, “ is Name. written Gaura in the Conqueror’s survey, the Norman clerks not being accustomed to our English IV, consequently they often instituted a G.” This name of Waure (for so it was for a long time written) hath its denomination from the eminent site thereof, being on a hill; Over signifying Supra: the term Browns is derived from Bruns, who had lands here, in the time of the Conqueror, from whom this place has evidently derived its name: in this agreeable situation Sir Egerton Leigh, Bart, has a handsome seat. The whole of the eastern side of this division, rich in vestiges of the Roman power, is bordered by the Watling Street, and has in its vicinity the extensive remains of the great Roman station termed Tri- pantium. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 177 CHAP. XI. COTON HOUSE, Situate one mile and a half from Brownsover, on the north east; is a handsome stone mansion erected some years back, by Abraham Grimes, Esq., near the site of an ancient pile, long the residence of the Dixwell family, ancestors to Mr. Grimes, who procured the attached manor in the reign of Edward VI.: the house stands on an elevated spot, and commands views over picturesque parts of the counties of Northampton and Warwick. BILTON, Is about one mile and a half from Rugby, on the south-west, and is a village which the lovers of genius will approach with respect, for it contains a man'ion that was once inhabited by the great and learned Addison, during a period to which he had looked with the warmest anticipation of joy—that of his matrimo¬ nial connection with the fair countess of Warwick. The manor of Bilton was purchased by Mr. Addison, in the year 1711, of William Boughton, Esq. for the sum of £ 10,000. The countess dowager of Warwick, his relict, often visited Bilton after his decease; and on her death this estate devolved on her daughter o by Mr. Addison, who resided here through the long remaining portion of her life. BILTON HOUSE. The mansion termed Bilton House, is a spacious but irregular edifice, evidently D“ cr *P tion constructed at different periods. The largest division, and that which comprises sion. the chief suit of rooms, bears marks of the style of architecture which prevailed in the time of James I., and was, probably, erected by the Boughton family soon after they acquired possession of the manorial rights. The remainder of the pile consists of a lower range of building, the windows of which look towards the gar¬ dens ; and this part of the edifice would appear to have been constructed early in the eighteenth century, and was, perhaps, formed by Addison, when preparing the seat for the reception of its distinguished mistress : the house is entered by iron folding gates, which lead to a venerable porch. The situation is desirably retired, and, the windows of the principal rooms command a prospect, which, though limited, is far from destitute of interest. The gardens attached to this mansion are extensive, and preserved in all the 2 A 178 HISTORY OF book i. formality of the old taste; straight lines, and long massy hedges of yew, prevail throughout: in the lower divisions are two ponds, by the side of which are seats, with sombre coverings of yew trained to screen them, and, on the north side of the grounds is a long walk, still termed Addison’s walk, once the chosen retreat of that writer, when intent on solitary reflection. In its original state no spot could be better adapted to meditation, or more genial to his temper: the scenery round, is bounded by soft ranges of hills, and the comely spire and Gothic orna¬ ments of the adjacent village church, impart a soothing air of pensiveness to the neighbourhood. On entering the mansion, a thrill of respect, even to veneration, unavoidably passes through the bosom of the examiner, when he finds that the furniture used by this learned man, still remains; and the pictures, partly selected by his judg¬ ment, or procured as a tribute to his feelings, ornament the walls, and occupy pre¬ cisely the same station as when he was wont to pause and admire them : seldom has^the residence of a poet had the fortune to be so preserved for the gratification of posterity. In the commencement of the eighteenth century, Addison was much engaged in political affairs, and, in 1706, he was appointed under secretary of state, through the interest of his steady friend Lord Halifax, which office he continued to hold till 1717. The year following his marriage with the said countess, he was again elevated to the dignified situation of principal secretary of state, through the interest of the above nobleman, which he did not long retain, as he was obliged to resign that high office, in consequence of his health being so much impaired by his former arduous engagements in political affairs; he retired on a pension of £ 1,500. per annum. The domestic troubles of this great man, though pungent, were not of long duration ; he calmly resigned this life, at Holland house, on the 17th of June, 1719, in the forty-eighth year of his age, under the immediate pressure of a se¬ vere asthmatic attack ; and we must believe that his death restored the countess to a level with the rest of the world of taste, and caused her to become once more an admirer of his talents. Addison left but one child a daughter, by the countess of Warwick, about twelve months old at the time of her father’s death, and only twelve years old when her mother died : she resided chiefly at Bilton house, and the latter part of her life was very infirm, and at times subject to mental derangement; she died a Spinster at the advanced age of seventy-nine, bequeathing the Bilton estate to the honorable John Simpson. Many of the pictures deserve notice from intrinsic merit of execution ; and cu¬ riosity must needs be excited concerning the character of a collection that once THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 179 belonged to such a man : the most valuable are portraits, and it will be obvious that many of these were introduced by the countess of Warwick ; others of Van- dyck, Van Somers, Selly. &c. were purchased by Mr. Addison, and do much cre¬ dit to the correctness of his taste. The church is built in the most desirable style of Gothic architecture; on the west is an octagonal spire which springs from a square tower; the interior is plain, and is divided by an open work, stone screen ; in the chancel lie the remains of Mr. Addison’s only daughter, but no monument or tomb is erected to perpetuate her name. DUNCHURCH, Is a village of considerable extent, two miles south of Bilton, situate on the road to Birmingham and has of late years been much improved in size, but does not possess any feature of particular interest to the traveller,—except the free grammar school. This school was founded in the year 1707, by Francis Bough- ton, Esq., of Cawston, in this county, for the gratuitous education of the poor children of both sexes in the parish. Near the school is a range of alms-houses, which were endowed by Thomas Newcombe, Esq. printer to King Charles, II. King James, II., and King William, for three men and as many widows, born in the parish. The church is an antique Gothic building, which has a tower of considerable beauty, with graduated buttresses, and, is ornamented with a pointed window of curious workmanship, over which was originally placed a statue; the door beneath this window is likewise much adorned with Gothic embellishments ; the interior is plain, and contains little that is remarkable. On the wall of the south side is a slab, to the memory of Thomas Newcombe, Esq. who died in 1681, before which are folding doors of marble, intended to inclose and preserve the inscription. The advowson was bestowed at an early period by the family of Clement, in whom the lordship of Dunchurch was then vested, on the monks of Pipwell ab¬ bey, Northamptonshire : the living is a vicarage, valued, in the king's books, at £ 14. 1.9. l(Rd. Patron, the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. It was in this neighbourhood that some conspirators assembled in the second of James I. for the purpose, as it was said of carrying off the princess Elizabeth then at Combe abbey, At Little Lawford, (written in Doomsday-book, Lilleford) anciently stood the mansion and family residence of the Boughtons; but, in consequence of an un¬ happy transaction which clouded the fortune of that family, the hereditary seat is now levelled with the ground. CHAP. xi. Conspiracy in the se¬ cond of James I. Little Lawford. 180 HISTORY OF BOOK 1. Ancient Bath. Sir Theodosius Edward Allesley Boughton, bart., possessed the estate, on the demise of his father, with the remainder, that if he died before coming of legal age, it should go to his only sister, a lady married to captain John Donellan. In con¬ sequence of a disorder indiscreetly contracted, Sir Theodosius was, in the year 1780, in the habit of taking different medicines, and, after swallowing the con¬ tents of a phial, unhappily presented to him, by the innocent hand cf his mo¬ ther, he was seized with the most dreadful symptoms, and, in about a quarter of an hour, he expired; by the coroner’s verdict, his death was imputed to his bro¬ ther-in-law . Donellan was put to the bar and found guilty of the diabolical crime, of substituting a distillation of laurel leaves for the medicine sent by the apothe¬ cary, for which offence he suffered the utmost penalty of the law. The manor was sold in 1790, by Sir Edward Boughton, bart. to Sir John Cal- decote, Esq., and, at the same time, Lawford hall was disposed of in lots, as build¬ ing materials: a portion of the stable only, was suffered to remain, which is now attached to a farm-house built near the spot. CHURCH LAWFORD, Is a small village on the south side of the Avon ; and, on the opposite bank of that river, is Newnham Regis, so called on account of its having anciently be¬ longed to the king. The canons of Kenilworth enjoyed the property from the time of Henry I. to the dissolution. The church has been desecrated for many years, and little at present remains, except the tower, which is rendered pictu¬ resque by a partial screen of ivy; the interior is said by Dr. Thomas, to have been handsome ; and on the walls were painted, in fresco, the offerings of the wise men ; the taking of our Saviour from the cross, and the four evangelists: these, according to Ireland, bore the character and style of painting in the time of James I. The cemetary has been, for many years, converted into a common yard, and, among the many persons interred in that once sacred piece of ground, was Sir Francis Leigh, created earl of Chichester by Charles I. as a reward for his eminent loyalty.* In this parish, on the bank of the river Avon, is a bath, once of much cele¬ brity; the water is considered a weak chalybeate, and issues from a mineral spring about a mile distant, passing, in its course to the bath, through a lime pit: this water is yet in some request, and is found very efficacious in scorbutic comp! ints. * Grandson to William, younger son of Sir Thomas Leigh, then of Stoneleigh, and one of the ancient ancestors of the present owner of Stoneleigh abbey, Chandos Leigh, Esq. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 181 Wolston is seated on the south bank of the Avon, about three miles distant from Church Lawford, and is a large cheerful village, ornamented with a mansion, and many other neat and commodious residences. Wolston house is an extensive edifice, in a flat situation ; the attached grounds are rich in natural beauty, and are finely disposed. There was anciently in this parish, an alien priory, which was a cell to St. Pe¬ ter’s in France. As these cells had not often a regular foundation, it is frequently difficult to ascertain the period at which they were first endowed ; this does not however, appear to have been at any period a flourishing establishment; and, in the time of Richard II., the abbot and convent of St. Peter’s disposed of their rights to the Carthusian convent near Coventry. Wolston church is an ancient fabric, evidently raised at different periods; the tower, from its flat proportions, would appear to have been constructed in an early age, and built at the time the alien priory was founded : on the south side is a circular headed doorway, which, from its rudeness of execution, may be considered the fragment of a still more ancient structure; the other parts are of the Gothic of various eras : the interior is capacious, and on the south of the chancel are still remaining, the three stone recesses formerly used by the priests during the cele¬ bration of mass. Cawston was situate north-west of Dunchurch, but has, for some centuries, be¬ come a depopulated place, and scarcely a vestige remains of this ancient village: at an early period it belonged to the monks of Pipwell abbey, in whose possession it continued till the dissolution, since which period it has been the property of va¬ rious proprietors. Thurlaston is in the same parish, one mile west of Dunchurch, and, in the time of Henry VIII., was sold to Henry Cave, Esq , from whom it devolved to Edward Boughton, Esq., late of Cawston, who directed, by his will, (1589) his estate at Thurlaston to be sold ; and the duke of Montague became the proprie¬ tor, from whom it descended to the duke of Buccleugh, by inheritance, and to whose legal descendants it has ever since pertained. There was anciently a chapel here dedicated to St. Edmund, which was pulled down in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by order of Lord Berkley. CHAP. XI. Wolston. Ancient Priory. Cawston, formerly a village. Thurlaston. WILLOUGHBY, Is about three miles south-east by south from Dunchurch, and is written, in Doomsday-book, Willbere, and Wilbec. This manor was in the possession of 182 HISTORY OF BOOK I Grants made by Henry I. . King Henry I. who granted certain parts thereof to one of his servants, subject to the performance of certain services; and was afterwards granted, with the ad- vowson of the church, to St. John’s hospital, Oxford, founded by King Henry III. on the same spot where Magdalen college now stands. In the thirty-second of Henry III., the guardian and brethren of the said hos¬ pital, obtained a charter for a weekly market on Tuesday, and an annual fair fox- two days—to be held on Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun-week ; in the twenty- third of Henry VI., Richard Hamund, alias Clerk, Esq., held the old manor by lease, of the guardians and brethren of that hospital; and, in the thirty-fifth of the same reign, it was granted by them to Magdalen college in Oxford, since which period it has continued in the possession of the president and fellows of that institution. The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and is a vicarage, valued in the king’s books at £ 9. 4s. 4 d. ; in the patronage of Magdalen college. HILL MORTON, Is two miles and a half from Rugby, and was anciently called Hull—and de¬ rives its name from its situation ; it was given by William the Conqueror to Hen- ry-de-Newburgh, afterwards earl of Warwick,—the manor was held during seve- i-al reigns, by the Astley family, one of whom, Thomas-de-Astley, “ obtained to himself and his heirs, in the forty-ninth of Henry III., a charter for a weekly market, on a Saturday, and a yearly fair, to commence on the eve of St. John, Baptist, and to continue three days,” which grant being made during the time the king was a prisoner, when the barons exercised regal authoi-ity in his name, that grant was held invalid ; and, in the fifty-second of the same king’s reign, he pro- cui-ed a new charter, ratifying the fair, but altering the market to Wednesday, at which time he also had free warren granted to him and his heirs in all his de¬ mesne lands hei-e : in the ninth of Edward II., Thomas-de-Astley, nephew to the above, was lord of the manor of Hillmorton, who obtained a patent, “ to hold the mai-ket on Tuesday,” The church is an ancient Gothic edifice of considerable interest; in the centre of the south aisle is a monument of free-stone, with the statue of a woman, sup¬ posed by Dugdale to be that of Edith (mother of the before mentioned Thomas de-Astley) the tabernacle, or cover over her head, is like that of Queen Eleanor (wife of King Edwai-d I.) which is of brass in Westminster abbey. Opposite the above, between two pillars, is erected a monument to the memory of Thomas-de- THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 183 Astley, whereon his statue lieth cross-legged in armour. In the middle aisle there are two grave stones of marble, and on one of them is this laconic inscription : “ Here lyeth Thomas Perkins, and Alice, and Elizabeth, Our Lord save their souls from everlasting death.” Amen. On the other is the following: “ Here lyeth Richard Tant, and Margaret his wife— God bring their souls to everlasting life.” Amen. The church is dedicated to St. John, Baptist—a discharged vicarage, valued in the king’s books, at £ 6. 10,?. 6d. CLIFTON. This village is two miles east north east from Rugby on a hill, and, like many other places, derives its name from its situation, and is written in Doomsday-book Cliptone. In the time of Edward the Confessor, this place belonged to Alwin, who gave it to the priory of Coventry ; but, after the conquest, earl Alberic seized upon it, and divested the monks thereof, in whose possession it continued till King Stephen’s time, when it was given to the abbey of Leicester, with the perpetual patronage of Clifton church, the chapels of Brownsover, Rugby and Newton, in whose possession it remained till the thirteenth of Edward I. when it became the property of John-de-Boise, who possessed it till the twenty-seventh of the same reign, when it passed from him to William Revell, in whose family it continued for several years: this estate passed by a female heir from his family to that of Whitney, and, from the latter to Sir John Bridgeman, of Castle Brom¬ wich, Bart, and is now in the possession of his legal representatives. The church is an ancient Gothic building, which had originally, a fine steeple, surmounted with a handsome high spire, that served as a land mark, being seen over the principal part of the country ; which was taken down in the year 16*39, to save the expence of repairing it: this church is dedicated to St. Mary, and was anciently a prebend of Leicester castle, but subsequently granted to that ab¬ bey, in the reign of King John. The vicarage was valued in the twenty-eighth of the reign of Henry VII1. at £ 8. Is. 8 d. NEWTON. CHAP. XI. Ancient Owners. This village is situate near to, and in the parish of Clifton, a portion of which belonged to the priory of Kenilworth, and was principally given to that priory by 181 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Remains of an ancient Roman Station. Large Stone mark which di¬ vides the Counties. Geoffrey-de-Clinton, in the time of Henry I., and, in the time of Richard II., the abbey of Combe held, from various benefactions, so much of it as was rated at eleven yard land and one acre—reckoning forty-eight acres to the yard land ; which continued in the possession of that monastery till the dissolution, after which, it passed to various proprietors, and has so remained ever since. BIGGIN, Near Newton, on the east side, lies the remains of this once populous village, which has for many years past, been depopulated, and, in Dugdale’s time, the principal remains was a mill; it was anciently called Holme, and, in the Conque¬ ror’s time, it was possessed by Turchill-de-Warwick, from whom it descended with the rest of his lands to the earl of Warwick, and has continued ever since in the possession of his noble descendants. Within the distance of a mile and a half north east of Clifton, where Watling Street enters Warwickshire, are still to be seen the extensive remains of the great Roman station, termed Tripantium. On the north side of the bridge, called Dow- bridge, about the middle of the wall, is set up in it a five square stone, on the west side of which is cut, in large letters, Leicestershire, on the south side, here ends Warwickshire, and. on the east side, Northamptonshire. RYTON ON DUNSMORE. This village is situate on the road between Dunchurch and Coventry, and is distant from the latter about four miles and a half; it is called Ryton on Duns- more to distinguish it from another village of the same name, in the parish of Bulkington. In 1048, it was in the possession of Earl Leofric, who gave it to the priory of Coventry, in whose possession it continued but a short time, and in the Conqueror’s time it was held by Turchill-de-Warwick, at which period it con¬ tained three hides, and half a carucat of land, with extensive woods attached to it, also a church and a mill, which were then valued at 60s. per annum. This property was subsequently given by the heir of Turchill, to the monks of Thorney, in Cambridgeshire, subject to the performance of certain religious cere¬ monies, which grant was afterwards confirmed by his son, Henry-de-Arden : in the seventh of Edward I., Thomas-de-Arden, a descendant of the above, was lord of this manor, which was held of the earl of Warwick, by the service of a knight’s fee. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 185 After the dissolution of the monasteries, Edward VI. granted this manor to chap. xi. John Dudley, earl of Warwick, afterwards duke of Northumberland,—and Queen Mary, on his attainder, granted it, with other property to Sir Thomas Trecham, knight; but it reverted to Ambrose Dudley, earl of Warwick, son of the attainted duke, on the death of Queen Mary, and, as he died without issue, in the thirty- first of Elizabeth, it returned to the crown—and that queen granted it to Randle Crew, esq. of London, and Richard Cartwright, gent, of London, by whom it was sold to Thomas Dilke, Esq., in whose descendants it now is. Ryton Church is dedicated to St. Leonard ; it is in the patronage of the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and valued, in the king’s books at ofll. 6,f. 8 d. At a short distance on the road, towards Dunclnirch, is a place termed the biack dog, in the parish of Stretton on Dunsmore, where the petty sessions for the hundred of Knightlow are held, and the commissioners, for the affairs of taxes for this hundred sit to hear appeals. STRETTON ON DUNSMORE, Is. situate on the road which leads from Coventry to Dunchurch, about five miles and a half distant from each ; it is here the county asylum is erected, an institution intended to reclaim juvenile convicts. This village derives its name from its situation upon the Foss Roman road, and the addition of Dunsmore, is obviously to distinguish this from other Strettons in this county. The church is of ancient Gothic architecture, and is a vicarage not in charge : in the church¬ yard there are several altar-tombs of the Chamberlain family, formerly of Prince- thorp. Princethorp is a village, and lies in the parish of Stretton. In the time of Ed- Prince- ward I. it was written Premesthorpe—the former part from an early possessor of t!,crp ' this place, and the latter signifying a village. Stretton and Princethorpe were formerly in the parish of Wolaston, but were made a separate parish by an act of parliament passed in the seventh and eighth of William III. FRANCKTON, Is within a short distance of Stretton on Dunsmore, and is four miles and a half west by south from Dunchurch. This manor and estate was given, by Earl Leo- fric, to the priory of Coventry at its foundation, and continued with that monas- 2 B 186 HISTORY OF book I. tery until its dissolution; after which, it remained in the crown till the thirty- second of Elizabeth, when it was granted to Thomas Thornton, and Thomas Woodcock, and afterwards passed by sale to John Temple, whose grandson disposed of it to Sir Theophilus Biddulph, in the year 1680, from whom the present family of Biddulph descended. The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and the rectory is valued at £5. 12s. Id .; in the patronage of Sir — Biddulph, baronet. BURTON ON DUNSMORE Is within four miles west by south of Dunchurch, and a short distance from Frankton. In the reign of Henry HI. it was possessed by Robert de Garshale, and in his descendants in the male line, it continued for several generations: it afterwards descended by marriage of a female heir to Sir Robert Burdett, of Huncote, in Leicestershire, and, in a similar manner in Henry IV.’s time, it passed to the Stafford family, till, by the attainder of Humphrey Stafford, Esq. (first of Henry VII.) it was confiscated to the crown. In the reign of Henry VIII. this manor and estate was restored to the Stafford family, and was afterwards sold to Sir Richard Shuckburgh, of Birdingbury, whose descendant is the present owner. The church is a rectory, valued in the king’s books at <£19. 17$. Bid. Draycote, Draycote, was anciently, and is now' a member of Bourton, which formerly was j&ourton so much connected with it, that for a long time, the portions of their respective owners were not easily distinguished. In the time of Henry IV. this manor be¬ longed to Sir William Bagot, whose daughter and heir, with her husband, Thomas Stafford, Esq., sold it to John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, from whom it de¬ scended to Henry de Bullenbrook, afterwards King Henry IV., who gave it “ to the dean and chapter of the collegiate church in Leicester, and their successors for ever; reserving the rent of ten marks to be paid yearly by them to the chantry priests in that church ; subject to the performance of certain religious ce¬ remonies.” After its dissolution, Edward VI. granted it to Thomas Hawkins, alias Fisher, of Warwick, who disposed of it to John Smythe, by whom it was occupied as a farm, and has subsequently become the property of various owners and occupiers. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 187 CHAP. XII. CHAPTER XU. SOUTH AM DIVISION, Comprises the following parishes, hamlets, and chapelry; Ascote (or chapel Ascot) ; Bridingbury ; Granborough ; Hides pastures, (hamlet) ; Hodwell, (ex¬ tra parochial); Honingham ; Itchington ; Bishop’s Itchington, long; Ladbrooke; Leamington Hastang; Marton ; Napton on the Hill; Radburn, lower, (extra parochial); Radburn, Upper, (extra parochial) ; Shuckburgh, upper; Southam ; Stockton; Wappenbury, with Eathrope; Watergall, (extra parochial); Weston under Wetherby ; Will’s-pastures, (extra parochial); Wolfhamcote. SOUTHAM, Is a small market town in the high road from Coventry to Bambury, and is distant from the former place twelve miles: the turnpike road leading from Warwick to the metropolis, passes through ; and, from the traffic on these roads, the town derives its chief emolument. It has a weekly market, at which little business is transacted : in Doomsday-book it is written Sucham, and the town is there said to contain four hides, having two mills rated at 4,?. and woods of one mile in length, and half a mile in breadth, all of which were in the king’s hands: in the time of Henry III. a weekly market, and fair to last eight days w r as granted. The church is a handsome Gothic building, with a fine spire spring, ing from a square tower at the west end. It is dedicated to St. James, and is a rectory, valued, in the king’s books at £22. 17 s. 6d. Patron the king. LONG ITCHINGTON. This village lies on the road to Coventry, within the distance of two miles from Origin of Southam, and it evidently derives its name from the little river Ichine, on the * San>e - bank of which it is situate. 188 HISTORY OF BOOK 1. Ancient Owners. Entertain¬ ment of Queen Eli¬ zabeth on her journey to Kenil¬ worth. Briding- bury. The property of the lordship of Itctnngton, previous to its becoming vested in the Newdigate and Leigh families, was particularly unfortunate in several of its possessors. John-de-Pinkney, who possessed a moiety of the manor in the reign of Edward I.* was hanged for felony; Sir John-de-Odingsells, lord of the manor in the time of Edward III. was outlawed for divers felonies and seditions. His son John received in the same reign, the king’s pardon for breaking the house of William-de-Shareshall, and robbing it of plate and jewels, to the value of c£TOO. “ with certain gold in Horens, and other ready money;” another, John-de-Oding¬ sells, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, “ put a period to his ancient family, and died in a miserable condition; for, having mortgaged the property he became so poor, that, had not one Harewood formerly his tenant, taken him into his house, out of pit}', he had died in the streets.”-f- The estate passed to the earl of Leicester, who had the honour of entertaining here, Queen Elizabeth. This festivity took place in the course of the queen’s progress towards Kenilworth in 1075; and we learn from Laneham, the historian of that magnificent progress, that, “ there was pitched here, a tent, of consider¬ able magnitude : this temporary habitation was, indeed so spacious, that it might be compared with a beautiful palace ; pleasant pastime in hunting was prepared to banish tedium from the ensuing ride, so that it was eight in the evening before her highness arrived at the favoured spot,” Kenilworth. Itchington is now a small village; but, at the period of the conquest, and du¬ ring the ages which immediately succeeded, it appears to have been of consider¬ able consequence. It likewise boasts for a native, a man eminent in the pious chronicles of bis day, St. Wolstan, who was consecrated bishop of Worcester, in 1062; he was educated in the abbey of Peterborough, but was shorn a monk in the monastery of Worcester, where his father was then living, devoted to religious services. Few bishops of the early ages have been so favourably treated by histo¬ rians, as this prelate ; little is mentioned touching his miracles, but much is said concerning his virtues, and strength of understanding: his zeal for religious and public morals, when directed by the fanciful piety of the era, unavoidably led to actions which now raise a smile, though they then excited serious admiration;^; but all writers concur in ascribing to him simplicity of art and unbounded bene¬ volence. By this prelate, the cathedral of Worcester was rebuilt, which was pre¬ viously destroyed by fire, by order of Hardicanute. Bridingbury is two miles and a half from Long Itchington, on the north east, and is one of the places which Earl Leofric gave to the Benedictine monks, on * Which moiety he sold to Hugh-de-Odingsells, for 100 marks of silver. "j* Dugdale, page 344. 5. See some anecdotes concerning this prelate, in the “ Beauties, &c. in Worcestershire,’’ page 62, and 96. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 189 founding the monastery of Coventry, who granted their interest in this estate to the family of Hastings, of Allesley in this county, for the.service of one knight’s fee; after various transmissions the property was obtained, in 1674, by Sir Charles Wheler, Bart, whose son, Sir William, resigned his right and title to the lady Do¬ rothy his mother: by this lady, the estate was conveyed, in 1687, to Symon Biddulph, Esq. The ancient mansion, which is now standing, with the attached estate, is now in the possession of a descendant of the above family. LEAMINGTON HASTANG, Is commonly called Hastings; it adjoins the preceding parish, and is situate on the south bank of the river Leame, from which circumstance it obviously acquires the first part of its appellation ; the second it derives from the powerful family of Hastings, who long resided here. In the reign of Charles I. the manor was pur¬ chased by Sir Thomas Trevor, one of the barons of the exchequer, who be¬ queathed it to Sir Charles Wheler, Bart., by whose relict an almshouse was foun¬ ded and endowed, for the maintenance of two poor persons; and, adjoining this institution, is an hospital for the maintenance of eight poor persons of the parish, founded and endowed by Humphrey Davis, in the fifth of James I. The lands bequeathed by this latter benefactor for charitable purposes, it appears, were un¬ justly withheld for twenty-six years, but were then recovered and directed to their intended channel, by the exertions of Sir Thomas Trevor. In this parish is the hamlet of Hardwick, from which a branch of the Has¬ tings, above-mentioned, took a surname. The Hardwick family once bore some sway in this county, but afterwards removed to Leicestershire, consequently the name became extinct. In the reign of Henry VIII., John Hardwick, the last male of this family, is mentioned by Burton, in his description of Leicestershire, in the following terms, “ He was a man of small stature, but of great courage and strength, who, at that time, as Henry earl of Richmond was coming to encoun¬ ter King Richard III., was lodged at Atherstone, the night before the battle was fought, came to the said earl, tendering himself and his services, bringing with him men and horses, when he became guide to the said ear! and his army; this is the man of whom the tradition goeth by an unknown name, by wh^se good con¬ duct, the earl got the advantage of the ground, wind and sun.” Upper Shuckburgh, or Shuckburgh superior, is near the eastern border of the county, and is distant rather more than five miles from the town of Southam. At the time of the Norman survey, the earl of Mcllent held four hides in this place ; but, shortly after, the property passed to the family of Danvers. In the CHAP. XI Alms¬ houses, Hospital, &c. The hamlet of Hard¬ wick. Upper Shuck¬ burgh. 190 HISTORY OF eook i. tenth of Henry Vi. John Shuckburgh, Esq. was certified to hold a manor here, by the fourth part of a knight’s fee; and the manorial rights have remained with his descendants to the present day. Shuckburgh hall, the seat of this ancient family, is a capacious and handsome residence, surrounded by an extensive park well stocked with deer, but has lately suffered much in the picturesque beauty of the woodland recesses. There is a melancholy tale connected with this mansion, which may be consi¬ dered by the reader as a matter of interest, although connected with the horrible crimes of murder and self-destruction. The facts are these: A lieutenant Sharpe, of the Bedfordshire militia, was, with other military officers, in the habit of visit¬ ing at the house of the late Sir Stewkley Shuckburgh, in consequence of which he unhappily formed an attachment to the young and amiable lady;_he was well received there until his intentions were discovered by her parents, when he was forbidden the house; that the attachment was mutual, there can be no doubt; the lady, in obedience to her parental authority, prepared herself to break off the ac¬ quaintance, and a plan was adopted, for the return of such letters as had passed between them: it was agreed upon, by the unhappy victims, that the lady should deposit the letters, received from Mr. Sharpe, in a summer-house in the garden, on Saturday evening, the twenty-fifth of March 1809, and, on the following morn¬ ing she should find those written by herself on the same spot; she was observed by a servant, to leave the mansion on Sunday morning, at an early hour, and to walk towards the appointed place—where lieutenant Sharpe is supposed to have lingered all the night, meditating the horrid deed : she found him in the summer¬ house—and two voices were heard, by the listening servant, in earnest dispute : the discharge of a pistol saluted her astonished ears soon after, and a person fell; in about two seconds, another pistol was discharged, which finished the work of death : Miss Shuckburgh, at the time of her melancholy death was about twenty- one years of age. 'Fhe title of baronet was bestowed on John Shuckburgh, Esq. by Charles II. in the year 1660; the father of this gentleman experienced many calamities in consequence of his zeal for the royal cause, in the preceding reign. The story of his exertions possess some interest, and are stated in Dugdale as follows:—“ As King Charles I. marched to Edgcot, near Bambury, on the twenty-second of October 1642, he saw a person hunting in the fields, not far from Shuckburgh, with a pack of hounds ; upon which it is stated that he heaved a deep sigh, and asked who that gentleman was, that hunted so merrily that morning, when he was going to fight for his crown and dignity ? and being told that it was Richard Shuckburgh, his majesty ordered him to be fetched to him, and was by him gra¬ ciously received ; upon which he went immediately home, armed all his tenants, THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 191 and, the next day attended the king in the field, where he was knighted, and was present at the battle of Edgehill. After the taking of Bambrough castle, and his majesty’s retreat from those parts, he went to his own seat, and fortified him- self on the top of Shuckburgh hill, where being attacked by some of the parlia¬ ment forces, he defended himself till he fell, with most of his tenants about him ; but, being taken up, and life perceived in him, he was carried away prisoner to Kenilworth castle, where he lay a considerable time and was forced to purchase his liberty. Sir George H. A. Shuckburgh Evelyn, Bart., who died in 1804, was a representative for the county of Warwick in three successive parliaments, and was distinguished for his ardent love of science, which rendered him a valu¬ able member of the Royal Society, and an ornament to the literary character of his country. The church of Shuckburgh was originally, and is now, a stipendiary cure. The building is of stone, and contains many monuments to the different members of the family, which has so long possessed the manor. LADBROOKE, Is a small village about a mile and a half from Southam. In ancient records it is written Lodebroc, who, in the time of Henry II. was certified to hold a knight's fee of William, then earl of Warwick. In the fortieth of Elizabeth, this manor and estate was sold to Sir Robert Dudley ; by whose family it was again sold in the eighteenth of Charles to Sir William Palmer a progenitor of C. Palmer, Esq. The bridge over the river betwixt this town and Herberbury, now called Def- ford’s bridge, in the twenty-first of Richard II. being out of repair, it was said to be the right of those two villages to repair it, but, on proof, it appeared that the bridge was built by the lord of the manor upon his own soil, for his own use, and, in consequence of such proof the towns were discharged from all liability. Ladbrooke church is dedicated to All Saints, and is a rectory valued in the king’s books at £ 13. 10s. In the patronage of the Palmer family. radburn (upper and lower), Are two small hamlets in the parish of Ladbrooke. Radburn was formerly a village of considerable note and population, having a church, but which has for many years been depopulated, and only a small house or two remain which mere¬ ly serve to shew the scite on which the village stood,—Dugdale calls the place Rodbourne, from Rode, a passage, and bourne, a small rivulet. CHAP. XIT. Defford’s bridge. Depopula¬ ted villages. 192 HISTORY OF BOOK T. Anciently a market town. bishop’s ITCHINGTON. In the time of Edward the Confessor, the manor and estate of Bishop’s It- chington, was in the possession of Earl Leofric, who granted it to the monks of Coventry upon the foundation of their monastery. It derives the former part of its name from the ancient bishops of Coventry and Lichfield, and the latter from the river Ichine, near which it is situated. But this, like many other ancient vil¬ lages has been depopulated for some centuries past. It was formerly divided into two parts, called Upper and Lower Itchington, in the latter of which the church anciently stood ; which was taken down on the de¬ population of the place in the time ot Henry VIII. and the chapel of ease, at Upper Itchington, became the parish church, that village not being depopulated. In the time of Henry III. Bishop’s Itchington was a market town, and had an annual fair for three days, commencing at Lammas. In the reign of Edward I. the bishops of Coventry and Lichfield held consi¬ derable estates, in the manor of Itchington, which they enjoyed until the first of Edward VI., at which time it was sold by Richard Sampson, the then bishop, to one Thomas Fisher, Esq., who depopulated that part called Nether Itchington, where the church stood, which he also pulled down, and, upon the site there¬ of erected a large manor house, to perpetuate his memory, and changed the name of it from Bishop’s Itchington, to Fisher’s Itchington. The church which is now in ruins, was dedicated to All Saints. NAPTON. Two miles and three quarters east, south east, from the town of Southam, de¬ rives its name from its situation being on a hill; and is generally called Napton- on-the-hill. In the thirteenth of Edward II. this manor and estate was held by Robert-de-Napton, who obtained a charter for a weekly market to be held at Nap- ton on a Tuesday, and a yearly fair for three days: one of his grand daughters married John-de-Shuckburgh; but, whether the manor of Napton came to the Shuckburgh family in consequence of that marriage (although it subsequently be¬ came their inheritance) Dugdale was not able to ascertain. In the tenth of Henry VI. William Shuckburgh, of Shuckburgh, was the possessor of this and other estates within the precincts of Napton, and in his descendants, they have ever since continued. There was formerly a chapel of ease at Napton, which has long since fallen tq THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 198 decay, and not a vestige now remains. The church is dedicated to All Saints,— chaf. Patron, the King; and is a rectory valued in the king’s books at £9 14s. x11 - WOLFHAMCOTE, The hamlets of Flecknoe, Nethercote, and Sawbridge, are within this parish ; each of which in Dugdale’s time had a decayed chapel. This place is written in Doomsday-book, Ulfelmecote, derived from a Saxon owner : at that early period it was the property of Turchill-de-Warwick, whose son Siward-de-Arden, granted it to Lescilina, daughter of Geoffrey-de-Clinton, and afterwards the wife of Nor¬ man-de-Verdon, and was passed away by John-de-Verdon in the time of Henry III. to Walter-de-Langley and Alice his wife, and their heirs for the service of half a knight’s fee. By marriage with an heiress of this family, it came to Wil- liam-de-Pete; and, in the eleventh of James, Sir Edward Pete, passed it to Ro¬ bert Clarke, yeoman, the then tenant. The church is dedicated to St. Peter, and has a discharged vicarage valued at =£12. 18s. 2 d. Flecknoe is the principal village within the parish of Wolfhamcote. This es- Flecknoe. tate was sold in the reign of Elizabeth by Berkley the then possessor, to Edward Botighton of Cawston, Esq. who afterwards sold it in lots to the several tenants, who then occupied it, and has ever since been in the possession of various own¬ ers and occupiers. In the reign of Edward I. Theobald-de-Verdon possessed this manor, and claimed “a court leet, assize of bread and beer, free warren, and waifes, with other privileges, and the members thereof, Nethercote, Wolfhamcote, and Sawbridge.” It was afterwards possessed by the family of Ferrers. Nethercote was anciently called Parva (or Little) Flecknoe, and, in the tenth Nethercote. of Edward II. was held by John-de-Coigne, and with his posterity it continued until the thirty-first of Henry VIII., when Robert Cuny, Esq. passed it to Roger Wigston, Esq. and, after several descents it was purchased by Robert Clarke, when it consisted of only seven houses. Sawbridge derived its name from a bridge over the river Leame, and, until the Sawbridge reign of King John, it continued in the family of Arden, when it was granted to the monks of Thorney, Cambridgeshire, who, in the nineteenth of Edward I. were in the possession of one carucat of land, rated at 30.?. and =£4. 13s. rent of assize, with other privileges and estates. After the dissolution, it continued in the crown till the time of Queen Elizabeth, by whom it was bestowed on — Gerard, and others, by the title of the manor of Sawbridge. It shortly afterwards (from some cause unknown) reverted to the crown again in that queen’s reign, she then granted it, with a water-mill, in Ryton, to Ralph Crew, Esq., and Richard Cart- 2 c HISTORY OF 18i book i. wright, gent, to be held in fee forme, paying ^O. yearly into the exchequer; and shortly after it passed to various persons and has ever since been the property of different individuals. Singular In the year 1630, some curious Roman urns were discovered by John Eales; in some V Ro-° consequence of his removing an old barn, a well was found about four feet square n an ums, p u ]| Q f wa t e r, which, upon being emptied, they descended into it, and found a large square stone, on which stood several Roman urns of grey earth curiously polished ; twelve of which were taken out safe, and it is supposed as many were destroyed by the fall of the stone, which, when they had taken up, they sounded about forty feet more, and found no bottom, but perceived that the lower it went, the nar¬ rower it was. STOCKTON, Is situate two miles north east by east, from Southam, and is supposed to have been anciently a member of Long Itchington, to which it joins; and this opinion is strengthened by the circumstance, that Long Itchington is stated to have been formerly a place of considerable extent, and Stockton was held of its lord. The church is dedicated to St. Michael, and anciently belonged to the pri¬ ory of Hertford; the rectory was valued in the twenty-sixth of Henry VIII. at £ 10. 7s. GRANBOROUGH, Contains the hamlets of Walscote, Walcote, and Calcote, and is one of those twenty-four towns which Leofric, earl of Mercia, gave to the priory of Coven¬ try, upon its foundation in the time of Edward the Confessor. It is written in Doomsday-book, Gramberge and Greneberge—a name supposed by Dugdale to have originated from its situation being on rising ground; and, at that time the monastery of Coventry was in the possession of eight hides and one virgit of land here with a mill, then valued at £8. Two hides were also held of the king by Richard Forestairus, valued at 50s. After various transmissions, it was in the time of Dugdale, in the possession of John Hill, but has subsequently become the property of various proprietors. The church is dedicated to St. Paul, and the vicarage is valued in the king’s books at £5. HONINGHAM, Is situate five miles and a half north west, by north, from Southam, and is written in Doomsday-book, Huningeham;—it appears to derive its name from Huninge, a Saxon possessor. