Title: The Stranger in Shrewsbury - or, an historic and descriptive view of Shrewsbury
Author: Howell, Thomas
Language: English
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Transcribed from the 1824 (second) edition by David Price, email
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                 [Picture: Shrewsbury Castle from river]



                                   THE
                                 STRANGER
                                    IN
                               SHREWSBURY:
                     _AN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE_
                                   VIEW
                                    OF
                                SHREWSBURY
                                   AND
                             _ITS ENVIRONS_.


                                * * * * *

                           _BY THOMAS HOWELL_.

                                * * * * *

                             SECOND EDITION.
                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                A lovely spot
    For all that life can ask!  Salubrious! mild!
    Its hills are green: its woods and prospects fair!
    Its meadows fertile!  And to crown the whole
    In one delightful word—it is our Home—
    Our Native Place.

                                                          COTTLE’S ALFRED.

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                 Shrewsbury:
                      _PRINTED AND SOLD BY THE AUTHOR_,
                    And by the Booksellers in the County.

                                  1824.

                                * * * * *

THE author cannot permit a second edition of the Stranger to issue from
the press, without acknowledging the lasting obligation he is under to
his fellow-townsmen, for the friendly patronage bestowed on its first
appearance.

Shrewsbury,
         _May_ 18, 1824.

                                * * * * *



_HISTORY_.


THE carelessness which in many instances is evident in the orthography of
our ancestors, frequently renders it matter of extreme difficulty to fix,
with accuracy and precision, the etymology of places which in early times
were conspicuous for the parts they bore in our national transactions.

This is in some measure the situation of Shrewsbury, which by the ancient
Welsh was called Ymwithig, or “the Delight;” by the Britons Pengwern; and
by the Saxons Scrobbesbyrig; the two latter names signifying nearly the
same, “the Head of the Alder Groves.”  But it is probable that the
Normans after their conquest of the Island, either from inability to
pronounce the harsher Saxon words, or from the spirit of innovation on
the names and manners of the inhabitants, generally possessed by
conquerors, were induced to soften the term into Shrobbesburie and
Sloppesburie, from whence were derived the modern names of Shrewsbury and
Salop, in latin Salopia.  Some are inclined to think the latter name was
formed from the two Saxon words _sel_, signifying pleasant, and _hope_,
the side of a hill, which certainly accords with its situation.

Leland, the antiquary and poet, in his description of the town, thus
accounts for its name:—

    Built on a hill, fair Salop greets the eye,
    While Severn forms a crescent gliding by;
    Two bridges cross the navigable stream,
    And British Alders gave the town a name.

Although much doubt remains relative to the founder of Shrewsbury, it is
certain that “it was repaired about the year 552 by Maelgwyn, king of
North Wales;” and the most probable conjecture is, that it was erected
between the years 520 and 594 by the Britons, in order to protect
themselves from the bloody ravages and harrassing incursions of the
Saxons who had previously levelled the Roman Uriconium (the present
Wroxeter) and its fortress with the ground, and forced them to retreat
beyond the Severn, which then became the boundary of the kingdom of
Mercia.

The Britons having established themselves on the hill Pengwerne, founded
a city, which became the metropolis of that part of Wales called Powis,
one of the princes of which, Brochwell Ysithroc, had his residence here
in 617, and thence it was named Pengwerne Powis.—The blood-thirsty spirit
of their Saxon invaders still pursued them: after several dreadful and
sanguinary contests with the merciless Offa, the British Prince was at
length compelled to abandon the patrimony of his ancestors and retire to
Mathrafal, amidst the mountains of Montgomeryshire, after witnessing the
destruction of his princely mansion, which stood on the spot lately
occupied by the church of St. Chad; and finally, in 777, to surrender
that part of the country situated between the Severn and a deep dyke and
high rampart, extending 100 miles over roads and mountains and across
deep vallies and rivers, which Offa threw up as a new boundary between
them and Mercia.

In the reign of Alfred, Shrewsbury was numbered among the British cities,
by the name of Caer Pengwerne; and during that of Edward the elder, a
mint was established here, as appears from a piece of coin now in
preservation, with this inscription, _Edward Rex Angliæ_, and on the
reverse _Aelmaer on Scrobe_.

Ethelred, with his court, kept the Christmas of 1006 at Shrewsbury, and
being unable to resist the perpetual attacks of the Danes, then invading
England under Swaine, he summoned a council here, by whose advice he paid
£30,000, to procure a temporary and inglorious peace.  About the same
time Alfhelm, a prince of the blood, was invited to a banquet here by
Edric, duke of Mercia and whilst hunting in the neighbourhood was
murdered by one Godwin Porthund, a butcher, at the instigation of Edric,
and from whence it is supposed arose the custom, recited in Doomsday
Book, that whenever the king was here, twelve of the chief citizens
should guard his person during his residence in the city, and attend him
when he enjoyed himself with the pleasures of the chase.

In the year 1016, the inhabitants having revolted to Canute, Edmund,
afterwards, when king surnamed Ironside, marched quickly hither from the
north, and having taken the city, exercised every species of cruelty on
them as a punishment for their revolt.

No material transactions appear to have occurred in the annals of
Shrewsbury for nearly half a century, from the last named date until the
conquest of England by the Normans under William.  The city was then
granted, together with nearly the whole of the county and a great
proportion of land in other parts of the kingdom, to Roger de Montgomery,
a Norman chief related to William, and by whom he was attended in his
English expedition.  Roger was no sooner put in possession of his newly
acquired property, than being sensible of the advantages resulting from
the situation of the town, he constituted it the capital of his earldom,
and fixed his abode in it as lord paramount of the county; and having
judiciously built a castle on the isthmus, for the purpose of protecting
his residence from the attack of his enemies, with the assistance of
inferior barons of his court, administered various solemn and kingly acts
of justice, donation, and investiture within its walls.  Earl Roger was,
however, not suffered to enjoy the immense possessions bestowed on him by
the Norman conqueror without molestation: Owen Gwynedd, a spirited Welsh
chieftain, excited either by hopes of plunder or a desire to dispossess
the invaders, of a place which was capable of being rendered a great
annoyance to his countrymen in the hands of powerful enemies, attacked it
with a considerable body of Welsh; and so important was his attack
considered by William, that he marched with a numerous army from the
north, for the purpose of repelling the daring disturber; nor did his
usual good fortune desert him in this instance, Owen being defeated and a
great portion of his followers slain.  As a suitable acknowledgment to
divine providence for his good fortune and the splendid triumphs of his
arms, the Earl founded the benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul.
A short time previous to his death he was shorn a monk.  He died July
27th, 1094, and was buried in the chapel of the Abbey; over his tomb was
placed an armed knight in stone.

Robert de Belesme, son of Roger de Montgomery, who succeeded his brother
Hugh the Red in the earldom of Shrewsbury, united with the party who
wished to seat Robert, duke of Normandy, on the throne, in lieu of Henry
the First; and on the coronation of that monarch, openly rebelled against
his authority, placing the castle under the command of Roger de Corbet,
and garrisoning it with 80 soldiers.  Henry immediately marched for
Shrewsbury at the head of 60,000 men, and threatening, if the town was
not delivered up to him in three days, to hang all he should find
therein, Robert surrendered, and sent the keys to the king by Ralph,
abbot of Seez, imploring his clemency: this was granted, but Robert was
banished to Normandy, his immense estates forfeited, and the splendour of
his baronial house for ever extinguished.  Henry then took the government
of the town into his own hands, and granted the inhabitants their first
charter.—The restless disposition of Robert however still incited him to
fresh acts of rebellion, but being taken prisoner, he was brought over to
England, and being sentenced to perpetual imprisonment, he at length died
a miserable death in Wareham castle.

In 1116, the nobility of the realm did homage to William, Henry’s son, at
Shrewsbury, and swore allegiance to his father.

The conquest of Wales had always been a leading object in the politics of
England, not only from the desire of more extensive dominion, but as a
means of preventing in future the devastation and misery which the
animosity of a warlike and injured people had occasioned on the English
borders.  The utility likewise of employing in foreign enterprises a
martial nobility, inclined the Norman princes to encourage, by every
incitement of advantage and honour, the dangerous designs of subduing or
of making settlements in Wales.  The consequence of the attacks of the
rapacious Norman barons on the Welsh was, that Shrewsbury was continually
subject to the ravages and injuries of the contending parties.  Besides
this, its natural strength and situation on the borders, or as they were
then termed the Marches of Wales, rendered it extremely eligible for the
rendezvous of the army employed in the Principality, and it was therefore
frequently honoured with the presence of those who swayed the sceptre of
Britain.

During the struggles between Stephen and the empress Maud, William Fitz
Alan, governor of the castle of Shrewsbury, espoused the cause of the
latter, and being joined by several noblemen and gentlemen in these
parts, left his castle in the care of a deputy, from whom he exacted an
oath that he would not deliver up his charge to the king.  Stephen having
taken the castle, and hanged several of the garrison for the obstinacy of
their defence, Alan was forced to fly, leaving his castle and estates in
the possession of the king; but on the accession of Henry II. he was
restored to all his honours and estates, for his faithful adherence to
the fortunes of the family.

In the beginning of the reign of king John, a royal council was assembled
in Shrewsbury for the purpose of devising means to put a stop to the
continual and harrassing incursions of the Welsh.  Gwenwynwyn, prince of
Powis, offered terms of reconciliation, but, without any apparent cause,
he was detained a prisoner.—The Welsh shortly after attempted to recover
their liberties; on this occasion John assembled a large army at
Oswestry, and released Gwenwynwyn and several other Welsh chieftains, who
immediately repaired to his standard with all the forces they could
muster.  Llewellin ap Jorwerth, who then governed Wales, was obliged to
retire before this powerful army of the British monarch, and delivered
hostages to answer for the rectitude of his conduct.  But Llewellin,
fired with the idea of rescuing his countrymen from the yoke of foreign
government, once more broke the truce which had been concluded.

When intelligence of this event reached John, his heart was so steeled
against the feelings of humanity that he ordered the immediate execution
of the hostages, 28 in number, and chiefly children allied to the first
families in Wales—a deed which renders his name worthy to be recorded on
the same page, in the annals of cruelty, with that of Nero.  Nottingham
was the place in which this tragical drama was acted, and from thence
John marched with his army for the purpose of chastising the Welsh; but
fear and distrust took possession of his mind, and learning that the Pope
had dissolved the allegiance of his subjects, he dismissed his army on a
sudden and returned to London.  Llewellin soon after suddenly appeared
before Shrewsbury, which he now entered without opposition; nor did a
long period elapse before the Welsh took ample vengeance for the
cruelties committed on their countrymen.  An insurrection having broke
out in England, in consequence of the unpopular ministry of Peter de
Roche bishop of Winchester, in the 17th of Henry III. many of the barons
joined Llewellin, and having united their forces, laid waste the Marches,
and entering Shrewsbury, after having plundered and burnt the town, in
which were considerable riches, they put many of the inhabitants to the
sword.  Notwithstanding peace was established between the contending
monarchs, the national jealousies and deep rooted hatred of the two
nations were the fruitful source of perpetual conflicts, to repress
which, Henry marched with his array to Shrewsbury, where, in 1269, peace
was again restored, through the mediation of the Pope’s legate; and the
town and castle of Shrewsbury were placed under the care of Edward, the
king’s eldest son, afterwards the celebrated Edward I.

On the death of his father, Edward succeeded to the throne, and
determined to exert every effort which his power and talents afforded, to
obtain what had long been the object of his ambition, the entire conquest
of Wales.  Soon after Easter, 1277, Edward left London to regulate the
measures of the ensuing campaign; and that the administration of justice
might not be delayed, by the absence of the king and the length of the
war, he removed the Court of Exchequer and the Court of King’s Bench to
Shrewsbury.

In the general accommodation made with the vanquished followers of Simon
de Montfort, earl of Leicester, in 1264, Llewellin ap Gryffydd was
included; but he saw that a blow was meditating by the English king,
which though suspended for a time, would be the more severe, and fall
with greater weight on his country.  Llewellin thought it prudent to
secure the support of the adherents of the house of Montfort, of whom
many yet remained in England by solemnizing his marriage with the
daughter of the late earl.  He therefore demanded the young lady from the
French king, to whose court on the demise of her father she had retired,
but on her passage to Wales she was taken by some of the English vessels
and detained at the court of Edward.  Llewellin demanded the fulfilment
of a treaty made between Henry III. and himself and the release of his
bride from Edward, while the latter required Llewellin to appear and do
homage for his kingdom, which he refused to perform unless hostages were
delivered for the safety of his person.  This was the ostensible cause of
the war undertaken by Edward, and the pretext for attempting an entire
conquest of the principality.  Edward cautiously avoided putting to the
test the well known valour of a nation inflamed with a just sense of
their wrongs and proud of their ancient independence.—Llewellin unable to
face an enemy pressing on by slow, cautious, and decisive operations,
returned to the mountains of Snowdon, and Edward not choosing to enter
the recesses of that difficult country, calmly awaited the result of his
policy.  The prospect of a famine seconded his prudential schemes, and
Llewellin had no better alternative than to implore the clemency of the
English monarch.  Little generosity or pity was to be expected in the
terms granted by Edward, and accordingly Llewellin agreed to pay 5000
marks as a fine; to do homage for his crown; to relinquish all the
country between Chester and the river Conway; and to deliver hostages for
his future submission.

On his return to London, Edward was attended by the Welsh prince and a
numerous retinue of chieftains, for the purpose of swearing fealty to
their conqueror.  During their stay they were continual subjects of
derision to the populace, who treated them as savages and laughed at
their foreign garb and unusual appearance.  To a people proud and
irascible, and who, though vanquished, were still alive to injury and
insult—to a sense of their own valour, and to the fond idea of their
native independence, this treatment could not be pleasing.  They
therefore, privately entered into an agreement to revolt on the first
opportunity; resolving to die in their own country as freemen, rather
than come any more as vassals into England, to be the sport of a haughty
and contemptuous nation.  Accordingly they flew to arms.  Edward,
surprised to find himself again attacked by the Welsh prince, determined
to crush effectually the rebellious spirit of the Welsh, and advanced
from Shrewsbury with a considerable army.  The progress of the king was
at first slow, in consequence of several advantages gained over him by
Llewellin, but the latter being at length surprised near Builth, in
Brecknockshire, he was defeated, and together with 2000 of his soldiers,
slain.  Gratitude could pay no tribute to his memory so expressive, as
the tears which his country shed upon the tomb of their prince, who,
after many efforts to preserve the freedom of the land which gave him
birth, fell in the conflict, and found an honorable grave in its ruins.

David who had previously forgotten the feuds which disturbed the peace of
his family and country, assumed, on the death of his brother, the
sovereignty of North Wales; but after various unsuccessful struggles, he
was basely betrayed into the hands of Edward, who confined him in
Rhuddlan castle, and soon after sent him in chains to Shrewsbury.

Edward now (1283) summoned a parliament to meet at Shrewsbury, for
“consulting what course to take with David prince of Wales,” whence, in a
few days it was removed to Acton Burnell.  David, whilst at the English
Court had been made a baron of the realm, and it was in consequence
determined to proceed against him as a subject of the crown.  His judges,
deaf to the claims of humanity and justice, and influenced, no doubt, by
their desire to gratify the implacable and vindictive spirit of their
master, condemned him to die as a traitor.  For this act of revenge, new
tortures were invented.—He was sentenced to be drawn at a horse’s tail
through the town—to be hanged—his heart and bowels to be burnt—his head
to be cut off, and exposed at the tower of London, and his body quartered
and hung up in different parts of the kingdom.  On the death of this
prince, the Welsh every where submitted to the victorious arms of the
conqueror.

The tragical and cruel death of David closed the only sovereignty which
remained of the ancient British empire: an empire which through various
changes of fortune, had opposed the disciplined legions of imperial Rome;
and for more than eight hundred years, had valiantly withstood the most
strenuous efforts of their Saxon and Norman invaders.

The conquest of Wales by the English monarch was of great importance to
Shrewsbury, the inhabitants of which had now time for breathing, after
having been for nearly 800 years in the scene of continual warfare.

Edward II. visited Shrewsbury in 1322, on his march to subdue the barons
who had justly banished the Spencers and was met by the burgesses in
armour, who escorted him into the town.  About this period, John, one of
the sons of the famous Roger Mortimer, earl of March, was slain in a
tournament held here.  In 1326, Edmund Fitz Alan, earl of Arundel, who
had been a faithful adherent of the weak and unfortunate Edward, was
apprehended in the neighbourhood of this place by the partizans of the
abandoned Queen and her paramour Roger Mortimer.

Richard II. who appears to have been particularly attached to the
inhabitants of these marches, summoned a parliament to assemble at
Shrewsbury in 1397, and which is called by Speed the “great parliament,”
in consequence of the extraordinary number of peers who assembled here.
The king was sumptuously entertained, and the parliament too much devoted
to his interests, passed several very oppressive acts.  One of the
articles of accusation on which he was afterwards deposed, charges him
with “procuring the many oppressive acts passed in the parliament of
Shrewsbury, and with intimidating the judges and other persons whom he
caused to come before him there.”

In the following reign the Welsh made another attempt to recover their
freedom under the celebrated Owen Glyndwr.  Twice were Henry and his
generals obliged to retire from their meditated attack of Owen without
bringing him to any action, and his rebellion assumed a more serious
appearance from the support which he received from the earls of
Northumberland and Worcester, and the earl of Douglas, who were disgusted
with the treatment which they had received from Henry.  At the
commencement of the war, Northumberland was suddenly taken ill at
Berwick—Hotspur his son accordingly took the command of the troops,
amounting to about 12,000 chosen men, and marched towards Shrewsbury to
unite his forces with those of the Welsh chieftain.  The king aware of
the importance of every moment, also hurried to Shrewsbury, and
interposed himself between Hotspur and Glyndwr.  This moment saved his
crown; and the prudence of the one leader and the impetuosity of the
other induced them to hasten a general engagement.

Previous to the engagement, Henry sent Thomas Presbury, abbot of
Shrewsbury, with offers of pardon to Percy’s army if they would disperse,
but this message being misrepresented to Percy by the earl of Worcester,
the former sent a manifesto into the royal army in which he renounced his
allegiance to Henry and enumerated at length various grievances and
indignities of which he conceived the nation in common with his own
family had to complain.  This manifesto tended to inflame the passions of
both parties; and the ability of the respective commanders, the valour of
the soldiers and their equality in point of numbers, gave reason to
expect a dreadful and doubtful contest.  The battle was fought at
Oldfield or Bullfield, now Battlefield, about 3 miles north of
Shrewsbury, on St. Magdalene’s eve, July 22, 1403.  The onset commenced
near Berwick with a terrible discharge of arrows from both lines.  The
Scots rushed with impetuous fury upon the front of the royal army, which
began to give way, but the king arriving with reinforcements they again
rallied and recovered their ground.  Henry exposed his person in the
thickest of the fight and combated with an ardour worthy the crown he was
defending.  His valiant son whose military achievements in France were
afterwards so renowned and whose wild youthful excesses are so
beautifully pourtrayed by our great dramatic bard, here performed his
noviciate in arms, signalized himself on his father’s footsteps, and
regained his good opinion.  The gallant Percy supported that brilliant
fame he had acquired in so many bloody engagements, and Douglas,

                Whose high deeds,
    Whose hot incursions, and great name in arms
    Holds from all soldiers chief majority,

the ancient enemy of Percy but now his friend, still appeared his rival
amidst the horror and confusion of the day.  This nobleman performed
feats of valour which are almost incredible.  He seemed determined that
the king of England should that day fall by his arm: and as Henry either
to elude the attacks of the enemy on his person, or to encourage his own
men by the belief of his presence every where, had accoutred several
captains in the royal garb; the sword of Douglas rendered this proud
distinction fatal to many.  Having dispatched sir Walter Blount, the
king’s standard bearer, he assailed Henry with such fury that it was with
difficulty he escaped to another part of the field.  But while the armies
were contending in this furious manner, the death of Percy by an unknown
hand, decided the fate of the day and the royalists prevailed.  On this
memorable day, which is immortalized by the genius of Shakspeare, it is
supposed that 7000 men were slain.  A great number of persons of
distinction were killed on both aides, and the earls of Douglas and
Worcester, taken prisoners; the latter was after beheaded at Shrewsbury.

