Chapter 6

The horse roads round this town were, within memory, from the rains, constant wear, and no repair, worn into such hollow ways, that in some instances, particularly in Bordesley, a waggon, when loaded with hay, the top of it was not so high as the foot path on the side: it was at one time fifty-eight feet below the surface. There are still remaining two specimens of the old roads, but they have been for many years useless, except in going to the adjacent grounds. One of them is situated a little beyond the sign of the Bell, on the right hand side of the Worcester road, and leads towards the Five Ways. The other begins at Edgbaston church, and continues till you arrive at the toll-gate, on the Bromsgrove road; but, thanks to the trustees of the turnpikes, the roads in every direction are now upon a par with others, and in one respect surpass most of them throughout the kingdom, by having on the side of every one, a foot path, for the accommodation of pedestrians.

This town, not being restricted by any charter, strangers from whatever quarter they may come, here find an asylum, and pursue their avocations with as much freedom, and are no more subject to molestation, than a native inhabitant. Trade of every kind may be exercised here, and let a person's religious opinions be whatever they may, he is at liberty to exercise them; there being in this town eight places of public worship, according to the establishment, one for the society of friends, two for protestant dissenters, three for calvinists, two for Roman catholics, four for methodists, four for baptists, one for Swedenburgians, one for jews, and one for the followers of Lady Huntingdon.

The buildings in this town extend to the distance of near three miles in every direction, reckoning from the top of Camphill, and it was some years back, upon a certainty, the largest town in the kingdom. This was ascertained by actual measurement; for soon after Mr. Aikin published his history of Manchester, Mr. John Snape, a very accurate surveyor, drew a plan of this town, upon the same scale as Mr. Aikin's. Since that time, I cannot say which of the two towns have encreased the most; but, if Manchester has extended its buildings with more rapidity than Birmingham, it is a very extensive place.

Notwithstanding the extent of this town, there is very little distinction between it and a village; all the difference is, its fairs and market, for the smallest town has a constable to preside over it, and this, although so extensive and populous, is governed by two constables.

Although this town is of such considerable magnitude, and one of the principal thoroughfares between London and Dublin, there are no more than three places where the superior class of travellers can be accommodated with horses and carriages; the Royal Hotel, near St. Philip's church; the Swan Hotel, in High-street, and the Hen and Chickens Hotel, in New-street.

For the accommodation of the next class, there are the following taverns and inns: the Stork, in the Square; the Nelson, opposite the statue of his lordship, in the market-place; the Union, in Union-street; the Saracen's Head, in Bull-street; the George, and the Castle, in High-street; the Red Lion, the George, and the White Hart, in Digbeth; the Rose, in Edgbaston-street; and the, Woolpack, in Moor-street.

From the Nelson, the Swan, the Hen and Chickens, the Saracen's Head, the George, or the Castle, those who travel by public carriages may be conveyed to any part of the kingdom. The principal avenue leading to and from this town is Great Hampton-street, which, as its name imports, is on the road to Wolverhampton, but it is also the road to Walsall and likewise to Dudley. In this capacious road several streets concentrate, but I would recommend a stranger to proceed down Snowhill.

The next avenue, in point of importance, is Camphill, on the road to Stratford, where several streets and roads are united.

It is deserving of notice, that however large or small the houses are, the partition walls are uniformly brick and mortar, and with few exceptions, the floors of small houses are laid with quarries, which in a great degree accounts for there being so few fires of any consequence within this extensive town.

There is not any thing in this town, or its immediate vicinity, that can attract the attention of an antiquarian: it appears that there once was a castle, encircled by a moat, situated near the Icknield-street, or Warstone-lane; the foundation of which is still perceptible, and covered an area of twenty square perch; but the ground whereon it stood has been so frequently turned over, that it is only by the difference in the verdure that it can be discovered.

The present occupier of the land has at different times taken up about four thousand of the bricks, which were burnt very hard, and resembled those now in use, but were not so large.

About four miles distant there once stood Weoliegh castle, which was surrounded by a moat; but the site of the castle is now a garden, and not a vestige of the building remains, except a small part of the foundation, which may be discovered at the edge of the moat, that remaining entire.

