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Mr. URBAN, Shrewsbury, Feb. 25. N continuation of Shropshire Churches, I enclose you a view of the fine old Church of Pontesbury, taken down in 1825, with the exception of the chancel, being considered in a dangerous state. It is rebuilding in the pointed style of archi

tecture.

Pontesbury is a rectory, divided into three portions, in the Hundred of Ford, and Deanery of Pontesbury. The Church, which was dedicated to St. George, was a large irregular building of several styles of ancient architecture. It consisted of a nave, a north and south aile, and chancel; divided from the nave by a pointed arch. The north aile was separated front the nave by three semicircular arches, supported by clustered columns, each capital with different ornaments. The south aile was divided from the nave by four pointed arches, supported by irregular fluted columns, with plain lined capitals. On the south side the chancel was a piscina. The ceiling of the nave was plain; that of the chancel coved, the cornice ornamented with small quatrefoils. At the west end was an ancient stone font. The length of the nave 76 ft. 6 in.; breadth 58 ft. 2 in., side ailes included; length of the chancel 49 ft. 8 in.; breadth 21 ft. 6 in. The tower, which stood on the north side, was 27 ft. 3 in, by 24 ft. 5 in. contained 5 bells: round the tenor, "Thomas Roberts, of Salop, cast these five, 1681, William Medlicott, Nicholas Brockson, Wardens."

The following monumental memorials, taken when I last visited the Church, previous to its demolition, you will probably deem worthy of preservation.

On stones in the floor, within the

communion rails:

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"The remains of Mrs. Ann Wingfield, wife of the Rev. Mr. Benjamin Wingfield, A.M. rector of the first portion of Pontesbury, who died 21st Jan. 1755, aged....' "The Rev. Benjamin Wingfield, M.A. rector of the first portion of this Church, died 26th Sept. 1763, aged 53."

GENT. MAG. April, 1827.

"In memory of Arthur Ward, of Kinton, gent. who died the 11th day of Aug. 1682, aged 82."

Against the east wall of the chancel, secured by folding-doors, is the portrait of a boy, in a loose mantle, over which an aerial form, with a wreath or chaplet, with which she is going to crown him; in the clouds are several cherubs heads, and below the portrait the following inscription :

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"Hic subtus jacet ingens Naturæ partus iniqua delevit; natus in tumuli triste patriet conamen, quod cùm absolvere non potuit monium, parentum in luctu solum primigeniæ jus retulit; indolis tantæ, de quâ maxima sperare licuit, nunc vero maxima lugere. Anuis tenerrimis virtutibus (hei prodigium) p'maturis, ut plus ab utero crederes, quàm a disciplinâ excelli. Obijt quinto die Martij Ano Dom' 1636, ætatis 11. Ea virtus inuocentiâ in Paradisum recipi, quâ primus homo deperditâ exulavit.

"Here's one whose merits b' yor sad
strife,

A Funerall longer than his life,
In whose cause each one Nature curst,
One who did parents' hopes outbid,
As't were vnjust, he dy'd not first.
And nurses' wishes too outstrid.
His years so farre, as whoe did come
Well educated from the wombe.
An infant saynt, where we might see
Virtues n'er knew minoritie,
Whom Nature dress'd for her show here,
Sent, as no guest, but to appeare.

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"Such a bright curle, such innocent
shape,

Angells when they to earth escape,
Are thought t'assume; and when wee lim'
Those winged heads, wee fayne like him,
Aud more to prove, that he was one,
Hee passed here like some vision..
His shape bigge mothers shall teeme nigh,
A pattern to bring children by,
Hither wild youth shall come and sigh,
Praye for his innocence, and dye."

On a flat stone in the floor, under the monument:

"Here lyeth the body of Thos. Ottley, eldest son of Francis Ottley and Lucy his wife, son and heir apparent of Thos. Ottley, of Pitchford, esq. who departed this life the 5th of March, 1636."

On a neat marble tablet, against the east wall of the chancel:

"Joannes Mac Gilvray, A. M. In Invernessi agro natus, A.D, 1751. Christi meritis humiliter fretus, mortalitatem exuit, A.D. 1823.”

