:

STAFFORDSHIRE.

lage is small, and obscurely placed in a narrow valley, between two lofty hills. The superior lords of the chief manor, originally, were the Ferrers, earls of Derby, * from whom it descended to the house of Lancaster. In the reign of Edward III. John of Gaunt made a grant of it to sir Philip de Somerville, for certain curious servicest which our limits will not permit us to narrate. From this family it passed by marriage to that of Griffyth, who likewise possessed the adjoining manor of Briddeshus, or Briddesdale.

The parish church is a large old building, consisting of a lofty nave and chancel, and surmounted by a massive tower. On the floor, in the body of it, are several ancient flat stones with figures cut out upon them, but in so mutilated a state as t render it impossible to ascertain any thing concerning them. The tower is remarkable as the Centrum Phonocampticum, or object of an echo, which returns no less than five syllables distinctly, though the distance of the centrum phonicum, or speaker's place, does not exceed 70 yards. Another uncommon echo is mentioned by Dr. Plot as having been formerly heard near the parsonage house, which so much depended on the state of the weather that it never answered except in frost.

There are several hamlets in this parish; but that of Burton under Needwood alone deserves to be noticed. This place was anciently called simply Berton, and seems to have been of some consequence at the time of the Norman conquest. The church, a chapel of ease to Tatenhill, is a neat building of stone founded about the commencement of the sixteenth century, by Dr. John Taylor, a native of this village, and the eldest of three at a birth. The windows of the chancel still display the remains of rich and elegantly finished paintings of the twelve apostles. In the centre one is the figure of the

• Baron. Vol. I. p. 262.

+ See Shaw's Staffordshire, p. 106. Blount's Tenures, 217. Baronage.

Saviour

Dugdale's

Plot's Natural history of Staffordshire, p. 28.

Saviour upon the cross. At the eastern extremity of the village stands the Free-school, a very respectable old fabric erected in 1593, and lately much improved through the exertions of Mr. Kirk.

Some years ago a variety of Roman coins were discovered in the vicinity of the small hamlet of Callingwood. A curious and beautiful model in shittim wood of the holy sepulchre, with the church over it, was formerly deposited in a house possessed by Mr. Jolland. The history of it, as well as the name of the artist, are unknown. It is remarkable that salt is so profusely mixed with the soil of some parts of this parish, that even black cattle change their colour to a whitish dun, after grazing upon it only for a few months. To the west of the principal village lies Sinai park once possessed by the abbots of Burton, and now the property of the earl of Uxbridge. It is a rough hilly piece of ground and derived its name from some supposed resemblance between it and the wilderness of Sinai.

TUTBURY, OR STUTESBURY.

This celebrated place lies about four miles from Burton upon Trent, on the west bank of the river Dove. It was erected into a free borough at an early period by some of the royal per. sonages, who occupied its once magnificent castle. The burgesses and inhabitants then possessed a variety of valuable privileges. Among these were "divers liberties of common of pasture, purvenage, and estovers, in the forest of Needwood," together with freedom from "all toll, tonnage, package, poundage, and other exactions within all their possessions." What is rather remarkable, this town never had the right of sending members to Parliament, though still retaining the name of a borough, and having a population of a thousand persons. The market, which is held on Tuesday, is of small note. Woolcombing constitutes the principal business of the inhabitants. A cotton

9

A cotton manufactory, established about twenty years ago, also continues to give employment to a considerable number of persons. Tutbury has an excellent free school originally founded and endowed by Richard Wakefield in the year 1730, and rebuilt in 1789. It has likewise a meeting house for dis

senters.

The castle, than which there is scarcely one more famous in England, is supposed by some to have been first erected* a considerable time before the Norman conquest. Camden,t however, expressly says "it was built by Henry de Ferrars, a noble Norman, to whom William the first gave fine estates in this county," and of course at a period subsequent to that event. • In the family of Ferrars it remained till the reign of Henry the third, when it was forfeited by Robert de Ferrars, the rebel earl of Derby. Henry the third, the reigning monarch, bestowed it on his second son Edmund, earl of Lancaster. In 1322 it once more reverted to the crown, in consequence of the rebellion of Thomas, earl of Lancaster, who fortified it against Edward the second; but, being unable to hold it, was obliged to surrender. Having suffered considerable damage during this contest, and being afterwards allowed to fall into decay, John of Gaunt rebuilt the greater part of it upon the ancient scite in 1350.

This castle, being the principal seat of the dukes of Lancaster, was long distinguished as the scene of much festivity and splendour. The number of minstrels which crowded to it was so great that it was found necessary to have recourse to some expedient for preserving order amongst them, and determining their claims of precedence. Accordingly one of their own number, with the title of King of the minstrels, was appointed with

• Tradition even reports that a part of it was erected by Julius Cæsar, but this we presume to be a mere fable.

↑ Gough's Camden, Vol. II. p. 498.

+ Those who maintain that the castle was built prior to this period, say that it was given along with the estates to Henry de Ferrars.