*NEWCASTLE UNDER LINE, (Staffordshire) on a branch of the Trent, 116 cm. 149 mm. from London, had a castle, now in ruins;
and is so called from an older castle, which formerly stood 2 m. off at Chesterton under Line. It was incorporated by K.
Hen. I. and again by Q. Eliz. and K. Cha. II. and is governed by a mayor, 2 justices, 2 bailiffs, and 24 C.C. The
cloathing trade flourishes here; but its chief mf. is hats, here being an incorporated company of felt-makers. The streets
are broad, and well paved; but most of the buildings low, and thatched. The Mt. is on M. Fairs on F. after Epiph. Shrove-
Tu. Easter and Whit-M. and May 3 for all sorts of cattle; M. before July 15 for wool; Aug. 1; the first M. in Sept. and
Nov. 6 and 11. It has also a great beast-Mt. every M. fortnight. The corp. has a court, which holds pleas for actions
under 40 l. Its castle, of which there is little to be seen now, was built in the R. of Hen. III. It had 4 Chs. formerly,
which are reduced to 1, the T. having differed much in the barons wars. K. Hen. III. settled the castle and manor on his
son, Edmund E. of Lancaster; and from him they descended to Hen. IV. There are frequent horse-races in the neighbourhood,
though it is in a manner surrounded with coal-pits; particularly one at Hamley-Green, where is a sort of coal, called
peacock-coal, from its variety of gay lively colours, like those in the train of a peacock. It is softer than the cannel-
coal, and is cut out in slices; but consumes so fast, that it is reckoned only fit for forges. They have an excellent
device here for taming a shrew, by putting a bridle into the scold's mouth, which quite deprives her of speech for the
time, and thereby leading her about the T. to shame her, till she promises amendment. There is the greatest quantity of
stone-ware made near this place, of any part of England; so that one year with another, they are said to export 20,000 l.
worth of it; and there is 4 mf. of earthen-ware, which imitates brown china, and makes curious black tea-pots, &c.
resembling japan, being neatly figured, and gilt.