century. It was erected by Sir Thomas Holt, during the reigns of the first James and his successor, and suffered much from the well-known loyalty of the worthy baronet, during the wars of Charles and his Parliament. The marks of a cannon-ball are still preserved on a staircase at the hall, and the mansion was subjected to the ruffianly plunder of a lawless soldiery. Sir Thomas entertained the unfortunate Charles, a short time previous to the battle of Edge-hill; and his son fought by the side of his royal master. The honest baronet endowed an alms-house at Aston, for five men and five women. The graceful curve of the Railway here nearly encircles the little village of Aston, which lies cowering by the side of its beautiful church, as if seeking the shelter of its sanctuary in fear of the stupendous engines that appear steaming almost around it. This holy edifice, which has two patron saints in St. Peter and St. Paul, presents itself in beautiful simplicity, and with a meek and composed aspect, in front of the line; and while its

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Tap'ring spire ascends to heaven," two ornamental pools of water quietly repose in the little verdant meadow at its feet. The church possesses several rare specimens of ancient sculpture within its hallowed walls, and is externally decorated by many stately spreading trees. The present amiable incumbent, the Rev. Mr. Fenwicke, is a profound antiquary, and deeply versed in the lore of ancient days. The living at one time belonged to the vain and luxurious Cardinal of Henry VIII., once called, in bitter contempt, "the butcher's cur" of Ipswich. The arc of the great embankment is now nearly passed, and the Railway crosses the road leading from the village of Witton to Aston and Birmingham; along which runs the boundary line, separating the contiguous

counties of Warwick and Stafford by a bridge built at an angle of 65 degrees, with a semi-circular arch of 20 feet span. A few chains north of the ridge at this place, the road, which had been descending from Birmingham in the ratio of 1 in 367 chains, reaches a level, which continues unchanged to the Perry Barr Station. Soon after passing this bridge, the line enters Perry Barr excavation; the materials from which, consisting of gravel and soft red stone, contributed their aid towards forming the Aston embankment. This excavation is of the depth of 24 feet, and is spanned by two bridges, carrying a township road from Birmingham to Aston, and the new turnpike road from Birmingham to Walsall, which is close to the station. The approaches to the first bridge had to be raised 10 feet, and to the latter two feet, in height. Both these bridges cross, at right angles, to the Railway.

Before the Railway passes from the embankment to the excavation, there are several objects of interest to be glanced at by the traveller. On the left is a delightful country of alternate bright meadows and pine woods. On the right, in the extreme distance, is the little village of Erdington, and nearer, Witton Hall, and Oldford, the residence of Mr. Willmore, a gentleman well known in the literary world for his ardent pursuit of subjects of Natural History.

On a neighbouring eminence, overlooking a vast extent of open country to the south-east, in which the eye sweeps along the distant line of the horizon from the hills of Clent to the Lickey, embracing the intermediate space, on which rest Birmingham and all the neighbouring towns, Aston with its baronial towers and delicate spire,-and backed by Sutton Park, the most extensive and beautiful forest belonging to the midland counties of England, skirted by the great