This battle, which fixed the house of Lancaster on the throne during
three reigns, is among those of the first importance recorded in ancient
English history, and may be named as the first of those conflicts between
the white and red roses, which some years after deluged the nation with
some of its best blood, and filled it with intestine ravages and
divisions.

Owen Glyndwr had the mortification to be obliged to remain inactive at
the head of his troops at Oswestry, from whence he retired on hearing of
Percy’s defeat: and although he afterwards attempted, he was unable to
regain the independence of his native country.—He died in Herefordshire
in 1414.  Henry returned thanks to heaven for this brilliant victory, and
founded the collegiate church at Battlefield on the spot where it is
probable most of the slain were buried.

During the fatal quarrel between the houses of York and Lancaster, which
is computed to have cost the lives of eighty princes of the blood, and to
have almost entirely annihilated the ancient nobility of England,
Shrewsbury remained steadily attached to the Yorkists, and previous to
the battle of St. Albans, Richard Plantagenet, duke of York wrote to his
“right worshipful friends the bailiffs, burgesses and commoners of the
good town of Shrewsbury,” requesting assistance in his enterprise for the
recovery of his throne.  After his defeat and death at Wakefield, his son
Edward, earl of March, appeared in Shrewsbury, entreating a supply of men
to revenge his father’s death.  With an army of 23,000 men chiefly raised
in this neighbourhood, he obtained a decisive victory at Mortimer’s Cross
in Herefordshire, from whence advancing rapidly to London he was shortly
afterwards proclaimed king.  Edward, duly sensible of the strength and
inviolable attachment of Shrewsbury to his cause, committed the care of
his queen to its inhabitants, and during her residence here she twice lay
in at the convent of the Black Friars, and was delivered of Richard and
George Plantagenet, the former of whom was murdered in the Tower through
the cruelty of his uncle Richard III. and the latter died young.

In 1484, Henry Stafford, duke of Buckingham, having entered into a
conspiracy for the purpose of depriving Richard of a throne which he had
acquired by such manifold injustice, and his endeavours being frustrated,
fled to the house of one Bannister, at Shinewood, near Wenlock, in order
to concealment, but notwithstanding Bannister was indebted to the duke
for the property he enjoyed, unable to withstand the temptation of so
large a reward as £1000, basely betrayed him to John Mitton, esq. then
sheriff of the county, who conducted him to Shrewsbury, where Richard
shortly after arrived, and feasted his eyes with the execution of his
enemy.

The crimes of Richard were so horrid and so shocking to humanity that the
natural sentiments of men, without any political or public views, were
sufficient to render his government unstable; and every person of probity
and honour, earnest to prevent the sceptre from being any longer polluted
by the bloody and faithless hand which held it, at length united in
favour of the earl of Richmond.  This nobleman set sail from Harfleur, in
France, on the 7th of August, 1484, and landed at Milford Haven, in
Pembrokeshire, without opposition, with about 2000 followers.  He
directed his course to that part of the kingdom in hopes that the Welsh,
who regarded him as their countryman, and who had been already
prepossessed in favour of his cause by means of the late duke of
Buckingham, would join his standard.  Richard, not knowing where to
expect his antagonist, took post at Nottingham, and purposed to fly on
the first alarm to the place exposed to danger.  He had appointed sir
Rice ap Thomas and sir Walter Herbert to defend the coasts of Wales; but
the former joined Richmond, and the latter made scarcely any resistance.
The earl advanced towards Shrewsbury, which was the only convenient place
at which he could cross the Severn, but very unexpectedly found the gates
shut against him; and on his demanding entrance by his herald, he was
refused, “the head bailey, Maister Myttoon, being a stoute wyse
gentilman,” saying, “that he knew no kynge, but only kynge Richard, whose
lyffetenants he and hys fellows were; and before he should entir there,
he should go over hys belly, meaninge thereby, that he would be slayne to
the ground, and that he protested vehementlye on the othe he had tacken;
but on better advice, Maister Myttoon permitted the kynge to pass; but to
save his othe, the sayd Myttoon lay alonge the grounde, and his belly
upwardes, and soe the sayd erle stepped over hym and saved hys othe.”
Previous to his reaching Shrewsbury his army scarcely deserved that name,
from their wretched appearance and small numbers; but being joined by sir
Gilbert Talbot with 2000 of the tenants of his nephew, the earl of
Shrewsbury, together with several gentlemen of rank, his cause began to
wear a favourable aspect, and marching on with his army, now amounting to
about 6000 men Richmond gained the brilliant and decisive victory of
Bosworth; Richard perishing by a fate too mild and honourable for his
multiplied and detestable enormities.

It is supposed by some that that plague, the sweating sickness, which
broke out here in 1485, originated among Henry’s foreign levies; it
afterwards infested the kingdom at different periods for 60 years: and,
according to Mr. Pennant, Shrewsbury particularly felt its ravages, 1000
nearly dying per day at one period.

Henry was not unmindful of the reception he met with here, and, when
quietly seated on the throne, several times visited the town,
particularly in 1495, when he was sumptuously entertained in the castle
by the corporation.

Nothing worthy of note in the history occurs from this period until the
struggle between the Parliament and Charles I.; the former for their
privileges and the rights of the people, and the latter for arbitrary
power as a despotic monarch.  Charles, determined to try the force of
arms, erected the royal standard at Nottingham, the open signal of
discord and civil war throughout the kingdom.  Whilst many of the large
towns and corporate bodies took part with the parliament, a great
proportion of the nobility and gentry sided with the king; the latter was
the case with the Salopians.  Not meeting with the support which he
expected in the vicinity of Nottingham, Charles after a little hesitation
pursued his march to Shrewsbury “in regard of the strong and pleasant
situation of it, one side being defended by the Severn, the other having
secure passage into Wales;” having received information that the place
was entirely devoted to him.

At Wellington the king passed one night, and on the following morning
made a rendezvous of all his forces on the plain beneath the Wrekin.  His
orders having been read at the head of each regiment, he placed himself
in the midst of his army, and that he might bind himself by reciprocal
ties, he solemnly made the following declaration in their presence; “I do
promise, in the presence of Almighty God, and as I hope for his blessing
and protection, that I will, to the utmost of my power, defend and
maintain the true reformed protestant religion, established in the church
of England, and by the grace of God, in the same will live and die.  I
desire that the laws may ever be the measure of my government, and that
the liberty and property of the subject may be preserved by them with the
same care as my own just rights.  And if it please God by his blessing on
this army raised for my necessary defence to preserve me from the present
rebellion, I do solemnly and faithfully promise in the sight of God, to
maintain the just privileges and freedom of parliament, and to govern to
the utmost of my power, by the known statutes and customs of the kingdom,
and particularly to observe inviolably the laws to which I have given my
consent this parliament.  Mean while, if this emergency and the great
necessity to which I am driven, beget any violation of law, I hope it
shall be imputed by God and man to the authors of this war; not to me,
who have so earnestly laboured to preserve the peace of the kingdom.
When I willingly fail in these particulars, I shall expect no aid or
relief from man, nor any protection from above; but in this resolution I
hope for the cheerful assistance of all good men, and am confident of the
blessing of Heaven.”  Had Charles previously acted up to this
declaration, he would not now have been placed in such a critical
situation.

Although the tyrannical proceedings of the king had induced many of the
Salopians to look upon his cause in an unfavourable light, yet his mild
and amiable behaviour won on the inhabitants generally, so much so that a
considerable number enrolled themselves as volunteers in his service.  In
order to give efficiency to his troops and maintain his cause, a mint was
established here for the purpose of coining the plate which had been
presented to him by various public bodies and private individuals; but at
such a low ebb were the mechanic arts at this period, that scarcely £1000
per week could be coined.

However despicable the royal army appeared when it marched from
Nottingham, its improvement was rapid on its arrival in Shrewsbury, so
that in about twenty days it mustered 12000 men, chiefly persons of
considerable property, from the neighbouring parts.  But they were
exceedingly ill equipped, for says Clarendon; “In the whole body not a
pikeman had a corselet, and very few musketeers had swords.”—Add to this,
that there was not a single tent, and very few waggons attached to the
whole train.  With this ill accoutred but high spirited body, Charles
took his leave of Shrewsbury, on the 12th of October, 1642.

On the departure of the king, a garrison was left in town, of which Lord
Capel was appointed governor, and a fort was erected on an eminence above
Frankwell, to secure that quarter from attack.  Capel was severally
succeeded by Sir Fulke Hunkes (a relative of the celebrated Baxter, the
non-conformist,) Sir Richard Otteley, and Sir Michael Earnley.  This
gentleman was in a very declining state of health, in consequence of
which many disorders crept in among the garrison, and gave the commanders
of the parliamentary forces in the neighbourhood, opportunity to attempt
the conquest of so important a post.  After two unsuccessful attempts by
Colonels Mitton, and Langhorne, two enterprising officers, they at length
attained the object of their wishes.  Having arrived before the town with
fifteen hundred picked men of the garrisons of Wem and Oswestry, they
contrived to convey eight carpenters up the river, who were landed within
a breast work on the east side of the castle hill, and notwithstanding
they were fired on by the centinels, they continued to cut down a
sufficient quantity of palisadoes to enable the troops to enter.  After
storming a rampart beneath the Council House, a large body of troops
entered by St. Mary’s Water-Lane, where the guard, having been
intoxicated or bribed, made no resistance.  Having opened the north gate,
the horse immediately marched in, commanded by Cols. Mitton and
Bowyer.—The consternation of the inhabitants may be easily imagined.  The
preceding night they had retired to rest, confident in their supposed
security, but by daylight in the morning they were in the hands of their
enemies; and, notwithstanding the humane exertions of Col. Mitton, the
soldiery were not to be restrained from plundering the peaceably disposed
of their private property.  The first intimation which the governor
received of the surprise of the town, was the entrance of some of his
enemies into his chamber, where he fell covered with wounds, repeatedly
refusing quarter, being determined not to outlive the disgrace of the
day.  The English part of the garrison were suffered to march to Ludlow,
but the Irish were left to the discretion of Col. Mitton.  The fort at
Frankwell bravely held out till night, but finding resistance useless, at
length surrendered at discretion.  A number of prisoners of rank were
taken, besides 15 pieces of cannon, a large stand of arms, and the whole
of prince Maurice’s magazine.  Nor did the plate and valuable effects of
many of the surrounding gentry, placed in the castle for security, during
the turbulence of the times, meet a better fate: the whole of it to a
vast amount, falling into the hands of the victors.  For this important
achievement, Colonel Mitton received the thanks of Parliament.  The fall
of Shrewsbury was a death blow to Charles’s expectations in this quarter;
for besides its being the key to North Wales, it caused the dissolution
of a formidable confederacy between the counties of Salop, Worcester,
Chester and Flint, then on the eve of assembling to defend the falling
fortunes of their king.

After the battle of Worcester, so fatal to the royal cause, a commission
was sent to Chester by the Parliament, to try the Earl of Derby, and
other gentlemen on charges of treason and rebellion; or in other words,
for having borne arms in defence of Charles.  One of these was Colonel
John Benbow, who, in the beginning of the contest, had united with the
parliamentary army, and distinguished himself at the surprise of
Shrewsbury.  Afterwards, disgusted with the violent proceedings against
the king, and perceiving that the object of the leaders of his party was
private aggrandizement, and not the welfare of their country, he left
them and repaired to the royal standard.  This was a crime which could
not be pardoned; he was therefore condemned to death.  That his
punishment might be rendered most bitter, the sentence was pronounced by
Colonel Mackworth, once his friend and fellow soldier; and it was ordered
to be executed at his native town of Shrewsbury, that a terrible
impression might be made on the inhabitants of that loyal place.  He was
shot on the green before the castle, October 15, 1651, and suffered with
great intrepidity.  This respectable officer was uncle to the celebrated
admiral Benbow.

An unsuccessful attempt was made to surprise the castle, in order to
favour the restoration of Charles the second, in 1654, but it ended
merely in plunging the king’s friends still deeper in misery and ruin:
among the most active in this enterprise was Sir Thomas Harris, who
suffered most severely for his well intended zeal.  After Cromwell’s
death, and the restoration of the long parliament, upon Sir George
Booth’s rising in Cheshire for the king, the venerable Sir Thomas
Middleton, then 80 years of age, proclaimed him at Wrexham, which so much
encouraged the royalists of Shropshire and Denbighshire, that they
immediately sent a party to seize Shrewsbury, but though the friends of
monarchy were very numerous in it, Captain Edmund Waringe of Oldbury, the
governor, prevented their design, and secured the place for the
parliament.  In 1683, when the nation was thrown into a ferment, by the
discovery of the Rye House Plot, this town was one of those which the
conspirators, presuming on its general disaffection to the government of
Charles the second, proposed to have seized.  Such at least was the
deposition of the infamous Colonel Romsey, a wretch on whose head lies
the blood of the virtuous and patriotic Russel—who adds, in his
narrative, that there were in the castle 38 barrels of powder, 138 pounds
in the barrel, with arms for 300 men and great guns.  “The castle,” he,
observes, “is strong by situation, and lies so conveniently, that either
from the north or west, or Midland, or Wales, the rebellious party might
easily resort thither.”

The last royal visit paid to this town was by the bigotted James the
second, who passed the 25th of August, 1687, here, and kept his court at
the Council House.  The sentiments of loyal attachment, for which
Shrewsbury has ever been conspicuous, burst forth on this occasion, with
chivalrous enthusiasm.—They blazed in bonfires and illuminations, and
literally ran through the streets in torrents of wine, the public
conduits being charged with this royal liquid.

Having brought down the general history of Shrewsbury to a late date, we
shall now proceed to view its local character.  There is no doubt that
its Trade was formerly very considerable, and though its importance in
this respect may have been eclipsed by the more eligible situation of
numerous other places for the manufacture of various articles, it has
never ceased to enjoy a considerable share of internal commerce.  Heylyn
speaks of it as “a fair and goodly town, well traded and frequented by
all sorts of people, both Welsh and English, by reason of the _trade of
cloth_, and other Merchandise; it being the common mart or emptory
between Wales and England,” and Mr. Pennant, who wrote his account of
Shrewsbury above 40 years ago, gives the following account of its trade
in Welsh woollens: “From very early days this place possessed almost
exclusively the trade with Wales in a coarse kind of woollen cloth called
Welsh webs, which were brought from Merioneth and Montgomeryshires to a
market held here weekly on Thursday.  They were afterwards dressed, that
is, the wool raised on one side, by a set of people called Shearmen.  At
the time of Queen Elizabeth, the trade was so great, that not fewer than
600 persons maintained themselves by this occupation.  The cloth was sent
chiefly to America to clothe the negroes, or to Flanders; where it is
used by the peasants.  At present the greatest part of this traffic is
diverted into other channels, and not more than 4 or 5000 yards are
brought to the ancient mart.”  This market is now entirely done away,
through an unfortunate disagreement between the manufacturers of these
articles and the drapers of Shrewsbury, and the market is now held at
Welsh Pool every other Thursday.  The mode of raising the wool on one
side, described by Mr. Pennant, being found to be injurious to the
texture of the cloth, the number of shearman has considerable declined,
insomuch that there are only a few in the town at this time.  Beside, its
trade in Welsh flannels and webs, a brewery appears to have been
established here in 1618; and in the reign of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth
it was famous for its glove and shoe manufactory.

Nor is the trade carried on in Shrewsbury at this period
inconsiderable—being the capital of a large and populous county, its
vicinity to the principality of Wales, and the facility with which
articles of every description are forwarded either by land or water
carriage, render it an extensive mart for the disposal of goods.  Here
are two very large linen factories, besides manufactories for starch,
soap, flannels, cotton goods, an extensive iron and brass foundry, two
ale and porter breweries, a spirit distillery, &c. which will be noticed
under their proper heads, as well as various mechanical trades which are
common to all other large towns, and which contribute in no small degree
to the accumulation of wealth, to the enjoyment of the conveniences of
life, and to the power of benevolent actions by the inhabitants.

Shrewsbury is also famed for its excellent brawn and a kind of sweet flat
cake, whose good qualities are celebrated by the elegant pen of
Shenstone,

    “For here each season do those cakes abide,
    Whose honoured names the inventive city own,
    Rend’ring thro’ Britain’s isle, Salopia’s praises known.”

With the increase of trade and riches we must also connect that of its
population and its consequent extension of buildings.  In the reign of
Edward the Confessor there were only 252 houses here, and the earliest
calculation of the number of inhabitants on record is in 1695; the town
then contained 7383 persons—in 1750, there were 8141 inhabitants and 1884
houses.  In the years 1801, 1811, and 1821, enumerations were made,
agreeable to orders of the House of Commons, and which are here
subjoined:

           1801.                        1811.                        1821.
  _Inhabit_.     _Houses_.     _Inhabit_.     _Houses_.     _Inhabit_.     _Houses_.
       13,479.       2,861.         15,542.       3,024.         18,242.       3,463.

From these statements it appears that an increase of 2063 persons took
place in the first 10 years, and 2700 in the second, but it should be
observed that as each parish extends more or less into the surrounding
country, it is probable that the town does not contain more than 16,000
inhabitants.

Although much remains to be done in order to put Shrewsbury on an
equality, with respect to elegance and convenience, with many other
places not its superiors in size, wealth, or situation, numerous
praise-worthy improvements have taken place during the last 60 years.
Previous to that period there was but one Inn (the Raven) of any extent
for the accommodation of strangers, no stage coach; neither cart nor
waggon was employed for the conveyance of goods, packhorses being only in
use; and such persons as had occasion to travel were obliged to perform
their journies on horseback, postchaises being unknown.—At length about
1761 the first stage coach made its appearance in Shrewsbury, and since
that period by the indefatigable perseverance of the late Mr. Robert
Lawrence, of the Lion Inn, in completing the communications and bettering
the roads: a noble and substantial Guildhall, two beautiful stone bridges
over the river Severn, together with two new and elegant churches, and a
great number of charitable and benevolent erections have given additional
beauty to this interesting and venerable town.  Its suburbs have been
materially enlarged and improved, many obstructions in the principal
streets removed, and the facilities for travelling have been
astonishingly increased.

The government and police of Shrewsbury have the next claim on our
attention.  It is a corporation by prescription, and charters have been
granted to it by almost every king of England since William the Norman.
The first regular charter was granted by Henry I.; this was confirmed by
John, who in addition empowered the burgesses to chuse two prœpositi of
bailiffs removeable only on bad behaviour; but it was not until Edward
III. that the bailiffs were constituted magistrates and authorised to
hold a session for the trial of causes.  The institution of aldermen is
supposed have taken place in the 12th of Richard II. for “about the year
1390, the earl of Arundel being commissioned by the king to end certain
disputes among the Burgesses, awarded that for the good government of the
town for the future, the commonalty should elect out of themselves twelve
of the most sufficient persons who should continue in their office for
two years from the feast of St. Giles.”

By the charter of Charles I. granted in 1638, the corporation was new
modelled changing the offices of bailiffs into that of a mayor, recorder,
steward, town clerk, 24 aldermen, 48 assistants or common councilmen, two
chamberlains, a sword bearer, serjeants at mace, &c. &c.; and that the
mayor, bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, recorder, steward, 3 senior
aldermen, and the alderman who last served the office of mayor, should
act as Justices within the town and liberties of Shrewsbury.  In this
form it now exists.  The right of electing the corporate officers is
vested in the common council by whom the mayor is chosen annually on the
Friday after St. Bartholomew.  The general session is held quarterly by
the justices of the peace for the borough; and the mayor or some of the
aldermen and justices attend the Exchequer every Tuesday to transact
public business.  A court of requests, for the recovery of debts under
the value of forty shillings, is held in the town hall every other
Wednesday.  The number of its commissioners is about 30, the eligibility
for election to which office consists in residence in the town and the
possession of freehold property of the value of £30 per annum, or a
personal estate of £600 value clear of all deductions.

