1698 Tour: Staffordshire

Next Selection Previous Selection

Thence I went to Woolsely 7 mile farther, to S^r Charles Woolsley where I staid 6 weekes it being my aunt his Lady who Engaged My stay. His seate stands very finely by y^e river Trent; there is also a moate almost round y^e house. Y^e house is old timble building, only a Large parlour and noble stair Case w^th handsome Chambers S^r Charles has new built. It is built round a Court w^th a gate house w^ch Leads to y^e outward Court that has a paved walke, broad stone y^e same as y^e first Court is paved with.

There are green spaces and a fine green banck w^th box or philteroy hedge Cut round. There are very good gardens abundance of fruite of all sorts and y^e ffinest dwarfe trees I ever saw, so thick like a hedge and a huge Compass Every single tree, and very full of fruite of apples, pears and Cherries; there are fine flowers, Heber roses white and yellow; there was a fine Sena trees y^t bears a great Branch of yellow fflowers. Y^e ground Lyes all well about y^e house and a fine park by the End of it, part of w^ch is on a high hill y^e side of w^ch the deer sport themselves, w^ch looks just on y^e house and is wonderfull pleasant: its a Large parke 6 miles round full of stately woods and replenish'd w^th red and fallow deer, one part of it is pretty full of Billberryes w^ch thrive under y^e shade of y^e oakes, its a black berry as big as a large pea and are Ripe about Harvest. There is a very ill Custome amongst them now not to be broken, when they are Ripe. The Country Comes and makes Boothes and a sort of faire y^e outside of y^e parke, and so gather y^e berries and sell y^m about y^e Country. The greenes they Call Wissums and on these wissums the Deer Brouse in y^e winter and on holly of which there is great quantetys. In Kankwood just by there is also great quantety's of fferne w^ch tho' it over runs their ground and so spoiles y^e grass where its much, yet y^e usefullness of it renders it necessary to be preserv'd; when it is at its maturity w^ch happens just before harvest or hay tyme, y^e whole Country are Employ'd in Cutting it up and burning it in heapes for y^e sake of y^e ashes w^ch they make fine and Rowle them up in Balls and so sell them or use them all y^e year for washing and scouring, and send much up to London, y^e ashe balls being Easily sent about, without w^ch they would have no ashes in the Country for such uses; for their fewell is altogether Coales w^ch Indeed are very good and plenty, you might have a load for 3 or 4 shillings brought home y^t would serve a poore mans familly y^e winter. Its in great pieces and so Cloven burns light so as the poorer sort works by it and so it serves for heate and light: its very shineing Coale all about this Country tho' they Complaine they have lost y^e vein of the best sort w^ch they Call Channell Coale and is y^e sort they have still in Wales and Lancashire w^ch burnt much Lighter and less waste, but this I thought to be very good, no better than it. I have in London given 40^s for such a Load.

In this parke is severall ponds w^ch affords good ffish, as does y^e moate and y^e Trent as trout, Eeles, tench, perch &, the Largest perch I ever saw just Caught and dress'd immediately w^ch Eates in perfection. Y^e hill in y^e parck Called Hartshill is so high that from y^e top of it you see near 20 miles round, and shews all y^e Country w^ch in this part of Staffordshire is full of woods and jnclosures and good land, Except y^e Kanck-wood w^ch is but a barren heath ground, but good wood-its fine for Hawking in y^e heath. Its full of little Brookes and Rivulets w^ch abounds with Crawfish and they were the sweetest and Largest I have seen any where. From hence to Stafford town is 5 mile- you go by y^e banck of y^e Trent most of y^e way and passing over two Rivers on stone bridges, Called y^e Sore and the Pink w^ch both Empt themselves into y^e Trent and so Enter y^e town through a gate. Its an old built town, timber and plaister pretty much, in Long peaked Rooffes of tileing; 3 gates to the town-there was another w^ch Leads to the Castle w^ch now is ruinated, and only remaines on a hill the fortification trenches y^t are grown over w^th green. Y^e streetes are pretty Large and well pitched; a broad space for y^e market place Wherein is a good Market house on stone pillars w^th a handsome town hall over it-some of the houses are pretty good. This Country is much for Entertainments, in every house you must Eate and drinke.

