The Park Inn, by Mr. Reynolds, and the New Inn kept by Mr. Jones, Park Lane, with the Pheasant, kept by Mr. Francis, complete the list of houses at Madeley, where, within our recollection, there were formerly but two.
At Coalport we have the Shakespeare, kept by Mr. Beard, and the Jug, we presume of Toby Philpot fame, of whom it is said,
His body, when long in the ground it had lain,
And time into clay had resolved it again,
A potter found out, in his covert so snug,
And with part of old Toby he made this brown jug.
There is also the Brewery Inn, kept by Mr. George Gough.
The Pit’s Head, formerly a noted house for old beer, kept by Barnabas Spruce, has long since disappeared; also the Turk’s Head. Then there is the Robin Hood, by Mr. J. Roe; the Block House, by Mr. Dunbar, come next; and near to these is the Bird in Hand, the motto of which (more truthful than grammatical) is—
A bird in the hand far better ’tis
Than two that in the bushes is.
The Lake Head, by G. Barrat, takes its name from a small reach of the Severn.
In Madeley Wood we get the Unicorn, kept by Mr. Fiddler; The Old House by Astbury, and the Golden Ball (formerly a silk mercer’s sign) by Mr. T. Bailey.
The Horse and Jockey, by Mrs. Davies, and the Fox, by Mr. Curzon, come next, to remind us of old English sports.
The George & Dragon also, by Mr. Granger, reminding us of still more ancient times.