Introduction

TUNSTALL has risen, during the present century, from being a mere small street, of about twenty houses in the highroad, and about forty more in the lanes leading to Chatterley and Red-Street, into a town of moderate size, for the accommodation of whose inhabitants, a Church is to be erected by Government, at the expence of several thousand pounds.

The town is pleasantly situated on the declivity of a considerable eminence, allowing most of it to be seen (at the distance of two miles) from the new turnpike road from Newcastle to Lawton; being from the former place distant about four miles. It is on the high-road from Bosley to Newcastle, and from Lawton to Burslem. It is the chief liberty of the Parish of Wolstanton; has many respectable tradespeople in it; and its manufacturers rank high for talent and opulence. From it there are some very pleasing prospects, over much of the District, and its vicinity.

Manufactories

Mr. John Mear, Mr. T. Goodfellow, and Mr. Ralph Hall, have elegant Mansions connected with extensive manufactories. Of Mr. Hall, it may be justly stated, that his modesty and unaffected piety, are exceeded only by his philanthropy and assiduity in every good work for public or private benefit. There are other manufactories, of considerable extent, belonging to S. & J. Rathbone, J. Boden, Bourne, Nixon, & Co. Breeze, & Co, and Burrows, & Co.

Fluid Glaze

At the manufactory now owned by Mr. Goodfellow, Mr. Enoch Booth first introduced that most important improvement in the manufacture of pottery, — the fluid Glaze. Here also his son-in-law and successor Anthony Keeling, employed Enamellers, of the Porcelain, then commenced making under Mr. Champion's Patent, in copartnership with Samuel Hollins, J. & P. Warburton, and William Clowes. But very soon afterwards this was transferred to Shelton, under the firm of Hollins, Warburton, & Co.

Smith Child, Esq, has recently established a very commodious manufactory for Chemicals, at Clay Hills; near which are very extensive beds of excellent marl, employed in making Blue Tiles for Houses, Floor Quarries, and different kinds of Bricks, of superior quality for appearance and durability.

Methodists

Each of the three denominations of Methodists has here a spacious Chapel, with which is connected a Sunday School; whose Libraries promote the moral improvement of the people. Here is also a very repectable Literary Society, unassuming in character, but assiduous in research.

Market Place

In 1815, by a public subscription was formed a spacious Market Place, which is now well attended by dealers of every kind; also was erected an elegant Court House ; with Lock-ups for Offenders. There are a large Windmill, and also a Steam Mill, for grinding grain. And at a short distance is Hostin Mill, for grinding Potters' Materials; concerning which, in 1826, several thousand pounds were expended in a Lawsuit, to determine in whether parish it is situated, Burslem or Wolstanton ; and the decision fixed it in the former.

Tunstall belonged to John Frost, Esq. in the reign of Henry VIII.

The House at Hardingwood, a short distance from Golden Hill, has a peculiar situation. Whenever its inhabitants go to Church (that of Lawton,) they pass, out of the province of Canterbury into that of York; out of the county of Stafford into that of Chester; out of the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, into that of Chester; out of the hundred of Pirehill into that of Nantwich; being successively in three constableries, Tunstall, Chell, and Lawton ; and in three parishes, Wolstanton, Audley, and Lawton.

Tradition mentions a Church having been at Tunstall in former Ages; but no traces of such a structure have been discovered at any time. Certainly human bones have been dug up in a field near the Wesleyan Chapel; but the bodies may have been buried here, because of the great distance from the Church; or, at one of the battles between the Normans and Saxons.

Closely connected with Tunstall, and much like one of its extremities, tho' in Burslem parish, we find on the Burslem road, HIGHGATE, and the FLASH; containing about fifty dwelling houses, chiefly for the operative classes. Also,

Brownhills

BROWNHILLS. — Here is one manufactory, belonging to Samuel Marsh & Co.; and another, moderately extensive, the property of John Wood, Esq., a gentleman of great worth for every manly feeling, who resides in an adjacent elegant Mansion ; of a moderate yet convenient size, placed in a well-arranged paddock and gardens, from which there are beautiful prospects, and a delightful command of the Turnpike roads to Longport and Wolstanton, also to Burslem and Tunstall. At this place occurred that most remarkable and fatal catastrophe, in 1797, of Dr. Oliver shooting the owner, father to the present proprietor, a truly pious and good man, and an affectionate head of his family.

Green Field

On the road to Bosley, is GREEN FIELD (or SMITH-FIELD) containing several strata of excellent Coals and Marls, and some beautiful prospects. The very elegant and commodious Mansion, seen from the high road, has a truly picturesque appearance, in a pleasant hanging wood, fronted by a fine lawn.

