4 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



Penk to the Spread Eagle, where it crosses the road from Wol- 

 verhampton to Stafford; hence it turns a point to the south, over 

 Calf-heath to the Four Crosses (a very ancient inn,) and continues 

 to Norton and Wyrley Common; it then soon enters Ogley-hay, 

 Caimock-heath, and continues due east two or three miles to Muck- 

 ley Corner, passing an old entrenchment called Knave's Castle; 

 from Muckley Corner, where it crosses the road from Lichfield to 

 Walsall, it continues due east through Wall (the ancient Etoce- 

 tum,) about a mile east of which its line seems interrupted, but af- 

 terwards continues east by south through Weeford and Hints to 

 Fazeley, where it leaves the county, after having passed nearly thirty 

 miles in a direction east to one point southerly> and in some parts, 

 for many miles together, in a perfect right line. 



There were two Roman Stations on this road : one df them is 

 placed at Wall, where are now to be found numerous fragments of 

 antiquity, such as Roman bricks, pavements, &c. ; and barricades of 

 wood have been lately dug up> evidently military, having the ends 

 cut off by axes (saws not being then in use,) the wood quite black 

 and almost petrified, from the immense lapse of time it had remained 

 in the earth : coins of Nero and Domitiaii have also been found. 

 The other station has been fixed by some at Penkridge, from its 

 similarity of name to Pennocrucium; but this place being two 

 miles north of the Watling-street, some antiquaries have placed it 

 at Stretton, as agreeing in distance with the old Itinerary of Anto- 

 nine. This point remains unestablished by the discovery of any 

 Roman vestiges. 



Another Roman road, called Ikenild-street, enters this county from 

 the south at Hockley-brook, near Birmingham, and passes through 

 the parish of Haudsworth to Sutton-park, which it crosses near 

 two miles, after having gone over part of the Coldtield. It again 

 enters the Coldfield, and passing Little Astr.i and Shenstone, crosses 

 the Watling-street to the east of Wall, and passes by Street-hay, 

 Whichnor, and Braunston, leaving Burton-npon-Trent about a mile 

 to the east, and continuing by Stretton, it crosses the Dove into 

 Derbyshire, being about twenty-five miles from its entrance into 

 Staffordshire near Birmingham. This is a convex well-formed road, 

 it iid rectilinear in great lengths: upon Sutton Coldtield and in Sut- 

 ton-park, it is visible in its original state, not having been much 

 injured by carriages: its course through this county is from north 

 by east to north-east. In Sutton-park is a very ancient bathing- 

 spring called Rowton-well, probably a work of the Romans. 



