150 Additional Observations respecting the Families of AUDLEY and SNEYD, and the Manor of TUNSTALL. One of the finest specimens of ancient caligraphy we have ever seen, is a Deed, without date, but bearing internal evidence of being of the reign of King Edward I., (probably near the time of the Statute De donis, 1274); whereby William Rossel released to Nicholas de Auditheley, his Lord paramount (capitali domino suo), the manor of Bradewell, and divers lands and services specified, in consideration of twelve marks of silver. By another, nearly cotemporary, but certainly antecedent Charter, William Rossel (described as Lord of Bradewell), granted to Nicholas de Aldutheley all his waste lands and woodlands in Bradewell. The grant made by Sir John Tochet, Knight, Lord of Audeley and others of the estates of Bradwell to Richard Snede, dated at Heley, anno 2 Hen. IV. A. D. 1400, (mentioned before, p. 81,) has pendent seals, of which the principal one bears an impression of the arms of Audley and Touchet quarterly, exactly as borne at present, only that 1 and 4 are Audley (gules, a fret)-2 and 3 Touchet (ermine, a Chevron.) But the most ancient Charter in the Keele Collection, is a feofinent dated 54 Hen. III. (1270), made by Richard del Hay to William, son of Richard de Snede, of land, called the Delf riddings. Many of the Court Rolls of the Manor of Tunstall, of a very early date, are preserved among the family muniments at Keele, though in the utmost confusion, and several much mutilated. The following entry is one of the most ancient and curious, and, probably, shews an error in the pedigree of the Unwyn family, (mentioned p. 126), both as to the time of its union with the heiress of Stephen Chatterley, and her christian name. TUNSTALL. Curia magna, &c. anno rr. E. fil E. xix. (1325) "PHELICIA filia Stephani de Chaderleye dat domino ijs. pro licentiâ habendâ ad maritandam." It may be thought, by the smallness of the fine, that the Lord Audley of that day, (James, the hero of Poictiers), was equally generous towards his fair ward, as his valiant Esquires. It has been already stated (pp. 74, 77) that the Earls of Bath, and after them the Bowyers, held distinct Courts for their third portion of the Manor of Tunstall: we might have added, that their Courts and jurisdiction embraced the four hamlets of Ranscliff, Oldcot, Brerehurst, and Stadmerslow, exclusively. CHAPTER VIII. Burslem. BROWNHILLS. SITUATION OF BROWNHILLS.-JOHN BURSLEM, ANCIENT PROPRIETOR.- MESSRS. DAVENPORT'S ESTABLISHMENTS FOR CHINA, GLASS, &c.- BROWNHILLS is situate upon the main Turnpike Road (from Burslem to Lawton,) at the junction of the Branch which comes from Newcastle through Longport; and is at nearly equal distances from the market-places of Tunstall and Burslem; which are rather more than a mile apart. It is within the township of Burslem, which extends, north-westward, as far as an inn called Highgate, close up to the town of Tunstall. The situation of BROWNHILLS HOUSE, the seat of John Wood, Esquire, of which we have been kindly favoured with the Engraving introduced, commands some fine scenery, consisting of the woods of Bradwell, and the diversified banks and Church of Wolstanton, with more distant eminences on its West and South; and a near intermediate front view of the new and stately Church of St. Paul's, Burslem. We trace the Brownhills' property to the hands of John Burslem, of Dale Hall, as life-tenant, in the year 1590; when it was settled, with "a messuage called Dale Hall," and thirty-five customary acres of land,* formerly the inheritance of John Baddeley, and other estates in Burslem and Sneyd, upon the marriage of Thomas, the son of Thomas Burslem (eldest son of John), with Margaret Ford, of the Moss. This part of the settled property was described as one pasture, called Brownhills, then under lease to John Leigh. The issue of Thomas Burslem and Margaret Ford were two daughters, one of whom married Gilbert Wedgwood, and had by him a son, Burslem Wedgwood, whose son, of the same name,† sold the Brownhills, in 1676, to his uncle Aaron Wedgwood; from whom, after three descents, it passed to another Burslem Wedgwood, who died in 1762, without issue; when it went to his younger brother, Carlos, who also dying without issue, in 1771, the property passed to his sister, Catherine, the wife of Thomas Lovatt, from whom it was purchased, in 1782, by Mr. John Wood, an eminent manufacturer, who erected here a handsome house for his residence, and a manufactory adjacent; and upon the death of this gentleman, in 1797, the property descended to his son, the present possessor; who, in 1830, took down the manufactory, planted and beautified the grounds, and enlarged and improved the house, which may now, for amenity of situation, challenge any residence within the Borough. The present Mr. Wood married, in 1807, Mary, daughter of Mr. John Baddeley, of Shelton, by Mary, daughter of Mr. John Wedgwood, of the Big-House, Burslem; and on the death of Mrs. Wood's uncle, A customary acre in the adjoining Manor of Newcastle is about three statute acres. Probably the same liberal measure prevailed in the Manor of Tunstall; but see Appendix, p. xi. He was constable of the Manor of Tunstall, A. D. 1673. See Appendix, p. viii. |