1831.]

Mr. URBAN, Shrewsbury, Oct. 1. IT is now about forty years since I commenced a correspondence with you, during which time I have taken a pretty copious survey of the county of Salop, particularly the Churches, Monumental Inscriptions, and Arms of the several families connected therewith likewise Biographical Notices of eminent Natives, making in the whole ten handsome quarto volumes. I have enclosed a view of Bitterley Church and Cross, which I trust you will think worthy a place in your

museum.

Bitterley is four miles north-east of Ludlow, a Rectory in the Deanry of Ludlow, the Hundred of Overs, and Diocese of Hereford. The population in 1821 was 1064, more than half of whom were the families of colliers and miners.

The Church of Bitterley, dedicated to St. Mary, is a handsome structure; it consists of a body, without side aisles; the chancel is divided from the body by a screen of oak, carved in open quatrefoils; at the top are foliage and grotesque ornaments. There is a gallery at the west end; the ceiling is coved without ornament. Opposite the south door is an ancient stone font. The pulpit is of oak finely carved. The length of the body of the church 59 feet, breadth 22 feet, length of the chancel 33 feet, breadth 22 feet. The tower is 144 feet, by 13 feet 11 inches; it contains three bells. On the first bell is Hic sono que melis campana vocor gabrielis. Round the second bell SANCTE· JACOBE OKA· PRO · NOBIS.

In the Church-yard is an elegant stone cross, raised on steps, which support an hexagonal shaft; on the top are tabernacled niches; that on the north side contains the Virgin and infant Christ; the west side the Crucifixion; the east and south sides are nearly obliterated.

Adjoining the Church-yard is Bitterley-court, the residence of the Rev. John Walcott, Rector of Bitterley. It is beautifully situated on a gentle rise of ground, at the foot of the Clee Hill, surrounded by pleasure grounds. The Clee Hill is a bold and grand object; upon the top are the remains of an encampment, said to be Roman. extreme point, called Titterstone, appears of volcanic formation. Many GENT. MAG, October, 1831.

Its

297

parts of this hill afford very extensive prospects, varied and beautiful. The interior of this immense mountain produces coal and ironstone in abundance.

The following monumental memorials were taken at the time I visited the Church, July 10, 1827.

Against the east wall of the chancel, under an arch, supported by columns with Corinthian capitals, is a figure of an Esquire in armour, kneeling at a desk, with a book before him over the entablature the arms, and on the table below the figure the following inscription, in Roman capitals:

"Here is interred the body of Tymothye Lvcie of Middleton, Esq. who godly chainged this life the xxi of Janvary, 1616. He was the fovrth sonne to William Lycie of Charlecott, Esqvire. He married Susanna, davghter to Henry Fanshawe, Esqvire, by whom he had issue three sonnes and foure daughters; he after married Joahn daughter to Thomas Bvrghill of Thingell, Esqvire, and shee in memorye and love of him her hvsMe tenet hæc moles defunctvm, lector, at band, erected this monument.

avdi,

Hospes sim licet hic, svm'i tamen incola cœli Sospes ab hinc abeo, veutvri ivdicis olin Jvdicivm expectans, foelix in quod mihi gratvm

Regia coelestis parat indvlgentia patris.

ARMS. Gules, crusilly Or, three lucies haurient Argent.

Against the south wall of the chancel, a monument, the entablature supported by two figures, one on each side the table, which bears the following inscription :

Memoriæ Sacrum. Here lyeth, expectTHOMAS Powys of Snitton, Gent. and of ing a blessed resurrection, the bodyes of ELIZABETH his wife; hee deceased ye 19th of Nov. 1659, then aged 31. Shee was the daughter of Richd. Smythe of Credenhill, in the county of Hereford, Esq. and departed this life ye first day of July, 1645, they having issue 5 sonnes, Thomas, Christopher, Peter, Robert and James, and fower daughters, Winifrid, Anne, Mary, and Eli

zabeth.

ARMS. Or, a lion's gamb erased, between two cross-crosslets fitchée, Gules, Powys; impaling Smythe.

