RONTON.

The village and parish of Ronton lie about two miles to the west of Coton Clanford, and three miles south east from Eccleshal. It is chiefly remarkable for its ancient abbey or priory, called Ronton alias De Sartis, or Essars abbey, which was founded by Robert Fitz-Noel in the reign of Henry the second. The religieuse of this house were canons regular of the order of St. Augustine. Shortly after its establishment, it was made a cell to the abbey of Hughman, in the county of Salop, by the founder himself. At the dissolution in the time of Henry the eighth, the revenue of this house was valued at 90%. per annum.

Considerable remains of the monastery are still standing. They consist principally of a lofty well built tower; and the outer walls of the church which are extremely low, together with a small portion of the cloisters. The south garden front of the house is by far more ancient than the western one.

Ellenhall, which lies to the north west of Ronton, is remark. able as being the seat of the noble family of the Noels, from whom are descended the Noels of Hilcote in this county, as also those of Rinkby Malory in Leicestershire, and of Brook in Rutlandshire. Edward, one of the descendants of this family, was raised to the honours of the peerage by James the first, under the title of lord Noel of Ridlington; Charles the first created him Viscount Campden, in consequence of the failure of issue male, in the person of Baptist Hicks, lord Hicks, and Campden, whose eldest daughter and coheir Julian he had married. The grandson of this Nobleman received the dignity of earl Gainsborough from Charles the second, after his restoration.

Dr. Plot, in his Natural History of the County, mentions the trunk of an old oak, of such vast size, that his man and he

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ou horses of 15 hands high, standing on opposite sides, were totally unable to see each other.*

The large parish and village of Chebsey is situated to the north of Ellenhall. This manor was originally the property of the noble family of Hastings, from whom it passed to the Staffords, and from them to the Harcourts. In the churchyard there, stands a lofty stone of a pyramidical shape, resembling those at Draycot and Leek. The precise use of these stones is not very apparent. Many writers have regarded them, as the shafts of crosses, and this opinion for some time received the sanction of Dr. Plot. That gentleman, however, subsequently changed his sentiments upon this subject; and decided that they were Danish monuments, from their similarity to such erections, both in Denmark and England, as were confessedly of that description.

ECCLESHALL.

This market-town is pleasantly situated on the bank of a small stream that flows into the river Sow, at the distance of one hundred and forty eight miles from London, and five from the town of Stone. The appearance of this place is extremely neat, the houses being in general well built, and disposed with considerable regularity. According to the parliamentary returns of 1801, it contained 594 houses, and 3,487 inhabitants, viz. 1737 males, and 1,750 females, of which number 2,657 were returned as employed in agriculture, and 830 in different trades and manufactures. It has a weekly market, established by bishop Dundent about the year 1161. The market day is Friday, when there is a plentiful supply of all kinds of provisions. There are likewise four fairs during the year, principally for cattle, sheep, and saddle horses.

The manor here, which is of great extent, at the era of the Conquest, was the property of the bishops of Lichfield. How

Plot's Nat. Hist. Staff. p. 210.

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