The present name has been substituted for that which kept in remembrance the unhappy founder, Theophilus Smith; who, in a fit of jealousy attempted the life of his kind friend, Mr. Wainwright, (who still survives, in the United States,) and subsequently in goal perished by his own hand. This was late the property of Jesse Breeze, Esq. whose daughters have it in possession; but neither the Colliery nor the Manufactory is at this time (1829) in operation.

New Field

NEW FIELD is stated (by Pitt, p. 393, but no reference is given to his authority,) as having been a part of the extensive Town Fields of Tunstall, about 1613. Certain it is, that a descendant of the William Badyley, who, in 10 Edw. IV. became seized of a messuage and land here, now has it in possession. This Gentleman is Smith Child, Esq. grandson of Admiral Smith Child; who, during the peace of 1763, erected here a large manufactory, and a very spacious and elegant Mansion, having extensive prospects over much of the potteries. The very valuable mines of coal with which this estate is enriched, were increased in value during the minority of its present possessor, by a sewer from the low level of the Canal being run up under them to drain them most effectively. In fact the whole of this property was greatly improved by the very judicious management of J. H. Clive, Esq. one of the earliest and most successful introducers of ornamental engraving into the Blue printing department of Pottery.

Smith Child

SMITH CHILD, Admiral of the Blue, who of late years lived on this estate, settled on him by his maternal uncle, Thomas Baddeley, was of Salopian descent, though his immediate ancestry were of Audley, in this county, — his greatgrandfather, Smith Child, having succeeded to Boyle's Hall and other property in the latter township, (of which the Admiral was himself a native) on the demise of Margaret Smithe, widow, about 1657. 

In the peace of 1763, he married his kinswoman, Margaret Roylance, and resumed, near the commencement of the American war, his naval duties, which were continued to its termination. While on shore, he ardently participated in agricultural and other useful pursuits, and received the honorary freedom of Newcastle-under-Lyme and of Liverpool.

He died of gout in the Stomach, at New-field, on the 21st January,1813, aged 83. He entered the service under Earl Gower's auspices in 1747, as the nautical disciple of Lord Anson, and served at the sieges of Pondicherry and Louisbourg. 

He commanded the Europe, in the two actions off the Chesapeake, in 1781, with such credit as enabled him to obtain preferment for most of her officers; but, the following year, his eldest son, (a youth who had evinced great intrepidity on board the Fame upon the memorable Twelfth of April, and was about to have joined the Foudroyant, commanded by Sir John Jervis, then at home,) perished in the unfortunate Ville de Paris. In 1795 he took the command of the Commerce de Marseilles of 120 guns, and attained his flag on Valentine's day, 1799. 

The Admiral was, during great part of his life, in the Commission of the Peace for Staffordshire, — a Deputy-Lieutenant, &c. of the county, — and was most eminently and extensively beloved and revered." His remains are deposited at Wolstanton, under a plain tomb.

Ancient deeds

The following are copies of two ancient and curious deeds connected with this place.

"TUNSTALL - At the Court there holden on Tuesday in the week of Penticost in the 10^th Year of the Reign of King Ed^d  the 4^th came William Badyley Son and Heir of Margery Handeson and took Seisin of the Lord of Audley of one Messuage and 20 Acres of customary Land in Tunstall of which the said Margery died seized To hold to the said William and his Heirs according to the custom of the Manor: and he gives to the said Lord at his entry 20^d.  In testimony whereof John Harryson Deputy Steward to this Copy hath affixed his Seal. Given as above."

"Be y^t knowne to all true me In chryste In the wey of truthe y^t I Phythyon of Tunstall dyd purchys a garden place y^t lythhe in Tunstal at Hary of Tunstal my broders y^e w^ch garden place I do set at my dysseasse to Margerye my wyffe and to Margyt my doughtt^d ye wyffe of John Banchcrofte & aft^d dysseace of my wyffe hytt to remeyne to Margytt my doughtt^d & to hyr eyres the recorder of this Rychard of rydgways & to thys I set to my seale Gyvyn y^e last daye of Julye in y^e yere & reyne of Kynge Harry y^e Syxt yfter y^e conquest of England xxx & vij."

The Manufactory is now occupied by Joseph Heath & Co. — The other manufactory, nigher Golden Hill, is occupied by James Beech and Abraham Lownds. The latter gentleman will long be remembered in this neighbourhood as a friend of mankind, and one of the Founders and chief supporters of the Large Tunstall Sunday School.