From thence back to Woolsley againe 5 miles, from thence to Heywood parke w^ch was 2 mile where Lived a Daughter of my aunt Woolsley-marryed M^r Hedgewood-a little neate box they Live in.

From thence back againe 2 miles. To the Kank wood is pleasant Rideing, its 20 mile long belongs to y^e Lord Paget, there are 4 lodges; in it a great deale of wood and deer and goates. I went to Ffurnes Coppice w^ch is 4 mile-on it a fine Covert of tall trees on a hill and a mile farther was a fine wood Called Hedgford; Poole a quarter of a mile long full of good fish; thence home 5 mile. Another day I went to Stiles Coppice 3 mile off w^ch is on a high hill and a fine tufft of trees, it Looks but Little at a distance but is a fine Covert for y^e sheep and Cattle: I went quite round it from whence Could see y^e Country a good distance and see into 7 Countys together, Warwickshire, Leicestershire Glocestershire Derbyshire Staffordshire Shropshire and Cheshire; so home againe by Ridgly a mile aboute so it was 4 mile.

Another day I went to Boudezworth the Lord Pagets house 4 mile off, and passed by y^e Coale pitts where they were digging: they draw up the Coale in baskets with a Little wheele or Windlass like a well-its very good.

Lord Paget's house is old Brick built, y^e ffront is uniforme and very handsome with towers, but there is no good roome but a Long gallery thats worth seeing: its a fine parke; just by it is a high hill on w^ch is the remaines of an old ffortification, they Call it the Castle wall, its of very great antiquity but now grown over w^th grass; from thence the prospect of the Country is great. The parke is of Large Extent and some of those pitts are in it-y^e Channell Coales, but y^e water has over flow'd some of them and spoyl'd their digging; thence I went home againe 4 miles- Another day I went to Panckeridge race over y^e Kankwood 7 mile, where were most of y^e Gentlemen and Ladies of the Country, severall Coaches and six horses, Indeed y^e miles are Long and y^e wayes bad in the winter that obliges them to drive more horses; these were persons of good Estates also. There appear'd only one horse to run for y^e plaite which was a salver; thence to Woolesley again 7 mile more. Its a fine Country here about for Rideing one has a pleaseing prospect Every way Especially on any advanc'd ground.

I went to Brinsy Coppice w^ch was 4 mile, thence Could see towards Shrewsbury and y^e high hill the Reekee, and in a Cleare day Could see something of Chester, and so home againe 4 mile more. Another day I went upon Jtching hill 1 mile w^ch is a sort of Rock, but y^e stone is of a Red Coullour and looks Like a sandy stone by its Moldring, but they tell me when its wrought in a wall and have been season'd w^th y^e weather it grows very hard and serviceable in building. From thence I went a Compass round to Heywood parke 4 mile off and yⁿ home againe 2 miles; and another day I went the same tour about to Heywood parke and back w^ch was 6 mile more. While I stay'd at Woolsley I went directly to Heywood parke above what I mentioned before and returned home w^ch was in all 8 miles, and another day I went to a poole in the Kanckwood 3 mile to ffish and from thence to Heywood parke thro' a very fine Coppice of trees on a hanging brow of a hill w^ch Look'd very fine, and so home 2 mile more. I name y^e number of miles I went only to see y^e whole acco of miles I travell'd this yeare. These Coppices there are many of them w^ch is a good shelter for y^e Cattle.

Another journey to Darby town from Woolsley by Colton and Blithbery 3 mile, thence to Yoxwell 3 mile over Nedwood forest of y^e King, w^ch is 40 mile in Extent, all y^e way you have a fine prospect of y^e Country, Enclosed good lands, admirable Corne of all sorts, good grass: I went in sight of Tetbery Castle w^ch is y^e Kings-a great ffortification, but all decay'd-here 4 mile more and there it was that I pass y^e river Dove on a stone Bridge Called Dovebridge w^ch Enters me into Darbyshire and thence its 8 mile more to Darby town.