On a marble tablet, against the north wall of the chancel :

"In memory of Mrs. ELIZABETH WALCOTT, wife of John Walcott, Esq. second and youngest son of John Walcott, formerly of Walcott, in this county, Esq.

298

On another tablet :

"To the memory of CHARLES WALCOTT, Esq. (late of Bitterley Court). He died Sept. 20th, 1799, aged 61 years. Also, of ANN, his wife, who died Sept. 8th, 1812, aged 82 years."

On stones in the chancel floor : "Here lyeth ye body of Sr LITTLETON Powys, Knt. who departed this life the 13th March, 1731, ætat. 83. Also, of Dame AGNES his wife, who departed this life the 28th of Nov. 1720, ætat. 66."

ARMS. Powys, impaling Smythe, as before.

"MARIA POWYS, 1668, ætat. 36.

"ROBERTUS POWys, Arm. ob. Apr. 1724." A marble tablet, supporting two vases, with drapery, in bas-relief, bears the following inscription:

"Sacred to the memory of the Rev. THOMAS ROCKE, A. M. Rector of Ludlow, and formerly of this Church, who died respected and lamented, 16th Oct. 1603, an. ætat. 86. Also, of MARTHA his wife, of eminent piety and virtue, who died June 21, 1772, aged 50. And of FRANCIS their son, possessed of many amiable qualities, who died Dec. 6, 1783, an. ætat. 26. This inscription is dedicated by their sons, Thomas and Richard Rocke."

On a slab in the chancel floor: "Here lieth the body of BENJAMIN MARSTON, late of Bitterley, Rector, died Nov. 30th, 1736, aged 69."

ARMS. Sable, a fesse dauncettée Ermine, between three fleurs-de-lis Argent.

On a slab in the floor of the nave :

“The Rev. Mr. WILLIAM SHEPPARD, of this parish, and Vicar of Stanton Lacy, died 10th May, 1776, aged 47. MAGDALENE, his wife, daughter of George Pardoe, of Cleeton, Gent. died July 1, 1765, aged 32 years."

ARMS. Azure, on a chevron Or three etoiles Gules, between as many fleurs-de-lis of the Second.

On a slab, in the floor of the porch: "WILLIAM, Son of WILLIAM SMITH, Rector of Bitterley, dyed ye 7th day of Aug. 1692."

[Oct.

24.

aged 34. MAGDALENE SHEPPARD, died July 1, 1765, aged 32. MARY PARDOE, SARAH died Sept. 27, 1765, aged 37. PARDOE, died Jan. 18, 1767, aged 26."

ARMS. A cross counter-componée Or and Gules; in the first quarter a water bouget, in the second an eagle displayed, in the third a swan, in the fourth an escallop shell, all Sable; on a chief Azure, a lion passant guardant Or. Yours, &c. D. PARKES.

Mr. URBAN,

DRAYTON is a small village of about thirty houses, at the distance of one mile and a half from Banbury in Oxfordshire. The manor formerly belonged to the Grevilles; and is now divided between the Earl of Guilford and the heirs of the Copes of Hanwell.

The Church consists of a low square tower, nave, two side aisles, and a chancel.

In the north aisle, near the west end, under a plain pointed arch in the wall, and even with the pavements, is a dark stone slab of great thickness, on the upper part of which are raised lines lengthways, with vine leaves raised alternately on the sides of the lines. Tradition states this stone to be in memorial of the founder of the Church.

In the chancel, near to the communion rails, raised about three feet from the ground, is an alabaster slab, on which is the figure of a man in armour, and on his right hand that of his wife; both their heads rest on cushions, and their hands are in the She is dressed in position of prayer. a long robe, with large open sleeves, her hair curled on each side to a considerable height, and somewhat in shape of a crescent; round her neck is a chain with a small medallion pendant thereto. The inscription is in Latin, and in old English characters, in lines above the heads of the two persons represented, and has been thus translated:

"Here lieth Lodowic Grevil, heretofore Lord of the Manor of Drayton, and Marga

300

of Fisherton, in the countie of Lyncolne, and mother of Mr. Robert Clarke, the late Rector and the pious and painful Minister of this Church; she departed this life the thirde day of March MDCLXXIX, in the LXXII yeare of her age."

