202 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



On this part of the river (Severn), and higher up to Welsh- 

 pool, the fishermen use a light kind of boat called a coracle, in 

 which one man being seated will row himself with great swift- 

 ness with one hand, whilst with the other he manages his net, 

 angle, or fishing tackle : it is of an oval form, composed of sallow 

 twigs interwoven round at the bottom, and covered on the outside 

 against the water with a horse's hide. It is probable (says Mr. 

 Shaw) these coracles were in general use among the Celtic nations 

 in the earliest ages; and there is great reason to believe that the 

 first inhabitants of Ireland had no other vessels to transport them 

 either from Britain thither, or from thence to Scotland. 



The soil of Areley is in general a good clay loam, and from its 

 situation and aspect well adapted to the cultivation of fruit. The 

 hills are often rocky, with small fragments upon and near the sur- 

 face : the surface-soil varies in colour from red to grey. Hops 

 were formerly much cultivated here, but have lately been neg- 

 lected. 



The names of the most remarkable buildings, are Areley-hall, 

 Heckstones, Bromley, Bannut-tree, and Hawkbach : here is like- 

 wise the eminence called Shatterfoot, and Seckley^wood, contain- 

 ing about 600 acres. 



Excellent grindle-stones are dug at Heckstones, and quarries of 

 lime-stone, and mines of coal, are in course of working. On the 

 eastern verge of the village is an ancient Roman vicinal road called 

 the Port-way, which probably led from Brennogenium (Worcester) 

 to Uriconium (Wroxeter), and now forms part of the post road 

 from Worcester to Shrewsbury. In Areley-wood are the re- 

 mains of a large Roman camp, which is an exact square, with 

 double, and on one side treble, ditches : it was probably the work 

 of Ostorius, who fortified the banks of the Severn during his con- 

 flicts with the Silures and Ordovices. 



Castle-field was perhaps so named from the Romans having en- 

 camped there ; and a town and bridge are said to have once ex- 

 isted at Hawkbach. Roman coins have been found on the spot. 



Rowley Regis forms a peninsulated promontory to this hundred, 

 and consists of an extensive range of hills, bounded on the east 

 and west by Worcestershire, on the south by Hales-Owen, and nortl 

 by Tipton and West Bromwich, in Offlow hundred, except a small 

 neck of land between Bradley and Dudley, which joins it to that of 

 Seisdon. The manor belongs to Lord Dudley. 

 This parish is principally composed of an insulated mountain, 



