70 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



century it became the property of the Leigh family, and on the de- 

 raise of Edward Lord Leigh, his sister, the Hon. Mary Leigh, be 

 came lady of this manor and of Yoxall. 



The parish of Hamstall Rid ware contains 2,621 A. 2a. 16p. of 

 tenantable land, and 36A. 2n. 32p. of waste land and waters. 



The ancient manor-house is an extensive building, and was for- 

 merly fitted-up in a style of neat magnificence. Near it stands a 

 watch tower, about fifty feet high, open at the top, from which there 

 is a richly- varied prospect of the surrounding country. 



Among other curiosities, the head of a stone hammer is shewn 

 to visitors, by the present resident of the mansion. The re- 

 mains of a coat of mail and other accoutrements, provided for 

 Charles I. in the time of the Rebellion, and a bridle for a scold, 

 are also preserved here. The bridle is made of narrow thin plates 

 of iron, with vacancies for the nose and eyes. When fixed on the 

 offender, a flat piece of iron projects into the mouth and presses 

 on the tongue. There is a ring in the centre, through which a 

 cord was put to lead the offender into the church-yard, where she 

 was obliged to remain till she gave signs of reformation, which, tra- 

 dition says, this forcible deprivation of speech soon produced. Dr. 

 Plot mentions two other similar bridles in his time, which were 

 considered great curiosities ; one at Newcastle, and the other at 

 Walsall. There is another exliibited at Mr. Green's Museum, at 

 Liehfield. 



The church is a rectory, dedicated to St. Michael. It is a small 

 structure of stone with a spire ; has some painted glass in the 

 windows, and contains several handsome monuments, and among 

 others one to the memory of Thomas Allestree, M. A. who was a 

 minister of the Church of England 54 years. He composed 500 

 sermons, and preached above 5000 times. He died the 30th of 

 June, 1715, in the 78th year of his age. 



Pipe Ridware. This manor is situated on the northern bank of 

 the Trent, six miles north-west of Liehfield. This is the first of 

 the three Ridwares mentioned in Doomsday-book, where it is thus 

 recorded. " Riduuare : the arable land is five carucates, which 

 Alric holds." It came into the possession of the family of Pipe, 

 in consequence of the marriage of Robert de Pipe, with Maud, the 

 daughter of Thomas de Thamenhorne, in the reign of Edward the 

 First. The manor was then distinguished by the name of Pipe 

 Ridware, doubtless from the desire of the possessor to perpetuate 

 his name. It remained in this family till 1443, when the heiress 



