MERIDEN, (Warwickshire) or MIREDEN, in the London-road near Coventry, was anciently called Alspath, and bel. to a family.
of that name. It afterwards came to Tho. Chetwind of Ingestre, who sold it in the R. of Edw. VI. to John Hales of
Coventry, who passed it to his brother, Christopher, and his heirs; by whom it was sold, in the R. of Q. Mary I. to Edw.
Aglionby, and John Holbech. In the R. of Q. Eliz. it was sold to Will. Foster; from whom it was purchased by Rich. Corbet
of Oxfordshire, Esq; with remainder to his brother, Sir Rob. Corbet of Salop; from which latter, it passed by his daughter
in marriage to Sir Hen. Wallop of Hampshire, who, in the R. of K. James I. conveyed it to Will. Andrews, and John Halsall;
of whom the capital messuage was purchased, in the same R. by Tho. Holbech, and came to his son, Matthew, who held it in
1640. The Segraves had lands in this p. formerly; one of whom obtained a charter of Edw. II. for a Mt. here on Tu. and a
Fair on St. Lawrence for 8 days. Their lands came afterwards to the Mowbrays Ds. of Norfolk; and in the R. of Hen. VIII.
to Thomas E. of Derby, whose posterity had them in 1640. The Walshes had also lands here, which formerly bel. to the monks
of Coventry, and a seat in this p. which, to this day, is called Walshe-Hall. From them it went by marriage, in the R. of
James I. to Sir Rowland Cotton; of whom it was purchased by Will. Andrews, and Will. Remplingham, who sold it to Sir Rob.
Fisher of Packington, the owner of it in 1640. In the R. of Hen. VIII. Roger Wigston purchased lands here of Rob. Crow,
and others, by the name of the 4th part of the manor of Alspath; and of Rich. Hoo, &c. by the name of the manor of
Alspath, which Hoo had a grant of them from John Walsingham; all which lands were given by the said Roger to the hos. of
Bablake in Coventry. There is an inn here, about half-way from St. Clement's-Forest to Coventry, one of the finest in this
part of England, being built a la moderne, like a nobleman's seat.