Golden Hill

GOLDEN HILL. This extremity of the district can have claim to its high appellation, only in consequence of its valuable mines of Coals, Cannel. Ironstone, and Marl. In the sixteenth century, coarse Pottery, and more recently the brown, chequered, and Porto Bello wares have been made here. A few years ago, there was also a small establishment for the manufacture of Cream Colour, and Porcelain; but it is now discontinued; and very recently the buildings have been converted into dwelling houses. Only the Coarse Pottery is now manufactured, in new buildings. There are three taverns in this small place. A few years since, a number of new houses, also a Small Chapel and Sunday School, for the Wesleyan Methodists, were added to this liberty.

Latebrook

On the West of this place is LATEBROOK, where is a large Furnace for reducing the iron ore found in the neighbourhood in considerable quantity. On the North, are Kidsgrove and Whitehill Collieries, very extensive and productive; the property of Thomas Kinnersley, Esq. of Clough Hall.

Harecastle Tunnel

At a short distance westward, are the two subterraneous Tunnels, the principal on the line of the Trent and Mersey Canal, under the Harecastle (Query — Air-castle) Hill. The Old Tunnel, which commences near Kidsgrove, and terminates near Clay Hills, was a work of immense labour and expense, in consequence of unforeseen difficulties. Its length is two thousand eight hundred and eighty yards; its height twelve feet, and its width nine feet, at the depth of seventy to eighty yards beneath the surface of the hill thro' which it is excavated, and lined and arched with bricks. 

The fall of Water, from this highest pond, to the northern extremity is three hundred and twenty six feet, by thirty five locks, and to the southern three hundred and sixteen feet by forty locks. 

The new Tunnel is of larger dimensions than the other; and a towing path, with a strong guard rail is formed along one of its sides. This stupendous undertaking was calculated to occupy the labour of five years, during which several hundred men would be employed in the excavation of the earth, and the construction of the Tunnel, independent of the numbers employed in conveying materials, &c. Contracts were made for bricks in every direction. The expence was calculated at a guinea per inch — the distance being about one mile and three quarters, or two thousand eight, hundred and eighty yards, which alone make one hundred and three thousand six hundred and eighty guineas; and including all the materials, at a quarter of a million sterling. 

Shafts were sunk and steam engines erected for the raising of the earth, &c. at different points of the elevation — the tunnel averaging about seventy yards in depth from the surface of the hill. 

The Grand Trunk Canal was only begun in July 17th, 1766, and finished in 1777; yet such is the richness of the Company, and the business of the canal, that the money is no object compared to the advantage to be gained. On the plan of one tunnel, if a boat arrived but a few minutes after another, which had entered the Tunnel, it had to tarry six hours, for its turn, in either direction. By the additional one the different directions has each its separate tunnel of progress, by which the business of the canal is incalculably promoted in expedition. —Such is the ingenuity and adventurous disposition of man. Not only will he effect his purposes on the surface of the ground; but will even dare to penetrate into its internal recesses, to carry forward his designs where they can possibly be completed.—

Urged by curiosity, the author presumed to visit this monument of industrious perseverance. The strata cannot easily be ascertained from the interior, because of the brick work; but fossils of various kinds have been found in the substances excavated. After being wholly excluded from the light of day, and introduced into these dreary regions, suddenly is presented to view, glimmering in the distance, the lights of an extensive coal mine, where are busily employed the murky-visaged colliers; and small boats are seen approaching the tunnel by means of a small subterraneous canal. Passing forward, at a considerable distance, the first appearance of light adds a pleasing object to the vision, cheering the adventurer, like as the pole-star cheers the returning mariner who has unfortunately lost his compass;—the beams of light increase to the view, the land in the distance is faintly presented ; and at length the bark emerges from the cavity, the visitor looks with eagerness for objects known or recognizable, and almost conjectures he has passed thro' the chambers of Hades, and entered upon the scenery of another world.

Green Lane

The northern extremity of Golden Hill, is GREEN LANE, formerly only the direct road into the Potteries; and having its name from its fertile and pleasing appearance, to the persons who employed gangs of horses. At this farthest extremity of the district in this direction, is a small and very old manufactory of coarse black ware. The situation has considerable elevation, and consequently a peculiarly pleasing, and particularly extensive and diversified Landscape. Looking southward and eastward, almost the whole of this interesting and populous district is presented to the eye of the beholder; — the towns, villages, mansions, churches, hills, dales and Canal, appear in every possible angle, and gratify while they interest the spectator. 

The contrary way presents much of the richly cultivated water bason of the County of Chester; having in the distance the towering hills of Lancashire in front; those of Wales on one side, and those of Derbyshire on the other; while the interior of this microcosm is richly interspersed with sheets of water, fine enclosures, woods, and elegant mansions of persons of rank and opulence.