"To the memorie also of SUSANNA CLARKE, one of the twyns and daughter of the saide John and Rose Clarke. Shee departed this life October xx111. MDCLXX. in the XVIII yeare of her age.

"To the memorie also of SARAH CLARKE, the other of the twyns, and daughter of the sayde John and Rose Clarke; shee departed this life October xxiv. MDCLXX. in the XVIII yeare also of her age.

"All which three, both mother and daughters, lye here interred under this monument, expecting a blessed and joyful resurrection.'

"GRACE, the wife of Jo. CLEAVER, Gent. late of this parish, dyed Dec. 5th, 1706, aged 59."

Monumental stone, north aisle :

"M. S. MARTHA, ye daughter of JOHN CLEAVER, and MARTHA his wife, born July 9th, 1684, deceased Xber 5th, 1701."

On a stone slab, north aisle : ARMS. Within a border entoyre, a chevron between three stars.

"Sacred to the memory of Mrs. MARY CLEAVER, the wife of Mr. John Cleaver, of this parish, and relict of Mr. Wm. Harcourt, of London, Merchant; she was here interr'd the 18th day of Febry in the year of our Lord 1667.

"Here lyeth the body of MARTHA CLEAVER, the wife of John Cleaver, who departed this life the 22d of Jany, 1717, aged 58."

Stone slab, north aisle :

ARMS. 3 wheatsheafs, 1, 2, 3, between seven crosses potent, 2, 3, 1; impaling, Fretty, two bars.

Sacred to the memory of the pious, virtuous, and charitable virgin MARY, the only daughter of Mr. William Harcourt of London, Merchant, who was interred in this place the 28th day of Dec. Anno Dom'i. M.VI C.L IX. M. Č. 1701,"

"Here lyeth the body of JOHN CLEAVER, who departed this life the 30th of July, 1720, aged 74."

On a grave stone in the churchyard:

"In memory of MARY the wife of John Elmore, who died the 15th day of Jan. 1749, aged about 46.”

Stone slabs, north aisle :

"Here lyeth the body of Mr. RICHARD GOODWIN, who was buried the 26th day of November, 1695."

"Here lyes THOMAS GOSTELLOW, of Drayton, Gent. who died the 2d day of Dec. 1702, ætat. suce. 70."

[Oct.

Of this last gentleman, a report prevails in the neighbourhood, that being of atheistical principles, he had made an agreement with a poor woman of the parish, who had imbibed the same errors, that if it were possible, whichever of them should first die, if they found after their decease there was a God, should make some sign to signify it. The story goes, that after he was dead and laid out, he moved his right hand upon his heart, nor could the efforts of any other person but the said woman replace it in its former situation, who did it with ease. By his own desire he was buried at the depth of nine feet. Yours, &c. ΟΧΟΝ.

Mr. URBAN, Paris, June 5. IN a letter in your number for last December, p. 502, Mr. BROWNING, from his own resources, and from the fifth volume of my "Histoire de Hainaut, par Jacques de Guyse,' "'* in which I have attempted to make known the ancient civilization of the Celts, has communicated a dissertation on that

ancient people. Mr. BARNES, in his answers (part i. pp. 117, 309), has made many learned observations on the same subject; † which deserve to be examined with attention.

The "Histoire générale d'Espagne," of which Mr. Barnes has made much use, is the work of M. Depping, and contains excellent materials on the subject which occupies our attention. It seems certain that the name of Celts has been given to a very great number of tribes. The most ancient author who has employed the term, after Scilax, is Herodotus, who (book ii. chapter 33), says that the Celts dwell beyond the Columns of Hercules, and adjoin the Cyneta, who are the last nation on the west. He repeats the same statement in book iv. chapter 149, and thus evidently fixes the Celts in Spain. Strabo (lib. 12) also places them in Iberia, near the Bætis (the Guadalquivir), the Anas (the Guadiana), the Tagus, &c. Ephorus (cited by Strabo, lib. iv.) asserts that they occupy the greatest part of Iberia as far as Gades.

*The present letter is extracted from the Preface to the twelfth volume of that extensive work.-EDIT.

There is another letter by Mr. Browning on this subject, in our Supplement, p. 592.-Edit.