Seven miles from Bridgnorth, and thirty-six from Worcester, the Severn is
crossed by a handsome iron bridge, at the opposite extremity of which is
the London and North-Western Company's line to the Shropshire Union at
Hadley.
The China Works are about five minutes' walk from the station; they are
extensive, and were established during the latter half of the last
century, at which time they were removed here from Caughley. The
productions are of a high order of merit, and combine those distinctive
characters for which Caughley and Nantgarw were celebrated. They were
successful, some years ago, in obtaining a medal awarded by the Society
of Arts; in obtaining a First Class Exhibition Medal in 1851, also in
1855, and again in 1862. The works are very advantageously situated,
having the river, the canal, and two railways adjoining.
The _Art-Journal_, in giving the history of these works, thus speaks of
them: "The productions of the Coalport Works at the present day, thanks
to the determination, energy, and liberality of the proprietor, take rank
with the very best in the kingdom, both in body, in potting, in design,
and in decoration; and there can be no doubt, from what is now actively
in progress, that the stand taken by Coalport is one of enviable eminence
among the ceramic manufactories of the world."
Edge and Son's chain and wire rope works are situated not far from these;
and between the two, at the foot of the inclined plane, an ingenious
device for transferring boats from one canal to the other, is the
celebrated "Tar Tunnel," driven into the coal measures, from which
petroleum was formerly exported on a large scale, under the name of
Betton's British Oil.
Our view of the Valley of the Severn, with Ironbridge in the distance, is
from the hill overlooking the handsome mansion of John Anstice, Esq.
[Ironbridge: 27.jpg]
Coalport is in the parish of Madeley, the village of which is now looped
in by railways. Madeley is one of those names or word-pictures by which
our ancestors, with a touch alike of poetry and feeling, were wont to
convey their meaning. The place, however, has lost those sylvan features
that distinguished it when described in Domesday, as part of the
possessions of St. Milburgh; and the old Court House, surrounded by its
park, where the prior of that monastery received his perquisites, is
strangely changed in aspect. Although little beyond the foundations
exist to show where the hall stood from whence the house derives its
name--where festivals were held, suitors heard, or penalties
inflicted--the present edifice has many points of interest. The arms of
the Ferrers family, in a shield, over the principal doorway, may still be
seen, indicating the proprietorship at one time of some member of that
family. It was also the residence of Sir Basil Brooke, fourth in descent
from a noble knight of that name; a zealous royalist in the time of
Charles I. The substantial, roomy, and well-panelled apartments, and the
solid trees, one upon the other, forming a spiral staircase, are objects
of interest. Ascending these stairs, the visitor finds himself in the
chapel, the ceiling of which is of fine oak, richly carved, with the
_fleur-de-lis_ and other devices. In the garden, which formed an
enclosed court, upon an elegant basement approached by a circular flight
of steps--the outer one being seven feet in diameter and the inner one
about three--is a very curious planetarium, or horological instrument,
serving the purpose of a sun dial, and that of finding the position of
the moon in relation to the planets. In niches outside the parish church
are finely sculptured, full-length figures of some of the early
proprietors of the Court House; and in the register is an entry dated
April, 1645, stating that the edifice was at that time garrisoned by a
Parliamentary regiment, commanded by Captain Harrington. Six years later
than the event recorded, we have the story of King Charles' visit to the
village in disguise, after the battle of Worcester, and of his being
lodged in a barn belonging to Mr. Wolfe. At the Restoration the king did
not forget his host, but presented him with a very handsome tankard, with
the inscription, "Given by Charles II., at the Restoration, to F. Wolfe,
of Madeley, in whose barns he was secreted after the defeat at
Worcester." The tankard is now in the possession of W. Rathbone, Esq.,
and a print of it hangs in the old house, now the possession of C. J.
Ferriday, Esq. The tankard has upon the cover a coat of arms; the crest
is a demi-wolf supporting a crown. In the hall there is also an old
panel, containing the initials F. W. W. Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe, with the date
1621.
[Ironbridge: 28.jpg]
Madeley is also celebrated as the scene of the labours of the venerated
Fletcher, so much so, that admirers of his life and writings come long
distances to visit his tomb, a plain brick structure, with a simple
inscription upon an iron plate.