BROMSGROVE. 73

Henry VIII. At Dodford, another manor, was a priory of Premonstratensians. The borough was represented in Parliament twenty-third Edward I by Thomas Rastel and Thomas Burneford, but the luxury of representation was discontinued, as being probably too expensive. The divisions of the parish were called "yields," of which there were ten - namely, the town yield, Burnford, Fockbury, Catshill, Chadwick, Shepley, Burcot, Padestone or Spadesbonrne, Timberhanger, and Woodcot ; and the manors were Bromsgrove, Bunnil, Chadwick, Cudford, Dyers, Gannow, Grafton, and the manor of the rectory. There are now the hamlets of Sidemoor, Rock Hill, and Burcot, and the division of Fockbury. The manor of Bromsgrove belonged to the Crown up to Henry III, when it was given to Ada, wife of Henry de Hastings, and the succeeding possessors were the Mortimers and then the Crown again, till James I gave it to John Howe, whose descendant sold it to the Earl of Plymouth. Baroness Windsor is now lady of the manor.

Quaint old Leland says:- "The town of Bromsgrove is all in a manner of one street, very long, standing on a plain ground. There is once a week a meetly good market. The town standeth something by clothing. The heart of the town is meetly well paved, Edward the Sixth founded a charity school for twelve boys to be taught, clothed, and apprenticed." The said grammar school has been a subject of much animadversion in print, and the unfortunately usual stigma has been affixed to it that the benefits which were intended for poor foundation boys are in fact conferred upon the boarders. This has been strenuously denied, but it is sincerely hoped that the general question affecting all these schools will soon be dealt with by the Legislature.

The "clothing" mentioned by Leland, including the linen and linsey trades, was continued till almost within living memory, but was gradually superseded by nailing and button making. A good deal of flax was at one time grown in the neighbourhood, and the manufacture by hand-looms was con-