Notwithstanding the corporation is empowered to enact laws for the most
effectual administration of the police of the town, this branch of
internal government is in a very disorganized state; yet the many useful
regulations which have been established, and the strict and impartial
manner in which they are enforced, reflect the greatest credit on the
magistrates and conduce to the peaceable demeanour of the inhabitants and
the order and respectability of the town.  But the most impartial
observer will see that much remains to be done for the prevention of
immorality; and though it is impossible that the most enlightened, active
and persevering magistracy, aided by the continued exertions of the
inhabitants can prevent individual delinquency, something may yet be
achieved for the preservation of public morals, some plan devised which
may foster the sparks of pure and proper feeling as an antidote to that
national dereliction of manners in which Shrewsbury in common with most
other large towns participates too much.

In addition to the Corporation here are sixteen chartered companies,
consisting of various trades, to exercise any of which, within the
liberties, no person is admitted who has not either served a legal
apprenticeship or paid a sum of money, entitled, “a foreigner’s fine”,
which is of various amount in the several fraternities.—An ancient
ceremony, called the Show, used by these, deserves to be recorded, as
perhaps, (with the exception of Coventry) it is the only one of the kind
now existing in the kingdom.  On the second Monday after Trinity Sunday
the various companies assemble in front of the castle, with their
wardens, flags, devices, &c. &c., each having at their head some person
gaudily dressed; some in representation perhaps of the monarchs who
granted their respective charters, whilst others display devices and
insignia emblematical of the trades which they practise.  The procession
being arranged, moves over the Welsh bridge to a piece of ground, on the
west side the river, and adjoining the town, called Kingsland, where each
company has its arbour, in which is a cold dinner provided for the
entertainment of the mayor and corporation, who visit the various arbours
with their attendants, decorated in all “the pomp and circumstance” of
office.  After spending the evening in festivity and mirth, the several
companies retire from Kingsland, much invigorated with the essence of
barley corn, and return into town over the English bridge.

This ancient pageant is now fast approaching its dissolution.  During the
few last years, the master tradesmen have entirely ceased to walk in
procession to the ancient spot, and the ceremony is now continued only by
the apprentices of the chartered companies most numerous in the town.
The custom originated in the celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi,
one of the most splendid feasts of the Romish Church.  After the
reformation, the religious part of the ceremony was discontinued, but one
day was still set apart for the express purpose of idleness, jollity and
merriment.

The first return of Members of Parliament to represent the town of
Shrewsbury appears to have been in the 26th of Edward the first.  The
right of election is vested in the resident burgesses, paying scot and
lot, and not receiving alms: the mayor being the returning officer.  The
burgesses who polled at the contested election, in 1819, were 688 in
number.—The freedom of Shrewsbury (with respect to voting) is acquired by
serving seven years apprenticeship to a burgess residing within the
liberties, or by birth within the liberties on paying the sum of £7 4s.
0d.; every male child of a burgess, who may be born after his father has
been sworn in, can claim his burgesship on the payment of £1 6s., whether
born in the town or not.  Honorary freedoms may be also given by the body
corporate.  The members who represent the town of Shrewsbury in the
British Parliament, are two in number.

Considered as a place of residence, Shrewsbury has the advantage of a
salubrious air and mild temperature.  At a short distance from the town
in a N.E. aspect, a very accurate observer found the mercury in the
thermometer down at 8° in January 1814.—By observations on the variations
of the thermometer for one year, the same gentleman found that the mean
temperature of the same year was 46°, and that the variations, during the
course of the year amounted to 77°, varying from 8° to 83°.  In South
Carolina, the annual variation has extended to 83°.  The winter of this
year, it may be recollected, was much colder and the summer hotter than
is common at Shrewsbury, and yet the highest degree to which the mercury
rose was 85°.  In the East Indies, the mercury is frequently at 104°.
From accurate observation it appeared, that the medium of the daily
variations was nearly regular in its increase till June, and from the
close of that month till the end of December was again almost uniformly
diminishing.  The medium of the daily variations was no more than 6°,
whereas in some places they reach 30°.  From these statements it appears
that we are free from those sudden changes of the atmosphere which
generally very much affect, and often prove fatal to, the human frame.

That this is a fact may be inferred from the similar temperature of
Shrewsbury with that of Sidmouth, in Devonshire, one of the most healthy
places perhaps in this kingdom: In the year 1814, the mean temperature
was 47°, only one degree above that of Shrewsbury.  This observation is
also supported by the tables published by Dr. Price, on Reversionary
Payments, in which he proves, from the Bills of Mortality that out of
1000 persons born, there were alive

 _Age_    _London_.     _Northampton_.     _France_.         _Vaud_,         _Shrewsbury_.
                                                         _Switzerland_.
     18          334                 459          621                  618              555
     54          125                 218          406                  367              326
     85            7                  13           36                   17               41

The relative degrees of vitality are thus shewn in a more perspicuous
manner than by any other method and from the above table it is evident
that the temperature of Shrewsbury is in most instances nearly equal, and
in some superior, to the warm climates of France and Switzerland, and
extremely favourable to longevity.

The elevation of the town, together with the purity of its atmosphere and
the excellence of its water, renders its situation extremely salubrious.
Contagious diseases are very rare.  The scarlet fever, measles, hooping
cough, &c. are usually very mild.  The residents in the immediate
vicinity of the Severn are most liable to illness, and in these cases the
inflammatory symptoms generally run high.  Many parts of the town and its
environs may justly be recommended as eligible residences for invalids,
who visit Shrewsbury from Ireland, Wales, and various parts of the United
Kingdom, to avail themselves of the able medical assistance which the
town affords.

Shrewsbury is built on two hills, of easy ascent, which for the most part
gently slope to the river Severn; by this stream the ground on which the
town stands is formed into a peninsula, the castle being judiciously
placed on the isthmus, and thus commanding the entrances to the town.

Like most ether places not of Roman origin, its streets are extremely
irregular; nor had its buildings, until within these few years, any claim
to superiority, the ancient houses being chiefly built with projections
into the public streets—an inconvenience very properly remedied by the
elegance of modern erections.  Its suburbs have of late years very much
increased, and, in conjunction with this, many excellent improvements
have been made in removing obstructions from the entrances to the town:
but, notwithstanding the natural advantages it possesses, the bad state
of its pavement and the filthy picture continually presented by its
streets, is a source of poignant regret.

The plain of Shropshire, in which the town is situated, is of
considerable extent, divided by the Severn into two unequal portions, and
though flat, when compared with the surrounding hills, of a very varied
surface.  Its greatest length from N. to S. is about 30 miles,
comprehending the space between Whitchurch and Church Stretton; its
breadth from Oswestry to Coalbrookdale, is about 28 miles.  Shrewsbury,
when viewed from any of its adjacent eminences, presents a beautiful and
interesting scene, and the eye of the spectator is led to survey the most
extensive amphitheatre of mountains which perhaps the island can boast.
The Wrekin is connected by the gentle hills of Acton Burnel and
Frodesley, (over which the gigantic summit of Brown Clee is conspicuous,)
with the Lawley and Coredock, generally called the Stretton Hills, from
whence the Longmynd, Stiperstones, and Long Mountain, from an
uninterrupted chain, with the bold and precipitous cliffs of the Kefn y
Castyr, Moel y Golfa, and Breyddin, surmounted by an obelisk in honour of
the late gallant Lord Rodney; thence the horizon is bounded by the
stupendous Berwin range, losing their blue summits in the clouds; while
the northern view is terminated by the humbler but beautiful eminences of
Grinshill, Pymhill, Hawkstone, Haughmond, &c., round to the Wrekin.  The
whole of this vast circle incloses a finely wooded and beautifully
diversified champaign country, of gentle hill and dale, studded with
numerous gentlemen’s seats—watered with various streams—eminently fertile
in arable, meadow, and pasture; and amply justifying the eulogium of an
ancient British poet, who, after gazing, as he tells us, on the plain of
Shropshire, from the height of Charlton Hill, calls it the paradise of
_Cymru_. {33}  The glittering rays of the Sun gilding the lofty spires of
the town—the bold and ancient appearance of its ivy-mantled castle—the
lovely pleasure and garden grounds which nearly surround it and gently
slope from the mouldering ruins of its once warlike walls to the majestic
Severn, which, fringed with lofty tufts of trees of various foliages,
“proudly rolls its crystal stream along;” altogether form one of the most
picturesque and enchanting prospects any where to be met with.  Added to
this, the well known salubrity of its air, and the many agreeable
promenades which on every side of the town present themselves; and the
compiler thinks he will not be esteemed too vain in asserting, that his
native town is not surpassed, (though, for aught he knows, it may be
equalled,) in point of situation, wholesomeness, and picturesque scenery,
by any place of equal size in Great Britain.

The general character and manners of the inhabitants of Shrewsbury, as
they assume no characteristic sufficient to distinguish them from those
of other towns similarly circumstanced and situated, will not long detain
the attention of the visitor.  He will not often be disgusted with the
petty assumptions of office clothed with a “little brief authority,” nor
will he be displeased in perceiving, in a large majority of the
inhabitants, a considerable portion of civility, hospitality, social
intercourse, and liberality of opinion; and if great refinement of
manners do not characterise them in the aggregate, the stranger will have
employed his leisure to little advantage, who does not soon discover in
the town a very extensive share of that frankness, benevolence, and
warmth which is a prominent feature in the old-British character.
Numbers in the different ranks of society are to be met with whose lives
are adorned with the honours due to industry, integrity and virtue; and
if we add the munificence with which the various public charities are
supported by Salopians in general—who

    — Learn the luxury of doing good,

in the diffusion of a part of these superfluities with which a benignant
Providence has crowned their labours, the writer thinks he is not saying
too much when he observes that benevolence is strongly marked in the
general portrait.  The different churches and chapels are, on the whole,
well attended; and in few towns of equal size is there a more decent and
orderly observance of the Sabbath.  It is, however, to be regretted that
many of its residents are destitute of that urbanity and politeness which
should ever be displayed to strangers; but it is probable this
circumstances to be attributed chiefly to the pride of nobility and
ancestry, which looks down with half averted eyes on supposed
inferiority; and to the want of an enlarged commixture with mankind,
producing a generosity of disposition, and moderation of principle which
are the natural results of extensive commercial pursuits.

Difference of opinion on the actions of public men,—on the measures
pursued by persons holding the first political situations in the state,
and on religious subjects; are compatible with the purest loyalty and
most fervent patriotism, and will be readily acknowledged by those who
possess any share of liberality add reflection.

To the infinite credit of Shrewsbury, its population has not been led to
the perpetration of any of those acts of violence and atrocity which have
disgraced other places, and which are caused by the difference of
religious opinion, of the political effervescence of the times in which
such outrages may have taken place.  This observation, however, is not
intended to impute to the inhabitants any thing like a state of passive
obedience or wilful ignorance—far otherwise.  This judicious conduct by
which the welfare and good order of the town have been so essentially
promoted, is perhaps rather attributable to the candour and prudence of
the leaders of the various political parties, or to the virtue of mutual
forbearance happily exercised by the inhabitants at large.

On subjects, however connected with the safety and prosperity of the
British Empire, and the welfare of the illustrious house of Brunswick,
Shrewsbury has ever been among the foremost in displaying its patriotic
spirit and affectionate attachment.  The loyalty of the inhabitants has
long been pre-eminent, so much so, that it is celebrated by the elegant
pen of Shenstone.

    Admir’d Salopia, that with venial pride
       Eyes her bright form in Severn’s ambient wave;
    Fam’d for her cares in loyal perils try’d,
       HER DAUGHTERS LOVELY AND HER STRIPLINGS BRAVE.

As early as the year 1715, this town displayed its consequence and
attachment to the present royal family in a very spirited manner.  A
considerable body of horse and foot was raised by Lord Newport, Sir C.
Lloyd, Bart., W. Kynaston, T. Gardner, and J. Fownes, Esquires, for the
protection of Shrewsbury; the walls were put in a state of defence, new
gates, &c. made, and brigadier Dormer’s regiment, then lying in this
town, received orders to march to Preston, Shrewsbury being deemed secure
from the strength of its _own_ garrison.  In 1745, also, the earl of
Powis raised a regiment here, for the service of the state, into which
many gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood entered as volunteers.
During the war with the French republic two regiments were raised in
Shrewsbury, one by colonel Cuyler, (the present 86th) and the other by
colonel, now general Williams, and the inhabitants contributed very
liberally towards the crusade against French revolutionary principles.

The maturer efforts of Shrewsbury have not been unworthy the zeal of its
youth.  When the tocsin of invasion was sounded through the vast
dominions of France, and the existence of Britain as an independent
nation, was threatened with extinction, the inhabitants of Shrewsbury
stepped forward with a noble enthusiasm, in defence of their lives, their
liberty and, laws:

    Types of a race, who shall th’ invader scorn
       As rocks resist the billows round their shore:
    Types of a race who shall to time unborn
       Their country leave unconquer’d as of yore.

A regiment of foot, called the Shrewsbury Volunteers, was formed.  It
consisted of seven companies of eighty men each, chiefly tradesmen,
clothed at an expence of about £3,000, raised by voluntary contribution
in the town.  Besides this corps, which was commanded by Sir Charles
Oakley, Bart., two companies were raised in the town by B. Benyon, and J.
Sutton, esq.’s which were attached to that fine regiment the Shropshire
Volunteers, under the command of colonel Kynaston Powell, M.P.; and three
troops of Cavalry commanded by the honourable William Hill.  And had an
allwise Providence permitted the invader to set his unhallowed foot on
the shores of Britain, there is no doubt but each individual was
determined that the spot on which he contended in defence of the noble
institutions of his country should have been the throne of his triumph or
his grave.

The promptitude with which these associations and others of the same
nature throughout the empire, united in the hour of public danger—the
fatigues they underwent in acquiring a knowledge of the use of arms—the
readiness evinced in the abandonment of their private concerns for the
public safety—and the inconveniences and expenses which they incurred on
the occasion, surely demanded some other reward than to have their ardour
damped by the change in the system of national defence; for to whom in
the hour of battle could the protection of their homes and their
families, the independence of their country, the sepulchres of their
fathers, and the sanctuary of their God, be better entrusted than to
those whose courage was animated and strengthened by the most endearing
recollections?  But such sacrifices, even when the necessity of them was
superseded, will not be forgotten—the remembrance of them will live in
the minds of their grateful and admiring countrymen, and their services
will form a splendid, monument on the page of history.

Nor have the inhabitants been insensible to the miseries attendant on
those whose relatives have fallen sacrifices to the heroism and devotion
which they displayed during the sanguinary battles of the last twenty
years, having very largely contributed to alleviate the wants of their
widows and orphans.

The affection and loyalty of the inhabitants of Shrewsbury to their
venerable Sovereign was most conspicuously displayed on the National
Jubilee, the 25th of October, 1809, the fiftieth anniversary of his
Majesty’s accession to the crown.  On this occasion, liberal
subscriptions were entered into for the purpose of discharging the debts
of persons in the court of conscience—for relieving the distresses of the
sick poor, &c. &c.  Joy beamed in every countenance, and gratitude filled
every heart.  A congratulatory address had been previously voted
unanimously, in a general meeting of the inhabitants convened by the
mayor.—We give the following abridged account of the celebration of the
day from the SHREWSBURY CHRONICLE of October 27:—

    Never, perhaps, has any national occurrence taken place which can
    afford in retrospect so rich and amiable a gratification as that of
    Wednesday last.  If we contemplate that a general amnesty was
    proclaimed to all delinquents in our army—that a national banquet was
    ordered for the brave fellows in our navy—that the prisons in many
    places were thrown open to the debtors—that there was no such thing,
    perhaps in the land, as an hungry honest man—and, lastly, that our
    places of worship were thronged by a people, who, like sons and
    daughters, had assembled to give thanks to the Almighty for the
    preservation of the life of their political parent: scarcely could
    the imagination conceive a happier variety of circumstances from
    which the mind may derive such sublime enjoyment.  How conspicuous on
    this event has been the attribute of Englishmen—GENEROSITY!  And let
    us also reflect, how much good had been omitted to be done, and how
    much evil had been produced, if the sums voluntarily subscribed by
    the people of this kingdom had been squandered in acts of sensuality,
    and riotous illuminations.  Instead of which, the hungry have been
    filled, the moneyless relieved, and the captive set free.

    In deeds of this description, the inhabitants of THIS TOWN have never
    been deficient.  The subscriptions amount to between £400 and £500,
    and the committee has been indefatigable in proposing, and in
    executing, the best plans in the distribution of it.

    The mode of distribution, fixed upon at a Meeting of the Subscribers,
    is as follows:—A sum not exceeding 50 Guineas to be applied in the
    discharge of persons now in the court of conscience, under the
    direction of a committee.—The like sum to be applied by the same
    committee in discharging or compounding debts of other poor persons
    within the town.—A like sum to be applied in the relief of poor sick
    persons within the town, under the direction of a committee.—The
    distribution of these sums to take place on or before the 25th of
    December next.—The Directors of the House of Industry to be
    recommended to make what addition they shall think proper, on the
    25th instant, to the ordinary allowance of the poor and aged people
    under their care.—Five Guineas to be given to the ringers; and 7_s._
    to each housekeeper in St. Chad’s, St. Mary’s, and St. Giles’s
    almshouses.—The remainder given on Tuesday evening (the 24th) to
    proper persons—one half to St. Chad’s parish, and the remaining half
    in the other four parishes.—Each subscriber to have a right to
    recommend two persons for each guinea subscribed.

    The dawning of Wednesday morning was saluted by ringing of bells;
    while, from the barges on the Severn, decorated with laurels and
    flags, which were suspended from their yard-arms and top-masts, the
    bellowing of cannon was incessantly heard.  Shops were closed, and
    business seemed suspended.  At eleven, the mayor and corporation,
    preceded by their officers, and the wardens and many members of every
    company of tradesmen, accompanied by their flags and streamers,
    walked in procession to the church of St. Chad, the band playing God
    save the King.  The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Nunn, from
    the 11th Nehemiah, 3d verse, “Let the king live for ever;” and the
    service concluded by singing “God save the King.”  Sermons were also
    delivered to crowded congregations at every place of worship in the
    town.  The doors of many of the principal in habitants were
    ornamented with laurel; at night, fire-works were exhibited from the
    gardens of Benyon, Esq. and Dr. Evans, and bonfires distinctly
    descried on the remote eminences of the Wrekin, Haughmond Hill,
    Grinshill, &c.

    We shall conclude by repeating the sentiment, that the future
    historian, dwelling upon the character of HIS MAJESTY, will, by this
    day, be released from the trouble of much prolixity.  The character
    of George the Third has been drawn by his people in this spontaneous
    expression of their sentiments.  After a reign of half a century,
    they rose with one accordant voice, and desired with prayer and
    praise, with thanks and rejoicings, with deeds of benevolence and
    charity to all their fellow subjects, to express their gratitude to
    GOD for having given them so good a King, and for having spared his
    life so long.

    One remark will surely occur to every person who reads this and other
    accounts of the universal spirit that has pervaded the bosoms of
    Englishmen on this occasion:—If the strength of a state center in the
    virtue of its people; the virtue of a people in affection for their
    sovereign, and a reciprocal love, link both together, then is England
    powerful indeed!  ‘What shall subdue this spirit?’



Description of the Town.


PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


IN entering on our general description of the town, its public buildings
naturally claim the first share of attention.  They will be found classed
under the heads of Public, Religious, and Charitable erections, and
noticed under that order: and whether we consider them in the
accommodation which they present for the transaction of the business
respectively carried on in them, for the antiquity of some, or for the
elegance of their erection, they will no doubt prove sources of
recreation to, and well worthy the inspection of, the stranger.


The Castle


Is supposed to have been founded by Roger de Montgomery, about the year
1068.  It continued in his family until the reign of Henry I, when by the
rebellion of earl Robert de Belesme it was forfeited to the king, who
committed the care of it to a constable, usually the sheriff, it being
then extremely useful for the defence of the adjacent country.

