It is the practice of the historian, to divide ancient history from
modern, at the fall of the Roman Empire. For, during a course of about
seven hundred years, while the Roman name beamed in meridian splendour,
the lustre of her arms and political conduct influenced, more or less,
every country in Europe. But at the fall of that mighty empire, which
happened in the fifth century, every one of the conquered provinces was
left to stand upon its own basis. From this period, therefore, the
history of nations takes a material turn. The English historian divides
his ancient account from the modern, at the extinction of the house of
Plantagenet, in 1485, the fall of Richard the Third. For, by the
introduction of letters, an amazing degree of light was thrown upon
science, and also, by a new system of politics, adopted by Henry the
Seventh, the British constitution, occasioned by one little act of
parliament, that of allowing liberty to sell land, took a very
different, and an important course.
But the ancient and modern state of Birmingham, must divide at the
restoration of Charles the Second. For though she had before, held a
considerable degree of eminence; yet at this period, the curious arts
began to take root, and were cultivated by the hand of genius. Building
leases, also, began to take effect, extension followed, and numbers of
people crowded upon each other, as into a Paradise.
As a kind tree, perfectly adapted for growth, and planted in a suitable
soil, draws nourishment from the circumjacent ground, to a great extent,
and robs the neighbouring plants of their support, that nothing can
thrive within its influence; so Birmingham, half whose inhabitants above
the age of ten, perhaps, are not natives, draws her annual supply of
hands, and is constantly fed by the towns that surround her, where her
trades are not practised. Preventing every increase to those neighbours
who kindly contribute to her wants. This is the case with Bromsgrove,
Dudley, Stourbridge, Sutton, Lichfield, Tamworth, Coleshill,
and Solihull.
We have taken a view of Birmingham in several periods of existence,
during the long course of perhaps three thousand years. Standing
sometimes upon presumptive ground. If the prospect has been a little
clouded, it only caused us to be more attentive, that we might not be
deceived. But, though we have attended her through so immense a space,
we have only seen her in infancy. Comparatively small in her size,
homely in her person, and coarse in her dress. Her ornaments, wholly of
iron, from her own forge.
But now, her growths will be amazing; her expansion rapid, perhaps not
to be paralleled in history. We shall see her rise in all the beauty of
youth, of grace, of elegance, and attract the notice of the commercial
world. She will also add to her iron ornaments, the lustre of every
metal, that the whole earth can produce, with all their illustrious race
of compounds, heightened by fancy, and garnished with jewels. She will
draw from the fossil, and the vegetable kingdoms; press the ocean for
shell, skin and coral. She will also tax the animal, for horn, bone, and
ivory, and she will decorate the whole with the touches of her pencil.
I have met with some remarks, published in 1743, wherein the author
observes, "That Birmingham, at the restoration, probably consisted only
of three streets." But it is more probable it consisted of fifteen,
though not all finished, and about nine hundred houses.
I am sensible, when an author strings a parcel of streets together, he
furnishes but a dry entertainment for his reader, especially to a
stranger. But, as necessity demands intelligence from the historian, I
must beg leave to mention the streets and their supposed number
of houses.
Digbeth, nearly the same as now, except
the twenty-tree houses between the two
Mill-lanes, which are of a modern date,
about 110
Moat-lane (Court-lane) 12
Corn-market and Shambles 40
Spiceal-street 50
Dudley-street 50
Bell-street 50
Philip-street 30
St. Martin's-lane 15
Edgbaston-street 70
Lee's-lane 10
Park-street, extending from Digbeth nearly
to the East end of Freeman-street 80
More-street, to the bottom of Castle-street, 70
Bull-street, not so high as the Minories, 50
High-street, 100
Deritend; 120
Odd houses scattered round the verge of
the town 50
----
907
The number of inhabitants, 5,472.
The same author farther observes, "That from the Restoration to the year
1700, the streets of Birmingham were increased to thirty one." But I can
make their number only twenty-eight, and many of these far from
complete. Also, that the whole number of houses were 2,504, and the
inhabitants 15,032. The additional streets therefore seem to have been
Castle-street, Carr's-lane, Dale-end, Stafford-street, Bull lane,
Pinfold-street, Colmore-street, the Froggery, Old Meeting-street,
Worcester-street, Peck-lane, New-street, (a small part,) Lower
Mill-lane.
From the year 1700 to 1731, there is said to have been a farther
addition of twenty-five streets, I know of only twenty-three: and also
of 1,215 houses, and 8,250 inhabitants. Their names we offer as
under;--Freeman-street, New Meeting-street, Moor-street, (the North
part), Wood-street, the Butts, Lichfield-street; Thomas's-street,
John's-street, London-'prentice street, Lower priory, The Square,
Upper-priory, Minories, Steel-house-lane, Cherry-street, Cannon-street,
Needless-alley, Temple-street, King's street, Queen-street, Old
Hinkleys, Smallbrook-street, and the East part of Hill-street.
