80 



standing. The three bells were on the ground. The two oldest bore the common 

 mottoes "God save the church," and "Jesus be our speed," with the same date 

 1606 ; the third had no inscription but bore the date of 1042. 



In the churchyard was a fine old cross of the 14th century. It bears the 

 remains of very rich design and elaborate careful workmanship. It stands on a 

 base of three steps, the <ipper one formed of a single stone of great size and thick- 

 ness. This stone has the four Evangelists at the corners ; a tabernacle on the 

 ■srest side, the emblems of the Passion on the eastern side, and a handsome cable 

 pattern goes rouiid its upper edge. The shaft has the remains of crockets up its 

 angles, but it is much worn and the cross is gone. Much injury to the church and 

 this cross is said to have been caused by Cromwellite desecration. 



The carriages were now regained somewhat hurriedly, for longer time had 

 been taken up than should properly have been allowed, and " Forward, forward," 

 was shouted vigorously. The ride up the slopes of the Titterstone Clee hill, 

 through Knowbury to the Dhu Stone quarries was very interesting ; many lime- 

 kilns were observed on the mountain limestone rocks, and the refuse heaps of 

 of coal mines frequently passed. It was, unfortunately, the dinner hour at the 

 quarries, and but very few men'were at work. The manager very kindly went 

 with the visitors, explained the works, and soon showed where the coal began. It 

 was necessary, however, to pass quickly on. 



The coal mines were not visited, but it was stated here that clear proof exists 

 that coal was obtained from the Titterstone Clee hill so far back as the 13th 

 century. In the Monumenta Historia Britannica, published by the Record Com- 

 mission in 1848 are records which show this. The "taxatio Ecclesiastica " of 

 Pope Nicholas IV., a.d. 1291 and following years, was made in order to raise one- 

 tenth on ecclesiastical revenues for a crusade. Among the items of property 

 belonging to Wigmore abbey are the following : — "Apud Kayhm and Svi^ytton 

 . . . . Item de minera carbonum, ibidum, 5 0." Kayhm is no doubt 

 Caynham, and Svv^tton is doubtless Snitton in the parish of Bitterley. A subse- 

 quent entry states that the church of Kayham belongs to the Abbot of Wigmore. 



The ascent of the Titterstone hill began from the quarry margin, along the 

 basaltic ridge called Hoar Edge, and the way would have seemed long but for the 

 interesting wild plants found. Wahlenbergia hederacea, the delicate and graceful 

 ivy-leaved Bell flower, was very abundant ; Scutellaria minor, Narthecium 

 ossifragum, Eriophorum vaginatum, and the ily-eating Sundew, Drosera rotundi- 

 foHa, was plentifully gathered ; but the Viola lutca had done flowering. Children 

 were gathering whinberries, or whortleberries, Vaccinium myrtillus, on the slopes 

 of the hill, but were not inclined to sell the flat-tasting fruit. 



Descending from the Hoar Edge into a dip in the hill called Horse Ditch, a 

 curious three-sided stone is carefully erected, which looked like a boundary stone. 

 It had these inscriptions on its flat sides. On the south was cut l. c. willmoke, 

 P. w. L., 1826; on the easterly side, T. b. l. c, mine; and on the N.W., the 

 letters or word, wekb. These inscrii^ticns may be clear to the natives, but to 

 strangers they seem enigmatical and quite past ordinary comprehension. Will 

 some of your readers kindly give the right interpretation of the mystery ? 



