HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 275 



caught in the Lake of Geneva of 80 pounds weight, reckoning 

 18 ounces to the pound. He also instances, where pike having 

 swallowed their prey, the same has been taken out of them alive. 

 One instance occurred at the Black lake, near Aqualate, and 

 another at Rugeley. Aqualate-mere is supplied with water by 

 several streams, and a small fountain at the foot of a hill 

 planted with firs, called Anc's-hill, on the N-N.E side of the lake, 

 and nearly opposite to the Hall. 



Plot conjectures that the AncVhills derived their name from 

 some Roman captain that lay upon them, "whose name, or at. 

 least praeuomen, perhaps might be Ancus." He says that " it 

 cannot be denied that the Romans had indeed some action here- 

 about, there being a raised work here at Morton not farr off, 

 which seems to be of their fashion, and no question the large tneere 

 that lyes just below it, had its name of Aqualat (quasi aqua lata) 

 from them ;***** not to mention that all these are in or 

 near the parish of Forton, and that there is a village also not fan- 

 off, call'd Warton, which are both thought to derive their names 

 from some such actions as are presumed by the story to have hap-. 

 pened hereabout." (chap. x. sec. 6.) 



That a Battle has been fought near this place cannot be doubted, 

 though between whom may still remain a conjecture, for stronger 

 evidence than the etymology of words, the traces of camps, or 

 proximity of ancient military roads, can be adduced in attestation 

 of the fact. About 100 years ago were fallen some very old oaks, 

 which grew on or about the grounds called the AncVhills; at 

 which time, .according to tradition, in pits and excavations then 

 made, human bone's, skeletons, arid arms, were found. In 1815 

 the remains of many skeletons were found in rows, and appeared 

 to have been laid in trenches on each other. They were acciden- 

 tally discovered by digging to form a plantation. At Oulton, 

 about a mile from thence, nearly twenty years ago, were found 

 some arms, which fell into the hands of the late Richard Whit- 

 worth, Esq. of Batchacre. Whether the battle was fought by the 

 Romans or Saxons, is it improbable, that Morton, Warton, and For* 

 ton, were the stations of the two contending armies prior thereto ? 



From the field of battle, and the contemplation of contending ar- 

 mies, we pass to another place surrounded by other dead, but more 

 peacefully slain, and more affectionately interred ; and that is the 

 parish-church. 



Forton Church, situate in the village of Forton, is a stone build- 



