nine
miles, and in travelling that short space of ground you are in four
different counties; Birmingham being in Warwickshire; Smethwick, in
Staffordshire; Oldbury, in Shropshire; and Dudley in the county of
Worcester.

N. B. Since writing the above, the bridge is completed, and the whole
line of road improved to a considerable degree.

_To Hockley-house, ten miles, on the road to Stratford-upon-Avon and
also to Warwick._

You proceed through Deritend, up Camp-hill, and when near the summit,
there is on the right hand an ancient brick building, called the
Ravenhurst, the residence of Mr. John Lowe, attorney, who is equally
respectable in his profession, as the house is in appearance. A short
distance beyond on the left is Fair-hill, where Samuel Lloyd, Esq.
resides, and on the opposite side of the road is the Larches, the
abode of Wm. Withering, Esq.--This house, when it belonged to Mr.
Darbyshire, was known by the name of Foul Lake, but when Dr. Priestley
resided there, he gave it the name of Fair-hill; afterwards, being
purchased by Dr. Withering, he altered the name of it to the Larches.
Having passed through the turnpike, on the left is Sparkbrook-house,
John Rotton, Esq. resident. At the distance of one mile and a half the
road to Warwick branches off to the left, and on the summit of the
hill is Spark-hill-house, inhabited by Miss Morris. Opposite the three
mile stone is a very neat pile of building, called Green-bank-house,
where Benjamin Cooke, Esq. has taken up his abode. A little beyond, at
a place called the Coal-bank, there is a free school, which is endowed
with about forty pounds per annum.

At a short distance on the left is Marston chapel, which is usually
called Hall-green chapel: it was erected and endowed by Job Marston,
Esq. of Hall-green hall, with about ninety acres of land, and other
donations.

At the distance of five miles, you pass through a village called
Shirley Street; and at the distance of another fire miles, you arrive
at Hockley-house; a place of entertainment, where travellers of every
denomination are accommodated in a genteel manner, and on reasonable
terms. About one mile from hence, on the road to Stratford, is
Umberslade, or Omberslade, where the Archer family were used to
reside, but it is now untenanted.

_From Hockley-house to Warwick, ten miles._

At the distance of one quarter of a mile, there is on the right a view
of Lapworth church, and on the left is Pack wood-ho