HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 269 



sions. In this district, William Keen, Esq. of Stafford, has just 

 erected an elegant house. The chief population of the parish is 

 about Stafford and Rickerscote, or from one mile and a half to 

 two miles and a half distant from the church. 



Silkmore, in Domesday-book written Selchemore, is the manor 

 and residence of Thomas Mottershaw, Esq. It is situated in the 

 north-east part of the parish ; the upland is a light sandy loam, 

 and the lowland rich meadows, on the banks of the Penk, and a 

 rivulet which comes from the west. 



Rickerscote, on the south-east part of the parish, contains good 

 estates belonging to Mr. Clarke, Mr. Perkins, and others. The 

 upland is a good light loam, adapted to either pasture or tillage, 

 with a sufficient proportion of meadow-land on the Penk and its 

 collateral rivulets. These meadows have been greatly improved of 

 late years by drainage and embankment, which protects them from 

 inundations. Several saline springs have been found by digging 

 in these meadows, and a spa has been discovered on the estate of 

 T. B. Perkins, Esq. which is highly saline, moderately sulphureous, 

 and considerably chalybeate. This spa is possessed of properties 

 similar to the waters of Cheltenham and Leamington ; containing, 

 as has been found on careful analysis, a proportion of iron, salts, 

 calcareous earth, and hepatic air. It is moderately aperient when 

 taken in small doses, and has a tonic effect similar to that of other 

 chalybeate waters when applied either internally or by immersion. 



Castle Church is an ancient edifice, composed of brick on the one 

 side, and stone whitewashed on the other, with a stone tower. It is 

 a perpetual curacy, the patronage is in the Crown, and the Rev. 

 Edward Dickenson, rector of St. Mary's, Stafford, is minister, who 

 keeps a curate to assist him in his duties. 



HAUGHTON is a parish, with a pleasant rural village of the same 

 name, situateed about four miles w.s.w. of Stafford, on the road to 

 Newport, in Shropshire. The parish consists of this village and a 

 few farm-houses. According to the population returns in 1811, it 

 contained 93 houses, and 93 families, consisting of 223 males, and 

 232 females : total 455 persons. The principal employment of the 

 inhabitants is agriculture, though tanning and some handicraft arts 

 are carried on in the village. 



The Church is a neat edifice of brick, with an ancient stone 

 tower. It is a rectory in the deanery of Newcastle and Stone, 

 and Archdeaconry of Stafford. 

 GNOSALL is an extensive parish in Cuttlestone west, including 



