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bourhood of the place of his nativity. It was bis first work. He had never before this commission offered or attempted to chisel marble: and when he undertook it, had no more certainty of being able to complete it,

than that self-confidence with which. true genius, though modest as his, never fails to be inspired. It bears the following inscription:

"This monument was erected by a subscription of the nobility, gentry, clergy, and others, to the memory of the Reverend James Wilkinson, A.M. Vicar of Sheffield, Prebendary of Ripon, and one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the West and North Ridings of Yorkshire, whose life had been pre-eminently distinguished by unaffected piety, inflexible integrity, and unwearied zeal in the service of the public during a period of half a century. He died the 18th of January, 1805, aged 74 years."

A beautiful plate of the monument, drawn and engraved by Blore, accompanies the Volume. We cannot resist extracting at full length the memoir of this amiable divine:

"The death of Mr. Wilkinson was considered as the greatest public loss the town of Sheffield had been known to sustain, and all were inclined to hail him Father of the town of Sheffield and its neighbourhood. To the influence arising from his office were added the influence which the possession of magistracy gives; the influence of a noble income, and of hereditary respect, for he was the representative of the family of the Jessops of Broomhall, and resided in the house of his forefathers; and the influence of the most gentlemanly address, combined with a tall and graceful person, which could not fail of commanding respect. • Whether we regard him,' said a contemporary and friend, as a divine labouring by, his example as well as precept, to inculcate the great and sacred truths of Revealed Religion; or as a Magistrate executing those laws of his country which were framed by the Legislature for the protection of every thing valuable in society, and with a most patient attention to every minute particular from every person, but more particularly from the poor, the ignorant, and unprotected, to enable him to administer justice with the most scrupulous impartiality, but at the same time to blend it with mercy, whenever it was in his power;-whether we consider him as a friend ever ready with his purse, as well as with his advice or interest, to do any good or generous act ;—or as a great public character commanding respect by a dignity in person and manners rarely to

be met with, who was deservedly looked up to and consulted upon every occurring occasion, whether for the relief of the poor, the defence of his country, the protection of every useful institution, the encouragement of merit in any situation, or

of any plan calculated in any way to improve or benefit society in general, but more particularly the town and neighbourhood of Sheffield-whether we contemplate him in any or all of the above points of view, there will be abundant reason to admire the excellence of his un

derstanding, the integrity of his conduct, and the zeal which he displayed in accomplishing all his purposes.

"Such was Mr. Wilkinson. The fourth of seven sons of Andrew Wilkinson, of Boroughbridge, esq. many years Member of Parliament for Aldborough, and principal store-keeper of the Ordnance; he was early designed for the Church, and received a most excellent classical education under Mr. Clarke of Beverley School. From under his care he was removed to Clare Hall in Cambridge, and was admitted to the degree of B. A. in 1752, and M. A. 1754. Sheffield, the family living, becoming vacant in 1753, it was reserved for Mr. Wilkinson, till he was of age to take it. This, and a prebend in the collegiate church of Ripon, was all the preferment he enjoyed, nor did he seek, or wish for more. At Sheffield he had sufficient scope for the exercise of his benevolence, and of that desire of usefulness which entered so largely into his moral constitution. He undertook very

early in life the office of a Magistrate for the West and North Ridings, the duties of which, as he executed them, were most laborious. In the latter part of his life he enjoyed great affluence, all his brothers having gone before him. He then spent a portion of his time at his family mansion at Boroughbridge, but much the largest portion was still passed at his favourite and quiet retreat near Sheffield. At Boroughbridge he died, after a long and painful illness, on Friday the 18th of Jan. 1805, and was buried in the church of that town, where a handsome monument was erected to his memory by his relative and executor, the late Rev. Marmaduke Lawson, bearing this inscription:

Sacred to the memory of the Rev. James Wilkinson, A. M. fourth and last surviving son of Andrew Wilkinson, esq. He held the Vicarage of Sheffield fifty years, and for nearly the same length of time' discharged the duties of a Magistrate; for the execution of which important trusts, extensive and accurate knowledge, uncommon discernment, superior talents, and conciliating manuers, eminently qualified him. He was candid, modest, unassuming, yet of steady cond

rage:

