OFFLOW HUNDRED. 



L HIS division of the county of Stafford, is bounded on the east 

 fey Warwickshire; on the north-east by the Trent; on the north 

 by the Dove ; on the west by Cuddlestone and Seisdon Hundreds ; 

 and on the south by Shropshire and Worcestershire. It contains 

 the City] of Lichfield, and the towns of Burton-upon-Trent, Wal- 

 sall, Abbot's Bromley, and Tamworth, with the intermediate 

 parishes. 



The general appearance of this part of the county is moderate 

 elevation, with considerable tracts of meadow-land on the banks 

 of the Trent, Tame, and Dove ; a light soil from Watling-street 

 to the Trent ; and a stronger loam, east of the Tame, and between 

 the Trent and the Dove. This latter district includes Needwood 

 Forest, formerly overgrown with wood, but now by improved cul- 

 tivation a fertile and interesting part of the county. 



BURTON-UPON-TRENT. 



This town, which is of great antiquity, is situated on the northern 

 bank of the river Trent, in the north-east part of the Hundred of 

 Offlow ; and in 52 53' north latitude, and 1 35 f west longitude. 

 It is distant east from Stafford twenty-five miles, north-east from 

 Lichfield twelve miles, and 126 miles north-west from London. 



Burton was a considerable place at an early period of the Saxon 

 dominion in this Island. In the Saxon annals it is written Byretun, 

 synonimous to Buryton, a word used by that people to denote 

 places of British or Roman origin. It is therefore probable that a 

 Bury or manor-house, was the residence of some eminent personage 

 here, before the Saxons conquered England. The site of Burton 

 is indeed extremely pleasant. Between an extensive space of 

 level and fertile meadows on the west, and a beautiful range of 

 hills on the east, runs the river Trent; these and other hills about 

 two miles north-west of the town, were formerly covered with 

 wood, thus combining all the attractions of a commanding station, 

 fine prospect, and fruitful soil, the principal requisites for the 

 establishment of a permanent habitation. 



The ancient records of Burton commence with the history of St. 

 Modwen, who flourished in the ninth century. " In this season, 



