HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 403 



ELIJAH FENTON, an ingenious poet of the last century, and 

 whose life is given among the "Eminent Natives" of this county, 

 was born at Shelton, on the 20th of May, 1683. 



STOKE-UPON-TRENT, 



Is the parish-town of the Potteries, inasmuch as the most import- 

 ant, and by far the greater part of the whole of the Potteries, are, or 

 were, in this parish. Some portions or districts have since been 

 made distinct parishes by Acts of Parliament. Stoke is situ- 

 tuated about a mile and a half to the east of Newcastle, on the 

 river Trent, with the Grand Trunk Canal running parallel, and 

 passing through the town, thus affording every facility for the 

 conveyance of heavy articles. There are several wharfs and ware- 

 houses in this town and its neighbourhood, and it has many earth- 

 enware manufactories. " From this place to Newcastle, on the 

 right, the prospects are extremely beautiful ; and nearly at the mid- 

 way, a view so populous, and at the same time so picturesque, is 

 seldom met with/'* 



The Church is an ancient edifice of stone, with a stone tower. 

 It was the mother church of most of the churches around it to 

 the extent of several miles, f and is dedicated to St. Peter. It is a 

 rectory, and was in the patronage of the late Rev W. Robinson, who 

 was also incumbent. The advowson, we presume, is now vested in 

 his executors. The Very Rev. the Dean of Lichfield and Coventry, 

 Dr. Woodhouse, is the rector, and the Rev. Thomas Yeoman, is the 

 present curate. 



In the Church are some monuments to the memory of the Fen- 

 tons, of Newcastle, maternal ancestors of Sir J. F. Boughey, Bart. 

 M. p. and the following epitaph commemorative of the virtues of the 

 late Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. : 



" Sacred to the Memory of 



JOSIAH WEDGAVOOD, F. R. s. &, S.A. 



Of Etruria, in this county, 



Born in August 1730, 

 Died January the 3d 1795 : 



Who converted a rude and inconsiderable manufacture into an elegant art 

 and an important part of national commerce. By these services to his country 



Aikin's Manchester. 



t The following were Chapels of Ease to Stoke, viz. Newcastle, Whitmore, 

 Norton-on-the-Moors, Burslem, Bucknall and Bagnall. Hanley and Lane 

 End still continue such. 



