390 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



upon the place where Wulfere had slain his sons, to preserve the 

 memory of the place, and Queen Ermenilda, their mother, erected 

 a church over their tomb. A town was afterwards gradually built 

 at the place, which in memory of the event was called Stone. 



The manor is not mentioned in Doomsday Book, but the Con- 

 queror gave it to Erasmus, who held it till the reign of King 

 Henry the First, and then it being forfeited to the King by his son 

 Enysan de Walton, who had killed two nuns and a priest, who 

 had settled in a small oratory in this town, in honour of St. Wul- 

 fad, before murdered there, was given to Robert de Stafford, who 

 out of great devotion to that saint, founded a priory for canons 

 regular of St. Augustine ; and after him the family made it their 

 burial-place.* 



The Church is a handsome modern structure of stone, built in 

 the Gothic style, with ten windows on each side, and a square 

 tower containing eight bells. It is dedicated to St. Michael, and 

 is a curacy, the King being patron. We believe the Rev. Mr. 

 Buckeridge, of Lichfield, brother or near relative to the Archdea- 

 con of Warwick, is the incumbent ; and the Rev. Joseph Smith, is 

 the present minister. 



Stone is a well-built market-town, situated on the northern 

 bank of the Trent, seven miles north from Stafford. The Trent 

 and Mersey Canal passes near the town, and has much facilitated 

 its commerce. It is a place of considerable extent, and contains 

 eight streets and lanes. There is a good weekly market for corn 

 and other provisions held on Tuesday. 



The principal office for conducting the business of the Trent 

 and Mersey Canal, is at Stone. Some account of this noble un- 

 dertaking is given in a succeeding part of this Work. 



The parish of Stone contains the townships of Beech, Kibble- 

 stone, Hilderstone, and Normacott. According to the last popula- 

 tion returns, it contained 1,174 houses, 1,227 families ; 3,159 males, 

 3,111 females: total, 6,270 inhabitants. 



Stone has four annual fairs : the Tuesday after Midlent ; Shrove 

 Tuesday ; Whit-Tuesday ; and August 5th, for sheep and 

 cattle. 



At Stonefield, a vast and open tract to the left of the town, the 

 Duke of Cumberland drew up his army in 1745, in order to give 

 battle to the Scotch rebels, who had advanced to Derby. The se- 

 quel is well known. 



Magna Britannia, No. 62. p. 72. 