This ancient fortress is built of red stone, on the N.E. part of the
isthmus on which the town stands, and being erected on a commanding
eminence, was admirably calculated to “roll back the tide of war” and to
defend Shrewsbury from the frequent incursions of the neighbouring Welsh,
who were continually devastating the surrounding country.  When the
incorporation of the principality with the English dominions took place,
it ceased to enjoy the importance which its situation on the Welsh border
had previously given to it; and after experiencing a variety of changes
in its masters, it was granted by Charles II. to lord Newport, afterwards
earl of Bradford; since which period it became the property of the late
venerable sir William Pulteney, bart. who greatly repaired and rendered
it a comfortable residence.  Sir William at his death bequeathed it to
the right honourable the earl of Darlington, its present possessor.

The history of the Town and the Castle are so intimately connected, that
we shall content ourselves with giving a brief description of its ancient
and present appearance.  According to Leland, it was fast hastening to
decay in the reign of Henry VIII. and indeed it has suffered so much from
the ravages of time, rather than from those of war, that it is doubtful
what idea to form of its original size; but it is at least probable, when
its importance as a border fortress is considered, that it occupied a
much larger space than that marked out by its existing walls.

The only buildings remaining are the keep, the walls of the inner court,
and the great arch of the interior gate; they are built of red stone, and
the former has been converted into a commodious and pleasant dwelling,
and is at present occupied by J. C. Pelham, esq.  It consists of two
round towers of equal diameter, embattled and pierced, connected by a
square building about 100 feet in length and about the same in height, in
which are many spacious and excellent rooms.  At the entrance, which
opens on a newly-erected grand staircase, is a statue of Roger de
Montgomery.  The arch of the gateway is about 18 feet high, semicircular,
and with plain round facings.  Its walls appear to have sustained a
tower, from whence hung the portcullis.  The area of the court has
latterly been cleared of its buildings, and is now formed into a
beautiful garden.  On the circular grass-plot in front of the castle, the
newly-elected knights of the shire are girt with their swords by the
sheriff, which, as it is an ancient custom, is still permitted, although
the castle and its grounds are private property.

In the south corner of this court is a lofty mount, on which is erected a
watch tower, now converted into a pleasant summer room, from which is
commanded a grand and diversified prospect of uncommon richness and
beauty.  The mount, rising abruptly from the margin of the Severn,
crowned with its venerable tower, its bold and abrupt bank being richly
clothed with the foliage of various species of trees and skirled by the
majestic stream which rolls at its base, has also, when viewed from a
distance, a beautiful and picturesque appearance.  Shrewsbury, though the
most important station on the Welsh border, and though frequently thrown
into possession of its enemies, never sustained more than two sieges.
Its natural and artificial strength might probably deter an adverse army
from investing it in a regular way, for it was protected not only by its
castle, but by


Walls,


fenced with towers which completely surrounded it.

The first stone rampart extended only across the isthmus to the river on
each side, and was raised by Robert de Belesme.  In the reign of Henry
III. the inhabitants of this place having suffered greatly during the
rebellion of the earl of Pembroke, were exhorted to secure themselves by
building a wall entirely round the town, which, by the aid of the royal
bounty, was accomplished in 32 years.  An additional rampart, by order of
Oliver Cromwell, was constructed, as it is said, from the materials of
Shrawardine castle, and extended from the wall of earl Robert at the
river’s brink to the Welsh bridge: though now ruinous it forms a
tolerable connecting path between the northern and western ends of the
town.—Of the old ramparts, those on the northern and eastern sides of the
town have long since disappeared; their foundations, which are easy to be
traced, form the groundwork of modern houses.  On the south, a
considerable portion remains, and part of it is kept in repair as a
public walk; but it retains little of its original appearance, having
been considerably lowered, and entirely stripped of its battlements.  The
towers have been all taken down except one, which stands on this wall,
between the bottom of Swan Hill and Belmont.  It is square and embattled,
and has two stories, the entrance of the higher being from the top of the
wall, through a small pointed arch, which does not appear of older date
than the time of Henry IV.  The town, according to Leland, who beheld its
fortifications entire, was more than a mile in compass; which extent may
probably be a third more in modern computation.  There were formerly
three principal


Gates


to Shrewsbury; one near the Castle called the North Gate, and one on each
of the bridges; that on the east called the Abbey Gate, and that on the
west the Welsh Gate.  A part of the southern tower of the north gate is
the only remain of these once formidable fortifications.


The Town Hall


Is situated in High Street, and was erected in 1785 from a design by Mr.
Haycock of this town, at an expense of £11,000, which was raised by a
county rate.

It is an elegant structure of free stone, presenting a handsome front to
the street.  On the front of the pediment, which is supported by four
lofty columns of the Ionic order, is a fine figure of Justice in _bas
relief_, seated on a rock, beneath which, over the centre door, are the
arms of the town handsomely ornamented with appropriate emblems.

The ground floor consists of a vestibule and two courts, in which the
assizes for the county are held.  Under the one appropriated to the crown
bar, is a cell, for the reception of prisoners.  A beautiful spiral stone
staircase leads to the higher story, where is a large room intended for
county meetings, one for the use of the grand jury of the county, with
record and other offices for the use of the county and town.

The grand jury room is decorated with portraits of George I. given by Mr.
Edward Elisha; of George II. given by Thomas Wingfield, esq.; of George
III. and queen Charlotte, given by sir Thomas Jones, bart.; and one of
the gallant and celebrated admiral Benbow, given by his sister, Mrs.
Elizabeth Hind.

Immediately adjoining is


The Market House.


From an inscription over the northern arch it appears that

    “The XVth day of June was this building begun, William Jones and
    Thomas Charlton, Gent. then Bailiffs, and was erected and covered in
    their time 1595.”

It is built entirely of free stone, and is one of the largest of similar
erections in the kingdom.  In the centre of the principal front, which
faces the west, is a spacious portal, over which are the arms of queen
Elizabeth in high relief.  Attached to the imposts of the great arch are
pillars, supporting each the figure of a lion bearing a shield on its
breast.  Above are two stories, with large square mullioned windows.  On
each side this portal is an open arcade, consisting of three spacious
round arches, which form the main building, over which is a range of
square windows with mullions, and a very rich parapet, consisting of a
series of embrazures carved like the Ionic volute, between which at
alternate distances, are a kind of grotesque pinnacles in the same style.
At the north and south ends are large open arches, the whole edifice
being finished above by sharp pointed gables.

The ground floor of this building is appropriated to the corn market, and
is 105 feet long by 24 feet wide.  A room over of similar size was
formerly rented by the company of drapers, and used by them for a flannel
market on Thursdays; but the sale of that staple article of Welsh
manufacture having been removed to Welsh Pool, it has been rented of late
as an ironmonger’s warehouse.  Over the northern arch is placed the
statue of Richard duke of York, removed hence from the old bridge in
1791, as appears by the inscription at his right hand: on his left are
the arms of the town finely sculptured in relief.

Its spacious area is a useful promenade for the inhabitants in bad
weather, and its architecture is a fine specimen of the fantastic style
of the 16th century.


Lord Hill’s Column.


The splendid achievements of the British army in Spain and Portugal from
1808 to 1814, together with the disastrous retreat of Napoleon from his
Russian campaign, and the subsequent occupation of France by the allied
troops, having produced a general peace, a proposition appeared in the
Shrewsbury Chronicle of December the 17th, 1813, by the Proprietor of
that paper, to erect some suitable memorial of the prominent part lord
Hill had acted throughout the whole of those eventful campaigns.—At a
meeting in the News Room on the following day, nearly £400 was subscribed
to carry this intention into effect.  Subsequently, however, it was
determined to extend the original plan, a meeting of the inhabitants of
the town was called, and it was resolved to solicit subscriptions
generally from all who participated in the triumphs of their country, or
who felt any respect for the brilliant and varied services of the gallant
general.

After a variety of plans had been proposed it was at length determined to
erect the column now under notice.  The first stone was laid on the 27th
of December, 1814, agreeably to masonic rule, by Richard Phillips, esq.
master of the Salopian Lodge, and at that time mayor of Shrewsbury.  The
foundation stone, which weighed four tons and a half, is of the following
dimensions, viz: length 11 feet 3 inches, breadth 3 feet, and 2 feet
thick.  In a cavity underneath, a bottle was deposited, containing gold
and silver coins of George III. accompanied with the SHREWSBURY CHRONICLE
of the preceding Friday.  Over the cavity was a plate bearing the
following

                                _INSCRIPTION_

    Of this Column, intended to be erected to commemorate the brilliant
    achievements of Lieutenant-General ROWLAND LORD HILL, Knight of the
    Bath, and Knight of the Tower and Sword.

    The first Stone was laid by RICHARD PHILLIPS, Esquire, Mayor of
    Shrewsbury, and Matter of the Salopian Lodge of free and accepted
    Masons, assisted by the Chaplain, Wardens, the Brethren of this and
    Deputies from other Lodges, upon the 27th Day of December, in the
    year of our Lord, 1814, and in the year of Masonry—5814, being the
    _Festival of St. John_.  The funds for this beautiful Memorial, in
    honour of splendid talent and private worth, were furnished by a
    public Subscription, raised chiefly by the inhabitants of the town
    and county of Salop.

The column is situated on a rising ground, at the entrance of this town
from the London and Bath roads.  From its insulated and lofty situation,
it is seen from many parts of the town, and is conspicuous at a
considerable distance in the country.

                                  _FT._    _IN._
The height of the pedestal is         13        0
shaft and capital                     91        6
pedestal supporting the statue        11        6
statue                                16        0
The whole height                     132        6

Solidity and durability have been particularly attended to in its
construction, the stones with which it has been built, being as large as
could conveniently be raised, from an excellent quarry at Grinshill, in
the neighbourhood of Shrewsbury.

The pedestal is square, standing upon two steps, having a large pier or
buttress at each angle, upon which are placed Lions couchant.  The piers
are formed of three stones in each, the top one of each on which the
lions are placed, being 10 feet 6 inches long, 4 feet 3 inches wide, and
3 feet 3 inches deep, and their weight 10 tons.  The lower diameter of
the column is 15 feet, and the masonry 2 feet 3 inches in thickness; the
top diameter 10 feet 6 inches, by 1 foot 6 inches in thickness.  Each
course of stones is 3 feet high, six stones form the course.  There are
326 stones in the whole structure, and the top stone immediately under
the statue, weighs two and a half tons.  There are 17,993 cubic feet in
the whole, and its weight is 1120 tons.  There is a beautiful staircase
up the shaft, the view of the surrounding country from the top, being
most extensive.  The expense was about £5,500.

The proportion of this column is half a diameter higher than those in the
portico of the celebrated Parthenon at Athens, and is THE LARGEST GREEK
DORIC COLUMN IN THE WORLD.  The figure is designed and executed by
Messrs. Coade and Sealy, of London, in their artificial stone, which is
so well calculated to resist the action of the weather.  The lions are
worked in Grinshill stone, by Mr. Carline of this place.  The contractors
were the late Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Lawrence: owing to the death of the
former the contract devolved upon his successor Mr. Straphen.  The
original design is by Mr. Edward Haycock, architect, of this town, with
some alterations in the pedestal by Mr. Harrison, of Chester.


The Town & County Goal.


This building, a pleasant and admirably constructed brick edifice, was
finished in 1793, at the expense of about £30,000, on a plan furnished by
Mr. Haycock, architect, of this town.  It was erected in consequence of
the light diffused on the subject of prisons by the later philanthropic
Mr. Howard, the old gaol being (says Mr. Howard) “both wretched in its
accommodations, and a complete school of vice.”

The prison is situate on the banks of the river, on a dry gravelly soil
on the south-east side of the town, in the immediate vicinity of the
castle, and is spacious, airy, well supplied with water, and as
comfortable as these abodes of human misfortune and depravity possibly
can be.

The entrance is through a free stone gateway, having a lodge on each
side, over the arch of which is a fine bust of Howard, presented by the
late Rowland Hunt, and Thomas Knight, esquires, two county magistrates.
There are reception cells in the lodges for the examination of the
persons by the surgeon previous to their being lodged in the different
apartments; during their continuance in the prison, criminals wear a
woollen jacket, waistcoat and cap, composed of blue and yellow stripes
before conviction, after which the dress is changed for one of brown and
yellow.  All executions take place on the flat roof of the northern
lodge, when all the criminals are brought into the area before the
governor’s house to witness the awful scene.  This house, in which is an
apartment for the magistrates, faces the entrance gate, in the centre of
the west front of the prison.  The chapel, which is a neat octagonal
structure, well calculated for the important purposes of its erection,
stands in the centre of the whole building, and is so arranged that every
class of prisoners is separated and hid from each other, though all may
see the officiating clergyman.  The prison, the boundary wall of which
encloses two acres of ground, and is 16 feet high, is divided into four
principal courts, besides smaller ones, and not only are the sexes
separated, but each description of prisoners are subdivided, into
classes, which have each their respective courts and day rooms.  The
debtor’s rooms are airy and comfortable, commanding many pleasing views
of the adjacent country.  At the eastern extremity is the infirmary, near
which the under keeper resides, who has constantly for sale various
articles manufactured by the prisoners, the profits of which are applied
for their benefit.

Closely allied to the superior construction of the prison are the
excellent and judicious regulations for its internal management, which,
whilst they tend to ameliorate the condition of the unhappy sufferers,
are calculated to reclaim their vicious habits; and should they return to
the bosom of society, stimulate them to atone for their depredations on
their fellow-creatures, by their honest and exemplary deportment in
future.  Prayers are read every Thursday, and a sermon preached every
Sunday by the chaplain, and the justices appointed at the quarter
sessions visit the different apartments of the prison when they please,
and have the power of making any alteration in the mode of treating the
criminals which to them may appear judicious.

Convinced that the design of punishment is to prevent the commission of
crimes, and to repair the injury that has thereby been done to society or
the individual, and that it is the duty of every good government to
_reform_ rather than _exterminate_ offenders, the exertions of the late
Rowland Hunt, esq. were directed to the formation of the following
excellent plan, which was instituted in 1797.

    _First_—To enable debtors to gain a livelihood while in confinement;
    to reward their industry and good behaviour while there; and to
    furnish them with some implements or materials on quitting prison,
    the better to support themselves and their families on their return
    to society.

    _Secondly_—To encourage industry, penitence, and orderly behaviour in
    criminal prisoners; and to furnish with clothes and implements those
    who on quitting prison receive a certificate of good behaviour.

    _Thirdly_—To provide all those who are dismissed, with a small sum
    for immediate maintenance, to prevent the great temptation of
    committing a crime for that purpose.

This praiseworthy charity, the subscriptions to which from the county at
large amount to about £80 yearly; also distributes bibles and prayer
books to the wretched objects of its bounty, and thus endeavours to
impress on the minds of these outcasts of society, the sacred lessons of
divine wisdom.  The benevolent stranger will perceive in the large outer
gate of the prison, two small apertures, and on the other side two boxes
are affixed, into one of which he may drop his mite, “to prisoners in a
state of reformation,” and in the other “to debtors in a state of
industry.”


The Military Depot,


Is a very handsome brick edifice, erected by government in the year 1806,
from a design by Mr. Wyatt, at an expense of about £10,000.  It stands in
a piece of ground near St. Giles’s Church, at the east end of the
Abbeyforegate.

The principal building is 135 feet by 39, in two stories, and is capable
of containing 25,000 stand of arms.  Within the enclosure are two
magazines for ammunition, and a small neat house at each angle for the
storekeeper, armourer, and subalterns’ guard.—It was intended for the
reception of the arms of the volunteer corps of Shropshire and the
adjoining counties, but until lately very few arms of any description
have been deposited here—in fact it has been a complete sinecure.  Mr.
Linton is the present governor.


The English, or East Bridge,


Called also the Stone Bridge, which connects the suburb of Abbey-foregate
with the town, was finished in 1774, from a plan produced by Mr. Gwyn, at
an expense of £16,000 raised by public subscription.  This bridge, which
is 400 feet in length, is built of Grinshill free stone, on seven
semicircular arches, and crowned with a fine balustrade.  The central
arch is 60 feet in width, and 40 in height from the bed of the river, the
two arches at the extremities being 35 feet wide and 20 high.  The
breadth between the balustrades is 20 feet.—On the northern front is the
head of Sabrina in bas relief and the date of its erection.  Its
ornaments are tasteful, and it may justly be classed among the most
elegant modern erections in the empire.  Some persons, probably, may
conceive that the elevation of the centre is too great, but when they are
informed that in the memorable flood of 1795, even the great arch was not
more than capacious enough to admit the torrent, they will no doubt be
inclined to praise rather than censure the artist, who was actuated by a
desire to blend the useful with the ornamental.


The Welsh Bridge,


Built in the opposite direction to the before named structure, and which
received its name as being the grand route into Wales, was finished in
1795, from a design by Messrs. Tilly and Carline of this place.  It
consists of five spacious arches with balustrades above, and is 266 feet
in length, with a driving road 20 feet wide, and paved on each side, for
the convenience of foot passengers, 5 feet.  It is a plain though neat
erection, and has a remarkably solid and substantial appearance.


Public Subscription Library,


Situated on St. John’s Hill, is a plain brick edifice, formerly a private
house, and has been lately purchased by the Committee of the above
institution, and fitted up for the purpose of lodging the books belonging
to the Society.  The number of subscribers is about 140, who pay annually
£1. 11s. 6d. and 2 guineas entrance; but their shares are transferable.
The managers of the society are a president, a treasurer, a committee of
twelve, who sit gratuitously, and a librarian at a stipend.  The
following are some of the principal laws and regulations:—The library is
open for the free use of subscribers five hours every day at the rooms,
with the right of having several books at one time at their own houses, a
certain number of days.  Forfeits are established and rigorously enforced
for detaining and damaging of books.—The method of admitting books is,
for any member to write down the title, size and price at the library,
with his signature, one clear week before the monthly meeting, at which
period it will be ordered, if the majority of the subscribers present are
agreeable.

The society which has been instituted about forty years, now possesses
5000 volumes—a valuable mass of general literature in every department.
Neither divinity nor law has been permitted to _load_ the shelves; and in
the matter of that great stumbling block of mixed associations,
_politics_, a due regard to that invaluable maxim “audi alteram partem,”
has never been forgot or violated, and diversity of opinion has only
promoted the successful progress of the establishment.


Subscription Coffee Room


Is attached to the county-hall, and is supplied with several London and
provincial papers.


Chronicle News-Room.


This is situate on St. John’s Hill, and forms part of the Library House.
It is furnished not only with a very extensive variety of London and
Provincial Newspapers and the Gazette, but also with Reviews, Magazine,
Army and Navy Lists, and the best Pamphlets of the day, &c.

To each of these institutions strangers are admitted on being introduced
by a subscriber.

Beside these institutions there are several private READING SOCIETIES in
the town.


New Church of St. Chad.


This church, situated near that beautiful promenade the Quarry, is
erected in a style highly ornamental, from a design by Mr. Stuart, an
architect from London.  The admirable execution of the masonry, and the
beauty of the stone, have an extremely elegant appearance.  The first
stone was laid on the 2d of March, 1790, and the building was consecrated
on the 28th of August, 1792.  The body of the church is a rotunda, 100
feet in diameter, having a fine steeple at its south-east end.  In the
steeple is an octagonal belfry, containing a melodious peal of twelve
bells, surmounted by a small dome, supported on eight Corinthian pillars.

                       [Picture: St. Chad’s church]

The principal entrance is through the large door under the steeple, to
the lower division of which is attached a portico, elevated on a flight
of steps, and supported by four Doric columns.  The interior has a rich
and noble appearance, especially since its recent painting, which in some
measure has corrected that light and theatrical effect hitherto
complained of.  The gallery which encircles the whole of the church,
except the chancel, is supported by a double circular range of short
pillars with Ionic capitals.  From its front rises a series of columns
which support the roof, intended to imitate the Corinthian order.  The
chancel is separated from the church by two insulated Corinthian-columns,
with highly enriched architraves.  Beside the usual appendages of a
chancel, the Creed, Commandments, and Lord’s Prayer—a fine painted
window, executed by Eginton, and removed here from Lichfield cathedral,
was erected in the large window, in 1807, at the expense of the
parishioners.—The subject is the resurrection of our Saviour, from a
design by West.  In the gallery is a good organ.

