The place of worship is a chapel of ease to the parish of Harborne, and is a neat modern brick tower building, of a single pace, lofty and coved, about sixty feet by twenty-four, and well paved, with a gallery at the west end.  The present incumbent is the Rev. Edward Dales, who resides in the neat parsonage-house on the south side of the chapel yard.

Leaving Smethwick, you proceed towards Oldbury, upon which road the trustees are making great improvements, by widening the road and turning the course of a brook, over which they are building a bridge, which when finished will be a great accommodation.  This village is situated in the county of Salop, and is a chapel of ease to Halesowen.  A new court-house was erected here in the year 1816, where the court of requests is held once a fortnight.  The protestant dissenters have here a neat place of worship, as have also the methodists.  Close to the village are several coal mines, and a blast furnace, belonging to Mr. Parker.[7]

[Footnote 7:  From this place you have an excellent view of Rowley hills, the ruins of Dudley castle, and the fine woods in Sandwell park.]

About a mile distant, on the left of the road is the Brades, where Messrs. William Hunt and Sons have established a considerable manufacture of iron and steel, which they form into scythes, hay knives, trowels, and every kind of hoe now in use.  This road from Birmingham to Dudley is at least one mile nearer than going through West-bromwich, and in my opinion will be sufficiently commodious for the traffic there is between the two towns.  The distance is only nine miles, and in travelling that short space of ground you are in four different counties; Birmingham being in Warwickshire; Smethwick, in Staffordshire; Oldbury, in Shropshire; and Dudley in the county of Worcester.

N. B. Since writing the above, the bridge is completed, and the whole line of road improved to a considerable degree.

To Hockley-house, ten miles, on the road to Stratford-upon-Avon and also to Warwick.

You proceed through Deritend, up Camp-hill, and when near the summit, there is on the right hand an ancient brick building, called the Ravenhurst, the residence of Mr. John Lowe, attorney, who is equally respectable in his profession, as the house is in appearance.  A short distance beyond on the left is Fair-hill, where Samuel Lloyd, Esq. resides, and on the opposite side of the road is the Larches, the abode of Wm. Withering, Esq.—­This house, when it belonged to Mr. Darbyshire, was known by the name of Foul Lake, but when Dr. Priestley resided there, he gave it the name of Fair-hill; afterwards, being purchased by Dr. Withering, he altered the name of it to the Larches.  Having passed through the turnpike, on the left is Sparkbrook-house, John Rotton, Esq. resident.  At the distance of one mile and a half the road to Warwick branches off to the left, and on the summit of the hill is Spark-hill-house, inhabited by Miss Morris.  Opposite the three mile stone is a very neat pile of building, called Green-bank-house, where Benjamin Cooke, Esq. has taken up his abode.  A little beyond, at a place called the Coal-bank, there is a free school, which is endowed with about forty pounds per annum.