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Elford in 1817

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Description from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)

ELFORD.

Elford is a pleasant village in the deanery of Tamworth. It is situated on the northern bank of the Tame, about five miles from Lichfield, and four from Tamworth, and is supposed to have derived its name from the great number of eels with which the river formerly abounded. At the time of the Conquest, this manor belonged to Earl Algar.

In the reign of Henry III, it was in the possession of Wakelin de Ardern, and by the marriage of Maud, sole heiress of Sir John Arderne, with Thomas, second son of Sir John Stanley, of Latham, it was carried into that family. It afterwards passed through successive families to that of Bowes, and remained in their possession for many generations; when it devolved on the Hon. Craven Howard, by marriage with Mary, daughter of George Bowes, Esq. June 12, 1683. His eldest son, Henry Bowes Howard, began to build the present mansion, but dying March 21,1757, it was finished by his son William, Lord Viscount Andover. On the death of Lord Andover, Elford became the jointure of his widow, whose daughter, Frances, was married, March 20, 1783, to Richard, fifth son of Sir Walter Wagstaff Bagot, Bart, of Blithfield, who has taken the name of Howard.

The village of Elford, its church, and the mansion of the possessor, form a pleasing group of objects on the bank of the beautiful river Tame. Elford-low is situated on the top of a hill, a little beyond the paper-mill, in the corner of a field, close to the Tamworth road, and is distinguished by an oak tree on its summit. Dr. Plott, from examination, proved it to be sepulchral. Mr. Pennant, from its elevation, conjectures that it might have had on it a specula or watch-tower; and Mr. Bourne, an intelligent farmer, who has a good house on the other side of the hill on his own estate, told Mr. Shaw that he saw the bones of three human skeletons dug out of a gravel-pit, a few years since, near this Low, which seems a conclusive proof that it is the site of some ancient cemetery.

On the first payment of a subsidy, in the 32d of Elizabeth (1590,) Elford paid XLIXs. At the general election for the county, in 1747, fourteen freeholders in Elford voted. The following account of Elford enclosure was written by the above-mentioned Mr. Bourne:

The great part of the parish of Elford was common-field, meadow, etc, till the year 1765, when an act was obtained for an enclosure; previous to that time the land was let at very low rents, and the tenants were mostly in low circumstances; by the enclosure the rents have been trebled, and the tenants better enabled to discharge them. The whole parish contains about 1900 acres; 1053 of which belong to the Lady Viscountess Andover; 240 to the Rectory; 578 to different Freeholders; and the remainder is laid out in roads. Of the above land about 500 acres are annually in tillage, and which, we suppose, bring as much grain to market as the whole parish did in its open state; the quantity of cheese made now, in proportion to that made prior to the enclosure, is more than three to one; the proportion of beef and mutton produced on the land, is still greater, as much as ten to one: for though there were sometimes many sheep kept in the common fields, they were so subject to the rot, that little or no profit arose to the farmer, or produce to the community.

Respecting population, there were, prior to the enclosure, in the parish, 57 houses or tenements; at present (1794), there are 76 houses and 360 inhabitants. This increase has not arisen from any manufactory, but merely from the increase of labour necessary for the improved cultivation. That enclosures sometimes injure the small farmers, if laid in large farms, must be admitted; but that they are advantageous to the community must appear from the above statement of the produce of this place. The same enlightened observer also transmitted the following document to Mr. Shaw, respecting the peculiar mode of cultivation successfully practised in Elford and the neighbouring parishes: Elford, Staffordshire.

In looking over Mr. Pitt's report of the state of this county to the Board of Agriculture, it appears to me that he has not noticed the mode of cultivating land in this neighbourhood, viz. Clifton Campville, Thorp, etc, where the land is kept in a high state of culture with few summer fallows, except small parcels for turnips, which by the nature of the land must be drawn off. The usual mode in this district is to take the land in rotation: we will suppose one-third of the farm in tillage at one time, they plough up the turf, sow oats or beans, (mostly the former,) wheat at Michaelmas, and barley the Spring following the getting of the wheat. This will be called a bad system by all theory farmers; they will say, Can there be a worse than to take three white crops in succession? But so it is; nor do I know that in any part of the kingdom better are got upon the whole; the land is good, yet there are many parts in this county, its equal, where the crops are much inferior. The usual mode with the farmers in this part, is to lay all or the greatest part of their manure upon the land for the barley crop, amongst which are sowed the grass seeds, which put the land down in as good condition (or better) than when took up from grass, which enables it to carry a great stock of cattle, etc. while in grass seed, etc, and in its course comes up again in such condition that is sure of gaining good crops. You will remark, that in this course of husbandry, he must be a bad farmer who does not give all the land ploughed one good dressing of lime in the course of the three years' cropping, which is mostly put upon the land at Michaelmas, or soon after, on the barley fallow, which dressing varies in quantity per acre; but, I observe, those that use the most lime have their land in highest condition.

