HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 207 



spire is about 170 feet high, and is a conspicuous object from the 

 eminence between Mayfieid and Ellerston above Dove-vale, at the 

 distance of seven miles. During a thunder-storm, about two o'clock 

 on Sunday, February the 6th, 1814, the spire of Uttoxeter church 

 was struck by lightning, which forced a large stone out about half 

 way down, passed into the belfry, and penetrated through the wall 

 of the chancel on the south side of the window. In consequence of 

 this accident, part of the spire which had been damaged by the 

 shock was taken down and re-built : when it was finished, and the 

 gilt globe, cross, and vane set up, Margaret Allporte, then a cham- 

 ber-maid at the Red Lion inn, ascended, stood on the ornamental 

 stone-work under the globe, and kissed a young man (one of the 

 masons), who stood on the opposite side, in the presence of a mul- 

 titude of spectators. This female adventurer afterwards descended 

 in safety, though it may truly be said that she ventured her neck 

 for a kiss. 



Uttoxeter Church is dedicated to St. Mary. It is a vicarage : 

 the patrons are the Dean and Chapter of Windsor, and the present 

 incumbent is the Rev. Fowler. 



There are several ancient monuments in this church, particularly 

 an altar-tomb, with a mutilated figure in alabaster. 



At the east side of the south aisle, a mural monument of marble 

 is erected, with the following inscription : 



" Thomas Oldfield, Esq. Major in the Marines, who fell during the memo- 

 rable defence of St. Jean d' Acre, in Syria, by Sir Sydney Smith, against General 

 Bonaparte and the army of Egypt, while leading a sortie made by the garrison, 

 on the 7th April, 1799, for the purpose of destroying the enemy's approaches. 

 JElsA. 43." 



The east side of the north aisle is the cemetery of the Kinnersley 

 family, of Loxley, and contains several monuments and inscrip- 

 tions. Part of the chapel of the Minors family, of Hollingbury 

 Hall, is now used as a vestry, by permission of the present descend- 

 ant. A vault in the church-yard was the burying-place of the 

 Degge family. Sir Simon Degge, the antiquary, was a native of 

 Uttoxeter; he died at the age of 92, and was buried in this vault. 

 The last male of the family, who was a pauper, died and was bu- 

 ried here about five years ago. The inscriptions on the tomb- 

 stone have long been effaced by the footsteps of toys, and by the 

 hand of time. 



The vault of the Gardner family is in the church-yard, and a 

 tomb-stone over it contains the following epitaph : 



