Simply _Bromwich_, because the soil is productive of broom.
My subject often leads me back to the conquest, an enterprize, wild
without parallel: we are astonished at the undertaking, because William
was certainly a man of sense, and a politician. Harold, his competitor,
was a prince much superior in power, a consummate general, and beloved
by his people. The odds were so much against the invader, that out of
one hundred such imprudent attempts, ninety-nine would miscarry: all the
excuse in his favour is, _it succeeded_. Many causes concurred in this
success, such as his own ambition, aided by his valour; the desperate
fortune of his followers, very few of whom were men of property, for to
the appearance of gentlemen, they added the realities of want; a
situation to which any change is thought preferable; but, above all,
_chance_. A man may dispute for religion, he may contend for liberty, he
may run for his life, but he will _fight_ for property.
By the contest between William and Harold, the unhappy English lost all
they had to lose; and though this all centered in the Normans, they did
not acquire sufficient to content them.
History does not inform us who was then the proprietor of Castle
Bromwich, but that it belonged to the Mercian Earls scarcely admits a
doubt; as Edwin owned some adjoining manors, he probably owned this.
Fitz-Ausculf was his fortunate successor, who procured many lordships in
the neighhood of Birmingham; Castle Bromwich was one. He granted it to
an inferior Norman, in military tenure; who, agreeable to the fashion of
those times, took the surname of Bromwich.
Henry de Castel was a subsequent proprietor. Dugdale supposes the
village took its name from a castle, once on the premises; and that the
castle-hill yet remains: but this hill is too small, even to admit a
shelter for a Lilliputian, and is evidently an artificial trifle,
designed for a monument. It might hold, for its ancient furniture, a
turret, termed a castle--perhaps it held nothing in Dugdale's time: the
modern is a gladiator, in the attitude of fighting, supported by a
pedestal, containing the Bridgeman arms.
_Castle_, probably, was added by the family of that name, lords of the
place, to distinguish it from _woody_ and _little_ Bromwich. They bore
for their arms, three castles and a chevron.
Lord Ferrers of Chartley, who was proprietor of Birmingham in the reign
of Henry the Sixth, enjoyed it by marriage; and his grand daughter
brought it, by the same channel, into the family of Devereux, Lords of
Sheldon. Edward, about the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign,
erected the present building, which is capacious, is in a stile between
ancient and modern, and has a pleasing appearance.
The Bridgeman family acceded to possession about eighty years ago, by
purchase, and made it their residence till about 1768. We should
naturally enquire, Why Sir Harry quitted a place so delightfully
situated? Perhaps it is not excelled in this country, in the junction of
three great roads, a a desirable neighbourhood, the river Tame at its
back, and within five miles of the plentiful market of Bimingham--but,
alas, _it has no park_.
The gentry seem to have resided in our vicinity, when there was the
greatest inducement to leave it, _impassable roads_: they seem also to
have quitted the country, now there is the greatest inducement to reside
there; roads, which improve their estates, and may be travelled with
pleasure. It may be objected, that "the buildings become ancient." But
there is no more disgrace in an old house, than in an old man; they may
both be dressed in character, and look well. A gentleman, by residing in
the family seat, pays a compliment to his ancestors.