I first saw Birmingham July 14, 1741, and will therefore perambulate its
boundaries at that time with my traveller, beginning at the top of
Snow-hill, keeping the town on our left, and the fields that then were,
on our right.
Through Bull-lane we proceed to Temple-street; down Peck lane, to the
top of Pinfold-street; Dudley-street, the Old Hinkleys to the top of
Smallbrook street, back through Edgbaston-street, Digbeth, to the upper
end of Deritend. We shall return through Park-street, Mass-house-lane,
the North of Dale end, Stafford-street, Steel-house-lane, to the top of
Snow-hill, from whence we set out.
If we compare this account with that of 1731, we shall not find any
great addition of streets; but those that were formed before, were much
better filled up. The new streets erected during these ten years were
Temple-row, except about six houses. The North of Park-street, and of
Dale-end; also, Slaney-street, and a small part of the East side of
Snow hill.
From 1741, to the present year 1780, Birmingham seems to have acquired
the amazing augmentation of seventy one streets, 4172 houses, and
25,032 inhabitants.
Thus her internal property is covered with new-erected buildings, tier
within tier. Thus she opens annually, a new aspect to the traveller; and
thus she penetrates along the roads that surround her, as if to unite
with the neighbouring towns, for their improvement in commerce, in arts,
and in civilization.
I have often led my curious enquirer round Birmingham, but, like the
thread round the swelling clue, never twice in the same tract. We shall
therefore, for the last time, examine her present boundaries. Our former
journey commenced at the top of Snow-hill, we now set off from
the bottom.
The present buildings extend about forty yards beyond the Salutation, on
the Wolverhampton road. We now turn up Lionel-street, leaving St.
Paul's, and about three new erected houses, on the right[1]; pass close
to New-Hall, leaving it on the left, to the top of Great Charles-street,
along Easy-hill: we now leave the Wharf to the right, down
Suffolk-street, in which are seventy houses, leaving two infant streets
also to the right, in which are about twelve houses each: up to
Holloway-head, thence to Windmill-hill, Bow-street, Brick-kiln-lane,
down to Lady-well, along Pudding-brook, to the Moat, Lloyd's
Slitting-mill, Digbeth, over Deritend bridge, thence to the right, for
Cheapside; cross the top of Bradford-street, return by the Bridge to
Floodgate-street, Park-street, Bartholomew's-chapel, Grosvenor-street,
Nova scotia-street, Woodcock-lane, Aston-street, Lancaster-street,
Walmer-lane, Price's-street, Bath-street, to the bottom of Snow-hill.
[Footnote 1: The above was written in May 1780, and the three houses are
now, March 14, 1781, multiplied into fifty-five.]
The circle I have described is about five miles, in which is much ground
to be filled up. There are also beyond this crooked line, five clumps of
houses belonging to Birmingham, which may be deemed hamlets.
At the Sand-pits upon the Dudley-road, about three furlongs from the
buildings, are fourteen houses.
Four furlongs from the Navigation-office, upon the road to Hales-owen,
are twenty-nine.
One furlong from Exeter row, towards the hand, are thirty-four.
Upon Camp-hill, 130 yards from the junction of the Warwick and Coventry
roads, which is the extremity of the present buildings, are thirty-one.
And two furlongs from the town, in Walmer-lane, are seventeen more.
I shall comprize, in one view, the state of Birmingham in eight
different periods of time. And though some are imaginary, perhaps they
are not far from real.
Streets. Houses. Souls.
In the time of the ancient
Britons, 80 400
A.D. 750, 8 600 3000
1066, 9 700 3500
1650, 15 900 5472
1700, 28 2504 15032
1731, 51 3717 23286
1741, 54 4114 24660
1780, 125 8382 50295
In 1778, Birmingham, exclusive of the appendages, contained 8042 houses,
48252 inhabitants.
At the same time, Manchester consisted of 3402, houses, and 22440
people.
In 1779, Nottingham contained 3191 houses, and 17711 souls.
It is easy to see, without the spirit of prophecy, that Birmingham hath
not yet arrived at her zenith, neither is she likely to reach it for
ages to come. Her increase will depend upon her manufactures; her
manufactures will depend upon the national commerce; national commerce,
will depend upon a superiority at sea; and this superiority may be
extended to a long futurity.
The interior parts of the town, are like those of other places,
parcelled out into small free-holds, perhaps, originally purchased of
the Lords of the Manor; but, since its amazing increase, which began
about the restoration, large tracts of land have been huxtered out upon
building leases.
Some of the first that were granted, seem to have been about Worcester
and Colmore streets, at the trifling annual price of one farthing per
yard, or under.
The market ran so much against the lesor, that the lessee had liberty to
build in what manner he pleased; and, at the expiration of the term,
could remove the buildings unless the other chose to purchase them. But
the market, at this day, is so altered, that the lessee gives four-pence
per yard; is tied to the mode of building, and obliged to leave the
premisses in repair.
