248 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



manor ; and by Dr. Hulme, of Ball-Haye ; and Thomas Mills, Esq. 

 of Barlaston ; so that the term Moorlands, as applied to this tract, 

 may soon give place to the more significant epithet of Woodlands. 

 Oats have been sown on part of this enclosed ground, but with 

 little produce, and a part of it has been more successfully im- 

 proved into pasturage. 



Ladder-edge is another new inclosure of land to the south-west of 

 Leek ; and though the situation is high, and the soil stony, it has 

 already, by judicious cultivation, and the free use of lime, pro- 

 duced some good grain and turnips. The fences are generally of 

 stone. The Caldon Canal, which comes within half a mile of 

 Leek, is the medium for an abundant supply of lime-stone, which, 

 when burnt into lime, facilitates the improvement of the cold soil, 

 and the purposes of building. 



LEEK 



Is the principal market-town of Totmanslow North. It is situated 

 on a pleasant eminence near the river Churnet, and contains thir- 

 teen streets and lanes. The streets are wide, well paved, and 

 clean ; many of the shops large, and several houses of the silk- 

 manufacturers, and professional men, are elegant mansions. There 

 are three large inns in Leek, and several ale-houses. A weekly 

 market is held on Wednesday, and there are seven annual fairs, 

 chiefly for cattle and pedlars* goods. They are held on the Wed- 

 nesday before Candlemas, Easter-Wednesday, May the 18th, 

 Whit-Wednesday, July 3d, July the 28th, and November the 13th. 



Leek has been indebted for much of its present prosperity to the 

 silk-manufactures, which have been successfully carried on in this 

 town for at least half a century, and the population has rapidly 

 increased. 



This town, including Leek-Frith township, contains 954 houses, 

 972 families ; 2,023 males, 2,390 females : total of inhabitants 

 4,413. About two-thirds of the men, women, and children, in Leek, 

 are employed in various branches of the silk-manufacture, which 

 consist principally of shawls, handkerchiefs, ribbons, ferrets, twist, 

 and sewing silks. 



The Church of Leek is an ancient Gothic structure of stone with 

 two aisles, and a square tower, which contains a clock and six 

 bells. In the year 1816, eight pinnacles were added to the tower, 

 several parts of the exterior of the edifice were decorated with or- 