Notwithstanding the objections which have been made to the architectural
plan of this church, it is possessed of one advantage, which, it is
presumed tends to obviate all of them, namely convenient accommodation
for a congregation of 2000 persons, which should be the object
principally kept in view in all similar erections.  It was built at an
expense of about £18,000: £15,000 of which remains as a debt, on the
church at this period.

The patron of the living is the king—the present vicar, the Rev. Thomas
Stedman, M.A.  Organist Mr. John Wynne.

From the dome of this church there is a most beautiful panoramic view of
the town, and a very extensive range of the fertile plain of Shropshire.


The Abbey of St. Peter & St. Paul.


The present church once formed part of a magnificent and richly endowed
abbey, founded by Roger de Montgomery, soon after the Norman conquest.
Here that powerful baron, in the decline of his life, retired,
relinquishing his warlike habits for the severities of the Benedictine
monks, and adopting the custom mentioned by Milton, of those

                who, to be sure of Paradise,
    Dying, put on the weeds of Dominic,
    Or in Franciscan think to pass disguised.

Originally it was of very considerable extent, comprehending within its
enclosure nearly nine acres, now used as gardens and pleasure grounds to
the adjoining mansions, together with a spacious fish-pond.

This once celebrated structure, in common with others similar in their
institution, suffered considerable dilapidations in the reign of Henry
the eighth.  In consequence of this and the mouldering waste of time, a
small portion only remains, and what does exist has been cruelly
mutilated in its repairs; its nave, western tower and northern porch,
being the only fragments left to tell the history of its pristine
magnificence and grandeur.  The tower is a finely proportioned structure;
its portal has a round Norman arch deeply recessed, and another of a
pointed form, inserted within it at some subsequent period.  Above this
is one of the noblest windows in the kingdom, its height being 46 feet by
22 feet wide.  It is divided by its mulliens into seven “days”, or
compartments below, of which there are two tiers, and its arched head is
sharp pointed, and filled with a profusion of the most delicate tracery.
On each side is a mouldering nich, in one of which was a statue of St.
Peter, and in the other St. Paul.  Between the double bell windows in
front, is the figure of an armed knight within a nich, supposed from its
surrounding decorations and ornaments, to represent that celebrated
warrior, Edward III.  The tower contains eight bells.  Within the arch
which once led to the south wing of the transept, is an ancient figure
clad in mail, supposed by some, to be intended to perpetuate the memory
of earl Roger, the munificent patron of the abbey, and to this effect an
inscription was placed within the tomb, by the heralds at their
visitation of this county, in 1633.  Others suppose it to belong to some
other warrior of subsequent times, monuments of this description not
being known at such an early period.

The ravages which this venerable pile has suffered are, perhaps, more
strikingly visible in its interior than its exterior; but it still
presents a solemn and majestic appearance, and whilst it proudly reminds
us of its ancient grandeur, awfully forewarns us of “another and a better
world.”—The altar-piece is in the style of the last century, with
paintings of Moses and Aaron, and finishes the east end.

There are several monuments and inscriptions in memory of the Prynces,
Baldwins, Reckes, and many other ancient and respectable Salopian
families.  The armorial bearings in the great west window, were restored
A.D. 1815, from an ancient drawing in the Herald’s Office.  The east
window is also adorned with painted glass.  In the center compartment,
under gothic canopies, are large figures of St. Peter and St. Paul, with
their appropriate symbols; above are the arms of England, the see of
Lichfield, the Founder of the Abbey, and of Lord Berwick, the munificent
donor of the window; on each side are escutcheons of the vicars from the
year 1500.  The bones of St. Winyfred were deposited in this abbey with
great splendour, in the reign of Stephen.

The organ and the handsome gothic screen on which it stands, were erected
in 1806.  It is a very fine instrument, made by Mr. Gray, of London, and
cost 365 guineas.  On the screen are the arms of the principal
benefactors.

In the parish chest are two small oval seals exactly similar in their
dimensions, impresses and legends.  Two clothed arms issue from the
opposite sides of the area, one bearing a crosier, the other a naked
sword; in the centre, a wand or staff of office.  Inscription, “Sigillum
commune de Fforyate Monachor”—the common seal of Monks Foregate.  Some of
our most skilful antiquaries are unable to give a sufficient reason why
Monks Foregate came to have a common seal.  Some of them have supposed
that the parish might have obtained a charter of incorporation, while
others think that it might have been assumed without authority.  Neither
of the two seals appear much older than the 15th century.

The patron of the living is Lord Berwick—the Rev. H. Burton, vicar, and
Mr. John Amott, organist.

But the remain of this abbey which has most excited the attention of
antiquaries, is a beautiful little structure on the south side of the
gardens.  Its plan is octagon, 6 feet in diameter.  Some broken steps
which did not belong to it originally, lead through a narrow flat arched
door on the east, to the inside.  The south part stands on a fragment of
the ruins.  The corresponding side projects considerably from the wall,
resting upon a single corbel, terminating in a head.  From this point it
gradually swells, bound with a multitude of delicate ribbed mouldings,
until it forms the basement under the floor.  An obtuse dome of stone is
suspended over the whole, at about eight feet from the base, supported on
six narrow pointed arches, rising from pillars similar to the mullions of
the windows.  One of the remaining sides of the octagon is a solid blank
wall, and in the other is a door.  The roof within is vaulted on eight
ribs, which spring from the wall immediately under the cavity of the
dome.  At their crossing in the centre is a boss, bearing a
representation of the crucifixion, considerably relieved.  The spaces
between the divisions of the three northern arches, four feet above the
bottom, are filled up with stone pannels, over which they are entirely
open, a circumstance which, by permitting the light, is productive of a
beautiful effect.  On the centre pannel are two small figures in elegant
tabernacles; in one of these is the figure of an angel, in the other,
that of a woman, whom he is addressing; the whole seems intended to
represent the annunciation.  The right hand pannel is embellished with
images of St. Peter and St. Paul bearing their respective symbols, with
similar enrichments, and that on the left has two figures in monastic
habits, one of them a female, probably St. Winyfred, the other a monk;
the height of every figure is eighteen inches.  The arches on the
southern side are without ornaments, and are now quite open two feet from
the floor.

In forming a garden on the site of the Abbey Cloisters, a great variety
of fragments were met with, consisting of painted tiles with various
devices, rich gothic tracery, window mullions, &c. and a very beautiful
part of the pavement of the refectory; this, from its situation, being
about 23 feet from the line of the outer refectory wall, and being part
of the border of a pavement, satisfactorily proves the use to which this
beautiful Gothic pulpit was applied, it being a custom in Benedictine
monasteries, for one monk to read to the others during their meals in the
refectory.  In a parallel line, and at 12 feet distance from the wall of
the dormitory, a considerable number of small Norman capitals and bases
were found, strongly bedded in cement, and forming a foundation to some
superstructure.  As the west side of the cloisters must have occupied
this situation, it may be presumed that there were cloisters of more
ancient architecture, than these destroyed at the Reformation, to which
the fragments found in the garden belonged.

                          [Picture: The pulpit]


St. Marys Church.


This venerable church is situated on a parallel with Castle-street, at
the north-east part of the town, in a small area; and with the exception
of St. Giles’, is the only structure of this place, which has been handed
down to the present time in an entire state.  It is built in the form of
a cross, consisting of a nave side isles, transept, choir and its
chapels, with a west steeple.  The exterior presents various styles of
ancient architecture.  The basement of the tower is of red stone, and
contains the small round-headed windows of the early Norman era.  From
the bell story the pointed style takes place, and is of the grey free
stone of Grinshill quarry, as is also the greatest part of the fabric.
The tower is large, but low.  The upper story has on every side handsome
double windows.  From the tower rises a lofty and beautiful spire.  The
windows of the lower parts bear the remains of rich spiring canopies and
pinnacles.  The height of the tower is 76 feet, of the spire 140.

Upon the south side of the church is a stone porch of early Norman
architecture.  Its outward arch is circular, with diagonal or zig-zag
mouldings, the inner rib obtusely pointed.  The small pointed windows on
each side are curious specimens of the very earliest rudiments of the
mullioned window.  The ceiling also presents an example of the most
ancient kind of groined vault, and consists of four round massive ribs
crossing each other in the centre, without any boss or ornament.  The
semicircular arch of the interior door is a good specimen of the style of
building in fashion from the conquest to the days of Henry II.  The north
door is an elegant example of this ancient kind of building.  Formerly it
was an unsightly wooden porch, which was removed in 1801.  The arches of
the north and south doors of the transept are in the same early style.
The decorations of the latter are rather uncommon, having lozenge pannels
placed alternately, and each filled with an embossed flower.  The side
aisles, with the upper story of the nave and choir, have pointed windows
with mullions, while those of the transept are long and lancet shaped,
without any.  The higher walls of the nave were, in the repair of 1786,
very injudiciously raised some feet above their original level, which
altogether destroys the ancient proportions, and gives the whole building
a top-heavy appearance.  Formerly the church was crowned with pinnacles,
which issued from the spaces between each window and the corner
buttresses of the transept and choir, but now, excepting those on the
chapel, not one remains.

Within, the church is spacious, lofty, interesting, and from its
venerable and solemn appearance, admirably adapted to the purposes of
religious meditation.

    As chanced, the portal of the sacred pile
    Stood open, and we entered.  On my frame,
    At such transition from the fervid air,
    A grateful coolness fell, that seem’d to strike
    The heart, in concert with that temperate awe
    And natural reverence which the place inspired.

                                                               WORDSWORTH.

The walls of the nave are supported on each side by four semicircular
arches, with moulding peculiar to the pointed style, and these spring
from finely clustered pillars, their shafts having the small flat rib
which belongs to the 13th century.  The capitals are highly enriched with
foliage, and, as is usual in ancient churches, are all of different
designs.  Above the arches is a clere-story, with a high range of short
windows on both sides, running the whole length of the church.  These are
irregularly ranged in couplets, and have heads very obtusely pointed,
each divided by a single mullion.  The ceiling of the nave, which is of
oak, rises into an extremely flat arch, separated by its principal beams
into square pannels, including circles richly adorned with quatrefoils
and foliage.  The ribs and bosses at their intersections, are carved,
with double roses, devices and knots; those attached to the centre beam
having pendant ornaments, pelicans, angels with musical instruments, and
grotesque sculptures.  The chancel is considerably elevated by two
ascents of steps.  On each side is a pointed arch, blocked up, resting
upon imposts similar to the clustered pillars in the nave.  Several

    — marble monuments are here displayed
    Upon the walls: and on the floor beneath
    Sepulchral stones appear, with emblems graven
    And foot-worn epitaphs, and some with small
    And shining effigies of brass inlaid,

belonging to the Lyster, Morhall, Lloyd, Gardner, and Sandford families.
On the north side, near the altar, is a beautiful triple window, with
arches remarkably sharp pointed, the centre rising much higher than those
of each side and supported upon slender insulated columns, whose capitals
are adorned with foliage, busts, and grotesque heads.  The ceiling of oak
pannelling, was in this part quite plain.  The interstices between the
beams have been plastered over and painted with trefoil and other
appropriate enrichments, and the intersections adorned with carved roses
and devices, collected from the ruins of St. Chad’s and St. Alkmond’s.
In the chancel, is an altar tomb, upon which is a recumbent figure of a
cross legged knight, in linked armour, the sides adorned with rich
foliated niches, once containing figures.  This monument is supposed to
belong to John de Leyborne, of Berwick Leyborne, last of the family.  In
the vestry, under a low pointed arch, is a plain altar tomb, which has
formerly been ornamented with shields; on the massy alabaster slab which
covers it, are engraven the figures of a man in armour, bareheaded, with
his wife, both in the act of prayer.  From the inscription which is
somewhat defaced, we learn, that it was erected to — Stafford and
Catherine his wife, in 1463.  In the transept and nave there are some
singular monumental figures, brought here from the ruins of St. Chad’s
and St. Alkmond’s, but to whom they belonged has not been ascertained.

The lower divisions of the great window which terminates the chancel, is
occupied by some ancient painted glass brought from old St. Chad’s,
representing the root of Jesse: the arch or head is made up with ancient
coats of arms and modern stained glass.  The altar piece is a rich
Grecian design.  The altar is a fine slab of Sienna marble bordered with
jasper, and was the gift of the Rev. Hugh Owen, vicar of St. Julian’s,
when curate here in 1789.  In the gallery at the west end of the nave, is
a very handsome organ, made by John Harris and John Byfield, and as this
church, with the exception of St. Lawrence, at Ludlow, is the handsomest
in the county, so the organ with a like exception, is the most powerful
and best toned.  In the tower is a musical peal of ten bells, the harmony
of which is not exceeded by that of any other peal in the town.

On the south-west side of the church-yard is a tomb-stone erected to the
memory of Thomas Anderson, a lieutenant in Ligonier’s regiment of light
horse, who was tried at Worcester for desertion, in the first German war
of George II. and removed here for execution.  He was shot on Kingsland,
near this town, on the 11th of December, 1752, and met his fate with
calmness and fortitude.  At the foot of the tower is a stone in memory of
Robert Cadman, who in January, 1740, in an attempt to descend from the
top of the spire by means of a rope affixed to it, the other end of which
was placed in the fields on the opposite side of the river, fell lifeless
in St. Mary’s Friars, through the breaking of the rope, amidst an immense
number of spectators.  The inscription is quaint:—

    Let this small monument record the name
    Of Cadman, and to future times proclaim,
    How from a bold attempt to fly from this high spire,
    Across the Sabrine stream, he did acquire
    His fatal end: ’Twas not for want of skill
    Or courage to perform the task, he fell,
    No, no, a faulty cord being drawn too tight,
    Hurried his soul on high to take her flight,
    Which bid the body here beneath, good night.

The right of presentation to this living is vested in the Corporation of
Shrewsbury at large; and in the choice of a minister, (who must at least
be a M.A.) the son of a burgess who has been brought up at the Free
Schools; or one born in the parish of Chirbury, is to have the
preference.  The church is a royal peculiar, the Official having
cognizance of all ecclesiastical matters arising within the parish and
its subordinate chapelries.  He is stiled “Ordinary and Official,
Principal of the peculiar and exempt jurisdiction of the Free Royal
Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”  The present minister, who is also
official, is the Rev. John Brickdale Blakeway, M.A.—Organist, Mr. Thomas
Tomlins.


St. Julian’s Church,


Situated at the top of Wyle Cop, originally of Saxon election, is a plain
substantial structure of brick and stone, rebuilt in 1750, at an expense
of £2000.  At the west end is the square tower of the old church; the
lower part being of red stone and in a more ancient style than the higher
story, which is of the 16th century.  It is furnished with six bells.  In
the east wall of the chancel is a small female figure within a foliated
tabernacle, preserved from the reins of the old church, and probably
representing St. Juliana, the patroness.

The form of this church is an oblong square, 83ft. by 48ft. the roof
being supported by four Doric columns on each side.  The ceiling is
ornamented with the fret work of the old church.  The altar-piece is
adorned with Ionic pilasters, supporting a rich cornice and architrave.
The east window is filled with fine painted glass, consisting chiefly of
a large ancient figure of St. James, bearing the Scriptures in his hand,
purchased in 1804, from the splendid collection of glass brought from
Rouen, in Normandy, during the French Revolution, and is extremely well
executed.  Above the Apostle are escutcheons of the arms of France and
England, quarterly, and those of the corporation, and see of Lichfield.
The arms of the present and ancient patrons of the church, Earl
Tankerville, Sir John Astley, and Prince, together with those of the
families of Rocke, Powys, Bowdler, &c. &c. are exhibited in various
situations in the edifice, which is likewise beautified with a variety of
painted and stained glass.  The only ancient monument in this church
which is worthy the attention of the antiquarian, is a slab of coarse
alabaster, lately removed from the church-yard into the chancel.  It is
nearly a foot in thickness and as hard as flint; and besides a modern
epitaph which has been inserted in the centre of it, it contains round
the edge this inscription, in Longobardic capitals, now nearly
obliterated, but capable of being read, EASMONYND TROVMWYN GIST ICI DIEV
DE SA ALME EN EYT MERCI AMEN. i.e. Edmund Trowmwyn lieth here, may God
have mercy on his soul.  Amen.

There is an organ in the gallery.

The Earl of Tankerville is the patron.  The present incumbent is the Rev.
Hugh Owen, F.A.S.  Archdeacon of Salop, portionary of Bampton,
Oxfordshire, and prebendary of Salisbury.


Old St. Chad’s Church


Is situated at the top of Belmont.

This once venerable pile was founded previous to the Norman conquest, by
one of the kings of Mercia, soon after the expulsion of the Britons, on a
site of a palace belonging to one of the princes of Powis, which was
destroyed during the wars between the Britons and their Saxon invaders.
In 1393, a considerable part of the structure was burnt down through the
carelessness of a plumber, then repairing the lead on the roof, who,
frightened at beholding the edifice in flames, endeavoured to escape over
the ford of the Severn, near the eastern gate, but was drowned in the
attempt.  In the early part of the year 1788, the church was observed to
be decaying fast, and a respectable architect, who was employed to survey
it, advised that the tower should be taken down, in order to relieve the
mouldering pillars of their vast weight.  Unfortunately, this salutary
advice was not acted upon; in lieu thereof, partial repairs were
undertaken, and the attempt to remove a shattered pillar, that a firmer
one might be erected in its place, completed its ruin.  On the second day
after the workmen had commenced their destructive operations, the decayed
pillar gave way, and in consequence, the tower fell about four o’clock
the following morning, July 9, 1788, on the roof of the church, and
overwhelmed the greater part of the sacred edifice in ruinous desolation.

About a month previous to this occurrence, the church had been thronged
with thousands, who had assembled to witness the interment of an officer
with military honours.

Although a considerable part of old building remained, it was not deemed
advisable to rebuild the church on its ancient site.  The present
fragment of it, which was formerly the Bishop’s chancel, was fitted up
for the purpose of performing the rites of sepulture in, and at this time
it is used as a charity school.

It is worthy of remark, that the light of the reformation first dawned in
Shrewsbury in this church.


St. Alkmond’s Church,


Situate immediately adjoining St. Julian’s, was originally founded by
Elfrida, daughter of Offa, king of Mercia; and like some others in
Shrewsbury, was erected at different periods and in different styles of
architecture in the form of a cross.  At the destruction of St. Chad’s
church, the parishioners, alarmed for the safety of their ancient
structure, caused it to be thoroughly examined, and in consequence of
some symptoms of decay exhibited in the roof, they determined on the
demolition of the old church and the erection of a new one on a part of
its site.  The present building was accordingly opened for divine worship
in November, 1795, at an expence of about £3000, one half of which might
have been saved by a judicious repair of the original erection, and thus
preserved for ages.  The beautiful spire-steeple at the west end, is the
only part which escaped the general devastation.  It is 184 feet in
height, and is highly ornamental to the town, especially when seen from
the adjacent country.  It contains a musical peal of eight bells.

The plan of the church is an oblong square, 84 feet by 44, with a small
recess for the altar, over which is a handsome painted window, by
Eginton; the subject is emblematical of Faith, kneeling on a cross, with
the eyes elevated and arms extended towards a celestial crown which
appears amidst the opening clouds.  “Be faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life,” is the motto.

Previous to the demolition of the old church, there were a variety of
ancient inscriptions, few of which are now visible.  In the church-yard
is a monument to the memory of Alderman William Jones and his wife, the
former of whom died in 1612.  It formerly stood in the chantry north of
the chancel; and about sixteen years ago it was munificently repaired by
the late Sir Thomas Tyrwhit Jones, Bart, M.P. the worthy and respected
representative of the family.