432

REVIEW-Hunter's History of Sheffield.

rage: uninfluenced by selfish views, he ever firmly persevered in the path of duty. His piety was sincere, and without ostentation, his benevolence diffusive, active, unwearied. What wonder that one in whom so many great and amiable qualities were united, whilst living should be revered, and when dead, be regretted as a public loss! He departed this life, Jan. 18, 1805, in the 75th year of his age.' "Mr. Wilkinson published only one Sermon: a plain, unaffected, interesting discourse, delivered in St. Paul's Church, on the day when first the Infirmary, that noble monument of the liberality of the passing generation of inhabitants of Sheffield and its vicinity, was opened for the reception of patients. He entered not into religious controversies; but in theology, he was of the school of Clarke, Balguy, and the rational divines of the former

half of the last century.

"The inhabitants of Sheffield, who had benefited so largely by his public and private services, were not unmindful of what was due to the memory of Mr. Wilkinson. There was one day of public mourning: an engraving was executed from the portrait which had been painted some years before by desire of the Company of Cutlers, and hung in their Hall: the hand of Chantrey, as we have seen, was called to give his features to marble for a monument to be erected at the public expense in the parish church: and impressed upon a medallion in copper, the features of his countenance will be perused by far distant generations. The good should be had in everlasting remem. brance."

The sepulchral chapel of the Talbot family is next described. It was founded by George, the fourth Earl of Shrewsbury, temp. Hen. VIII. A general view is given of the Chapel.

"The monument of the founder is an altar tomb with spiral columns at the four corners, and upon it cumbent effigies of

the Earl and bis two Countesses.

It

stands in a recess beneath the arch, and three of its sides are concealed by the wainscot and the upright shafts which support the arch. The side exposed to view presents three rose compartments, and in the centre of each a shield of arms in brass. That in the centre contained the six principal quarterings of the Earl, viz. Montgomery, Talbot, Nevil, Furnival, Verdon, and Strange. That on the dexter the same, impaling Hastings, and that on the sinister the same, impaling Walden. The tomb has been robbed of the last. The effigies are in marble, and in the best style of the age: the work it is probable of some Italian artist, whose name I once hoped to have recovered from some notice

[May,

of him in the Talbot papers. The Earl is represented with his coronet and in the robes of the order of the Garter, his feet resting on a talbot, and his hands joined as in prayer. There is a character given to the countenance which leaves no room to doubt that it is intended to be a portrait. On a close vest beneath his robe are embroidered the six principal quarterings of his house. On the dress of the two ladies who lie beside him are also heraldic devices. Their hands are joined as in prayer, and at their feet are angels supporting plain shields."

An exquisite delicate etching of these elegant figures, by Blore, illustrates this description.

Between the Shrewsbury chapel and the vestry is the Communiontable, with a painting of the Last Supper, by Nathaniel Tucker, an artist who resided at Sheffield, and left portraits of the principal inhabitants between 1765 and 1780.

The modern churches of St. Paul and St. James are next noticed.

66 a

The different societies of Dissenters form the subject of the 10th Chapter. Among the dissenting ministers, Mr. Timothy Jollie is conspicuous, man," says Dr. Grosvenor, (who studied under him)" of an excellent spirit, of great spirituality, and sweetness of temper. He kept an academy, from which issued some of the most useful and popular ministers among the Dissenters, in the earlier part of the 18th century. He had also under his care three men who attained eminence of another kind: Saunderson, the blind professor; Bowes, the Irish Chancellor; and Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury. An interesting memoir of the Archbishop is here given; and twelve of his letters written in early life.

Under the bead of "The Grammar School," our limits will only permit us to notice that memoirs are to be found of the Rev. John Bálguy, father of Dr. T. Balguy, the Archdeacon, and who declined a Bishopric; of the Rev. Charles Daubuz; the Rev. Christopher Robinson; the Rev. JoBirmingham; the Rev. James Cawshua Bayes; John Roebuck, M.D. of thorn, master of Tunbridge Grammar School; and the Rev. Ebenezer Radcliffe.