Darby town Lies down in a bottom built all of brick or for y^e most part; in it are 5 Churches built of stone y^e biggest of w^ch I was in, y^e tower was finely Carv'd full of niches and Pedistals where on Statues had been set, but nothing worth notice in y^e jnside except a monument w^ch was over y^e vault of y^e Duke of Devonshire, on w^ch stands 2 Effigees at length all of white marble y^e Earle and his Countess of Devonshire w^th an arch or Cannopy of Stone over their heads; this is rail'd in w^th Iron gates. There is also another statue of marble painted and Gilded lying at length w^ch is also railed in. Y^e River Derwent runns by the town and turns many mills, and y^e water Engine w^ch turns y^e water into y^e pipes that serves y^e town, y^e same wheele grinds also, but they do it for a half penny a strike w^ch is the same measure as our Bushill. At this Engine they Can grind if its never so high a flood, w^ch hinders all y^e other from working at y^e flood, they are quite Choaked up, but this they Can set higher or lower just as the water is. There are bays w^ch they make w^th stones to keep the water to run to y^e mill and thence it falls againe into y^e Derwent; there is also a fine stone Conduit in the Market place, w^ch is very spacious, well pitch'd a good Market Cross. This is a dear place for strangers notwithstanding y^e plentyfullness of all provision. My Dinner Cost me 5^s and 8^d , only 2 servant men w^th me and I had but a shoulder of mutton and bread and beer.

Here they mak great quantetys of gloves, I did not observe or Learn any other trade or Manufacture, they had only shops of all sorts of things. They Carry much of their Carriages on sledges to secure their pitching in the streetes. Thence I went to Chartly 6 mile Lord Fferrers, and thence Bradby Lord Chesterfields, and passed by a fine parke of some Gentlemans in w^ch was a summer house on y^e side of y^e hill amongst fine tall trees w^ch Look'd very well, and on y^e Right hand I turned up to y^e Earle of Chesterfields parke full of fine Rows of trees running up y^e avenue to y^e house. One Enters an outward Court and drives round a Little pond like a ditch all pav'd w^th stone, or great basin of stone, in which were two swans swimming about in y^t little Compass; y^e gates are all jron barrs and the whole front of y^e house open jron pallasadoe spikes in a Compass round Like a half moone. Answerable to y^t beyond y^e stable yard is another such a demy Circle of open pallasadoe, y^t lets you out to y^e prospect of y^e grounds beyond, full of regular Rows of trees. Y^e house has a visto quite thro, by a glass bellcony door into y^e gardens, and so to y^e parke beyond on y^t side. Y^e front have something surpriseing in it; its all of free stone w^ch is dipt in oyle that adds a varnish to its Lustre as well as security to its foundation. Y^e Roofe is not flatt as our Modern buildings so y^e garret windows Come out on y^e tileing w^ch is all flatt. None of y^e windows are sashes which in my opinion is y^e only thing it wants to render it a Compleate building: its halfe a roman H. There is an ascent of 5 or 6 steps all stone to y^e gates, and so you proceed on a broad paved walke w^ch is divided by a Cross walke of y^e same towards y^e upper End; thence y^e ascent by as many more stone steps into a noble hall y^t has a Row of white marble pillars at y^e upper End. Y^e middle a Little roome w^th a marble table in the middle w^ch is y^e Balcony into y^e Garden, but y^ts without Steps down into y^e Garden. From these Rows of Pillars on y^e Right hand runs a passage to y^e Servants roome and all the offices, and at y^e End is a Chappell w^ch was very neate. Over y^e alter is a large ovall of Glass of y^e sort of Private glass used in Windows to obscure y^e Sight from without, but hinders not y^e Light w^th inside; this Look'd pretty as being particular and uncomt. on.

