06 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



la 1752, John Turtoii, Esq. father of John Turton, of Sugnall 

 Esq. sold the manor of Alrewas and Orgreave Hall, with the estates, 

 to George Lord Anson, second and youngest son of William Anson, 

 Esq. of Shugborough, in this county. Lord Anson, so justly 

 celebrated for his nautical skill as a circumnavigator, and his 

 heroism as a, warrior, who, to use the energetic language of the poet 

 Thomson, <bore his. country's name " in thunder round the world," 

 after his. various toils and perils, naturally wished to enjoy peace 

 and tranquillity in his native county. On the demise of his Lordship, 

 in 1762 X his elder brother Thomas Anson, Esq. who was then one of 

 the representatives in Parliament for the city of Lichfield, succeeded 

 to the handsome house and estate at Shugborough, which the great 

 navigator had so much enriched and adorned by the treasures of 

 his voyage. By his Lordship's will, great part of his fortune de- 

 volved to his sister's son, George Adams, Esq. whose son, Thomas 

 Anson, Esq. now Lord Viscount Anson, is proprietor of Alrewas 

 and the estate at Orgreave. These possessions, according to a 

 survey made by Mr. Wyatt, in 1793, consist of 0745 acres, besides 

 the common of 2191 acres and a half. But this is a small part of 

 the property his Lordship possesses in this county. He has lately 

 enlarged the magnificent mansion at Shugborough, where bis Lord- 

 ship at present resides. 



The old manor-house at Alrewas is situated a little south-west 

 of the church, near the navigation bridge. At a little distance 

 stands a cotton factory. 



The church, the antiquity of which has already been recorded, is 

 a fine specimen of Saxon antiquity. It is built of stone, with a low 

 tower, and adorned with a Saxon arch at the west end. It is a 

 vicarage, dedicated to All Saints, and contains several monumental 

 inscriptions. 



Extracts from the Register-book of the Parish of Alrewas : 



"1577. This year, the llth of November, appeared a blazing 

 starre, which was seen forty days after. 



" 1585. This year, July 6, the second bell and the greatest 

 bell weare caste at Nottingham, by Henry Oldfield, bell-founder. 



" 1593. This year, in the summer time, there was a great plague 

 in England, in divers cities and townes, as in London their died in 

 one week to the number of 200, and in Lichfield their died to the 

 number of eleven hundred and odde, and as at this time of wryting 

 not clean ceased, being the 28th of November. 



" 1601. This year, the 1st of July, the bridge upon Tame, called 



