A tour in Scotland; MDCCLXIX / [Thomas Pennant].

  • Thomas Pennant
Date:
1774
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A tour in Scotland; MDCCLXIX / [Thomas Pennant]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A few miles from this heath lies Northwichy a fmall town, long Salt Pits, famous for its rock fait, and brine pits. Some years ago I vifited one of the mines ; the ftratum of fait lies about forty yards deep *, that which I faw was hollowed into the form of a temple. I defcend- ed thro5 a dome, and found the roof fupported by rows of pillars, about two yards thick, and feveral in height; the whole was illu¬ minated with numbers of candles, and made a mod magnificent and glittering appearance. Above the fait is a bed of whitifh clay*, ufed in making the Liverpool earthen-ware; and in the fame place is alfo dug a good deal of the Gypfum, or p] aider done. The fold! fait is generally yellow, and femipellucid, fometimes debafed with a dull greenifh earth, and is often found, but in fmall quantities, quite clear and color-lefs. The road from this place to Macclesfield is thro’ a fiat, rich, but unpleafant country. That town is in a very flourifhing date; is pofiefied of a great manufacture of mohair and twid buttons; has between twrenty and thirty filk mills, and a very confiderable cop¬ per fmelting houfe, and brafs work. Here lived in great hofpitality at his manour houfe~f Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham, a mod powerful Peer, the fad indrument of the ambition of Richard III. Pie was at once rewarded by that monarch J with a grant of fifty cadles and manours; but druck with remorfe at being accefifary to fo many crimes, fell from his allegiance, and by ajud retribution, differed on a fcaffold by the mere fiat of his unfeeling mader. In the church is the fepulchral chapel, and the magnificent mo- * Argilla caerula-cinerea Da Cojla fojjils. I. 48. f Kifig’s Vale P^oyal. 86. | Dugdale\ Baronage I. 168. B 2 numents
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