in which the Royalists stood a siege for three weeks after the town was taken: nothing now remains of it but a portion of the tower.
14 83¼
The Allbrighton hounds did, and we believe do hunt this country; but as the kennel is at Aqualate Hall (Sir Thomas Boughey's), Stafford is the best place to send a horse to, if you wish to meet them. Thus the railroad enables you, for a few shillings, to send your hunter fresh to a Meeting[1], 60 or 70 miles off, in a few hours.
Two hundred yards after leaving this station we pass into the great tunnel; it is about 200 yards in length: the Wyrley and Essington Canal passes over it. Emerging from this cavernous looking passage, we enter the Wednesfield Cutting. This is very near a mile in length, and in some places from 15 to 20 feet deep; it is crossed by one bridge.
13¾ 83½
A short distance from the tunnel, a coal vein was cut through, and the coals have been used as ballast for the railway. A curious sight will it be for a person from London, when be is aware, that, within a ride of five hours, this ballast would procure, perhaps, 30 or 40s. a ton.[2]
13¼ 84
At the 84th mile post, the line is
