and I was told that there was a stone ‘with some writing on it’ in a wall.  No doubt we had the fragment of a gravestone! and such it proved to be.  With some difficulty we got the stone out of the wall; and, being an expert in palaeography, I was able to decipher the inscription.  It ran as follows:  ‘FURy.  Died Feb. 28, 1864.’  A skilled antiquary would probably pronounce it to be the headstone of a favourite dog’s grave; and I am inclined to think that we have here a not unformidable rival of the celebrated

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BIL ST
UM
PS HI
S.M. 
ARK

of the Pickwick Papers.

“Yet another vanished chapel, of which I have even less to tell you.  On the right-hand side of the railway line running towards Stafford, a little beyond Stallbrook Crossing, there is a field known as Chapel Field.  But there is nothing but the name left.  From ancient documents I have learnt that a chapel once stood there, known as Derrington Chapel (I think in the thirteenth century), in Seighford parish, but served from Ranton Priory.  In 1847 my father built a beautiful little church at Derrington, in the Geometrical Decorated style, but not on the Chapel Field.  I cannot tell you what an immense source of satisfaction it would be to me if I could gather some further reliable information as to the history, style, and annihilation of these two vanished chapels.  It is unspeakably sad to be forced to realize that in so many of our country parishes no records exist of things and events of surpassing interest in their histories.

“I take you now to where there is something a little more tangible.  There stand in the park of Creswell Hall, near Stafford, the ruins of a little thirteenth-century chapel.  I will describe what is left.  I may say that some twenty years ago I made certain excavations, which showed the ground plan to be still complete.  So far as I remember, we found a chamfered plinth all round the nave, with a west doorway.  The chancel and nave are of the same width, the chancel measuring about 21 ft. long and the nave c. 33 ft.  The ground now again covers much of what we found.  The remains above ground are those of the chancel only.  Large portions of the east and north walls remain, and a small part of the south wall.  The north wall is still c. 12 ft. high, and contains two narrow lancets, quite perfect.  The east wall reaches c. 15 ft., and has a good base-mould.  It contains the opening, without the head, of a three-light window, with simply moulded jambs, and the glass-line remaining.  A string-course under the window runs round the angle buttresses, or rather did so run, for I think the north buttress has been rebuilt, and without the string.  The south buttress is complete up to two weatherings, and has two strings round it.  It is a picturesque and valuable ruin, and well worth a visit.  It is amusing to notice that Creswell now calls itself a rectory, and an open-air