164] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



" as at Stile-cop, on Cannock-heath, whereof they made pipes 

 at Armitage and Lichfield ; and again at Darlaston, Wednesbury, 

 and in Monway-field, towards Willingsworth, of a whitish colour, 

 which makes excellent pipes ; and again in Pensnet-chace, south 

 of Dudley. And Charles Riggs, of Newcastle, made very good 

 pipes of three sorts of clay, which he had from Shelton, Hanley- 

 green, and Grubber's Ash/' We believe these have all given way 

 to the superior whiteness of the Broseley clay, which now enjoys 

 a monopoly of the pipe-trade of this county. 



The Amblecot Clay, on the banks of the Stour, near Stourbridge, 

 famous in the time of Plot, still maintains its superiority as a fire- 

 clay, and will bear the most violent heat unmoved : it is used in 

 the neighbouring glass-houses, and exported to all parts of the 

 world. 



Potter's Clay, for the more common wares, is found in Monway- 

 field, and near Tipton, Wednesbury, and Bilston, where some small 

 manufactures of this kind are now carried on. But the largest 

 Potteries in this county, or perhaps in the world, are established at 

 Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Lane End, &c. which places occupy an 

 extent of about ten miles, and contain upwards of 30,000 inha- 

 bitants, chiefly employed in this extensive manufacture. 



Plot says, " of Earths used in Colouring and Painting, we may 

 reckon the yellow and red ochres met with near Stansope, in the 

 parish of Alston-field. Ruddle, or red ochre, they dig very good 

 in the parish of Ipstones ; and I was told there is also of it at 

 Dilhorn." The ochres are, doubtless, an imperfect or decomposed 

 ore of iron. 



The Peacock Coa/, dug at Hanley-green, near Newcastle-under- 

 Lyme, is much softer than the cannel; it most vividly represents 

 all the colours of the most glorious feathers of a peacock's train, 

 whence it borrows its name : Plot. 



" At Waterfall, in the Moorlands, the Lime-stone rises in tables 

 or flats of about two inches thick, and of so very fine a grain and 

 close texture, that it polishes like marble, whereof in the arbours 

 up and down the country I find tables made of it." 



Dr. Plot also relates that a Sweet Liquor is sometimes contained 

 in the iron-stones of Staffordshire, particularly in those found in the 

 " lands of Henry Legh, Esq. of Rushall; where, in the Mill-meadow, 

 in the Moss-close, near the old Vicarage-house, and in the Furnace- 

 leasow, it was frequently met with amongst the best sort of iron- 

 stone called Mush, in round or oval, blackish or reddish stones, 