The itch for building is predominant: we dip our fingers into mortar
almost as soon as into business. It is not wonderful that a person
should be hurt by the _falling_ of a house; but, with us, a man
sometimes breaks his back by _raising_ one.
This private injury, however, is attended with a public benefit of the
first magnitude; for every "_House to be Let_," holds forth a kind of
invitation to the stranger to settle in it, who, being of the laborious
class, promotes the manufactures.
If we cannot produce many houses of the highest orders in architecture,
we make out the defect in numbers. Perhaps _more_ are erected here, in a
given time, than in any place in the whole island, London excepted.
It is remarkable, that in a town like Birmingham, where so many houses
are built, the art of building is so little understood. The stile of
architecture in the inferior sort, is rather showy than lasting.
The proprietor generally contracts for a house of certain dimensions, at
a stipulated price: this induces the artist to use some ingredients of
the cheaper kind, and sometimes to try whether he can cement the
materials with sand, instead of lime.
But a house is not the only thing spoilt by the builder; he frequently
spoils himself: out of many successions of house-makers, I cannot
recollect one who made a fortune.
Many of these edifices have been brought forth, answered the purposes
for which they were created, and been buried in the dust, during my
short acquaintance with Birmingham. One would think, if a man can
survive a house, he has no great reason to complain of the shortness
of life.
From the external genteel appearance of a house, the stranger would be
tempted to think the inhabitant possessed at least a thousand pounds;
but, if he looks within, he sees only the ensigns of beggary.
We have people who enjoy four or five hundred pounds a year in houses,
none of which, perhaps, exceed six pounds per annum. It may excite a
smile, to say, I have known two houses erected, one occupied by a man,
his wife, and three children; the other pair had four; and twelve
guineas covered every expence.
Pardon, my dear reader, the omission of a pompous encomium on their
beauty, or duration.
I am inclined to think two thirds of the houses in Birmingham stand upon
new foundations, and all the places of worship, except Deritend Chapel.
About the year 1730, Thomas Sherlock, late Bishop of London, purchased
the private estate of the ladies of the manor, chiefly land, about four
hundred per annum.
In 1758, the steward told me it had increased to twice the original
value. The pious old Bishop was frequently solicited to grant building
leases, but answered, "His land was valuable, and if built upon, his
successor, at the expiration of the term, would have the rubbish to
carry off:" he therefore not only refused, but prohibited his successor
from granting such leases.
But Sir Thomas Gooch, who succeeded him, seeing the great improvement of
the neighbouring estates, and wisely judging fifty pounds per acre
preferable to five, procured an act in about 1766, to set aside the
prohibiting clause in the Bishop's will.
Since which, a considerable town may be said to have been erected upon
his property, now about 1600_l_. per annum.
An acquaintance assured me, that in 1756 he could have purchased the
house he then occupied for 400_l_. but refused. In 1770, the same house
was sold for 600_l_. and in 1772, I purchased it for eight hundred and
thirty-five guineas, without any alteration, but what time had made for
the worse: and for this enormous price I had only an old house, which I
was obliged to take down. Such is the rapid improvement in value, of
landed property, in a commercial country.
Suffer me to add, though foreign to my subject, that these premises were
the property of an ancient family of the name of Smith, now in decay;
where many centuries ago one of the first inns in Birmingham, and well
known by the name of the Garland House, perhaps from the sign; but
within memory, Potter's Coffee-house.
Under one part was a room about forty-five feet long, and fifteen wide,
used for the town prison.
In sinking a cellar we found a large quantity of tobacco-pipes of a
angular construction, with some very antique earthen ware, but no coin;
also loads of broken bottles, which refutes the complaint of our pulpits
against modern degeneracy, and indicates, the vociferous arts of getting
drunk and breaking glass, were well understood by our ancestors.
In penetrating a bed of sand, upon which had stood a work-shop, about
two feet below the surface we came to a tumolus six feet long, three
wide, and five deep, built very neat, with tiles laid flat, but no
cement. The contents were mouldered wood, and pieces of human bone.
I know of no house in Birmingham, the inns excepted, whose annual rent
exceeds eighty pounds. By the lamp books, the united rents appear to be
about seventy thousand, which if we take at twenty years purchase, will
compose a freehold of 1,400,000_l_. value.
If we allow the contents of the manor to be three thousand acres, and
deduct six hundred for the town, five hundred more for roads, water, and
waste land; and rate the remaining nineteen hundred, at the average rent
of 2_l_. 10s. per acre; we shall raise an additional freehold of
4,750_l_. per ann.
If we value this landed property at thirty years purchase, it will
produce 142,500_l_. and, united with the value of the buildings, the
fee-simple of this happy region of genius, will amount to 1,542,500_l_.