162 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



The Church of Aldridge is a rectory. It is an ancient stone 

 structure with a tower, is dedicated to St. Mary, and contains 

 several monuments of the Scotts and other families. 



The village contains several good houses, and an extensive 

 distillery. The population is 425 males ; 422 females : total 847. 



SHENSTONE is a pleasant village situated on a gentle eminence, 

 three miles south of Lichfield. Almost every house in this village 

 has a small garden in front, which contributes at once to the beauty 

 of the place and the accommodation of the inhabitants. The parish 

 is of considerable extent, well watered by several rivulets which 

 abound with excellent trout. It contains much good sound up-land, 

 suitable for turnips, and barley, and other grain. There are also 

 fertile tracts of meadow and pasture-land on the banks of the rivu- 

 lets, where sheep, cows, and oxen are fattened in abundance. The 

 air of Shenstone is wholesome, as is proved by the longevity of the 

 inhabitants, of which several instances are recorded : Henry Lea 

 died in Shenstone in the year 1660, aged 107; and Susannah 

 Southwell, who married at the age of 112, could relate occurrences 

 to which she had been an eye-witness 100 years before. 



There are several gentlemen's seats in the parish. 



In 1769, Shenstone parish was surveyed and valued at e4240. 

 per annum. The Church, dedicated to St. John, stands near the 

 centre of the village, and is a very ancient edifice. 



Shensione-Hall, which is in the village, was some time ago the 

 property of Lord Berwick. 



Shenstone-Park is a low tract about a mile east of the village. 

 The mansion, which is called the New Hall, stands on a gentle 

 eminence on the margin of Black-brook. It has also been the pro- 

 perty of Lord Berwick, but was sold in 1797, to Edward Grove, 

 Esq. of Stretton. 



Wood-End and Park-Hall stand upon the turnpike-road leading 

 to Birmingham, half-a-mile from Shenstone Church. The court 

 in front of Park-Hall is surrounded with a high brick wall, and 

 adorned with yews, laurels, and other evergreens. 



Shenstone Moss, at the foot of St. John's Hill, is situated a 

 quarter of a mile to the south of the Church, where there is a neat 

 mansion called the Moss. 



Footherley is a hamlet, beginning half-a-mile south-west of the 

 church, and extending a mile and a half to Radley Moors. Foo- 

 therley-Hall was the property of John Dolphin, Esq. of the Moss, 

 but was afterwards sold to Charles Simpson, Esq. of Lichfield. 



