ountry, including the ruins of Dudley
castle.

The church is an ancient gothic stone building, dedicated to St. Mary,
with a square tower, of grey-stone; the body is of an irregular form,
the workmanship being rude and tasteless. It appears to be much
neglected, and out of repair, both inside and out; and neither in
respect to size or decorations, does it bear any analogy to the number
of the population, or the wealth of the parishioners. Indeed, if the
structure of the church should be a criterion to judge of the opulence
of the inhabitants, a stranger would certainly conclude, that they
were most of them tenants at rack rent, and greatly burdened with
poor. The only objects deserving of notice, are two monuments; one in
the inside, and the other on the out. The one erected to commemorate
the late Matthew Boulton, Esq. is the work of the celebrated Flaxman,
and adds another wreath of laurel to the brow of that classical
artist. If is of white and blue marble, and is surmounted by a bust,
which is the best representation extant of that enterprising and
deserving man, to whose memory it is sacred. The other is an humble
tomb-stone, remarkable as being one of the last works, cut by his own
hand, with his name at the top of it, of that celebrated typographer,
Baskerville, but this, being neglected by the relations of the
deceased, has been mutilated, although the inscription is still
perfect, but so much overgrown with moss and weeds, that it requires
more discrimination than falls to the lot of many passing travellers
to discover the situation of this neglected gem. To those who are
curious, it will be found close to the wall, immediately under the
chancel window. This precious relic of that eminent man is deserving
of being removed, at the expense of the parish, and preserved with the
greatest care, withinside the church. Mr. Baskerville was originally a
stone-cutter, and afterwards kept a school, in Birmingham.[6]

[Footnote 6: Since writing the above, the Rev. T. L. Freer, who is
rector, and the wealthy parishioners have entered into a liberal
subscription, and being aided by government with the sum of five
hundred pounds, they have undertaken to rebuild the body of the
church, according to an elegant plan, designed by W. Hollins,
statuary and architect, of Birmingham, without making any rate on the
inhabitants.]

There is only one more of his cutting known to be in existence, and
that has lately been removed and p