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 195 The manor of Honingham was formerly held under the family of Cotes and Cokesey, during several reigns, and afterwards came to the house of Leigh, hav¬ ing been purchased of Henry Vane, in the year 1695, by Thomas, Lord Leigh, and now forms part of the noble estate, called Stoneleigh, in the possession of Chandos Leigh, Esq. a descendant of that ancient and noble family. The church is dedicated to St. Margaret, which was anciently a chapel belonging to Wappenbury, and with it appropriated to the priory of Monks Kirby, in King John’s time; and afterwards to the monastery of Sulby in Northamptonshire. The living is in the patronage of the Leigh family. WAPPENBURY. Includes the township of Eathorpe, and is situate five miles and three quarters north north west from Southam. William the Conqueror gave this village with its appendages, to GeofFrey-de-Wrice, who afterwards bestowed the greater part of its tithes upon the monks of St. Nicholas at Angiers in France. It was certi¬ fied by his survey, to have contained five hides, with a mill, rated at 6s. 8 d. and w'oods half a mile in length, and two furlongs in breadth, then valued at £5. 10s. In the reign of Charles I. this lordship was possessed by Thomas Morgan, Esq., of Weston-under-Wetherley ; and with the latter place it passed to Lord Clifford Baron of Chudleigh, Devonshire, the present owner. The church is dedicated to St. John, Baptist—The living is rated at £ 8. and is in the patronage of Lord Clifford. Eathorpe. Until the reign of Henry VI. Dugdale could find no mention of this place ; and, since that time it has been a member of the lordship of Wappenbury. WESTON-UNDER-WF.THERLEY. This village lies six miles and a half, north east by east, from Warwick, and de¬ rives its name from its situation. Robert-de-Napton held this manor of the earl of Mellent, from the Conquest to the time of Henry IV., between which and Henry VIII.’s time, it had several owners—Early in this reign, Sir Edward Belknap possessed it, who built the ancient manor house, on several parts of which was carved in wood, his family arms; and, by his will, dated twelfth of Henry VIII. bequeathed it to dame Alice his wife for the term of her life; after which it came to John Shelley, Esq. cousin and heir to the said Edward, by Alice his sister, who died in the fourth of Edward VI. This estate subsequently passed CHAP. X ! T. Eathorpe. Anciert Manor- house. 196 HISTORY OF book i. into the hands of various owners and occupiers, till it ultimately came to the an¬ cient and noble family of Clifford, and is now possessed by the noble lord of that name. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. It has a discharged vicarage, valued at £ 5. 9s. 2 d., and is in the patronage of the university of Oxford. There are two monumental inscriptions in Latin and English, on a tablet of brass fixed in marble, on the east wall of the north aisle, of which the following is a copy :— “ Here Margerie Saunders lyeth, whose mortal lymns are dede. But to enjoy immortal rest her soule to heaven is fled. Whyles lyf did last she was a paterne of good lyfe, Devout to God, good to the poore, a chaste and perfit wyfe, A house wyfe of great skill, setting her whole delight In her just love and wedded make Sir Edward Saunders, knight; For Christ his crosse she calid amiddis the pangs of death, Which she with minde and ie beheld until her later breath. And so gave up her gost to God which lyfe did lend. Who for her good, and worthily, gave her a happy end. Died llth October 1563.” On another brass plate fixed in marble on the south wall of the church, is the following inscription. “ Here lyeth Joyce Comer slayne by death. That had of physycks skyll. Whose losse these comfortes Saunders shewes. As tokens of good wyll. 22nd December, 1566." THE COUNTY OF THE CITY OF COVENTRY. In the year 1451, King Henry VI., as a mark of special favour, granted that the city of Coventry, and certain villages adjacent thereto, should be constituted ;in entire county of themselves incorporate both in deed and name; his charter enacts that the bailiffs of the city shall be sheriffs of the county, and the same coroner preside over both : this charter was confirmed by Edward IV. The county of the city of Coventry is situate in the north east part of War¬ wickshire, and is chiefly encompassed by the hundred of Knightlow. The great¬ est length, from Bedworth to a point near Baginton, in a north-east and south¬ west direction, is seven miles and a half; and the greatest breadth, from near Nettle-hill, to Brownshill-green, in about an east and west direction, is seven miles and a half. The district contains in all, about 18,161 acres. The places united THE COUNTY OF WARWICK 197 with the city of Coventry in the formation of this county, are Anstey ; Exhall; Foleshill; Keresley; Sow (part of); Stivichall; Stoke; and Wyken. The mayor and alderman of Coventry, are officially justices of the peace in the county, and hold quarter-sessions in the same manner, and with the same powers as counties at large. Their privileges are numerous, and among these is one that perhaps could not be acted on witii satisfaction either to themselves or the public; this is the power of sitting in judgment on capital offences; an office so impor¬ tant they uniformly refer to the judge who travels the midland circuit. Although King Henry intended an act of general kindness to the inhabitants, when he granted their prescriptive rights, his bounty has obviously entailed one privation on many of them : the freeholders of this county, as freeholders, are not en¬ titled to vote on the return of any members to parliament; as servitude alone be¬ stows a qualification on the citizens of Coventry, and with Warwickshire they have not any political connection. The city of Coventry is supposed to have been founded at a very early period, as the final syllable of its appellation is evidently the British, Tre, a town. The prefix to this simple and general term was added by the Saxons, and may ration¬ ally be concluded to express the circumstance of a covent, or convent, having been erected on the spot, and such a foundation we find to have taken place in a Saxon era. Camden observes, that in early history, and in the pontifical decrees the name of the city was often written Conventria; and he instances the expression thus translated, “ Either the bishop of Coventry is not in his right senses, or he seems wilfully to have quitted common sense.’ 1 This, it is observed, must relate to Alexander-de-Savensby, who was consecrated in 1224 : and who, according to Godwin, was a very learned man, but pretended to visions and apparitions scarce credible. Coventry was certainly not used by the Romans for military purposes, and few vestiges have been discovered to favour the idea of their entering largely on a domestic and tranquil association with the original inhabitants. On excavating the spot termed Broad gate, in 1792, there was found at the depth of five feet from the surface, “ a regular pavement, and upon that pavement a coin of Nero in middle brass.”* On digging for the foundation of a house, on the site of the old town, a marble figure was discovered about ten inches in height, the right hand leaning on a shield, and the head bound with a filler, resembling wheat. The pri¬ vate as well as public buildings of the Romans, and of the Britons closely con¬ nected with them, are known to have been abundantly ornamented with emble¬ matic pieces of sculpture: most of these were destroyed on the introduction of CHAP. xri. Powers gi¬ ven to tire principal Burgesses of the city. An account of this discovery is inserted in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1703- 19S HISTORY OF book i. Christianity; but the figure thus discovered is probably one that eluded the eye of religious reformers*. The more ancient town of Coventry is believed to have stood on the north of the present city, as extensive foundations have been traced in that direction, near the spot termed St. Nicholas church-yard. The Warwickshire antiquary, Rous, is the first writer that mentions an early monastery of nuns in this city ; and he informs us that when the traitor Edric invaded Mercia, and destroyed many towns in 1016, a house of nuns in Coventry, of which a holy virgin named St. Osburg had been some time abbess, fell a prey to his ferocity. Leland says that King Canute first founded a nunnery here. In conducting the history of Coventry to the reign of Edward the Confessor, we introduce it to an era, concerning which we are furnished with documents somewhat more satisfactory, though these are mingled with one of the most fan¬ tastical legends that ever met with popular reception. In the early part of Ed¬ ward’s reign, Leofric, the fifth earl of Mercia, and his countess Godiva, (sometimes called Godifa, Godina, and Goditha) founded a monastery on the ruins of St. Osburg’s nunnery. This Leofric was descended from Leofric, earl of Chester, in the time of Ethelbald, king of Mercia, and appears to have been a man of emi¬ nent talents, as he stood high in the estimation of several successive monarchs, and is placed by historians at the head of various great state transactions. By King Canute he was made captain-general of the royal forces, and, after his death he was chiefly instrumental in advancing to the crown, Harold, the son of that king. Edward the Confessor was indebted to Leofric for his elevation to the throne, and was subsequently protected by his wisdom and power, from many of the turbu¬ lent machinations of Earl Godwyn. The Countess Godiva, was sister to Tho- rold, sheriff of Lincolnshire, a man much imbued with the piety prevalent in that age, as appears by his founding the abbey Spalding. She is said, by Ingulphus, to have been a most beautiful and devout lady. The monastery founded by this illustrious pair, was for an abbot and twenty- four monks of the Benedictine order, and it surpassed all others in the county for amplitude of revenue and splendour of ornaments. Leofric bestowed on it one half of the town in which it was situated, and twenty-tour lordships in this and other counties. The king and the archbishop of Canterbury, with a long train of mitred churchmen and powerful nobles, were witnesses to the act of endowment: Pope Alexander confirmed the grant, and added many privileges. In regard to its magnificence of embellishment, Malmsbury observes “ that it was enriched and beautified with so much gold and silver, that the walls seemed too narrow to contain it; insomuch that Robert-de-Limesie, bishop of this diocese, in the time This figure is now in the possession of Mr. Nickson, of Coventry. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 199 of King William Rufus, scraped from one beam that supported the shrines, 500 marks of silver." Among the reliques was an arm of St. Augustine, placed in a silver shrine, on which was an inscription purporting that it was purchased of the pope, by Aglenethus archbishop of Canterbury. Earl Leofric died in a good old age, in the thirteenth of Edward the Confessor at his house at Bromley, in Staffordshire, and was buried in a porch of the mo¬ nastery church which he had founded. The Lady Godiva appears to have been actuated by zealous and habitual piety; besides founding the monastery of Stow, near Lincoln, she conferred numerous benefactions on the foundation at Coventry, “ sending," says Dugdale, “ for skilful goldsmiths, who, with all the gold and sil¬ ver she had, made crosses, images, saints, and other curious ornaments.” The period of her death is not ascertained, but she bequeathed her whole treasure to this religious house, “ and even at the point of death gave a rich chain of pre¬ cious stones, directing it to be put about the neck of the blessed virgin’s image, so that those who came to devotion should say as many prayers as there were gems therein.” Her remains were interred in the other porch of the said monastery church, founded by her husband Earl Leofric. With the foundation of its monastic structure commenced the prosperity of Coventry. While the means of commercial interchange were difficult, no town, that had not in its vicinity, such mineral veins as were light of access and essen¬ tial to the homely needs of a people, who had few wants besides those which the sword and the ploughshare might supply, could hope to attract the tide of traffic, without the aid of superstitious faction. Tribes of devotees, saintly feasts, and monastic largesses, vain glory bestowed alike on the helpless and the indolent, now increased the trade and population of the place, and rendered its tolls and services objects of consideration. From the general character of Earl Leofric, as given by early historians, and from the pious disposition he evinced in the foundation of his monastery, it might be supposed that he would not exact those tolls and ser¬ vices with too rigorous a hand, for to him, as lord of the town, they were due ; but it seems the citizens found them a grievance, and, concerning the method *:i which they gained relief from oppression, is told a romantic tale, which we give in the words of Sir William Dugdale: “ The Countess Godiva, bearing an ex¬ traordinary affection to this place, often and earnestly besought her husband, that, for the love of God and the blessed virgin, he would free it from that grievous servitude whereunto it was subject; but he, rebuking her for importuning him in a manner so inconsistent with his profit, commanded that she should thenceforward forbear to move therein ; yet she, out of her womanish pertinacity, continued to solicit him insomuch, that he told her if she would ride on horseback, naked from one end of the town to the other, in sight of all the people, he would grant CHAP. xn. Particulars relating to the freedom of the city of Coventry. 200 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Particulars relative to Peeping Tom, and the annual exhibition of an effigy to comment* morale the great bene¬ factress of Coventry, Godiva. Description of the figure of Peeping Tom. her request. Whereunto she returned, but will you give me leave to do so ? And he replying yes! the noble lady upon an appointed day, got on horseback naked, with her hair loose so that it covered all her body but the legs, and thus perform¬ ing her journey she returned with joy to her husbaud ; who thereupon granted to the inhabitants a charter of freedom. In memory whereof the picture of him and his said lady, were set up in a south window of Trinity church in this city, about Richard II.’s time, his right hand holding a charter, with these words written thereon : I Luriche for the love of thee. Do make Ccventre tol-free. It is said by Rapin, “ that the countess, previous to her riding, commanded all persons to keep within doors, and from their windows, on pain of death; but not¬ withstanding this severe penalty, there was one person who could not forbear gi¬ ving a look out of curiosity which cost him his life.” A figure called peeping Tom, is now placed at an opening in the upper part of a house at the corner of Hertford-street, in conformity with this traditionary tale; and, in our days at least, rivals in popularity and widely-extended renown, the more authentic history of Godiva, the fair patroness of Coventry ; the remem¬ brance of whose beneficence is gratefully preserved by the frequent exhibition (upon the first day of the great, or show, fair commencing on the Friday in Tri¬ nity week, which lasts eight days) of a splendid procession, wherein a female, re¬ presenting the renowned Godiva, rides through the principal streets, in a linen or silk dress, closely fitted to the body, and with long and flowing hair, proceeded by the city guards, and followed by the mayor, aldermen, and other members of the corporation in full costume, together with the masters of the various trading com¬ panies, their followers and streamers, interspersed with bands of music, and other auxiliaries; producing altogether a spectacle which never fails to draw thousands of admiring spectators, from the surrounding country to witness its display. The figure called Peeping Tom, which is ancient and somewhat exceeds the common stature of a man, is formed out of a piece of oak, and represents a per¬ son in complete armour; but the crest of the helmet is almost entirely cut away^ and the arms and hands (wdiich were of necessity made of separate pieces of wood) are lost; the position of the body and legs, however, shew that when complete, the figure was in a posture of attack; and a sword or spear, with a shield, in all probability, finished the appointments of this warlike effigy. That such a figure was originally intended to represent a mechanic of the eleventh cen¬ tury, need not be insisted upon, and, whatever may have been its primary dis¬ tinction, there is good reason to refer to the reign of Charles II. its adoption to HIGH STREET,COVENTRY THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 201 the character of Peeping Tom, both from the flowing peruke and long neckcloth, which, until of late years, formed a part of his dress, and the fact of the pro¬ cession, as now conducted, certainly having its commencement at that period. Returning from this digression, the next event to be recorded, is the devolving of the lordship of Coventry to the earls of Chester soon after the conquest; oc¬ casioned by the marriage of Randle Meschine with Lucia, a descendant of Earl Leofric. Ranulph her husband was a great benefactor to the city ; and, by the earls of this race was constructed, within the manor of Cheylesmore, on the south side of Coventry, a fortified mansion or castle. Earl Ranulph probably resided much in this place, as he bestowed so much attention on the neighbourhood as to cause four chapels to be erected in as many adjoining hamlets. His son (com¬ monly called Gernons) took an active part on the side of the Empress Maud, in the turbulent reign of Stephen; and, being repulsed at Lincoln, hastened towards his castle at Coventry, but had the mortification of finding that strong hold al¬ ready possessed by the forces of the king. On this, according to Hoveden, he promptly “ raised a fort,” for the purpose of besieging the hostile occupiers of his mansion; but the king hastened to the relief of the place, and, after an obsti¬ nate conflict, in which Stephen was himself hurt, the earl was desperately wound¬ ed and compelled to retreat. During the sway of the earls of Chester, it appears, “ that the burgesses of Coventry quietly held all their possessions in free burgage; and Ranulph, the last of that name, granted them a portmote (or town court) of their own, in which they might freely hold plea of all things to him, the said earl, or them¬ selves belonging.” A part of the charter now bestowed, in which he speaks of “ whatsoever mer¬ chants they should bring thither for the advantage of the town,” proves that Co¬ ventry was making steady advances towards commercial respectability. This earl procured, in the second of Henry III., a charter for a yearly fair, to continue eight days. Though the city had undoubtedly profited much by the judicious patronage of the earls of Chester, its internal resources do not appear to have been great during the periods recently noticed. In the thirteenth of Edward I., the burgesses and inhabitants were empowered by letters patent, to take tolls of all vendable commodities that should be brought hither for the term of three years, towards the charge of paving the town ; but, twenty years after the passing that grant, the work of paving remained incomplete.* • At this time Coventry was not reputed a borough, as it had never contributed above 100 marks to the 6tate, when a fifteenth was levied. 2d CHAP. XII. 202 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Town made corporate in the reign of Edward III. The greatest impediment to an advance in mercantile consequence, during those unsettled times, was the want of fortified barriers, to protect the trader in his spe¬ culations, and to insure the safety of the building in which he deposited his goods. In the second of Edward III. the inhabitants received permission to collect a toll towards defraying the expence of enclosing the town. Perhaps the internal tran¬ quillity which was produced by the wise government of Edward, rather than a want of means in the citizens, caused the building of the walls not to be com¬ menced for twenty-seven years after this grant was obtained. Several enactments of Edward, evince the riches of the merchants ; and it was then that the costly steeple of St. Michael’s church, the admiration of succeeding ages, was de¬ signed and partly raised. A house for the reception of Carmelite friars was, like¬ wise, built on an extensive scale. By this king the civil magistracy of Coventry was constituted a body corporate. In the time of Richard II., the city walls with their numerous gates and tow¬ ers, were completed; and the king evinced his affection to this city, by grants of various privileges to the corporation. The success with which the clothing business was cultivated, appears from a grant of the king, “ that the mayor and bailiffs should, for the space of five years, have his ferm of selling Woollen cloths here, to the value of 0 £’24. sterling.” It was in the year 1397 that this rash sovereign chose the vicinity of Coventry for the scene of tragic pageant, that involved, in its consequences, the loss of his crown and life. King Henry IV. held a parliament here in 1404. This was the pardiament since styled Parliament urn indoctorum, and from sitting in which all lawyers were prohibited. The meeting was held in the great chamber of the priory ; and the subject for which they met was a supply of money, for the 'defence of the realm against the Scotch and Welch, and it was proposed to raise the sum wanted, by divesting the church of some temporal superfluities. This unavoidably caused much opposition, and the archbishop of Canterbury delivered a long harangue, in which, after enumerating the many services rendered by churchmen towards the well-being of the state, he observed, “ that besides all this, they were not wanting, day nor night, by masses and prayers, to implore God’s blessing for the king and all that served him.” In reply, the speaker of the Commons (Sir John Cheyne) “ said with a stern countenance, that he valued not the prayers of the churchthe ecclesiastics, however, were successful in their opposition. The great ferm conferred by Henry VI. in constituting the city and contiguous districts a separate county, has been already noticed,—Coventry indeed, appears to have been at this time a city well deserving royal patronage ; its religious buildings were numerous and splendid; its embattled walls were massy, and in THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 203 high preservation ; its merchants were spirited and enterprising, and we have proofs that they were affluent and generous. Both Henry and his magnani¬ mous queen* were constant in their attachment to Coventry; and, perhaps, passed here some of the most tranquil and pleasing hours of their chequered lives. In the Leet Book belonging to the corporation, is preserved a curious and interesting account of circumstances connected with one of Henry’s visits.'f* From this it appears that “on the 21st of September, 1450, the Kyng, our so- veren lord, cam fro Leycester toward Coventre,” and was received by the meyre and his worthy bredurn, arayed in skarlet, and all the comonaltie cladde in grene gownes and redde bodes, in Haslewode, beyond the brode oake. The meyre and hys peeres lyghten on fote and mekely thries kneling on ther knees, did unto our soverene lord ther due obeyaunce; the meyre seying to him these wordes: “ most highest and gracious king, ye are welcome to your true liege menne, with all our hertes.” Atte which the meyre, be avyse of counsell, badde no mase in his hande; but hys serjant attending upon the meyre, the wordes afore rehersed, put the mase in the meyres hands; and the meyre kyssing the mase, offered hit to the kyng; the kyng, tarieng and harkeneng the meyres speech in faverabull wyse, seyde these wordes; “ Well seyede Sir Meyre, take your hors.” When the kyng came to the outer yate of the priory, he forthewithe send for the meyre and hys bredurn, be a knyghte, to come to p’sence, and to speke with hym in his cham¬ ber ; where the recorder seyde unto the kyng suche wordes as was to his thynkng most pleasant, our soveren lorde seying agayne thes wordes; “ Sirs ! I thank you of your goode rule and demene ; and in speciall, for your goode rule the last yere past; for the best ruled pepull thenne withein my reame; and also I thank you for the p’sent that ye nowe gave to us.” The whiche p’sent was a toune wyne, and 20 ’tie grete fat oxen.” On Michaelmas day the kyng went in procession to Saint Michael’s church ; “ the meyre and his peyres doeng to the kyng, due obeysannce when he come fro’ his chambur, take his mase and here it afore the kyng, till he com to Sent Michels, and brought the kyng to his closette. Then the byshoppe (of Worcester) in his pontificals arayede with all the prestes and clerkes of the seyde church, and ot Cablake-withe, with copes spareld, went on in p’cession abowte the church-yarde; the kyng devowtly, with many odur cordes, followed the seyde p’cession bare-hedded, cladde in a gowne of golden tissu, furred with a furre of marturn sabull,”—“ And, at evesong tyme the same day, the kyng, be ii for hys body and ii yomen of the crowne sende the seyde gowne and furre that lie wore when he went in p’cession, and gaf hit frely to God and to Sent Michcll, insomuch that non of the that brought the gowne wolde take no reward in no * Coventry at that time was styled the secret harbour of Queen Margaret. + This memorial is inserted, at length, in the history and antiquities of Coventry. CHAP. X1T. 204 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Earl Rivers and his son, beheaded on Gosrord- green. The earl of Warwick’s conspiracy against Ed¬ ward IV. Visits of Richard III. and Henry VII. to Coventry. wyse.” On the following Tuesday “ the kyng toke his hors, and rode forthe to¬ ward Kyllingworthe,” attended by the meyre and his peers, with the commonalty, “ tille they com on to a place beyonde Astill Grove, agayne a brode lane the le- dethe to C'anley.” In the year 1459, a second parliament was held in this city, which, like the for¬ mer, was sufficiently memorable to gain an epithet in history. This was the vio¬ lent meeting in which attainders were passed against Richard, Duke of York, (afterwards Edward IV.) and the earls of Salisbury and Warwick : this parlia¬ ment was termed Parliamentum Diabolicum, and all its acts were afterwards re¬ versed. In the year 1469, the earl of Rivers and his son John, were beheaded on Gos- ford-green, by order of Sir John Coniers, a commander in the army of northern insurgents. King Edward IV., in whose reign this sanguinary act took place, anxious to win the esteem of the city of Coventry, with his queen kept festival here during the christmas of 1465; but he had not power speedily to erase from the minds of the inhabitants, an affectionate regard for the house of Lancaster. In 1470, the earl of Warwick, then intent on the destruction of the monarch whom he had enabled to reach the throne, entered Coventry with ordnance and other warlike stores. Edward shortly marched from Leicester, and, after resting at Combe abbey, approached Coventry, where he halted on Gosford-green, and demanded entrance ; but finding the city hostile, he resumed his march and lodged that night at Warwick. When reinstated in power by the victories of Barnet and Tewksbury, he re¬ venged this insult by depriving the citizens of their liberties and franchises; or in other words levying on them a fine of 500 marks for the restitution of their privileges. The goodwill of the inhabitants was, however of too much conse¬ quence for Edward to treat them with continued harshness, or even indiffe¬ rence or neglect. His son, the ill-fated Prince Edward, in 1474, was one of the godfathers to a child of the mayor ;* and three years afterwards, he was made a brother of the guilds of Corpus Christi and St. Trinity. Richard III. visited the city of Coventry and was a spectator of the pageants during the festival of Corpus Christi. Immediately subsequent to the battle of Bosworth-field Henry VII. repaired hither and lodged in the mayor’s house, and was probably received with every demonstration of joy by the inhabitants, as they promptly presented him with an hundred pounds and a cup: the opulence of the city, during this reign is proved, by its contributing the sum of £ 1100. “to¬ wards the tax levied for the king going into France in 1490. At the same time the prince was presented with a cup and £ 100. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 205 Henry VIII. and Queen Katherine visited this place in*l510, “ when there were three pageants set forth ; one at Jordan well, with the nine orders of angels; one at Broadgate, with divers beautiful damsels ; and one at Cross Cheping. In 1525 the city was favoured with the presence of the princess Mary ; she remained two days at the priory, and on her departure was presented with one hundred marks, and “ a kerchive.” When the dukes of Richmond and Norfolk passed tlirough Coventry, in 1534, they were received by the mayor and citizens in their liveries; and after banquet in the street on horseback, they proceeded to Combe abbey. We have seen that Coventry was indebted for its early prosperity to the mag¬ nitude and importance of its monastic establishment; and much of its opulence and splendour through succeeding ages must, unquestionably be attributed to the same source. A priory at once protected the pauper and encouraged the mer¬ chant ; which not only afforded a temporary place for kings, but continually at¬ tracted throngs of all ranks from the most distant parts, intent either on purposes of devotion, interchanges of religious amity, or speculations of traffic. But we find difficulty in believing as was stated by John Hales, Esq., to the protector Somerset, “that in consequence of the dissolution, trade decreased, and there was such a dispersion of people from this city, that there were not above three thou¬ sand inhabitants, whereas formerly there had been fifteen thousand.” We must think this picture of dissolution overcharged, as it is certain that at least one sta¬ ple branch of commerce, the clothing trade, was now advantageously cultivated. In alleviation, a charter for an additional fair was granted to the remaining inha¬ bitants. Queen Elizabeth visited Coventry in 1565, and was received with a variety of splendid shows and pageants. “ The Sheriffs in their scarlet cloakes, and twenty young men on horseback, in a livery of fine purple, met her majesty at the extre¬ mity of the liberties of the city, towards Wolvey ; each of them presented to her a white rod, which she receiving, delivered to them again ; they then rode before her until they came near the city, where the mayor and aldermen, in their scarlet gowns, also met her majesty.” After several ceremonies, “ the recorder presented a purse supposed to be worth twenty marks, and in it £ 100. in angels, which the queen accepting was pleased to say to her lords, “It is a good gift, an hundred pounds in gold ; I have but few such gifts.” To which the mayor answered boldly, “ If it please your grace, there is a great deal more in it.”—“ What is that ?” said she, “ the hearts,” replied he, “ of all your loving subjects,”—“ We thank you Mr. Mayor,” said the queen ; “ It is a great deal more indeed. The queen during her visit, took up her abode at the White Friars (then a seat of the Hales family;) but Coventry soon received within its walls a princess whom no CHAF. XII. Henry VIII’s vi¬ sit to Co¬ ventry. Visit of Princess Mary to Coventry. Queen Eli¬ zabeth’s vi¬ sit to Co¬ ventry. 206 HISTORY OF book r. Queen Ma¬ ry confined in the May¬ oress’s par¬ lour. KingJames I. visits Co¬ ventry. Charles at¬ tacked the city without effect. blandishments awaited:—In 1566, the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scotland, was conducted to this city and confined as a prisoner in the mayoress’s parlour. Three years afterwards she was again brought hither, and kept in confinement at the bull inn (on the site of which the barracks now stand) under the care of the earls of Shrewsbury and Huntingdon. During this mournful period the citizens kept watch and ward, night and day, at every gale, that none might pass without examination. In 1610, King James I. addressed a letter to the mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs, and the archdeacon of Coventry, commanding the inhabitants to receive the sacra¬ ment kneeling; and when, in 1699, application was made to this sovereign for a renewal of the city’s charter, he refused to grant it until assured that his will in this particular had met with uniform attention. This king honoured Coventry with a visit in 1617; at which time a long oration was delivered by Dr. Holland, the well-known translator, dressed in black satin. The king was presented with a silver cup of forty-five ounces weight, and £ 100. in money : he appeared much gratified by the present and said, “ out of this Coventry cup, wherever he went he would drink.” The Princess Elizabeth and Prince Henry likewise visited Coventry at different times. In 1605 a present was made to the princess (then at Combe abbey, the seat of Lord Harrington) which would appear to be somewhat curiously chosen for a lady—two fat oxen worth T’18. In the civil war which terminated fatally to Charles I. Coventry was well in¬ clined to play an active part, though by a singular felicity, it escaped those mise¬ ries of siege and devastation to which so many other armed towns were subjected. When the king repaired to Leicester, in 1611, after having raised his standard at Nottingham, he demanded the attendance of the mayor and sheriffs of this city, but the popular party prevented their acceding to his desire. When the king sent a herald at arms to demand entrance, he was informed that the citizens would willingly receive his majesty, and two hundred of his followers but no more. Incensed at this treatment, the king’s party planted cannon on Sti- vishall-hill in the park; as also on the brow of the little park quarry, and fired several shots against the walls of the town, but with little effect; one man only was killed, and he through his own carelessness. The king finding the citizens determined to defend themselves, and hearing that Lord Brooke, with an army from London, was approaching, drew off his forces that night. Some few days afterwards, Lord Brooke arrived, with an army of 7000 foot, exclusive of cavalry : at this time many of the royalists who had worn the earl of Northampton’s colours, were sent prisoners to Warwick ; whilst the property of others who had fled was sequestrated.” THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 207 In the following year the city was garrisoned by the parliament; one of the al¬ dermen (named Barker) was appointed governor, and a regiment of infantry, and one troop of cavalry were raised from the most active of the inhabitants; every precaution was taken to strengthen the place; trenches were cut on the outside of the walls; and sluices were opened at the influx of the river Sherburn; some of the gates were stopped up ; and, before, three half-moon fortifications were erected ; cannon were planted on all the principal towers ; and many of the wo¬ men of the city, “ went by large companies into the great park to fill up the quarries, that they might not at a future period harbour the enemy. They were collected together by the sound of drum, and marched in military order, with mattocks and spades, under the command of an Amazon named Hadderley, with an Herculean club upon her shoulder; and were conducted from work by one Mary Herbert, who carried a pistol in her hand, which she discharged as a signal of dismissal.” The place remained garrisoned till the end of the year 16‘59; but, when the restoration was voted by Parliament, Charles II. was promptly proclaimed by the mayor and alderman, amidst great acclamations of joy. A deputation shortly waited on his majesty, and presented a basin and ewer with fifty pieces of gold ; at the same time surrendering to him all the king’s lands, with the great park- On the day of coronation Smithfield-street and Cross Cheaping conduits ran claret; and bonfires were lighted in the evening, in testimony of loyalty. King James II. was at Coventry in 1687; the streets through which he passed were strewed with sand ; and the fronts of the houses were whitened, and dressed with boughs. “ George Lord Dartmouth attended the king on this occasion ; and, when his majesty was presented with a gold cup and cover, he immediately gave it to Lord Dartmouth, saying, ‘ I would have your lordship receive this cup and cover, as a mark of the city of Coventry’s concern for your father.’ During the time of the civil wars that colonel Legge (his lordship’s father) was confined in Coventry goal, after being taken prisoner, at the battle of Worcester; he, at length made his escape, through the exertions of his lady, in the habit of an old woman.” The ecclesiastical history of Coventry, as connected with the bishopric, re¬ quires separate notice. Shortly after the Mercian kingdom was divided into five bishoprics ; that of Lichfield w'as so far extended as to comprehend the chief part of the former possessions of the Cornairi. Peter, elected bishop of Lichfield in 1075, moved the see to Chester; and Robert-de-Limesie, in 1102, removed it again to Coventry, tempted, probably, by the riches and reputation of the monas¬ tery founded by Earl Leofric. The five succeeding bishops likewise sat at Co¬ ventry ; and the whole of these six prelates styled themselves Coventrise Episcopi chap. xii. The city garrisoned by the Par. liament. James Il's visit to Co¬ ventry. 208 HISTORY OF book i. only. Hugh Novant, archdeacon of Oxford, consecrated bishop in 1188, restored the see to Lichfield, though, with much opposition from the benedictine monks of Coventry, who had gained an accession of repute ufrom the bishop’s residence, without forfeiting their particular influence ; for, although their superior lost the name of abbot, and became, as prior, only substitute to the bishop, in whom the abbacy really was vested, he yet remained, like his predecessors the abbots, a ba¬ ron of parliament. The further injuries committed by this prelate to the Bene¬ dictine monastery, will be seen when that religious foundation comes under more immediate notice. In consequence of disputes which now took place between the chapter of Coventry and that of Lichfield, respecting elections, both parties agreed in the reign of Henry III, to the following regulations; that the precedence in the episcopal title should be given to the former city; that the two chapters should alternately choose their bishop; and that they should form one body, in which the prior of Coventry should be principal. From this time until a period comparatively recent, the prelate was styled bishop of Coventry and Lichfield; and these regulations remained in force till that great era in ecclesiastical concerns, the dissolution of monastic houses. In the thirty-third of Henry VIII. an act was passed which ordained “that the dean and chapter of Lichfield should be for ever the entire and sole chapter of the bishopric of Coventry and Lichfield; whereof the prior and convent of the dissolved priory of Coventry were heretofore the moiety or half part.” Such remains the constitution of the bishopric of the present day; but when, on the restoration, the truly excellent Hacket was appointed to this see, he gave the pre¬ cedence in titular designation to Lichfield, and his example has been followed by succeeding prelates. The diocese of Lichfield and Coventry comprehends five hundred and fifty-se¬ ven parishes, of which two hundred and fifty are impropriate; and it extends over the whole of Staffordshire, (except the parishes of Brome and Clent) ; the county of Derby, the greater part of Warwickshire, and nearly the half of Shropshire. This bishopric is valued, in the king’s books, at <£559. 18a\ According to the charter of the fourteenth of Charles I., the bishop is to act as a justice of the peace within the town and liberties of Salop. CITY OF COVENTRY. This ancient city is ninety-one miles from the metropolis on the north north¬ west, and is distant from Birmingham eighteen miles, and ten from Warwick. * The present computed annual value is about £3000. FROM THE MILL DAM. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 209 It is pleasantly situated, and on most sides generally upon slooping ground ; it is watered by the Radford and Sherborn brooks, which streams unite near to the free-school, and washing the north eastern precincts of the city, at a short dis tance from the walls, falls afterwards into the Avon. The origin of Coventry is involved in considerable obscurity; but the termina¬ tion tre, is, according to Dugdale, British ; having the same import as villa in Latin. Various conjectures have been made as to the etymology of the preceding part of the name, Coven, but nothing very satisfactory has been elicited ; and we only know for certain, that a great part of the ancient town stood north- west¬ ward of the present city, without Bishopgate, where was also a church dedicated to St. Nicholas, long since demolished. The view of the town to the approaching traveller, usually rests for interest on some few prominent features; on a few public buildings which rise superior to the mass of habitations, and direct the attention to eras of important story, by dis¬ playing the architecture of ages in which it conspicuously flourished. It has three spires, which rise to a majestic height in the air, and prepare the exami¬ ner for an entrance to a place of great population and striking architectural importance. The streets are in general narrow and confined, retaining the ancient sites, which, however ill adapted to the increased traffic and general habits of modern times, were, in the days of this city’s ancient splendour and consequence, fully adequate to all the wants and conveniences of its inhabitants and visitors. Co¬ ventry lias not been wanting in efforts to remove the most prominent inconve niences of its streets, and much has been done for that purpose, by the commis¬ sioners under the street act; by individual public spirit; and lastly, by the aid of a toll, granted in 1812 ; which has already been the means of producing a new street (Hertford-street), forming a commodious entry to the city from Warwick ; widening and enlarging of the entrance of Park-street, in the London road; an entire removal of the houses forming the western side of the Broad-gate ; enlarging the market-place, and avoiding a much frequented, narrow and dan¬ gerous passage. Other important improvements are included in the operation of this toll ; and, as far as the ancient city of Coventry is susceptible of alterations required by modern taste and modern babits, it seems likely in due time to re¬ ceive them. Gas lights have been lately substituted for oil; and, though there is at present a tardiness in introducing generally, the modern luxury of flag pave¬ ment, to the narrow foot paths; this is an opprobrium which the spirit of the in¬ habitants will doubtless remove ere long. The city is viewed to much advantage from the north-east; the whole of its churches stand here disclosed with great pictorial effect, (as will be seen by refe- 2 E CHAP. XII. Origin of Coventry uncertain, &c. 210 HISTORY OF BOOK I, Principal Trades and Manufac¬ tures. Particulars of St. Mi¬ chael's Church. rence to the annexed engraving) St. Michael’s, beautiful and attractive when seen from any point, forms the prominent feature. Its sister spire (that of Trinity church) rises modestly beyond, as if retiring in confessed secondariness of preten¬ sions. The tower of St. John’s, and the grey-friars, ascend on either hand, and complete the display. The spot from which the two steeples that so eminently or¬ nament Coventry are seen with the most striking effect, is in the neighbourhood of the now desolated priory, on the margin of Priory-mill dam ;* this view con¬ veys in so satisfactory a manner, an idea of the architectural beauty of the two fine elevations previously noticed. The population of Coventry, in the census of 1821, was returned at twenty- one thousand two hundred and forty-two, from that time to the present the num¬ ber have increased considerably. It is governed by a mayor, ten aldermen, and twenty common council-men, and sends two members to parliament, who are elect¬ ed by persons having served seven years apprenticeship to one and the same trade within the city and suburbs; and the number of freemen is about 3000. The chief trade is the manufacture of Ribbons, introduced somewhat more than a century, and which is supposed to employ in Coventry not less than 3000 looms, (when trade is brisk) and in the city and neighbourhood to furnish occu¬ pation for about 16,000 hands. A very extensive trade in the manufacture of watches is likewise carried on in Coventry. The Coventry canal (the basin of which is at the top of Bishop-street) com¬ municates with London, Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford, Bristol, and Hull, by which means goods are conveyed to and from the above mentioned places. The religious and other public edifices of Coventry, are truly worthy of atten¬ tion. The churches are three in number. That of St. Michael is a beautiful specimen of the Gothic, or English style. This beautiful structure, the boast of Coventry, and ornament to the surrounding country, will amply repay the visi¬ tor’s attention. Of its early history it may suffice to say, that in the reign of King Stephen, it was given to the monks of Coventry, by Randle, earl of Chester, by the term of the chapel of St. Michael. Ralph, the last earl, gave to this church the tithes of his lands and rents in Coventry. The bishop of Coventry and Lich¬ field shortly after claimed the advowson; but, by an agreement between the prior and that prelate, it was arranged that the monks should provide secular priests, and other fit ministers, to serve the separate chapels appended to the structure. In the forty-fourth of Henry III. the church was regularly appropriated to the prior and monks; in the year 1291 it was valued, with its chapels, at fifty marks per annum, and the vicarage at eight marks and a half; in 1534 the vicarage was The place from whence the drawing was taken for the engraving annexed. