en without them. A
writer in _Gazette_, September 1, 1828, reckoned up 120 inhabitants who
were each worth over L10,000 each; 50 worth over L20,000; 16 worth over
L50,000; 9 worth over L100,000; 3 worth over L200,000; 2 worth over
L300,000 each, and 1 worth over L400,000. Taking certain Income Tax
Returns and other information for his basis another man of figures in
1878 made calculations showing that there were then among us some 800
persons worth more than L5,000 each, 200 worth over L10,000, 50 worth
over L20,000, 35 worth over L50,000, 26 worth over L100,000, 12 worth
over L250,000, 5 worth over L500,000, and 2 worth over or near
L1,000,000 each.

~Mercia.~--In 585, this neighbourhood formed part of the Heptarchic
kingdom of Mercia, under Cridda; in 697, Mercia was divided into four
dioceses; this district being included in that of Lichfield; in 878,
Mercia was merged in the kingdom of England. According to Bede and the
Saxon Chronicles, Beorned was, in 757, king of Mercia, of which
Birmingham formed part, and in Canute's reign there was an Earl Beorn,
the king's nephew, and it has been fancifully suggested that in this
name Beorn may lie the much-sought root for the etymology of the town's
name. Beorn, or Bern, being derived from _ber_, a bear or boar, it might
be arranged thusly:--

_Ber_, bear or boar; _moeng_, many; _ham_, dwelling--the whole making
_Bermoengham_, the dwelling of many bears, or the home of many pigs!

~Metchley Camp.~--At Metchley Park, about three miles from town, near to
Harborne, there are the remains of an old camp or station which Hutton
attributes to "those pilfering vermin, the Danes," other writers
thinking it was constructed by the Romans, but it is hardly possible
that an undertaking requiring such immense labour as this must have
done, could have been overlooked in any history of the Roman occupation.
More likely it was a stronghold of the native Britons who opposed their
advance, a superstition borne out by its being adjacent to their line of
Icknield Street, and near the heart of England. From a measurement made
in 1822, the camp appears to have covered an area of about 15-1/2 acres.
Hutton gives it as 30 acres, and describes a third embankment. The
present outer vallum was 330 yards long by 228 wide, and the interior
camp 187 yards long by 165 wide. The ancient vallum and fosse have
suffered much by the lapse of time, by the occupiers partially levelling
the ground, and