160 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. 



he quitted his mansion at Bagot's Bromley and came to 

 reside at Blithfield. Some of his descendants appear to 

 have resided at Field Hall, for Sir Hervey Bagot died 

 there in the time of Charles II. 



In 1811 Lord Bagot pulled down the old farmhouse 

 within the moat at Bagot's Bromley (where had been the 

 ancient residence of the Bagots), when he discovered con- 

 siderable remains of the old mansion; and with the 

 foundation stones (of what appeared to have been the 

 Hall, and upon which rested many oak carved pillars) 

 built a monument in the form of a pillar. 



In the time of Edward the Confessor (vide Domesday 

 Book), Blithfield was the inheritance of one Eadmund, but 

 was at the Conquest given to Roger de Montgomery, Earl 

 of Arundel and Shrewsliury. It was held under him by 

 one Heremannus, who was succeeded by his son, William. 

 This William had three sons ; Amalric, the eldest, was 

 lord of Hulcrombe (now Hill Crombe, the seat of the Earl 

 of Coventry) in Worcestershire ; John, the second son, 

 received from his father this manor of Blithfield, and there- 

 upon took the surname of Blithfield, and, as I have read 

 somewhere, " The arms of the (then) extinct family of the 

 de Blithfields." 



From him was descended Elizabeth, who brought 

 Blithfield to the Bagots. 



There were five townships in the Parish of Blithfield, 

 viz. Blithfield, Admaston, Newton, Bold (now Booth), and 

 Hampton. 



St. Stephen's Hill, which so pumps our horses to-day, 

 when hounds scurry merrily up it from Blithmoor, once 

 boasted a hamlet, and was the residence of the family of 

 de Stevinton. It was also known as Stean Wood or Stean 

 Hill. Admaston used to be called Edmunds-town. 



About the year 1588, Fulke Greville (afterwards the 

 first Lord Brooke) received a grant of all the lands, woods, 

 iron works, etc., formerly belonging to the Lord Paget of 

 Beaudesert, and forfeited to the Crown on his attainder. 

 For his iron works at Abbot's Bromley he cut a canal. 



