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TOPOGRAPHICAL 



HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 



GENERAL AND ANCIENT HISTORY. 



STAFFORDSHIRE, which lies about the middle of the Island, 

 was formerly much covered with wood, as appears from the remains 

 of the extensive forests of Sutton Coldfield, Cannock-wood, and 

 Needwood Forest, in which, according to tradition, the Druids or 

 priests of the people, performed their religious duties, prior to the 

 arrival of the Romans in Britain. 



Barr Hill, situated on the west side of Sutton Coldfield, runs 

 nearly north and south. At the north end stands the town of Aid- 

 rich, so called from aid (old), and rice (a station or jurisdiction) ; 

 and at the south end is Barr, a village connected with Aldrich. 

 Near this place is a common, which to this day retains the name 

 of Druid-heath, with a pool at the east end of it ; and near to 

 this pool is a small area, encompassed with a trehle* ditch, which, 

 from not being sufficiently large for an army, is supposed to have 

 been a seat of the Druids. Two or three hundred yards south, is 

 a perfectly -round hill, encompassed with a single ditch, and rising 

 to the height of seven or eight feet ; this Dr. Wilkes conjec- 

 tures to have been a summer seat of the Arch-druid : a similar 

 area, about two miles distant, and adjoining the old Roman road of 

 Street-way, being drier and more lofty, might possibly be his winter 

 residence. The Druids, we are told, gave notice of their days of 

 sacrifice by fires made upon high hills ; for this purpose, and for the 

 observations said to be made by the Druids upon the heavenly 

 bodies, Barr-hill was peculiarly adapted : a clump of trees, calle4 



* Neither the Greeks nor Romans ever used treble ditches, so that the above 

 must be referred either to the Britons or their Druids. Although Julius 

 Csesar asserts that the Druids worshipped a plurality of gods, jet Mr. Cook 

 has pretty plainly shewn that they taught and believed the religion of the 

 Patriarchs; that pillars, a large oak or groves of oak, or large stones, 

 served them instead of temples ; and that they believed in one God, and in a 

 resurrection. The Druids and their doctrine undoubtedly originated in the 

 East: they continued in this Island until they embraced Christianity, every 

 attempt of the Romans tp destfoy them having proved ineffectual. 



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