The writer of this has been in the farming line forty years, consequently has had the opportunity of seeing different culture of land of the same quality; his has been for many years upon land of nearly the above description, after the wheat is got (if dry weather) to plough the stubble under directly; he has sometimes ploughed the spaces betwixt the shock rows before the wheat has been got, finding by experience the earlier it is ploughed the better; and, if the weather suits, puts his lime on, harrows it in, and cross ploughs, and draws the furrows before he begins to sow his wheat; when done that seedness, draws it up and lets it lie in that state until seed-time in the spring, then ploughs it down and oft up again the same day, not chusing to have rain fall upon it betwixt these two ploughings; by this means of early ploughing at Michaelmas, the seeds that have been shed (and some there will be, let him be ever so good a farmer) have time to vegetate and to be totally destroyed again before spring ploughing; and I have by this mode put a farm of strong deep soil in good culture from its open field state.

I have this year, 1797, about 20 acres of turnips growing, not upon such as before described, but that loose soil much addicted to couch, lakeweed, and chickweed, etc, and there is scarce a weed sprung up amongst them, which I attribute to a winter fallow. My principal system is never to plough strong land wet, particularly loose fallows, nor cart my manure upon the land (if possible to avoid it) when dirt adheres to the wheels. Many are the times when we farmers had better let our men be at play, than daubing themselves and horses at plough; much worse at harrow, which never ought to be used but when the land is dry. The different opinions upon the mode of culture of land has employed many pens, and volumes have been written upon the subject; I believe, notwithstanding the improvements made in the present century, that farming is in its infancy.

There is a handsome stone bridge across the Tame at Elford, and a little above it on the river is situated a paper-mill and corn-mill, formerly the property of the late Mr. Bage, the celebrated author of 'Harmsprong, or Man as He is Not,' and other popular novels. Mr. Bage resided for many years at Elford, and afterwards removed to Tamworth, where he lived respected, and died regretted, in the year 1801. He was a native of Derby, and the late Mr. Hutton, in his history of that town, gives the following quaint account of the author and his publications:

"Wherein is an excellent picture of life, a full display of character and sentiment. These have travelled to the Continent, passed through the Frankfort press, and appeared to the world in a German habit. Although fortune never made him conspicuous in the great world, she gave him what is preferable, affluence and content. In directing a paper-mill, may be found that head which is able to direct empires; that judgment, which can decide in difficult cases; a penetration, which can fathom the human heart, and comprehend various systems of knowledge; a genius, which constitutes the companion for Newton in philosophy; for Handel in music; for Euclid in mathematics; a master of the living and dead languages; and all, like the wealth of a merchant who rises from nothing, acquired by himself. That rectitude which is rarely found, is here obscured from the public eye; but is a pearl of great price and a credit to our species. Though a diminutive figure, yet one of the most amiable of men; and though barely a Christian, yet one of the best."

This high eulogium on the genius and character of one of our best modern novelists, will probably excite curiosity in the reader to learn some further particulars respecting him. The following biographical sketch will probably prove sufficient on the subject: Robert Bage was born at Derby, in the year 1728. His father was a paper manufacturer, and the son being intended for the same education. In his youth however, he was remarkable for the vigour of his intellectual power, and his love of knowledge. He married and settled at Elford, where he conducted a paper-mill to the end of his life.

His desire of knowledge increased with his years; and at intervals of leisure from his business, he studied and became a proficient in the modern languages. He afterwards turned his attention to the more abstruse branches of the mathematics, and engaged a teacher at Birmingham, with whom he spent an evening every week till he obtained the requisite instruction. From his retired situation, he was but little accustomed to the manners of elegant society; hence, his productions are rather those of a man of reflection, than a close observer of men and manners. He wrote five novels, namely, Mount Kenneth, Barham Downs, The Fair Syrian, James Wallace, Harmsprong, or Man as He is Not, and Man as He Is.

Mr. Bage was happy in his matrimonial connection, and left two sons; one promising youth died before him. He died in the year 1801, aged 73 years; his character for benevolence and integrity was high, and his friends, who were much attached to him, describe his temper as open, mild, and social. He was kind to his domestics, and his humanity even extended to the domestic animals around him, particularly his horses when past work. Such a man deserves a brief memorial, yet the boast of his friend Hutton, that he was "barely a Christian," might better have been omitted in his panegyric, for much greater and wiser men than either Mr. Bage or Mr. Hutton, have gladly and gratefully acknowledged themselves humble believers in that most merciful dispensation of the Deity, the revelation of his will by the Saviour of the World.

Elford Church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a fine old structure, with windows in the pointed style of gothic architecture. There are some fine paintings on glass in the windows, and several ancient monuments, particularly an alabaster tomb of an Arderne and his wife. The statue of Sir John Stanley lies under an arch, in armour, with both hands supplicatory: his head rests on a helmet, with the eagle and child, the cognizance of the Stanleys. Under another arch is the eldest son, a child with curled hair, in a long gown, recumbent: one hand points to his ear, the other holds a ball, the unfortunate instrument of his death. A rich altar tomb is ornamented with three recumbent figures, namely, that of Sir William Smith, in full amour, and his two wives, Isabel and Anne; the former of whom wears a coronet.