PREFACE. 



jLT is now two years since the Publisher of the following 

 Work first circulated his proposals; and during that time several 

 individuals have been employed in collecting materials for such a 

 comprehensive HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF STAFFORD, as might 

 embrace every object connected with the ancient as well as the 

 modern state of this division of the Kingdom. The utmost solici- 

 tude of the Publisher has been excited by his earnest desire to 

 produce a valuable Record of his native County, which might gra- 

 tify not only the Subscribers, but the general reader of Topography ; 

 and he trusts that his efforts will prove equally satisfactory and 

 successful. 



In the regular order of the Work, a brief sketch of the Ancient 

 and General History of the County is first given, comprising Dr. 

 Wilkes's View of Staffordshire from the time when the Romans 

 invaded Britain to the year 1735; the Ancient and Modern Names 

 of Places ; and the General Topography of the County. A descrip- 

 tion of the five Hundreds or Divisions of the County then follows, 

 containing the History of whatever is remarkable either in the 

 antiquities or the modern state of particular places; descriptive 

 sketches of local and picturesque beauty, whether natural or arti- 

 ficial ; and occasional brief biographical anecdotes of ingenious or 

 eccentric individuals. 



Among remarkable and celebrated places, the City of Lichfield 

 is entitled to particular notice, for its having been the birth-place 

 of many eminent men. The Publisher has carefully collected such 



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