Many of the names in the earliest of these lists will be recognised as those of successful potters even of our own day. Burslem, long the centre of the pot-making district, was the place where the Wedgwoods had their various works, and where Josiah Wedgwood was born. It has, therefore, always been, as it is now, a place of considerable importance in connection with the history of the ceramic art of our country. It is manifestly impossible, nor would it be desirable, to enumerate all the firms from that time forward. The following are some of the more noted houses, exclusive of the Wedgwoods, to whom a separate chapter will be devoted. Shaw, in 1829, mentions that besides the various manufactories held by Enoch Wood and Sons, there were about twenty-six other pot-works, the principal of which were Machin & Co., T. and B. Godwin, T. Heath, J. Cormie, J. Hall & Sons, and John Riley Marsh. [Illustration: Fig. 345 to 347. ThomAs: PAin 1718 W:M 1·7·3·7 R:M 1·7·3·7] A very interesting matter relating to the history of pottery in this locality is the number of coarse earthenware gravestones which may be noticed in the churchyards at Burslem, Wolstanton, and elsewhere. They are formed of the common dark brown marl, or sagger clay, and the inscriptions are generally deeply incised, or pressed in. In some instances, however, they are laid on in white slip, and in others the incised letters are filled in with white clay. They are fired in the usual manner. The earliest, as regards date, which I noticed on my cursory examination of the two churchyards just mentioned, is at Wolstanton, and bears the inscription, “ThomAs PAin 1718.” (Fig. 345). In the same churchyard are other earthenware memorials of various dates, the latest of which is 1828, viz., “William Heath departed this life 14 February, 1828 aged 6 weeks.” Among others of which I made notes in the same churchyard are-- “_Here Lyeth the Body of John Bin[ns] who Departed this Life November the [] 4 1751 Aged 41 years._” “Here lieth the body of Samuel Willshaw died th 20 1755 aged 11 [?]”; at the top are the remains of cherubs’ wings. “_Here Lyeth the Body of Thos. Son of William and Mary Rowley of Red Street who Died November the 17 in the year 1767 in the 7 year of His age._” “_Here Lieth the Body of Mary Meller who departed this Life January the 6th 1750 aged 10._ _Short was my time Grate was my pane Weep not for me Great is my gaine._” “Here lieth the Body of Esther Vernon aged 51 1745”; “Here Lyeth the Bodey of Thomas Coleough aged 70 1737”; and so on.