On a brass plate, against the north wall of the chancel:

"MORS PIIS LVCRVM. Hunc prope locum jacet corpus Oeni Davis, Colleg'Omnium Animarum Oxon. socii senioris, ac hvius ecc'lice per spaciam XVIII' annor' univs pastoru', qui senio confectus XII° die Maii Anno Salvtis Nostræ 1614, et peregrinationis suæ 72, ab hac vita Deo et hominibvs charvs ad evm in qvo coufisvs est pacifice migravit; in cujvs piam memoriam Maria vxor eivs filia Richardi Fosteri Evang. Divini dispensatoris fidelis ab antiqua Evelensi familia orti, viri doctrina, pietate, et moribvs approbat. Coll. s'c'tæ Trinitat', Cantabr. socii, hic etiam Anno Christi 1596 sepult. moeroris plena hoc monvmentvm posvit."

Against the north wall of the chancel, a handsome monument of marble; on the right side a figure of Hope, on the left Charity; under the tablet, in bas-relief, a ship in full sail; on the table the following inscription:

"M.S. THOME DAVIES, Mercatoris Lond. filii natu minimi hujus Ecclesiæ unius olim e Rectoribus, cujus Industriam spe tantum fulcitam, cujus integritatem, probitatemq' negotiis obeundis, cujus postea indigentibus charitatem pariterq' in gentem propriam (nec numero nec inopia minimam) munificentiam, divitiarum, amicorum, precii gratitudinis, affluentia Divini Numinis providentia (in cujus tutelam ab ipsis incunabilis com'issus fuit utpote patre orbatus) abinde compensavit. Quod reliquum est, his virtutibus non solum exemplar se voluit esse, sed patronum, qui ut industriam promoveret centum lib. pueris egenis apud Hospitale Christi Lond. hujusce autem natalis soli emeritis senibus ducentas largitus est. Obiit x. Cal. Sept. A.D. C15.15.LXXIV. Æt. LXI. R.D. NEPOS POSUIT."

"Arms.-Sable, a chevron Gules, between three swans' heads Or; on a chief of the Third a fleur-de-lis Sable."

On a monument against the south wall of the chance]:

"Reydus HENRICUS BALDWYN, A. M. Rector primæ et tertia portionis hujus Ecclesiæ, obijt 17° Julij 1757. Ætat. 56. Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit."

"Arms.-Argent, a saltier Sable. Crest, on a mount Vert a cockatrice Argent; wattled, combed, and beaked Or, ducally gorged and lined of the Last."

On a monument at the east end of the south aile:

"In memory of WILLIAM BOYCOTT, of Boycott, esq. who died the 2d day of August 1707, aged 46, this monument was erected by his affectionate and mournful widdow. He was steady to the principles of the Church of England, of great probity, justice, and integrity, charitable and liberal to the poor, hospitable and generous

to his friends, affable and courteous to all; geuerally beloved whilst he lived, and much lamented at his death."

On a tablet against the north wall: ' "Near this place are deposited the remains of JOHN OLIVER, of Shrewsbury, esq. who died Nov. 24, 1789, aged 48.

"Also, of BOLD OLIVER, of the same place, esq. who died May 8, 1791, aged 44 years."

"Also, of ELIZABETH OLIVER, widow of the above Bold Oliver, esq. who died May 17, 1801, aged 54 years.'

On a monument against the north wall of the chancel:

"Beneath are interred the remains of RICHARD WARD OFFLEY, of Hinton, esq. who died 29th May, 1762, aged 46 years. He was a gentleman of an ancient family, acted in the Commission of the Peace for this county, and was not only assiduous of doing good in general, but particularly attended the true interests of this parish and neighbourhood. He married SARAH, daughter of George Penbury of Wothertou, esq. by whom he left issue a daughter SARAH, and one son, WARD OFFLEY, who, whilst in the service of his country, fell a sacrifice to the malignant influence of the climate at Antigua, on the 24th of November, 1793, in the 33d year of his age."

"Arms: Argent, on a cross patée flory Azure a lion passant gardant Or, between four Cornish choughs Proper; impaling Penbury."

On a plain stone in the chancel:

"Here lieth the body of JOHN HARRIS of Cruckton, esq. who departed this life Oct. 21, 1746, aged 55. As likewise of SARAH his wife, daughter of Robert Hill, esq. who died 3d Dec. 1772, aged 80. ALICIA HARRIS, died 19th Nov. 1798, aged

79.

