M emorials o f the C ounties of E ngland General Editor: R e v . P. H. D i t c h f i e l d , M.A., F.S.A., F.R.S.L., F.R.Hist.S. M em orials of O ld S taffordshire B e r e s f o r d D a l e . M em orials o f O ld Staffordshire EDITED BY REV. W. BERESFORD, R.D. AU THOft OF A History of the Diocese of Lichfield A History of the Manor of Beresford, &c. , E d i t o r o f North's .Church Bells of England, &■V. One of the Editorial Committee of the William Salt Archaeological Society, &c. Y v, * W ith many Illustrations LONDON GEORGE ALLEN & SONS, 44 & 45 RATHBONE PLACE, W. 1909 [All Rights Reserved] T O T H E RIGHT REVEREND THE HONOURABLE AUGUSTUS LEGGE, D.D. LORD BISHOP OF LICHFIELD THESE MEMORIALS OF HIS NATIVE COUNTY ARE BY PERMISSION DEDICATED PREFACE H ILST not professing to be a complete survey of Staffordshire this volume, we hope, will W afford Memorials both of some interesting people and of some venerable and distinctive institutions; and as most of its contributors are either genealogically linked with those persons or are officially connected with the institutions, the book ought to give forth some gleams of light which have not previously been made public. Staffordshire is supposed to have but little actual history. It has even been called the playground of great people who lived elsewhere. But this reproach will not bear investigation. The great people had at all events their chief headquarters here; and lately something has been done by the William Salt Archaeological Association and its eminently learned and industrious first secretary, General Wrottesley, to banish tr.is reproach. No county, indeed, can boast of a greater modern historical worker than the late General the lion. George Wrottesley. He excused himself from writing in the following pages on account of his great age, and died before the volume was completed. But free use has been made of his thirty- three volumes; and several of the writers associated with him have contributed articles. And we may hope that, as Mr. Josiah Wedgwood speaks of the Old Castles and Families, the Rev. F. W^ottesley of Boscobel, the Rev. S. W . Hutchinson of the Religious Houses, the Rev. G. T. vii viii P r e f a c e Royds of the Royal Minsters, Canon Bodington of the Cathedral, Mr. J. T. Raby of Dr. Johnson and Lichfield, Mr. Percy Adams of the Potteries, Miss P. Biddulph of Biddulph, Sir R. Hardy of Needwood— not to mention other equally valued contributors — in this book old Staffordshire may have found some affectionate and intelligent interpretation. It may, perhaps, appear a little strange that Boscobel and its traditions have been included in this volume. The house, however, stands on the border-line between Salop and Staffordshire, and its associations are so closely bound up with Staffordshire families that no " Memorials ” would have been complete without them. W e must not forget to thank the Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell, Mr. W . H. Horne, Mr. H. F. Phillips, and Mr. A. Shallcross for much honorary and valuable photo­ graphic help. To the Editor the work, largely a labour of love, has been a source of much refreshment amid more serious duties. W i l l i a m B e r e s f o r d . 5 . Luke's Vicarage, Leeky Nov. 1909. CONTENTS P a g e Histonc Staffordshire. By the E d i t o r . i Old Families and Castles . By J o s ia h C. W e d g w o o d , M.P ..................................... 27 Staffordshire Forests . B y the Editor . 43 Some Ancient Tenures in the By Sir REGINALD llARDY, Honour of Tutbury . Bart............................... 56 The Rise and Progress of the Art of Pottery in North Stafford­ shire ............................................ By P e r c y W. L. A d a m s . 63 Some Local Fairies . By E l i j a h C o p e . 88 Extracts from Notes of a Tour in By Miss Paulina Bid­ Staffordshire .... d u l p h .... 94 Memorials of Lichfield Cathedra1 B y Rev. C. Bodington . 123 The Five “ Royal Free Chapels” By Rev. G ilbert Twem- of the County .... low Royds, M.A., R.D. 138 The Old Monasteries of Stafford­ By Rev. S. W. H u t c h i n ­ shire ................................... so n , M.A. .162 Old Towers and Spires . By J. H . B e c k e t t , A.R.I.B.A., etc. 174 Historic Chartley . B y H . W e l i s B l a d e n . 179 Boscobel and Whiteladies . B> Rev. F. W r o t t e s l e y , M.A ..............................................194 Lichfield and Dr. Johnson . By J. T. Raby . 206 In Charles Cotton’s Country . b y th e E d i t o r . 230 The Penk and its Story (a “ Pehkside” paper;. By the EDITOR . 243 Moorlanders, Old and New . By John Prince Sheldon 248 The William Salt Library at S ta ffo r d .................................... By W. S. B r o u g h . 259 A Quiet Corner of the County . By the E d i t o r . 266 In a ex LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Beresford D a le ................................................................................ Frontispiece {From a photograph by M r. A . Shallcross) P a g e , o r F a c i n g P a g e Lud Church, behind Roches, L e e k ..................................................... 2 {From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell) Tutbury Castle . 