fended by Colonel Ballard, for the king, to the last extremity, the garrison was obliged to surrender to Sir William Brereton, the parliamentary general; and the fortress soon underwent the fate of other seats of loyalty.

Two miles beyond Beeston, came to the village of Bunbury, which gives name to an ancient family. The church is a handsome building, with a pinnacled tower, the architecture about the time of Henry VII. In it is the magnificent tomb of Sir Hugh de Calvely, with his effigies in white marble, recumbent. He is armed in the fashion of the times, and his figure is represented as seven feet and a half long. He was the hero of Cheshire, and the glory of the county. Trained to arms, he early signalized himself, and for some time fought under the auspices of Edward the Black Prince. He was engaged in various services during a long life, and died in the reign of Henry IV.

Af

At a small distance frem Bunbury, they fell into the great road, and soon reached Calvely, from which village the Calvelys derive their name. ter passing the low unpleasant lane that leads towards Nantwich, reach Acton, a village standing on a gentle rising ground, commanding a great extent of champaign. Before the conquest, this place was possessed by Morkar, brother to Edwin, last Earl of Mercia.

About twenty years ago, the roof and steeple of the church were destroyed, but the whole has been restored in a very handsome manner. Notwithstanding this church was a temporary prison, after the battle of Nantwich, in the civil wars, there is an ancient monument of Sir William Mainwaring still in good preservation. Sir William died in 1399. A Gothic arch, with a large embattled superstructure, covers his tomb, on which the figure lies, in full armour, with suppliant hands. Within the

arch above, is a row of half lengths, with a book opposite to each. These, in the opinion of our author, are intended to represent the chaunters of his requiem.

The tomb of Sir Thomas Wilbraham, bart. and his lady, is also very handsome. He was one of the masters of request to James I. and died in 1660. "This tomb," says Mr. Pennant, "is a specimen of the first deviation from the old form, when a greater ease of attitude began to prevail. From Acton they went down a gentle descent to Nantwich, about a mile distant. It is a large place, but the houses are chiefly old. The Weever divides it into two unequal parts. The chief trade is in shoes, which is sent to London. There is also a small manufacture of gloves.

The salt-works in the vicinity of Nantwich have long been famous, and once constituted an important part of its wealth; but other towns, producing the same article, lying more conveniently for commerce, this place has gradually declined. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth here were two hundred and sixteen salt-works: in 1774, only two works, of five large pans of wrought iron.

The art of making salt was known in early times to the Gauls and Germans; but their process was simple and filthy. They only threw the brine on burning wood, and separated the salt from the ashes, or charcoal. This mode, it appears probable, was practised by the Britons, as numbers of pieces of half-burnt wood have heen dug up in this vicinity. The Romans made salt here, much after the modern method.

"The advantages of salt springs," observes Mr. Pennant, are but sparingly scattered over Great Britain Scotland and Ireland are totally destitute of them. In England there are several, but few

that contain salt sufficient to be worked. These in Cheshire, at Droitwich in Worcestershire, and a small work at Weston in Staffordshire, are the only places where any business is done. Droitwich, and those in Cheshire, were worked by the Romans, and had the common name of Salinæ.

From that period to the present, they have been constantly in use. In Saxon times the brine springs were divided between the king, the great men, and freemen. The Welch used to supply themselves from the pits at Nantwich, before they lost their independency and it appears, that Henry III. in order to distress them during a war, put a stop to these works, that they might be deprived of salt.

The Germans had an idea of a peculiar sanctity attendant on salt springs, a superstition which was probably communicated to their Saxon progenitors, for it is certain, that on Ascension Day, all the inhabitants of Nantwich piously sang a hymn of thanksgiving for the blessing of the brine. A very ancient pit was also held in great veneration, and, till within these few years, was annually, on that festival, bedecked with boughs, flowers, and garlands, while a jovial band of youths and maids sang and danced round it. In fact, salt, from the earliest ages, has been held in the highest esteem, and admitted into religious ceremonies: it was also considered as a pledge of league and friendship. The Jewish legislator enjoins its use in offerings; and Homer gives it the epithet of divine. Both Greeks and Romans used salt in their consecrated cakes.

But to return from this digression. The church at Nantwich is a very handsome pile. It is built in the form of a cross, with an octagonal tower in the centre. Some of the windows are adorned with very elegant tracery. The stalls are said to have been brought from the Abbey of Vale Royal. The

only remarkable tombs are a mutilated one of Sir David Cradoc, and another to the memory of John Maisterson and his wife, dated 1586, with a quaint epitaph.

This town continued firm to the parliament from the beginning to the end of the civil wars. It underwent a severe siege, in 1643, by Lord Biron ; but his forces were defeated in a battle fought here with Sir Thomas Fairfax, and Colonel George Monk, afterwards Duke of Albemarle, was taken prisoner on the occasion, and afterwards committed to the Tower, where he was confined for four years.

Continuing their route on the London road, at the fourth mile-stone made a diversion to Wobunbury, a small village, supposed to have taken its name from Wibba, second king of the Mercians, who died here in 615. The manor was anciently in the family of the Praers.

The church is a very handsome fabric, embattled and pinnacled; the tower is lofty, and on the inside of the timber roof are carved the arms of various benefactors. Part of this pile was taken down in 1591, when many of the monuments were destroyed. Of those remaining are several in memory of the family of Delves, of Doddington; particularly of Sir John Delves, a favourite of Henry VI. and who lost his life in defence of his master in the fatal battle of Tewkesbury, on May 4, 1471. His son, with numbers of persons of rank, after the defeat, took refuge in the abbey. The furious Edward pursued them into the church, but was op. posed by a resolute priest, who elevating the host, checked his admittance, till he obtained a promise of pardon. Depending on the royal word, they neglected making their escape, and, on the second day after, were drawn out and beheaded, according to the barbarous custom of the times, without

any process. The bodies of the Delves, father and son, were first interred at Tewkesbury, but afterwards translated to this place.

On regaining the great road, passed on the left the seat of the ancient family of Lee, the residence of the ancestors of the Lees, earls of Litchfield.

A little farther stood Doddington, originally belonging to a family of the same name, but which, in the reign of Edward II. passed to the Praers, and in process of time was alienated to the Delves, of Delves Hall, in Staffordshire. It is now the property of the Broughtons. This track was formerly rich in the seats of families of eminence.

A few miles farther, on the top of a hill, lies Audley. "A reverential curiosity," says Mr. Pennant, "led me once to visit the relics of the Audleys. Those of Lord Audley, who, with his four squires, all Cheshire men, was so distinguished in the battle of Poictiers, lie beneath a plain altar tomb, with his figure formerly on the slab. His squire is perpetuated in a more ostentatious manner, in alabaster, at full length, with his coat of arms on his breast, One of the residences of the Audleys was at this village, and from it they took their

name.

"There is a peculiarity in the situation of the house of Hardingwood, adjacent to this parish,' says our tourist," which I cannot forbear mentioning. Whenever the family go to church, which is that of Lawton, they go out of the province of Canterbury into that of York, pass through two counties, three constableries, two hundreds, and two dioceses."

Proceeding about three miles from Doddington, through a country still little diversified, a portion of Shropshire presents a hilly front, and intersects the road. On the top of the ascent stands the hamlet of Wore, where they made a digression from

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