To Hat-borne, in Staffordshire, distant three miles.
Passing up Broad-street and Islington, when you are through the Five-ways[[12]] toll-gate, the centre road leads to Harborne. On the left is a neat white building, called Greenfield-house, the properly and abode of Hyla Holden, Esq. and a little farther on the same side of the road is the parsonage-house of Edgbaston; the resilience of the Rev. Charles Pixell.
There are now six ways, Calthorpe's road being opened in the year 1845.
Passing by Harborne heath cottage, when you arrive at the summit of the hill, is an excellent house, where Mr. Richard Smith resides; from whose premises there is an extensive view over the adjacent country, particularly Edgbaston and King's Norton.
A short distance beyond, on the right, there is a delightful view of enclosed ground, and the Lightwoods; with a white-fronted house, called the Ravenhurst, in the centre, the residence of Mr. Daniel Ledsam, which altogether forms a beautiful landscape. Where the roads divide pass on the left, leaving the village, called Harborne Town, which is principally inhabited by men who obtain a livelihood by forging of nails, and proceed down the road which leads to Bromsgrove, where on the left is a preparatory school, for boys under ten years of age, which is conducted by Mrs. Startin. This house commands a pleasant view over the grounds that have been laid into a paddock by Mr. Price, whose neat and elegant residence, with its beautiful undulated grounds, are also on the left.
A few paces below Mr. Price's, you arrive at a small triangular grass plot, which is called the cottage green, and is surrounded by cottages, superior in neatness of appearance to what are usually met with. From hence there is a most delightful landscape of Mrs. Careless's house, which is surrounded with verdant meadows, having a considerable sheet of water in front, and in the back ground are Frankley Beeches, with the adjacent hills of Cofton and the Lickey.
There are in this vicinity some most delightful prospects, which are seen to great advantage from the handsome houses of Mr. Green Simcox, and also of his father, George Simcox, Esq. the former on the right hand and the latter on the left, as you proceed towards the church. This is an ancient tower Structure, the body having of late years been rebuilt in a neat and commodious manner; consisting of a single pace, well pewed, with a modern gallery at the west end and another at the north east comer; It is a vicarage, dedicated to St. Peter; the present vicar being the Rev. Richard Robinson.
From this church-yard the eye is again delighted with extensive and beautiful prospects; and from thence, proceeding towards Northfield, a bridge has been lately erected by subscription, which separates the parishes of Harborne and Northfield, and also the counties of Stafford and Worcester. The stream of water gives motion to a mill, belonging to Mr. Price, and feeds the mill pond, which is a fine sheet of water covering twenty-four acres. Not far from hence there is a delightful shady walk, which extends through the grounds of Mr. Price and Mr. Simcox for near a mile, and at intervals commands delightful and romantic prospects.—Within a few yards of the aforesaid bridge, the counties of Stafford, Worcester, and Warwick unite.