274 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



same Hartshead seems nearest to direct itself; and this most fre- 

 quently happens, always one of the two/' 



Aqualate Hall, according to Mr. Shaw,* was first erected by 

 Sir Thomas Skrymsher, Knt. who died in 1633. He was lord of 

 the manor, and patron of the church. An engraving of the origi- 

 nal building is in Plot, (see chap. vii. sec. 39) where it is termed 

 Aqualate House. From the Skrymshers it descended by marriage 

 to the family of Baldwyn, from whence it came by purchase to the 

 present proprietor, Sir John Fenton Boughey, Bart, one of the 

 representatives for the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The 

 worthy Baronet new modelled, rebuilt, and considerably enlarged 

 the old mansion, before he made it his seat. It is now a magnifi- 

 cent Gothic mansion, ornamented with turrets and battlements. The 

 extensive park and pleasure-grounds about it present a delightful 

 variety of rural scenery, and are adorned with several plantations, 

 laid out with much taste ; and in which are some of the largest 

 oaks in this county. An arm from one, approaching fast to debay, 

 extends in an horizontal direction twenty-seven yards from the 

 trunk ! 



dqualale-mere, the principal ornament of this demesne, is in 

 front of the Hall, and is the finest lake in the county. Plot states 

 its dimensions to be 1848 yards long, and 672 yards broad ; thus 

 making it cover a space of more than 250 acres. The river Meese 

 derives its source from this water ; which is the resort of various 

 aquatic birds, particularly wild geese and ducks. The latter are 

 sometimes taken in a decoy. Fish are for the most part abundant 

 in this lake, though in time past the otter has proved a destructive 

 animal amongst them ; and the voracity of another of their own 

 tribe or genus, in proportion as their numbers increase, must create 

 a diminution of the other species : pike have been taken out of this 

 water of the weight of 361bs. Dr. Plot says that he was informed 

 by Edwin Skymsher, Esq. that carp grew to a vast size in this 

 mere, and two were taken therein " remarkably great ; one, a 

 melter 33 inches long and 19f inches about, weighing 15 pounds, 

 and the other a spawner, which, though not above two feet six 

 inches long, or thereabouts, yet was 20| inches round, weighing 

 14 pounds, and sold for 14 shillings, the scales of each being near 

 as broad as one of the milled half-crowns" then in circulation 

 (ch. vii. sec. 38). In the same section he says, pike have been 

 See Gent. Mag. Vol. 71, p. t30. 