There was a little organ and Closets for y^e Lord and Ladies to sitt in. From y^e hall on the left hand Enters into a Large roome w^th a billiard table, from thence into a Large parlour and 2 drawing-roomes,-there was a good dineing roome. Above, y^e drawing Roome had Company in it, y^e Earle having just marry'd his Eldest daughter Lady Mary to one M^r Cooke a Gentleman of a good Estate hard by, so there was Company to wishe her joy; but I was in severall bed Chambers, one had a Crimson damaske bed, y^e other Crimson velvet set upon halfe paces: this best was y^e bride Chamber w^ch used to be Call'd y^e Silver roome where y^e stands, table, and fire utensills were all massy silver, but when plaite was in nomination to pay a tax, y^e Earle of Chesterfield sold it all and y^e plaite of y^e house, so that when y^e table was spread I saw only spoones, salts and forks and y^e sideboard plaite, noe plaites or dishes and but few salvers. Y^e pictures was all burnt by a fire and so there are only bare walls. One Roome was painted over head-y^e others frettwork, but y^t w^ch is most admired, and justly so to be by all persons, and Excite their Curiosity to Come and see is y^e gardens and waterworks. Out of y^e Billiard Roome y^e first was with Gravell walks, and a large fountaine in the middle with flower potts and Greens set Round y^e Brimm of y^e fountaines that are paved w^th stone. You see but one garden at a tyme. The Pipes in y^e fountaines play very finely, some of a great height, some fflushes y^e water about; then you Come to a descent of severall steps w^ch discovers anoth^r fine garden w^th fountaines playing through pipes besett on y^e branches w^th all sort of Greens and flower trees, dwarfe honeysuckles in a Round tuff growing upright, and all sorts of flower trees and greens finely cutt and Exactly kept. In one garden there are 3 fountaines wherein stands great statues; Each side on their pedistalls is a dial one for y^e Sun y^e other a Clock w^ch by y^e water worke is moved and strikes y^e hours, and Chimes y^e quarters, and when they please play Lilibolaro on y^e Chimes: all this I heard when I was there. On one side of this garden is a half Compass w^th a breast wall on w^ch are high jron pallisadoes divided with severall Pillars, stone with Images on their tops about 2 yards distance; this opens to view y^e parke and a sort of Cannall or pond w^ch is in it of a good bigness. Beyond this Garden is a Row of orange and Lemon trees set in y^e ground, of a man's height and pretty big, full of flowers and some Large fruit almost Ripe: this has a pent house over it w^ch is Cover'd up very Close in the winter. This Leads on to a great wilderness and Just by it is another Square w^th a fountaine whose brim is deck'd with flower potts full 0f flowers and all sorts of greens; on Either side is 2 or 3 rows of orange and Lemon trees in boxes one below another in growth.

Just against this is a wall Cover'd over w^th Lawrell finely Cutt, and also in y^e middle is an arch, and on Either side stone staires ascends it w^ch terminate in a sort of half pace all Cover'd over w^th Lawrell, and this Enters a doore into another Garden through a little garden house. This also has a fine fountaine Like y^e others, only as most of y^e others was green walks this was Gravell, so was the garden on y^e Right side of y^e house. Y^e front Garden w^ch has y^e Largest fountaine has also a fine Green house and very fine flowers, and y^e beds and borders are Cut in severall formes; y^e Greens are very fine and y^e hedges Cutt in severall formes; there was one tree not much unlike y^e Cyprus green but y^e branches were more spread and of a Little yellower green, y^e Barke of y^e Limbs yellow-it was y^e Cedar of Lebonus. There was also fine strip'd stocks, Double Like a Rose. There was a Large Ewe tree in y^e middle of one Garden Cut in forms, fine ffirrs and Cyprus and ffilleroy of w^ch some was striped Like silver, white, others yellow Like Gold, w^ch gave them their different names, and fine gilded and striped Hollys.

