THE EARLY POTTERIES OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 49 



shows a pipe with the pointed spur, bearing the same stamp 

 on the front of the bowl. It is thus shown, that on the 



change of fashion, the maker being unable to place his 

 " mark " in its usual position, was compelled either to 

 abandon it altogether, or to impress it on the bowl. Another 

 mark used by Riggs (also shown on the engraving) was 

 simply his initials C. R., and this, too, occurs on pipes of 

 both shapes. 



Plot, speaking of the clays of the pottery district, says 



" As for Tobacco-pipe clays, they are found all over the county, near 

 "Wrottesley House, and Stile Cop, in Cannock "Wood, whereof they 

 make pipes at Armitage and Lichfield, Loth which, though they are 

 greyish clays, yet burn very white. There is Tobacco-pipe clay also 

 found at Darlaston, near "Wednesbury, but of late disused, because 

 of better and cheaper found in Monway field, betwixt "Wednesbury 

 and Willingsworth, which is of a whitish colour, and makes excel- 

 lent pipes ; as doth also another of the same colour, dug near the 

 salt water poole in Pensnet Chase, about a mile and a half south of 

 Dudley. And Charles Riggs, of Newcastle, makes very good pipes 

 of three sorts of clay, a white and Hew, which he has from between 

 Shelton and Hanley Green, whereof the blew clay burns the whitest, 

 but not so full as the white, i.e. it shrinks more ; but the best sort 

 he has is from Gruffer' s Ash, being whitish, mixt with yellow ; it is 

 a short, brittle sort of clay, but burns full and white ; yet he some- 

 times mixes it with the blew before mentioned." 



As a further illustration of this interesting subject, the 

 accompanying engraving, which exhibits a number of forms 

 of pipes made in the adjoining county, Shropshire, is given. 



E 



