WOLVERHAMPTON STATION.

Distance to Birmingham, 14¼—Liverpool and Manchester, 83¼ miles.

DISTANCES BY ROADS FROM THIS STATION TO THE FOLLOWING PLACES:—

Places W. ofStation.

Places E. ofStation.

Wolverhampton (Town)

1 mile.

Bushbury

1¾ mile.

Tettenhall

2 miles.

Wednesfield

1¾ —

Upper Penn

3½ —

Codsall

4½ —

Wombourne

5¼ —

Himley

6 —

Trysull

6 —

Pattingham

6½ —

Albrighton

7 —

Donington

7½ —

King Swinford

7½ —

Bonningale

8 —

Bridgenorth

14 —

Shiffnal

14 —

The panting and smoking engine, like a huge beast, rushing along with fiery jaws, and “such a length of tail behind,” might, in a dark night, be easily suspected of being “no canny.” Divers kinds of vehicles, from post-chaises and landaus, to caravans and omnibii (as a refined friend of ours pluralizes these universal conveyances) are in attendance at this station, to convey passengers to the town of Wolverhampton, one mile distant, or to their future destination.

Wolverhampton is a place of considerable antiquity, and was called Hanton or Hampton prior to the year 996, when Wulfrana, sister of King Edgar, and widow of Aldhelm, Duke of Northampton, founded a college here, endowing it with so many privileges that the town was called in her honour, Wulfranis Hampton, of which its present name is evidently a corruption. The College continued till the year 1200, when Petrus Blesensis, who was then dean, after fruitless attempts to reform the dissolute lives of the brethren, surrendered the establishment to Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, and it was subsequently annexed to the deanery of Windsor. In 1590, the greater part of the town was destroyed by a fire, which continued burning for five days. In the parliamentary war, Wolverhampton aided the royalists, and Prince Rupert fixed his head-quarters here, while the king was encamped at Bushbury.

The town is situated on an eminence, on the N.W. side of the great midland coal-district, and the neighbourhood abounds with iron, coal, and limestone. The manufacture of locks, forms here as in the other towns in the vicinity, the staple trade, to which may be added, smith’s and carpenter’s tools, machinery of all kinds, furnishing ironmongery, &c. The modern streets are well-built and lighted, and contain many handsome and substantial houses. A public Subscription Library and News-room, occupy the lower part of a commodious building, in which, assemblies and concerts are likewise held. A Literary and Philosophical Society is established, but not yet supported in a manner at all proportioned to its merits; a circumstance not reflecting much honour on the professedly intelligent and “higher” classes of the inhabitants. The Mechanics’ Institution is in a more flourishing condition, for obvious reasons, being patronized by the more knowledge-loving part of the community. The Theatre is opened occasionally; it is a small and unpretending structure. Races are annually held in August, in an extensive area near the town, and are well attended. In the centre of the market-place stands a cast-iron column, forty-five feet high, surmounted by a large gas lantern, which was intended by its sanguine projector to enlighten the whole town and suburbs, but, alas for the great designs of short-sighted humanity!—its sphere of usefulness is unfortunately restricted to the attic and chamber windows of the houses immediately contiguous.

The Collegiate Church is an ancient and exceedingly beautiful cruciform structure, in the early decorated style of architecture, with a handsome square embattled tower rising from the centre. It contains a curious and elaborately-carved stone pulpit, formed of one entire block, an ancient font, and several interesting monuments. In the church-yard is a column, twenty feet high, greatly enriched with sculpture of various designs, supposed to be of either Saxon or Danish origin. There are several other churches in Wolverhampton, and many religious establishments belonging to various sects of dissenters; also a Free Grammar School, Blue Coat Charity, National, Sunday, and other Schools. The population of Wolverhampton is about 25,000; it has a market on Wednesday, and a fair on July 10.

CHAPTER III.
WOLVERHAMPTON TO STAFFORD,
Fifteen Miles.

On quitting the station at Wolverhampton a good view is obtained of the town and fine old Church, with the hills of Rowley Regis in the distance. Tettenhall Wood and the Clee Hills soon add to the beauty of the southward view; and the line is skirted by fine trees and fresh verdant meadows, over which a peep of the distant landscape is gained at intervals. Show Hill, and Low Hill houses are pleasantly situated on the ridge of a hill to the E., and beyond them appears Bushbury Hill, a point of the same elevation, with its old village Church, built about 1460; this is perhaps the most pleasing part of the line we have yet traversed. The Wrekin appears in the distance to the W., and nearer, the lofty and tapering spire of Brewood (or Brood) Church, rises from its girdling woods. Moseley Court, the ancient seat of J. G. Whitgreave, Esq., lies E. of the line, whence but little of the house is visible, being surrounded by stately oak groves. In this venerable mansion, Charles II. was temporarily concealed, when on his way to Bentley. Wrottesley Park, seat of Sir John Wrottesley, Bart., Chillington Park and Hall, the noble residence of T. W. Giffard, Esq., and the village of Codsall, form portions of the scenery to the S.W. All this part of the line from Wolverhampton is on an embankment, which, however, does not exceed fifteen feet at the highest point. On the E. appears Hilton Park, seat of H. E. C. V. Graham, Esq., and on the W., Pendeford Hall. The villages of Shareshill and Featherstone, lie E. of the line. A bridge here crosses it, bearing the felicitous name of “Paradise;” happy mortals, to reach such blessed bourne! But our stay is brief indeed; Paradise is left far behind, and we pass onwards under and over many a bridge of great and small degree; for the railroad even renders a common dirty gutter, a thing of so great importance, that a stately and ponderous arch must be erected for its insignificant accommodation! Verily, we grow aristocratic in our indignation at such upstart doings. The honourable fraternity of Ditch, Gutter, and Co., may, with a good grace, quote the old fable, and exclaim, “How we apples swim;” they are marvellously promoted since “an hundred years ago.” The Stafford Canal passes under, and the railroad over, a handsome iron bridge, between the village of Coven on the W., and Aspley on the E. side of the line.

The wide moorland called Cannock Chase, lies E., and is for some distance seen from the line. It was in earlier times, a forest or chase belonging to the Mercian kings. In one part, Castle Hill, now enclosed by the boundary of Beaudesert Park, seat of the Marquis of Anglesea, is an ancient British encampment, surrounded by a double trench, occupying about fourteen acres. Near it are the remains of a moat, enclosing an oblong square of three acres, called the Old Nunnery, where a Cistercian Abbey was founded in the reign of Stephen, which was shortly after removed to Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire. Cannock Chase, or Heath, contains upwards of 25,000 acres; in some parts, containing extensive sheep walks.