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 211 rated at £65. 105. 6d. per annum, out of which <£2. 155. 4 d. were paid annually to the archdeacon of Coventry for procurations and synodals. The prior of Coventry likewise received a yearly pension of £5., and the dean and chapter of Lichfield, £ 1 . 135. 4 d. The patronage is vested in the crown. The most ancient part of this fine structure is the steeple, which was begun in 1373, and was finished in 1395.; it was built at the charge of William and Adam Botoner who were several times mayors of Coventry, and who are said to have expended on this work, ,£100. per annum, and was twenty-one years in building. An elevation more delicate in symmetry, more chastely ornamented, or more striking in general character, was perhaps never designed; it commences in a square tower, no proportion of which remains blank, though not any superfluous ornament is introduced; the windows are well proportioned, and the buttresses eminently light; in various niches are introduced the figures of saints, and each division is enriched with a bold, but not redundant, spread of embroidery work and embossed carving. The tower is one hundred and thirty-six feet three inches in height, and on it stands an octagonal prism, thirty-two feet six inches high, which is supported by eight springing arches of graceful and easy character. The octagon is surmounted by a battlement, from within which proceeds, a beau¬ tiful and handsome spire, one hundred and thirty feet nine inches in height, adorned with fluting and embossed pilasters: the walls of the spire are said by Bighton, . THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 267 ventry; in which undertaking he was encouraged and assisted by Charles I., as a concern of public importance. In two or three years the work was brought to Stratford, and the patriotic Mr. Sandys would have carried it to Coventry, had not the lamentable troubles of the nation prevented him. Soon after the restora¬ tion, Mr. Sandys laudably endeavoured to complete his original project, and reim¬ burse the enormous sums which he had expended, probably with a trifling return, applied to the corporation of Coventry to rent their coal mines; his applica¬ tion was supported by the recommendation of Charles II. to whom Mr. Sandys was one of the gentlemen ushers of his privy chamber; the making of the Avon navigable beyond Stratford was however, not done ; which might lead to a conjec¬ ture that his losses were considerable. Vessels of about fort}' tons burthen, came up to Stratford, and until within these few years this source of communication was of immense advantage to this town and neighbourhood, in conveying all sorts of merchandize from Bristol, Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Worcester, &c. into the inland parts of the kingdom; the barges returning laden with the natural or artificial produce of the country. Stratford had then the appearance of a small seaport town ; at present, however, in consequence of the numerous canals, and the unparalleled improvements of the turnpike roads, the trade by water is considerably diminished. CHAP. XIII. The Avon made navi¬ gable, in 1635. THE CANAL. The error committed in the introductory part of this work, in treating of the Stratford canal, we must here rectify. Connected with the Avon is, the canal; for this undertaking, the completion of which was long and unexpectedly delayed, several acts of parliament have been obtained; the first of which was passed in the thirty-third of George III., for making a canal from that of the Worcester and Birmingham company, at King’s Norton to Stratford. At progressive periods the works were completed to Hock¬ ley, Wotton, and ultimately to Stratford ; and, upon the twenty-fourth of June, 1816, a communication was effected with the Avon. STRATFORD AND MORETON RAILWAY - . This undertaking, sanctioned by act of parliament, forms a direct communi¬ cation with the central part of Gloucestershire. nearly parallel with the venera¬ ble bridge before noticed, is thrown over the Avon, a brick bridge, claiming no 268 HISTORY OF BOOK X. History of Shakspeare. pretensions to architecture, and sadly detracting from the beauty of the expanding river: these works are completed to Moreton, and it is expected that the trade on the railway will materially improve that of the canal. Stratford has not any staple manufacture of consequence, but has a respectable commercial interchange, with the neighbouring places. The market is weekly and well attended; the annual fairs are seven in number, besides a statute held for the hiring of servants, on the morrow after old Michaelmas day. This town was formerly under the jurisdiction of a bailiff, fourteen aldermen* and fourteen burgesses, and was incorporated in the seventh year of Henry VI. A fresh charter of incorporation was granted in the sixteenth of Charles II., by which the municipal government is vested in a mayor, twelve aldermen, and twelve burgesses. “ The mayor, pro tempore, is coroner of Stratford upon Avon, and justice of the peace within the limits of the borough, the town of Old Stratford, and within the church and church-yard. The high steward, recorder, steward of the court of record, the two senior aldermen, and the preceding mayor (during one year after serving that office) are also justices of the peace within the same jurisdiction.*” Stratford presents to the notice of the topographer, several natives whose names are viewed with honest pride by the town which gave them birth. The incompa- . rable Shakspeare, necessarily claims priority of consideration. No writer is calculated to excite so much personal reverence as Shakspeare; for no writer enters so deeply into the sympathies of human nature, and associates so closely his own feeling with those of his reader. How much then, is it to be regretted, that scarcely one particular of his life is satisfactorily handed down for the gratification of posterity. The popular opinion respecting the biography of Shakspeare, is principally given by Rowe, who, it appears, obtained his information from Betterton the ac¬ tor .-f* The substance of the intelligence conveyed by this writer is as follows:— William Shakspeare was the son of John Shakspeare, a considerable dealer in wool at Stratford, “ who had so large a family, ten children in all, that he could give his son no better occupation than his own employment,” yet Mr. Rowe ob¬ serves that the Shakspeare family, “ as appears by the register and public wri- * History and antiquities of Stratford, page 18. ■f Betterton was born in 1035 ; and, after he had been some time on the stage, visited Stratford for the purpose of obtaining information respecting Shakspeare. Mr. Oldys, who made large collections towards a similar work, seems doubtful whether Betterton did make such journey for biographical researches. It seems, however, probable that Betterton’s veneration of the poet to whose works he owed so much, would induce him to undertake such an investigation ; and the respectability of his character forbids us to suppose that he would assert a deliberate falsehood to the biographer of his beloved bard. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 269 tings of the town, were persons of some consideration at that day, and are mentioned as gentlemen,” Shakspeare was placed some time at a free school, but the iimited means of his father’s income, prevented his long stay at this place of education, and he was taken home, where his assistance was wanted. “ Upon his leaving school, he seems to have given entirely into that way of living which his father proposed to him,” and at an early age he married the daughter of one Hathaway said to have been a substantial yeoman residing at Shottery, near Stratford. In this kind of settlement he continued for some time, till a thought¬ less extravagance, of which he was guilty, compelled him to leave the country. He had by a misfortune not uncommon with the young and inexperienced, fallen into ill company, and was induced to join a party which stole some deer from a park belonging to Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote; for this he was prosecuted by that gentleman, as he thought too severely, and, in return, he lampooned his prosecu¬ tor, by writing the following satirical ballad; which exasperated him so much, that the poet was obliged to make his escape, to avoid the punishment of the law, as the prosecution was now carried on with redoubled violence. This ballad would be considered a curious relict, on account of its being the first production of Shakspeare, but like most of the particulars of his life, it has not been satisfactorily preserved for the amusement of posterity. The following, according to tradition, was the first stanza, from which little idea could be formed of the opening genius of Shakspeare, however, it may assist us in appreciating the irritability of the baronet. A parliament member, a justice of peace, At home a poor scare-crow, at London an ass ; If lowise is Lucy, as some volk miscall it, Then Lucy is lowise whatever befal it ; He thinks himself great, Yet an ass in his state, W e allow of his ears, but with asses to mate ; If Lucy is lowise, as some volk miscall it, Sing lowise Lucy, whatever befal it. It was on this occasion that he is said to have made his first acquaintance with the play-house. It has also been stated that he was first engaged while the play was acting, in holding the horses of those who rode to the theatre ; but this story, like many others respecting him, rests on a slender foundation. As his name is found printed before some old plays, and among those of the other players, it is probable that he was some time employed as an actor— we are not informed what character he played, but the part which he is said to have acted best, was that of CHAP. XIII. 270 THE HISTORY OF hook i. the ghost in Hamlet, and he is supposed to have generally represented old men, but not to have been very successful. As a dramatic writer, however he was qualified to eclipse all who had gone be¬ fore him, or who have succeeded him; and he became the manager of the theatre, as well as the author of its most admired productions. The patronage of the great attended him, and, having acquired a fortune equal to the moderation of his wishes (not more it is supposed, than <£200. a year) in the midst of his most prosperous career, he adopted the resolution of passing his days in rural retire¬ ment, amidst the scenes of his early youth ; this was about the year 1611, after an absence of more than twenty years. In the beginning of the year 1616, he made his will, wherein he testified his respect for his quondam partners in the theatre:—he appointed his youngest daughter jointly with her husband executors, and bequeathed to them the best part of his estate, which they came into possession of not long after, for the twen¬ ty-third of April, 1616, which was his birth-day, proved also the day of his death, and completed his fifty-second year. The latter part of his life, it appears, he spent in easy retirement, and the conversation of his friends. It is observed by Mr. Rowe, that “ his acquaintance with Ben Johnson, began with a remarkable piece of humanity. Johnson, at that time altogether unknown to the world, had offered one of his plays to a performer, and the person into whose hands it was put, having turned it carelessly over, was just going to re¬ turn it to him with an ill-natured answer, when Shakspeare luckily cast his eye upon it, and found something so good in it as to engage him first to read it through, and afterwards to recommend Johnson and his writings to the public.” The character of Shakspeare, as a dramatic writer is justly helcHn such high estimation, that it would be superfluous to expatiate on the merits of his various productions : they generally appeal to the heart in its own immutable language. We may, however, be permitted to remark, that the influence of fashion, and the fascination of names is so powerful (even with critics and scholars by profession), as sometimes to lead its votaries especially in works of the imagination, to praise extravagantly, what, perhaps, their favorite author considered as a mere trifle, and what their more sober judgment would disregard, if not condemn. It was thus that Mr. Ireland, a few years since, wrote some pieces in an anti¬ quated style, and pretended that they were the authentic productions of the illus¬ trious bard, a precious treasure which he had discovered ; and, while the delusion lasted (which subsided only by the author’s confession of the forgery), they were, by learned men and antiquaries, pronounced to bear indubitable marks of the great original—the prince of dramatic poetry,—and to be inferior to none of his THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 271 other works! and, immediately after the discovery was made known they sank into oblivion. Mr. Malone took great pains to ascertian the chronological order in which the dramatic pieces of Shakspeare were written; and the result has been given in most of the later editions of Shakspeare’s works. We cannot close this biographical sketch without observing that Shakspeare was not only admirable as a poet, but excellent as a man. Several of his cotem¬ porary writers are censured in the pamphlets of those times for malevolence of disposition, and various degrading vices; no man prefers one accusation against the great bard, and, even his rivals praise the gentleness of his temper, and ac¬ knowledge the general respectability of his character. The following hamlets are in the parish of Stratford; viz. Welcome, Inge, Clopton ; Bishopston ; Drayton ; Dodwell; Shottery ; Luddington ; and Ruyn Clifford. Clopton House is rather more than one mile from Stratford on the north. The lordship of Clopton was long possessed by a family, who made it their principal residence, and took their surname from this seat. Sir George Carew, who mar¬ ried Joyce, the eldest daughter and co-heiress of William Clopton, Esq., was created Baron Carew, of Clopton, in the third of James I. The various public services of this eminent person caused him to be raised to the dignity of earl of Totness, in the first of Charles 1.; but this accumulation of honours he lived to enjoy only four years, and died without issue: in 1G29 he was buried in the fa¬ mily vault of the Cloptons, at the east end of the north aisle of Stratford church, where a handsome monument is erected to his memory, and that of his countess. Clopton house is a venerable mansion, probably erected in the latter part of the fifteenth centu^ ; but some modern exterior alterations detract much from the general effect of the building. In different parts are preserved a few pictures, and some curious articles of ancient furniture, among which is a bed said to have been given to Sir Hugh Clopton, by King Henry VII. Bishopston was originally called Bishopdon, and owed the former part of its name to the Bishop of Worcester, to whom Stratford belonged, and the latter to its situation at the foot of a hill. For many generations this hamlet was the pro¬ perty of a family who took their surname from it; and was conveyed, by a female heir, to Sir William Catesby, but has subsequently fallen into the hands of various owners. Drayton and Dodwell are small hamlets which belonged to the family of Peto, from the time of Edward I. to that of Edward III. These places in Dr. Tho¬ mas’s time, contained only four farm-houses, and four cottages. Sliotterley is a small village, one mile distant from Stratford on the west, and CHAP. XIII. Clopton House. Bishopston. Drayton and Dod- well. Sliotterley. 272 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Bidford. Singular circum¬ stance rela¬ ting to Shakspeare. is supposed to be the place in which Shakspeare’s wife, resided before her mar¬ riage. It is certain that the Hathways, a numerous family, lived in this village, about the period of Shakspeare’s nuptials ; and there is consequently reason for presuming that the popular tradition is correct. A cottage is yet shewn as the identical tenement in which she dwelt, when Shakspeare “ won her to his love;” but of this circumstance no proof has been adduced. The cottage was a few years back, provided with several articles, affirmed to have belonged to the great poet; among these was a chair, termed “ Shakspeare’s courting chaira purse about four inches square, wrought with black and white bugles and beads; a small inkstand, and a pair of fringed gloves. These articles were said to have “ been handed down by Shakspeare to his grand daughter, lady Barnard ; and from her through the Hathway family, to those of the present day.” Influenced by the currency of this tradition, Mr. Ireland purchased the former two articles, and Mr. George Garrick the latter. But the character of these reliques will not bear examination. Bidford, a village situate on the northern bank of the Avon, about six miles distant from Stratford. The tenancies of this lordship, forming a part of the an¬ cient possession of the crown, were given by King John to Llewelyn prince of Wales, on the marriage of his daughter Joan with that prince. By Llewelyn a grant was obtained in the fourth Henry III. for a market to be held here weekly. The existence of this market was recognized in the time of Elizabeth, but it has long since fallen into disuse. There is a traditional tale, connected with Bidford which has been given to the public by a writer in the Gentleman’s Magazine,* and by Mr. Ireland in his views on the river Avon. It is said that there were formerly in this village an as¬ sociation of topers, who took pride in the great quantity of ale they could drink, without falling under the rustic board, and who were in the habit of challenging the residents in the neighbouring places, to a trial of strength in the offensive ca¬ pacity. Among others, certain inhabitants of Stratford were summoned to the con¬ test, and it has been said that Shakspeare was one of those who accepted the challenge. The Stratford champions were soon overcome, and endeavoured to re¬ tire from the scene of action ;. but were not able to proceed home farther than a crab-tree, still standing by the road side, about half a mile from Bidford. Here, according to the writers who have given publicity to the tradition, they found it * Vide Gent. Magazine for December, 1"94, page 1067- Mr. Ireland and the writer in the Gentleman’s Magazine, are more modest in the statement, than the oral historian from whom they gained information. Those who repeat the tradition in the neighbourhood of Stratford, invariably assert that the whole party slept undisturbed from Sunday night till the following Monday morning when they were roused by workmen going to their labour. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 273 expedient to lie down ; and, soon falling asleep, they remained insensible till the following morning. Shakspeare was the last to awake; and when his compa¬ nions urged him to return and renew the contest, he exclaimed “ No! I have had enough, I have drunk with “ Piping Pebworth, dancing Marston, Haunted Hilbro', hungry Grafton, Dudging Exhall, papist Wicksford, Beggarly Broom, and drunken Bidford.” We presume that the internal evidence of these verses will persuade the reader that it is unlikely they proceeded from Shakspeare. Various loose rhymes ap¬ pearing, the result of accidental collision, are circulated in nearly every neighbour¬ hood ; and, if an eminent poetical character arise, it is an especial mercy to his memory, if such fugitive compounds are not attributed to his muse. The story of Shakspeare’s early excess, and of his long night’s rest beneath the ci'ab-trec, depend entirely on the most disputable kind of tradition ; and we cannot avoid believing, that that anecdote was fabricated as an accompaniment to rustic verses of ancient standing, when the name of Shakspeare became an object of general attraction. From the situation of Bidford, and its repute for festivity, it is how¬ ever probable that the place was frequently the resort of such company as Shaks¬ peare was condemned to meet in the early part of his life. Bidford Grange is pleasantly situate on the border of the river Avon. This spacious mansion, which formerly appertained to Bordesley-abbey, is now divided, the one part being occupied by the clergyman of the parish, and the other bv a farmer. The property is invested in the Skipwith family. The church is dedicated to St. Lawrence, and the vicarage is valued at £1. 10s. 7 \d. in the king’s books—Patron, the Skipwith family. Luddington , is a small hamlet which formerly had a chapel; it is situate two miles from Stratford, and is now become a populous village: near to this village is, Ruyn Clifford, another small place, containing, in Dr. Thomas’s time, only three houses, and, of which nothing of importance is x-ecorded, nor does it appear that this place possesses any particular interest, Sic., at the present day. Billesley is situate about three miles and a half from Stratford on Avon, and contains about eight hundred acres of land, which, in John Rous’s time contained only three or four houses, and about thirty inhabitants; but he mentions that it had been anciently a place of some importance. Of its depopulation, so early as Rous, that author, and Dugdale also, state, that in their day, “ there was no more left than the manor-house, and scarcely half the church that anciently stood there.” This manor was also the property of Henry-de-Newburgh, of whom and 2 N CHAP. XIII. Bidford Grange. Ludding¬ ton. Ruyn Clif¬ ford. Billetiey. 274 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Binton. Salford Prior. the succeeding earls of Warwick, it was held by a family of .great distinction named Trussel, from the reign of Henry II. till the reign of Henry VIII., when Thomas Trussel, Esq. sold it to Sir Robert Lee, of London. This gentleman rebuilt a great part of the manor-house, and made it his principal seat; he was in the commission of the peace for the county, and high sheriff, in the reign of King James : but this estate has, in consequence of various transmissions, become the property of various owners, and is now possessed by several proprietors. The church is dedicated to All Saints, and is a discharged rectory valued at £5 . 4s. Id. in the king’s books. Binton, a small parish about four miles west by south of Stratford on Avon, was, according to authority cited by Dugdale, “ one of the towns which St. Edwin gave to the abbey of Evesham on its foundation,” more than eleven hun¬ dred years back. In Doomsday-book it is called Benintone, and when that sur¬ vey was made, William Cobucion “ held two hides of land, &c. here.” The family of Beniton or Buvinton were lords of this manor during several reigns; and, in the first of Edward I., it descended by marriage with a female heir, to Elias-de-Wyncote. In the twenty-third of Henry VIII. Thomas Wyncote, sold it with the advowson of the church, to Sir George Throckmorton, Knt., whose second son sold it to William Walter Esq. in the reign of Philip and Mary; since which time it came, by purchase, into the family of the marquis of Hertford, and now forms part of that nobleman’s estate in this county. The church is dedicated to St. Peter, and the rectory is valued in the Norman survey at £8. 10s. Patron, the marquis of Hertford. Salford Prior. This village is said by Dugdale to have derived the former part of its appellation “ from a salt spring which was anciently there.” It contains the little hamlets of Abbot’s Salford, Wood Bevington, Cock Bevington, and Dun- nington ; on the foundation of the abbey of Evesham, it was given to that mo¬ nastery by the then bishop of Worcester; but, in the time of Edward the Con¬ fessor, it was the property of the far famed Lady Godiva. In Doomsday-book it is certified to have contained three hides, and to have had a church and a mill, rated at 5s.; and two woods, two furlongs in length, and half a furlong in breadth. * At the time of the conquest, Salford belonged to Livitha a nun ; and, after¬ wards, to Henry-de-Newburgh; but, being again recovered by the nun, it was next given to the canons of Kenilworth, on the foundation of their monastery, by Geoffrey-de-Clinton. In the twenty-fourth of Henry VIII. these “ canons set to William Grey of Wood Bevington, gent, and his assigns, the sciteof this their manor of Salford, with the appurtenances, and a sheep house within the field, with all the demesne lands, meadows, lesewes, and pastures, and a leuse, called THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 275 the mersh, with all manner of tithe, wool, lambs, corn and hay of the said de¬ mesne lands, and with all the tithe, wool and lambs of Church Salford, Dunning- ton. Cock Bevington, and only the tithe lambs of Abbot's Salford, for the term of seventy years, at the yearly rent of o£18., and finding the abbot of the said con¬ vent, his cellarer, and his steward, with all things necessary for their men and horses, at their keeping two courts here yearly.” After the expiration of which lease it came to the crown, and continued therein till King James passed it to cer¬ tain persons in trust for payment of his debts ;* who, accordingly, sold it unto Sir Simon Clarke, bart., whose son, Sir Simon Clarke, bart., by his extravagant courses, ran out of all he had, and left his son, the succeeding Sir Simon Clarke, bart., in a low and miserable condition, for a gentleman of title. When he mar¬ ried his second wife, Dorothy, daughter to Thomas Hobson, of Cambridge, gentle¬ man, she paid off all his debts, for which he made over to her this lordship. This lady bequeathed it to her nephew, Sir Fulwar Skipwith, in whose descendants or legal representative, the estate now remains. The church is dedicated to St. Matthew, and the vicarage (valued at of 9.), is in the gift of the Skipwith family. Temple Grafton, contains within its parish, the townships of Arden, Grafton, and Ilillborough, and is said to have been given to the abbey of Evesham, shortly after the foundation. At the conquest, William of Normandy gave this place to one of his adherents when it was certified to contain five hides, valued at <£4., here was then a church. In the reign of Henry III. this place was possessed by the Knight’s Hospitallers ; the prefix Temple was supposed by Dugdale, to have been derived from the Knight’s Templars, and Grafton from the old English word Greves, signifying bushes. This property was purchased, after the dissolution, by William Sheldon, Esq. and John Draper, and it has since then fallen into the hands of various possessors. The church is dedicated to St. Andrew, and the cu¬ racy is valued in the king’s books, at £o. 5a. Ardens Grafton was formerly called Little Grafton, and was indebted for its present distinction to a family who possessed it in the reign of King John. There were five farms and eleven cottages, anciently belonging to Ardens Graf¬ ton, in the time of Dr. Thomas, and two farm houses at Ilillborough. Exliall is a small parish united with Wixford, two miles and a quarter south¬ east by south from Alcester. The church was formerly a chapel belonging to Salford, and was given there- CHAP. XIII. Temple Grafton. Ardens Grafton. Exliall. * This is a fact much to be regretted, that any sovereign of this favoured land, should be obliged to con¬ vey part of his estates to trustees, to liquidate his debts, and it is to be hoped will never be taken as a precedent by any future monarch reigning under the English crown. 276 THE HISTORY OF BOOK I. Oversley with to the canons of Kenilworth ; it was dedicated to St. Giles, and the rectory was then valued at £8. 17s. 3 \d. Patron, the king. Wixford and Moreliall were part of the possessions belonging to the reputed earls of Warwick, before the conquest, and were afterwards given to the monas¬ tery at Evesham. In the second of Richard II., these possessions were granted to John-de-Morehall, with remainder to John-de-Clopton, and his heirs. The chapel, dedicated to St. Willburgh, originally belonged to Salford, and was given therewith, by King Henry I., to the canons of Kenilworth, soon after the foundation of that monastery, and confirmed by several succeeding arch¬ bishops of Canterbury. The tithes were however, granted, in the reign of King Stephen, to the priory of Alcester. In the twenty-sixth of Henry VI., William Wallshall obtained licence from the king, “ to found a chantry here, for one priest perpetually to celebrate divine ser¬ vice to the honour of our lady and St. John Baptist, in the chapel annexed to this church, for the good estate of the said king, with Margaret his queen, and of the said William during their lives in this world, as also for their souls after their departure hence, together with the souls of Thomas Crewe, Esq. and Julia, his wife, Sir William Clopton, and Joan his wife, their parents, and friends; unto whose maintenance he gave in pure alms, a certain dwelling house situate here in Wixford, called Prest’s place, with a close adjoining thereto containing two acres. But, in the survey taken in the thirty-seventh of Henry VIII., it is certified that this chantry had no foundation at all; and that the priest serving there was chap¬ lain to one dame Sibill Mytton, who, in her life-time had made application unto Richard Mytton, her son and heir, to grant him an annuity of £5. 6s. 8 d. out of his lands for the term of his life, at whose request the said Richard was content¬ ed ; it being at his the said Richard’s pleasure, whether he would grant more annuities to any other after the death of one Richard Elliott, at that time chantry priest. 1 ' Dr. Thomas mentions the circumstance of a yew tree, growing in the chapel- yard, in his time, which was fifty-three feet high, and eighteen feet three inches in girth—and that Robert Throckmorton, Esq., gave to the chapel and poor of this town, August first, 1629, the rent of two houses, and some land lying in the common fields. Oversley is a small hamlet in the parish of Alne, and is about one mile south¬ east of Alcester. This place was given, soon after the conquest, to one Mel- lent, and was then certified to contain three hides—held by one Fluke, who had a mill here, valued at 4isr £©fmi THE SEAT OF SIR CHARLES THROCKMORTON BART THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 289 church of Coughton are several monuments to different members of the Throck¬ morton family. Milcott, or Milcote, is situate in the southern county, and is a hamlet in the pa¬ rish of Weston upon Avon, Gloucestershire. A branch of the Greville family was long seated at Milcott, and had here a manor house, of which little trace now remains, except some parts of the moat, which are to be seen in the premises attached to the farm-house erected on the site. Of this branch of the Grevilles was Lodwick, whose ambition induced him to squander large sums, in the reign of Elizabeth, in constructing a castle on this manor. The spot he chose was a hill at a short distance from the ancient manor house, on which he bestowed the name of mount Greville. But his expenditure was so unlimited that his affairs became subject to embarrassment, and he endea¬ voured to retrieve them by murdering a wealthy farmer named Webb, and by forging a will in his own favour, purporting to be that of his victim. This horrid transaction was discovered, and Greville was pressed to death, having refused to plead, in order to save the forfeiture of his lands and estates. The site of the castellated edifice is still perceptible, but the building had fallen to ruins in the seventeenth century. CHAP. XIII. Milco.t. Castle built by Lodwick in the reign of Eliza¬ beth. THE rRIOllY OF STUDLEY. In the time of King Stephen a priory was founded here by Peter Corbicon, (otherwise called Peter de Studeley from his residence at this place) for canons regular of St. Augustine’s order. After the various important benefactions by which this monastery had been enriched, the canons, in 1309, began to rebuild the church, which had been given to them on their foundation. The total revenues of Studley priory at the dissolution being certified to be under <£200. per annum, it was ranked among the lesser houses, and suppressed by act of parliament, in the twenty-seventh of Henry VIII. when John Yardley, the then prior, had a pension of £16. per annum for life. In the thirtieth of Henry VIII. Sir Edmund Knightly, serjeant at law, ob¬ tained a grant of the site of this monastery, together with the manor of Studley and some other lands to hold in capite, by the tenth part of a knight’s fee, paying £8. 9s. 2 d. yearly into the exchequer, in the name of a tenth ; and it afterwards passed by marriage with a female heir, to John Knotsford, serjeant at arms. The church (in which several of the Knutsford family were interred) is an ancient structure, and is dedicated to St. Mary. The vicarage is valued in the Norman survey at £8. 2 p 290 HISTORY OF book x. In the seventh of Edward V. a chantry was founded in this church by Tho. mas Middlemore of Edgebaston, “ for a certain priest to sing mass daily at the altar of the blessed Virgin Mary, on the south part of the said church, for the good estate of him the said Thomas, during his life, and for the health of his soul after his death, and for other Romish ceremonies. Which chantry was endowed with eighty acres of land, ten acres of meadow, and 13s. 4 d. yearly rent lying in Studley, before mentioned; the revenues whereof, in the twenty-sixth of Henry VIII. were rated at £ 413s. 4 d., which sum in the thirty-seventh of the same reign was received by the priest belonging to the priory, at the hands of the said Thomas Middlemore.” HENLEY DIVISION, Contains the market town of Henley in Arden, and the following parishes and hamlets; viz. Aspley and Fordhall, (hamlet) ; Beaudesert; Claverdon ; Langley, (hamlet) ; Pindley, (hamlet); and Wooton Wawen. HENLEY IN AllDEN Is a small town, situate on the high road between Stratford and Birmingham, and is a hamlet to the extensive parish of Wooton Wawen. It is supposed by Dugdale, that this town originated in an assemblage of houses for the accommo¬ dation of persons attending the market held at the neighbouring castle of Beau- desert ; but the name, composed of the British Hen, old, and Ley, a place, would appear to argue a more remote period of foundation ; there is, however, no men¬ tion of Henley in Doomsday-book; and the first notice of the town occurs in a legal instrument drawn in the reign of Henry II. Peter de Montford procured, in the reign of Henry III. a grant of a weekly market, and an annual fair to last two days, but the rising fortune of the town soon experienced a calamitous check, for, about the time of the battle of Evesham, a conflict so fatal to the de Montford family, this place was exposed to conflagra¬ tion. That it speedily recovered from the effects of this severe visitation is evi¬ dent, for, in the twenty-fourth of Edward I. Henley is termed a borough ; and, in the tenth of Edward III. the market was so well attended, and the town in so prosperous a condition, that the inhabitants obtained from the king, a licence to take toll on vendible commodities brought for sale, for the term of three years to assist in defraying the charge of paving the streets. < PuX>(is/ied b\-tt r Emans Birmingham THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 291 The Botler family were lords of this manor in the fifteenth century, and Sir Ralph Botler, Lord Sudley, in the twenty-seventh of Henry VI. obtained among other privileges, a confirmation of the weekly market, and two annual fairs. The same Sir Ralph Botler, Lord Sudley, likewise founded a guild in the church or chapel of Henley, to which belonged four priests, who were to pray for the founder’s soul. “ In the twenty-sixth of Henry VI.,” says Dugdale, “ there was an hospital built for the relief of poor people and strangers.” Some think that the guild house, situated on the north side of the chapel, is the hospital here spoken of. The chapel of Henley is a neat and eligible structure chiefly erected in the reign of Edward III. In the market place are the remains of a cross with three ranges of kneeling places; the embellishments surrounding the shaft are now mu¬ tilated, but three pieces of sculpture still remain, in as many ornamented niches i two of these represent the holy Trinity and the crucifixion, the third consists of a figure, probably intended for St. Peter. This place has a weekly market and three annual fairs; it is a neat and plea¬ sant place, having of late years experienced considerable improvement both in the town and its vicinity, and the population is much increased. In the close vicinity of Henley is Beaudesert, or Beldesert, which was anciently a strong castle, erected by Thurston de Montfort shortly after the Norman con¬ quest. This fortified place continued to be the residence of the founder’s des¬ cendants for many ages, but it was dismantled (being then unoccupied) in the early part of the war between the houses of York and Lancaster. Scarcely any traces of the site of this once formidable structure can now be discovered. The church is rendered interesting by some remains of Saxon or early Norman archi¬ tecture at the eastern end. Wooton Wawen is evidently named after a man of note of this name, who anciently possessed this manor and lordship previous to the conquest. On the accession of William I. Wooton was bestowed on one of his adherents, who chose Stafford for his principal seat, assumed a surname from thence, and has usually been termed Robert de Stratford. The descendants of this Robert attained high distinction, and the manor of Wooton continued in their possession unt'l the attainder of Edward, duke ot Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VIII.; at a period briefly subsequent it passed to the family of Smythe. Sir Charles Smythe was created Baron Carrington, of Wooton, by Charles I. in 1643, but the title became extinct in 1765. The present representative of this ancient family is Sir Edward Smythe, Bart, who has here a handsome and commodious mansion. CHAP. XIII. Beaudesert Castle. Wooton Wawen. BOOK I. Formerly a Benedictine priory cell. Tindley. 292 THE HISTORY OF At Wooton Wawen was anciently a small Benedictine priory cell, to the abbey of Couches in Normandy. This was founded by the de Stratford family, soon after their acquiring possession of the manor. We have already mentioned that the alien priories were subject to continual visitation from the reigning political power; after experiencing many viscititudes, the revenues of this cell were ap¬ pended, by Henry VI. to his great collegiate foundation at Cambridge. Findley or Pinley , situate to the north-east of the village of Claverdon, was formerly distinguished by a Benedictine nunnery, founded by R. de Pilarainton, shortly after the conquest. This was, however, far from an extensive establish¬ ment, and was valued, at the dissolution, according to Dugdale at <£22. 6s. 4 d. above all reprizes. Margery Wigston was the last prioress, and she obtained an allowance of =£4. per annum, during life. Some remains of the building are still to be seen. HEMLINGFORD HUNDRED, Occupies the northern part of the county, and is subject to four divisions, termed Birmingham ; Tamworth ; Atherstone ; and Solihull. The Roman Ick- nield, or Ryknild Street, passes through various parts of this hundred on the west, as does Watling Street on the north-east. BIRMINGHAM DIVISION Comprises the three market towns of Birmingham,* Colesbill and Sutton Cold¬ field, and the following parishes and townships ; Curd worth ; Minworth, (town¬ ship) ; Sheldon ; Wishaw with Moxhull. BIRMINGHAM- This important manufacturing town, which is distinguished in the commercial annals of Great Britain, for a spirit and enterprize united with habits of perseve¬ rance; for the rare association of genius to invent, and hands to execute; is situate in the north-west extremity of Warwickshire in a kind of peninsula which is bor¬ dered by parts of the counties of Stafford and Worcester. * The town of Birmingham, with its suburban parishes, Aston and Edgebaston, possesses separate ju¬ risdictions. PULL KINO & ST MAIIOTNS CHURCH. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 293 The name of this place is often pronounced Brummicham ; and those who con¬ descend to use such a mode of pronunciation, may be in some shape defended by an appeal to old writings where the words are frequently spelled Brumwycheham and Brymymcham. It has been supposed that the original name of the town was partly formed in allusion to the natural growth of the shrub termed Broom on its site; and it may be observed that two other places in the neighbourhood, bear the name of Bromwich. The first writers who notice Birmingham mention the success with which the inhabitants cultivate the manufacture of articles of iron fabric; and Mr. Hutton, the historian of this populous and industrious town, labours to establish the be¬ lief of such a trade existing here as early as the time of the ancient Britons. The chief argument in favour of this conjectured opinion are comprised in the follow¬ ing observations : “Upon the borders of the parish stands Aston Furnace, ap¬ propriated for melting iron-stone, and reducing it into pigs; this has the appear¬ ance of great antiquity. From the ore melted in this subterraneous region of the infernal aspect is produced a clax, or cinder, of which there is an enormous mountain. From an attentive survey the observer would suppose so prodigious a heap could not accumulate in one hundred generations; however it shews us perceptible addition in the age of man.” It appears that Birmingham was a place of some consideration in the time of the Saxons, as William de-Birmingham, then lord of this manor, proved in the year 1309, that his ancestors had the privilege of a market here before the con¬ quest ; but, in the Norman survey this place is merely rated for four hides of land and woods of half a mile in length and four furlongs in width ; the whole being valued at 20s. At a very early period the bishopric became vested in a family who assumed a surname from this possession, and who appear to have liberally protect¬ ed the interests of the town. Peter de-Birmingham obtained a grant for a weekly market on the Thursday, in the reign of Henry II., and William de-Birmingham procured in the time of Henry III., a charter for two yearly fairs. A licence to take toll for three years on every article sold in the market, towards the expense of paving the streets of Birmingham, was obtained through the influence of A n- domore de-Valence, Earl of Pembroke, in 1319; but it would seem, that then the town was not in a very flourishing condition, as, on this toll proving insufficient, the work was suffered to lie dormant for eighteen years: a second licence for the term of three years was afterwards obtained, and it was then completed. The de-Birmingham family remained possessed of the manorial rights till the reign of Henry VIII., and resided in a moated house about sixty yards south of St. Martin’s church ; a part of the moat still remains, but most part built on CHAP. XIII. 294 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Birming¬ ham visited by plague. Riot at Bir¬ mingham in 1791. at the present day, from which proceed the name of Moat Row at the bottom of Smithfield. Through the centuries occurring between the period of the Norman conquest, and the civil war in the time of Charles I., the inhabitants appear to have steadily attended to the labours of the anvil, without interfering in either of the great po¬ litical questions which divided so many parts of the island; except that, in the reign of Henry III., William de-Birmingham led some few of the tenants of his lordship to the field of Evesham, where they fought unsuccessfully on the side of the barons. But, notwithstanding the laborious temper of the inhabitants, Bir¬ mingham made but few advances, during these ages, to high commercial conse¬ quence or greatness of population. The aspect and character of the place in the reign of Henry VIII. are thus noticed by Leland :—“ The beauty of Birmingham a good market town in the extreme parts of Warwickshire, is one street, goinge up a longe, almost from the left ripe of the brooke, up a mean hill, by the length of a quarter of a mile.” In the year 1665, this place experienced, in a dreadful degree, the disease termed the plague. The bodies of the numerous victims were conveyed for in¬ terment to Lady Wood Green, an acre of waste land, since denominated the pest ground. We have hitherto seen Birmingham noted for industry, but limited in extent; the restoration of monarchy in the person of Charles II. is the period from which Birmingham dates her great rise in commercial prosperity. Implements of hus¬ bandry, carpenter’s tools and such coarse articles of iron manufacture, was the principal articles manufactured in Birmingham in those early days. The reign of the second Charles, a long holiday after the troubles of civil contest, produced a relaxation in public manners, and a demand for those embellishments of luxury, which may be termed the playthings of elegant habit. In this reign the toy trade was first cultivated in Birmingham ; industry, the great basis of successful effort, was already the possession of the natives; encouragement stimulated genius; and the various trades and manufactures have ever since continued to increase rapidly and been carried on to an extent unprecedented in the annals of manufacture, and productive not only of local wealth, but of national pride. From the restoration to the present time, the history of Birmingham is hap¬ pily comprised in a view of its progress in arts, buildings, population, and com¬ mercial opulence, with the exception of one lamentable instance of a turbulent and most dangerous spirit in the lower classes. On Thursday, July the fourteenth, 1791, about eighty-one persons of various denominations assembled at the hotel in that town, to celebrate the anniversary of the French revolution. A mob col- THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 295 lected, and the party assembled for the celebration, prudently retired. But the populace, not contented with a moderate triumph, broke the windows of the ho¬ tel ; and, their numbers increasing, they proceeded to acts of more serious vio lence, encouraging each other in the work of devastation by clamours, fantastically expressive of a love of church, king, and good order ! The horrors of a popular ferment, in a place containing such numerous throngs of artizans to whom riot was as a festival when once set on foot, may be readily imagined; the mechanics of every description, issued from every alley of the town, and, joining the cry of “ no false rights of man,” stimulated the inflamed and thoughtless congre¬ gation of labourers to such undertakings as promised most plunder. As the mob professed themselves peculiar friends to the church of England, they commenced their operations by setting fire to the meeting house belonging to the celebrated Dr. Priestly ; this they soon reduced to ashes, and a second conventicle shared the same fate. They then proceeded to the dwelling of the philosophic and amia¬ ble preacher, which was about a mile distant from the town ; Dr. Priestly himself happily escaped their rage; but they burnt his extensive premises; and, we la¬ ment to say, that his philosophical apparatus and valuable manuscripts (the fruits of many years labour and observation) were consumed in the flames. The mob remained in the possesion of power for the three following days, though judicious steps were taken by the magistrates to appease the tumult. These hor¬ rible days will be long remembered in Birmingham ; all business was necessarily at a pause. The principal shops were shut and no inhabitant deemed himself secure from the visitation of a throng so perniciously compounded of the capri¬ cious and designing. The firebrand spread its ravages in town and country, and many of the rioters, reduced to a state of brutal intoxication, by the liquors which they plundered, perished in the flames which they themselves had raised. On the evening of Sunday the seventeenth, military assistance arrived ; but the rumour of such an approach was sufficient. This mob had too much ferocity to possess genuine courage ; and the despicable concourse, so formidable to the un¬ armed, slunk quietly away on the slightest appearance of opposition. Among the ravages committed in this disastrous season, must be noticed the following:—On Friday, the fifteenth of July, were burned the mansion of John Ryland, Esq. at Easy hill; Bordesley Hall, the elegant residence of Mr. Taylor; and Mr. Hutton’s house, and stock in the paper trade, books, furniture, &c. at Birmingham. On Saturday, the sixteenth were destroyed the house and furni¬ ture of the truly respectable Mr. Hutton, at Saltley, the country residence of that gentleman ; the residence of George Humphreys, Esq. and that of William Rus¬ sell, Esq. of Showel Green ; Moseley Hall, a seat occupied by the venerable CHAP. XIII. 296 THE HISTORY OF book i. Lady Carhampton, who was enfeebled and blind through age. Five other houses were also burned in the course of this day. Sunday the seventeenth was ushered to notice by the destruction of King’s Wood meeting-house; and, on the same day, besides other devastation, the mob plundered Edgbaston Hall, the residence of Dr. Withering The damage arising from these outrages was moderately estimated at c£60,000. Public justice was satisfied by the execution of two of the principal offenders; and an act was obtained, in 1793, to reimburse the persons whose property had sustained injure. The buildings of Birmingham, like those of most English towns not formed in dependence on a castellated edifice, were originally placed in a low and watery si¬ tuation. The chief street of the ancient town is that termed Digbeth, a tract na¬ turally well sheltered, and containing some excellent springs, which still form the best resource of the town in point of water. At the time of the restoration it is supposed that Birmingham consisted of about fifteen streets, though not all finished; and about nine hundred houses. The increase of building since that period has exceeded the calculations of the most sanguine ; and the town no longer crouches in humility of site, but boldly solicits the ingress of the winds from each point of the compass. Modern Birmingham is approached on every side by an ascent, ex¬ cept from the north-west; and, as scarcely any of the streets lie on a dead flat, every shower conduces to cleanliness and health. As the chief parts of this immense town are of comparatively modern erection, the examiner will be induced to expect that the great errors of antiquity, in re¬ spect to formation of streets and character of domestic architecture, are here avoided; and, in a general point of view, he will find that his anticipations were correct. Many of the avenues are of a desirable width. Where the population is composed of such various classes no regularity of building can be expected ; but the greater portion of the houses are, in appearance, of a highly creditable description. Few dwellings are calculated to convey a just notion of the great opulence enjoyed by many persons engaged in commercial pursuits, but. the prin¬ cipal houses connected with shops for the display of goods in trade are eligible and commodious. It appears that a kind of mania for building has for some time prevailed in Birmingham ; and w r e are compelled to observe, on the authority of the historian of the town, that the architecture prevailing in tenements of an in¬ ferior order is “ rather shewy than lasting. The proprietor generally contracts for a house of certain dimensions at a stipulated price: this induces the artist to use some ingredients of the cheaper kind, and sometimes to try whether he can cement the building with sand instead of lime. Many of these houses," conti- THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 297 nues Mr. Hutton, “have been brought forth, answered the purposes for which they were created, and been buried in the dust, during my acquaintance with Birmingham.” But as the most distinguished efforts of this enterprising place are directed to the advance of its manufactures, it is there that we should look for the chief dis¬ play of the builder’s skill; and every principal fabric connected with the nume¬ rous arts cultivated in this “ great toy-shop of Europe,” is commodious, substan¬ tial, and judiciously adapted to its object. The inland situation of Birmingham was unfavourable to the first views of com¬ mercial interchange on a large scale, as not any navigable river flows near the confines of the town. But industry and art have supplied every deficiency. From Birmingham, as from a centre, twelve roads proceed to as many towns ; and considerable improvements have lately taken place in the whole of these tho¬ roughfares. The introduction of canal navigation is, however, the great auxiliary to the commerce of the place. By this mode of conveyance a communication is now effected on easy terms with the metropolis and most of the principal trading places in the island. The benefits arising from such a facility of interchange are calculated, in a season favourable to manufacture, to lift Birmingham to a prouder height than it has even yet attained, or ventured to anticipate. Many improvements have been latterly effected in the interior of the town, in consequence of acts obtained in the years 1769, and 1801, and several subsequent acts, “ for lighting, watching, and paving the streets; and for removing obstruc¬ tions that were prejudicial to the health or convenience of the inhabitants,” and various other alterations and improvements in New Streets and buildings, 8tc. which are more particularly mentioned in the subsequent part of our history. As Birmingham does not possess an incorporated magistracy, the right of interfering with the obstructions here noticed remained with the person exercising the mano¬ rial privileges, before the above acts were obtained ; and such a power must needs be supposed inadequate to the correction of abuses likely to occur in the disposal of buildings formed by so numerous a population. The town is now fairly lighted ; but it is to be regretted that so prosperous a place should yet have to perform the necessary work of paving the foot-ways with flag-stone. Among the internal improvements which have lately been effected it must be observed that several buildings which encumbered the bull-ring, or market-place, have been removed ; and in an eligible part of this area was erected, in 1809, a fine statue of the brave and successful naval commander, Lord Nelson, executed by Westmacot. A town not possessing a charter of incorporation, fails to present such a variety of public structures as would appear suited to its magnitude or resources. The 2 ft CHAP. XIII. 298 HISTORY OF BOOK I. St. Martin’* Church. St. Philip’s Church. Free Church. following are the principal buildings dedicated to religious use, to charitable pur¬ poses, or to public amusement. St. Martin’s church is situate at the upper end of Digbeth, and in the imme¬ diate vicinity of the corn-market. “ It has been remarked,” says Mr. Hutton, “ that the antiquity of this church is too remote for historical light.” We pre¬ sume that the venerable historian alludes to the foundation of a church on this site, as the most ancient part of the present structure cannot be ascribed to an earlier period than the thirteenth century. This building was originally formed of stone, but in the year 1690, the whole of the edifice, except the spire, was cased with brick. The alterations and repairs, effected at different periods, are la¬ mentably inconsistent with the ancient and untouched character of the lower por¬ tion of the spire. This church underwent many alterations, and a thorough repair, at the expense of more than .£4000. in 1786. At this time the interior was entirely renovated ; but it is to be regretted that the inclination to beautify should have led those en¬ trusted with the care of the works, to treat with little respect some monuments intended to perpetuate the memory of several of the ancient lords of Birmingham. These monuments sustain recumbent effigies, but have not any inscription. The furniture of the church is respectable and appropriate; and the steeple is pro¬ vided with twelve musical bells. Until the early part of the eighteenth century Birmingham remained one pa¬ rish. A triangular portion of the town, covering about one hundred acres, was then divided from the rest, and constituted a separate parochial district, by the name of St. Philip’s. A church for the new parish was begun, by act of parlia¬ ment, in 1711, and was completed in 1719. This structure stands on elevated ground, and is judiciously placed in an open area, calculated to display to much advantage its claims to architectural beauty. The appendant yard or cemetery, occupies four acres, and is planted with numerous trees. The building is of an embellished, but chaste and elegant, character. The steeple on the west is sur¬ mounted by a cupola ; for many hints in the design of which the architect was evidently indebted to the splendid fabric of St. Paul’s in London. The interior is conspicuous for a tasteful union of simplicity with decoration. In the vestry is a theological library, bequeathed by the first rector, William Higgs, for the use of the clergy in Birmingham and its vicinity. Mr. Higgs also left the sum of £200. for a future purchase; and a handsome library adjoining the parsonage- house was erected by the Rev. Mr. Madan, in 1792. A third church, termed the Free (or Christ) Church, is now building; and the interior is so far completed that the structure is opened for divine worship. This additional edifice is designed for the accommodation of the lower classes, which. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 299 in such a town, must be much too numerous to find seats in the churches formerly deemed sufficient. The good sense which promoted such an undertaking cannot be too much praised. The Free church is suitably plain, both in its external and interior features; but it will be readily believed sufficiently substantial, when we observe that nearly =£20,000. have been already expended on the buildings. A portico and steeple, to complete the structure, are now in an advanced state of progress. His Ma¬ jesty had condescendingly intended to lay the first stone of this edifice, but was induced to depute the office to the late Earl of Dartmouth. He, however, gra- ciouly presented the trustees with the sum of =£1000. towards the furtherance of the building. Birmingham, likewise contains five chapels for the exercise of the established religion. St. John’s chapel, Deritend, although now encompassed by the extended streets of Birmingham, is, in fact, a chapel of ease to the parish of Aston. This cha- pelry was founded in the year 1382; but the ancient building having fallen to decay, the body of the present structure, which is a commodious and respectable place of worship, was erected in 1735. A square tower at the western end wa3 added in 1762. St. Bartholomew’s chapel, situated on the east side of the town, is calculated to accommodate about eight hundred persons. This building was raised in the year 1749, and is chiefly remarkable for the circumstance of not standing due east and west. The chancel inclines considerably towards the north. In consequence of the great increase of the population of the town, an act of parliament was obtained in 1772 for the erection of two additional chapels. 1 hese are termed St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s. The chapel dedicated to St. Mary is of an octagonal form, but destitute of all pretensions to architectural beauty. St. Paul’s chapel is a respectable stone building, though not completed according to the ori¬ ginal design. At the west is a low square tower, intended to support an orna¬ mental spire or steeple; but the inhabitants have hitherto wanted public spirit to carry this intention into effect. The interior is fitted up in a manner peculiarly plain, with the exception of the window over the communion table, which is filled with painted glass, executed by Francis Egginton, and expressive of different pas¬ sages in the history of St. Paul. The chapel, dedicated to St. James, is formed from a mansion erected some years back, by Dr. Ash, an eminent physician of Birmingham, on land leased to him by Sir Lister Holt, Bart. This intended residence was not completed; and, in the year 1810, the building was consecrated, and converted to its present use, after undergoing suitable alterations; and it has undergone considerable CHAP. XIII. St. John’s ChapeL St. Rartho- lomew’s Chapel. St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s Chapels. St. James’ Chapel. 300 THE HISTORY OP BOOK I. The Free School. The Blue. Coat- School. repairs within this last year, in consequence of its having become unsafe for use. There are also two other new churches which have subsequently been erected, St. George’s and St. Thomas’s, which are particularly mentioned with the other improvements, in the subsequent part of our history, to which we beg to refer our readers. There are meeting-houses for various classes of dissenters; and one Jewish synagogue. The Free school is an extensive and noble foundation, for which the inhabit¬ ants are indebted to the piety of King Edward VI. and the good sense of his ad¬ visers. The history of this establishment is connected with that of a guild found¬ ed at Birmingham in the year 1389, and termed the guild of the Holy Cross. On the dissolution of such fraternities, in the reign of Henry VIII. the revenues of this association were valued at £2>\. 2 s. lOd. The lands continued vested in the crown till 1552, when King Edward VI. assigned them to certain inhabitants of Birmingham, for the foundation of a grammar-school; and so great has been the increase in the value of landed property in this neighbourhood, that the an¬ nual produce is now more than o£2000. The present building was erected in the early part of the eighteenth century, and is a spacious, ornamental, and well- adapted structure. Seven Exhibitioners are sent to the University of Oxford : and several inferior schools in different parts of the town, are supported by the flourishing finances of this establishment. The Charity or Blue-Coat-School, is supported by voluntary subscriptions. The buildings are extensive and eligible. The income of this laudable institution amounted, in the year 1813, to =£1327. 175. 7 d. One hundred and fifty orphan boys, and forty girls, are here maintained and educated. There is, also, a dissenting Charity School, for females only, which is well sup¬ ported, and conducted with great discretion. The Sunday Schools are numerous, and are calculated to produce important benefits to the lower orders of so thickly- populated a town. It is with much pleasure that we do not close the list of establishments for gra¬ tuitous education, without being enabled to state that large seminaries have been instituted on the plans of Lancaster and Dr. Bell. The school, framed on the system of the former person, was opened in 18C9, for the instruction of four hun¬ dred boy#; and, under the direction of Mr. John Veevers (who is now employed in the organization of schools, on the same principle, throughout Ireland,) this es¬ tablishment has attained a degree of perfection calculated to render it a model for institutions of the same very useful nature. About four hundred boys, and one hundred and thirty girls, receive education according to the system of Dr. Bell. For the use of this institution a spacious building was completed in the year 1813. RKE G1A11AE §('IOOL, B1F MTU G-HA M THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 801 A General hospital at Birmingham was commenced in the year 1766; but, al¬ though the walls of the building were then erected, the completion of the design was impeded for twelve years. After that period of interruption the humane in¬ stigators of the undertaking were enabled to carry their wishes into effect. The building was augmented by two wings, in the year 1790, and now ranks among the most ornamental fabrics of the town, while it gratefully proclaims the liberal¬ ity of the inhabitants. The annual subscriptions, and the dividends on the funded property possessed by this institution, amounted, in the year 1813, to .£1945 and the legacies to T1309. The number of patients admitted and discharged in the same year exceeded one thousand five hundred. A handsome building was raised in the year 1808, and appropriated to the use of a Dispensary. This charity is supported by voluntary contributions. The subscription for the year 1813 amounted to o£600. ; and the legacies, and other donations, were at the same time stated at T1200. A central Society was formed here in the year 1813, for the education of the deaf and dumb. This institution embraces in the liberality of its intentions, most of the midland counties; and is under the direction of Mr. Braidwood, son of the ingenious founder of a system for the communication of new ideas to a class of afflicted mortals, long considered beyond the pale of human assistance. Fifteen subjects have already been admitted to the benefit of tuition. In the reign of Henry VIII. William Lench a native of Birmingham, be¬ queathed his estate for the purpose of erecting alms-houses, and for the repair of the streets of the town. The finances of this charity are at present so flourishing, that the trustees have been enabled to add to the number of tenements for the reception of the poor. The Theatre is a building correspondent in size and character to the population and opulence of the place. The front is a handsome elevation, judiciously airy and inviting; and the interior is arranged with considerable taste. This place of rational amusement is joined by a tavern and hotel, comprising an elegant as¬ sembly-room, in which are also held periodical concerts, patronized by the most respectable inhabitants of the town. A Public Library at Birmingham was commenced in the year 1779; but this desirable institution moved in a tardy progress, until aided by the advice and as¬ sistance of Dr. Priestley, in 1782. Since that period it has progressively ad¬ vanced in estimation, and a handsome building has been erected, from a design by Mr. William Hollins, of Birmingham. The collection of books consists of about twenty thousand volumes, many of which are of considerable rarity and value. Another Public Library has been instituted, which has nearly four hundred sub¬ scribers, and is in an improving condition. This is designated the New Library. CHAP. XIII. The Hospi¬ tal. The Dis¬ pensary. Society for tlie Deaf and Dumb, Lench’s Charity. The Thea¬ tre. Public Li¬ brary. 502 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Philosophi¬ cal Society. Manufac¬ tures. &c. A Philosophical Society has also been formed ; and a building is set apart for experiments in chemistry, and other scientific pursuits. The fellows of this insti¬ tution occasionally deliver public lectures, which are well attended. It will necessarily be expected that the persons thrown helpless on society by imbecile old age, or early youth, must be numerous in a town possessing so large a population. For the reception of these a spacious Workhouse was erected in 1733, to which several additions have been made at different periods. A new Prison, on a judicious plan, was built in 1806, at the expense of <£9000. Towards the front are spacious rooms, used for the meetings of the county magis¬ trates, and for other business of a public nature. This building is now being en¬ larged to nearly double the extent in front and depth, which adds much to the appearance and ornament of the town. Barracks, capable of receiving one hundred and sixty-two men, were erected in 1793. The trade and manufactures of this great town engross a spacious field, on which it is our province to touch only slightly. We have observed that the anvil employed the hand of the industrious inhabitant at the earliest period in which Birmingham is noticed in the page of the topographer; and that the restoration of Charles II. was the period that imparted a stimulus to ingenuity, and sug¬ gested those varieties of invention which have now rendered the name of Bir¬ mingham familiar in nearly every clime visited by the sail of the British merchant. It appears that, until the middle of the last century, the Birmingham manufac¬ turer was content to stay at home, and patiently wait for the visits of such dealers as held his articles in request; but, about that period, a more extended system of traffic was obtained. He then began to employ the merchant as the vender of his goods; and, speedily profiting by experience, he has since deputed persons, con¬ nected with his own firm, to dispose of his produce at every accessible market. The increasing prosperity of the place evinces the propriety of the course pursued by its industrious inhabitants. The manufactures of Birmingham are considerably indebted to the exertions of a spirited individual, the late Mr. John Taylor, who introduced the gilt button, the painted, japanned, and gilt snuff-boxes, and the numerous variety of enamelled articles. Mr. Taylor died in 1775. The manu¬ facture of steel was first practised at Birmingham in the seventeenth century. The manufacture of guns was commenced by a person residing in Digbeth, in the reign of William III. This profitable and important trade is cultivated with such eminent success, that between six and seven thousand muskets were for some time forwarded weekly to government. To the great benefit of the persons engaged in this manufacture, a proof-house, or office for the trying and proving of gun-barrels, was established at Birmingham in 1813. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 303 The manufacture of brass was introduced to this town about the year 1740. The trade was at first confined to a few opulent individuals; but numerous brass works have been erected within the last thirty years ; and this branch of manu¬ facture is now cultivated on liberal principles of competition, equally to the bene¬ fit of the town, and the accommodation of the public at large. The immense establishment of Messrs. Boulton and Watt, at Soho, (situate in the county of Stafford, at the distance of about one mile and a half from Bir¬ mingham,) communicates many advantages to the trade of this place, and is in itself a prominent object of national interest. For an historical notice of this stu¬ pendous assemblage of manufactories, we refer the reader to the “ Beauties of Staffordshire.” In thus briefly alluding to the commencement, and progress of the principal trades cultivated in Birmingham, we merely attempt to convey an idea of the ge¬ neral character of her manufactures and pursuits. An enumeration of the various classes of manufacture ingrafted on these original stocks, would afford matter for a distinct and extensive volume. The failure of intercourse with the United States has lately been felt severely by the manufacturing interest, (and in that in¬ terest the whole town is involved;) but fresh wharfs are still constructing on the sides of the canals, those great liquid roads which so eminently conduce to the prosperity of the place ! And Birmingham is at present not only augmenting in size, but appears to possess, in its own ingenuity, resources to employ and sustain its increasing population. A great portion of the success of Birmingham in commercial pursuits has been attributed to its freedom from charteral laws. The possession of industry is here a sufficient qualification for its exercise ; and talent supplies the place of birth¬ right. The internal polity of this great town is yet directed by two constables, annually chosen, and by the following officers, (also elected yearly,) who are, in fact, no more than servants to the lord of the manor: A High Bailiff. Headborough. Two Low Tasters. Two Leather- Low Bailiff'. Two High Tasters. Two Affeirers. Sealers. The high-bailiff is to inspect the markets. The low-bailiff summons a jury, who choose all the other officers. The headborough acts as assistant to the con- stables. The high-tasters examine the beer, as to quality and measure; and the low-tasters inspect the meat exposed to sale. The affeirers ratify the rent and amercements between the lord and his tenants. The leather-sealers are now only nominal officers ; for though Birmingham was once a noted market for leather, and abounded with tanners, the trade fell into disuse in the early part of the last century. CHAP. XIII. Govern¬ ment of the Town, &c. 304 THE HISTORY OF BOOK I. Markets. In consideration of the multifarious pecuniary disagreements of a minor cha¬ racter, which must necessarily occur in so extensive a population, the chief inha¬ bitants procured, in 1752, an act for the recovery of debts under forty shillings. By this act, twenty-two commissioners were appointed, three to be a quorum. These commissioners hold periodical meetings for the dispatch of business, and their determinations are final. Two clerks attend the court, who retain the si¬ tuation for life, and are chosen alternately by the lord of the manor and the com¬ missioners. By an act of parliament obtained in 1807, the power of this court was extended to the cognizance of all debts not exceeding the sum of five pounds. The principal weekly market at Birmingham is still held, as at the earliest pe¬ riod, on the Thursday. It is to be regretted that so populous and thriving a town is destitute of an eligible market-place. Corn is sold by sample at the Bull Ring; and the whole area of the spot so denominated is crowded on the market- day with stalls, for the sale of vegetables, and different articles of country produce. But the ample supplies of every kind demand a larger place of sale; and various distant and inconvenient parts of the town are chosen for the offer of other mar¬ ketable articles. A market on the Tuesday, for the sale of hay, was opened in 1791. There is one annual fair for cattle; and there are likewise, several wakes, annually held for amusement, on the borders of the town. Richard Smallbroke, bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, was born at Birming¬ ham in the early part of the last century. This prelate was much respected in his diocese, and was the author of several literary works, one of the most celebrated of which is “A Treatise in Vindication of the Miracles of Jesus:'” written in consequence of the attack made by Woolston. The immediate vicinity of Birmingham is rendered of an interesting and orna¬ mental character, by numerous small allotments of garden ground, which afford a healthful and pleasing amusement to such of the inhabitants as are compelled, by their trading pursuits, to reside in the populous and confined streets of the town. There are, likewise, many public gardens and bowling-greens, respectively suited to the manners and disposition of every class. The surrounding country is, at many points, diversified and picturesque; and is embellished by numerous villas belonging to the principal persons of this great town. Perhaps the critical examiner would be tempted to suggest alterations in the architectural arrangement of some of these retreats; but many are conspi¬ cuous for size and real elegance. At the distance of about two miles from Birmingham, on the south-west, is Edgbaston-Hall. A mansion on this site, which had long been the residence of the Middlemore family, was garrisoned by some of the parliamentary troops in ih 29 . mtoMs'sxovr THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 305 the civil war of the seventeenth century. The same building was burned to the ground by the populace of Birmingham, in the days immediately antecedent to the revolution, lest it should be used as a place of refuge for papists ! The pre¬ sent structure was erected in the year 1717, by Sir Hugh Gough, who purchased the Edgbaston estate of the heirs of the Middlemore family, for the sum of <£25,000. This is a spacious dwelling, though by no means conspicuous for ar¬ chitectural beauty. ASTON HALL Is situate about two miles from Birmingham, towards the north-east, and is an extensive and commanding edifice erected by Sir Thomas Holt, Bart., in the reign of James I., and his successor. This worthy baronet was among the most faith¬ ful of those who adhered to the royal cause, through all the troubles of the seven¬ teenth century; though too far advanced in life to be himself serviceable in the field, his son attended in arms on the person of the king; and Sir Thomas had the honour of entertaining his master at this mansion for two nights, shortly pre¬ vious to the battle at Edghill. His loyalty exposed him to severe persecution. At different times heavy fines were levied on him, and his residence was plundered. The marks of a cannon-ball are still preserved in a staircase at Aston as a tri¬ umphant memorial of the constancy of the ancient owner of the domain. In a large gallery, and in several other apartments of this fine and interesting mansion are many family portraits. This fine mansion still retains its ancient beauty, though the principal part of the ancient estate has since been sold to different pro¬ prietors for building on, and other purposes, and the park which was once orna¬ mented with the majestic oak and princely elm, has recently been stripped of those ornaments, and the principal ornament that now remains, is the fine avenue of trees from the mansion to the Lichfield road, with a small portion of the once no¬ ble park grounds that formerly surrounded it: it is now the residence of Bolton Watt, Esq. An almshouse was appointed and endowed at Aston by the above-mentioned Sir Thomas Holt, Bart., for five men and five women. The building was erected by his grandson in 1655. At a short distance from the above mansion, is the parish church of Aston, an ancient Gothic structure surmounted by a fine spire, which contains many monu¬ ments of the Holt family and other distinguished personages of that day. 2 E CHAP. XIII. 806 HISTORY OF BOOK I. BINGLEY HOUSE. South-west of the town of Birmingham, and near the road leading to Dudley and Kidderminster, is Bingley house, the residence of James Lloyd, Esq. Towards this quarter the buildings have extended with a rapid, and, con¬ sidering the short period since this spot was nearly a mile from the buildings which then constituted the town, a most wonderful progress; the old Birming¬ ham canal enters the town at this point from the collieries ; Wolverhampton con¬ sequently is the principal station of the wharfs and warehouses belonging to the carrying trade to the north and Liverpool, that great outlet for Birmingham ma¬ nufactures to the western world, whilst the facilities offered for the discharging of fuel, have brought into this neighbourhood numerous metal works, furnaces, steam engines and foundries. So entirely have encroachments of this kind of commerce altered the face of nature that it will scarcely be credited that so lately as forty years since the present demesne of a few acres enclosed with a high wall, was surrounded with verdure to a considerable extent, the site of the Crescent, Broad Street, King Edward’s and King Alfred’s Place. Before the house, towards the road, is a spacious lawn bounded on each side by an avenue of princely elms. The verdure of this grove is strikingly beautiful, during the spring and sum¬ mer, contrasted with the smoky appearance of every object beyond the inclosure, and forms, with the paddock shrubbery, a grateful relief to the eye, amidst chimneys and furnaces, emitting day and night, unceasing torrents of vapour and flame. The mansion was erected nearly a century ago, and has been the residence of the present family for several generations. The Lloyd family which is one of the most ancient in the kingdom, have resi¬ ded in this county upwards of two centuries, having removed hither from Mont¬ gomeryshire where they possessed large estates for several centuries, about the period of the civil wars of Charles I. Their armorial bearings are; Gules, a Chevron between three cocks, argent, gugged and bordered ; or, Crest a Cock Gules. Motto : Estoigilans. “ Having given a brief sketch of Birmingham in more remote days, we now proceed by giving our readers a concise account of the great progress made within the last century, in every branch of manufacture and commerce carried on here, as also the wonderful increase of the town and population, and the general im¬ provements already effected, and those now in contemplation. All accounts of this great manufacturing town, whether ancient or modern. BINCHL. EY H O.USJE THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 307 concur in fixing celebrity upon the place from a very remote period, for the skill of the inhabitants, in the various productions of the forge. The same spirit which originally exerted itself in works of iron, has gradually extended in an improved degree, to metals of every description, and many other materials from all which are fabricated an infinity of useful and ornamental arti¬ cles many of them displaying much taste and elegance. The cotton, the linen, the silk and the woollen trades, in the manufacturing department are almost unknown among us except in the articles of thread, which has long been manufactured here, and the making of various kinds of threads, tapes, laces, trimmings, fringe, &c., establishments for which have been recently introduced, but almost every other description of inland manufacture, whether of the forge, the furnace, the stamp, the press, the lathe, or the file, is extensively carried on. A particular enumeration would exceed the limits of our work, and is the less needful as a directory of the town is published, containing a classifica¬ tion of most of the trades, and may be met with in all houses and places of business. We will however, mention in general terms a few of the leading articles of Birmingham manufacture, viz. swords and other military weapons and accoutre¬ ments, fire arms (of every description), edge tools, saddlery, plated goods, brass- foundry, buttons, medals, japannery, jewellery, gilt, silver, steel, ivory, bone, and other toys, brushes, wood-turnery, glass wares, &c.; cast iron articles of every description, as well as those of wrought iron, constitute an important branch of our manufacture. The merchants and factors in Birmingham are numerous, and through them the produce of our labour is conveyed to foreign markets, and to all parts of our kingdom. The business of a factor in Birmingham is probably not of earlier date than the middle of the last century. Before that time, distant traders journied hither for the purpose of purchasing such articles as their respective trades re¬ quired : this mode of transacting business being both expensive and troublesome, purchasers instead of coming to Birmingham, deputed persons in the town to transact their business for them on being allowed a commission ; which species of agency became in time a distinct business, and thence originated the business of a factor, who now travels over the kingdom with patterns, collects the orders of the different shopkeepers, and executes them on his own account. Small articles are conveyed about and exhibited in kind on pattern cards, but heavy goods are shewn by engraved representations. An institution is established under the name of the chamber of manufactures and commerce, to watch over and protect the great and general trading inter¬ ests of the town : we have also a public news room and other public institu- CHAP. XIII. Manufac¬ tures, &c« Leading ar¬ ticles of ma¬ nufacture. 308 THE HISTORY OF tions, but as all those of importance will be mentioned under their several heads in our subsequent pages, it is unnecessary to be more descriptive here. GOVERNMENT AND POLICE. Birmingham not being subject to any corporate jurisdiction, is governed by officers chosen annually in October at the court leet of the lord of the manor. They are A high Bailiff Two Constables Two high Tasters, or Ale Conners Two Affeirors A low Bailiff A Head borough Two low Tasters, or Flesh Conners Two Leather Sealers. All of whom, excepting the constables and their assistants, the headboroughs, are mere deputies or servants of the lord’s, to watch over the preservation of his mano¬ rial rights. It is customary to choose the high bailiff from the churchmen and the low bailiff from the dissenters.* To the high bailiff is conceded by custom, the duty formerly exercised by the constables of convening and conducting the business of all public meetings in the town; He is also inspector of the market, to see that justice takes place between buyer and seller, and has the power of rectifying all weights and dry measures used in the manor; he proclaims the two fairs, one at Whitsuntide, the other at Michaelmas, going in procession with two other officers, the jury of the court leet, and a retinue of his personal friends, attended by a band of music to enliven the scene; and at the Whitsun fair he provides a sumptuous dinner, at one of the principal hotels in the town for a numerous party, who are previously compli¬ mented with cards of invitation. The low bailiff summons a jury, by which the succeeding officers are to be ap¬ pointed ; and also entertains his friends with a public dinner, in a similar manner to the high bailiff. The high taster examines the goodness and measure of beer; the low taster inspects the meat exposed for sale, and causes that to be destroyed which is unfit for use; the affeirors, assess and ratify amercements to the lord; and the leather sealers put a public seal or mark upon the hides,when Birmingham was a market for leather. The police matters of the town are under the management of the constables and The principal officers are always appointed in October. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 309 headboroughs in a bench of highly respectable county magistrates, residing in Birmingham and its vicinity, who sit twice a week (Monday and Thursday) at the police office in Moor Street, for the dispatch of business, which is generally abundant, but not more so than may reasonably be expected among upwards of one hundred thousand persons in a manufacturing town. MARKETS, Thursday's market. The original and general market is held weekly on Thursday, pursuant to the charter granted by Henry II., and confirmed by Richard I., it is a crowded and busy scene. Horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs in great numbers, are exposed for sale in Smithfield. Corn is sold by sample, opposite the Nelson hotel. The sup¬ plies from the country, of poultry, eggs, butter and cheese, at all times of the year, and fruits, vegetables, and other things in their season, are abundant. Fish is but indifferently supplied, except at the established fish shops. Manufactured articles in great variety are also plentiful. Many of the commodities are exhi¬ bited on stalls; and others in baskets, &c. The space at present occupied for this market, is the High Street, facing St. Martin’s church, and will be further described under the head of market place in our succeeding columns. A proper officer attends regularly every market day with standard scales and weights, by which those of the seller may be tried if required. It would be difficult to name a town so utterly destitute of proper market ac¬ commodation as Birmingham, or in which there is so little classification and ar¬ rangement of the articles brought for sale, or so scattered a distribution of them. No market-hall, or erection, at present exists to afford the least shelter to the people, who are consequently exposed to the inclemency of the weather. We feel pleasure in informing our readers, that this difficulty will shortly be obviated, the commissioners of the street act having, in the last session of parlia¬ ment, obtained an act, under the powers of which it is intended to erect a town- hall, a market-hall, and a corn-exchange, to enlarge and improve the market place, and to effect various other improvements now in contemplation. This act also extends to the regulation of the market, and fixes the various tolls to be taken by the commissioners, who purchased a few years since from the lord of the manor his market rights. MONDAY AND SATURDAY’S MARKETS. For public convenience, two other markets are held weekly, one on Monday the other on Saturday ; they are both well stocked with provisions and numerously CHAP. xm. 310 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Wakes. attended, especially that on Saturday, which is generally crowded to a late hour, by the working classes principally, who attend to provide necessaries for the en¬ suing week. There is also a market held in Smith field on Tuesdays for the sale of hay and straw. FAIRS. There are two general fairs held here annually under the authority of the grants of the lord of the manor made thirty-fifth of Henry III. and before re¬ ferred to, in the former part of our history; but the times have been altered for public convenience. The first mentioned fair is now and has been held for many years past in Whitsun week ; the other in the last Thursday in Septem¬ ber, each continues three days. The Whitsun-fair happening at a season of ge¬ neral holiday is the largest and most important. The Michaelmas fair is noted for an abundant supply of onions, and is termed the Onion fair. At these fairs, horses are exposed for sale at the northern end of Bristol-street, hence denominated the Horse fair. Cattle, sheep and pigs, are also sold in Smithfield : both fairs being in high repute, are well attended, and much busi¬ ness transacted at them. The holidays are numerous, as are also the usual exhi¬ bitions for their amusement; and, altogether, much bustle, gaiety, and hilarity prevail on these occasions. There are also several wakes held annually, in different parts of the town, the three principal are those called Deritend wake, held in July ; Chapel wake, held in August, and Bell wake held also in August. GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND IMPROVEMENTS. Under the above heads we conceive it may not be considered by our readers as unnecessary to introduce a few observations (in part of our history) before we particularize the various objects which this town presents to our notice, and first, The town of Birmingham is destitute of any natural feature sufficiently strong to attract the notice of the stranger; and the inequality of the ground both in and about the town, is such as to preclude any very good extensive view. The most striking and comprehensive near prospects are those from Bordesley High- gate on the south-east and south, the former being the entrance from London. Some distant views of the town may be seen, occasionally, on approaching it from various points, chiefly from south by west, to north. The principal approaches and entrances are those from Coventry, Warwick and Stratford, on the south-east; from Wolverhampton on the north, and from Wor¬ cester on the south. The approach from Lichfield, on the north-east, is flat and I &Z9 BROMSOKOVli ST. BIKMTNGHAi/ THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 311 uninteresting. Much improvement, however, has of late been made in most of them^ and still greater improvements are in progress. The approach from Hales Owen, through the parish of Edgbaston to the entrance at the five ways turnpike gate, and from Worcester through another part of the same parish, are pleasing from the great number and variety of neat villa residences, which for a considerable distance present themselves in succession or. each side of the road. Other ap¬ proaches partake of the same character, but in a less attractive degree. The town extends in length, from Bordesley on the south-east side, to the ex¬ tremity of Great Hampton Street on the north, nearly two milts and a quarter, and the greatest width from Vauxhall on the east, to the five-ways on the west, is very little short of the same distance. The ancient parts of the town are Digbeth (formerly called Cock Street, or Well Street, long celebrated for its springs of the purest soft water which still afford the town abundant supplies) Edgbaston Street, Park Street, (or Mole Street), the Bull Ring (formerly called Corn Cheaping) Spiceal Street, (formerly Mercer or Spicer Street), High Street, Bull Street, (or Chapel Street), and some other streets in immediate connection with the above. The situation is on the side of a hill, with an aspect to the south east; very few of the old buildings now remain, and those that do have mostly been modernized with new fronts, &c. The more modern portion of this great manufacturing town extends around and over an undulating surface in every direction, and the extension is rapidly in¬ creasing ; the additions have been most considerable on the north. Many steam engines are erected, the tall and taper chimneys of which form conspicuous ob¬ jects ; one chimney especially, of circular construction, situate near the crescent, far exceeds all others in altitude. The leading and principal streets in Birmingham are mostly of good widths, and contain the better description of houses and retail shops, the latter being most numerous in Bull Street, High Street, Digbeth, Snow Hill, Dale End, New Street, and several adjoining streets. The greater part of the best shops are si¬ tuate in High Street, Bull Street, and New Street, the two former streets pre¬ senting an an almost unbroken range of them on both sides from end to end. Worcester Street is chiefly occupied by brokers, and Dudley Street and the im¬ mediate neighbourhood is the chosen streets of the Jewish fraternity. New Street is decidedly the best street in the town and in fine weather affords an agreeable promenade ; it contains many public buildings, and important esta¬ blishments, among which is the post office at the corner of Bennett’s Hill, and op¬ posite the Theatre. Next to the Theatre is the New Royal Hotel, a splendid new edifice erected by Mr. Wilday the present proprietor, which when finished will afford suitable accommodation for the first noblemen and gentry in the kingdom; it con- CHAP. XIII. 312 THE HISTORY OF book r. tains suits of elegant rooms well calculated for the reception of private and public parties. From the upper end of New Street are several lines of approach to the fine church and spacious church yard of St. Philip’s, in which has of late been held the musical festivals, that are held at this place every third year for the benefit of the general hospital, which is generally attended by the nobility and gentry from all parts of the kingdom; but the commissioners under the new street act have it in contemplation to erect an assembly room expressly for the purpose of holding those festivals in, on some part near as possible to the above church. Modemim -A mon g the leading improvements in Birmingham that have taken place during proreraents. the present century, may be mentioned the removal of the buildings which for¬ merly surrounded St. Martin’s church, and those which stood upon the present general market-place ; the widening of the western end of Moor Street, of both ends of Worcester Street, and of the lower end of Bull Street; there-building of Deritend Bridge and the raising of the road there; the filling up of the moat, and the removal of the buildings to form the site of Smithfield market-place ; the forming and walling round of the spacious burial ground in Park Street, and the erection of Christ Church and the other three new churches of St. George, St. Peter, and St. Thomas, and Trinity chapel Bordesley, engravings of which or¬ nament this work, a reference to which, will give our readers a more correct idea of their beauty and magnitude. The western part of Temple Row, and of Colmore Row, Ann Street, and the upper end of New street, have recently undergone great alterations. In the place of mean and straggling erections, a variety of ornamental buildings have risen, and various others are now in progress : two new streets have also been laid out over the adjoining space of ground, which was enclosed by the streets just men¬ tioned, and previously unbuilt on ; one of these streets leading from the top of New Hall Street into New Street opposite the Theatre, is called Bennett’s Hill, the name which the scite has long borne; the other crossing this in transverse direction and leading from Temple Row to the end of Christ Church, and from thence into Ann Street, has received the name of Waterloo Street. They are both rapidly filling up with handsome buildings. The general pavement of the town consists of round pebbles on the foot paths, and a very hard stone of Basalt on the carriage ways ; but the foot paths of ma¬ ny of the principal streets are now laid with flag-stones, and the carriage roads, in the principal streets have lately been Macadamized. The streets generally are well lighted with gas as also the principal shops, ma¬ nufactories, warehouses, and almost all other places of business, which is supplied §¥AI HOTEL, HIGH STREET, BIRMINGHAM. THEOBOEE WAKEFIELB» ORIGINAL COMMERCIAL Sc PORTING HOUSE . THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 313 by two gas establishments, one situate in the town, and the other at West Brom¬ wich, about five or six miles distant from the town. A nightly watch is provided, which, together with the paving, lighting, and cleansing of the streets, and the regulation of hackney coaches and cars, are well conducted under the management of a certain number of commissioners, appointed by a local ait of parliament. This town has for centuries past, been principally supplied with water by men hawking it about the streets in large water carts; which has for years been consi¬ dered a great nuisance to the town, as also been productive of many fatal acci¬ dents ; consequently the leading gentlemen and commissioners under the street act, made several attempts to introduce water works for the supplying the town with water by means of pipes, and, in 1826, a conditional act of parliament was obtained for the purpose of carrying their design into effect, which they have not till the present time, 1830, been able to do, but are now proceeding rapidly with their work, in laying down the principal pipes for conducting the water from the reservoir near Aston church into the town; and it is much to be hoped, that the commissioners will be able to effect this great object in a few years, for the general accommodation of the inhabitants. The principal Hotels in town are the New Royal Hotel, before-mentioned adjoining the theatre, at the top of New-street; the Hen and Chickens hotel. New Street; the Swan hotel; the Albion hotel in the High Street; the Old Royal hotel in Temple row; the Nelson hotel in the Bull-ring; the Stork hotel Old Square, and the Castle hotel High Street; White Hart inn, Digbeth; George inn, ditto; Union inn. Union Street; Woolpack inn, Moor Street; Rose inn, Edgebaston Street, and the Coach and Horses, Worcester Street. Those best adapted to the accommodation of families of distinction, are the New Royal hotel ; the Hen and Chickens; the Stork; the Swan; the Albion; and the Old Royal hotel, all of which provide excellent posting. The other inns above-mentioned afford the best of accommodation to commercial and other tra¬ vellers. INTENDED IMPROVEMENTS. An act of parliament, in lieu of the previous, Town Regulation Act, was ob¬ tained in the year 1828, for better paving, lighting, watching, cleansing and other¬ wise improving the town, and for regulating the police, and markets thereof. Under the additional powers of this new act, the commissioners intend to widen and enlarge the market-place (which improvement is now in a forward state), to erect a market-house, a corn exchange, and town-hall; the latter of which is to be for a stated time, at the service, and under the controul and direction of the com- 2 s CHAP. XIII. Water Works. 314 HISTORY OF hook i. mittee of governors of the General Hospital, when required for the musical festi¬ val, triennially held for the benefit of that institution (as before noticed) ; the hospital committee are also to be allowed to place an organ in the said hall, and to have access thereto at all suitable times for practice and rehearsals. The com¬ missioners are further empowered to enlarge and render more commodious, the public office; this building, which is situate in Moor Street, is, at present, being considerably enlarged and improved. The removal of projecting buildings, and the widening of several of the con¬ tracted streets and passages in the town are also contemplated by this act; and it is the intention of the commissioners, immediately to commence this portion of their labours, which they have begun by taking down the greater part of the buildings on one side, and widening Stafford Street, a great thoroughfare be¬ tween Aston Street and Dale end, in immediate connection with the road to Sut¬ ton, Tamworth, and Lichfield, hitherto a narrow and dangerous street. DECAYED RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS. The only one in Birmingham, unconnected with any public edifice or institu¬ tion, is the hospital of St. Thomas, the apostle, or priory. This edifice stood at the end of the town, towards Wolverhampton, on the spot which is now, the square, near the upper end of Bull Street, and was originally surrounded by about fourteen acres of ground. Dugdale observes, that, touch ing the original foundation, he could not find any further testimony than the certificate made by the commissioners in the thirty-se¬ venth of Henry VIII., where it is mentioned that the ancestors of the lords of the manor of Birmingham, erected it for one priest to sing mass daily therein for the souls of the founders for ever; as also that the then lord of Birmingham (Edward Birmingham, Esq.) did, inter alia, grant the parsonage of it to one John l’rettye for ninety-nine years which said John passed it away with his title therein, to Mr. Clem Throckmorton, Gent., and the first mention of it that Dug¬ dale discovered, was in the thirteenth of Edward I., where it appeared that Tho¬ mas de-Maidenhache (then lord of the manor of Aston) gave unto it ten acres of heath in Aston, William de-Birmingham, ten acres likewise, and Randolph de- Rokeby, three acres of land in Sattley. About that time were divers cottages and lands lying also in and about Birmingham, given to it by sundry other per¬ sons ; viz. twenty-two acres of land, and half an acre of meadow, by the same William de-Birmingham, and the rest by various other benefactors; for all which the prior and brethren thereof obtained the king’s special pardon in the fourth of Edward II. in regard they had thereto been given after the publication of mort¬ main made in the seventh of Edward I. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 315 In the twenty-fourth of Edward III. Fouk de-Birmingham and Rice Spencer, gave thereto two messuages and one hundred acres of land lying in Aston and Birmingham, to find a priest to celebrate divine worship daily at the altar of our blessed lady, in the church of the same hospital, for the souls of William de-Mercer and Margery his wife, and of certain others. The clear yearly value of which lands and tenements belonging thereto, was in the twenty-sixth of Henry VIII., certified at £8. 5s. 3d., at which time Sir Edward Tofte, was chantry priest there; but in the thirty-seventh of the same reign, the value above reprises was rated at only £8. 8s. 9 d.* PLACES OF WORSHIP. There are in Birmingham, comprehending the parts extending into the parish of Aston, six churches and as many chapels of the establishment: in addition to which is a very considerable number of other chapels and meeting-houses. St. Martin’s Church, commonly called the Old Church, is a large building si¬ tuate on the slope at the top of Digbeth. The interior, which is in good condi¬ tion, comprises a chancel, a nave and two side aisles, and wide galleries on each side and at the western end. The church is well pewed and contains a good or¬ gan. The roof is supported by two rows of pillars, terminating in gothic arches. At the western end is a tall and handsome, but plain spire, rising from a strong and massive tower, wherein is an excellent ring of twelve bells, with a clock and set of chimes, which play every third hour, at three, six, nine, and twelve, cliang ing the tune every day of the week. The height of the spire from the ground is about seventy yards. The church is of great antiquity, but when or by whom founded cannot now be ascertained. It was built with a soft red sandy stone ; which becoming much decayed, the outside of the church and the tower was, about the year 1692, sub¬ stantially cased with brick. The spire remains in its original state, except as it may have been occasionally altered by necessary repairs. Mr. Hutton tells us that it has been several times injured by lightning, and that forty feet of it, in a decayed state, w'as taken down and rebuilt in 1781, with Attleborough stone, the spire being at the same time strengthened by a spindle of iron running up it6 centre, one hundred and five feet long, secured to the side walls every ten feet by braces. In 1786 this church underwent a thorough alteration and repair, especially in the interior; by which, and the casing of the exterior, the ancient character of the edifice has been destroyed. The windows were formerly stored with coats of CHAP. XIII. St. Mar¬ tin’s Church. Dugdale's Antiquities of Warwickshire. 316 HISTORY OF book i. arms of the distinguished families connected with Birmingham, but not a vestige of these heraldic memorials is now to be found. A few of the ancient monuments remain, especially four of very early date, destitute of inscription, but supposed to have been erected to the memory of some of the ancient lords of the place. They consisted of table tombs upon which lay sculptured figures of marble of the natural size. Two of these figures lay abreast, one of them is supposed by Mr. Hutton to have been of a date as early as the conquest; the other (cross-legged, habited in a short mantle, with a sword, and bearing a shield with the bend lozenge, the ancient arms of the Birminghams) he took to be William de~Birmingham, who was made prisoner by the French at the siege of Bellegarde, in the twenty-fifth of Edward I., 1297. These two figures are in a deplorable state of mutilation, and lie neglected in a hole beneath the gallery staircase. Mr. Hutton observes of them, that even Westminster Abbey, famous for departed glory, cannot produce a mo¬ nument of equal antiquity. The other two, injured, but in a much less degree, are deposited in the window recesses on the southern side of the church. One is intended for a lord of the house of Birmingham, as is evident from the arms sculptured on the vest, partly per pale indented.. the modern bearing of that house. The other, habited as a monk, is supposed to represent one cf the Marou's, lords of Birmingham. The church-yard is small, and, by the gradual accumulation of mortality dur¬ ing the progress of many centuries, has been considerably raised from its natural level, this accounts for the present low appearance of the church, and for the entrance being now by descent, which there is no doubt was originally the reverse. About twenty years ago, the suri'ounding buildings, by which the church was much obscured, were, under the powers of an act of parliament passed in 1807 j taken down, and the site of them added to the church-yard, which is now encom¬ passed by a substantial wall, surmounted with iron palisades. Under the same act an additional burial ground was provided, consisting of two acres and a half of land at the upper extremity of Park Street , separated only by the road from St. Bartholomew’s Chapel-yard. This ground is divided into two parts by a conti¬ nuation of Fazeley Street, which passes through the middle, and each division is inclosed with substantial walls and iron palisades, and planted round with trees. The improvements round the church, and the purchase and preparation of the additional burial ground, cost between <£7000 and <£8000., for which an annual levy is made on the inhabitants. The earliest register book preserved in this church commences in 1554. In the vestry is a table of benefactions, and another and older one is placed within the church at the north-western entrance; affording several curious in¬ stances of the testamentary charity of former times. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 317 The presentation of St. Martin's was vested in the Birmingham family till 1537, since which it has passed through the Dudleys, the Crown, the Marows, the Smiths, and the Tennants; and the advowson is now possessed by the Trustees of the late Thomas Hawkes, Esq. The church is a rectory of considerable income. The repairs of the chancel are understood to belong to the rector. Present Rector, Rev. Thomas Moseley, A. M., inducted 1829. Curate & Lecturer, Rev. J. S. Byers, A. B. Assistant Curate, Rev. S. F. Morgan, A. M. Since the accession of the new rector, St. Martin’s church has been fitted up with gas-lights for evening service, which is now performed there every Sunday in addition to the customary morning and afternoon services. Clodsha/e's Chantry .—Walter de Clodshale, of Saltley, in 4th Edward III. (1331) by licence of the king and the chief lord of the fee, founded a Chantry at the altar in this church for one priest to celebrate divine service there for the souls of him the said Walter, and Agnes his wife, their ancestors, and all the faithful deceased; and endowed it with houses and lands in Birmingham : which endowment his son Richard, in 21st Edward III. (1348) increased for the support of another priest to celebrate divine service at the same altar for the good estate of him the said Richard, and Alice his w’ife, during their lives, and for their souls after their decease; as also for the souls of his father and mother, and likewise of Fouk de Birmingham and Joan his wife, and all the faithful deceased. These chantries continued more than two hundred years till the general dissolution of such insti¬ tutions by Henry VIII. when the estates belonging to them were valued together at o£ll 16s. 3d. In 26th Henry VIII. Sir Thomas Allen, and Sir John Grene, priests, were wardens of these chantries, and probably the last.* St. Martin's Parsonage .—The parsonage house, an ancient, half timbered-edi¬ fice, coated with plaster, coeval perhaps in its original structure with the church, stood about a furlong distant from it, in a flat situation, at the south-western ex¬ tremity of Edgbaston Street, opposite to Dudley Street, on a spot which for ma¬ ny ages after the first erection of the building was open to the country on the south and west sides, but the extension of the town in this quarter had for some years past exposed the place to a variety of nuisances. The entrance was through a wicket in the large doors of a long range of low building next the street, once the Tithe Barn, which totally shut out from the passenger on that side all view of this residence, doubtless the most ancient one in Birmingham. The house was formerly encircled by a moat, part of which in a dry state, remained till the ro- CHAP. XU !. * Dugdalc’s Warwickshire. 318 HISTORY OF BOOK I. St. Thilip’s Church. cent destruction of the building, with some willow trees, of rugged and venerable appearance, growing on its banks. In 1825 an act of parliament was obtained, under the authority of which the parsonage house and buildings attached, with the surrounding land, containing seven thousand three hundred and forty-five square yards, were, in March, 1826, sold by auction, altogether for £5550. In a few months afterwards the whole of the buildings were taken down, and the land laid bare, it being intended that a new line of street and new buildings shall cover the venerable site of St. Martin’s parsonage. Another parsonage house, situate in Bath Row, has been provided in lieu of the original one. The increased and increasing population of Birmingham having rendered ne¬ cessary an additional church and church-yard, an act of parliament was obtained, 7th Anne, for building a parish church and parsonage house, and making a new church yard and new parish in Birmingham, to be called the parish of Saint Philip. Hence arose this noble edifice, which was begun in 1711, consecrated on the 4th of October, 1715, but not completely finished for several years afterwards. The execution of the act was entrusted to the direction of twenty commissioners appointed from the neighbouring gentry by the bishop of the diocese; and the necessary funds were raised by voluntary contribution, aided by the gift from George I. in 1725, of c£600 towards finishing this church. The actual cost of the building does not appear to have been well ascertained. The church is of stone, in the Italian style of architecture, about one hundred and forty feet in extreme length, and seventy-five feet in extreme breadth, having at the west end a dome steeple, surmounted with a cupola; and was designed by Thomas Archer, Esq., a gentleman of the neighbourhood, who was one of the commissioners appointed to superintend its erection. The building deservedly ranks high as a specimen of architectural excellence and beauty; but unfortu¬ nately the stone used in its erection, being of a flaky nature, is so rapidly yielding to the combined operations of time and weather, as to threaten the speedy deface¬ ment, if not destruction, of every jutting angle or ornament of the exterior. By way of experiment, the surbase all round the church has been restored with ce¬ ment, which has now stood several years, and seems to possess a high degree of durability. Unfortunately too for the appearance of the church, it does not range with the cemetry, or any of the adjoining streets ; a rigid observance of the car¬ dinal points having placed it in a diagonal position. There is a vaulted burial-place beneath the church, which has been the means of preserving the floor from injury. The interior consists of a nave and two side aisles, formed by two rows of fluted pillars supporting the roof. In the commu¬ nion recess, at the east end, is a very handsome altar-piece, and at the west end is '.3KGMSGR0VK ST BIRMINGHAM THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 319 a fine organ, with a gallery for the choir. There is also a capacious gallery over each of the side aisles. The church is well pewed, and fitted up throughout in a style of appropriate elegance ; and is capable of accommodating upwards of two thousand persons. It contains many handsome monuments, among which is one to the memory of the celebrated painter Moses Haughton. Tire urns upon the parapet were not set up till about the year 1756. The tower contains a ring of ten bells, with chimes which play every third hour, at one, four, seven, and ten, and change the tune daily. The communion plate in this church was the gift, by will, of Mawley Bakewell, an apothecary of Birmingham, and was delivered to the churchwardens by his executor, in 1743. The church-yard is spacious, occupying in the whole about four acres of ground, bordered with a double r^.w of trees, and having walks through and around it. It is encompassed with handsome buildings, the principal of which is the Blue Coat School House, on the north-east, on which side also stands the Parsonage House, a neat and convenient brick building, erected at the same time as the church. Adjoining the parsonage house is an appropriate building erected for the Theological Library bequeathed by the first rector, William Higgs, for the use of the clergy in Birmingham and its neighbourhood. The right of presentation to this church is vested in the bishop. The prebend of Sawley, in the cathedral church of Lichfield, is annexed to this rectory, for its better maintenance. Present Rector, the Rev. Laurence Gardner, D. D. inducted 1821. Curate,.Rev. Charles Eckersall, A. M. Lecturer,. Christ Church. In the year 1S03, when from the great increase of the town, church accommodation was much wanted ; Isaac Hawkins Browne, Esq., and the Rev. Thomas Gisborne, executors of Isaac Hawkins, Esq. deceased, kindly of¬ fered a donation of .£500. (which they afterwards increased to .£1000.) out of funds placed by the deceased at their discretionary disposal, towards the building of a Free church in Birmingham. The offer was cheerfully accepted, and the proposed church resolved upon at a public meeting of the inhabitants ; a sub¬ scription being immediately entered into and a committee appointed to carry the objects of the meeting into effect. The then bishop of Lichfield and Coventry also proposed to annex a prebend of the cathedral church of Lichfield to the in¬ come of the intended church ; and William Philips Inge, Esq. (whose ancestor gave the site of St. Philip’s) generously presented a piece of land upon which to erect it. In July, 1803, an act of parliament was obtained for the erection of the intended church, to be called Christ Church, and for providing a maintenance and CHAP. XIII. Christ Chuicli. 320 HISTORY OF kook i. residence for the minister or perpetual curate thereof, the appointment of whom is vested in the bishop of the Diocese. By this act the prebend of Tachbrooke, whenever it should become void, was conferred on the minister for the time being, in augmentation of his living. The site fixed upon was the point of land between the top of New Street and Ann Street, facing Paradise Street, an elevated and commanding situation at the junction of six streets diverging from that spot. The first stone was laid in due form on the twenty-second of July, 1805, by the late Earl of Dartmouth, as the representative of his Majesty George III. who intended personally to have performed the ceremony, but was prevented by in¬ disposition ; and who munificently gave £1000. towards the expences of the un¬ dertaking. The bishop of the Diocese, the Trustees appointed under the act of parliament, many of the neighbouring nobility and gentry, and a great concourse of the inhabitants were present on the occasion, which, from its noveltv and im¬ portance, excited an extraordinary degree of interest. A premature exhaustion of the funds caused a suspension of the work for se¬ veral years, and the Trustees found it needful to obtain additional powers under another act of parliament procured in 1810. The church was not sufficiently fi¬ nished for consecration till the sixth of July, 1813, when that ceremony was per¬ formed by the late bishop of the diocese, and an appropriate sermon preached by the Rev. Edmund Outratn, D. D. the then rector of St. Philip’s. After the con¬ secration, divine service was first performed in the church, on Sunday the eigh¬ teenth of the same month, by the Rev. John Hume Spry, whom the bishop had appointed to the living, and to whom his lordship generously gave <£100. to be applied in the purchase of bibles and prayer-books for the use of the poor mem¬ bers of his congregation. The spire and portico were added in 1815. The spire was a deviation from the original design, according to which the steeple was to have terminated in a dome and cupola, in humble imitation of that of St. Philip’s. The tower contains one bell only, with a clock and four dials, put up in Decem¬ ber, 1816. The church is strongly built of stone, in a plain but neat style, with a project¬ ing roof. The lofty and massive portico in front (at the western end) is supported by four Roman Doric columns. Beneath it are the three doors of entrance, to which there is an ascent of many steps from the street. The centre door leads to the galleries by a double flight of stone steps, of geometrical construction, with balustrades of elegant appearance, which, as also the railing at the altar, are formed of tubes of iron, coated with brass. The side doors lead to the area or ground floor of the church. BIRMINGHAM ^Uvsfusd. by W Ema-rus Oct r THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 321 The whole length of the building is about one hundred and forty feet, and the width about seventy-one feet. Underneath the church are catacombs, which the trustees were empowered to sell in aid of the building fund, and many of them have been used for interment. The ground attached to the church is of very contracted space. The ground floor is fitted up with benches having backs and kneeling-boards, the whole of which are free. The pews in the galleries are let, and from them arises the ordinary income of the minister. The western gallery contains a fine- toned and powerful organ, by Elliott. In the communion recess is an altar-piece of carved mahogany, presented by Mr. Stock, of Bristol. Above it is painted a cross appearing in the clouds, by Barber. The galleries are fronted with maho¬ gany, of which material the pews are constructed ; and the whole interior presents a handsome and pleasing appearance. This church will accommodate upwards of one thousand five hundred hearers, and is well attended. Service—Morning and evening on Sunday; and on Thurs¬ day evening also. The Rev. Mr. Spry, who resigned in 1824, was succeeded by the present mi¬ nister, the Rev. George Hodson, chaplain to the bishop of the diocese Assistant minister, the Rev. Thomas Burrow. Saint George’s Church. Situate in an airy and pleasant spot on the northern side of the town, is a new parish church in the Gothic style, from the designs of Mr. Thomas Rickman, architect. It stands in a cemetery of considerable size, neatly walled round, with handsome entrance gates and piers of cast iron ; and the principal walks are planted on each side with trees. The first stone was laid with the accustomed ceremonies, on the nineteenth of April, 1820, in the name of the bishop of the diocese, by the local commissioners appointed under the acts of parliament (fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth of Geo. III.) for building new churches. On the thirtieth of July, 1822, the church and church-yard were consecrated by the lord bishop of Chester, and on Sunday the fifteenth of September follow¬ ing, the church was opened for divine service. The site of the church and cemetery was partly given by the joint munificence of Miss Colmore and the marquis of Hertford, and partly purchased of the Go¬ vernors of King Edward’s Free Grammar School in Birmingham, out of a fund raised for the purpose by private subscription, the purchase being made under the authority of the acts of parliament above-mentioned. The entire expense of the building, including the boundary wall and gates, amounting to *£12,735. 2s. 10J. and being upwards of <£1,100. less than the esti- 2 x CHAP. XIII. St. George's Church. 322 HISTORY OF mated amount, was defrayed out of the parliamentary grant of one million, by the commissioners appointed under the act for the building of additional churches. The newly formed parish of St. George, attached to this church, takes an ex¬ tensive range and comprises Summer-hill, Camden-street, Camden-hill, Warstone- lane, Ivey-hill, Hockley; part of Nelson, Frederick, Regent, Vittoria, Kenion, Livery, and Water-streets; Great Hampton, Branston, Hall, Hockley, Harford, and Barr-streets ; Constitution-hill, Great Hampton-row, Henrietta, Bond, Little Hampton, Hospital, Tower, and Brearley-streets; Summer-lane, Colmore-terrace, New-town-row, Ormond, Manchester, Blews, and Brewery-streets; part of New John and Pritchit-streets ; the General Hospital, Asylum, &:c. The affairs of this parish are intended to be administered by a select vestry ap¬ pointed in perpetuity from the pew-holders and principal inhabitants of the pa¬ rish, with power afterwards to fill up all vacancies in their own body, to elect one of the wardens, and assess the church levies. The parish will have a separate ec¬ clesiastical rate, being only bound to contribute to the repairs of St. Martin’s church for twenty years; and the church will be effectual for marriages and all othei' religious rites. The church consists of a western tower surmounted by an open battlement and pinnacles; north and south porches, a nave, aisles, and chancel, and vestry east¬ ward ; the nave is divided from the aisles by richly moulded stone piers and arches, upon which rises a lofty clerestory, finished with a battlement and pinna¬ cles. At the east end is a large window of rich flowing tracery, filled with stained glass, and underneath a highly decorated altar-piece. The galleries are supported by light iron shafts, with arches of open tracery, and the front being at some dis¬ tance behind the piers, leaves the piers and arches insulated, and thus greatly en¬ hances the beauty of the interior effect. Below the gallery, at the south-west angle, is a stone font of appropriate design. At the western gallery, in a recess formed by the arch of the tower, stands an excellent organ, built by Elliott, the exterior designed by the architect of the church, in the style of the edifice, which style is that of the Gothic architecture of the reign of Edward III. The interior length of the building is ninety-eight feet, and its width sixty feet; the width of the nave being twenty-six feet, and its height forty-five feet; the height of the tower to the top of the pinnacles is one hundred and fourteen feet. The total number of sittings provided is 1959, of which upwards of one thou¬ sand four hundred are free and appropriated to the poor. In the church-yard is an enriched Gothic tomb, designed by Mr. Rickman, to the memory of Mr. Benjamin Nowell, of Dewsbury, in Yorkshire, one of the THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 323 contractors for executing the mason’s work of this church, who survived but a few months the completion of his undertaking. First and present Minister, the Rev. John Garbett, A. M.* Assistant Minister, the Rev. T. P. Wright, A. B. St. Peter’s Church is one of the three new churches erected in this town by his majesty’s commissioners for building new churches, and stands in Dale-end, in the parish of St. Philip, on a spot which, till appropriated for the present purpose, was closely covered with houses and other buildings, filling up the line of the street. It is in the Grecian style of architecture, from the designs of Messrs. Rickman and Hutchinson, under whose superintendence it has been erected. At the west end is a massive Doric portico of four columns, the order of which has been carefully worked from the example of the temple of Minerva at Athens, or, as more generally designated, the Parthenon. The principal door of entrance is under the portico, with entrances on the north and south sides to the galleries. The turret for the bell rises above the roof at the west end, and is octagonal, encircled by a colonnade, the columns of which are similar to those of the Temple of the Winds at Athens. The interior length, exclusive of the chancel and porches, is one hundred feet six inches, the width sixty feet.—It provides sittings for one thousand nine hun¬ dred and three persons, of which one thousand three hundred and eighty-one are free and set apart for the use of the poor. It may be worthy of remark, that the masonry of the portico to this building, being executed similarly to the ancient example from which the order is takem required stones of unusual magnitude; the lower pieces of the columns weighing upwards of seven tons, and the centre piece of architrave being upwards of thir¬ teen feet in length. These large stones were obtained with difficulty from the quarries at Guiting, in Gloucestershire. The first stone was laid on the twenty-sixth of July, 1825, and the church was consecrated by the lord bishop of the diocese, and opened for divine service, on the tenth of August, 18G7 5 a discourse being then delivered by the bishop, and a collection made towards the erection of an organ, which has since been placed in * the church. The expence of the site and structure amounted to nearly .£19,000, of which the total cost of the church was £13,087. 12s. 3d. being upwards of £800 less than the estimated account. The Rev. Anthony James Clarke, A. M. is the minister of this church, pre¬ sented by the rector of St. Philip’s. * By the acts of parliament referred to for building additional churches and chapels, the right of Presen¬ tation to those churches and chapels is provided for and regulated according to circumstances. CHAP. XIII. St. Peter’s Church. 324 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Saint Tho¬ mas’s Church. St. Bartho¬ lomew’s Chapel. St. Thomas’s Church, the third new church erected in Birmingham by his ma¬ jesty’s commissioners, out of the parliamentary grant, is situate at Holloway-head , a pleasant eminence on the south-western extremity of the town, in that division which, for ecclesiastical purposes, is denominated the parish of St. Martin. The first stone was laid by the lord bishop of the diocese on the second of Oc¬ tober, 1826, and the edifice was consecrated by his lordship on the twenty-second of October, 1829, and opened for divine service on the succeeding Sunday, Octo¬ ber the twenty-fifth. Messrs. Rickman and Hutchinson were the architects of this church, which is a large and handsome structure of the Grecian style, with two noble Ionic circular porticoes at the western end, between which rises a lofty steeple, sustained by massive piers, the arches of which are open. The doors of entrance are under the tower and porticoes. The interior dimensions are one hundred and thirty feet in length and sixty feet in width. The ceiling, thirty-eight feet high, is coved and pannelled, and en¬ riched with flowers. The total height of the tow er is one hundred and thirty feet. The number of sittings provided in this church is two thousand one hundred and twenty-five, of which six hundred and twenty-five are in pews; the remaining one thousand five hundred are free. The total cost of the structure was £ 14,222. The church-yard (which it is hoped may yet be enlarged by an addition of some of the adjoining land) is, on account of its dry and elevated situation, peculiarly elegible for the purpose of a cemetery. It is well inclosed with a wall and iron palisades. The formation of a district round this church into a distinct and separate parish, is said to have been decided upon by the commissioners. The Rev. William Marsh, A. M. late of St. Feter’s Church, Colchester, is ap¬ pointed minister. St. Bartholomew’s Chapel.—This chapel stands on the eastern side of the town, near the upper end of Park-street, within a spacious area for interment, separated from the new burial ground by the high road only. It was built in the year 1749- The land was the gift of John Jennens, Esq. possessor of a considerable estate in and near Birmingham. Mrs. Jennens gave £1000, and the remainder was raised by contribution. It is a neat brick building, handsomely fitted up within, having a nave and two side aisles, with galleries, and a good organ. The altar piece, or¬ namented with excellent carvings of fruit and flowers, was the gift of Basil, earl of Denbigh ; and the communion plate, consisting of one hundred and eighty-two ounces, that of Mary Carless. At the western end is a turret, with a clock and one bell. It is remarkable that the chancel of this chapel inclines towards the north, the position of the building being thereby accommodated to the line of the street. The late Mr. Iliorne, of Warwick, is said to have been the architect. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 325 The chapel is in the parish of St. Martin, and the rector appoints the Minister, who is the Rev. John Cooke, A. M. An act having, in 1772, been obtained for two additional chapels in Birming¬ ham, this chapel was erected in 1774 on the north-eastern extremity of the town, in St. Martin’s parish, upon land given by Dorothy and Mary Weaman, the latter of whom contributed largely towards the subscription for defraying the expences of the erection, and was allowed the right of presentation. The structure has a light and pleasing appearance, with the exception of the roof, which is too much exposed to view. It is built of brick ; is of an octagon form, having a diminutive stone steeple on the western side, containing one bell and a clock; and stands in a very spacious cemetery, recently planted round with trees. The surrounding square contains some good houses, particularly in the upper part. The chapel is neatly fitted up within ; has a spacious gallery, with an organ, and is well attended. Present minister, the Rev. Edward Burn, A. M. who succeeded the first mi¬ nister, the Rev. John Riland, for whom he had long officiated. In addition to the ordinary Sunday duty, morning and afternoon, there is ser¬ vice at this chapel every Sunday and Wednesday evening. Assistant minister, the Rev. Thomas Nunns, A. B. St. Paul’s chapel, situate on a sandy declivity, on the north side of the town, in the parish of St. Martin, was erected in 1779, by voluntary subscription, upon land given by Charles Colmore Esq. and is the other (St. Mary’s being one) of the two provided for by the act of 1772. It is most substantially built of stone, in a plain, yet handsome style of architecture; and has a steeple of great lightness and elegance, which, owing to a deficiency of funds, though part of the original design, was not added till 1823, when a subscription was raised to defray the expence of it. The tower supporting the steeple contains a clock and one bell. The building is now highly ornamental to this part of the town, and stands in a cemetery of considerable size, planted round with trees, and surrounded by a square of re¬ spectable houses. In 1791 a beautiful window of stained glass was placed over the communion¬ table. The subject is the conversion of St. Paul. It is the work of that celebrated artist the late Francis Eginton, and cost four hundred guineas, which was sub¬ scribed for defraying the expence of it. In the interior, this chapel, like all the others in Birmingham, is well fitted up. It has galleries and an organ. The right of presentation was vested in the Colmore family ; the donor of the land (Charles Colmore, Esq.) having also liberally aided die subscription fund. CHAP. xm. St. Mary’s Chapel. St. Paul’s Chapel. 328 HISTORY OF iSOOK I. St. James’s Chapel. Trinity Chapel mas’s edition of Dugdale, Hutton’s History of Birmingham, and the Gentleman’s Magazine, for June, 1818. Saint James’s Chapel, Ashsted, was orginally a dwelling house, the seat of the celebrated physician. Dr. Ash (mentioned in our account of the hospital), who built it, about fifty years ago, on a tract of land of which he took a lease from the late Sir Lister Holte, and which received from the Doctor and his residence the name of Ashsted. The doctor leaving Birmingham, his property here was, about 1789, purchased by Mr. John Brooke, an attorney, who let the surrounding grounds for building upon, and converted the mansion into a chapel, a light tur¬ ret being added, to give a more befitting appearance to the exterior. In 1810 a piece of land for burial was attached, which, with the chapel, was consecrated on the seventh of September, in that year, by the lord bishop of the diocese, the trustees of the chapel having acquired a permanent interest in the land by virtue of an exchange with Heneage Legge, Esq. to whom the freehold belonged. The edifice is dedicated to St. James, and is a chapel of ease to the church of Aston, in which parish it is situate, on a pleasant spot between the barracks and Vauxhall. It is elegantly fitted up, possesses an organ, and is well attended. Minister—the Rev. Edward Burn, A. M. who succeeded the late Rev. George Croft, D.D., the previous minister here. Trinity Chapel, Bordesley. This edifice, much admired for its simplicity, chasteness, and beauty, is situated in the hamlet of Bordesley, in the parish of Aston, on an eminence by the side of the road leading into the town from Oxford and Warwick, and opposite to Bradford-street. It is of brick, faced with Bath stone. The design is by Mr. Francis Goodwin, Architect, of London, and exhi¬ bits throughout, but especially at the front or western end, a rich display of the beauties of the early style of pointed architecture. In its general character it has been assimilated to King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. There is no tower, but turrets are carried up at each angle, terminated by dwarf spires. The buttresses are finished with decorated pinnacles. The east end, in which the vestry and a beautiful Catherine-wheel window are prominent features, is chaste and noble. At the west end is one grand entrance to the middle aisle, and at the north-west and south-west corners two other doors leading to the galleries and to the body of the chapel. The frame-work and tracery of the windows are of cast iron. A chapel yard is attached for interment, and below the eastern end of the cha¬ pel is a crypt for vaults. On entering the interior, the visitor is struck with the beauty of the large cir¬ cular window, glazed with painted glass; the altar-piece, by Foggo, representing Christ healing at the pool of Bethesda ; the height of the ceiling; and the chaste yet magnificent appearance of the etched glass with which the windows are glazed. T1ROTTT (CHAFEi,, B ©IDE gjLElT THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 320 The pulpit and desk are placed just without the altar, one on each side ; they are of similar form, and, as well as the pews, are of deal, painted and grained to re¬ semble oak. There is a broad middle aisle, and two others on the north and south sides, of less space. The ceiling is in character with the exterior, judiciously or¬ namented with groined ribs, bosses, &c. and from its height gives an idea of air and ventilation, which the flat ceilings of the Grecian style seem to deny. Galle¬ ries, supported by cast iron pillars, representing small clustered columns, occupy the west end and north and south sides, in the first of which is a beautiful gothic organ designed by the same architect. The body of the chapel contains pews let to the inhabitants. The galleries are entirely free. At the upper end of the middle aisle stands a richly ornamented gothic font, of imitation stone. The other part of the aisle contains seats for the infirm. The total number of sittings provided for, including one hundred and fifty-two for children, is one thousand eight hundred and twentv-one. The length of the building externally is one hundred and thirtv-five feet seven inches, its breadth seventy-five feet, ten inches; internally, ninety feet long, by sixty wide. The height of the ceiling forty-five feet, of the corner turrets eighty-three feet eight inches. The depth of the north and south galleries fifteen feet. The expences of erection were defrayed by his Majesty’s commissioners for building new churches, to the amount of „£14,235. The site of the chapel, the chapel-yard, and a respectable residence for the clergyman adjoining, were pur¬ chased by the voluntary subscriptions of persons in the neighbourhood, aided by the liberal assistance of several of the nobility and gentry applied to on the occa¬ sion. The amount of subscriptions raised and paid, exceeded o£3000., but it proved insufficient to defray the whole of the expenditure incurred by the local committee in the above purchases, and in the extra works necessary to the com¬ pletion of their undertaking. The ceremonial stone was laid by the Right Honourable Other Earl of Ply¬ mouth, accompanied by the earls of Dartmouth and Aylesford, on the twenty- ninth day of September, 1820 ; and the chapel was consecrated by the lord bishop of Chester (officiating for the lord bishop of Lichfield and Coventry), on the twenty-third day of January, 1823. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The chapel is well attended under the ministry of the Rev. Samuel Crane, 13. A. who was presented to the perpetual curacy on the nomination of the late Dr. Spencer, Vicar of Aston, and is the first incumbent. For this article we are chiefly indebted to an authentic account of the chapel published, with a north-west view of it, in the Gentleman’s Magazine for Septem¬ ber, 1827. A good south view has been also engraved. 2 v CHAP. XIII. 330 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Jews’ Sy- uagogue. Catholic Chapels. Quakers’ Meeting- House. Old Meet- ing-House. The churches and chapels of the establishment being described, we next pro¬ ceed to notice the several other places of worship in the town. The Jews’ Synagogue is situate in Severn Street, near to the Lancasterian school, and was rebuilt on an enlarged scale, in 1827. The original building in Severn Street, erected about twenty years ago, superseded a smaller synagogue in the Froggery. The number of Jews resident in Birmingham is perhaps not more than two hundred and fifty; but many itinerant traders of this race occasionally visit us. They have two places of burial at the edge of the town. The orignal one, near the basin of the Worcester canal ; now disused. The other near to Isling¬ ton, appropriated to the purpose about five years ago, with a suitable building attached. Roman Catholic Chapels. The number of individuals of this persuasion now in Birmingham is inconsiderable, compared with the whole population of the town. Formerly this class of persons had a place of public worship on a spot near Saint Bartholomew’s Chapel, still called Masshouse-lane. This, it is understood, was destroyed at the revolution of 1688, and there was no public chapel for their ac¬ commodation nearer than Edgbaston, about two miles distant, till 1789, when a very neat one was erected at Easy-hill, near to Broad Street, and dedicated to St. Peter. This has been since considerably improved, and contains a handsome painted altar-piece, and an organ. A smaller chapel has been erected in Shadwell Street, near Bath Street, dedi¬ cated to Saint Chad, and was opened in 1813, by the late Rev. Dr. Milner. This also contains an organ, built by Mr. Mott, late of this town. Priest of St. Peter’s, Rev. T. M. M'Donnell. Priest of St. Chad’s, Rev. E. Peach. The Meeting House of the Quakers, or Society of Friends, is a plain and sub¬ stantial building, of respectable appearance, in the upper part of Bull Street, neatly and appropriately fitted up within for the accommodation of its very worthy and unassuming congregation. At the back is a spacious cemetery, quite obscured by surrounding buildings from public view; and there is another smaller one in Monmouth Street. The number of quakers in Birmingham is not very considerable; nor does it appear to increase. Old Meeting House, Unitarians. This handsome and substantial brick build¬ ing, situate in and giving name to Old Meeting Street, rose, on an enlarged scale, upon the site of the previous meeting house erected there in the reign of Wil¬ liam III., and burnt down at the riots in 1791. It will accommodate a large congregation, is well fitted up, and contains an organ. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 331 The original place of worship of the dissenters was at the bottom of Digbeth, on a spot which yet bears the name of Meeting House Yard. It went into disuse about the year 1730, on the erection of another meeting house, called, and which still retains the name of, The New Meeting. A commodious range of school rooms is attached for the use of the children belonging to this societ}^. At the back is a cemetery, quite obscured from public view. Minister, the Rev. Hugh Hutton. The new meeting house is a stone-fronted edifice, possessing considerable archi¬ tectural beauty, situate at the bottom of New Meeting Street, and fronting to Moor Street, from whence it is seen to advantage, there being a considerable area in front of the building, which is elevated above the natural level of the ground, and approached by a bold flight of steps. The interior is neat and commodious, and provided with an organ. The present edifice stands on the site of a former one, erected in 1730 (when that in Digbeth went into disuse), and which, like the old meeting house, was de¬ stroyed at the riots in 1791, at which time the celebrated Dr. Priestley was pastor of the New Meeting Society. Adjoining the meeting house is a lofty pile of building, built and used by this society for Sunday Schools, in which a great number of children, both girls and boys, receive instruction. Minister, the Rev. John Kentish. Carr’s-lane Meeting House belongs to the congregation of Independent Dis¬ senters under the ministry of the Rev. John Angell James. It is the third place of worship erected by this denomination of dissenters, originally a scion of the Old Meeting Society, on partly the same site, within the space of seventy-two years. The first was finished in the year 1748, and contained four hundred and fifty persons. The second was opened in the year 1802, and contained eight hundred hearers. The third and present building, designed by Mr. Whitwell, Architect, was commenced in July, 1819, and opened for divine service in August, 1820. It is capable of containing a congregation of two thousand one hundred persons, and there are about three hundred and fifty free seats. The interior is fitted up in a very superior manner, but externally, the edifice appears too plain and massive for so confined a situation. Livery-street Meeting House. This was formerly an amphitheatre, or circus, for equestrian performances, and became appropriated to devotional purposes on the destruction of the old and new meeting houses in the riots of 1791, the socie. ties from which occupied this building under the denomination of the Union Meeting, till their own meeting houses were re-erected, since which time it has CHAP. XIII. Uni tar an New Meet¬ ing House. Carr’s Line, In¬ dependent Meeting H >use. I .ivery Street Meeting House. 332 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Ebenezer Aleeting- House. Baptist Meetiug- House. been occupied by a branch from the society in Carr’s-lane, and was for many years under the very successful ministry of the late Rev. Jehoiada Brewer, who died in 1817» while a larger meeting house, called Ebenezer Chapel, was being erected for him and his congregation, in Steelhouse-lane. A portion of Mr. Brewer’s congregation still remain in Livery-street. This meeting house was repaired and improved in 1825. Ebenezer Meeting House, situate in Steelhouse-lane, was opened for public worship December the ninth, 1818, the first stone having been laid on the fourth of June, 1S16, by the Rev. Jehoiada Brewer, of Livery-street Meeting House, who died before the completion of the work, and was buried here, and to whose memory a monument is set up in the front area. This edifice is large and sub¬ stantial, has a handsome front, and possesses the unusual advantage of being placed sufficiently back from the line of the street. It contains upwards of twelve hundred sittings, of which one hundred and fifty are free; besides accommodation for between three and four hundred children belonging to its Sunday schools. Minister, the Rev. Timothy East. The commodious school room attached to this meeting house is also used by the Mechanics’ Institution for their lectures and meetings. Particular Baptists. The principal meeting house of this Society is in Can¬ non-street, and was founded in 1738. It was enlarged in 1780, and in 1806 rebuilt and further enlarged. The present erection is commodious, handsome, and sub¬ stantial, and adapted for a large congregation. Minister, the Rev. T. Swan. At the back is a school-room for the youth of this society. A branch of the baptist flock formerly had a meeting house in Freeman-street, which was abandoned in 1752 when the congregation from thence united itself to that in Cannon-street. Bond-street.—A smaller Meeting House.—Minister, Rev. T. Morgan. Newhall-street.—A third Meeting House, of good appearance, situate near to Lionel-street, and falling back from the line of street.—Minister, Rev. J. Poole. Mount Zion.—A fourth, but not the least important of the Baptist Meeting houses, is that called Mount Zion, which was built in 1823, and stands on New- hall-hill, also called Harper’s-hill. It is a handsome octagon structure, with a lofty Doric portico. The interior is commodiously arranged, and elegantly fitted up, capable of containing a congregation of upwards of two thousand five hundred persons. There is a powerful organ, and attached to the building are extensive vaults, a burial ground, vestries, school-rooms for five hundred children (one of which is adapted for a lecture room) a dwelling house for the sexton, and all con¬ venient offices. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 333 The whole was the undertaking of a private individual, who ruined himself by the speculation. Being first taken for the members of the Scotch church, this edifice, under the denomination of Mount Zion Chapel, was opened for public worship with great eclat on the 24th of March, 1824, when an inaugural discourse was delivered by the Rev. Edward Irving, then in the zenith of his fame and popularity. Owing to some disagreement with the proprietor, the original congregation did not long continue in the occupation of the building, but removed to another edi¬ fice since erected for them at the lower end of Newhall-street. After lying void for a considerable time, the whole premises were purchased for the baptist congregation by which they are now occupied. Minister, the Rev. T. Thonger. General Baptists. This portion of the Baptist society has a meeting house in Lombard Street, Deritend. Minister, the Rev. G. Cheatle. Methodist Meeting Houses. Of these the town contains a considerable number. The principal one, situate in Cherry-street, was erected in 1782, and opened by the celebrated John Wesley. This was taken down in 1823, when the present enlarged edifice was erected on its site. According to Mr. Hutton, after the institution of this sect by George Whitfield, in 1738, the methodists of Birmingham were first covered by the heavens ; after¬ wards they occupied for many years a place in Steelhouse-lane, from whence they removed to a cast off theatre in Moor-street, where they continued till the meeting house in Cherry-street was provided for their reception. The principal other meeting houses of the Wesleyan methodists in Birmingham) are as under :— Belmont Row. Bradford Street. Islington. Constitution Hill, a large newly erected building, opened July 1828. There is another chapel in Oxford-street belonging to the new connexion of Methodists. Lady Huntingdon’s connexion. This society has a meeting nouse in King- Street, a narrow street leading out of New-street on the south. The building, originally erected for a theatre about the year 1752, was appropriated to the pur¬ poses of the drama till about the year 1786, when, in consequence of the erection of the superior Theatre in New-street, the old one was converted into, and has ever since continued to be, a place of worship. Calvinists. This persuasion of dissenters have a meeting house in Bartholo- CHAP. XIII. General Baptists. Methodists Meeting House. Calvinists. 334 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Sweaenbor- gians. Scottish Church. General Hospital. mew-street, which they denominated the Cave of Adullam; and they have or late¬ ly had another in Newhall-street, called Rehoboth Chapel. Swedenborgians. This Society, followers of the religious tenets of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg, have for many years had a small place of worship opposite to the coal wharf, in Newhall-street, called New Jerusalem Temple. Scottish church. The members of this community, on quitting Mount Zion Chapel in 1825, procured the erection of another place of worship (dedicated to St. Andrew)] which they now occupy. It is a handsome building, situate at the northern extremity of Newhall-street, on a corner piece of land, which, till applied for the present purpose, was a rubbish-hole, many feet below the level of the ad¬ joining streets. A range of arches support the floor of the edifice, and afford use¬ ful vaults beneath. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. General Hospital for the relief of sick and lame poor. This excellent institu¬ tion was founded and is supported by the donations and subscriptions of the be¬ nevolent. The noble brick edifice which it occupies, was commenced in 17G6, but the undertaking lay dormant for want of funds till 1778, when a successful can¬ vass was made for further donations, and in the next year the Hospital was fi¬ nished and opened for the reception of patients. The two wings were added in 1791, since which time some further additions have been made. The building is situate on the northern side of the town, on a spot now unfortunately subject to considerable annoyance from the steam engines and manufactories erected in the neighbourhood. The institution is under the management of a general quarterly, and a chosen weekly, board of governors, the former of which has the power of regulating the laws, and of electing and removing the officers and servants of the establishment. There are four physicians and four surgeons appointed, who render their services gratuitously, and twelve visitors, two of whom visit the house every week, and make a report of its state to the board. A clergyman of the established church also attends as chaplain. A house surgeon and apothecary, a matron and steward, are resident at the hospital. From Midsummer, 1827, to Midsummer, 1828, the numbers of patients were,— In-patients ...... 1571 Out-patients (including children vaccinated) . 2721 Remaining at Midsummer, 1827, one hundred in-patients, and three hundred and twenty-eight out-patients. 428 4720 ^UsblishcJs by W'ILnuttvs Bvrmtntfht THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 335 of these, two thousand eight hundred and forty-five were cured, four hundred and seventy-eight relieved, sixty died, and six hundred and eight were children inocu¬ lated for the cow-pock. The subscriptions for the same year amounted to <£1971, a sum which, without further aid, is quite inadequate to the annual expenditure of the establishment, owing to the great number of cases of accident, which are admitted without a sub¬ scriber’s recommendation ; and this great deficiency has been provided by the musical festivals, legacies, and donations. Sick patients are received, on the recommendation of subscribers, at the weekly board, every Friday ; but cases of accident are admissible at all times without any recommendation. In its origin this institution was much indebted to an eminent physician of the town, Dr. John Ash, whose portrait, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, is placed in the board-room of the hospital, which also contains another portrait, by T. Phillips, R. A. of the late Mr. George Freer, one of the surgeons of the institution, and a man of great professional eminence. The Hospital also contains a bust of our worthy townsman William Rolfe, Esq. a most liberal contributor to its funds. To these works of art, it is intended to add a bust of the late Charles Lloyd, Esq., as a memento of gratitude for the invaluable services rendered to the Hos¬ pital by this worthy character, first, in the institution and establishment of the charity, and, secondly, in his constant support and patronage of it until his death, in January, 1828. The late Lord Dudley and Ward for many years, till his death, gave to this hospital his mine-right in the coal there consumed ; which generous act is conti¬ nued by his son and successor, the present earl. The Humane Society established in the town for the recovery of persons appa¬ rently drowned, or otherwise in a state of suspended animation, has been for many years attached to the general hospital, where printed directions to be ob¬ served in such cases may be had gratis. The principal officers of this institution in the year 1829 were Ph ysicians. Surgeons. Dr. John Johnstone, Mr. Richard Wood, Dr. Geo. Edward Male, Mr. Bowyer Vaux, Dr. John K. Booth, Mr. Joseph Hodgson, Dr. G. De Lys. Mr. Alfred Jukes. House Surgeon and Apothecary—Mr. Frederick Jukes. Matron—Mrs Caroline Hawkes. CHAP. XIII. 336 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Musical Festivals. Chaplain—the Rev. S. F. Morgan. Secretary, House Steward, and Collector—Mr. John Underhill. Treasurers—Messrs. Taylors and Lloyds, Bankers, Birmingham. In September, 1778, a Musical Festival, the performances consisting of selec¬ tions of sacred music, was held at St. Philip’s Church, and continued three days, in aid of St. Paul’s Chapel and the Hospital jointly, and which produced to the funds of the latter institution, <£127. Since that time, except in 1793, when the national distress and the burning of the theatre prevented it, a like festival has been held triennially, in aid of the funds of the hospital, with such increased at¬ traction and success, as to produce for that charity, in the year 1823, a clear sur¬ plus of <£5806. 12s. 6d., the gross receipts being 11,115. 9s. 9 d. On the last oc¬ casion, in 1826, the gross receipts were reduced to <£10,104. 2s. lid., and the net profits to <£4592. 3s. lid., a circumstance attributable in some degree to accident¬ al causes, but chiefly to the severe financial embarrassments and distress which the nation experienced in that year, and which more or less affected all classes of the community. A rare and splendid combination of the first musical talent in the kingdom is provided at these festivals, which have, since the year 1796, been principally ar¬ ranged and directed by our townsman, Mr. Joseph Moore, whose able and judi¬ cious management has raised them from the state of respectable county meetings to an almost unrivalled degree of national grandeur and celebrity. In April, 1812, a number of subscribers and friends to the Hospital, in testi¬ mony of the high sense which they entertained of the valuable and disinterested services then rendered by Mr. Moore to that excellent institution in the manage¬ ment of the Festivals, presented him with a splendid silver vase and stand, and four silver dishes, with covers, bearing a suitable inscription. Subjoined will be found a statement of the profits of each celebration since the original performance in 1778 : — 1778 • • . • Profit <£127 1781 .... — 140 1784 .... 1 0 io 1787 .... — 964 1790 .... — 958 1793 (no Meeting) 1796 .... — 897 1799 .... — 1470 1802 .... — 2380 7639 carried over. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 337 brought over 7639 CHAP. XIII. 1805 1808 1811 1814 1817 1820 1823 1826 — 2202 — 3257 _ 3629 — 3131 — 4296 _ 5001 — 5806 — 4592 .£39553 The most ample accommodations of every kind are provided for visitors who honour these festivals with their presence. The Dispensary. Another institution which does honour to humanity, and is Tlie Dia _ supported by donations and annual subscriptions, with the aid of occasional be- P eJlsar y- quests, was established in 1794, for the purpose of administering medical relief to sick and midwifery patients of the poorer class, at their respective homes. Such patients, however, whose disorders do not confine them at home, are required to attend at the dispensary, which is a handsome stone-fronted building, in Union Street, completed in 1808. Over the principal entrance is a sculptured emble¬ matic design, in relief, executed by W. Hollins, inscribed, “ Of the Most High cometh healing.” It is necessary for persons seeking relief, to obtain a letter of recommendation from a subscriber. The institution is under the management of a committee of governors, and re¬ ceives the gratuitous aid of three physicians and six surgeons. There are also two resident surgeons, a dispensing apothecary, and midwife. In the year ending September twenty-ninth, 1828, the number of patients who received medical relief was 4343, of which number 3545 were sick, and 798 mid¬ wifery patients. In the same period 1614 underwent vaccine inoculation. The expenditure of the same year was £l651. Another instance of the kindness of the earl of Dudley, appears in the gift to this charity of his mine-right in the coal used at the dispensary. Physicians. Dr. John Eccles, Dr. John Darwall, Dr. J. Birt Davies. Mr. J. S. Blount, Mr. J. T. Ingleby, Mr. J. M. Baynham Mr. W. S. Cox, Surgeons. Mr. M. N. Shipton, Mr. Charles Covey. o x A 338 HISTORY OF book r. Self-sup¬ porting Dispensary. Fever Hospital. Institution for bodily deformity. Resident Surgeons—Mr. Thomas Taylor and Mr. John Heath. Dispensing Apothecary—Mr. R. H. Tompson. Midwife—Mrs. Elizabeth Maurice- Self-supporting Dispensary. A leading feature of this institution, which com¬ menced in the spring of 1S28, is to supply the provident and industrious of the labouring classes, who may be unable to pay a surgeon adequately for his services, and yet unwilling to resort to gratuitous assistance, with medical and surgical re¬ lief, for the payment of a small subscription; thereby encouraging the spirit of independence, and in some degree removing the necessity for reliance on charita¬ ble or parochial aid. Another, and perhaps not less important object, is the extension of gratuitous aid, by the subscriptions of the opulent and benevolent, to such necessitous poor as are unable to contribute any sum, however small, for themselves, and are ex¬ cluded by distance, from the benefits of other charities. Patients are allowed to choose any of the surgeons of the institution; and the surgeons supply their respective patients with medicines, whereby the expence of an establishment is avoided. The surgeons of the instituion are— Mr. Sanders, Islington-row ; Mr. Covey, New-street; Mr. Freer, Old-square; Mr. Green, Newhall Street. House of Recovery, or Fever Hospital. This institution was established in 182S, at a meeting of subscribers whose attention had been drawn to a considera¬ tion of the subject chiefly by the zealous exertions of Dr. Birt Davies, who is ap¬ pointed physician to the establishment, which, we doubt not, will receive the sup¬ port of the humane and charitable in a degree equal to its importance and utility ^ The committee has taken a house for the reception of patients, situate at the corner of Bishopgate-street, and fronting to Holloway-head, which, from its being entirely detached from other habitations, erected in a spacious garden, in a com¬ plete state of repair, and possessing many local advantages, is considered to be particularly well adapted for the purposes of the institution. General Institution for the relief of persons labouring under bodily deformity. This charitable institution, for the relief of those unfortunate persons suffering under infirmities produced by various distortions of the limbs, and by herniary complaints, was commenced in 1817, and is supported by the donations and an¬ nual subscriptions of its friends. The rooms of the institution are in New Street, where, on application to Mr. Shipton, surgeon, proper medical and surgical attention is given to patients re¬ commended by the subscribers. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 339 Infirmary for diseases of the eye. This institution was established at No. 35, Cannon-street, in the beginning of 1824, by voluntary subscription, and has proved extensively useful to that class of sufferers who are the peculiar objects of its benevolent aid. According to advertisement, patients are received as above on Tuesdays and Saturdays, at one o’clock. The Guild of the Holy Cross, now the Free School in New-street. This was another religious establishment which, like that called the Priory, was dissolved; its revenues being also sequestered, on the general dissolution of religious houses by Henry VIII. The origin of this guild, as related by Dugdale, was as follows:—In the sixth of Richard II. (1383), Thomas de-Sheldon and three others, having obtained li¬ cence to grant lands of the annual value of twenty marks lying in Birmingham and Edgbaston, for the maintenance of two priests to celebrate divine service dai¬ ly, to the honour of God, our blessed Lady his mother, the Holy Cross, St. Thomas the Martyr, and St. Catherine, in the church of St. Martin here at Bir¬ mingham ; within ten years after, the inhabitants of this town, by the name of the bailiffs and commonalty of Birmingham, procured a patent from the same king to found a guild, or perpetual fraternity among themselves, to the honour of the Holy Cross , consisting not only of men and women of Birmingham, but of other adjacent places; and to constitute a master, with certain wardens thereof; as also to erect a chantry of priests to celebrate divine service in the said church for the souls of the founders and all the fraternity, for whose support, and all other charges incumbent, there were eighteen messuages, three tofts, six acres of land, and forty shillings rent, lying in Birmingham and Edgbaston, then given thereto. The possessions of this guild were in the thirty-seventh of Henry VIII. (1546) valued at <£31. 2s. 10 d. out of which three priests that sang mass in the church here, had £5. 6s. 8 d. each, an organist £3. 13s. 4(1., the common midwife 4s. per annum, and the bellman, 6s. 8 d., besides other reprizes. These possessions, or the greater part thereof, at the humble petition of the in¬ habitants of the town and neighbourhood, were by letters patent dated the second of January, fifth Edward VI. (1552) granted by that king unto William Symons, gentleman, Richard Smalbroke, then bailiff of the town, and eighteen others, in¬ habitants of Birmingham ; and to their successors to be chosen from time to time by the surviving or continuing members, upon the death or departure out of the town, parish, and manor of any of the body, for the support and maintenance of a free grammar school in Birmingham, to be called the Free Grammar School of King Edward VI., for the education of boys and youths in grammar for ever; with one head master, and one under master or usher. The same posses- CHAP. XIII. Eye Infir¬ mary. The Free School. 340 HISTORY OF Hook i. sions (then stated to be of the clear yearly value of £Q.\.) to continue unto the said grantees and their successors for ever, to be held of the said king, his heirs and successors, as of his castle of Kenilworth, by fealty only, in free socage, pay¬ ing thereout twenty shillings yearly into the court of augmentations, at Michael¬ mas, for all rents, services, and demands whatsoever.* By these letters patent the grantees and their successors were created a body corporate and politic of themselves, in perpetuity, by the name of the Governors of the possessions, revenues, and goods of the Free Grammar School of King Edward VI., in Birmingham, in the county of Warwick; such governors to have a common seal, and by their corporate name to plead and be impleaded in all actions and suits touching the premises, also to have the appointment from time to time of the head master and under master of the school, and power, with the advice of the bishop of the diocese for the time being, to make fit and whole¬ some statutes and ordinances, in writing, concerning the government of the school, the stipend of the masters, and the preservation and disposition of the revenues. The number of governors is by the above charter, fixed at twenty, who, in the words of that document, are to be men of the more discreet and more trusty in¬ habitants of the town and parish of Birmingham aforesaid, or of the manor of Birmingham, to the same town adjoining. Several statutes and orders have at different times been made by the governors, and confirmed by the bishop, for the government of the school, and the appropria¬ tion of its increasing funds, which, in addition to the original establishment, de¬ voted chiefly to classical instruction, lately supported several subsidiary English schools in different parts of the town for the gratuitous instruction of poor chil¬ dren in reading and writing, of which that in Shut-lane (probably the oldest) is the only one now remaining. There are ten exhibitions from this school of £35. per annum each, tenable for seven years, at any college in either of the univer¬ sities.* The ancient hall of the guild became the school room. An engraving in Dug- dale shews that in the glass of the windows was painted the figure of Edmund Lord Ferrers, with his arms, empaling Belknap; also those of Stafford, of Graf¬ ton, of Birmingham, and of Perrot empaling Brian, all probably benefactors to the guild. The above Edmund Lord Ferrers (of Chartley) more than four hun- * The School estates are now free from this annual payment, which was purchased by the Governors in 1810. ■f John Milward, Gentleman, of Haverfordwest, a native of Birmingham, by his will, dated in 1654, founded a Scholarship at Brazennose College, Oxford, to be held alternately by a scholar from this School at Birmingham, and from that at Haverfordwest. He also made a further bequest in aid of the income of the said schools. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 341 dretl years ago (second of Henry VI.) married Elena de Roche, a grand-daugh¬ ter of Sir Thomas de-Birmingham, an event to which we may attribute his con¬ nection with the guild. The first erection, of wood and plaster, which had stood about three hundred and twenty years, and was originally on the outside of the town, was taken down in 1707, when the present building arose on the site. It is in New-street, at the lower end, nearly adjoining to the Hen and Chicken’s hotel, and occupies three sides of a quadrangle, of which the line of street forms the fourth. The style is heavy, and the area wears a gloomy aspect. In the centre of the building is a tower, which was ornamented with a statue of King Edward VI., dressed in a royal mantle, with the ensigns of the garter, and holding a bible and sceptre, hav¬ ing beneath it this inscription, now remaining :—“ Edvardus sextus Scholam hane fundavit anno Regni quinto.” This tower contains a clock and bell. In 1824 it was found necessary to take down the statue of the royal founder from the niche of the tower, a portion of it having, from decay, fallen into the front area. The vases on the balustrades (set up in 175G) being also in a very perished state, were, for the prevention of accidents, at the same time removed. Very recently the cupola and vane with which the tower was surmounted, have also been taken down. Besides the school-rooms, this edifice contains within its walls the residences of the head master and under master; but the whole fabric is now so much decayed, that it is considered necessary either to rebuild it, or to erect other suitable build¬ ings in lieu of it, in another and more eligible situation. The annual value of the school estates, estimated in the charter at £21. is now, it is believed, increased to more than <£3,000. with a prospect of still further im¬ provement on the termination of existing leases. The whole of these estates lie in the parish of Birmingham, and are exonerated from land-tax, which the gover¬ nors purchased in the year 1800. From the dilapidated state of the school building and houses, and also from the increasing state of the funds, the governors, a few years ago, made some pro¬ gress in an application to parliament for power to erect new buildings, and further to extend the utility of the institution. It was proposed to accomplish the build¬ ing purposes by borrowing money on mortgage of the school estates, and it was understood to be the intention of the governors to erect the new school on some spot without the limits of the town. The creation of a large debt, and the pro¬ jected removal of the school from its present central to a suburban situation, were parts of the scheme which met with much opposition from the inhabitants, and it was rumoured that the bishop of the diocese, and a considerable majority of the CHAP. XIII. 342 HISTORY OF hook r. governors, were opposed to the principle of the bill, which was eventually aban- - doned. Some doubt also arose whether an act of parliament could be obtained for all the intended purposes without the previous approbation of the court of chancery. The parliamentary commissioners for investigating the public charities through¬ out the country, have already commenced their duties with respect to this school; and we sincerely hope that from their visitation and report, some satisfactory scheme may result for its improvement. This school being of royal foundation, the Lord Chancellor, in right of his Majesty, is the ordinary visitor thereof. Towards the close of the reign of King Charles II., some of the governors, in opposition to their brethren, surrendered the charter of the school into the hands of the king ; and a new charter was soon after granted by King James II., his successor, dated the twentieth of February, 1685. The ejected governors, how¬ ever, immediately commenced a suit in chancery, for the recovery of the original charter; and six years after, obtained a decree re-instating them in their func¬ tions, annulling the charter of James II. and restoring and confirming that of King Edward VI. In 1723 a commission issued under the great seal to inspect the conduct of the governors, who disputing its validity, the matter was heard in Hilary Term, 1725, when the governors objected to this commission, that the king, having appointed governors , had by implication made them visitors also, and that consequently the crown could not issue out a commission to visit or inspect the conduct of these governors. The court however resolved that the commission under the great seal was well issued in this case. During these intemperate proceedings, the original seal of the governors was discarded, and a new one adopted, which is still used. In the beginning of the present century, the old seal, being accidentally discovered in the possession of a gentleman of Leicester, was restored to the govenors, and is now in their custody. Both seals are engraved in the valuable work of Mr. Carlisle on endowed gram¬ mar schools, vol. 2, which contains a full and authentic history of this school at Birmingham. The following gentlemen are the present governors:— Elected 1797. George Simcox, Esq. James Woolley, Esq Theodore Price, Esq. Mr. William Anderton. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 343 Elected 1813, and subsequently. William Hamper, Esq. John Booth, M.D. Rev. Laurence Gardner, D.D. Charles Cope, Esq. Mr. George Barker, Mr. John Cope, Mr. Oliver Mason, Isaac Spooner, Esq. Mr. Isaac Anderton, George Freer, B. M. Mr. Richard Wood, James Taylor, Esq. Rev. Anthony James Clarke, Mr. W. C. Alston. At the chief School in New Street, besides the head master and under master, there is now an assistant master to each (all of whom are of the clergy), also a writing master and a drawing master. Head master, Rev. John Cooke, M.A. Assistant, Rev. Francis Freer Clay, M.A: Under master, Rev. Rann Kennedy, M.A. Assistant, Frederick Darwall, B.A. No age is specified at which boys are to be admitted, or at which they are to be superannuated. The number admitted upon the foundation at the school in New-street is, or lately was, limited to one hundred and thirty. The institution possesses a good library; and in the governor’s parlour is a beautiful marble bust of the founder, executed by the celebrated sculptor Schee- maker. The Blue Coat Charity School was instituted in the year 1724, and is supported by voluntary contributions, in aid of which sermons are preached and collections made twice a year at the several churches and chapels of the establishment in Birmingham. The design of this very excellent charity is to place poor children under the immediate protection of the subscribers as their parents, that they may be clothed, maintained, educated, and bound apprentices to persons of such useful employments as shall be thought proper for them. Formerly children were re¬ ceived at the age of seven years, but by the present regulations they are not ad¬ missible under the age of nine. All the children are taught to read, write, and cast accompts; and the girls to sew, knit, and do household business. The school house, an extensive stone fronted building, situate on the north¬ eastern side of St. Philip’s church yard, was originally erected in the above-men¬ tioned year, but greatly enlarged and improved in the year 1794, when the pre¬ sent stone front was added. The northern angle, however, did not receive its stone facing till within a few years past. This edifice forms a pleasing object CHAP. xm. Blue Coat Charity School. 314 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Protestant Dissenting Charity School. Institution for the Deaf ami Dumb. from the church yard, and is remarkable for chasteness of style and propriety of arrangement. Within the inclosure is a suitable area for play ground. In the year 1770, by voluntary subscription for that purpose, two statues of stone, representing a boy and girl habited in the costume of the school, were ex¬ ecuted in a very masterly and much admired manner by Mr. Edward Grubb, then of Birmingham. They are piaced over the front door, with the following inscrip¬ tions:—Under the girl, “ We cannot recompence you, but ye shall be recom- penced at the resurrection of the just.” Under the boy, “ Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” In January, 1829, there were in the school one hundred and eighty-one boys and seventy-four girls—total, two hundred and fifty-five; of these, seventeen boys and two girls belonged to and were paid for by Fentham’s charity ; and nine boys and two girls belonged to and were paid for by the St. David’s Society. The total expenditure of the establishment for the year 1828, was £2535. 8s. id. The children are clothed uniformly in blue, except those belonging to Fen- tham's trust, who are distinguished by green clothing. They are generally in a most healthy state, and in appearance and demeanour are particularly clean and orderly. The governor and governess of this well conducted institution are, according to the rules of it, required to be both unmarried, that the cares of a family may not interfere with their official duties. The choir of St. Philip’s Church is composed of the children of this school. An annual ballot takes place at Easter for the admission of fifty children in the room of those who go out. Protestant Dissenting charity school. This school, supported by donations and annual subscriptions, is designed for the maintenance and education of poor female children, who are taught reading, writing, and common arithmetic, and otherwise instructed so as to qualify them for some reputable and beneficial service. The age at which children are admitted is from nine to twelve. The school house is situate in Park Street, where the children are lodged un¬ der the care of a matron appointed to superintend them. The nomination of the children is in the subscribers, who exercise the right by turns for which they ballot. General institution for the instruction of deaf and dumb children. In the au¬ tumn 1812, a lecture was delivered in the rooms of the Birmingham Philosophi¬ cal Institution, by Dr. De Ly6, a physician resident in the town, on the instruc¬ tion of the deaf and dumb. To illustrate some of the principles of this art, and at the same time, to afford an example of their efficacy in practice, the lecturer introduced a girl of the age of eight years, who had been deaf and dumb from her THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 345 birth, and to whose instructions his friend, Mr. Alexander Blair, and himself, had given considerable attention. The audience at the lecture were much interested by this child. Her appearance was remarkably engaging; her countenance full of intelligence, and all her actions and attitudes in the highest degree animated and expressive; while the eagerness with which she watched the countenances of her instructors, and the delight with which she sprang forward to execute, or ra¬ ther to anticipate their wishes, afforded a most affecting spectacle. The lecture, and especially the living exhibition, excited a very general and earnest desire that some means should be found of completing what had been so ably begun, and of extending similar advantages, by a still more masterly process, to numberless other children in the same unfortunate situation. After a preliminary private meeting, another more general meeting was held on the fourth of December, 1812, at which the present institution was established under the most auspicious patronage. It is supported by annual subscriptions and occasional donations. The committee appointed to carry into effect the objects of the above meeting, commenced its operations by engaging a proper master and opening a day school in the town, which was continued until Lord Calthorpe, an early and zealous pro¬ moter of the undertaking, erected on his estate, in the adjoining parish of Edg- baston, a suitable and convenient building, which he granted, with a proper ap¬ pendage of land, on terms exceedingly liberal, as an asylum for the purposes of the institution. The building stands singly on a very pleasant spot of ground, quite spacious enough for the amusements and exercises of the children, and at such a distance from the town as both for the advantage of air and in other re¬ spects makes it very desirable for their abode. This asylum was opened January the fourth, 1815, when twenty children were admitted. It is adapted to the accommodation of forty, to which number the aver¬ age complement of pupils nearly amounts. Increased accommodation being requisite for enabling the head master to reside upon the spot (an object considered to be highly essential to the well being of the institution), ? sum of <£1000 has been recently raised by subscription to de¬ fray the expences of erecting the necessary additional buildings. This subscrip¬ tion derived its chief aid from a Bazaar, which, under the kind, liberal, and judi¬ cious management of several ladies of the neighbourhood, was held in the month of October, 1828, at the Royal Hotel, and produced, with the receipts of a ball on that occasion, a sum amounting to nearly £650. Children of both sexes, from all parts of the kingdom, who have the misfortune to be both deaf and dumb, are eligible to this institution, from the age of eight to that of thirteen. The parents or friends of those children received into the Asy- 2 Y CHAP. XIII. 346 HISTORY OF BOOK I. JLancasteri- an School. lum contribute to a certain extent fixed by the committee, towards their mainte¬ nance, and also provide them with necessary clothing. The able instructor originally appointed to this institution was Mr. Thomas Braidwood, now deceased, grandson of the celebrated master of the same name, who, by the establishment of his school in Edinburgh, founded in this country the art of instructing the deaf and dumb. The present head master is Mr. Louis Du Puget, whose plan of instruction and whose general qualifications and fitness for the duties of his situation, have been highly approved by the committee. A matron is appointed to superintend the domestic department of the establish¬ ment; and a committee of ladies undertakes to superintend the management and employment of the girls. In the month of October, annually, a general meeting of the subscribers is held in Birmingham, to receive the annual report of the committee, to pass the accounts, to appoint the officei's and committee for the ensuing year, and to transact the other business of the institution. At this meeting a public examination takes place of the children in the various branches of their education, and there is also a ballot among the subscribers for the nomination of the children (of late years ten in number) who are to be received into the Asylum in the place of those who leave it. The Asylum is open to the inspection of visitors every day, between the hours of twelve and one. His Grace the Duke of Devonshire has been president, and a liberal patron of this Institution from its commencement. Lancasterian School. This institution, supported by annual subscriptions and other donations, was established September the eleventh, 1809, for the instruction, according to the Lancasterian system, of four hundred boys of the labouring class in reading, writing, and common arithmetic. One master directs the whole school, through the medium of monitors selected from the boys. The school-room is situate in Severn-street, and is open to visitors every day during the usual school hours. The average number of children on the books during the year (1821) reached three hundred, of which the average number in attendance was two hun¬ dred and fifty-six. The trifling payment of a penny a week is required from the parents of each child. The committee has lately appealed to the public for an increase of annual sub¬ scriptions, which is deemed essential to the maintenance of the establishment in a state of efficiency. