rich and luxuriant meadows, through which the Tame and Anker glide along in the most picturesque manner. The two bridges, which are thrown across these rivers, add not a little to the general beauty of the scenery, which is viewed to the greatest advantage from the castle. This edifice was the seat of its lords till the commencement of the last century. The first of these was Robert Marmion, Lord of Fontnoy in Normandy, and a celebrated chieftain in the army of William the Conqueror: whose descendants enjoyed it till the year 1291, when it passed by marriage to William Mortein, and from him to the Frevile's. The same title in little more than a century carried it into the family of Ferrers, and from them also, at a later period, to the Comptons. The Marquis of Townshend is its present possessor in right of Lady Charlotte Compton, Baroness de Ferrers, only daughter of James Earl of Northampton. To a modern eye this castle, considered of itself, appears dull and heavy : but the elevation of its site throws around it an air of considerable grandeur. Exteriorly it is still kept in tolerable repair, though the interior is much injured. The apartments are for the most part extremely inconvenient and irregular. Indeed the dining room and drawing room are the only exceptions to this remark, each of which is ornamented with large projecting windows. Around the first are painted a great variety of coats of arms of the Ferrers family and its alliances; and in the other is a very splendid chimney-piece richly sculptured according to the old taste, and having beneath it the motto " Only one."

In the hall there was formerly an old rude delineation upon the wall, of the last battle between Sir John Launcelot of the Łake, a knight of king Arthur's round table, and another knight named Sir Turquin. The figures were drawn of gigantic dimensions, and appeared tilting together in the manner described in the romance; resting their spears, and pushing their horses at full speed against each other.

The church, which is dedicated to St. Editha, is supposed to occupy the site of the nunnery, the existence of which we have

already

already stated to be extremely doubtful. At what precise pe riod it was founded cannot be ascertained; but Leland thinks it must have been the work of one of the Marmions, very shortly after the Norman Conquest. Some person of the same family, and probably the founder, constituted it a collegiate church, and placed here a dean and six prebendaries, each of whom had his substitute or vicar. This church is very spacious; and, from the various styles of building it exhibits, would seem to have undergone very material alterations and repairs at different periods. It is surmounted by a massive tower, the double staircase of which is much celebrated by Dr. Plot, the floor of the one being the roof of the other. Each staircase has an entrance and exit peculiar to itself. Near the chancel are two great round arches with zigzag mouldings, which shew the era of their erection to have been at least prior to the reign of Henry the third. St. Editha is said to have had an image here which was destroyed at the time of the dissolution. The seven incumbents, however, enjoyed pensions so late as the year 1553. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the college and all its prebendaries were granted to Edward Downing, and Peter Ashton. Several lay prebendaries still remain attached to this church, but there is no dean-Indeed for many years the living was regarded only as a curacy; but, towards the close of the last century, a decision of the House of Lords declared it to be a vicarage. A number of antique and modern monuments adorn the different divisions of this church. The most distinguished are those in honour of the Freviles and Ferrers, upon which are placed their figures, and those of their wives. Among those of later date one particularly deserves to be noticed, on account of the elegance of its style and execution. It was erected towards the close of the seventeenth century, to the memory of John Ferrers, Esq. and his son Humphry, who died two years before his father at the age of twenty-five. This monument is of marble, and the figures as large as life, appears in a half-kneeling posture, and habited after the Roman costume.

The

The Hospital in this town was founded and endowed by Mr. Guy the rich bookseller, to whom the borough of Southwark is indebted for the noble institution which still bears his name. It is situated on the same spot where formerly stood an hospital dedicated to St. James, and built by Philip Marmion, in the 15th year of the reign of Edward the first.*

The Grammar School, founded by Queen Elizabeth, is yet an excellent and flourishing institution.

Tamworth being a town of considerable size, carries on a variety of manufactures. The chief of these formerly was the manufacture of superfine narrow woollen cloths; but this trade, though still considerable, has much decreased. The printing of calicos, and the tanneries on the other hand, are branches of business which have greatly advanced. The ale breweries are now likewise great sources of wealth to the inhabitants. According to the parliamentary returns of 1801 the population of the Staffordshire portion of this town consisted of 1123 persons, of whom 642 are returned as employed in different trades and manufactures. There are here several meeting houses for Dissenters.