24 {From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell) Alton Castle............................................................................................... 32 {From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell) Caverswall C a s t le ..............................................................................36 {From a photograph by Rev. C. E . L . Barnwell) Lichfield C ath edral ............................................................................. 46 {From an old Engraving) The Beggar’s O a k ..............................................................................to {From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L . Barnwell) Old Bridge at Burton ............................................................................. 52 (Front thw Salt Library; fhotografh by Rtv. C. A'. L. Bamwelt\ Burton Abbey Church.............................................................................. 54 (.From the Salt Library; by Rev. C. E . L . Larm v.ilj Tutbury Priory, West D o o r ............................................................60 (Front afhotegraph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell) Four Eminent Potters..............................................................................72 Stoneware T e a p o t ..............................................................................76 (Stoke Museum) Portland V a s e ...................................................................................... 78 Inscription in St. Chad's Church, Stafford........................................ 103 Stone Coffin Lids at B id d u lp h ......................................................120 (Front a drawing in the S a lt L ’brary) St. Chad's Well, Lichfield ...................................................................124 {From a photograph by M r. IV. Morrison) Old Plan of the Cathedral................................................................... 126 {Reproducedby Mr. IV. Morrison* photographer) xi xii L is t o f Illustrations P a g b , o r F a c i n g P a g k Old View, West End of the Cathedral . 132 (Reproduced by Mr. W. Morrison, photographer Gnosall M in s te r ..................................................... 142 (From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L . Barnwell Croxden Abbey, East Side of Garth . 168 (From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell Croxden Abbey, West End .................................... 172 (From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell Wolverhampton Minster Pulpit .... 176 (From an original drawing by Mr. Beckett) South Porch, Leek Old Church .... 178 (From an original Drawing by Mr. Beckett) Chartley C astle ...................................................... 180 (From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell Chartley Wild C attle ............................................ 190 (From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell B o s c o b e l ............................................................... 198 (From a photograph by Rev. C. E. L. Barnwell Dr. Johnson.............................................................. 208 (A reproduction by Mr. IV. Morrison) Dr. Johnson’s C h a i r ............................................. 224 (From a photograph by Mr. W. Morrison) Stowe Hill H o u s e ............................................. 226 (From a photograph by Mr. W. Morrison) St. Chad’s Church and Pool, Lichfield. 234 (From a photograph by Mr. IV. Morrison) Charles Cotton’s Pew in Alstonfield Church . 238 (From a photograph by Mr. IV. H . Home) The Roches, near L e e k ................................... 256 (From a photograph by M r. IV. H . Hom e) South-east Comer Abbey Green Camp . 262 (From a photograph by Mr. IV. H . Hom e) Trench behind Abbey Green Camp . 262 (From a photograph by Mr. IV. H . Home) Upper Escarpment, etc, Abbey Green Camp . 264 (From a photograph by Mr. IV. H . Home) Rock Cell F loor ...................................................... 268 (From a photograph by Mr. IV. H . Home) Heart and Urn found in Cock Low, Leek . 270 (From a photograph by Mr. Phillips, Leek) HISTORIC STAFFORDSHIRE B y W . B e r e s f o r d HE history of Staffordshire begins in Saxon times. Before them it is largely conjectural, and based A upon fragments from Latin writers. The first inhabitants were Ivernians or Iberians, a small, dark, long-headed race, who have left both their forts behird them and many of their actual descendants. How these survived the shock of incoming Gauls, or Goidels, and Brythons may perhaps be indicated by the talcs of the cun­ ning little men, or fairies, which still amuse the neighbour­ hood. And then the hordes which mastered but could not quite expel them— a race of tall round-headed men— settled down in the great woods of the country, and became known as the Cornavii on the east, and the Ordovices on the west. From the Cornavii, or “ people of the horn,” the name of the Churnet, one of our local rivers, may be derived; although it is just as probable that the Churnet, or River of the Horn or Corner, got its name from the sharp elbow it makes round Leek, now its principal town.