HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 181 



this manor was held of William Fitz Ansculf, whose posterity as- 

 sumed the name of Byshhury : it afterwards belonged to the Grosve- 

 nors, and the Goughs, ancestors to the well-known antiquary of that 

 name. Peter Tichborne Hinckes, Esq. of Tettenhall, is the present 

 lord, who purchased the estate and mansion in 1790. The parish 

 of Byshbury is divided into two distinct parts, Byshbury and Es- 

 sington, each maintaining its own poor, and paying its quota to the 

 church-rates : the liberty of Byshbury, including Moseley, is very 

 extensive, and comprises nearly 6000 acres. At Byshbury-hall is 

 still preserved a chair called the King's chair, in which Charles 

 the Second sat during his concealment in this mansion. In 1770, 

 the skeleton of a man in complete armour, supposed to have been 

 one of Charles the First's cuirassiers, was found by some workmen 

 employed in cleansing a pit in an adjoining field. 



The Church, dedicated to the assumption of the Blessed Virgin, 

 is an ancient stone edifice, surmounted by a massy embattled tower. 

 The nave is spacious, and rests upon two pointed arches on short 

 hexagon pillars on the north, and four similar arches on the south 

 side : the chancel, more modern than the rest of the building, is 

 large, lofty, and handsome, particularly the roof, which is con- 

 structed of oak, supported by curiously-carved flying buttresses. 



This church contains monuments of the families of Moseley, 

 Huntbach, Hellier, Leacroft, Whitgreave, Gough, and others, in- 

 cluding that to the memory of Thomas Whitgreave, Esq. the cele- 

 brated protector of Charles the Second. About fifty years ago, the 

 monument of Hugh Byshbury was opened, and found to contain a 

 stone coffin with a skeleton, and a silver chalice, now used in the 

 communion service. On the north side of the chancel is a mural 

 monument erected by Mr. Huskisson, M. p. to the memory of 

 William Huskisson, Esq. of Oxley, in the parish of Byshbury ; 

 Elizabeth, his wife; and Richard, their second son, a naval surgeon, 

 who died at Guadaloupe in the year 1794. It is inscribed as 

 follows : 



Brave, sensible, humane, thy mind and heart 



Completely fashioned for the healing art, 



Led thee, young HUSKISSON, with guardian care 



To rescue valour from perdition's snare, 



Teaching the mariner in noxious seas 



To foil the hovering harpy of disease, 



Thy bolder pity labour' d to sustain 



The soldier drooping with contagious pain, 



Where death, that Nature to her rage might bend 



Robb'd her of thee, her salutary friend. 



