Blithfield in 1817

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

BLITH(E)FIELD.

Blithefield is a parish about two miles west of Abbots Bromley. 

The village of Blithefield is chiefly remarkable for an ancient mansion of the Bagot family, which contains a splendid collection of paintings in the first style, and by the ablest artists. Amongst others, there is a portrait of Lord Treasurer Burleigh, equally eminent as a statesman and a Christian. He is painted with a white beard, a bonnet, and collar of the Garter, the George, and a white wand. Henry, Earl of Huntingdon, cotemporary with Lord Burleigh, is painted with the collar of the Garter, and a forked beard. The date is 1588, aged 52. But the most remarkable portrait is that of Walter, Earl of Essex, the unfortunate favourite of Queen Elizabeth. He is represented at half-length, and in armour. 

Bagots Park, which belongs to this mansion, is situated two or three miles to the north-east, on the opposite bank of the Blithe. It contains many oaks, of extraordinary growth, some of the trees containing from 300 to 400 feet each. This timber is of great antiquity, being mentioned as full-grown by Dr. Plot in 1686 ; it is, consequently, verging to decay. The woods extend over many hundred acres, and are almost wholly of oak, in different stages of growth, some of them carrying timber to the length of 60 or 70 feet. 

The Church of Blithefield is dedicated to St. Leonard : it is a rectory, Lord Bagot is the patron, and the Hon. and Rev. Richard Bagot, his Lordship's brother, is the present incumbent.