Having concluded my observations respecting the public concerns of Birmingham, I cannot restrain myself from remarking, that there is at Warwick castle a most magnificent marble bacchanalian vase, of astonishing dimensions, it being seven feet in diameter and twenty-one in circumference, which is encircled on the outside with fruit, leaves, and branches of the vine, the latter being entwined so as to form two massive handles, with grotesque masks at the end of each; the whole being in exact proportion to the magnitude of the vase. This unique specimen of ancient sculpture was discovered in the baths of the Emperor Adrian, and presented by the Queen of Naples to Sir Wm. Hamilton, the British ambassador at that court, by whom it was forwarded as a present to the late Earl of Warwick; who, when it was unpacked, and he had taken a survey of it, immediately gave orders for the erection of a splendid green-house, wherein it is now deposited.

Mr. E. Thomason, of this town, who had been a pupil of the late Mr. Boulton, at Soho, no sooner saw this remarkable production of the fine arts, than he conceived the idea of forming one of the same magnitude in metal; and accordingly solicited permission to make models from it, which his lordship in the most condescending manner permitted him to do. Mr. Thomason without delay made preparations for the undertaking, and the metallic vase has been under the hands of different artists above four years, and is now nearly completed. This unique performance in metal, is in every respect a perfect resemblance of the original, and weighs several tons; the ground of it is bronzed, and at the present time highly relieved in light and shade; but I understand it will, when complete, be considerably more so, by two novel and distinct processes of oxydation, that will endure for ages.

This sumptuous metallic vase may be seen at Mr. Thomason's, who manufactures an endless variety of articles, for several of which he has obtained letters patent. The royal series of medals, and various others, are exclusively of his manufacture. Persons of rank who are curious may there see the art of chasing, or sculpturing in basso and alto relievo, together with various operations in the art of metallurgy.

Bankers Draw upon, Taylors and Lloyds, Dale End: Hanbury and Co.

Woolley, Moilliet, and Gordon, Cherry-street: Lubbock and Co.

Attwoods, Spooner, Goddington, and Co. New-street: Spooner and Co.

Smith, Gibbins, Smith, Gibbins, Goode, and Co. Union-street: Esdaile and Co.

Freer, Rotton, Lloyd, and Co. New-street: Hanbury and Co.

Galtons and James, Steelhouse-lane: Barclay, Tritton, and Co.

* * * * *

_Post Office_,

UNDER THE SUPERINTENDANCE OF MISS GOTTWALTZ.

All letters intended to be forwarded by the same day's post, should be put into the box one hour before the time mentioned below.

_Sheffield Mail_

Every morning, at nine o'clock; which takes all letters for Lichfield, Tamworth, Atherstone, Uttoxeter, Rudgley, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Gainsborough, Brigg, Barton, Kirton, Caister, Coltersworth, Grantham, Grimsby, Lincoln, Market Raisin, Sleaford, and Stamford, in Lincolnshire, Rutlandshire, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Halifax, Rotherham, Bradford, Huddersfield, Keighley, Otley, Doncaster, Ferry-bridge, Howden, Bawtry, and Selby, in Yorkshire.

_Manchester Mail_

Every morning, at half past nine o'clock; which takes all letters for Walsall, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stone, and Newcastle, in Staffordshire, Cheshire (except Malpas), Lancashire, Scotland, Northumberland, Durham, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Yorkshire (except those places which go by the Sheffield mail), Conway, in Carnarvonshire, Flintshire (except Overton), Denbighshire (except Rhuabon, Wrexham, Llangollen, and Chirk), Woore and Market Drayton, in Shropshire.

_Walsall Mail_

Every day, at eleven in the forenoon; which takes all letters for that town and its delivery.

_Holyhead Mail_

Every day, at eleven in the forenoon; which takes all letters for West-bromwich, Wednesbury, Willenhall, Bilston, Wolverhampton, Shiffnall, and the intermediate places, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ellesmere, Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, Merioneth, and Montgomeryshire, Rhuabon, Wrexham, Llangollen and Chirk, in Denbighshire, Malpas, in Cheshire, and Overton, in Flintshire, Ireland (except the south-west part, which goes by way of Bristol), Anglesea, and Carnarvonshire (except Conway).

_Bewdley Mail_

Every day, at half past eleven o'clock; which takes all letters for Tipton, Dudley, Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Stourport, and places adjacent.