There was one green in a pott Call'd S^t John y^e baptists herb, it was full of many Leaves and y^e Coullour not much unlike the green they Call Solomons Seale but longer and bigger Leaves; its an annual plant. Here just by y^e wilderness is y^e tulip tree w^ch runns up of a great height and y^e flower is on y^e top; it flowers in August. There is a great avery of Birds w^ch stands Like a sumer house open; there is also many Close averys of Birds and severall Green shady walks and Close arbours. There are very fine woodbines grows like tuffs all in flower Red and white. There is some of y^e fountaines that have figures in them that throws up water a greate height-a Cascade of water.

Then I returned into y^e hall and so into a Coole roome in w^ch was a fountaine where I dranke a Glass of wine and so proceeded. This was 3 miles from Chartry, thence through a fine visto or Glide of trees w^ch runs along y^e parke and so to Burton on y^e Trent 2 long miles. This is a pretty large town; here is a very long stone bridge over y^e Trent: the Streetes are very well pitch'd and some very broad.

Thence over Nedwood fforest 6 mile, and thence to Yoxsell, w^ch is 6 mile more to Woolsley and they are all Long miles; then I went againe to Stafford town 5 miles and from thence to Jnstree M^r Thetwins-its bad way. You go by S^t Thomas's w^ch was some old abbey-its still a good house.

Going along y^e side of y^e hill gives a great view of y^e Country that is mostly jnclosures we passed between two parkes, y^e one is Lord astons, and goe in sight of Tixall hall w^ch is a good house and Looks handsomely of stone building: the other was M^r Thetwins parke w^ch has fine Rows of trees-ffirrs Scots and Noroway and y^e picanther-the ffront lookes nobly. Noe flatt Roofed houses in this Country but much in windows. Two Large bow windows on Each side runns up y^e whole building, y^e middle the same besides much flatt window between, so that y^e whole is Little besides window. Its built brick and stone, the part to y^e garden ward is new building. of y^e new fashion and sash windows. Y^e Court is 2 or 5 stepps up w^th open jron pallasadoes y^e breadth of y^e house and a broad paved walk w^ch Leads up to y^e doore in the Middle. Y^e visto is quite through y^e house to y^e gardens and through a long walke of trees of a mile through the parke to a Lodge or summer house at y^e End, w^ch Lookes very finely, it being a Riseing ground up to y^e parke. There is a Crosse paved walke in y^e Court w^ch Leads to a little house on Each End like summer houses, w^th towers and balls on y^e top; y^e one Leads through to y^e Churchyard w^ch is planted w^th Rows of Ewe trees very uniforme and Cutt neately. Y^e Church is new and very handsome, good frettworke on y^e top, the wood worke well Carv'd, its seates good wanscoate and with locks.

In the Chancell are two monuments of Marble, one all white, y^e other white with a border Black, and with white pillars; the middle at y^e bottom is alabaster. The pillars of y^e Church is made of y^e Red stone w^ch is plenty in this Country and they are all polished over; the ffront is all white marble; stem y^e same veined bleu, y^e foot is black, y^e Cover is wood Carv'd very well. The porch is very high on w^ch is a dyal, it almost breakes ones neck to Looke up at it for y^t y^e tower in w^ch are 5 bells. There is just against this a garden.