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 317 There is also a female Lancasterian school in Park-street. National, or Madras School: another school bearing this denomination, was established in the year 1813, for the gratuitous education of the children of the poor according to the system introduced by Dr. Bell. The School House, a lofty and spacious brick building, is situate in Pinfold-street. The ground floor is used for the boys, over which is a room for the girls. A master and mistress are appointed to instruct the children. The mistress resides in a house erected for her residence within the school yard. A ladies’ committee visits the girls school. On the fifth of June, 1827, the number of children in the school was—boys, three hundred and five; girls, one hundred and eighty. The average attendance in the boys school is two hundred and sixty-five; in the girls, one hundred and forty. By a regulation of the committee, a penny a week is now required of each child towards its education. Plain needle work of all kinds is executed at the girls school upon very mode- pate terms; and the committee considers that those who send it render very im¬ portant services to the institution. The children assemble at the school on Sundays, and proceed to church, both morning and afternoon. This establishment is indebted to the bounty of the public for its support. A school on this system was opened at Ashsted on the seventh of July, 1828. St. David’s society, Birmingham (or Welch charity) was formed on the anni¬ versary of St. David’s day, March the first, 1824, by several gentlemen con¬ nected with the principality of Wales, its object being to assist in educating and clothing children of Welch parentage, not having parochial settlement in Warwickshire or the adjoining counties. This society supports ten boys in the Blue Coat school. The institution of infant schools in Birmingham commenced in 1825, and has been successfully continued. The undertaking is supported by the donations and annual subscriptions of its patrons, whose benevolent object is to afford protection, as well as suitable instruction, to poor children of tender years, not old enough to be admitted into other schools, hundreds of which class are exposed to much personal danger, as well as to the contamination of bad example, by being ne¬ glected or left without proper protection while their parents are engaged in house¬ hold duties, or in earning that income on which the subsistence of the family either wholly or partially depends. A spacious and convenient building is erected in Ann-street, as the central, or principal school. It has continued almost uniformly full during the whole of the past year (1829), the average number of children upon the books having been CHAP. XIII. National, or Madias School. Welch Charity. Infant Schools. 348 HISTORY OF HOOK I. Fentham’s Trust . Crowley’s Trust. Scott’s Trust. Piddock’s Trust. upwards of two hundred, and of those in attendance during the winter months, one hundred and forty; and during the summer months, one hundred and eighty. A second school, opened at Islington, is also satisfactorily attended; another, in connection with St. George’s Church, has been since opened in Brearley-street; and the society contemplates the establishment of others in different parts of the town, as soon as adequate resources for the purpose can be obtained. The parents of the children are required to pay a trifling weekly contribution in aid of the funds of the institution. A committee of ladies assist in superintending the management of the above schools, wherein the system of instruction pursued, through the medium of well qualified teachers, presents enough of novelty to interest the attention of visitors. Sunday schools are attached to most of the places of worship in the town, and supported by the respective congregations or friends of the different establishments. In connection with St. Philip’s is a school of industry for girls, in Little Cherry- street. The children of most of these schools are provided with comfortable and uniform clothing, in which to appear at their respective schools and places of worship. Fentham’s Trust. In 1712, George Fentham of Birmingham, by his will de¬ vised lands in Erdington and Handsworth, then of the annual value of about <£ 20, which is now greatly improved, vesting the same in a succession of trustees, for the purpose of leaching children to read, and for clothing ten poor widows of Birmingham. Those children in the Blue Coat school who are clothed in green are supported by this trust. Their number now averages from fifteen to twenty. Crowley’s Trust. Ann Crowley, in 1733, by her will devised six houses in Steelhouse-lane, then producing about .£18 per annum, in trust, to support a school for ten children ; appointing that a female teacher should preside over them. Scott’s Trust. This trust was created by the late Joseph Scott, Esq. in 1779- It is of some importance as to future income, on the termination of existing leases ; but the funds, though partially, and at a remote period, intended for the institu¬ tion of a school, are chiefly applicable at the discretion of the trustees to the use of the religious Society attached to Carr’s-lane Chapel. Piddock’s Trust. William Piddock, in 1728, devised his farm at Winson Green, about nine acres, in trust, after the death of his wife, fop educating and putting out poor boys of Birmingham, or other discretional charities in the same parish. This charity remained in oblivion, and the heirs of the devisor kept pos¬ session of the property, without performing the trusts, till 1782, when it was re¬ covered from them by a suit in Chancery, and vested in a body of Trustees for the charitable purposes intended by the testator. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 349 Lench’s Trust and alms houses. William Lencli, a native of Birmingham, the founder of this excellent and well appropriated charity, died in the reign of Henry VIII. having by deed settled a small property, then producing probably not more than £15 per annum, for repairing the ruinous ways and bridges in and about the town, and for the benefit of the poor inhabitants according to the discretion of the trustees. The present income, however, which is upwards of <£600 per annum, does not all arise from his bequest, for several benevolent individuals since his time have bequeathed property, now vested in the same trustees, to be applied by them for the benefit of the poor of this place at their own discretion. The late Mrs. Ann Scott, of New-street, in the year 1808, appropriated upwards of £600 in an endowment for the benefit of the alms-people; and more recently, the late Misses Mansell, of Temple-row, made a gift in aid of this trust. The original existing alms houses of this trust, are those in Steelhouse-lane (erected in 1764), containing forty-two rooms; next those in Dudley-street, con¬ taining thirty-eight rooms; afterwards those in Park-street, containing thirty-two rooms; and, lastly, those in Hospital-street (erected in 1828), containing thirty- four rooms; making a total of one hundred and forty-six rooms, which are oc¬ cupied by as many poor persons, principally widows, who receive quarterly five shillings each ; but at the Christmas quarter, this allowance is doubled, and paid them on St. Thomas’s day. The applications for admission being very numerous, it has been the custom of late years, not to admit any under seventy years of age. The complement of trustees, when full, consists of twenty of the most respect¬ able inhabitants of Birmingham. Society for the relief of poor aged and infirm women. This was established in January, 1825, and has been submitted to public patronage. The objects of re¬ lief are widows and single women of good character, infirm, and upwards of six¬ ty-five years of age, and not having an income of four shillings per week. The aflairs of the institution are under the superintendance of a committee of ladies, chosen from the subscribers, who visit the parties recommended to their care, and dispense relief according to the exigency of the case. Female Penitentiary. In November, 1828, a body of gentlemen formed them¬ selves into a provisional committee for the purpose of establishing by subscription an institution which, by affording a suitable asylum, and the means of religious instruction, may reclaim, from a life of sin, unhappy females professing themselves penitent; and restore them to the paths of virtue and happiness. At a recent meeting of the friends of the proposed establishment, the com¬ mencement of it was finally resolved upon, and a committee appointed to provide a suitable building and make the necessary arrangements. CHAP. XIII. Lench's Trust. Society for the relief of poor aged Women. Female Peniten¬ tiary. 350 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Savings Bank. The Work- house. Besides several other charitable endowments by individuals, of minor consider¬ ation to those of Lench, Fentham, and others, before noticed, there are many pri¬ vate benevolent societies, throughout the town, for visiting, clothing, and other¬ wise relieving the necessities of the sick, infirm, and destitute poor, and of the friendless stranger; among which are several for the assistance and comfort of poor lying-in women and their infants. Performances of sacred music take place annually, about Christmas, at St. Paul’s chapel, for the benefit of aged and distressed housekeepers. The benevolence of the inhabitants is further brought into operation through the medium of branch societies, which are formed here in aid of several of the national institutions for religious and moral instruction, both at home and abroad, such as the bible society, the church and other missionary societies, the society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, and some others. Savings Bank and Friendly Institution. In 1816, an attempt was made to es¬ tablish a bank for the small savings of the labouring class, but the time was un- propitious, and the attempt failed. In 1827 the propriety of such an institution was again taken into consideration by some of the leading inhabitants, and arrangements were then made for the es¬ tablishment of a savings bank, and for the formation of a friendly institution for the benefit of the industrious classes, and for making a safe provision in cases of sickness and old age, in conformity with the acts of parliament for the encourage¬ ment and protection of such institutions. The savings bank is in a highly prosperous state, and sums to a very consider¬ able amount in the whole have been deposited, the return of which is secured to the depositors, together with interest. The savings bank is open every Monday and Thursday, from twelve to two o’clock, at the office, No. 6, Cannon-street. According to the monthly report of June the twentieth, 1829, the total amount invested in the bank of England was <£38,172. O.S. 7 d. and the total number of accounts then open was two thousand two hundred and forty-seven. The Workhouse, this extensive pile of building is situate in the lower part of Lichfield-street, extending backwards to Steelhouse-lane. The original portion was erected in 1733,. since which time, considerable additions have been made. The left wing is used as the town infirmary. The affairs of the parish are under the management of twelve overseers, and of a numerous body of guardians, according to the regulations of a local act of par¬ liament, obtained in the twenty-third of George III. The guardians, to the number of one hundred and eight, are elected every third year by the rate-payers, and they are invested with the same powers as over BI KM1N 6HAM . THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 351 seers, except as to making and collecting rates. The overseers remain in office one year, but half of them are appointed at Lady-day, and the other half at Michaelmas, so as to avoid the inconvenience of their all going out of office at once. The churchwardens and overseers for the time being, are constituted guar¬ dians by virtue of their office. Under the powers of a subsequent act, twelve assistant overseers, at salaries, are appointed by the rate-payers, for the better collection of the poor-rates, from which source the disbursements in the parish affairs for the year 1828 amounted to <£47,245. In the year 1818 a period of severe distress, the poor-rates exceeded the enor¬ mous sum of <£61,000. The Asylum. To obviate the evils necessarily attendant on the practice for¬ merly pursued of placing out poor children to be nursed, the overseers and guar¬ dians, in the year 1797, provided suitable premises at the bottom of Summer- lane, on the outside of the town, as an asylum for the infant poor of the parish who here receive all needful care and attention. The manufacture of pins, straw plat, and lace, is introduced for the employ¬ ment of the children; from the produce of whose labour the premises have been purchased, enlarged and improved, and now form a valuable property belonging to the parish. There is a bath attached to the institution, with garden and play¬ ground ; and among the recent additions is a chapel, in which the children attend divine worship. On the third of January, 1829, the number of children maintained, clothed, and educated here, was two hundred and thirty-seven. The Theatre, situate in New-street, nearly opposite to the post-office, is dis¬ tinguishable by a handsome stone facade in front, presenting a piazza and colo- nade over it, with wings, on the face of which, in the upper compartments, are two medallion busts, of excellent workmanship, representing the two great dra¬ matic luminaries, Shakspeare and Garrick. This facade is said to have been de¬ signed by Harrison, of Chester, and has been generally admired for its elegance and unity of style. It comprises a large assembly room, and a tavern, for many years occupied as the Shakspeare tavern, but now disused as such for want of adequate support. The room on the ground floor of the eastern wing, has been long occupied as a billiard-room. The other rooms, including the assembly-room, no longer applied to its original purpose, are let, as opportunity offers, for auc¬ tions, and for public exhibitions and lectures. The name of the tavern is still at¬ tached to the building, ‘ the Shakspeare’ continuing to be its local designation. It will contain an audience of more than two thousand persons, and is bril¬ liantly lighted with gas.—The box-office and entrance are beneath the piazza, in CHAr. XIII. The Asy¬ lum. The Thea¬ tre. 352 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Assemblies. Private Concerts. Harmonic Society. Philosophi¬ cal Institu¬ tion. New-street; the pit is approached through a passage out of Lower Temple-street; and the gallery door is at the back, in Queen-street. The usual theatrical season is from about Whitsuntide to November, in which period many of the leading metropolitan performers appear on the stage. In 1807 an act of parliament was passed, by virtue of which the royal licence was obtained for this theatre, thence denominated the Theatre Royal. Dancing and Card Assemblies have been for many years held by subscription at the Royal Hotel, in Temple-row, where is a very capacious and handsome as¬ sembly-room, built expressly for the purpose, and subsequently enlarged. Of these assemblies, possessing the highest character for respectability, there are ge¬ nerally eight in the season, which is from October to March. Private Concerts. The original subscription concerts, held at the Royal Hotel, have been established thirty years, and are warmly supported by the leading fa¬ milies in the town. There are usually three or four concerts in the year, at which much talent is generally displayed. Harmonic Society. The concerts of this society are of more recent introduc¬ tion. They also are held at the Royal Hotel, and sustain a respectable character. At Vauxhall Gardens, on the edge of the town, beyond Ashted, are occasional public concerts during the summer months, with exhibitions of fire-works. Philosophical Institution. From a small beginning about the year 1800, this society, established to promote the acquisition and diffusion of useful knowledge, has now attained an important station, and is supported by a numerous list of sub¬ scribers from the leading inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood. In 1812 commodious premises in Cannon-street were purchased, and fitted up in a conve¬ nient manner, for the purposes of the society. They contain a good lecture room, in which during the winter season, evening lectures on scientific subjects, chiefly in natural and experimental philosophy, are delivered once and sometimes oftener in each week; occasionally in elementary courses, by professional lecturers en¬ gaged by the managers, and at other times on detached subjects by some of the fellows of the institution. The subject chosen is generally one which allows the introduction of specimens, drawings, or practical experiments for its better illus¬ tration, and does not exclude the presence of ladies, who, on most occasions, form a considerable portion of the highly respectable and numerous auditory by which these lectures are attended. There is also a reading room, which is provided with many of the most able scientific periodicals, and several of the principal London daily and other newspapers. Apartments are also comprised for the museum, ex¬ tensive apparatus, laboratories, and experimental practice of the institution; to¬ gether with a residence for the house-steward. The management is entrusted to a committee of fellows and associates, elected THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 3 53 at the annual general meeting. The Rev. John Carrie has long been the presi¬ dent, and to high talents and zealous patronage and exertions the society is much indebted. Mechanics’ Institution. The object proposed by this institution (commenced in 1825) is, as stated in the printed rules and regulations, the cheap instruction of the members in the principles of the arts they practise, and in various branches of science, by the following means, viz. Elementary schools for teaching arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, See. with their various applications. Lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, practical mechanics, &c. A library of reference, a circulating library, reading room, laboratory, &c. To these is proposed to be added, as soon as circumstances will permit, a mu¬ seum of machines, models, minerals, natural history, he. These means to be derived from the voluntary association of mechanics and others, and the payment of a small annual or quarterly sum by each, donations of money, books, specimens, implements, models, apparatus, Src. The original plan of elementary schools has been extended to classes in the higher branches of mathematics and in drawing, of which architectural and me¬ chanical drawing forms a distinct class. A writing class has also been formed for the instruction principally of the junior members. Considerable progress has likewise been made in the formation of a library the volumes of which are in constant circulation among the members. The society has the use of the old meeting school rooms for their classes and library, and of the school room at Ebenezer chapel for their lectures ; but it is the intention of the committee, as soon as their funds will permit, to provide more suitable accommodations for the several purposes of the institution. Society of Arts. This society (in the words of whose printed report great part of this article is given) was established in the year 1821, in order to promote ex¬ tensively and efficiently the study of the Fine Arts, by providing ready means of acquiring a correct taste, and affording to the artists of Birmingham the opportu¬ nity of making their talents known to the public. On its formation, Sir Robert Lawley, Bart, presented a very valuable collection of those perfect casts from Grecian sculpture which were moulded in Paris when that capital possessed the original marbles. This liberal donation was followed by subscriptions from no¬ blemen and gentlemen in the neighbourhood, amounting to about X1500. A part of this sum has been expended in adding to the collection of works of art by purchases made in Italy and elsewhere. The remainder, w ith subsequent resources, has been employed in the erection of new exhibition rooms. The Lari of Dudley has presented to the society a splendid copy of the Works of Piranesi, in twelve 2 z CHAP XIII. Mechanics’ Institution. Socic'y of Arts. 354 HISTORY OF SOOK I. School of Aledicine ^ Surgery. volumes folio, to which several other gifts of books and works of art have been added. The society is conducted by a committee consisting of gentlemen not in the profession, assisted by a committee of resident artists. The presidency has been successively held by Sir Robert Lawley, Bart. Lord Calthorpe, Francis Lawley, Esq. M. P., and the Earl of Dudley ; and in 1828, by Sir Robert Lawley again. In the autumn of 1827 the Society, acceding to the wishes of the artists, ap¬ propriated their building to the purpose of an exhibition of modern works of art, which was honoured by a contribution from the highly gifted president of the Royal Academy, and otherwise very ably supported. The success of the exhibi¬ tion was particularly gratifying ; it comprised many works of art of distinguished merit, and gave to the public a very favourable impression of the skill of the artists, justifying the expectation that such exhibitions would not only be accep¬ table to the public, but prove extremely instrumental in encouraging the genius and industry of the artists. The Exhibition in the year 1828 consisted exclusively of the works of Ancient Masters, with the view of extending the utility of the institution by procuring for students the means of becoming familiar with works of acknowledged merit. In the promotion of so desirable an object the committee experienced the liberal co¬ operation of the nobility and gentry of the neighbourhood, who with the utmost readiness entrusted to the society on this occasion some of their most valuable pictures. It is the intention of the committee to open their rooms for the exhibition of modern works of art as frequently as such exhibitions can be properly supported by the artists and the public. Honorary secretary, John Wilkes Unett, Esq. The committee of the Society of Arts being opposed to a number of the artists in their wish for an annual exhibition of modern works of art, the disappointed artists withdrew their support from the original institution, and determined to es¬ tablish another, which should be entirely under their own management, and ex¬ clusively for their benefit. Hence arose this second institution, which commenced early in the year 1828. It is undpr the direction of artists only, and any artist permanently resident in or being a native of Birmingham, or any place within thirty miles, is eligible as a member. A handsome building has been erected in Temple-row for this new establish¬ ment, in which an exhibition of original modern works of art took place in the autumn of the same year, and proved highly successful. School of Medicine and Surgery. This institution was commenced only in the THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 355 year 1828. The following account of the plan is taken from the prospectus is¬ sued by the professional gentlemen who have exerted themselves in its formation. The plan is that of communicating medical and surgical information in a course of lectures by different physicians and surgeons, to professional pupils, on anatomy and physiology, the theory and practice of physic, materia medica, and pharmacy, the principles and operations of surgery, midwifery and the diseases of women and children, and chemistry, and occasionally on other subjects intimately connected with the profession; thus embracing all that is most important in the ground work of medical education, and as often as possible reference will be made to cases in the hospital, at the dispensary, and town infirmary, in illustration of the history, pathology, and treatment of diseases. It is intended to erect an appropriate building, in a convenient part of the town, for the purpose of lecture rooms, and for the formation of an anatomical museum and library, to be open to the students at all times, and to the profession gene¬ rally at stated times, under proper regulations. The first session was opened in a portion of the building in Temple-row, erected for the Birmingham institution, on the twentieth of October, 1828, by an intro¬ ductory discourse from Dr. Pearson. The library, generally called the old library, to distinguish it from a similar institution of more recent formation. This public circulating library originated in 1779, and so much has the establishment improved and flourished, that there are now upwards of five hundred subscribers, and the number of volumes is ra¬ pidly approaching to twenty thousand. The admission ticket, originally one guinea, is now <£10, and the annual subscription, which at first was six shillings, is increased to £ 1. In 1798 a handsome and capacious stone-fronted edifice was erected in Union- street, by subscription, on the Tontine principle, for the reception of the books and the accommodation of the subscribers. The new library was commenced in 1796, on a plan similar to that of the old library. A few years ago the institution was removed from the rooms which it originally occupied at the lower end of Cannon-street, to a neat and commodious building in Temple-row west, erected, by Tontine subscription, purposely for its reception. Theological Library. The low building adjoining to the parsonage house, at the corner of St. Philip’s church-yard, erected by the Rev. Spencer Madan, in 1792, contains the library bequeathed by the first rector, the Rev. William Higgs, for the use of the clergy of the town and neighbourhood. A large and commodious building, erected by a company of proprietors ex¬ pressly for the purpose of a news room, and suitably fitted up, was opened to the CHAP. XIII. The Libra¬ ry- Theological Library. News Hoorn. 356 HTS TORY OF BOOK I. Public Of¬ fice and Prison. Court of Requests. Post Office. Excise Of¬ fice. Assay Of¬ fice. subscribers on the first of July, 1825 It is placed on the new line of street at Bennet's-hill , near the post office, a central and most convenient situation. Public Office and Prison. These buildings are placed in a confined situation in Moor-street. They were erected at a heavy expence in the year 1806, and are substantially built, with an ornamental front elevation of stone. The first division of the building contains the Public-office, the upper floor of which is occupied by the magistrates, who hold their meetings here every Monday and Thursday morning. The ground floor is appropriated chiefly to the commis¬ sioners of the street act. Behind the public-office, but separated by a court yard, is the prison keeper’s house, with the prison in the rear. The latter is well adapted to its purpose, clean, and as airy as the situation will allow; and subdivided, so that the male and fe¬ male prisoners are kept apart. The Court of Requests was instituted by act of parliament in the year 1752, for the more easy and speedy recovery of small debts within the town of Birmingham, and the adjoining hamlet of Deritend. A number of commissioners are appointed, by three or more of whom the court is to be held every Friday, or oftener if needful. There are two clerks (attorneys), who attend all the sittings of the commissioners, and register the proceedings, and issue the process of the court; and a beadle, whose duty it is to execute such process. Provision is made for the appointment from time to time of new commissioners, and no person is qualified to act as commissioner without taking an appointed oath, nor unless he shall, at the time of acting, be a householder, or shall carry on trade within the jurisdiction of the court, and be possessed of a real estate of the clear annual value of £50, or of a personal estate of the clear value of of 1000. The court was originally held in the building called the Old Cross, long since demolished. It is now held in an old house, situate in a recess at the back of High-street, nearly opposite to the end of New-street, but much too small and in¬ commodious for the purposes to which it is applied. Post Office. On the opening a few years since of Bennett’s-hill, opposite the theatre, in New-street, the present post office was erected at the foot of it, in lieu of the former one, which was nearly on the same spot, but fronted to New-street. Excise, Office. The office for the business of the excise department in Birming¬ ham is at present situate in New-street, at the corner of Lower Temple-street, a very short distance from the post office. Assay Office. By an act of parliament passed in 1824, all gold and silver plate wrought or made within the town of Birmingham, and within thirty miles thereof, is to be assayed and marked by the wardens and assayers, appointed for assaying THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 357 wrought plate in Birmingham, who have an office in Little Cannon-street, where they attend at stated times for the performance of their duties. Gun Barrel Proof House. In 1813 an act of parliament was passed “ to in¬ sure the proper and careful manufacturing of fire arms in England ; and for making provision for proving the barrels of such fire-arms.” By this act, the lords lieutenant of the counties of Warwick, Worcester, and Stafford, and the members in parliament for those counties for the time being, with fifteen persons resident in Birmingham, and their successors, to be chosen as therein directed, are created a body politic and corporate, and invested with the necessary powers, for proving in the manner directed by the act, all barrels for fire arms which shall be brought to the proof house at Birmingham for that pur¬ pose. Each barrel on being proved receives a certain proof mark, to forge which subjects the offending party to a penalty. Not more than one shilling is to be charged for proving each barrel. Barracks for Cavalry. Soon after the riots of 1791, government took a lease of five acres of land in a dry and airy situation at Duddeston, in the adjoining parish of Aston, on the north-east side of the town, upon which, in 1703, com¬ modious barracks were erected sufficient for one hundred and sixty-two men with their horses, the whole inclosed with a wall. The general market place, in its most limited extent, comprises the descending and rather spacious area of High-street and the Bull-ring, from the yard of the Swan hotel to the walls of St. Martin’s church yard, where the breadth, which gradually increases from the summit, is considerable; but the market straggler, far beyond these bounds, and is continued along the upper part of High-street to the entrance of Dale-end, where is a space allotted for stalls, formerly used as the cattle market. On a spot nearly opposite to Phi lip-street, formerly stood the Old Cross, a co¬ vered building erected in the year 1702, and called simply the Cross till the Welch Cross arose, when it became distinguished as the Old Cross. This building was taken down in 1784. In connection with the subject of the present head, we shall here observe, that at the foot of Bull-street, where Dale-end branches off, stood another cross, called the Welch Cross, which afforded considerable market accommodation, being sur¬ rounded by steps, and the lower part open. This was built not many years after the Old Cross, and stood, till 1803, when it was removed to widen the street. Nelson’s statue. In the centre of the market-place stands the statue erected by the inhabitants in honour of the late admiral Lord Nelson. It is exceedingly well executed in bronze, by Westmacott; and with the pedestal, palisades, and lamps, cost about <£3000, which was raised by voluntary subscription. The work was CHAP. XIII. Gun Barret proof-house. Barracks. Market Place. Old Cross. Welch Cross. Nelson’s Statue. 358 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Smithfield. Deritend Bridge. Lady Well and Baths. Birming¬ ham Canal. opened to the public on the twenty-fifth of October, 1809, the day on which was celebrated the Jubilee of his Majesty King George III. Smithfield. This spacious and commodious market-place occupies the site of the ancient manor house and moat, at a short distance south of St. Martin’s church, and was opened on Thursday, the twenty-ninth of May, 1817, having been constructed at an expence of between .£5000 and £6000. Deritend Bridge. The principal bridge over the small river Rea is that at the foot of Digbeth. Formerly the lower part of Digbeth was, in times of flood, im¬ passable ; and it became absolutely necessary to take down and rebuild the bridge,* to widen and improve the approaches to it, and to widen, deepen, and vary the bed and course of the river. Accordingly an act of parliament was obtained in 1788 for the accomplishment of these objects by means of a toll and rate; but this act expired before the undertaking could be completed. An application to parliament, to renew the act for a further term, and to increase the tolls, met with such a powerful opposition, that it was unsuccessful, and the works remained in an incomplete state till 1813, when the trustees succeeded in obtaining another act to enable them to finish the improvements contemplated by the first act. This act continued in force till 1822, when another act was obtained for the put pose of widening the lower part of Digbeth, and widening and repairing the two other bridges in Bradford-street and Cheapside. For this purpose power was given to continue the tolls till the first of January, 1830. The trustees, however, were enabled to accomplish all the objects of this last act in a shorter period than was given by it, and the tolls were discontinued on the twenty-seventh of August, 1828. Lady well and baths. Near the site of St. Martin’s parsonage-house, recently demolished, is an ancient and public well, called Lady well, from its having, in all probability, been formerly dedicated to the Virgin Mary. An attempt made in July, 1818, wholly to inclose this well was successfully resisted by the interfe¬ rence of the town commissioners, and it now remains open to the public as before. Attached to it is a bathing-house and establishment, where hot, cold, shower, va¬ pour, and various medicated baths, and all requisite accommodations for the use of them, are provided. Birmingham Canal. Under the authority of an act of parliament, obtained in 1767, a canal was cut from Birmingham to Bilston, and from thence to Au- therley, near Wolverhampton, where it joins the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, which connects the rivers Trent and Severn. This canal runs through the heart of the Staffordshire mining district, from whence Birmingham derives nearly the whole of her immense supplies of coal, and many of the heavy materials used in her manufactures and buildings. The original and principal wharf of the company is at Easy-hill, and occupies THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 359 a large space of ground, inclosed by a wall. This is commonly known as the Old Wharf and Navigation Office. O Such has been the flourishing state of this concern, and so great its increased value to the proprietors, that for convenience of disposal each original share has been divided into eight parts, one of which eighths has sold for more than the sum originally paid on a single consolidated share. Worcester and Birmingham Canal. This canal communicates with the Bir¬ mingham canal at the Old wharf, and extends about thirty miles till it joins the river Severn at Diglis, near Worcester. The original act was obtained m 1791, but so erroneous was the first estimate of expence, and such were the delays and embarrassments occasioned by a deficiency of funds, that more than twenty years elapsed before the completion of the work, during which the proprietors were on several occasions under the necessity of applying to the legislature for additional powers. Warwick and Birmingham canal. An act of parliament was obtained in 1793, and another in 1790, for making tins canal, which extends from Warwick to Bir¬ mingham, where it communicates with the Digbeth branch of the Birmingham and Fazeley canal. It is about twenty-two miles in length, and was completed in 1800. The Warwick and Napton canal unites with this near to Warwick, and at Lapworth is a branch connecting it with the Stratford canal. Water-works. After some previous unsuccessful attempts to establish water¬ works in Birmingham, a company of subscribers, in May, 1820, obtained an act of parliament, for the purpose of affording a regular supply of good soft water, through pipes, for the use of the inhabitants of Birmingham, and the adjoining parishes of Aston and Edgbaston. The authorised capital is <£120,000 in shares of <£25 each, with power to borrow to the extent of <£30,000 more, if needful. 'f’lie water is intended to be obtained from the river Tame, and from a brook near Salford bridge, in the parish of Aston, called Hawthorn brook. One reser¬ voir will be formed near to that bridge, and another at or near to a place in Edg¬ baston, called Parrott’s Folly, or the Monument. Birminghnm Fire Office. This institution was established in March, 1805. The capital subscribed for is <£300,000 to which extent the company, in case of need, is liable. The office of the company is situate in Union street. It is a handsome stone- fronted building, and was erected in 1808, at an expence of nearly .£4000 in¬ cluding the engine-house, firemen’s-houses, and stable. Gas works. These extensive premises are situate in a street, which has received from them the name of Gas-street, lying at the back of the Old Wharf, between Broad-street and the Worcester and Birmingham canal. They belong to a con> CHAt*. XIII. XV orcester and Bir¬ mingham Canal. XV arwick and Bir¬ mingham Canal. Water¬ works. Fire-oftke. Gas-works. 360 HISTORY OF \ BOOK I. Hatkerville Place. Beards- worth’s Re¬ pository. Soho Ma¬ nufactory. pany, called tlie Birmingham Gas-light company, incorporated by act of parlia¬ ment, for the purpose of supplying the town with the brilliant light of gas. In ] 825 another act of parliament was obtained for an additional company, called the Birmingham and Staffordshire Gas-light company. The works of this company are situate at West Bromwich, from whence gas is conducted by pipes to Birmingham, a distance of more than six miles. Baskerville-place. In 1745 John Baskerville (afterwards the celebrated typo¬ grapher) took a building lease of several acres of land in a pleasant situation on the north-west side of the town, to which he gave the name of Easy-hill, and in the centre erected a handsome house for his own residence, planting and orna¬ menting the grounds, and erecting therein a mausoleum, within which, pursuant to his own desire, his remains were deposited on his death. After his death these premises became the property of the late John Ryland, Esq. who resided in them at the time of the riots in 179E when the house was reduced by fire to a mere shell, and in that state remained for about twenty-five years, at the end of which time the whole of the ground was, by the succeeding proprietor, Samuel Ryland, Esq., let for wharfs, &c., with which it is now covered. The external walls of the house are still distinguishable, having been incorporated with additional build¬ ings for the purpose of a manufactory. On excavating the ground in 1821, the remains of Baskerville, inclosed in a coffin of lead, were discovered, and necessarily disinterred and removed. Beards worth’s Repository and Carriage Mart, situate in Balsall-street, readilv distinguished by the large figure of a white horse placed over the gateway, is an extensive, commodious, and well conducted establishment for the disposal of horses and carriages, either by public or private sale. The interior comprises a covered, well-lighted, and airy space, or ride of large dimensions, surrounded by galleries stored with carriages of various sorts, and stabling beneath for a great number of horses, with all requisite accommodations. By the ready permission of the proprietor, these premises have been frequently used for public meetings of the inhabitants, no other building in Birmingham being so well adapted to the accommodation of the public on such occasions. Soho Manufactory, &c. At the northern extremity of the parish of Birming¬ ham, but in the adjoining parish of Handsworth, and county of Stafford, is a hill called Soho, at the foot of which stands the far-famed manufactory of that name. In the year 1757, John Wyrley, of Hamstead, Esq. lord of the manor of Handsworth, granted a lease for ninety-nine years of certain tracts of common land here, and certain inclosed lauds, with liberty to make a cut for turning Hockley brook and forming a pool, in order to the erection of a water mill. A small THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 361 house and feeble mill for rolling metal, were consequently erected. In 1762, the late Matthew Boulton, who then carried on a steel toy manufactory in Birming¬ ham, purchased this lease, with all the premises and appurtenances, for the pur¬ poses of his trade, and soon afterwards, having enlarged and increased the build¬ ings, transplanted the whole of his manufactory from Birmingham ; but still fur¬ ther accommodation being requisite for the advancement of his great designs, Mr. Boulton therefore, in 1764, laid the foundation of the present manufactory, which was finished in the following year, at the expence of c£9000. From that period he turned his attention to a greater variety of branches of manufacture; anil in conjunction with Mr. Fothergill, then his partner, established a mercantile cor¬ respondence throughout Europe. Impelled by an ardent attachment to the arts, the ingenious proprietor soon established a seminary of artists for drawing and modelling; and men of genius were sought for, and liberally patronized, whose exertions produced a successful imitation of the or-molu, in a variety of metallic ornaments, consisting of vases, tripods, candelabras, &c. manufactured with superior skill and taste. From this elegant branch of the business the ar¬ tists were led, by a natural and easy transition, to that of wrought silver; and other useful and ornamental arts gradually followed. Mr. Boulton finding from experience that the water power at Soho was insuffi¬ cient for his purposes, in 1767 put up a steam engine, on Savery’s plan ; but this proving unsatisfactory to him, he soon after formed an acquaintance with his sub¬ sequent partner and friend, James Watt, of Glasgow, who had invented several valuable improvements upon the steam engine, which, in fact, made it a new ma¬ chine. For these improvements Mr. Watt had obtained a patent in January, 1769, and afterwards came to settle at Soho, where in that year he erected one of his improved engines, and after full proof of its utility, obtained, in 1775, a pro¬ longation of the term of his patent for twenty-five years from that date. He then entered into partnership with Mr. Boulton. In order to obtain the desired degree of perfection in the manufacture of their steam engines, Messrs. Boulton and Watt established a large and complete iron- foundry at Smethwick, a convenient distance westward from Soho, and having the advantage of communication with the Birmingham canal. The applicability of the steam engine to the purpose and various processes of coining, led to the erection here, in 1788, of a coining mill , which was afterwards much improved, and acquired great celebrity for efficiency and dispatch. The penny and twopenny pieces of 1797, the halfpence and farthings of 1799, the pence, half-pence, and farthings of 1806 and 1807, and we believe the whole of the copper coinage of George III., which forms the principal part of that now •n circulation, issued from the Soho mint. 3 A CHAP. XXII. 362 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Shew Rooms. Chamber of Manufactu¬ res and Commerce. Aston. The elder Messrs. Boulton and Watt are now both deceased, but the various manufactories are continued under several firms by the son of each, Matthew Ro¬ binson Boulton and James Watt. Manufactory and shew-rooms of Mr. Thomason, Church-street. The shew- rooms of this celebrated establishment are very extensive, and contain, in a finish¬ ed state, for exhibition and sale, a large and interesting assemblage of articles here manufactured, chiefly of the finer and more ornamental classes of metallic productions, in gold, silver, brass, bronze, &c. including a great variety of beau, tiful medals. Among the many objects of attraction here presented to view is an excellent co¬ py, in metal, of the famous antique Bacchanalian Vase, of colossal dimensions, be¬ longing to the Earl of Warwick and deposited in the conservatory at Warwick castle. Chamber of manufactures and commerce. At a public meeting held in July, 1813, this commercial society was established in the town by a body of subscribers, for the purpose of collecting and comparing the opinions of its merchants and manufacturers, of acting as a medium of communication with ministers and the legislature on the subject of trade, and of co-operating with other parts of the united kingdom, on occasions affecting the general prosperity of the manufactures and commerce of the British empire. The utility of this Society has been mani¬ fested on many important occasions. ENVIRONS OF BIRMINGHAM. The extensive parish of Aston, which bounds the parish of Birmingham on the east, comprises (besides the village and lordship of Aston) the hamlets of Deri- tend and Bordesley, and of Duddeston and Nechells, all in immediate connection with the town of Birmingham, and into which a considerable portion of the town extends; also the villages or hamlets of Saltley, Ward End, Castle Bromwich, Water Orton, Erdington, and Witton, and some others of less note. Bordesley Hall, an elegant mansion erected by John Taylor, Esq. was burnt in the riots of 1791. The ancient Manor-house of Duddeston, which, from the thirty-eight of Ed¬ ward III. until the erection of Aston Hall in the reign of James I. was the prin¬ cipal seat of the Holte family, is now converted into a tavern, with beautiful gardens attached, under the denomination of Vauxhall. At Saltley, about a mile eastward from Duddeston, was formerly a castle or mansion, the memory whereof is preserved in the present residence called Saltley Hall. ! SEAT OF EARL BRADFORD THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 363 At Rennet’s Hill, Saltley, by the side of the turnpike road, stands the house of the late venerable historian of Birmingham, William Hutton Esq. now occupied by Miss Hutton, his daughter. At Ward End, anciently Little Bromwich, about three miles from Birmingham, was another castle or mansion, now demolished, the moats, mounds, and trenches of which, of considerable extent, still remain, contiguous to a comparatively mo¬ dern erection substituted for the ancient edifice. Castle Bromwich, anciently possessed by Lord Ferrers of Chartley, afterwards came to the family of Devereux, one of whom, about the latter end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, or beginning of that of James I. erected the present mansion of brick, called Castle Bromwich Hall, now the residence and part of the posses¬ sions of the Earl of Bradford. About two miles farther east is the village and chapel of Water Orton. Near to Castle Bromwich, on the banks of the river Tame, is the site of Park Hall, once the chief seat, and for many years part of the vast estates of the an¬ cient and unfortunate family of Arden ; and not far distant once stood Berwood Hall, also belonging to the same family. Between this place and Erdington is Pipe Hall, an ancient mansion, the seat of the Rev. Egerton Arden Bagot. The increasing village of Erdington is situate about four miles from Birmingham. A neat chapel of stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, was erected here a few years since. Adjoining to Erdington is the manor of Witton, now or lately possessed by the family of Birch. Witton Hall is the residence of Isaac Spooner, Esq. Between Witton and Birmingham is the lordship and picturesque village of Aston, for more than four centuries possessed by the family of Holte, till the year 1782, when, on the death of Sir Charles Holte (the last male descendant of the family) they came, by will, to the late Heneage Legge, Esq. and remained entire till the year 1818, when the whole of the Aston estate was publicly offered for sale in lots, and is now possessed by various purchasers. The fine church of Aston, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, is ornamented with a tall spire, and contains many ancient monuments of the Holtes, the Ardens, Devereux, and others. In the village, and near to the vicarage house, is a range of alms-houses for five men and five women, built in 1655 and 1656, pursuant to the directions of Sir Thomas Holte, who, dying in 1658, at the age of 83, by his will provided for their erection, and appointed an annual rent charge of o£84, out of his manor of Erdington, for their support. Handsworth. This manor, after being long possessed by the family of Wyrley, CHAP. xm. AVard End Castle Bromwich. lVk Hall. Erdington. Aston. Hands¬ worth. HISTORY OF BOOK I. Hamstead. Harbourn. Smethwick. 