north-east corner of Warwickshire. It is seventy-nine miles south-east from Liverpool, and the same distance north-east from Bristol, both in a straight line. As Birmingham is nearly in the centre of England, its situation is elevated. The soil around it is light, but has lately been much improved. The appearance of the city itself is mean-a great multitude of the houses being inhabited by workmen. St. Martin's church is the only building of great antiquity. Its exterior is poor, having in 1690 been cased with a covering of bricks to preserve it from falling. The spire alone remains in its original state, a graceful monument of olden architecture. The interior is grand and imposing, though disfigured by a coating of plaster and by tawdry ornaments. St. Philip's Church is an elegant building, and, in the opinion of many, forms the chief architectural ornament of the city. Besides these two, there are upwards of 12 churches and chapels belonging to the Established Church, and forty-five Dissenting chapels, several of them elegant in form. Till lately, Birmingham possessed few public buildings worthy of notice, but the citizens are adding to their number. The town-hall is a splendid edifice of the Corinthian order, the material being Anglesea marble. Its length is 166 feet, breadth 104 feet, and height 83 feet. The saloon, 140 feet long, 65 feet wide, and 65 feet high, contains one of the largest organs in Europe. The grammar-school is a fine Gothic edifice, designed by Mr. Barry, and erected at an expense of L.4000. The theatre, the banks, the libraries, Society of Arts, &c. are also worthy of notice. The schools in Birmingham are numerous and flourishing. Among these may be mentioned the free grammar school founded and chartered by Edward VI. Its income derived from land is L.3000 per annum; the Blue Coat School and the Protestant Dissenter's charity school are supported by subscriptions. There are several associations for moral and intellectual improvement, such as a mechanic's institution with a library of more than 1500 volumes, the Society of Arts, and a philosophical institution. The old library contains above 30,000 volumes, and the new library above 5000. The savings banks, and provident institutions and societies, are numerous and highly beneficial. There are also many charitable institutions well supported. The Dispensary, Humane Society, and Magdalen Institution merit great praise. From a very early period Birmingham has been renowned for its manufactures in steel, iron, &c. This trade is now carried on to an extent elsewhere unequalled. The principal branches of it are, plate and plated wares, ornamented steel goods, jewellery, japannery, papier maché, cut-glass ornaments, steel-pens, buckles and buttons, cast-iron articles, guns and pistols, steam-engines, toys, &c. Birmingham is connected with London and various places by means of canals, and forms a centre of railway communication with every part of the kingdom. The railway from London to Birmingham, which was opened in 1837, is now amalgamated with the Grand Junction line, the two forming the London and North Western Railway. Birmingham returns two M.P. The population in 1831 was 110,914; including the suburbs, 138,252. In 1841 it was 182,922; and in 1851, 232,841.

The journey is performed in about five hours. Omnibuses leave the following offices in London and Birmingham for the railway stations. London offices: -Spread Eagle, Gracechurch Street; Cross-Keys, Wood Street; Bolt-in-Tun, Fleet Street; Swan with Two Necks, Lad Lane; George and Blue Boar, Holborn; Spread Eagle, Regent Circus; Golden Cross, Charing Cross; and Green Man and Still, Oxford Street. Birmingham offices:-Swan, Castle, Hen and Chickens, Albion, and Nelson.

LXXXV. LONDON TO DENBIGH THROUGH BIRMINGHAM, NEWPORT, WHITCHURCH, WREXHAM, AND MOLD, 206.

ON RIGHT FROM LOND.

From

Denbig.

From

London.

ON LEFT FROM LOND.

(206 From Hicks's Hall to

Aston Park, once the 97 Birmingham, (p. 199.) 109 Edgbaston Hall, Lord residence of James Watt.

cr. the Warwick

Calthorpe.

Denbigh, the capital of Denbighshire, is pleasantly situated on a rocky eminence in the beautiful vale of Clwyd. The castle, now in ruins, was founded in the reign of Edward I. It underwent a siege during the civil wars, and after the Restoration of Charles II. was blown up with gunpowder and rendered completely untenable. The ruins cover the summit of the craggy hill, and the prospect through the broken arches and frittering walls is extensive and beautiful. Denbigh has been compared to Stirling in Scotland, and has a very imposing aspect from a distance, with the ruinous castle crowning the summit of the hill. The parish church is situated at Whitchurch, one mile from the town, but is seldom used by the inhabitants, who generally attend divine worship at the ancient chapel of St Hilary. In the porch of the parish church, partly ruinous, are the effigies in brass of Richard Middleton of Gwaenynog, and Jane, his wife. He was governor of Denbigh Castle in the reigns of Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. William, his third son, was a sea captain, and a poet; Thomas, fourth son, became Lord Mayor of London, and founder of the family of Chirk Castle; Hugh, the sixth son, expended an immense fortune in bringing the new river into London. An ancient priory for Carmelites existed at Denbigh, but the conventual church, now converted into a malt-house, is all that remains of the institution. Denbigh had formerly a considerable manufactory of gloves and shoes. It unites with Holt, Ruthin, and Wrexham, in returning one M.P. Pop. of Par. bor. 1851, 5498. The vicinity abounds with beautiful and interesting scenery. It gives the title of Earl to the Fielding family.

* Mr Fitzmaurice was brother of the first and uncle of the present Marquis of Landsdowne, and having married Mary third Countess of Orkney in her own right, was grandfather of the present Earl. In order to encourage his tenantry in Ireland, and promote the national manufacture of linens, he erected a bleaching establishment here at an expense of L.2000, in which, under his own superintendence, 4000 pieces were bleached yearly. It is said he usually travelled in his coach to Chester, and when there stood behind a counter.