_Oxford Mail_

Every day, at ten minutes before three o'clock; which takes all letters for Henley-in-Arden, Stratford-upon-Avon, all Oxfordshire, Abingdon, Farringdon, Wallingford, Wantage, and Lambourn, in Berkshire, Cricklade, Swindon, Highworth, and Wootton Bassett, in Wiltshire, Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, Shipstone, in Worcestershire, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire, Uxbridge and Southall, in Middlesex.

_London Mail_

Every day, at four o'clock (except Saturday); which takes all letters for Coventry, Nuneaton, Coleshill, Rugby, Southam, Leamington, and Warwick, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire (except High Wycombe and Beaconsfield), Wooburn, Dunstable, Bedford, Silsoe, Leighton Buzzard, Tempsford, Potton, and Biggleswade, in Bedfordshire, St. Alban's, Berkhampstead, King's Langley, Tring, Watford, and Barnet, in Hertfordshire, Wokingham, in Berkshire, Arlesford, Gosport, Basingstoke, Fareham, Havant, and Petersfield, in Hampshire, Great Bedwin, in Wiltshire, Surrey, Kent, Suffolk, Essex, Sussex, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Middlesex (except Uxbridge and Southall), which go by the Oxford mail.

_Bristol Mail_

Every day, at five o'clock in the afternoon; which takes all letters for the intermediate places: Worcestershire, (except Shipstone and those parts sent by the Bewdley mail), Stow, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Moreton-in-Marsh, in Gloucestershire, South Wales, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, Ludlow and Bishop's Castle, in Shropshire, Reading, Hungerford, and Newbury, in Berkshire, Somersetshire, Wiltshire (except those parts which go by way of Oxford and London), Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Cornwall, south-west parts of Ireland, and Hampshire (except those places sent by way of London).

The various posts arriving so early in the day, the office is shut at eight in the evening.

Overcharges allowed from eight in the morning to half past ten in the forenoon, and from five to eight in the evening.

_Arrivals_,

Bristol, at eight in the morning. London, at twenty-five minutes past ten. Bewdley, at twelve at noon, Oxford, at one. Manchester, at two. Holyhead, at three. Sheffield, at a quarter past four. Walsall, at half past five.

This account of the post is corrected up to the 29th of May, 1819.

COACHES.

_From the Nelson Hotel, (late the Dog Inn.)_

Bridgnorth, the Union coach, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, at nine o'clock. Dudley, the royal Defiance, every afternoon, at four.

Holyhead, the Union, a light post coach, every morning, at nine.

London, the Oxford royal mail, every afternoon, at three.

, the Union, a light coach, through Oxford, every day, at half past twelve.

, the original post coach, through Oxford, every evening, at a quarter past six.

, a coach, every morning, a quarter before six, and arrives in London at nine in the evening.

Shrewsbury, the Union, a post coach, four insides, every morning, at nine.

Stourbridge, the royal Defiance, every afternoon, at four.

_From the Swan Hotel._

Bath, a light coach, through Worcester and Glocester, every morning (except Sunday), at six o'clock.

Bristol, the Hero, through Worcester, Glocester, &e. every morning (except Sunday), at half past six.

Cambridge, a coach through Coventry, Stamford, Stilton, &e. every morning, at eight.

, the Rising Sun, through Coventry, Dunchurch, and Northampton, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, at five.

Chester, the Prince of Orange light coach, through Wolverhampton, Shiffnal, Salop, Ellesmere, and Wrexham, every morning (except Monday), in twelve hours, at half past six.

Coventry, coaches every morning, at five and eight, and afternoon, at one, two, and four.

Dudley and Stourbridge, a coach every afternoon, at four.

Holyhead, the royal mail, through Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury, &c. every morning, at eleven.

, the Prince of Wales, through Salop, every morning at ten, (passengers booked throughout.)

Kidderminster, a coach, every afternoon, at a quarter before four.

Leamington, a coach, through Knowle, every morning, at eight.

Leicester, the Alexander, through Coventry, every morning, at eight.

, a coach, through Bedworth, Hinckley, &c. every day (except Sunday), at one.

Lichfield, the Cobourg, every afternoon, a quarter before four.

Liverpool, the Regulator, through Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stone, Stoke, Hanley, Burslem, Lawton, Sandbach, Middlewich, and Northwich, every morning, at six.

London, the royal mail, through Coventry, &c. every afternoon at four. ------, a light day coach, carrying four insides and ten out, every morning, at four, in fifteen hours.