The living is in the gift of the crown.  Its present incumbent the Rev.
J. Wightman.


St. Giles’s Church,


Of the origin of which no authentic account is known, stands at the
eastern extremity of the Abbey Foregate, and bears marks of considerable
antiquity.  By some it has been thought to be the earliest parochial
foundation in Shrewsbury; but others, with more semblance of truth, give
the palm in this respect to the Abbey, to which St. Giles’s is now
attached, merely as a convenience for the performance of funeral
ceremonies; public worship being only celebrated within its walls, twice
every year.

It is a small plain building, consisting of a nave, chancel, and north
aisle, with a small turret for the reception of a bell.  Its interior
presents several varieties of architecture, whilst its antique and
worm-eaten benches, its homely pavement, and its almost altogether
unadorned state, combine to give it a simply interesting appearance.

The church-yard contains the tombs of various inhabitants of the town;
among others is one raised to the memory of Cheney Hart, M.D. a native of
Warrington, and an eminent physician of this town for thirty-three years,
on the pedestal of which, crowned with a handsome urn is a Latin
inscription.  On the north side the yard is a tomb in memory of William
Congreve, esq. formerly lieutenant-colonel of the 17th foot, and his
relict Jane.  This gentleman was a descendant of the ancient family which
gave birth to our celebrated dramatic writer, while his lady, a Waller,
was sprung from that of elegant poet of Beaconsfield.  The grave stone of
William White, who was a quarter-master of horse in the reign of William
III. bears the following lines:

    In Irish wars I fought for England’s glory;
    Let no man scoff at telling of the story:
    I saw great Schomberg fall, likewise the brave St. Ruth,
    And here I come to die, not there in my youth.
    Thro’ dangers great I’ve passed many a storm;
    Die we must all as sure as we are born.



_PROTESTANT DISSENTERS_.


IT is always painful to men of sober and moderate principles, to recur to
the Act of Uniformity, which in Bartholomew’s day, 1662, drove from their
livings at least 2000 clergymen, “many of them distinguished by their
abilities and zeal,” to seek subsistence from the charity of friends, and
consolation in times of oppression from the calm testimony of a good
conscience.  To this act however, Shrewsbury is indebted for its first
regular dissenting church.  The place where they assembled is called


The Presbyterian Chapel.


This congregation was founded by Mr. Bryan and Mr. Tallents, the
ministers ejected from St. Chad’s and St. Mary’s.  It was destroyed in
1715, by a mob, soon after the accession of the House of Hanover, and was
rebuilt by government.  It stands on the north side of the High Street,
and is a plain building of brick, neatly fitted up.  It is now used by a
respectable congregation of Unitarian Dissenters.  Minister, the Rev. G.
Case.

In the year 1766, a disagreement took place among the congregation
frequenting the Presbyterian chapel, relative to the choice of a
minister, in consequence of which, they separated, and a part of them
erected a new chapel.  It is called


The Independent Chapel,


Situate on Swan Hill, and is a commodious brick erection of an oblong
form.  It has a numerous and very respectable society.  On the north side
is a vestry.  A neat stone tablet on the front bears the following
inscription:

                          THIS BUILDING WAS ERECTED
                              IN THE YEAR 1767,
                        FOR THE PUBLIC WORSHIP OF GOD
                            AND IN DEFENCE OF THE
                             RIGHTS OF MAJORITIES
                    IN PROTESTANT DISSENTING CONGREGATIONS
                        TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN MINISTERS.

                        Minister, the Rev. T. Weaver.



The Methodist Chapel,


Called also St. John’s Chapel, is situate on St. John’s Hill, and
previous to the erection of a house in front of part of it, was a great
ornament to the street.  It is a neat and extensive brick building of an
oblong form, and is calculated to accommodate a large congregation.
Behind the chapel is a vestry, in which are placed the stairs leading to
the pulpit, which in consequence, has rather a novel appearance to a
stranger, no steps being visible in the chapel.  The congregation is
numerous and respectable.


The Baptist Chapel


Is in Dog Lane; with a well-finished interior, it is, perhaps, from the
awkward situation of the pulpit and its extreme lowness, one of the most
unpleasant chapels in the town, especially when crowded, which is often
the case on particular occasions.  It is a plain respectable brick
building, and has a numerous congregation.  The Baptists were established
here in 1780.


The Quaker’s or Friends Meeting House


Is situate on St. John’s Hill, and, like the respectable body who
assemble within its walls, is a plain unadorned building.

The SANDEMANIANS and WELSH METHODISTS, also have Chapels in Hill’s Lane;
and the ROMAN CATHOLICS a neat one near the Town Walls at the back of the
Lion Inn.



CHARITABLE ERECTIONS & INSTITUTIONS.


The Free Schools.


EDUCATION is, in the British empire, an object of national concern.  Our
various universities and public schools are splendid monuments of the
attention paid by our ancestors to the important object of training and
enlightening the youthful mind.  The provision made for the support of
these establishments, especially in England and Ireland, is, generally
speaking, munificent.  At the same time, it is not sufficient to afford a
temptation to the indulgence of idleness, by the conversion of
respectable offices into sinecures.  The dignity hence accruing to their
teachers and professors, invests them with high authority, and imparts
additional weight to their instructions; while the respect in which they
are habitually held by long established prescription, gives a powerful
sanction to the system of their discipline.

This observation applies with peculiar force to the munificent edifice of
the Royal Free School of King Edward VI. which is situate at the northern
extremity of Castle Street.  Its erection was completed in 1630, the
ancient school-room, which was composed of timber, having been removed in
order to the completion of the present spacious and convenient structure
of free-stone.  The building surrounds two sides of the court with a
square pinnacled tower in the angle.  In the centre of the front is a
gateway, adorned on each side with a Corinthian column, very rudely
designed, upon which stand the statues of a scholar and a graduate,
bareheaded, and in the dress of the times.  Over the arch is a Greek
sentence from Isocrates,

                       ’Εὰν ῆς φιλομαθὴς ἔσῃ πολυμαθής.

Importing that a love of literature is necessary to the formation of a
scholar.  Above are the arms of Charles I.  The ground floor on one side
the gateway, contains a room originally used as an accidence school; on
the other the third master’s house, now given to the head master, who
places his assistant in it.  In the middle story are comprised the
lodging rooms of the assistant’s house, and the lower master’s apartment,
which for many years has been converted into a writing school.  The
principal school room, which occupies the upper story, is 80 feet by 21.

The chapel is on the ground floor of the other part of the building, and
is divided from the anti-chapel by a handsome open screen of oak, richly
embellished with grotesque carving, as are the pulpit and bible stand.
The ceiling is adorned with a variety of foliage, devices, and rebusses,
preserved from the ruins of St. Alkmond’s Church.  The arms of the first
and present masters are placed along the middle.  Prayers are read here
twice on school days, by the head master, who is chaplain and catechist,
for which he has a distinct salary of £20 a year.

Over the chapel, and of the same size, is the library, which contains a
most valuable collection of books, and in size and decoration is in no
respect inferior to the majority of those in the Universities.  A half
length of Henry VIII. and his son Edward VI. when a boy; a full length of
an Admiral in the dress of Charles II. reign, probably Benbow, together
with five portraits of head masters, ornament the walls.  In this room
are also preserved three sepulchral stones discovered at Wroxeter.

A small museum is separated from the lower end of the room, in which are
some Roman antiquities, chiefly from Wroxeter, with a few fossils and
other natural curiosities.  Among the latter, is the dried body of a
sturgeon, caught in 1802, in a weir adjoining the island, a quarter of a
mile below the castle.  When alive, it weighed 192 pounds, and was 9 feet
long and 3 feet 4 inches round.

In front of the schools on the town side, is a play ground enclosed from
the street by iron railing, and a considerable piece of ground is used
for a similar purpose at the back, which opens to the country and is
entirely secluded from the town.  Two large houses most delightfully
situated contiguous, belong to the masters, with every accommodation for
boarders.  The revenues are very handsome, and are derived chiefly from
the tithes of a number of townships in the parishes of St. Mary and St.
Chad, and the whole rectory of Chirbury, which were granted by King
Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth.

This seminary has been long celebrated for the erudition of its scholars.
Under the “excellent and worthie” Thomas Ashton, it flourished eminently.
At one period he had 290 pupils, among whom we notice Sir Henry Sydney,
whose son, the heroic Sir Philip Sydney, laid here the seeds of that
exemplary friendship with the celebrated Sir Fulk Greville, Lord Brook,
which he maintained through the whole of his short but splendid career.
Beside these, the noted Jeffries, Lord Chief Justices Jones and Price;
Drs. Bowers and Thomas, Bishops of Chichester and Salisbury; the Rev.
John Taylor, L.L.D. and the celebrated Dr. Waring, received their
education here.  Nor does the present character of the school fall short
of that distinguished pre-eminence which it formerly sustained.  Under
the judicious direction of the learned Dr. Butler, it is in a flourishing
state.  Not only do the children of the principal families in the
adjacent counties and North Wales, receive the rudiments of their
learning here, but also those of many families of distinction from
distant parts of the empire.  The appointment of master rests solely in
the fellows of St. John’s College, Cambridge; that of ushers and the mode
of instruction is vested in the head master.


The House of Industry.


This handsome brick building, situated on the opposite side of the river
to the Quarry, was erected in 1765, as a Foundling Hospital, at an
expence of £12,000.  Numbers of children were sent here from London, and
placed out at nurse during their infancy with the neighbouring cottagers,
under the superintendance of the surrounding gentry.  When arrived at a
proper age, they were brought into this house and employed in various
branches of a woollen manufactory, and afterwards apprenticed to various
individuals.  About 1774, however, the governors finding their funds
inadequate to the support of the charity, the house was shut up; and a
few years after was rented by government, who in the American war used it
as a place of confinement for Dutch prisoners.

In 1784, an act of parliament was obtained to incorporate the five
parishes of Shrewsbury and Meole Brace, as far as related to their poor,
and to erect a general House of Industry.  The governors of the Foundling
Charity were glad of an opportunity to dispose of their erection at a
considerably reduced rate, and the building was accordingly purchased,
together with about twenty acres of land, for about £5,500, and it was
opened for the reception of paupers in December in that year.  For a
short period they were employed in the fabrication of woollen cloths, but
this being found injurious to the pecuniary resources of the house, it
was discontinued, and at present their employment chiefly consists in
manufacturing the various articles of their clothing.  They breakfast,
dine, and sup in the dining hall, a very long room, the men, women, boys
and girls, being each placed at separate tables.  Divine service is
performed twice each Sunday, in a neat chapel parallel with the hall.
There is also an infirmary, where the sick and infirm are lodged in
proper wards, and attended to by nurses and the apothecary belonging to
the house.  The whole is under the management of twelve directors, chosen
from persons assessed in the associated parishes at £15. or possessed of
property to the amount of £30. per ann. who appoint a governor and
matron, to superintend the domestic economy of the establishment.

Mr. Nield, the worthy disciple of the philanthropic Howard, remarks of
this place, which he visited in 1807, “This House of Industry is
certainly a house of plenty, for the books every where, bear record of
good living, and the famous beef slaughtered here.  The average number in
the house is 340; the children delicate and pampered, from being
accustomed to abundance and variety of provisions, and comfortable rooms,
very dissimilar to the hardy peasant, and therefore ill calculated to
rear up useful assistances in the employments of agriculture, or to make
useful servants in this agricultural county.  They would prefer a race of
hardy lads, inured from their infancy to combat weather and temporary
want; whose nerves are strong by early exertions, and their
understandings furnished with some knowledge of rural life.”—Mr. Nield’s
extensive observation and experience, qualified him to judge of the most
proper aliment and employment of this class of persons, far better than
most of the directors and governors of similar institutions can
reasonably be expected to do; and as indulgence and plenty cannot be
supposed to be the portion of the children of the poor in their progress
through life, we may indulge a hope that the directors will speedily
devise some plan for the initiation of their young dependants into habits
of judicious labour and healthy abstinence.

Along the north front of the house is a beautiful gravel walk, from
whence the town is seen to great advantage.  On the right, the
Abbey-foregate, with its two venerable churches, various manufactories,
Lord Hill’s Column, and a great extent of fertile land, are seen backed
by the Wrekin, Haughmond Hill, &c.  In front, the river Severn flowing
close underneath, the beautiful verdure of the quarry, and the town,
present themselves; whilst on the left are descried a large portion of
this extremely fertile county, together with the distant Montgomeryshire
and Denbighshire hills.  This extensive prospect over the neighbouring
country, with the endless variety of scenes that present themselves to
the spectator are finely described in the following lines:

    Ever charming, ever new,
    When will the landscape tire the view?
    The fountain’s fall, the river’s flow,
    The wooded vallies warm and low;
    The windy summits wild and high
    Roughly rushing on the sky!
    The pleasing seat, the ruin’d tow’r,
    The naked rock, the shady bow’r
    The town and village dome and farm
    Each give each a double charm,
    As pearls upon an Ethiop’s arm.

                                                                     DYER.

It was from this house, that the benevolent but eccentric Mr. Day,
deluded by the fascinating eloquence Rosseau, selected two girls on whom
to try an experiment on female education, in which he proposed to unite
the delicacy of a modern female, with the bold simplicity of a Spartan
virgin, which should despise the frivolity and dissipation of the present
corrupted age.

Having obtained the object of his wishes, he repaired with them to
France, taking no English servant, in order that they might receive no
ideas but those which he chose to instil.  After spending about eight
months in France, he placed the one in a respectable situation in London,
and with his favourite actually proceeded some years in the execution of
his project; but experience and mature reflection at length convinced
him, that his theory of education was impractible, and he renounced all
hope of moulding his protegee after the model his fancy had formed.  He
therefore placed her in a boarding school at Sutton Coldfield, in
Warwickshire; and after completing her education, she resided some years
in Birmingham, and subsequently at Newport, in this county: and by her
amiable deportment secured a large circle of friends.  Mr. Day frequently
corresponded with her parentally.  In her 26th year she married Mr.
Bicknell, a gentleman who accompanied Mr. D. to Shrewsbury, at the
commencement of this singular experiment.


Salop Infirmary.


This noble asylum, situated in St. Mary’s Churchyard, was formed in the
memorable year 1745, for the accommodation and relief of the diseased and
indigent poor.  The munificence with which this excellent institution has
been supported by the inhabitants of the county at large, has enabled its
conductors to proceed upon the most liberal principles.  Admission is
given to the diseased from whatever quarter they may come, provided they
are recommended by a subscriber; but in case of sudden accident, this
recommendation is dispensed with.

It was opened in 1747, and has the honour of being one of the earliest of
similar erections, those of Bristol, Northampton, Winchester, and Exeter,
being the only provincial ones established prior thereto.  The building
is of brick with a stone portal, and the back windows, which look into
the country, command a varied and extensive prospect.  Considered with
respect to its internal cleanliness and economical management, and the
humane and skilful attentions of the medical gentlemen of the town, its
advantages are such as will vie with those of any similar provincial
institution, and are calculated to excite in the minds of the benevolent
and reflecting, feelings of the most compassionate regard and generous
sensibility.

Since its foundation, £126,671. 9_s._ 10_d._ in voluntary subscriptions
and benefactions, has been contributed for its maintenance and support.
By the last report it appears, that up to June 1822, 33,589 in-patients
have been received into the house, 18,373 have been cured, and 3,481
relieved; also 52,142 out-patients, of whom 37,720 have been cured, and
4,877 relieved.

Besides the physicians and surgeons of the town who attend gratuitously,
a surgeon resides in the house, in order that medical aid may not be
wanting in cases of emergency.  The domestic economy is superintended by
a matron.  The pecuniary concerns are managed by a secretary, under the
inspection of a Board of Directors and deputy Treasurer.  A Treasurer
also is appointed annually from among the subscribers of five guineas and
upwards, and on the Friday in the Shrewsbury race week, a sermon is
preached by the chaplain, and a collection made for the benefit of the
charity, the plates being held by two ladies, supported by two gentlemen
of distinguished rank or opulence.  The clergy of the established church,
residing in the town, officiate in rotation weekly; two of the
subscribers also resident in Shrewsbury, are weekly appointed as house
visitors.


Millington’s Hospital


Stands in the suburb of Frankwell, and is so called from its benevolent
founder, the late Mr. James Millington, draper of Shrewsbury, who in
1734, bequeathed nearly the whole of his property to its erection.

The hospital is a respectable building of brick.  Over the pediment, in
the centre, is a turret, in which is a clock.  In this part is a chapel,
used also for a school room, and houses for the master and mistress.  On
each side are six small houses for the poor.

The will of Mr. Millington appointed a schoolmaster and mistress, who
have each a house and £40. per annum, and the master £10. additional for
keeping the accounts.  A chaplain, with a stipend of £25.  Twelve poor
men or women chosen from the single housekeepers of Frankwell, or the
part of St. Chad’s parish nearest to it, to each of whom is allotted an
apartment in the hospital, consisting of two comfortable rooms, a small
garden, a gown or coat, given on St. Thomas’s day, a load of coals on All
Saints’ day, and an allowance of £6. per annum.  Gowns or coats and
40_s._ each, are also dispensed every year to ten poor single
housekeepers resident in Frankwell, and when a vacancy happens in the
hospital, the person who has longest received the garments is elected to
it.  The hospitallers and out-pensioners have also two twopenny loaves
weekly.  Twenty poor boys and as many poor girls, born in Frankwell, are
completely clothed twice annually, and receive their education in the
hospital.  When arrived at the age of fourteen, the boys are apprenticed,
£7. 10_s._ is given with each, and £2. 10_s._ is expended in cloathing:
£5. is also presented to those, who at the expiration of their first
year’s apprenticeship, can bring a certificate of their good behaviour.
The girls are allowed £5. on going out apprentices.

Two exhibitions of £40. a year each are founded for students of St.
Magdalen’s College, Cambridge.  Those who have been originally scholars
on the hospital foundation, claim the preference, or one born in
Frankwell, and educated in the free grammar school is most eligible.


Allatt’s School


Was erected in 1800, at the bottom of Swan Hill, pursuant to the will of
the late Mr. John Allatt, formerly chamberlain to the corporation of
Shrewsbury.

The structure is of free-stone, and contains two houses for the master
and mistress, connected with the school rooms by arcades.  It cost about
£2000, erected from a plan by Mr. Haycock.  The interest of the residue
of Mr. Allatt’s property, maintains a schoolmaster and mistress, and
educates twenty poor boys, and as many girls, whose parents have not
received parochial relief.  The children are taught reading, writing, and
arithmetic, and the girls sewing; they are cloathed once a year, and at a
proper age apprenticed.  Twenty coats and eighty good stuff gowns are
also distributed annually, to that number of poor old men and women.


Bowler’s School,


In the Back Lane, near the Wyle Cop, is a plain brick building, founded
in 1724, pursuant to the will of Mr. Thomas Bowdler, alderman and draper,
for instructing, cloathing, and apprenticing poor children, of the parish
of St. Julian.  The dress is blue.


Public Subscription Charity School


Was erected near the Abbey church, in 1778.  The institution is supported
by voluntary subscription, and children from every part of the town, boys
as well as girls are admissible.  The system of instruction pursued is
that of Dr. Bell, the master having a salary of £40. and the mistress
£30.  The dress of the children is brown, and hence it is sometimes
called the brown school.  The number in the school at the date of the
last report, June 1822, were, boys 190—girls 150.


Royal Lancasterian School.


This edifice was built in 1812, in consequence of a lecture delivered on
the subject of Education, by the celebrated Joseph Lancaster, at the Town
Hall, in Shrewsbury.  As its name imports, the system of instruction is
that of Mr. Lancaster.  There is one apartment for boys and one for
girls, to each of which children are admitted, on being recommended by
subscribers.  It is supported by voluntary subscriptions and donations.
Number of boys 260; girls 217.


St. Chad’s Alms-Houses.


    “This yeare 1409, one Bennett Tupton, being a common Beere Bruar, and
    dwellinge in St. Chadd’s Churche Yarde in Shrousberie, now called the
    Colledge, founded the Almeshouses in the sayde St. Chadd’s Churche
    Yarde in Shrousberie, beinge then a man at that tyme of 60 yeares of
    age.”

