the county town of Staffordshire, is 135 miles from London. It consists of two parishes, and returns two members to Parliament. It stands on the river Sow, and was once fortified. It is now well built. The princi- pal buildings are the assize hall, the county jail, and the infirmary. It has a good free-school, several alms-houses, and on Saturday a good market, well attended. The canal encourages some trade; but the chief occupation of the in- habitants is making shoes, and some cloth is also made. The population was in 1801, 3927; in 1811, 4898; in 1821, 5775; and in 1831, 6998.