BURTON-upon-TRENT, a parish comprising the market-town of Burton, and the townships of Branson, Burton-Extra, Horninglow, and Stretton, in the northern division of the hundred of OFFLOW, county of STAFFORD, and the chapelry of Chilcote and the township of Winshill, in the hundred of REPTON-and-GRESLEY, county of DERBY, and containing 6700 inhabitants, of which number, 4114 are in the town of Burton, 24 .miles (E.) from Stafford, and 124 (N. W. by N.) from London. This place derived its name from having been a Saxon burgh of considerable importance, and its adjunct froni being situated on the river Trent. In the ninth century, St. Modwena, who had been expelled from her monas-' tery in Ireland, came hither, and having obtained an asylum from King Ethelwolf, in reward for a miraculous cure that she is said to have performed on his son Alfred, erected a chapel; and dedicated it to-St. Andrewi the site, still called St. Modwena's garden, is the only part visible. In 1004, Wulfric, Earl of Mercia, founded an abbey for monks of the Benedictine order, which, from the vestiges still to be traced, appears to have been one of the most considerable in the kingdom: it was a mitred abbey, richly endowed, and invested with" extensive privileges; its revenue, at the dissolution, was £356. 16. 3. The remains consist principally of some fine Norman arches that formed part of the cloisters, which included an area one hundred feet square, and of part of the entrance gateway, now converted into a blacksmith's shop. In 1225, a considerable part of the townwas destroyed by an accidental fire. In the reign of Edward II., Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, posted himself at Burton, and 'endeavoured to defend the passage of the river against the king; but being unsuccessful in his attempt, he fled with his forces into Scotland. During the parliamentary war, this town and neighbourhood were frequently the scene of action between the contending parties. Burton is pleasantly situated in a fertile vale, on the northern bank of the river Trent, which is navigable' from Gainsborough for vessels of considerable burden. Over the river is a noble bridge of freestone, five hundred and twelve yards in length, consisting of thirty-seven arches, built prior to' the Conquest, and substantially repaired in the reign of Henry II.: the expense of repairing -it devolves upon the Marquis of Anglesey. The town, consisting principally of one street in a direction parallel with the river, is well payed, lighted with gas, and plentifully supplied with water; the houses are in general modern and well built. There is a public subscription library and newsroom; and assemblies and concerts take place occasionally at the town-hall. The principal branch of manufacture is that of cotton, power-looms being employed in weaving it: an ancient water-mill in the vicinity of the town, noticed in the Norman survey, is now appropriated to the grinding of corn, and to making scrap-iron into bars; a few articles in iron are also made, particularly screws. This town has long been celebrated for its ale, a great quantity of which is sent to London, and other large towns in England. A company was formerly established for regulating the navigation of the river Trent; but a canal has been constructed, which joins the Grand Trunk canal, and affords a more direct medium for the transport of goods. The market is on Thursday:' fairs are held on February 5th, April 5th, Holy Thursday, July 16th, and October 29th, for cattle and cheese; the last continues six days, and is a great horse fair. The government is vested in a high steward, deputy-steward, and bailiff, appointed by the Marquis of Anglesey, as lord of the manor, who holds a court leet and a court baron annually in October. The bailiff is a justice of the peace, and acts also as coroner. The power to try and execute criminals, and to hold courts of pleas to any amount, was formerly enjoyed. A court, called the Center's court, the jurisdiction of which extends over the whole parish, is held every third Friday, before the steward, or his deputy, for the recovery of debts not exceeding 40s. The inhabitants, by virtue of letters patent granted in the llth of Henry VIII., are exempt from serving the office of sheriff, and from being summoned as jurors at the assizes and sessions for the county. The town-hall is a handsome building, erected at the expense of the Marquis of Anglesey, and containing, in addition to the offices for transacting the public business, a handsome suite of assembly-rooms. The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with £800 parliamentary grant, and in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the lord of the manor. The ancient church, dedicated to St. Mary and St. Modwena, formerly belonged to the abbey, and was made collegiate by Henry VIII; having been greatly damaged in the parliamentary war, it was taken down, and the present edifice, a handsome structure with a tower, though le^s embellished than the former, was erected on its site, in 1720. A new church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was erected in 1823, on a piece of land given by the Marquis of Anglesey -. it is a very handsome structure, in the decorated style of English, architecture, and highly ornamental to the town.. It was built and endowed by the executors of Isaac Hawkins, Esq.; and the living, which is a perpetual curacy," is in the patronage of the Marquis of Anglesey. There are places of worship for General and Particular Baptists, Independents, and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists. The. free grammar school was founded, in 1520, by William Beane, abbot, and endowed with lands producing at present £450 per annum, of which the master receives, two-thirds, and the usher the remainder: there are sixty boys on the foundation. Richard Allsop, in 1728,. bequeathed property with which land was purchased, now producing £ 24 per .annum, to found a school for the instruction of thirty boys, for the clothing of four of whom, Francis Astle, in 1735, left a messuage producing £ 5 per annum. There are Sunday, schools, established under the patronage of the Marquis and Marchioness of Anglesey. Almshouses were founded and endowed, in 1634, by Mrs. Ellen Parker, for six widows or maidens, who receive each an allowance of £ 10 annually: the management is vested in eight trustees. Other almshouses were founded in 1591, for five unmarried women, and endowed by Dame Elizabeth Pawlett, the present income of which is about £80 per annum; out of this a certain sum is paid to the master and usher of the free grammar school. There are various other charities, the principal of which, by Mrs. Almund, yields about £72 per annum. Isaac Hawkins Browne, a poet of minor celebrity, was born here, about 1705. Near Branson is a chalybeate spring.