Arms: Barry of eight, Ermine and Azure, over all three annulets; impaling Ermine, on a fesse Sable a castle triple-towered Argent.-Crest, a hawk Argent, beaked and belled Or, preying on a pheasant Argent."

On a tablet against the north wall of the nave:

"Near this stone lie the remains of RoBERT PHILLIPS of Cruck-Meole, esq. and CATHARINE his wife, daughter of Sir Edward Acton of Aldenham, bart. He died 18th of April, A. D. 1772, æt. 96; and she the 14th of Oct. 1748, t. 58. They had issue Edward and Mary; Edward died young. MARY married Thomas Harris of Cruckton, esq.; she died 23d Jan. A.D. 1767, æt. 48. THOMAS HARRIS, esq. died Sept. 27th, A. D. 1798, aged 82.'

On a plain stone in the chancel floor:

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I

Mr. URBAN, Cork, March 23. SHALL now proceed to notice the Coins of Mercia; with respect to which fewer mistakes appear to have been made than in those of any of the other kingdoms, a circumstance probably arising from the coins of that kingdom being more numerous, and the succession of its princes and their names better ascertained.

KINGS OF MERCIA.

EGBERT.-These rare coins are attributed to the son of Offa, for no other reason, I believe, than that the moneyers names, Babba and Udd, occur on the coins of Offa; but I think it much more probable that they belong to Egbert of Wessex, who ascended the throne of that kingdom in 800, only six years after the death of Offa, and might well have had some of his moneyers, as he certainly had many of those of Coenwulf; indeed the name of Oba, one of Egbert's moneyers, appears on the coins of Cenedred the queen of Offa; and the name of Eoba on the coins of the latter, was possibly the same name; Osmund also, another of Egbert's moneyers, perhaps worked for Offa himself, as we find on the coins of the latter the names Olhmund and Osmod, which may both have been intended for Osmund.

If Offa had really a son named Egbert, I should certainly have ascribed these coins to him; but in all histories I believe in existence, he is called Egfrith, Egferth, or Egfrid. A still further reason will exist in support of my opinion, if it should be supposed that the styca attributed to Egfrid

of Northumberland belongs to the son of Offa, as I shall attempt to shew when I come to the coins of that kingdom.

CIOLWULF I. and II.-Two coins are attributed by Ruding to Ciolwulf II. from their resemblance to the coins of Burgred, who reigned before him. The moneyers' names, however, Hereberht and Oba, do not occur amongst those of Burgred, whilst they are to be found, as well as most of those of Ciolwulf I., amongst those of Coenwulf the predecessor of Ciolwulf I.; besides, a similar kind of reverse appears on the coins of Edbert II. of Kent, particularly No. I., and the custom of placing the legend of the reverse, and sometimes even that of the obverse, in lines in the field of the coin, was more common before the time of Burgred, than it was after it. Mr. Woolston acknowledges that these coins were ascribed by Sir Andrew Fountaine to Ciolwulf 1., but contends they must belong to Ciolwulf II., and says, they are evidently copied from Burgred's coins; but why may not Burgred's be copied from them? Sir Andrew, therefore, I think, was undoubtedly right, and these two coins ought to be transferred to Ciolwulf I.

There is one coin, however, given by Ruding to Ciolwulf I., which seems to belong to Ciolwulf II.; it is Pl. 7, No. 2, and is quite different in type from all the other coins which bear the name of Ciolwulf; it has on the reverse the name of Dealing, who was one of Alfred's moneyers, whereas no name nearer to it than Dealla occurs on the coins of Coenwulf; the legend, indeed, is capable of another reading, ALING MON DE or DEV, which last syllable may be intended to denote Chester, but this would make it still more probable that it belongs to Ciolwulf II., as the places of mintage began at that time to appear more frequently on coins.

KINGS OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

EGFRID. That this little coin should have been assigned to Northumberland, is by no means to be wondered at; no stycas have been discovered which could with any degree of certainty be attributed to any of the other kingdoms, and Egfrid was one of the most celebrated of the Northumbrian princes; it is therefore not without considerable hesitation, that I can

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