Drayton Basset, a village situated about two miles south from Tamworth, was a place of some distinction in ancient times. The latter part of its name is derived from the illustrious family of the Bassets, who were for some time lords of the manor. It afterwards became the property of the Earls of Leicester and Essex, who frequently made the old mansion house their place of residence.

The church is a very handsome modern edifice, erected in imitation of the Gothic style of architecture. A variety of tombs and coats of arms of the Bassets ornament the interior.

Hints, lying to the west of Drayton, is a small village beautifully situated on the side of a considerable eminence, which commands an extensive and luxuriant prospect. From its Saxon

› Gough's Camden, Vol. II. 504. Pennant's Journey, p. 171. Tanner's Notitia.

↑ For a further account of Tamworth, see our account of Worcestershire.

Saxon name Hendon, signifying "Old Town," it would appear to occupy the site of some very ancient station.

Not far from the church is a very large tumulus, which is placed on the south side of the Roman road called the Watling Street. As it has not yet been opened the contents of it remain unknown; but it is supposed by Plot to be of Roman construction. On the common here was found, in 1792, a large pig of lead, having the following inscription upon it in bas relief.

IMP. VESP. VII. T. V. COS.

The church, a modern structure, exhibits a very fine speci men of Grecian architecture on a small scale. Its situation is lofty, and highly picturesque. In the interior are several monuments to the memory of the Floyers and Lawleys, two families of some note in the neighbourhood. The former church, which was very ancient, contained in the chancel a noble raised tomb in honour of one of the Bassets.

At Canwell, a hamlet situated at the south corner of this parish, but deemed extra-parochial, there was formerly a pri ory of Benedictine monks, founded in 1142 by Geva Ridell, daughter of Hugh Earl of Chester, and dedicated to St. Mary, St. Giles, and All Saints. It was one of the monasteries seized by Wolsey. The building, as Plot informs us, was a very curious old fabric of Gothic origin. It was destroyed somewhat more than half a century ago, by a tenant of the farm on which it stands, who is said to have got as much lead from the coffins he found in it, as paid the expenses of his alterations. Stables belonging to the superb mansion house of the Lawley's now occupy its site.

Weeford, adjoining to Hints on the north-west, is a low lying village and parish, situated on the south side of the Watling street, and distinguished as containing the large barrow which gives name to the hundred. Concerning the origin of this monument of antiquity, different opinions prevail among historians and antiquaries. Some regard it as the sepulchre of the celebrated

Plot. Stafford. p. 402.

brated Offa; but for this idea there seems to be no other evidence than the supposed etymology of its name. Dr. Plot, however, says it is most probably Saxon, and though not the burying place of the Mercian monarch,* certainly contains the bones of some mighty chieftain, who had perhaps fallen in some engagement near this place. Weeford has been the scene of much civil strife. A Purefoy was here slain by Sir Henry Willoughby during the contentions of the houses of York and Lancaster; and Sir Henry himself was shortly after desperately wounded almost on the same spot, in a rencounter with Lord L'Isle.

The church is a small ancient building no ways remarkable. The living is a prebend in Litchfield cathedral. Not far from it stands the mansion house of the Swinsens, a very noble edifice erected by Mr. Wyatt, father to the present celebrated architect, and said to have first brought him and his family into professional repute.

Shenston, which lies to the south-west of Weeford, is a very neat pleasant village, situated on a gentle eminence, and surrounded on all sides by an expansive vale. Almost every house has a small garden in front. The church, dedicated to St. John, stands nearly in the centre of the town. It is a very ancient structure in the form of a cross, but much altered from its original condition by successive repairs. The body is supported by a variety of strong pillars. This church consists of a north aisle and three chancels only, one of which is more modern than the other, and neatly fitted up in the Venetian taste, is now used for divine service.

In this parish is situated the splendid mansion house of Little Aston. An extensive lawn stretches itself around, finely shaded with trees, and embellished by a noble lake. Over the latter is thrown a very handsome bridge, and opposite to it stands an elegant stone conservatory, which adds considerably to the general beauty of the scenery. Immediately adjoining the hamlet of Overstonall on a small hill, appears an ancient fortification

*Offa was buried at Bedford, Mat. Paris. Math. West. p. 291.