Staffordshire and Warwickshire, past and present: by J. A. Langford, ... C. S. Mackintosh and J. C. Tildesley. ... With ... illustrations from original drawings by H. Warren, etc

Front matter

STAFFORDSHIRE AND WARWICKSHIRE, PAST AND PRESENT, SWl'-AKSIPIE^tlE. MLUAM MACKENZIE, LONDON, EDINBURGH & GLASGOW. STAFFORDSHIRE and WARWICKSHIRE, PAST AND PRESENT: BY JOHN ALFRED LANGFORD, LL.D., F.R.H.S., AUTHOR OF A "CENTURY OF BIRMINGHAM LIFE," ETC, ETC. C. S. MACKINTOSH AND J. C. TILDESLET, ASSISTED BY Jlminsni jlniljoriiiBs in toils Sonniies. WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS FROM ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY H. WARREN, K.L., &c, &o. VOL. II. LONDON: WILLIAM MACKENZIE, G9 LUDGATE HILL, E.G ; 32 PARADISE STREET, UIUMINUHAM. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, LONDON, LOiNBUHGH 8 GLAS60W. : s 3 in in /» ?/ § n „ WILLIAM MACKEN.' ' SI AS&O*. INFaR B I I S 1 0 Nj Its © Dfl ® © (I „ ■ WILLIAM MACKENZIE, LONDON. EDINGURCH S GLASGOW. Lord Harrington, who was intrusted with the superintendence of her education. The son of Lord Harrington dying without issue, this estate was shortly after sold to Sir William Craven, the ancestor of the earl of Craven, the present noble possessor.

The eldest son of Sir William Craven having, at a very early age, signalized himself in Germany, and in the Netherlands under the Prince of Orange, was, on the accession of Charles I., ennobled by the title of Baron Craven of Hampstead Marshall, and at the Restoration advanced to the dignity of Viscount of Uffington and Earl of Craven. Urged by an enthusiastic desire of glory, and perhaps also, as is supposed, by a chivalric attachment to the beautiful, high-minded, and accom plished Elizabeth, queen of Bohemia, he was one of the most ardent of that gallant band of Englishmen who strove to reinstate her unfortunate consort, Frederic, in his possession. Through all the distresses and calamities with which Elizabeth had to contend after the death of Frederic, Lord Craven continued to devote himself and his fortune to her service ; and it was at length owing principally to his munificence in appropriating his mansion of Drury House to her use, that she was enabled, in 1661, to return to her native country, where she shortly after terminated her eventful life, bequeathing to her inalienable friend and benefactor, the earl of Craven, her papers, books, and pictures, which latter form an appro priate and interesting part of the excellent and valuable collection of paintings with which the several apartments of Comb Abbey are richly adorned.

Among them will be found numerous portraits of the Stuart family, by Vandyke and Honthorst, and pictures by Rembrandt, Rubens, Lotens, Zousts, Mirevelt, and other artists of deserved celebrity." Both the abbey and its magnificent grounds are generally open to the public, by the kindness of Earl Craven. Combe Abbey was formerly an extra-parochial tract, but is now a parish and contains 4210 acres, 168 inhabitants, 35 houses, and real property valued at £6167. City of Coventry. — This renowned and ancient city is supposed to have been founded by the Britons, its first two syllables denoting a convent, and its final one, as Mr. Brewer remarks, evidently the British tre, a town. It is, however, asserted, " that its history cannot be traced higher than the year 1016, when (according to Rous) Canute, king of Denmark, in conjunction with the traitorous Edric, invading Mercia, among other ravages committed in this island, destroyed a nunnery then standing in Coventry, and no VOL. II. 2 Y : attempt was made to repair it till 1043, when Leofric, earl of Mercia, and his countess, Godiva, founded a monastery on the site of the former nunnery, and amply endowed it ; Leofric bestowing on it one half of the town in which it was situated, and twenty-four lordships in this and other counties ; and Godiva enriching it with all her vast treasure, " sending for skilful goldsmiths, who, with all the gold and silver she had, made crosses, images of saints, and other curious ornaments, which she devoutly disposed thereto."