A Description of Modern Birmingham Part 8

Notwithstanding the extent of this town, there is very little distinction between it and a village; all the difference is, its fairs and market, for the smallest town has a constable to preside over it, and this, although so extensive and populous, is governed by two constables.

Although this town is of such considerable magnitude, and one of the princ.i.p.al thoroughfares between London and Dublin, there are no more than three places where the superior cla.s.s of travellers can be accommodated with horses and carriages; the Royal Hotel, near St.

Philip's church; the Swan Hotel, in High-street, and the Hen and Chickens Hotel, in New-street.

For the accommodation of the next cla.s.s, there are the following taverns and inns: the Stork, in the Square; the Nelson, opposite the statue of his lordship, in the market-place; the Union, in Union-street; the Saracen's Head, in Bull-street; the George, and the Castle, in High-street; the Red Lion, the George, and the White Hart, in Digbeth; the Rose, in Edgbaston-street; and the, Woolpack, in Moor-street.

From the Nelson, the Swan, the Hen and Chickens, the Saracen's Head, the George, or the Castle, those who travel by public carriages may be conveyed to any part of the kingdom. The princ.i.p.al avenue leading to and from this town is Great Hampton-street, which, as its name imports, is on the road to Wolverhampton, but it is also the road to Walsall and likewise to Dudley. In this capacious road several streets concentrate, but I would recommend a stranger to proceed down Snowhill.

The next avenue, in point of importance, is Camphill, on the road to Stratford, where several streets and roads are united.

It is deserving of notice, that however large or small the houses are, the part.i.tion walls are uniformly brick and mortar, and with few exceptions, the floors of small houses are laid with quarries, which in a great degree accounts for there being so few fires of any consequence within this extensive town.

There is not any thing in this town, or its immediate vicinity, that can attract the attention of an antiquarian: it appears that there once was a castle, encircled by a moat, situated near the Icknield-street, or Warstone-lane; the foundation of which is still perceptible, and covered an area of twenty square perch; but the ground whereon it stood has been so frequently turned over, that it is only by the difference in the verdure that it can be discovered.

The present occupier of the land has at different times taken up about four thousand of the bricks, which were burnt very hard, and resembled those now in use, but were not so large.

About four miles distant there once stood Weoliegh castle, which was surrounded by a moat; but the site of the castle is now a garden, and not a vestige of the building remains, except a small part of the foundation, which may be discovered at the edge of the moat, that remaining entire.

Having concluded my observations respecting the public concerns of Birmingham, I cannot restrain myself from remarking, that there is at Warwick castle a most magnificent marble baccha.n.a.lian vase, of astonishing dimensions, it being seven feet in diameter and twenty-one in circ.u.mference, which is encircled on the outside with fruit, leaves, and branches of the vine, the latter being entwined so as to form two ma.s.sive handles, with grotesque masks at the end of each; the whole being in exact proportion to the magnitude of the vase. This unique specimen of ancient sculpture was discovered in the baths of the Emperor Adrian, and presented by the Queen of Naples to Sir Wm. Hamilton, the British amba.s.sador at that court, by whom it was forwarded as a present to the late Earl of Warwick; who, when it was unpacked, and he had taken a survey of it, immediately gave orders for the erection of a splendid green-house, wherein it is now deposited.

Mr. E. Thomason, of this town, who had been a pupil of the late Mr.

Boulton, at Soho, no sooner saw this remarkable production of the fine arts, than he conceived the idea of forming one of the same magnitude in metal; and accordingly solicited permission to make models from it, which his lordship in the most condescending manner permitted him to do. Mr. Thomason without delay made preparations for the undertaking, and the metallic vase has been under the hands of different artists above four years, and is now nearly completed. This unique performance in metal, is in every respect a perfect resemblance of the original, and weighs several tons; the ground of it is bronzed, and at the present time highly relieved in light and shade; but I understand it will, when complete, be considerably more so, by two novel and distinct processes of oxydation, that will endure for ages.

This sumptuous metallic vase may be seen at Mr. Thomason's, who manufactures an endless variety of articles, for several of which he has obtained letters patent. The royal series of medals, and various others, are exclusively of his manufacture. Persons of rank who are curious may there see the art of chasing, or sculpturing in ba.s.so and alto relievo, together with various operations in the art of metallurgy.

Bankers Draw upon, Taylors and Lloyds, Dale End: Hanbury and Co.

Woolley, Moilliet, and Gordon, Cherry-street: Lubbock and Co.

Attwoods, Spooner, G.o.ddington, and Co. New-street: Spooner and Co.

Smith, Gibbins, Smith, Gibbins, Goode, and Co. Union-street: Esdaile and Co.

Freer, Rotton, Lloyd, and Co. New-street: Hanbury and Co.

