Noake's Worcestershire Page 82

82 CHADDESLEY CORBETT.

a good library and fine pictures. The pleasure grounds and plantations are extensive and beautiful, and exhibit in many of their most admired features the peculiar taste of the celebrated Launcelot Brown, better known as "Capability Brown," by whom they were planned. An ancient road runs from Pull Court to the Malvern Hills, and a few years ago some Roman pottery works were discovered near the Court, on the eastern side of the Severn. There are admirable schools in the parish, but no dissent - what indeed can there be to dissent from?

Chaddesley Corbett.

CHAD'S LEA, or the place of Chad, probably the first Saxon who wrested this place from its British owners; Corbett, a later affix, being the name of the family who in early Norman days became the chief landowners here, one of whom at least - Peter Corbett - was appointed by Edward I forester or hunter in the King's midland forests, and was empowered to take wolves, by means of men, dogs, and engines. Henry II had enlarged the forest of Feckenham by including Chaddesley in it, to the great distress of the inhabitants. The Beauchamps and Pakingtons were the next holders, and now Sir W. Throckmorton is the lord of the manor, and owner of a large and valuable estate, and the Harward family own the Winterfold estate. There is a population of nearly 1,500 (temp. Elizabethae there were 116 families, and in 1.548 there were 500 communicants, or grown-up people), with an acreage of 5,990; and the chief employment of the inhabitants is agriculture and market gardening, with a little scythe-grinding and preparing work, or yarn, for the carpet manufacture. Wheat, barley, potatoes, turnips, mangolds, &c., are grown here. Site of the parish,