On y^e other side the dwelling house w^ch is severall steps up it-Gravell walkes full of flowers and greens and a box hedge Cut finely with Little trees, some Cut round, and another hedge of strip'd holly Cut Even and some of Lawrell Cut Even Likewise. Out of this you go into a flower garden divided into knotts, in which were 14 Cyprus trees w^ch were grown up very tall some of them, and kept Cutt Close in four squares down to y^e bottom. Towards y^e top they Enclined to a point or spire. Thence into another garden w^th gravell walkes, and so into a summer house through w^ch you Enter a good Bowling green, w^ch also goes out of another garden, w^ch takes in y^e whole breadth of y^e house and is full of flowers and greens and dwarfe trees and little borders of Severall sorts of greens Cut Even and Close, of tyme, severall sorts and of savin w^ch is another Coullour, and of Lavender Cotten another Coullour, and Rosemary and severall others. From this Bowling green in y^e Middle you descend 18 stepps in a Demi Circle inwards halfe way, then y^e stones are set round and so y^e half pace is, and y^e other stepps are Round turned outward, and y^e Lowest much y^e Largest as was y^e uppermost of y^e first. This leads to a place designed for ponds to keep ffish, in but this place will not admitt of any water works altho' its a deep Dirty Country. They neither have good gravell or marle to make a pond secure to hold water, nor are they near Enough y^e springs, but are forced to be supply'd w^th water by pipes from y^e River trent that is a mile off, and yet the whole place seems a quage, and when one is descended y^e hill this seemes to be the only thing wanting, for just by the Bowling-green is a very fine wilderness with many Large walks of a great Length full of all sorts of trees, scycamores, willows, Hazel, Chesnutts, walnuts, set very thicke and so shorn smooth to y^e top w^ch is left as a tuff or Crown-they are very Lofty in growth w^ch makes y^e Length of a walke Look Nobly. There is also a Row on y^e outside of firrs round Every grove 2 yards or 3 distant-some silver ffirrs-some Norroway-some Scotts and pine trees: these hold their beauty round y^e groves in y^e winter when y^e others Cast their Leaves. This was from Stafford 3 mile and to Woolsley was 3 mile more through narrow stoney Lanes through great Heywood.

Att Jnstree, M^r Shetwins, I saw a fine pomegranate tree as tall as myself, the Leafe is a long slender Leafe of a yellowish green Edged w^th red and feeles pretty thicke, y^e Blossom is white and very double. There was a terrass walke in one of y^e Gardens that gave y^e full prospect of y^e Country a great way about-its a deep Country-you are going these 3 miles to Woolsley a great while. There was at S^r Charles Woolsly's some of y^e best good land and some of y^e worst, as is y^e Kankwood, but here y^e Roads are pretty good and hard w^ch makes it pleasant. There is much fine fruite here S^r Charles takeing great delight in his Gardens, I must say I never saw trees so well dress'd and pruned, y^e walls so Equally Cover'd as there. There is severall sorts of strawbery's but y^e vermillion is y^e finest, very large as any Garden strawbery and of a fine scarlet Coullour, but its a Later sort; there was a pretty almond tree in Bloome y^e flower not unlike a Rosemary flower. From thence I tooke my progress Northward and went from hence to NewCastle under Line, through Stone w^ch was 9 miles, and then to Trentum, and passed by a great house of M^r Leveston Gore, and went on the side of a high hill below which the River Trent rann and turn'd its silver streame forward and backward into s. s w^ch Looked very pleasant Circleing about y^e fine meadows in their flourishing tyme bedecked w^th hay almost Ripe and flowers. 6 mile more to NewCastle under Line where is the fine shineing Channell Coale; so y^e proverb to both y^e NewCastles of bringing Coales to y^m is a needless Labour, one being famous for this Coale thats Cloven and makes white ashes as is this, and y^e NewCastle on y^e Tyne is for y^e sea Coale y^t Cakes and is what is Common and famillier to every smith in all villages. I went to this NewCastle in Staffordshire to see the makeing of y^e fine tea potts. Cups and saucers of y^e fine red Earth in imitation and as Curious as y^t w^ch Comes from China, but was defeated in my design, they. Comeing to an End of their Clay they made use of for y^t sort of ware, and therefore was remov'd to some other place where they were not settled at their work so Could not see it; therefore I went on toBeteby 6 miles farther and went by a Ruinated Castle y^e walls still remaining Called Healy Castle-this was deep Clay way. This town is halfe in Staffordshire and halfe in Cheshire, one side of y^e streete in y^e one, and y^e other in y^e latter, so y^t they often jest on it in travelling one wheele goes in Staffordshire y^e other wheele in Cheshire.

Next Selection Previous Selection