WALSAL,

Is a flourishing Market town, situated on the south west border of the county of Staf

ford, in the south division of the Afflow hundred, and in the deanery cf Tamworth, six

miles east from Wolverhampton, nine south south-west from Lichfield, eight from Bir

mingham, and 117 from London. It is a town corporate of great antiquity, and divided

into two parishes, Borough and Foreign, containing upwards of 11,000 inhabitants. It

is governed by a mayor, a recorder, twenty-four alderman, a town clerk, two sergeants

at mace, and a beadle. The mayor for the time being, the late mayor, and the senior

alderman, are in the commission of the peace, and hold sessions four times a year, for

petty-larcency and the like. The inhabitants are exempt from serving on juries in Staf

ford. The situation of Walsal is peculiarly beautiful and striking, on a bold eminence,

from the summit of which rises its fine old gothic church and lofty spire; the streets and  

houses gradually descending on every side. High-street and Park-street are spacious and

generally well built. Besides its ancient church, it has three dissenting meeting-houses;

a free grammar school, founded by Queen Mary; a free school; a charity school; and

a public library. The principal trade of the town, and villages adjacent, is buckles, bri

dle-bits, snaffles, stirrups, spurs, chains, &c. These are sold to the saddlers' iron

mongers, and form a considerable traffic to all parts of the kingdom. The market is on

Tuesday.

Michaelmas-day. The fairs are held February 24th, Whit Tuesday, and the Tuesday before