*TAMWORTH, (Staffordshire and Warwickshire) 5 m. S.E. of Lichfield, 89 cm. 107 mm. from London, is so equally divided by
the r. Tame, which has its conflux here vith the Anker, that one half, viz. the W. part stands in Staff. and the other on
the E. side in Warwic. and each chuses a member of Pt. It is the oldest T. in these parts, and was the royal seat of the
Mercian Ks. A large trench remains, called the K's.-Dyke, where bones of men and horses and spear-heads have been dug up.
It was destroyed by the Danes, and rebuilt by Q. Ethelfleda, who added a strong tower to it, which stood below that which
is the present castle. This Bor. was in the crown, from Edw. the Conf. to Hen. III. when it was let to Phil. Marmion, Ld.
of the castle, for life, afterwards to Baldwin Frevile, and then it was granted to the inh. in fee-farm; after which it
decayed, and had almost lost the name of a Bor. when Q. Eliz. made it a corp. of 2 bailiffs, one for each Co. with 24
principal burgesses (one of whom is T.-clerk) who with the bailiffs should have a power to call courts, chuse serjeants at
mace, be justices of the peace in the Bor. keep a three weeks court of record, and have a gaol, Mt. and Fairs, and a
court-leet twice a year, with a high-steward, recorder, an under-steward and other inferior officers, and a common seal,
&c. The Ch. here is collegiate, and stands, where once was a nunnery, in the Staffordshire part of the T. which anciently
bel. to the Hastings. Here is a grammar-sc. founded in the Staffordshire part of the T. by Q. Eliz. and a fine charity of
that rich bookseller, Mr. Guy, who founded that noble hos. we mentioned in Southwark. Here is a considerable trade in
narrow cloths and other mfs. and it is noted for special good ale. The Mt. is S. Fairs on Ash-Wed. April 23, July 15, and
Octob. 13. As for the castle, Will. the Conq. granted it to the Marmions, who enjoyed it some successions, till the R. of
Hen. III. and appear, from our records, to have been hereditary champions of the Ks. of England at their coronations. This
honor went afterwards to the Dymocks, as we observed at Scrivelsby, as did the castle to the Ferrers, a younger branch of
the barons Ferrers of Groby. The Bretons family have had a seat in the Staffordshire part of the T. almost ever since the
R. of Edw. II. In Calford-Meadow near this T. there are frequent horse-races.