HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 25!) 



minister of the parish. Shareshill Church contains several antique 

 monuments of the Vernon family. 



A small rivulet which rises in Essington Wood, runs between 

 Shareshill and Saredon, into the Cannock-heath branch of the 

 Penk, a little above Deepmore Mill. This stream, abounds with 

 excellent trout. 



Shareshill is a place of antiquity. In the 1st Henry IV. A.D. 

 1399, Sir William de Shareshall, Knt. of Shareshall, was Sheriff of 

 Staffordshire. On the north and south sides of this village, are 

 vestiges of two encampments, supposed from their square form to 

 have been of Roman construction. 



Great and Little Saredon are hamlets of Shareshill. The manor, 

 and tithes, and a good estate, belong to the Littleton family ; be- 

 sides which, the Rev. J. H. Petit, Mr. Hordern, banker, of Wolver- 

 hampton, Mr. Pratt, of Saredon Mill, and others, possess good es- 

 tates here. The Cannock-heath branch of the Penk passes near 

 the boundary between Penkridge and Shareshill, and upon it are 

 Saredon and Deepmore Mills, which are very powerful corn-mills. 



Fetherstone is one of the places conferred by the Lady Wul- 

 frima, upon the monastery of Wolverhampton, which she founded. 

 It is situated about a mile north of Shareshill, and was formerly 

 the residence of Huntbach the antiquary, from whom it passed in 

 the female line to Sir Samuel Hellier, and is now the property of 

 J. S. Hellier, Esq. 



Hilton was another of the townships given to the monks of the 

 before-mentioned monastery by its founder. It probably took its 

 name from an adjacent eminence, which is now adorned by an obe- 

 lisk. Hilton Hall and Park, the ancient seat of the Vernon fa- 

 mily, is situated in the vicinity of Shareshill ; and though no- 

 minally in the parish of Wolverhampton, the inhabitants to 

 Shareshill church as their place of worship, and bury their dead in 

 the church or church-yard. The Hall, which is a large structure 

 of brick and stone, was built in the year 1700. It is surrounded 

 by a moat, and the communication to this mansion is by a hand- 

 some bridge, which leads to the principal entrance. The park is 

 very pleasant and secluded, abounding with all the varieties of 

 sylvan and picturesque beauty displayed by groves, clumps, and 

 plantations. Hilton Monument is erected on the highest eminence 

 in the grounds, and commands a very extensive prospect of the 

 surrounding country. The plantations are chiefly of oak, and 

 elm, which flourish in the utmost luxuriance, and afford evidence 



