268 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



and contains a small part of the town of Stafford, called Stafford- 

 green ; also the Old Castle, Highfields, Burton, Moss Pitt, Silk- 

 more, and Rickerscote. In 1811, the parish of Castle-Church con- 

 tained 144 inhabited houses, and 162 families ; consisting of 247 

 males, and 319 females : total, 566 persons. 



The Church, which was formerly an appendage to the ancient 

 barony of Stafford Castle, stands on the side of the parish, remote 

 from the greatest part of the population. Stafford Castle, which is 

 in this parish, is situated on the summit of a hill, about a mile and 

 a half south-west of Stafford. The ancient keep is raised on an 

 artificial mount, of an oblong form, and the whole castle surrounded 

 by a deep foss, with the additional fortification of a high rampart 

 on the side which was considered the most accessible. During the 

 Civil war between Charles I. and the Parliament, this castle was 

 garrisoned by the Royalists, and was afterwards demolished, ac- 

 cording to the following order : 



Dec. 21, 1643 It is ordered by the Committee, that Stafford Castle shall 

 be forthwith demolished. Present : Colonel Rugeley, Mr. Compton, L. C. 

 Chadwick, Mr. Broughton, Mr. Swynfen, Capt. Stone, Mr. Greg, Mr. Pudsey, 

 Mr. Bendy, and Capt. Foxall." 



The last effort in the Royal cause at this castle seems to have 

 been made by " the ould Lady Stafford," as she is called by Sir 

 William Brereton, a General in the army of the Parliament, in his 

 letter to the Earl of Northampton, which concludes thus : "there 

 are divers considerable persons in this blocked-up castle, which we 

 resolve to observe and attend as much as possible, until we can re- 

 cover the same and disperse them." 



The Castle, and the land around it, are now the property of the 

 Jerningham family, who have laid claim to the ancient barony of 

 Stafford. The soil is an excellent marly loam, suitable for beans 

 and wheat, and the estate includes several considerable farms. 

 Some years ago, the walls of Stafford Castle were cleared of rub- 

 bish, and made of an equal height, by Mr. Jerningham, and in 

 1815 two new towers were built. When finished, it will, from its 

 elevated and commanding site, be a most delightful residence, 

 and a picturesque addition to the beauties of the landscape. It is 

 situated on the highest eminence of the hills of Billington, where 

 they terminate abruptly, and it is probable that the ancient military 

 station at that place had some connexion with this castle. 



All the western part of this parish to Moss-pit Bank, and the 

 Wolverhampton road, is thinly interspersed with handsome man- 