London, the Royal Balloon, four insides, every afternoon (except Sunday), at a quarter before three, and on Sunday at one.

Manchester, the royal mail, the same as from the Hen and Chickens.

, the Eclipse, through Wolverhampton, Stafford, &c. every morning, at seven.

Nottingham, the royal mail, the same as from the Hen and Chickens.

, a coach, through Derby, every morning, at seven.

Oxford, a light coach, every morning (except Sunday), at eight.

Sheffield, the royal mail, the same as from the Hen and Chickens.

, the Blucher post coach, through Lichfield, Uttoxeter, &c. every Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday morning, at six.

, the royal Telegraph, through Lichfield, Burton, Derby, &c. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday morning, at seven.

Shrewsbury, the Prince of Wales, every morning, at eleven.

, the royal mail, every morning, at eleven.

Stourbridge and Kidderminster, every morning, at half past seven.

Warwick, a coach, through Knowle, every morning, at eight.

Worcester, the True Blue, through Bromsgrove, every afternoon, at three.

_From the Hen and Chickens,_

Bath, a light post coach, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning, at six.

Bristol, the royal mail, every evening, at five.

Cambridge, the royal pilot post coach, through Coventry, Leicester, &c. every day, at half past twelve, except Sunday.

Cheltenham, the royal post coach, through Bromsgrove, Worcester, &c. to the Plough Hotel, every morning, at eight.

Holyhead, the Prince of Wales post coach, through Shrewsbury, &c. every morning, at ten.

Lichfield, a coach, four times every day.

London, the Prince of Wales post coach, through Oxford, Henley-on-Thames, &c. to the George and Blue Boar, Holborn.

Manchester, the royal mail, every morning, at a quarter past ten.

, the Express post coach, through Uttoxeter, Leek, Macclesfield, &c. to the Moseley Arms Inn, in twelve hours, certain, every morning, at eight.

Nottingham, the royal mail, every morning, at a quarter past nine.

Oxford, the post coach, through Henley, every evening, at six. Sheffield, the royal mail, every morning, at a quarter past nine.

, the royal Telegraph coach, through Lichfield, Derby, &c. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday morning, at seven.

, the royal Telegraph, through Lichfield, Uttoxeter Ashbourne, and Bakewell, every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday morning, at six.

Wolverhampton, a coach, four times every day.

Worcester, the new True Blue post coach, every afternoon, at three.

, the royal Defiance post coach, every morning, at eight, and returns in the evening.

, a coach, four times every day.

_From the Castle and Saracen's Head Inns._

Aberystwith and Barmouth, a coach, every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday morning, at eleven.

Alcester, a coach, every morning, at eight.

Banbury, the Regulator, through Warwick and Leamington, every morning, at eight.

Bath, the Star coach, through Evesham, Cheltenham, &c. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning, at half past six.

Bilstone, coaches six times a day.

Bridgnorth, a coach, through Wolverhampton, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, at eleven.

Bristol, the Duke of Wellington, through Bromsgrove, Worcester, and Glocester, every morning, at seven.

Cambridge, the Rising Sun, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, at half past five, through Daventry, Wellingbrough, and Huntingdon, in one day; carries four insides.

Carlisle, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, a coach, by way of Preston and Lancaster, every morning and evening.

Cheltenham, a coach, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings.

Chester, the Prince of Orange, carrying four insides, every morning, at six, (Mondays excepted.)

Coventry, coaches every day, at a quarter before one and half past two.

Daventry, coaches, every morning, at five, and every afternoon, at half past two and four.

Dudley, coaches, every morning, at seven, and every afternoon, at four and five.

Exeter and Plymouth, a coach, every morning, at seven, (Monday excepted.)

Holyhead, the royal mail, every morning, at eleven, through Salop and Bangor.

, a new post coach, every day, at eleven, sleeps at Shrewsbury, and arrives the following day in time for the packet.

Liverpool, the Bang-up post coach, in fifteen hours, carrying four insides only, through Wolverhampton, Stone, Knutsford, and Warrington, every morning, at six.

, the Defiance, a light coach, through Lichfield and Rudgley, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and through Walsall, Cannock, and Stafford, on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, every afternoon, at four.

London, the royal mail, every afternoon, at four.

, the Crown Prince day coach, in sixteen hours, every morning, at five.