Originally they were 13 in number, but not having any funds, two are
fallen to decay.  The present allowance to the poor is about 16s. per
annum, including 2_s._ 2_d._ paid by the company of mercers.


St. Mary’s Alms-Houses,


Situate at the western end of St. Mary’s church-yard, were founded 1460,
by Degory Watur, draper.  They are 16 in number, extremely wretched and
filthy in appearance, and dangerous and unwholesome from their smallness,
each having only a single apartment 11 feet by 8, without any outlet.
The centre house, originally inhabited by the founder, and called the
hall, is larger than the others, and has a wooden porch, on which is a
painting of Watur and his wife, and on the front is the effigy of King
Edward IV.  The poor people, who must be parishioners of St. Mary’s, have
each £2. 6_s._ 10½_d._ allowed them annually, by quarterly payments from
the draper’s company, and an upper garment once in two years.


St. Giles’ Alms-Houses,


Near St. Giles’ church, in the Abbey Foregate.  The houses are four in
number.  The residents in them are nominated by the earl of Tankerville,
who allows them 1_s._ 6_d._ per week, with a quantity of coals and an
upper garment annually.


Sick Man’s Friend and Lying-In Charity.


The objects of this Institution, which was begun in 1810, are the relief
of the diseased, and of poor married women in childbed, at their own
houses; who not only receive medical assistance, if necessary, but the
use of bed linen, food and every other necessary that their situation
requires.  The meetings of the Committee are held at the Independent
Chapel, on Swan-hill.


Samaritan Society & Lying-In Charity,


Is similar in its objects and institution to the former.  Its operations
commenced in 1814, and the meetings of its Committee are held in the
vestry of St. John’s Chapel.


Ladies’ Charity,


Was instituted in 1814, by some benevolent females, solely for the
purpose of assisting poor married women with cloathing, food, and other
necessaries requisite for their situation.  The meetings of the Committee
are held in the vestry of St. Chad’s church.

The extensive scale on which the three last named charities are
conducted, and the liberality with which their benefits are dispensed, to
the deserving poor, place them among the first charitable institutions
which so much distinguish the town of Shrewsbury.  Their operations are
confined to no sect or party, and they design nothing but the purest
philanthropy.  Their laudable plans are promoted by the individual
exertions and charitable subscriptions of the members, each of whom pay
2_s._ per quarter and upwards.  The number of the members is about 300.
No public buildings are connected with these praise-worthy
establishments, the present mode of relief being considered superior to
those of an hospital.


Shrewsbury General Sunday School


Is held in the large room in the linen manufactory in Coleham.  The order
and regularity observed in this institution has been noticed by strangers
from distant parts of the kingdom.  Its numbers according to the last
report were boys 215, girls 247.  In addition to this, a separate room is
allotted to the instruction of Adult scholars, whose number is 44.  The
whole are taught reading and writing.


Swan Hill Sunday School


Is a similar institution and similarly conducted.  The number of scholars
are, boys 96, girls 104.

Besides this, St. Chad’s Boys Sunday School, has about 100 boys, under
the superintendance of its committee.


St. Mary’s Sunday and Day School


Is held in the chapel of St. Mary’s church.  The children are taught
reading and writing; their number is about 162.


St. Chad’s Ladies’ School.


This is carried on in that part of St. Chad’s old church which escaped
entire destruction.  It is a most praise-worthy establishment, and is
superintended by many respectable ladies of St. Chad’s parish, who devote
a considerable portion of their time in furtherance of this object of
their anxious solicitude.

The latter institutions deserve the close inspection of the benevolent
and humane.  The recurrence of stated days, on which the well-ordered
artizan and peasant, emerging from the dirt and impurities of their
vocations, to practice the virtue of cleanliness, produces an easy
association between a sense of self-decency, and the reverence due to the
service for which the sabbath is set apart.  To strengthen this feeling
and principle, becomes therefore an important object to all those
interested in the good order, peace and happiness of the people of the
British empire; and to enfix it as deeply as possible, the impression
cannot be made too early.


Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.


In conjunction with this excellent institution, a District Society has
been established here for the purpose of co-operating with the Society at
Bartlett’s Buildings, in the distribution of Bibles, Testaments, Prayer
Books, and other religious books and tracts.  The praise-worthy objects
of the Society are supported by some of the most respectable and opulent
residents in the county.—Secretary, the Rev. Archdeacon Owen, M.A.,
F.A.S.


Shropshire Bible Society


An auxiliary Bible Society, to co-operate with the British and Foreign
Bible Society, in London, was instituted here on the 11th of November,
1811.  The late Rev. Francis Leighton, explained to the meeting, summoned
on this occasion, the nature and objects of this charity.  A number of
liberal donations were offered, and an extensive annual subscription
entered into.  The important object of this society, as its name imports,
is, the gratuitous distribution of the scriptures among the poor
inhabitants, and also by its contributions, to aid the noble design of
the parent society in translating the Bible into all languages which are
represented by letters, and to circulate them throughout the earth.  The
Rev. Archdeacon Corbett is the president, and the annual meeting is held
on the first Wednesday in July.



REMAINS OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS.


The Council House


Received its name from having been the residence of the Court of the
Marches of Wales; for though their principal abode was at Ludlow, they
were accustomed to hold one term in the year at this place, for the
convenience of suitors, and another at Bewdley, and sometimes at
Hereford.

The house is in the immediate vicinity of the castle (in the outer court
of which, it is supposed to have been built,) on a steep bank overhanging
the river.  The entrance to it from the town is by a venerable timber
gate-house, the ornaments of which have lately been plastered over.  The
great hall and chamber, which were the only apartments not _modernized_,
have just (1815) been pulled down and rebuilt, and the rich old
chimney-piece which stood in the hall, in the centre of which were the
arms of Owen of Condover, has been removed to that venerable mansion.
Charles I. kept his court here, as also did James II. in 1687.


St. Nicholas’s Chapel


Is still standing in part on the left hand entrance to the council house,
and is now used as a stable.  The building consisted of a nave and
chancel without aisle; the former is nearly perfect, and there is no
doubt, but that its erection is of great antiquity.  The whole length is
50 feet, the breadth 19 feet.


Austin’s Friars.


The convent of the Eremites of St. Augustine, stood at the bottom of
Barker-Street {89}, near the river.  A small part only remains, little of
it being to be seen excepting the shell of a large building of red stone,
with two pointed arched door ways.  It is now used as a tan-house.


Franciscan Friary.


The house of the Franciscan or Grey Friars, stood under the Wyle Cop, on
the banks of the Severn.  A part of this friary still remains, converted
into houses.  A large stone coffin lies in the garden of an old timber
house, erected soon after the dissolution.


Dominican Friary.


Scarcely a fragment of this friary now remains.  It is supposed to have
occupied nearly the whole of the meadow between the Water-lane-gate and
the English Bridge.

The lady of king Edward IV. twice lay in at this convent, and was
delivered of Richard and George Plantagenet.  The former perished in the
tower with his unfortunate elder brother, in the subsequent reign, by the
machinations of his cruel uncle Richard.  Prince George died young.



PLACES OF AMUSEMENT.


The Theatre.


THIS building, if we may credit the affirmation of Phillips, is part of
the ancient palace of the princes of Powisland; who in their frequent
transactions with the sovereigns of England, often resided at Shrewsbury.
John de Charlton, who married an heiress of the line of Powis, obtained a
license in 1308, to embattle this mansion, and hence it acquired the name
of Charlton Hall.  In 1445, Henry Gray, Earl of Tankerville and of Powis,
granted the premises to Thomas Bromley; from whom, twenty-five years
after, they were demised to Nycholas Warynge, of Salop, merchant of the
staple of Calais.  After various changes and transfers, it became the
property of the Waring family.

The ancient boundary walls of this mansion, inclosed all the space
contained between Cross Hill, St. John’s Hill, Murivance, or Swan Hill,
and Shoplache.  The house doubtless formed one, if not two quadrangles,
which may still be traced.  The most considerable remnant is a building
of red stone, in length 100 feet, and in breadth 31 feet, which is the
present Theatre.  The side next the street has been plastered and washed
with stone colour, to give it the semblance of a modern front; but
surely, nothing was ever so disgraceful to the town as its present
appearance, especially when considered as a public building.  The other
side exhibits the original walls with some blocked-up pointed arches, and
other features of high antiquity.  It is probable, that in the old
edifice, this part was the great chamber, appointed according to the
usage of the times, for receiving company, and occasionally for
exhibiting shows and interludes.  The interior being now fitted up as a
modern Theatre, retains few of its original appurtenances, except the
remains of a small spiral stone staircase.  It consists of a pretty roomy
pit, a ground tier of boxes, with upper side boxes, and a tolerably
spacious gallery.  The stage is well adapted to the size of the place,
and the decorations are in the usual style of provincial playhouses.  The
same remark may apply to the performers, who are, generally of that
middling class, which consists of persons in their first career to
excellence, and of others that have got half-way, and remain stationary.
The taste of the Salopians being rather of the retired kind, which
delights most in domestic society, does not contribute much to encourage
dramatic exhibitions, and the house is scarcely ever crowded, except
during the race week, and in the summer visits of the London performers.
The audiences, however, if not numerous, are select; and it may be
mentioned to their honour, that they never tolerate any thing that
borders on buffoonery and indecorum.  One of their most favourite plays,
for obvious reasons, is the first part of Henry IV. and when Jack
Falstaff talks of having fought Hotspur “a full hour by Shrewsbury
clock,” he never fails to draw down a thunder of applause.


Assembly Room.


An elegant apartment erected for this polite amusement, at the back of
the Lion inn, and is extremely commodious, having a gallery for the
musicians at the northern end.  The dancing and card assemblies commence
in the month of September, and are held generally once a month.  The town
and neighbourhood of Shrewsbury furnishing a variety of genteel society,
they are generally attended by a very numerous and respectable company.
They are supported by subscription.


The Circus


Is a spacious brick erection, near the Welsh Bridge.  It was built in
1821 by Mr. Newton, and as its name imports, is used principally as a
Theatre for the display of Equestrian performances.  It is spacious and
commodious, and well calculated for Pantomimical exhibitions.


Races.


The Horse Races continue for three days, and take place in the month of
September.  On these days a great number of plates, sweepstakes and
matches are run for; the course is at Bicton Heath, about two miles west
of the town, where booths are erected for the use of spectators.  The
gentlemen who are annually appointed stewards, generally being persons of
property and influence, the races are well attended, not only by the
population of the neighbourhood, but also by many families of the first
respectability from distant parts of the kingdom.


Fishing.


The Severn is celebrated for the excellency of its salmon, which was
formerly in such abundance at Shrewsbury, that it was made an article in
the indentures of apprentices, that they were not to be obliged to eat it
oftener than two days in a week.  Of its superabundance the inhabitants
cannot at least now complain, little being to be purchased under 2s. 6d.
per pound, and that but seldom.

Besides Salmon, the river Severn contains twenty-one other sorts of fish,
the chief of which are flounders, pike, trout, perch, eels, shad, carp,
lamperns, and lampreys.  The two latter are found in many other rivers,
but none are so much valued as those taken out of the Severn, from whence
they are sent to many parts of England.  Lampreys are a delicious dish,
but unwholesome if eaten in great quantities: of which we have an
instance in the death of Henry I. who died in consequence of eating too
plentifully of this fish.

Nor is it in the Severn alone that the angler will find amusement, Meole
and Condover brooks affording excellent trout, and the river Tern, a
great variety of delicate fish.  Each of these streams are within a short
distance of the town.


Bowling Greens.


Of this most healthful species of amusement Shrewsbury cannot boast;
however, the pleasant villages of Meole, distant one mile, and Uffington,
distant three miles and a half, furnish two very excellent greens, and
where the pedestrian will be well accommodated and attended to, after the
fatigues of his walk.

               [Picture: Image of house with lawn in front]



PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS.


Water.


WITH this most necessary article Shrewsbury is abundantly supplied, and
it is also of a most excellent quality.  The first we shall notice, is
that which is chiefly used for drinking, and is obtained from the


Conduits,


which are placed in several situations about the town for the general
convenience of the inhabitants.  The spring which supplies these
fountains, rises at _Broadwell_, in a field near Crow-Meole, about two
miles from the town.  The work of conducting it to town in leaden pipes,
was completed about 1574; a reservoir was placed under a shop in the
Butcher Row in 1743, but was afterwards removed to Claremont Hill, and on
the demolition of the town-walls, for the purpose of erecting the new
church of St. Chad on its site, the lodge opposite the Quarry-keeper’s
house, at the top of the centre walk of that beautiful promenade, was
built for this purpose.


Severn Water.


The reservoir for this water is in a large cistern near the butter
market, from whence it is conveyed to almost all the inhabitants by means
of lead pipes, for which they pay in proportion to the quantity of water.
The water is forced up to this reservoir by means of a large wheel placed
at the English or East Bridge, but in consequence of the frequent
fluctuations of the Severn, it is probable that six months out of the
twelve, the town is destitute of this supply, and whatever quantity may
be wanted for culinary and other purposes is carried from the river.  It
is much to be wished, that the present waterworks were removed, not only
on account of the deformity which they give to the noble appearance of
the bridge; but the water which is sent to the reservoir after running
nearly round the town and receiving all its filth, would by the removal
of the works to Cotton Hill, and the erection of a steam engine, be
distributed to the inhabitants in a more regular manner, and in a much
purer state.


Baths.


There are two cold baths, one in Kingsland and the other in the suburb of
Abbey Foregate, but neither of them can be recommended as possessing
suitable accommodations, especially when compared with those of other
places.


The Quarry.


This beautiful walk is on the western side of the town near the church of
St. Chad; it occupies a rich meadow of about twenty acres gradually
sloping to the river, and is supposed to have obtained its name from a
small quarry of soft red sand-stone, which was formerly procured here,
and with which some of the ancient buildings were no doubt erected.  The
lower walk which skirts the river, is 540 yards in length, shaded with
lime trees, planted by Henry Jenks, Esq. in the year of his mayoralty,
1719.  Three walks lead from the town to that on the bank of the Severn,
and two others formerly crossed the entrance.

Few promenades in the kingdom can vie with the Quarry, particularly in
the spring of the year, when it displays all its pride of beauty.  Its
spacious fields carpeted with grass, thickly studded with the golden hue
of the butter cup, and the silvery tinge of the modest daisy—its noble
trees clothed with leafy verdure of various hues, and protecting the
pedestrian from the piercing rays of the sun—the Severn rolling its broad
and majestic stream along—whilst the feathered songsters carol their
notes to the God of nature, altogether present a lovely picture of rural
happiness.  Nor is the Quarry at “the fall of the leaf” when nature
unburdens herself of her lovely mantle, unworthy the contemplation of the
reflecting mind.

    The fading foliage of th’ embrowning grove,
    (Which oft has listened to the voice of love,)
    In mournful junction with the shortning day,
    Reminds us of the circling year’s decay:
    While the fleet, whistling winds, dismantling, tear
    Each tree’s green honours to the chilling air,
    Thence to descend, and in man’s footsteps lie
    A just memento of mortality.

In the 16th century, it appears that Shrewsbury was the scene of
theatrical representations.  Julian the apostate, was performed here in
1565, and two years afterwards, the Passion of Christ, to see which queen
Elizabeth is said to have come as far as Coventry, but on learning that
its representation was over, returned to London.  The particular spot
which formed the rural theatre, was at the top of the rope walk in the
Quarry.  The ground which forms a gentle acclivity, was cut into the form
of an amphitheatre, the seats of which may still be traced in the bank.

Beside this, which is the chief walk, the town and neighbourhood furnish
such a variety of picturesque and pleasing promenades as are equalled
perhaps by few in the kingdom.



MANUFACTORIES.


ALTHOUGH Shrewsbury is not distinguished by its spirit of commercial
enterprise, its contiguity to the Principality, the facilities which it
possesses for the importation and exportation of goods, by means of its
noble river and canals, and its situation as the capital of an extensive
and populous county, combine to give to it many advantages over a variety
of places equally insular.  Its fabrication of threads, linen cloths, &c.
&c. stand unrivalled; whilst the more common articles of domestic life
are executed in a stile of neatness, certainly equal, if not superior, to
those of any other place of similar size.  The following are the
principal, which we can do little more than enumerate.

Messrs. BENYONS’ MANUFACTORY is built on the north bank of the Severn,
near the prison.  The articles manufactured here consist of linen yarns,
cloths, canvas, and threads.  The building was erected in 1804.  The
process of making the various articles, is carried on by upwards of 400
hands, and the whole machinery, which is of wonderful construction, is
worked by the solemn and stupendous action of a steam engine of 55 horse
power, which keeps in continual motion upwards of 3000 spindles.

A short distance from the former stands the FACTORY of Messrs. MARSHALL
and Co. who manufacture similar articles, the whole of whose machinery is
also worked by the powerful agency of steam.

Of a like description is that also of Mr. BAGE, in Coleham.  The other
establishments are HAZLEDINE’s, and GITTINS and CARTWRIGHT’s IRON
FOUNDRIES, the BREWERY of JOHN HEATHCOTE and Co.—the FLANNEL FACTORIES of
Mr. BAKER and Mr. RAMSBOTHAM—and Mr. HILL’s SPIRIT DISTILLERY.

Nor will it be improper under this head, to mention some others, which,
although not strictly speaking, manufactures, do honour to the town, and
are worthy the early attention of strangers.  Among the first of these,
may be named BROCAS’s CHINA and GLASS REPOSITORY, in the Castle-street.
The splendid collection here exhibited of antique and foreign china,
together with the no less beautiful and admired specimens of the same
article, from the first manufactories of this kingdom, and the rich and
superb display of glass in an endless variety of patterns, as well for
use as ornament, cannot fail to prove a rich treat to the stranger.

BETTON and EVANS’s STAINED GLASS MANUFACTORY, where great improvements
have been made in that beautiful art.  The perfection at which they have
arrived, is truly astonishing, and they have the merit of approaching
nearest (and in some colours even surpassing) the brilliant tints of the
ancients.  That this eulogium is not undeserved, may be ascertained by
viewing the splendid windows executed by them for Lichfield cathedral, as
well as the specimens which may be inspected at their warehouse on Wyle
Cop.

The MARBLE ROOMS of Mr. CARLINE, sculptor, modeller, and marble mason,
Abbey Foregate; where a variety of marble chimney-pieces are exhibited,
in the Egyptian, Grecian, Gothic, and modern tastes, and in various
species of the most beautiful foreign and British marbles.  Marble tables
for halls, sideboards, &c. various figures in marble, bronze, artificial
stone, to support dials and lamps; statues, busts, &c. of excellent
execution.

            [Picture: Decorative image of a vase with flowers]



MARKETS.


THE markets of Shrewsbury are plentifully supplied with the luxuries and
conveniences of life.  They are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  The
first is small; that on Saturday is, perhaps, not surpassed in the
display of eatables, by the market of any town of a similar size in the
kingdom.  Butcher’s meat is sold at the single and double rows on Pride
Hill, and at the Shambles in Fish-street.  Butter, Eggs, and Poultry of
every description at the Butter Market.  The green market is held in the
square before the town-hall, where there is generally a luxuriant supply
of vegetables, and of extremely early production.  Wheat and all sorts of
grain are disposed of in the market-house.  With milk the inhabitants are
tolerably well supplied by persons of the town who keep cows expressly
for the purpose; but “art, ever jealous of nature, and benevolently
careful of the stomachs of the inhabitants, has, by the application of a
certain useful element, wisely deprived it of its luxuriant richness.”

The Fish market is well supplied.  Not only the Severn salmon, which is
caught at their doors, but a very considerable quantity of different
descriptions of the finny tribe from Wales, are regularly exposed for
sale at tolerably moderate prices.  For its excellent brawn, Shrewsbury
has long been distinguished.


Fairs.


Fairs are held here on the second Tuesday and Wednesday in every month.



MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES AND REFERENCES.


