HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 265 



gles. The interior consists of two low aisles. It is dedicated to 

 St. Augustine, and is a vicarage in the patronage of the Dean and 

 Chapter of Lichfield. The present vicar, the Rev. Charles Inge, 

 resides in the vicarage-house, a neat mansion which stands near 

 the church, and is surrounded with a shrubbery. The church con- 

 tains monuments of the families of Weston, Chetwynd, Lander, 

 and Sneyd. 



Dr. Wilkes traces the etymology of Rugeley, from Ridgley, a 

 ridge of hills above the town. Cannock-heath approaches within 

 a mile of Rugeley on the south; and Stile Cop, one of its emi- 

 nences, covered with trees, is seen at the distance of many miles. 

 From the summit there is a prospect of a great part of Derby- 

 shire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire, and a part of Shropshire. 



The Free Grammar-school of Rugeley was established by 

 Queen Elizabeth, who endowed the institution with lands in and 

 about the town, which had formerly been appropriated for the in- 

 struction of boys in a chantry, dissolved by Henry VIII. 



John Bamford Cowper also founded a charity-shool, and left 

 four hundred pounds in trusts, the interest of which was to be 

 paid to a schoolmaster, for instructing sixteen boys of the poorest 

 families in Rugeley, in reading, writing, and arithmetic, to qualify 

 them to go apprentices to trades. They were also instructed in 

 the Church catechism, and the principles of the Christian religion. 



Among the memorable events recorded in the parish register of 

 Rugeley, there is an account of a fire on Trinity Sunday, May 20, 

 1646, which destroyed 29 dwelling-houses. The sufferers after- 

 wards received <335. 7s. lOd. On Saturday, Feb. 19, 1708, a 

 fire broke out in the west end of Rugeley, at nine o'clock in the 

 morning, and consumed ten habitations, nine barns and offices, and 

 goods to the value of o808. 3s. 2d. which was paid to the suffer- 

 ers severally by Benjamin Adie. 



Hagley, the magnificent seat of Viscount Curzon, is in the vici- 

 nity of this town, enveloped in lofty and luxuriant groves and 

 plantations, enclosed by a park-wall and paling. Above Rugeley, 

 the vale of Trent displays several gentlemen's seats, with sur- 

 rounding and picturesque sylvan scenery. Among others the mo- 

 dern mansion of Bellamore, belonging to the Blount family, is a 

 beautiful object. The demesne is well cultivated, and variegated 

 with groves and plantations. At a greater distance to the west, 

 the elegant mansion of John Sparrow, Esq. rises near the Trent' 

 and on the opposite bank of the river is Wolseley Hal), the an- 



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