, the royal Union, through Coventry, every afternoon, at half past two, (except Sunday), when it goes at one.

, the Defiance, a light coach, through Warwick and Leamington, every afternoon, at half past two, from the Saracen's Head.

Manchester, the Eclipse, a post coach, through Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stone, Newcastle, and Congleton, in twelve hours, every morning, at seven.

Northampton, a coach, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, returns the same day.

Nottingham, the royal Dart, a post coach, through Tamworth and Ashby-de-la-Zouch, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning, at half past eight.

Oxford, the Bang-up post coach, every morning, at eight.

Shrewsbury and Chester, a post coach, through Ellesmere, every morning, at six.

, the Prince of Wales post coach, through Wolverhampton and Shiffnal, every morning, at eleven.

, the royal mail, every morning, at eleven.

Walsall, the royal mail, every day, at twelve, and returns the same day.

, a light coach, every afternoon (except Sunday,) at five.

Warwick and Leamington, the Regulator, every morning, at eight, and returns the same day.

, the Telegraph, every afternoon, at three.

Wolverhampton, seven coaches every day.

Worcester, the True Blue, a post coach, every afternoon, at three.

_From St. George's Tavern._

Bristol, a coach, every morning, at seven.

Cheltenham, ditto ditto, at seven.

Chester, ditto, through Wolverhampton, every morning, at six.

Coventry, ditto, twice everyday.

Dudley, ditto, every day.

Holyhead, ditto, through Wolverhampton, every morning, at nine.

Kidderminster, ditto, every day.

Lichfield, ditto, ditto.

Liverpool, ditto, through Wolverhampton, every morning, at nine.

London, ditto, through Coventry, every afternoon, at three.

Shrewsbury, ditto, through Wolverhampton, every morning, at nine.

Stourbridge, ditto, twice every day.

* * * * *

Atherstone, a coach, by Samuel Smith, from the Cross Guns, Dale-end, Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Darlaston, a coach, every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from the Saracen's Head, Snowhill.

Dudley and Stourbridge, a mail cart, from the Warwick Arms, Snowhill, every day.

Sutton Coldfield, a coach, by Charles Smith, from the Cross Guns, Dale-end, Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, Warwick, a coach, by Wm. Barrows and Co, from the liquor shop, Monmouth-street, every afternoon, at three.

Wednesbury, Bilstone, and Wolverhampton, a coach, by Joseph Boddison, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at five.

Willenhall, a coach, by John Alexander, from the Barrel, Snowhill, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

* * * * *

_Carriers by Water._

Bird, George Ryder, three cranes wharf, Crescent, loads fly boats daily, to Bristol, Dudley, London, Stourbridge, Stourport, Wolverhampton, Worcester, and all parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and all parts of the united kingdom.

Bradley and Co. Broad-street wharf, load fly boats daily, to Liverpool, Manchester, and all parts of the North.

Crocket and Salkeld, wharf, Great Charles-street, load fly boats daily, to Liverpool, Manchester, and all parts of the north.--N.B. No other firm conveys goods all the way to Liverpool by their own vessels.

Crowley, Leyland, and Hicklin, Crescent wharf, load fly boats to Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Gainsborough, Hull, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Oxford.--N.B. Wine and spirits are conveyed in boats secured by locks.

Danks, Samuel, and Co. Broad-street wharf, and also one in Gas-street, load boats to Bath, Bridgnorth, Bristol, Gloucester, Kidderminster, Shrewsbury, Stourport, Worcester, and all the western parts of England.

Heath, Tyler, and Danks, Great Charles-street, load boats daily, for Dudley, Stourbridge, Wolverhampton, etc.; also Chester, Derby, Gainsborough, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, &c.

Jackson, Thomas, wharf in Holt-street, loads boats to Atherstone, Coventry, Fazeley, Hinckley, Stourbridge, Tamworth, &c.

Pickford and Co. wharf on the Warwick canal, load boats daily, and convey goods to London, Liverpool, and Manchester; which they deliver on the fourth day at each place; and to all other parts of the kingdom with the greatest expedition.

Robinson, Corbet, and Co. wharf in Broad-street, load fly boats to London, Stourbridge, Stourport, Wolverhampton, Worcester, and all intermediate places; also to Bristol every spring tide.

Skey, R. S. Worcester wharf, loads boats daily for Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Worcester, and all intermediate places.