| Description | Sign. of Jos. Morton.
In the mayoralty of Hugh Capell, 1698-9 (DR0429/260), a great misfortune befel the sister parish-church of St. Michael. "The Register Books of St. Michael's Parish in this City for Christenings, Burials and Marriages till the year 1569," [ ] Mayor-lists tell us "was (sic.) burned by someone who were (sic.) so eager to burn ?opish books in the Days of [Queen] Elizabeth that they took that for one because it had some marks of [opery] in it; so in January, 1698, the Register Books to that time being laid up in a Cupboard in the Vestry were all burned by the Clerks setting some hot ashes under the said Cupboards, which kindled and burned them and some other things of value." Thus it comes about that while the Trinity registers may be consulted for any date from 1561, those of St. Michael fail us until 1699, though there are some fragmentary transcripts at Lichfield of earlier date in the seventeenth century. Greyfriars suffered, too, in this year. Also the 7 Day of February, 1698-9, was a dreadfull Tempest of Wind, which blew down the Top of Grayfriar Steeple and the Globe that stood thereon, and blew down many Trees and Barnes in this City and the Country adjacent, and 2 of this City were killed by the fall of an Hovell and several others in the country."
The fact that there was a cow house attached to the Well Street property (DR0429/261) shows how late rural occupations persisted even in urban neighbourhoods |