Galtons and James, Steelhouse-lane: Barclay, Tritton, and Co.

_Post Office_,

UNDER THE SUPERINTENDANCE OF MISS GOTTWALTZ.

All letters intended to be forwarded by the same day's post, should be put into the box one hour before the time mentioned below.

_Sheffield Mail_

Every morning, at nine o'clock; which takes all letters for Lichfield, Tamworth, Atherstone, Uttoxeter, Rudgley, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Gainsborough, Brigg, Barton, Kirton, Caister, Coltersworth, Grantham, Grimsby, Lincoln, Market Raisin, Sleaford, and Stamford, in Lincolnshire, Rutlandshire, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Halifax, Rotherham, Bradford, Huddersfield, Keighley, Otley, Doncaster, Ferry-bridge, Howden, Bawtry, and Selby, in Yorkshire.

_Manchester Mail_

Every morning, at half past nine o'clock; which takes all letters for Walsall, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stone, and Newcastle, in Staffordshire, Cheshire (except Malpas), Lancashire, Scotland, Northumberland, Durham, c.u.mberland, Westmoreland, Yorkshire (except those places which go by the Sheffield mail), Conway, in Carnarvonshire, Flintshire (except Overton), Denbighshire (except Rhuabon, Wrexham, Llangollen, and Chirk), Woore and Market Drayton, in Shropshire.

_Walsall Mail_

Every day, at eleven in the forenoon; which takes all letters for that town and its delivery.

_Holyhead Mail_

Every day, at eleven in the forenoon; which takes all letters for West-bromwich, Wednesbury, Willenhall, Bilston, Wolverhampton, Shiffnall, and the intermediate places, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ellesmere, Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, Merioneth, and Montgomeryshire, Rhuabon, Wrexham, Llangollen and Chirk, in Denbighshire, Malpas, in Cheshire, and Overton, in Flintshire, Ireland (except the south-west part, which goes by way of Bristol), Anglesea, and Carnarvonshire (except Conway).

_Bewdley Mail_

Every day, at half past eleven o'clock; which takes all letters for Tipton, Dudley, Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Stourport, and places adjacent.

_Oxford Mail_

Every day, at ten minutes before three o'clock; which takes all letters for Henley-in-Arden, Stratford-upon-Avon, all Oxfordshire, Abingdon, Farringdon, Wallingford, Wantage, and Lambourn, in Berkshire, Cricklade, Swindon, Highworth, and Wootton Ba.s.sett, in Wiltshire, Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, Shipstone, in Worcestershire, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire, Uxbridge and Southall, in Middles.e.x.

_London Mail_

Every day, at four o'clock (except Sat.u.r.day); which takes all letters for Coventry, Nuneaton, Coleshill, Rugby, Southam, Leamington, and Warwick, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire (except High Wycombe and Beaconsfield), Wooburn, Dunstable, Bedford, Silsoe, Leighton Buzzard, Tempsford, Potton, and Biggleswade, in Bedfordshire, St. Alban's, Berkhampstead, King's Langley, Tring, Watford, and Barnet, in Hertfordshire, Wokingham, in Berkshire, Arlesford, Gosport, Basingstoke, Fareham, Havant, and Petersfield, in Hampshire, Great Bedwin, in Wiltshire, Surrey, Kent, Suffolk, Ess.e.x, Suss.e.x, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Middles.e.x (except Uxbridge and Southall), which go by the Oxford mail.

_Bristol Mail_

Every day, at five o'clock in the afternoon; which takes all letters for the intermediate places: Worcestershire, (except Shipstone and those parts sent by the Bewdley mail), Stow, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Moreton-in-Marsh, in Gloucestershire, South Wales, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, Ludlow and Bishop's Castle, in Shropshire, Reading, Hungerford, and Newbury, in Berkshire, Somersetshire, Wiltshire (except those parts which go by way of Oxford and London), Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Cornwall, south-west parts of Ireland, and Hampshire (except those places sent by way of London).

The various posts arriving so early in the day, the office is shut at eight in the evening.

Overcharges allowed from eight in the morning to half past ten in the forenoon, and from five to eight in the evening.

_Arrivals_,

Bristol, at eight in the morning. London, at twenty-five minutes past ten. Bewdley, at twelve at noon, Oxford, at one. Manchester, at two.

Holyhead, at three. Sheffield, at a quarter past four. Walsall, at half past five.

This account of the post is corrected up to the 29th of May, 1819.

COACHES.

_From the Nelson Hotel, (late the Dog Inn.)_

Bridgnorth, the Union coach, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, at nine o'clock. Dudley, the royal Defiance, every afternoon, at four.

Holyhead, the Union, a light post coach, every morning, at nine.

London, the Oxford royal mail, every afternoon, at three.