MAMBLE ASD BAYTON. 271

John Curdwale was at the same time nothing loth to depart from Mamble, on account of "the hatreds and quarrels that raged about there, by reason of which he was afraid to live there." A junto of the neighbouring clergy sat in conclave on these reasons, and pronounced them to be sufficient for the exchange, which was accordingly confirmed.

The inhabitants are now chiefly engaged in agriculture and coal mining. There are large collieries at Mamble belonging to Sir Edward Blount, one pit at Bayton, owned by Mr. Wicksted, of Shakenhurst, and another in the glebe land at Bayton belonging to the vicar. The district has the advantage of a railway, a canal, and the river Rea divides Bayton from Shropshire. The principal landowners are Sir Edward Blount and C. Wicksted, Esq. The Blounts were a very ancient Norman family, and the Wicksteds are also a good old race, successors to the still more ancient Meyseys at Shakenhurst. Sodington, in the parish of Mamble, belonged to the Blounts, but their mansion was burnt in the civil wars because they refused to make arms at their forge for the Parliamentary army. The house was moated, and had four drawbridges. In digging into the site, in 1807, a tesselated pavement, a brick-kiln, clay water pipes, &c., were discovered, and it is therefore conjectured that there was a Roman fort here. Sir Edward Blount now lives at Mawley Hall, and R. E. Browne, Esq., resides at Sodington, the modern house standing on the site of the old keep. The De Mortimers and the Blounts were connected with the parishes from Norman times.

Mamble Church is a plain edifice, consisting of nave and chancels, there being two private chancels or chapels, one belonging to the Shakenhurst estate and the other to the Blount family. Interesting monuments both old and modern will be found here. Bayton Church is also a plain structure, having neither transepts nor aisles, but showing some Norman fragments; date of tower, 1819. Both churches have been improved of late. There are a few Roman Catholics at Mamble, and there is a small Dissenting chapel at Clow's Top.