The charter of Henry de Audley, for endowing the Abbey of Hulton, comprises, with the vill of Rushton, certain land called Mansmore,* (probably at that time a common.) This name still attaches to a large parcel of land on the west-side of the Grange, through which the canal passes, and to a meadow beyond it, and has outlived the name of the hamlet itself, which is now "forgotten and unknown, except by the antiquary.

The only other considerable proprietors of land in Rushton, besides Lord Camoys and Mr. Wright Biddulph, are the trustees under the will of the late William Adams, Esq., (who died at Cobridge in the year 1831, was patron of the rectory of Burslem, and descended from an ancestry of some centuries standing there,) and the trustees for the poor of Sandbach, who, upwards of a century ago, purchased from the Biddulphs about fiftyfour acres of land here, out of certain charity monies under their controul. This land, abounding with coals, has recently become extremely profitable, and proved a mine of wealth to the fortunate parishioners of Sandbach, though its original cost was only about £400, as we collect from the table of benefactions in that parish-church. Other late proprietors, (but whose lands are now subdivided, and sold off in small parcels, chiefly for building purposes,) were the Messrs. Warburton, of a family which had been seated at Cobridge since about the middle of the seventeenth century, and risen to eminence as potters. Mr. Jacob Warburton, whom we have named before, commonly called Captain Warburton, (though we are

which it was suspended by a ribbon from the patient's neck, and the tatters of the very ribbon yet remain. The ceremony of touching was strictly a religious one, and a form of public prayer was prescribed, which was printed with the Book of Common Prayer, down to the reign of Queen Anne.-See Rees's Cyclopædia, "Evil.”

* See Appendix, p. ii.

SNEYD GREEN.-HOT-LANE.

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not aware of his ever having served in a military capacity,) died at Ford Green, in this neighbourhood, in the year 1826, at the age of 84, was a man of enlarged mind, and extensively known and respected. His father, John, and mother, Ann, (the latter having survived her husband many years,) were manufacturers of the white stone-ware, which they commenced exporting to Holland and the continent soon after the middle of the last century. Their intercourse with Holland brought over some workmen from Delft, where the making of pottery

was then practised in greater perfection than in England. These artizans were employed by Daniel, a master-potter of Cobridge, who, for the purpose of concealing their operations, removed his workshops to Bagnall, (a village three miles distant.) Other small potteries were about that time established in Holdenlane, and at Milton, both in the same direction; likewise at Sneyd Green; but of which no vestiges at present remain.

Sneyd Green, which adjoins Cobridge, but is considered as belonging to Abbey-Hulton, contains a considerable population, chiefly of colliers, and other cottagers, and from its position, as well as its name, we should judge it to have been, in ancient times, a member of the hamlet of Sneyd.

Hot-Lane contains a similar collection of small houses, standing at the point of junction of Burslem, Sneyd, and Rushton, (and partly in each hamlet;) it has been suggested to us, that the name might have been originally Hut-Lane, a conjecture which, from the character of the pristine dwellings, seems extremely plausible, though Out-Lane might suit equally well.

There has not been hitherto any accommodation to the inhabitants of Cobridge, members of the establishedchurch, for divine worship, nearer than at Burslem, or Hanley; but that privation will be hereafter removed by means of a chapel of ease now erecting, and of which

we are enabled to present a view before its completion. This edifice has been reared by the Rev. E. Whieldon, Rector of Burslem, out of the accumulation of the income of his church, aided by grants of £400 from the incorporated society, and £300 from the diocesan church-building society. It is of pale yellow brick, with stone pinnacles, caps and facings; is estimated to cost £1500, and intended to accommodate 550 persons, out of which number of sittings 360 are to be free. The situation is a commanding one, and eligible in reference to the seat of the principal population. Mr. Whieldon intends to endow the Church from the resources of his Rectory; an instance of great individual liberality, to which we are likewise indebted for the above engraving. We presume he will be obliged, also, to make provision for keeping the Church in repair, as it is seated in an extra-parochial place, as regards church-rates.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, &c.

