as follows: 'FURy. Died Feb. 28, 1864.' A skilled antiquary
would probably pronounce it to be the headstone of a favourite
dog's grave; and I am inclined to think that we have here a not
unformidable rival of the celebrated

+
BIL ST
UM
PS HI
S.M.
ARK

of the _Pickwick Papers_.

"Yet another vanished chapel, of which I have even less to tell
you. On the right-hand side of the railway line running towards
Stafford, a little beyond Stallbrook Crossing, there is a field
known as Chapel Field. But there is nothing but the name left.
From ancient documents I have learnt that a chapel once stood
there, known as Derrington Chapel (I think in the thirteenth
century), in Seighford parish, but served from Ranton Priory. In
1847 my father built a beautiful little church at Derrington, in
the Geometrical Decorated style, but not on the Chapel Field. I
cannot tell you what an immense source of satisfaction it would be
to me if I could gather some further reliable information as to
the history, style, and annihilation of these two vanished
chapels. It is unspeakably sad to be forced to realize that in so
many of our country parishes no records exist of things and events
of surpassing interest in their histories.

"I take you now to where there is something a little more
tangible. There stand in the park of Creswell Hall, near Stafford,
the ruins of a little thirteenth-century chapel. I will describe
what is left. I may say that some twenty years ago I made certain
excavations, which showed the ground plan to be still complete. So
far as I remember, we found a chamfered plinth all round the nave,
with a west doorway. The chancel and nave are of the same width,
the chancel measuring about 21 ft. long and the nave _c._ 33 ft.
The ground now again covers much of what we found. The remains
above ground are those of the chancel only. Large portions of the
east and north walls remain, and a small part of the south wall.
The north wall is still _c._ 12 ft. high, and contains two narrow
lancets, quite perfect. The east wall reaches _c._ 15 ft., and has
a good base-mould. It contains the opening, without the head, of a
three-light window, with simply moulded jambs, and the glass-line
remaining. A string-course under the window runs round the angle
buttresses, or rather did so run, for I t