Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/291

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and its Green Border-Land.
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ages, who have said their prayers under different religious regimes, and been recognized as a Christian community. It is enough to inspire a feeling akin to awe to walk the main street of such a little country town, and feel that you are treading in the footsteps of twenty human generations. Brewood has made its mark as an educational centre. A free grammar school was founded here by Dr. Knightley in the reign Elizabeth, who with a small sum of money planted here an acorn, which has produced a goodly tree of knowledge, from which many distinguished men have fed their minds to much growth and power. Among these Bishop Hurd, of Worcester, Dr. Beddoes, of Bristol. Sir E. Littleton, and others may be numbered. Rev. William Budworth, Dr. Johnson's friend, was one of the head-masters of this school.

On our way to the Spread Eagle station, where we were to take the train for Birmingham, we came out upon the famous Watling Street, that great road of the Romans. The construction of this solid highway must have been a powerfully civilizing work to the British tribes in England. And it is the only one of that hardy and industrial soldiery left on the island as a work of present utility. It was doubtless made by them to supplement the rivers for penetrating, subduing, and civilizing the country. From London on