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Near to the church is the Roman Catholic Chapel, which we have mentioned before, erected in 1780, and enlarged in 1816; it is calculated to accommodate about 150 persons, is an unassuming building, almost concealed by the Priest's dwelling-house, and an adjoining schoolhouse, (erected in 1822, and shewn in the back-ground of the preceding plate.) The Rev. Louis Gerard is the resident pastor, and has been so for several years past.

At the other extremity of the Grange-Lane, distant not 200 yards, is a chapel of the Methodist New Connection, calculated to seat about 250 persons, and erected in 1822. It has rooms adjacent, used as Sunday-Schools.

At Sneyd Green is a small chapel of the Wesleyan Methodists, erected in 1824, which will accommodate about 200 persons. A Sunday-School is also connected therewith.

A School-house, erected in 1766, (as appears by a stone tablet in its front,) was built by subscription, and for the purposes of general education of the poor, but without any further endowment. It was vested in certain trustees, all now deceased, the two last survivors being Mr. Jacob Warburton and Mr. William Adams, (already named.) The upper room is used as a day-school for boys, by a master, who has no other stipend than what he receives with his scholars. The lower part is divided into two small dwellings. This building, which was once of respectable appearance, and has a cupola with a bell, appears to be going to decay, and to require the attention of the respectable inhabitants of the place to render it serviceable.

Mr. Jacob Warburton, (before named,) by his will, dated 14th September, 1825, gave to his Executors the sum of £225, owing upon a security of the tolls of the Newcastle and Leek Turnpike-Road, granted to Joseph Bucknall, gent., deceased, upon trust to pay £10 out of the annual interest thereof to such of the poor of Cobridge as are entitled to the same under the said Joseph Bucknall's will, and the remaining 25s. annually to the officiating

minister of the Roman Catholic Chapel at Cobridge. (This donation has not before been recorded.)

The following manufacturing firms are engaged in the staple businesses of earthenware or china at Cobridge, (or within the precincts of Rushton Grange ;) WOOD AND BROWNFIELD, (at the large works formerly Stevenson and Bucknalls, afterwards R. and J. Clews ;)-JOHN AND GEORGE ALCOCK, (late R. Stevenson's works ;)-FRANCIS DILLON, (Cobridge;)-ELIJAH JONES, (Cobridge Villa;) -STEPHEN HUGHES AND CO.,-BENJAMIN ENDON GODWIN; -JOHN MAYER GODWIN AND JAMES GODWI ;-JOHN AND ROBERT GODWIN ;-GEORGE AND RALPH LEIGH ;-COXON, HARDING, AND Co., (these all in Cobridge.)

The principal dwelling-houses in Cobridge are those occupied by the Misses Adams, (the late residence of their father, W. Adams, Esq. ;) Mr. Stephen Godwin; Mr. Charles Keeling, (partner in the firm of Samuel Alcock and Co., who have a small china manufactory here,) Mr. Samuel Alcock, (late Mr. Stevenson's house ;) Mr. B. E. Godwin, (a new erection at Bleakhill ;) and Mr. Elijah Jones, (Cobridge Villa.) We may enumerate here the large house of John Hales, Esq., which is within the township of Shelton, though our present purpose is to describe, more particularly, what belongs to the vill or hamlet of Rushton, a name which we expect will be henceforth rescued from an oblivion of some centuries.

Rushton Grange enjoys some rather enviable immunities, being exempt from tithes, church-rates, and highwayrates. Its highways are repairable by the ancient tenure attaching to the monkish occupants of the entire vill, and descending to the present occupiers collectively, but who have never at present appointed surveyors. An attempt, made about 60 years ago, by the township of Burslem, to unite the inhabitants of Cobridge in the repair of their highways in common, failed of success upon a trial of the question at Stafford assizes. The poor's-rate and police-rate are the only parochial imposts