The 12th and last Chapter contains an account of the Charitable Institutions and Foundations. St. Leonard's Hospital, the old Alms Houses, the

Town

[graphic][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small]

Town Trust, the Hospital of Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury, and Hollis's Hos pital and Schools, are all described.

The other charitable institutions which do honour to this populous town, may be thus briefly enumerated The Boys' Charity SchoolThe Free Writing School, and Birley's Charity-Barlow's Charity-Sitwell's Charity Parkin's Charity-Kirkby's Charity-Sunday Schools-The Girls' Charity School-The General Infir. mary-Hanby's Charity-Hudson's Charity-Sick Clubs, and the Female Benefit Society-Society for bettering the Condition of the Poor-Society for superseding Climbing Boys-Lancasterian School-National District Society's Schools-Parsons's Charity -and the Humane Society.-All there are fully noticed.

TheTopographical Survey of the Parish of Sheffield" embraces the history of the six following town ships, arranged according to the proximity of situation: The township of Sheffield; Ecclesall-Byerlow, Upper Hallam, Nether-Hallam, BrightsideByerlow, and Attercliffe-cum-Darnall. In the township of Sheffield is an account, with two views, of the remains of Sheffield Manor.

"There is nothing in the ruins of Shef. field-manour which, as a single object, presents a fine subject for the pencil, and, as a whole, the ruin is less picturesque than it was fifty years ago, when the twin towers were both standing. Its interest as a building arises not from the beauty of minute portions, but from the extent of the whole. Of the present state and appearance of the ruins the engravings here given from faithful and beautiful drawings will long preserve the memory, when the ruins themselves shall have perished but no pencil, no pen could do justice to the magnificent panorama of distant scenery which spreads around the site of this edifice. The founder, while he took care to screen it from the winds by close and thick plantations up to its very gates, placed it on the highest point in the park. The fir-crowned heights of Norton, the sweet vale of Beauchief, the purple moor of Totley, and the barren hills of the Peak, the thick woods of Wharncliffe and Wentworth, the widening vale of the Don, and the hills of Laughton and Hansworth, each distinguishable by its spire, are all comprehended within the view from this elevation. The manour itself, its towers and battlements appear ing above the thick woods in which it was embosomed, must have once formed a pro. GENT. MAG. May, 1821.

minent and striking object in the scenery from many points of the surrounding country."

At the manor the principal agent of the Norfolk family resided till 1706.

"An old half-timbered house in the Ponds was undoubtedly an appendage to the Castle. Tradition says it was the Laundry. It is called, in an inventory of the time of Elizabeth, The Hawle at the Poandes'." Of this curious old mansion there is a very neat wood-cut by Mr. Hughes, from a drawing by Mr. Blore; which we are thankful to the author for being allowed to lay before our readers. (See Plate II.)

The old Gaol (a particular description of which was given in our Magazine for 1801, p. 300), has been lately taken down.

In page 194, the Town Hall and various other public buildings are de scribed; and a List is given of the Master Cutlers.

Under the township of EcclesallByerlow, are accounts of the antient. family of Ecclesall, and the great family of Scrope; as also an account, with a pedigree, of the respectable family of Strelley of Beauchief Abbey, and of their Representatives, the Pegge's of Beauchief.

We have in this family an instance which by some has been supposed rare, of the direct descendants of the original grantee possessing and residing upon the abbey lands granted to their ancestor. What, indeed, could tempt the family to forsake, a residence circumstanced so agreeably in every respect as Beauchief? Not to be last enumerated among the advantages of this choice spot is the preser vation of so many records of the monastic establishment in its days of prosperity, and that there has arisen among the family of its modern owners an antiquary who has know how to make a judicious use of the materials for its history. The late Dr. Samuel Pegge, rector of Whittington, was descended of Humphry Pegge of Osmaston, who was cousin german to Edward Pegge who married the heiress of Beauchief. But through his mother he had a nearer connexion with the house whose history he has so well described. She was a daughter of Francis Stevenson of Unstone by Gertrude his wife, the daughter of Edward Fegge of Beauchief esquire, and Gertrude Strelley.

The Reader may find a very pleasing description of the sequestered and beautiful scenery around Beauchief in a work entitled Peak Scenery,' by Mr. Rhodes

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