192 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



On the east side of the parish, adjoining the Canal, is a very 

 extensive bed of excellent coal, in some of the mines fourteen yards 

 thick, and intersected with different strata of iron-stone. 



At Cotwell End and Gornall, excellent grinding stones are dug: 

 those at the latter place possess a coarser grit, and are generally 

 used for setting thick-edged tools. 



The number of freeholders from this parish who voted at the 

 contested election in 1747, was 753. There are three chapels for 

 dissenters. 



On Monday, April 23, 1797, during a violent thunder-storm, a 

 fire-ball fell into the chimney of a house occupied by Stephen Cox, 

 a nailer, of Sedgley, whilst he and his wife were sitting by the 

 fire-side, and their child was sleeping on a chair near them. Hear- 

 ing an extraordinary noise in the chimney, the mother snatched up 

 the child, and thereby saved its life, as the pillow upon which it had 

 lain was scorched, and a great quantity of bricks fell near it. The 

 electric fluid passed through two houses adjoining, and, attracted 

 by a nail, penetrated into a back kitchen, and forced out a piece 

 of the door, which appears as if cut with a knife : it partially melt- 

 ed in its passage the wards of a lock and the key that was in it ; 

 part of the lead in the windows of all the three houses was also 

 melted, and a piece of one of the window-frames struck off. 



Ellers, on the west side of this parish, is a pleasing specimen of 

 the taste of S. Fereday, Esq. in ornamental gardening : several 

 varieties of the most delicious and highly-flavoured fruits are culti- 

 vated in great profusion. 



SWINFORD REGIS, or KING'S SWINFORD, is so called from hav- 

 ing been a domain of the Crown till the reign of John, who gave 

 it to the Baron Dudley, in which family it has ever since continued. 

 It is supposed to have taken its name from Sweyn, the Danish 

 King, who was crowned King of England about the year 1000. 



The church is a rectory in the patronage of Lord Dudley. It is 

 an ancient structure, with a massy square tower : over the principal 

 south door is some curious rude sculpture. The interier contains 

 several monumental inscriptions of the families of Corbyri, Hodgetts, 

 and Bendy. The old parsonage-house stands at the east end of the 

 village, and is in part moated. 



Near the middle of the village, encompassed by lofty walls, 

 stands Bradley-hall, an ancient half-timbered mansion, with gable 

 ends, transom windows, and other features of the grotesque archi- 

 tecture of 1596, which date appears on its front. To the west is a 



