HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 325 



dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient Gothic structure of stone, 

 with a tower, and is a curacy in the patronage of the Dean of Lich- 

 field, the impropriation being a part of the endowment of the Dean- 

 ery of Lichfield and Coventry. The Rev. Thomas Harding is curate. 

 The soil of the village of Adbaston is a mixed gravelly loam, pro- 

 ducing turnips, wheat, and other grain : the low land makes good 

 meadows, if well-drained. In this parish died, November, 28, 1714, 

 William Wakeley, of Outlands, aged 125 years. 



Adbaston parish contains 92 houses, 101 families; males 272, 

 females 260 : total, 532 persons. 



Outlands is a small hamlet north of Adbaston, and contains a 

 few farm-houses arid cottages. It is generaly a light rocky soil, 

 with some good meadow-land. 



Broughton, is a township and chapelry in Pirehill North, and 

 parish of Eccleshall, containing Broughton Hall, the property 

 and residence of the Rev. H. D. Broughton. The mansion is a 

 very good specimen of the Elizabethan era, and is surrounded with 

 beautiful plantations, clumps, and shady spreading trees, particu- 

 larly sycamores : there is also a promising coppice of oak, and a 

 handsome beech grove, near the house. The ancient Gothic Church 

 is enveloped in luxuriant specimens of the yew, holly, and fir, toge- 

 ther with a very fine cedar, which promises to vie with thise of 

 Lebanon of old. On the road-side are several other cedars. The 

 estate of Broughton consists of good mixed loam on a marl bot- 

 tom, containing several large marl-pits. It is now principally 

 held in hand, and farmed in a very spirited and improved manner 

 by the owner. 



ASHLEY is a parish and village situate about seven miles N w. of 

 Eccleshall. In 1811 the parish contained 141 houses and 616 in- 

 habitants. The Church is a small neat stone building. It consists 

 of a nave, north and south aisle, a south porch of entrance, a chan- 

 cel at the east, and a square tower at the west end of the nave. 

 Attached to the north side of the chancel is a cemetery or chauntry. 

 The tower, side aisles, cemetery, and porch, are embattled at the 

 top, and the whole appears to be covered with lead, except the nave. 

 Some of the battlements are ornamented with pinnacles, and at 

 the bottom of the parapets are heads and grotesque figures, as well 

 as on the heads of some of the windows, most of which are or have 

 been adorned with glass paintings, particularly the chancel win- 

 dow. These paintings occupy not more than one or two panes on 

 each of the windows, except that in the chancel. In that corner of 