364 passed, with considerable estates here and in the neighbourhood, to that of Birch. On the north-west of this parish, and adjoining to that of Sutton Coldfield, is the ancient manor of Perry, which has been possessed by the family of Gough from the year 1669- Hamstead, situate on the opposite border of the parish, was the seat of the Wyrleys for many generations. The old house, now entirely destroyed, stood about a quarter of a mile west of the present mansion, which is delightfully situ¬ ated on a fine eminence, commanding a rich- prospect over the adjacent country. It was some years since the residence of the proprietor, George Birch, Esq. but has been sold to the Earl of Dartmouth. The church an ancient Gothic structure, dedicated to St. Mary, has been re¬ cently enlarged, and contains several ancient monuments of the Wyrleys and others. Among the modern monuments are those to the memory of the late Messrs. Boulton and Watt, the latter being a statue of the deceased from the chisel of that eminent sculptor, Chantrey. Harbourn. This parish, which bounds that of Birmingham on the north-west, is also in the county of Stafford, and includes the manor and chapelry of Smeth¬ wick. The manors of Harbourn and Smethwick formerly belonged to the baro¬ ny of Dudley, and after a long continuance in that family, passed to the family of Cornwallis in the seventeenth century. They afterwards passed to Philip Foley, Esq. who sold them to George Birch, Esq. and Mr. Henry Hinckley, about 1710; the former taking Harbourn, and the latter Smethwick. Harbourn was afterwards the property and residence of Judge Birch, whose son and heir, George Birch, of Hamstead, Esq. sold this manor to the late Mr. Thomas Green, of Birmingham, who built a large house here for his principal residence, now, with the manor, possessed by the family of his grandson, the late Thomas Green Simcox, Esq. Among the principal residents of Harbourn are George Simcox, Esq. and Theodore Price, Esq. two of the oldest tradesmen and magistrates connected with the town of Birmingham. The church, an old tower structure, dedicated to St. Peter, has been within a few years, partly rebuilt and enlarged, with accommodation of free seats for the poor. In the village is a charity school, founded about a century ago for the instruc¬ tion of the poor children of the parish in reading and writing. The manor of Smethwick having been disposed of by Mr. Hinckley, was, at the commencement of the present century, the joint property of Mr. John Rey¬ nolds, of Shireland Hall, and Mr. John Baddely, of Albrighton, Salop. Smethwick Chapel, a small neat brick building, with a tower, was founded about a century ago by Mrs. Dorothy Parkes, of Birmingham, who settled and THE RESIDENCE OF D* E D JOHNSTONE JK> ID) (G3-1BA.SI T OM (DfflUU IRC JHL THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 365 devised lands here for the erection and support thereof, and for the support of a chaplain to officiate therein. The same pious and benevolent lady also founded and endowed a small charity school here, which is conducted by a female. Adjoining to Birmingham on the west and south-west is the parish of Edg- baston. In the reign of Henry II. Edgbaston was possessed by Henry sur- named de Edgbaston, and m the reign of Henry IV. was carried by the heiress of that family into the family of Middlemore, in which it continued till the year 17J7, when Sir Richard Gough, Knt. an ancestor of Lord Calthorpe, the present possessor, purchased the lordship of Edgbaston, and nearly the whole of the parish, from the Lord Viscount Faulconbridge and Lady Bridget his wife, who was one of the grand daughters and co-heiresses of Robert Middlemore, Esq. Edgbaston Hall ceased to be the family residence of the proprietors in the lat¬ ter quarter of the last century. Dr. Withering resided herein 1791, when the Hall was plundered by the rioters. For more than twenty years past it has been occupied by that well known and highly respected physician, Dr. Edward Johnstone. Near to Edgbaston Hall and adjoining to the park on the east, is a house called the Priory, now the residence of George Attwood, Esq. A conspicuous object at Edgbaston is the tall brick tower, seven stories high called the Monument, erected about the year 1758, by the late John Parrott, Esq. as an observatory, and not unfrequently designated Parrott’s Folly. In this parish is the school of Messrs. Hill, called Hazelwood School, an es¬ tablishment of considerable celebrity, situate on the Hagley road. Of the new roads opened over Lord Calthorpe’s estate the two principal ones are Calthorpe-street, leading from the five-ways turnpike to Edgbaston Church ; and Wellington-road, leading out of the Bromsgrove-road to the same point. Edgbaston Church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, after being demolished by the parliament forces in the civil wars, when they garrisoned Edgbaston House, was soon after the restoration rebuilt. The tower and a portion of the east end are nearly all that now remain of the old edifice, the body having been taken down and rebuilt in the year 1810. The Parsonage House is distant about half a mile from the church. King’s Norton, generally reputed to be a parish of itself, is in truth but a ham¬ let or chapelry belonging to Bromsgrove, and Moseley is the same. They are both in the county of Worcester. The former hamlet touches upon the southern extremity of Birmingham, at or near the River Rea, and adjoins to the parish of Aston at Bordesley. The village of King’s Norton, situate about five miles south of Birmingham, CHAP. XIII. Edgbaston. King’s Norton. 366 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Moseley. formerly ranked as a town, in which the business of woolstapling appears to have once flourished. A market on Saturday, and two fairs in a year, were granted by- James I.; but the market is quite disused. The lofty spire of its ancient chapel, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is a principal object on proceeding from Birmingham, along the Bromsgrove turnpike road. In the church-yard is a free school, found¬ ed by King Edward VI., wherein are the remains of a parochial library establish¬ ed by the Rev. Thomas Hall, minister and schoolmaster here, an author of some note, who was ejected from his preferments for non-conformity, and died in 166-5. Moseley, through which runs the turnpike road from Birmingham to A lcester, is delightfully situated for the most part on rising ground, commanding fine pros¬ pects over Birmingham and Edgbaston. The Chapel of Moseley, dedicated to the blessed Virgin, was a few years since rebuilt and enlarged. The old stone tower remains, with the battlements repaired. The Worcester and Birmingham canal passes through King’s Norton, where it is joined by the Stratford canal. The Roman Ikenield-street also passes through from Edgbaston to Beoley. The manor of Bromsgrove is now possessed by the earl of Plymouth, and that of King’s Norton, by James Taylor, Esq. SUTTON COLDFIELD. This town is situate near the north-west border of the county which communi¬ cates with Staffordshire. Although Sutton is placed in a meagre soil, and has a contiguous spread of waste land, “ which presents to the eye of the traveller a bleak and cheerless tract of land, the neighbourhood is still fertile and kind in the antiquary’s opinion ; and which has of late years been proved so by those who have cultivated certain parts of it,” Mr. Shaw, the Staffordshire historian, in his history of that county supposes the arch-druid of Britain to have had his chief seat in this vicinity, and the two Roman roads termed Icknield, or Ryknild-street, and the Ridgeway pursue their course at a short distance from this town. But, while the town of Sutton is thus bordered by antiquities of the most inte¬ resting description, it does not in itself present any memorials of a very remote day. William the Conqueror held the lordship in his own hands; but Henry I. passed it from the crown, to Roger, earl of Warwick; by a subsequent agreement however, a yearly rent was appropriated to the service of the king. Guy de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, obtained in the twenty-eighth of Edward I., the grant of a weekly market on the Tuesday; and a yearly fair to last four days. But, in the reign of Henry VII. it appears this market was utterly forsaken, and the town was quickly proceeding to a state of ruin and desertion, when its for- SEAT OF HUGO MAVESYN CHADWICK ESQ? THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 367 tunes revived in the person of a successful native, John Vesey, bishop of Exe¬ ter ; this prelate, who acquired affluence in the busy times of Henry VIII. de¬ voted a great portion of his wealth to the success of the place which had afforded him birth; and to the liberality of his benefactions, the town is at present indebt¬ ed for its principal advantage. An extensive district, comprehending the park of the ancient lords of the manor and a portion of the chase, which they had en¬ grossed for the sports of the field, he bestowed on the poor of Sutton Coldfield, for the purpose of pasturage. Fie procured for the town a charter of incorpora¬ tion ; built a moat hall and a market place; paved the principal avenues; found¬ ed and endowed a free-school; and expended considerable sums in embellishing and making additions to the church. He likewise endeavoured to confer the most solid benefit on his native place, by introducing the clothing manufacture, and by building many houses to be free for such as followed that pursuit, these houses principally remain a monument of his liberal intention, but they have long ceased to be occupied by such manufacturers as it was his wish originally to en¬ courage, and are, such parts as remain fit for occupation, converted into dwellings for the labouring class of society. The town of Sutton Coldfield has a neat appearance, and contains many dwel¬ lings both in the town and neighbourhood, of an ornamental character, which add much to its good appearance, and renders it more pleasing to the eye of the tra¬ veller. Some manufactures connected with Birmingham, have been introduced within the last century, much to the advantage of the inhabitants, which has tended in a great measure to increase the population, to augment the size of the place, and to improve the surrounding neighbourhood. The number of popu¬ lation mentioned in the census of 1821, is three thousand four hundred and twenty-six. The church is a handsome structure, comprising a nave, chancel, and two side aisles. The aisles were built by bishop Vessey, in the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII. The nave, which was ancient and decayed, was taken down, and rebuilt in its present form about the middle of the last century. The bishop of Exeter, when he founded his grammar school in this town, di¬ rected that the master should be a layman; and it is observable that Lawrence Noel, whom Camden celebrates for his great learning, was nominated master in the lifetime of the founder, but was persecuted by the trustees, into a resignation when he had filled the office little more than one year. The school house, was re¬ built in 1728. The power of choosing a master is vested in the corporation. 'The weekly market is on Monday; and there are two annual fairs. John Vesey, otherwise Harman, bishop of Exeter, was born at Sutton Cold- CHAP. XIII. Sutton ColdtieU’. 368 HISTORY OF BOOK X. Sutton Park. Four Oaks Hall. Moxhull. Colaslull. field, and was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford; his talents and activity in¬ troduced him to the notice of the court, at a time when able men were so much wanted for clerical offices, by Henry VIII. He was made dean of the chapel royal; tutor to the Princess Mary, and president of Wales. In the eleventh year of the same king’s reign, he was advanced to the bishopric of Exeter. He is said to have been a florid preacher, and a great scholar. But his bigotted oppo¬ sition to the reformation, subjected him to great censure from many writers. It is certain that he endeavoured to render the see of Exeter no very desirable possession to his more tolerant successors, by exposing a great portion of the es¬ tates appertaining to that bishopric. He was compelled to resign in 1551 , but was reinstated by Queen Mary ; he, however, soon afterwards voluntarily aban¬ doned the see which he had rendered of so little value, and retired to his native town. He died in the year 1555 , at the advanced age of one hundred and three, and is buried in the church of Sutton. The extensive district called the Coldfield lies to the west of the town of Sut¬ ton. This a bleak and cheerless tract, supposed to comprehend in the whole near thirteen thousand acres, a great portion of which is in Staffordshire. Sutton park lies to the north-west of the town, and originally contained about three thousand five hundred acres. This extensive district was granted by Bishop Vesey to the corporation of Sutton for the benefit of the poor inhabitants of that town. Through the park passes the Roman Icknield, or Ryknield-street, in a high state of preservation, a great portion of the Coldfield and the park have from time to time been inclosed, by acts of parliament, which has considerably altered the roads and ancient appearance. On the east side of Sutton park is Four Oaks Hall, the handsome residence of Sir E. C. Hartop, Bart. Moxhull is in the parish of Wishaw, about four miles distant from Sutton Coldfield. This manor was long possessed by the L’Isle family, from whom it passed to a son of the worthy and eminent Bishop Hacket, and is now the pro¬ perty of his descendants who have here a handsome family residence. The town of Coleshill is built on an ascent at the foot of which flows the river Cole; and from these circumstances of site, the place obviously derives its appel¬ lation. The domestic buildings in this town are generally of a respectable cha¬ racter ; and there are some modern dwellings which unite ornament with ampli¬ tude of dimension. Coleshill was one of the towns termed ancient demesne, as it formed part of the possessions of Edward the Confessor, and of William the Conqueror; but it subsequently passed to the De Clinton family. From the De Clintons the lordship passed, by marriage, to the Mountfort family, who lost the THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 369 possession in consequence of the severity of king Henry VII. ; Sir Simon Mount- fort who had been a constant friend and faithful subject to the house of York, was one of the numerous persons who believed Perkin Warbeck, to be really the son of the deceased king Edward IV. In consequence of this persuasion he for¬ warded to Warbeck a sum of money. For such an offence he was executed at Tyburn, and on the confiscation of his property the manor of Coleshill was granted to Simon Digby, then deputy constable of the tower, who had officially conducted him to the bar at his trial. The church of Coleshill is a fine and attractive specimen of the decorated Go¬ thic or English style of architecture. This ancient fabric stands on a fine emi¬ nence ; and on the west, a lofty octagonal spire springs from an ornamental tower, strengthened by graduated buttresses. The interior is spacious, and affluent in well executed monuments. Alice the widow of Simon Digby bequeathed in the the twelfth of Henry VIII. certain rents and possessions for the performance of several ceremonies, which in an after period were deemed superstitious, and were accordingly abolished. The inhabitants, however, obtained from the crown a grant of the property and devoted a part of the yearly profits to the maintenance of a school for the instruction of poor children. Coleshill has a weekly market, and three annual fairs, at which there is consi¬ derable traffic in cattle and horses. Coleshill Park is situate to the west of the town, but the ancient mansion is now entirely taken down and not a vestige left to mark the site on which it stood. The old mansion was for ages the residence of the Digby family, created Earls of Bris¬ tol in the reign of James I. Here was born John the first earl, whose embassies were conducted with so much credit to himself and benefit to his country ; and this retired residence also occasionally afforded an interval of peace to the adven¬ turous and unequal life oP George, the second earl, distinguished as a soldier, an orator and a writer, but the decisions of whose judgment were continually sullied by an eccentricity, that appeared the result of a morbid activity of imagination. The title of Earl of Bristol became extinct in the Digby family on the death of John the third earl, in 1698. The present Earl Digby takes the title of Viscount from the town of Coleshill. TAMWORTH DIVISION. Consists of part of the market town of Tamworth, and the following parishes, townships, &c.: Amington and Stone Delph, (township), Austrey; Buddeshy- ensor; Bolehall and Glascote (township); Grendon, witjj Whittington; King>- 3 B CHAV. XIII. Col sshill l’ar'c and Ma nsion. 370 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Tamworth. Ancient History of Tam worth. The Castle. bury; Middleton; Newton Regis; Polesworth ; Seckington ; Shuttington ; Tam¬ worth Castle (liberty) ; Wilnecote (hamlet). Tamworth. This town is situate near the confluence of the rivers Tame and Anker, which takes place in the north-west extremity of Warwickshire. Only about half of Tamworth is in the county of Warwick, the remainder is in Staffordshire, and in the description of that district, forming a part of the present work, this town has been so fully noticed,* that a brief sketch of its general history, and a statement of statistical particulars relating to the Warwickshire portion, will we presume be deemed sufficient in this division of the undertaking, as it would in other respects lengthen our pages considerably too much to treat briefly on the place. Tamworth was anciently chosen as an occasional residence of the Mercian kings at a vei*y early period. Many charters are dated from this royal seat; and here Ethelfleda, the daughter of the great Alfred, and the excellent lady of the Mer¬ cians, died in the year 918. Little that is memorable occurs, concerning the his¬ tory of this borough, in the ages briefly following the Norman conquests. Dug- dale observes that the Warwickshire portion of the Town “ answered two marks for an aid in the fifteenth of Henry II., and in the twenty-first of Henry III. four pounds sixteen shillings for the ferm thereof.” The town was an ancient demesne of the crown, and continued in the immediate hands of the king till the latter years of Henry III. when it was let to Philip Marmion for life, it afterwards reverted to the crown and was granted (i. e. the Warwickshire part) by Edward II. to the inhabitants of the borough, with a reservation of an augmented ferm rent. Queen Elizabeth granted a charter of incorporation, on a scale peculiarly libe¬ ral ; and constituted Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, the first steward of the borough. In the same reign the weekly market, which had hitherto been held by prescription was established by charter. This town is well built, “ and like most other places of note has of late years become much improved and augmented in size and the number of its inhabitants,’’ and the rivers which adorn its immediate neighbourhood with picturesque mean* ders, impart fertility to large spreads of meadow ground. The most interesting structure in Tamworth is the ancient castle : this building stands on an artificial mount, formerly connected with the dungeon of the Lady Ethelfleda ; and an edi¬ fice situate nearly on this spot, was given to Robert Marmion, by William the Conqueror. The Marmions remained lords of the castle till the twentieth of Ed¬ ward I., when it passed by marriage to William Mortein, and afterwards to the Frevile family. The family of the Ferrers succeeded to the lordship in the reign See Beauties of Staffordshire. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 371 of Henry VI. and they were followed by the Comptons. The Marquis of Towns- hend is now proprietor in right of Lady Compton, baroness de Ferrers, daughter of the earl of Northampton. The exterior of this venerable castle is still in a good state of preservation, but the inside has suffered much from age and neglect. The church of Tam worth is an extensive edifice, rich in the peculiarities of ar¬ chitectural style prevailing at several distinct periods. The most ancient portion exhibits two round headed arches, embellished with zigzag mouldings ; and from this circumstance, it seems probable that the original edifice was constructed by the Marmions soon after the conquest. Here is an hospital founded and endowed by Mr. Guy, to whose benevolence the borough of Southwark is under such important obligations; and in the Staf¬ fordshire part of the town is a grammar school founded by Queen Elizabeth. Tamworth enjoys a considerable trade, and cultivates, to some extent, the ma¬ nufacture of flax, spinning of linen yarn, and the printing of calicoes. Some superfine cloths are also made in this town. The market is weekly, and there are three annual fairs. The corporation con¬ sists of two bailiffs, twenty-four principal burgesses, a town-clerk, &c., besides a high steward, under steward, and recorder. Pooley Hall, the seat of the honourable Colonel Finch is situate about four miles from Tamworth on the south-east. This lands attached to the residence, anciently formed part of the possessions of the Marmions of Tamworth castle, and, after several intermediate transmissions, came to the family of Cockain, in the latter part of the fourteenth century. It is ascertained that Sir John Cockain resided at Pooley in the reign of Henry IV., and his descendants for many succeeding generations, made it their principal seat. The present mansion was erected by Sir Thomas Cockain, in the time of Hen¬ ry VIII., and is a fine but irregular building, varying in character, between the embattled style of the previous troubled and suspicious ages, and the amplitude of construction, then first growing into practice. The extensive park of Polesworth is memorable for the district in which was founded, the first religious house in this county. The nunnery here is said to have been erected by King Egbert, or his son Ethelwolf, for the reception of St. Modwena, daughter of the king of Connaught and her religious sisterhood. Considerable portions of the building yet remain in a picturesque and most im¬ pressive stage of decay : among these occur two circular arches, the principal of which is embellished with several divisions of carved moulding, the inner range of stones being shaped into rude resemblances of the human face, interspersed with subjects of a fanciful character. At Polesworth is a free-school founded and amply endowed by Sir Francis No- thersole, Knt. CHAP. XIII. Pooley Hall. Polesworth Park. 372 HISTORY OF The village of Seckington, near the northern termination of this county, claims notice as the theatre of a sanguinary conflict between Cathred, king of the west Saxons, and Ethelwald, king of the Mercians, in 757. The latter monarch was treacherously slain, during the progress of the battle, by one of his own officers, the traitor was, however, shortly afterwards put to death by King Offia, who suc¬ ceeded to the dominions of Ethelwald. The manor of Middleton has been long possessed by the Willoughby family. Sir Thomas Willoughby was created Baron Middleton, of this place, in the year 1711, the Willoughby family have here an eligible, though not a very spacious seat, surrounded by fine and well wooded grounds. ATHERSTONE DIVISION. Contains two market towns of Atherstone and Nuneaton, and the following pa¬ rishes and hamlets; Ansley; Baxterley ; Bentley, (hamlet;) Caldecote; Chil- vers-Coton; Corley; Fillongley; HaTtshill, (hamlet;) Lea Marston ; Mancester; Maxtoke; Merevale; Oldbury, (hamlet;) Shutstoke with Blythe; Weddington; Whiteacre over or superior ; Whiteacre nether or inferior. ATHERSTONE Was a place of but little note at the time of the conquest, and was bestowed at an early period, on the monks of Bee, in Normandy, by Hugh, earl of Ches¬ ter. The monks procured a weekly market and an annual fair; and to their pa¬ tronage the town appears indebted for its first steps to prosperity. The town of Atherstone chiefly consists of one principal street. An eligible market house has lately been erected, with a spacious room in the upper division, which is generally used in the transaction of public business. A religious house for friars-hermits of St. Augustin, was founded at Ather¬ stone, in the forty-ninth of Edward III. but those mendicant friars met with little encouragement, and their possessions at the dissolution, in the time of Henry VIII. were valued at only <£l. 10s. 3d. per annum. But of this ancient struc¬ ture, not a vestige remains. After the dissolution, the nave or western end of the church belonging to the friary, was granted to the inhabitants of Atherstone, as a chapel of ease to the parish of Mancester; and, as such it remains to the present day. A free grammar-school was founded at Atherstone by Sir William Devereux and two other benevolent persons, in 1573. The chancel of the friary church was appropriated to the use of this seminary ; and is still used for the same purpose. Here is a weekly market, and four annual fairs. The manufacture of hats is BOOK i. Seckington. Middleton. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 373 cultivated here to some extent; and the town derives considerable advantage chap. XIII. from the canal immediately proceeding from Coventry to Fazeley, which touches -- its border on the north-west. Mancester, (usually pronounced, and often written Manceter) is an extensive Mancester parish, comprehending the town of Atherstone, and the hamlets of Oldbury and Hartshill. Mancester is a small village, but must be viewed with high in¬ terest as occupying a part of the site of the Roman station Manduessedum. The Watling street passes in the close vicinity of the village on the north-east; and on this road are the remains of a camp, which are divided into nearly equal parts by the transit of the street. The mean length of the whole level surface, or area within the earth works, is six hundred and twenty-seven feet; and the mean breadth, four hundred and thirty-eight feet; the total contents being six acres, one rood, and four perches. Fragments of building, and Roman coins, have been frequently found in the neighbourhood. At Oldbury, are the remains of a castramatation, which is supposed to have OMbury. formed the summer camp to the Roman station, Manduessedum. Three sides are yet well preserved. The ramparts are about twenty feet broad at the bot¬ tom and about six feet high. On this spot now stands the spacious and elegant modern mansion of H. F. Okeover, Esq. To the north-east of the camp of Oldbury, a large plain is terminated by a smaller camp, which Mr. Bartlett, in his history and antiquities of this parish, supposes “to have been constructed fora guard against any of the foresters at¬ tempting to surprise the garrison, when performing exercise.” Hartshill, the Campus Martius of the Romans, and included by them in the Hartabui. general name of Manduessedum, occupies a hilly plain of so elevated a charac¬ ter, that it is said more than forty churches may be seen from thence with the naked eye. The rural hamlet of Hartshill, gave birth, in the year 1563, to Michael Dray¬ ton, a poet highly esteemed at the period in which he wrote, and who has many admirers at the present day. Among his numerous works, the Polyolbino; England’s lieroical epistles ; and the Nymphidia, are, perhaps, the most popu¬ lar. Several of his sonnets possess considerable beauty. Drayton died in 1631 , and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The manor of Ansley passed, by purchase, to the Ludford family, in the year AnC!,le y- 1613, and the present Ludford family, who now possess the estate, arc descend¬ ants in a female line from the original purchaser, and reside at the hall, which 3 c 374 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Marevale Hall. Nuneaton. Caldecote Hall. Shustolie. is au irregular but respectable family mansion, which appears to have been erected at different periods. . The church of Anesley contains some small remains of Saxon or early Nor man architecture, and has,at the west end, a square tower of considerable beauty. At Merevale, near Atherstone, is the handsome residence of Dugdale Strat¬ ford Dugdale, Esq.; which gentleman is descended in a female line, from Sir William Dugdale the eminent historian. The contiguous grounds are very rich and fine, in which are still standing many venerable monarchs of the forest. The town of Nuneaton appears entirely indebted for its early prosperity to the foundation of a monastry, in the time of King Stephen. This religious house was founded by Robert, Earl of Leicester, and was of the order ofFonte- vault in Poictiers, which order possessed the peculiarity of comprehending both monks and nuns within the pale of one establishment. The church of Nuneaton is a Gothic building, though by no means suffici¬ ently spacious for the accommodation of the inhabitants. Here is a free school founded in the sixth of Edward VI., towards the establishment of which that King gave three closes of ground lying within the liberties of Coventry, and formerly belonging to the Trinity Guild, this town derives considerable benefit from the manufacture of ribbons, and has a weekly market and three annual fairs. Caldecote Hall is rather more than two miles from Nuneaton on the north¬ west. A moiety of the manor of Caldecoat was procured by the Purefoy fa¬ mily, in the reign of Edward VI. The estate was afterwards purchased by Sir Nathan Wright, lord keeper of the great seal; whose son William sold it to Robert Princeps, Esq., and his son conveyed it to Thomas Fisher, Esq. By the latter gentleman considerable additions and improvements were made ; but due attention was paid to the original and venerable features of the edifice. The church is a plain Gothic structure, containing several monuments to the Purefoy family. The parish of Shustoke will be viewed with interest, as the birth place of the celebrated antiquary, Sir William Dugdale. This distinguished writer, to whose historical labours Warwickshire is so much indebted, was bom at the rectory house of Shustoke on the twelfth of Septem¬ ber, 1605. He received the rudiments of education at the school of Nether Whiteacre, and afterwards removed to the free school of Coventry, where he remained till the age of fifteen. On leaving school, he was fortunate in find- mV in M Q 4.11 M’lM 111! ' ' > ■ 4. ■ TiMA'NS, MAY «S T , l$Z9 . HROMSGKOVE ST . BIRMINGHAM. THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. •375 ing a father anxious to cultivate in his bosom a love of study; and to the early CH ^y lessons of his parent, who directed his attention particularly to law and history, we may presume much of the future taste of this eminent antiquary must he ascribed. The church of Shustoke is a handsome structure erected in the time of Ed¬ ward II. The remains of Sir William Dugdale and his lady, lie in a vault on the north side of the chancel; over the tomb is a marble tablet, bearing a Latin inscription to the memory of the deceased, and embellished with the family arms. Blythe Hall, the former residence of Sir William Dugdale, was purchased by Blythe Sir Walter Aston, in 1625. This is a spacious and respectable seat, but placed in a low situation on the border of the river Blythe, at the short distance of one mile from the town of Coleshill. Maxstoke Castle. This fine structure was chiefly erected by William de Clin- ca*tie° ke ton, Earl of Huntingdon, in the reign of Edward III. and continued to be the seat of the ancient family of Clinton until the reign of Henry IV. when it was passed, in exchange for certain manors in Northamptonshire, to Humjney Earl of Stafford, afterwards Duke of Buckingham. From the Staffords the estate, after remaining some time with the crown, passed to the Comptons; and of them it was purchased, in the reign of Elizabeth, by the Lord Keeper Egerton, by whom it was again sold to Thomas Dilke, Esq. In this family it now remains and is the residence of Mr. Dilke. The castle is built in the form of a parallelogram, and encompassed by a moat. At each corner is an hexagonal tower, with embattled parapets; the entrance is by an august gateway, strengthened on each side by a tower of hexagonal form. The gates are covered with plates of iron, and the marks of the discarded port¬ cullis are yet visible. A portion of the interior of this edifice was accidentally destroyed by fire, but the greater part of the ancient building still remains. SITMWEEEIELD HOUSE. This very pleasant residence, situated on Birmingham-heath, is the seat of James Woolley, Esq. to whom the county at large is particularly indebted ; as, at the time he was Sheriff, he was the principal promoter of the County Asylum, at Church Stretton, near Rugby. SOLIHULL DIVISION Comprises the following parishes and hamlets; Baddeslcy Clinton, Balsall, 376 HISTORY OF BOOK I. Solihull. Malvern Hall. Knowle or Knoll. (hamlet) Barston, Berkswell, Bickenliill, Elmdon, Hampton-in-Arden, Kin- walsey, (hamlet) Great Packington, and Little Packington. Solihull (commonly called Silhill) ranks as one of the market towns of this county, hut the market is now in a state of absolute disuse. This place wears the tranquil appearance of a large village, and contains little to attract the no¬ tice, except the church, which is a spacious and handsome building of the cru¬ ciform description. Sir William Dugdale conjectures that the chief parts of the districts now com¬ prehended in the parish of Solihull, were anciently known by the name of XJlverlie , at the time of the Norman survey. Here was formerly the chief seat of the barony of Limesic; and the residences of the barons, Dugdale supposes to have occupied a spot at present known by the name of Olton, a small village about two miles from Solihull on the north-west. From the ruins of this baronial residence, and its dependant habitations, sprung, in the reign of Henry III. the town of Solihull. Grants for a weekly market and a yearly fair were obtained; but the town at the present day has but little appearance of commercial distinction. In the close vicinity of Solihull is Malvern Hall, the seat of the late Henry Greswold Lewis, Esq. This desirable mansion is placed on an elevated site, and is surrounded by spacious park-grounds, beautifully ornamented with fine timber. The extensive parish of Hampton-in-Arden involves two hamlets peculiarly deserving of notice. The nearest of these to the mother church is a pleasing village, situate on elevated ground. This lordship was possessed by Eleanor, the consort of Edward I., and, on the death of that Queen, it was given, with many others, to the Monks of Westminster, on condition of their performing certain pious ceremo¬ nies. About the latter end of the reign of Richard II. Walter Gooke, a church¬ man of high preferment and repute, erected a chapel at his own expence, in the village of Knowle. In the 14th of Henry IV., he founded here a chantry of either one or two Priests. Retaining his friendly inclinations towards this spot, he procured, in 14th of the same King, a licence to institute, in conjunction with some other persons, a gild within the chapel, of which fraternity many noble and celebrated men became members. With the concurrence of Eliza¬ beth, the widow of Lord Clinton, he afterwards obtained permission for him¬ self and that lady, to found here a college of ten chantry Priests; but at the ' . * # • . - - ' . . • ... .. • , . ' . ‘ *• fi . ■ ■ V ~ ' , • • . • . • • ; ■ . . ■' ' v ”■ - : BABBHESJLEY' CHLIN'TOH' ♦ f JOWWTL.E BLAILJL THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 377 dissolution of institutions in the reign of Henry VIII. there were only two vhap. chantry Priests on the foundation, and the revenues were valued at only £-22.- 3s. 3d. The income of the gild supporting three chantry Priests was returned at £29. 14s. 7d. The chapel (now commonly called Knowle church) is an ancient building of Ac- much beauty, consisting of a nave, two aisles, and a chancel. In the south wall are four stone seats, or recesses, beneath embellished arches ; and further towards the east is a handsome friscina. On the north side are seven stalls and on the south side six. These are ornamented with various satirical allusions, among which may be noticed an ape holding a bag, and a bear looking at it; a fox sitting holding an open book, &c. In the south wall of the south aisle occur a priscian and a locker. Over the wood loft are some remains of paintings, comprising whole lengths of the Virgin Mary, another saint, and an angel. Several of the pews are embellished with curious carvings, and in the windows are still preserved some ancient fragments of painted glass. In ploughing a field near Knowle, an urn of a dark brown colour was dis¬ covered, containing coins of the lower empire to the weight of near 15 pounds. Near Knowle is a place called Knowle Hall, which now is used as a com¬ mon farm house, but has evidently been the family residence of some ancient family ; although there is no history of any importance relating to it, still it presents, at the present day, the remains of a mansion or manor house, and forms an object worthy the notice of the historian, as will be seen by the annexed engraving of it. TEMPLE BALSALL Is a hamlet belonging to the parish of Hampton-in-Arden ; was given to Tem^i. the Knights Templars by Roger de Mowbray; which religious Knights, erected a church in this place, and constructed here a house as a preceptory, or cell to their principal mansion, the Temple, in London. Besides the manor of Balsall, the Knights Templars had various other lauded possessions in Warwickshire ; and their property at Balsall, was supported with much splendour until the termination of the order of Templars in England, in the reign of Edward II. The Knights Hospitallers briefly succeeded to the possessions of the Templars at Balsall ; but it does not appear that they had any preceptory or residence at this place. On the dissolution of Monasteries, this Manor came, after various transmis¬ sions, to Lady Katherine Leveson, the daughter of Sir Robert Dudley, and this 378 HISTORY OP BOOK '• Lady bequeathed the whole Lordship for the founding of an Hospital for the reception and maintenance of indigent females, either widows, or unmarried women of fair character, to be chosen from the inhabitants of certain specific parishes, that of Balsall having the preference. A minister was also appointed to instruct the pensioners for the good of their souls; and it was directed that he should likewise teach and instruct twenty of the poorest hoys of Balsall and parish until fit to he put apprentice. The Church of Balsall will he viewed with considerable interest, as it has experienced scarcely any external alterations since its erection by the Knights Templars. This building is in form, an oblong square; and is, according to an admeasurement, stated by Dr. Thomas, 104 feet in length ; 39 feet in breadth ; 57 feet high. The interior is not subject to any division ; and was formerly handsomely pevred in a style that corresponded with the building, with a gallery at the west end, but which has, within the last seven years, been com¬ pletely stript of its interior ornaments, and there are now instituted for the pews a miserable and mean set of seats or forms, with merely a rail at the back ; and the ancient gallery is also completely taken away and nothing instituted in its place, w r hicli gives the interior of this venerable and ancient building a poor, cold, and naked appearance : this injudicious alteration is much to he regretted, as it immediately strikes the eye of the visitor on entrance with aw r e and disgust; be¬ sides this, many of the old family stones or slabs that ornamented the floor of this edifice, and denoted those persons who had been respectable inhabitants of the hamlet in earlier days, have also been unwarrantably removed with- o ut the sanction of the surviving relatives, and it is believed without their knowledge; the object for making this injudicious alteration, and remov¬ ing those marble slabs, we must leave to our readers’ discrimination. The walls are three feet thick, and the roofing is composed of timber, formerly divided into two squares, at the angles of which were shields of arms. At the east end is a lofty pointed window of five lights ; and on each side are three w indows, consisting alternately of three .and four lights, the leads beautifully ramnified, and all similar. At the west end is likewise a window of five lights, and over it a circular window of twelve compartments. The doors were four in number, and very small. Over that of the south west corner is a turret, rising no higher than the centre of the roof. The butteresses are light, and not graduated. The ornamental sculptures, consisting of imposts of the arches, and a row of ten heads on a cornice or moulding, at the west end are of excellent workmanship. It may be observed that the chancel is not distinguished from the nave by any PAC KINGTON HALIL THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. 379 circumstance than the floor in that part rising only one step. In the south wall, at the east end of the church, are three stone stalls or recesses, The ancient hall of the Templars is still existing, though now surrounded with brickwork, and disfigured by square headed windows. This spacious apartment appears to have been wholly framed of timber, and divided into three aisles by massive wooden pillars. The bequest of Lady Leveson has proved of the most propitious character, and the number of alms people has been augmented at several periods, inconse¬ quence of the affluent state of the finances. The various buildings connected with this charity are substantial and extensive, and the whole institution ranks among the most advantageous and pleasing possession of the county. The parish of Meriden is ornamented by the respectable family mansion of W. Digby, Esq. At Great Packington is the seat of the Earl of Aylesford. The manor of Packington came to the ancestors of the present noble proprietor in the early part of the 18 th century, in consequence of a marriage with the daughter of Sir Clement Fisher. The neighbourhood of Packington is said to contain the highest ground in England, and many points command prospects as beautiful and various as they are extensive. The spacious mansion was much improved by the late Earl and his father, and is now a commmodious residence of the first class, though not of an ornamental character. The grounds possess a natural inequality, favourable to picturesque effect, and are well wooded and finely adorned with water. The late Earl of Aylesford, who had much activity of taste, in conjunction with merits still more estimable, studiously imparted to these grounds an air of wildness, likely to convey general pleasure, because its graces are dependant on no caprice of fashion, and vary with the beautiful vi¬ cissitudes of nature. His lordship’s talents were not confined to arrangement of landscape scenery ; and many drawings and etchings preserved in the family mansion, evince his familiarity with the pencil and burin. This accomplished nobleman died in the year 1812 . The parish church of Packington was rebuilt in the latter part of the 18 th century; it is not on an extensive scale, and possesses little beauty of outward feature. At a short distance from Packington is the Forest Hall, a building erected for the accommodation of a Society of Archers, who hold periodical meetings, and exercise the bow for honorary prizes. FINIS. V ■