HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 57 



In the year 1792, the manor of Faulde was purchased by Mr. 

 Thomas Hunt, of Castle Hay. The old hall is now inhabited by a 

 son-in-law of the present Lord of the Manor. 



Coton-under-Needwood is another small hamlet in the parish 

 of Hanbury : it belongs to Charles Bowyer Adderley, Esq. The 

 ancient hall was pulled down, and the present commodious mansion 

 built on its site in 1790, with suitable offices, and extensive and 

 picturesque gardens and pleasure-grounds. English hospitality 

 prevailed here some years ago, when the social friends Messrs. 

 Adderley and Scott made it their residence. In the summer months 

 they pitched a tent upon a circular hill above Coton, where a flag 

 was hoisted, when they were at home, as a signal to their friends : 



" O mark upon yon round ascent 

 The social flag and open tent, 

 Where life's smooth paths with flow'rs are strown, 

 And mirth makes every hour its own." 



The flag-staff was struck in the year 1796. 



Draycot-under-Needwood was another of the manors comprised 

 in the gift of William the Conqueror to Henry de Ferrers. It is 

 recorded in Doomsday-book in the following terms : " The said 

 Henry holds Draicote, which contains half a hide. The arable land 

 is one carucate in demesne, and four villans, and four bordars, have 

 two carucates. There are 12 acres of meadow, a wood half a mile 

 in length, and the same in breadth. The whole being valued at 

 fifteen shillings." 



This manor has for ages been in the possession of the ancient 

 family of Vernon, who came originally from a town of that name 

 in Normandy. The present possessor is Lord Vernon. In the 

 meadow beyond Draycot Mills are the ruins of an old mansion, 

 encompassed by a moat, with a small drawbridge on the eastern 

 side. This was doubtless the manor-house, or residence of the 

 ancient proprietors. There are several extensive and extremely 

 fertile meadows in the vicinity of Draycot : the turnpike-road 

 from Lichfield to Sudbury passes through this manor. 



MARCHINGTON is a small village, situated at the northern ex- 

 tremity of the Hundred of Oiflow, with the woody eminence of 

 Needwood gradually rising on its southern side, and the wind- 

 ing stream of the Dove as its boundary to the north. The 

 manor now belongs to Earl Talbot. The earliest record of 

 this manor is in the will of Wulfric Spot, the founder of Burton 

 Abbey, dated A. D. 1004, in which he grants it to Wulfag. It 



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