344 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



A tomb-stone in the church-yard contains the following in- 

 scription : 



" This memorial of regard for an old and faithful servant was made by a 

 gentleman, who, together with the relations and neighbours of Edward Bate, 

 lamented his death on the 1st day of May, 1776, aged 63. Though he was deaf 

 and dumb from his birth, he acquired remarkable knowledge in gardening and 

 rural improvements." 



There are several tables of benefactions to the poor of this parish 

 hung up in different parts of the Church, for distributing bread and 

 clothing, and for instructing the poor children of Betley. William 

 Palmer, a native of Betley, left the sum of 73. in the hands of 

 trustees, to be disposed of, at their discretion, for the best use of 

 the poor. It is now applied to apprenticing poor children of the 

 inhabitants of Betley. 



The tower is built of stone, has a parapet wall at the top, and on 

 each of the four angles has been placed a plain urn. The vane is 

 perforated with 1713, which was the time, we presume, when it was 

 built. 



The living is a curacy in the patronage of George Toilet, Esq. 

 and the Rev. Isaac Pennington is curate. Queen Anne's bounty 

 was obtained for it, in 1717; when the Right Hon. William Lord 

 Powlett and others gave 20 acres of common ground, to the value 

 of ,=200. towards the augmentation. 



Though Betley Church in appearance is inferior to many in -the 

 neighbourhood, yet it deserves more especial notice as affording a 

 specimen of the manner in which the ancients made their first 

 attempts, in their progress towards forming the pointed arch and 

 groins, now so much admired for contributing to the grandeur and 

 ornament, of what is called the Gothic style.* 



The parish of Betley contains 143 houses, 151 families ; 359 

 males, 402 females : total, 761 persons. 



AUDLEY is a parish of Pirehill North, containing six townships, 

 namely, Audley, Bignall-End, Eardley-End, Knowl-End, Park- 

 End, and Talk-o'th'Hill, and the liberty of Halmer-End. 



Audley or Aldithley was the manor and estate of the ancient 

 family of Verdou. According to an ancient record in the Tower, 

 Nicholas de Verdon in the 16th of Henry the Third, gave this 

 manor of Aldithley to Henry, who took his name from this place, 

 and became founder of the noble family of Audley. This family 



Rev. W. Snape> in Gent. Mag. 1809, p. 521. 