Inns and Taverns.


THE LION INN, on Wyle Cop, is kept by Mr. Tompkins.  For elegant
accommodation and the greatest attention, it is not surpassed.  The
London, Holyhead, Newtown, and Ludlow mails run to this house; also
coaches regularly from hence to London, Holyhead, Worcester, Hereford,
Bath, Cheltenham, Birmingham, Chester, Liverpool, Manchester, and all
parts of the kingdom.

THE TALBOT INN, in Shoplatch, is kept by Mr. Jobson.  Extensive premises
with requisite accommodations.  Coaches run from this house similarly to
those from the Lion.

THE RAVEN INN, in Castle-street.  A spacious and convenient house, with
excellent accommodation.  As a house frequented by commercial gentlemen,
it ranks first in the town.

THE RAVEN AND BELL INN, on the Wyle Cop, has extensive and good
accommodations for travellers, and is well frequented.

THE CROWN INN, near the Butter Cross, is centrically situated, and
travellers meet with civility and attention.

Besides these, there are numerous others, which cannot here be detailed,
but in all of them of respectable name, the stranger will experience a
civility and attention which in houses of this description are not in all
places to be met with.


Public Offices.


THE POST OFFICE is kept in Dogpole.  It opens at seven in the morning and
closes at nine at night, and is shut during divine service on Sundays.
To London the mail goes out daily at eleven o’clock (except Saturday.) To
Holyhead and Ireland every evening at three o’clock.  To Ludlow,
Hereford, and South Wales every morning at eleven.  To Chester, through
Ellesmere and Wrexham every evening at three o’clock.  To Pool, and all
Merionethshire, (except Bala and Corwen) Aberystwith, every evening about
half past three o’clock, and to Whitchurch, Wem, Hawkstone, Prees, and
Malpas, every evening by horse post, soon after the arrival of the London
mail.  THE STAMP OFFICE is kept in the Corn Market, as is also the SALOP
FIRE OFFICE.  The COLLECTOR’S OFFICE for the receipt of the excise
duties, is held in Barker Street.  The CLERK OF THE PEACE’S OFFICE is at
the Town Hall.


Bankers.


Messrs. Beck, Dodson, Eatons and Beck, draw on Masterman and Co.

Messrs. Burton, Lloyd, Lloyd, and Salt, draw on Stephenson, Remmington,
and Co.

Messrs. Rocke, Eyton, Campbell, and Bayley, draw on Robarts, Curtis, and
Co.

The banks are open every day from ten o’clock till four.


Newspapers.


Two weekly Newspapers are published here.

_Wednesday_,—The Salopian Journal, at the Office in the Corn Market.

_Friday_,—The Shrewsbury Chronicle, at the Office on St. John’s Hill.


Stage Coaches.


The number of coaches precludes our specifying each particularly, nor
indeed would it be of much avail for any length of time, as they change
so frequently.  The following directions, however, give every necessary
information to the stranger in the choice of his conveyance to any part
of the kingdom.

                      _From the LION COACH OFFICE_.

_Mail Coaches_ to London, Holyhead, Hereford, Chester, Newtown, and all
the intermediate places.  _Stage Coaches_ to London, Holyhead,
Manchester, Liverpool, Hereford, Bristol, Bath, Birmingham, Cheltenham,
Aberystwith, and the towns and villages on the road, daily.

                            _The TALBOT INN_.

_Stage Coaches_ run from this house to the places named before.

                           _The BRITANNIA INN_.

_Stage Coaches_ to London, Birmingham, and Aberystwith.


Stage Waggons.


_Waggons_ to London, Wolverhampton, Machynlleth, Dolgelley, and
Montgomeryshire, from _Crowley and Co._ Mardol.

_Waggons_ to Chester; Manchester, Ludlow, and Leominster, from _Maxon’s
Warehouse_, Mardol.

_Waggons_ to Aberystwith, Llangollen, Bala, Wem Wharf, (from whence goods
are conveyed by water to Liverpool, &c.) Holyhead, &c. from _Newton’s
General Waggon and Barge Warehouse_, Mardol Quay.


Water Conveyance.


_Barges_ go frequently (two or three in a week) for Bridgnorth,
Worcester, Gloucester, Chepstow, and Bristol, days uncertain, from the
warehouses of Owners _Harwood_, _Bratton_ and _J. Jones_, on Mardol Quay,
also from the _Union Wharf_, St. Mary’s Water Lane.


Hackney Chairmen.


_Hackney Chairs_, or as they are sometimes called _Sedans_, are to be had
for conveyance within the town at a moderate rate.


Friendly and Benefit Societies


Of these there are a great number in Shrewsbury, which assemble agreeably
to their rules at different public houses, and would be far too many for
enumeration here.  Suffice it to say that, the MASONIC SOCIETY, the most
respectable of them, assembles monthly on Mondays, at the Crown Inn.


Inland Navigation.


The Severn has its source from a chalybeate spring on the eastern side of
Plinlimmon, a mountain in Montgomeryshire, in North Wales, from whence
rushing down with a swift current, and being joined by many smaller
torrents, it presently appears considerable, and passing by Llanidloes
and Newtown, becomes navigable at Pool Quay, where the Vyrniew joins it
with a stream little inferior to its own; from thence proceeding gently
forward to Shrewsbury, which it surrounds nearly in the form of an
horseshoe, it flows on through a rich vale with many extensive windings,
till it comes to Benthall Edge, by the way receiving into it the river
Tern, which waters all the north of Shropshire.  Here the Severn begins
to be rapid, being pent up between two opposite hills, both very lofty
and steep; and from thence to Bridgnorth and Bewdley, the channel is
confined by high woody banks and rocky cliffs, which afford a variety of
beautiful prospects.  Afterwards it again glides pleasantly on through
the fertile plains of Worcestershire, visiting in its way the city
itself, and a little below is considerably augmented by the influx of the
river Teme.  This addition, however, is much inferior to that which it
receives from its junction with the river Avon, at Tewkesbury.  These two
rivers thus united, pursue their course to Gloucester, and about fifty
miles below that city are lost in the Bristol Channel.

This river, justly esteemed the second in Britain, is of great
importance, being navigated by vessels of large burden, more than 160
miles from the sea, without the assistance of any lock.  Upwards of
100,000 tons of coal are annually shipped from the collieries about
Madeley and Broseley, for the cities and towns situate on its banks, and
thence conveyed into the adjacent counties.  Great quantities of grain,
pig and bar iron, iron manufactures, Coalport china and earthenware, as
well as wool, hops, cyder, and provisions, are likewise continually sent
to Bristol and other places, from whence various kinds of goods are
brought in return.  In May, 1756, the number of Barges and Trows on the
river Severn navigating from Shrewsbury downwards to Bristol amounted to
376, and since that time, by the addition of the inland canals from the
Trent, the Mersey and the Thames, into the Stroud navigation, it may
fairly be calculated that not less than double that number are now
employed.


Shrewsbury Canal.


This canal commences on the north-east side of Shrewsbury, and winding
with the Severn passes Uffington, where it runs parallel with the river
Tern and passes Upton Forge, Withington, Roddington, where it crosses the
river Roden, also the river Tern, at Long Mill; passes Long, Eyton,
crosses Ketley Brook at Wrockwardine Wood, and there joins the Donnington
Wood and the Shropshire Canals.  The total length is 17½ miles; with 147
feet rise in the five miles between Long and Wombridge; the rest is
level.—The principal use of this canal is the conveyance of coals for the
consumption of Shrewsbury and the intermediate places, from the numerous
coal works in the eastern part of Shropshire, which furnish that article
of an excellent quality.  The best are delivered in Shrewsbury at about
15s. per ton.



_ENVIRONS OF THE TOWN_.


Sutton Spa.


QUITTING Shrewsbury by the suburb of Coleham, and proceeding for about a
mile along a narrow lane, we reach Sutton Spa.  Few countries in Europe
can boast of more medicinal or mineral waters than England, the virtues
of which have been well established, not from vulgar experience only, but
from the repeated examinations of the most skilful physicians.  The
uncommon frequency of the healing springs may rationally be attributed to
the lixivious quality of our rain water, to the variety of rich soils,
with the spoils of which, from their property of dissolving, they must be
fraught, and to the wonderful and inimitable chemistry of nature by which
they are so happily impregnated as to become the easiest and surest
remedies of the most grievous and otherwise incurable diseases.

For the following account of this Spa the author is indebted to a paper
drawn up by Dr. Evans, (now of Llwynygroes,) and inserted in the
Agricultural Survey of Shropshire by the Rev. Archdeacon Corbett:

    “Sutton Spa is situated about two miles south of Shrewsbury, on the
    slope of a gentle eminence, and close to a village of the same name.
    The spring issues from a rocky stratum of ash coloured clay, or
    argillaceous schistus, containing (as appears by its effervescence
    with nitrous acid) a small portion of lime.  Fresh from the spring,
    the Sutton water is clear and colourless, and exales a slightly
    sulphureous smell; which is most perceptible in rainy weather.  It
    sparkles little when poured into a glass, having no _uncombined_
    carbonic acid in its composition.  When first drawn its strong salt
    taste is evidently mixed with a chalybeate flavour; but the latter is
    wholly lost on exposure for a few hours, bubbles of air separating
    slowly, and a reddish sediment lining the sides and bottom of the
    vessel.

    “The Sutton water has by many been compared with that of Cheltenham,
    and supposed to contain nearly the same ingredients.  It bears,
    however, a much closer resemblance to sea-water, and has accordingly
    been found most beneficial in those cases for which sea-water is
    usually recommended.

    “In the case of scrophula, the superior merits of sea-water has been
    uniformly and universally acknowledged.  A similarity of ingredients
    would naturally lead us to expect similar effects from the Sutton
    water; and I am happy to bear testimony, that a twenty years practice
    at the Salop Infirmary, as well as in private practice, has furnished
    me with abundant proofs of its success in the treatment of
    scrophulous affections; and in addition to the properties possessed
    by the Sutton-spring in common with sea-water, it enjoys one evident
    advantage in containing iron. {108}

    “The air of Sutton, as might be expected from its open elevated
    situation, is dry and wholesome.  The site commands a rich and highly
    variegated prospect, bounded on one side by the magnificent group of
    Breyddin and Moel y Golfa, with a long range of Welsh mountains
    rising in full majesty behind them; and on the other by their no mean
    rivals, the Wrekin and Stretton Hills.  The view of Shrewsbury,
    betwixt the branches of the adjoining wood, particularly when the
    setting sun gilds every object with his mellowest light, is greatly
    and most deservedly admired.  The walk from Shrewsbury is pleasant
    and picturesque; and the neighbourhood of a reasonable and abundant
    market, can be considered as no trifling object, when compared with
    the extravagant prices and scanty accommodations of many of our
    remote watering-places.”

Since the before-named estimable and respectable physician drew up the
account (about 1801) of the Spa, from which the above is extracted, a
neat cottage and baths for hot and cold bathing have been erected by the
noble proprietor, provided with comfortable accommodations for invalids.
We cannot help thinking, that “while almost every fishing village on the
coast is preparing conveniences for sea-bathing, how desirable would it
be to extend similar advantages to the interior parts of the island,
where poverty or infirmity render it impossible to visit the distant
sea.”

The town is regained by a pleasant walk along the lane above the Spa,
which leads the tourist into the Abbey Foregate, very near to the column
erected in honour of Lord Hill.



Shelton Oak,


Stands about one mile and a half from Shrewsbury, just where the Pool
road diverges from that which leads to Oswestry.  This oak is remarkable,
as well for its size as its traditional history.  Owen Glyndwr is said to
have ascended it at the battle of Shrewsbury to reconnoitre; but finding
that the king had a numerous army, and that Northumberland had not joined
his son Hotspur, he fell back to Oswestry, and, immediately after the
battle, retreated precipitately into Wales.

The tree is now in a complete state of decay, even its larger
ramifications; and within the hollow of it at bottom six persons at least
may sit down and partake of refreshment.



Excursion to Haughmond Abbey and Uffington.


The pedestrian may, in this walk proceed either along the turnpike road
or by the side of the river; we shall make choice, however, of the
former, on account of its facility for the description of several
interesting objects which present themselves on the route.

Proceeding from the town through the suburb of Castle Foregate, we leave
the extensive linen factory of Messrs. Marshall, and Co. on the left, the
monotonous noise from the machinery of which is very agreeably relieved
by the pleasant and extensive view that presents itself, in conjunction
with the bleaching fields belonging to Messrs. Benyons’ factory on the
right, and renders the prospect extremely interesting.  At the distance
of one mile from the town, on the left, is the Old Heath.  Previous to
the erection of the present excellent prison, all condemned malefactors
expiated their offences by the sacrifice of their lives to the offended
laws of their country in a field which adjoins the road at this place.
Continuing our jaunt to the turnpike, and keeping to the right, at the
distance of about 2½ mites from Shrewsbury we reach Sundorn Castle, the
residence of Mrs. Corbet.  The landscape in travelling along this road is
exquisitely beautiful; rich corn fields and pastures demonstrate the
fertility of the soil, watered by the majestic stream of the Severn, with
a great number of rivulets which, descending from the uplands, pour their
tributary streams into that river; while the pleasant seats and farm
houses, thickly scattered through the scene in contemplation, and
surrounded by clumps of trees and copse wood, satisfy the spectator that
nature has not in this neighbourhood lavished her treasures in vain.

The elegant mansion of Sundorn was erected in the castellated style by
the late John Corbet, Esq.: Its site in a beautiful lawn, the venerable
appearance of the castle, the sloping banks which surround the large
sheet of water covered with plantations, the rich verdure of the
adjoining woods, numerous corn fields and pasture grounds tufted with
trees, the hedgerows and walks happily arranged, the bold appearance of
the castle on the adjoining hill, diversify the scene and render the
_tout ensemble_ extremely interesting.

Within the demesne of Sundorn, the remains of Haughmond Abbey are
situated.  Of the foundation of this once venerable pile there is now no
entire trace.  Of the Abbey-church, nothing remains but the south door of
the nave, a most beautiful and highly adorned round arch, resting on
slender shafts, between which on each side have been inserted a Gothic
tabernacle, inclosing statues of St. Peter and St. Paul.  The
chapter-house is entire; it is oblong, with the upper end forming two
sides of a hexagon.  The roof is of fine oak, and above has been another
story.  The entrance is by a richly decorated round arch, with a window
on each side, divided into two round arched compartments, by slender
short pillars.  The spaces between the shafts of these arches have Gothic
niches, and statues of the Virgin Mary, Gabriel, St. Catherine, St. John,
&c.  South of the chapter house, and opposite the site of the church, are
remains of the Refectory, and beyond a large building, consisting of a
spacious hall, eighty-one feet by thirty-six, lighted by Gothic windows
on each side, and a large one, once filled with tracery, at the west end.
On the north side is a curious antique fire-place.  Communicating with
this, at the eastern extremity, and at right angles, is another apartment
of nearly the same size, once evidently in two rooms.  At the south end
is an elegant bay window.  It is conceived this building formed the
abbot’s lodgings and hall.  The situation of the Abbey on a rising
ground, backed by a noble distant forest, commands a very rich and
extensive view of the great plain of Shrewsbury, with the town and
castle, enriched by mountainous tracts.

Proceeding from the Abbey along the bottom of the wood, and ascending the
hill, we reach a shooting box, erected in the form of an ancient turret,
by the late Mr. Corbet.  Near it Lord Douglas, in the battle of
Shrewsbury, was taken prisoner, in attempting to precipitate himself down
the steep, when his horse fell under him, and he received a severe
contusion on the knee.  On reaching the summit of this hill, the
traveller will enjoy a beautiful prospect.  His attention is lost in
variety; and his imagination for a while suspends its powers in
contemplating indiscriminately the vast but diversified assemblage.  In
this situation he will recollect with pleasure the animated lines of
Thomson, whose descriptive genius must continue to do honour to his
country, as long as taste and elegance are regarded.

    “Meantime you gain the height, from whose fair brow
    The bursting prospect spreads immense around,
    And snatch’d o’er hill, and dale, and wood, and lawn,
    And verdant fields, and darkening heath between,
    And villages embosom’d soft in trees,
    And spiring towns, by surging columns mark’d
    Of household smoke, your eye excursive roams,
    Wide stretching from the hall, {113} in whose kind haunt
    The hospitable genius lingers still,
    To where the broken landscape, by degrees
    Ascending, roughens into rigid hills.”

The spectator, if he has any taste for the sublime and beautiful in
nature, will find himself abundantly repaid for the labour of the ascent.
His eyes will wander with pleasure over the beautiful villas, the retreat
of the rich and affluent, diversified with woods and corn-fields, that
present themselves on the fertile plain adjoining the hill.  Immediately
before him, he will discover the ancient town of Shrewsbury, with its
lofty spires, its noble river and canal, whilst in the distance a range
of green mountains, interspersed with woods, that seem to be carelessly
scattered on their sloping sides, form a suitable background to this
picturesque and interesting scene.

Descending from the hill, we immediately reach the pleasant village of
Uffington, situated on the banks of the Severn, where at the Bowling
Green excellent accommodations will be met with.  From hence the canal
and river side afford a pleasant walk, which reconducts us to our
starting place—Shrewsbury.



Attingham Hall,


Distant about four miles on the London road, is built of beautiful free
stone, and is situated in a very extensive lawn on the banks of the river
Tern, over which is a handsome bridge erected by the late lord Berwick.
The south front, which is upwards of 365 feet in length, has an extremely
grand appearance; being decorated with lofty Ionic pilasters and a
magnificent portico.  The interior of the house has much to recommend it,
particularly its lofty and spacious hall, the entablature of which is
supported by Verd Antique Scaglioni columns, with statuary capitals and
bases.  The picture gallery is a spacious room 78 feet 6 inches long, by
25 feet 6 inches wide, and 24 feet high.  It contains many _chef
d’œuvres_ of the old masters, particularly some valuable ones by
Raffaello—Parmigiano—Paolo Veronese—Annibal
Caracci—Rubens—Vandyck—Poussin—Kuyp—the Ostade’s—Murillo—Salvator
Rosa—Berchem.  The walls of this elegant room are of a deep lake colour;
the ceiling supported by porphyry columns of the Corinthian order, the
capitals and bases of which are beautifully gilded.  Underneath the
cornice of this extensive room is a gold fringe of great depth.  The
floor is inlaid with rich Mosaic work, and the grand staircase is
finished in a corresponding style of magnificence.  The suite of drawing
rooms is superbly furnished with immense plate glasses and burnished gold
furniture, and the ceilings are richly gilt.  The boudoir is a beautiful
small circular room, the pannels of which are decorated by the pencil of
one of our first artists.  The library is in the west wing, and is a very
extensive and lofty room, the cornice is supported by rich Corinthian
pilasters; and besides a very valuable collection of books, it contains
several rare specimens of sculpture from the antique.  Among those most
worthy notice is a font {115} from Hadrian’s Villa; on the basso relievo
on its exterior the story of Narcissus is beautifully told.  A rich
candelabra from the antique, of exquisite workmanship, near ten feet
high—a fine colossal statue of Apollo Belvidere—a beautiful
Esculapius—with a splendid collection of Etruscan vases from Herculaneum,
busts, chimeras, &c. &c.  The rooms on the first floor correspond in the
grandeur and magnificence of their furniture with those on the ground
floor.

The house was built originally from a design by Mr. Stewart, but it has
lately undergone a very extensive alteration, under the superintendance
of Mr. Nash; the rich and costly carvings and ornamental furniture, were
executed by Mr. Donaldson, of Shrewsbury, whose correct taste in that
fine art is too well appreciated to need any eulogium here.

The situation of the house is healthy and delightful; and the grounds
contiguous thereto have lately been much improved.  The view of this
elegant seat, from the public road near the before-mentioned bridge has a
fine effect: its beautiful front—the extensive shrubberies—with the park
richly clothed with fine timber on the back ground, rising to a
considerable height above the mansion; whilst in the distance on the left
will be seen the pleasing village of Atcham—its parish church—and bridge,
present, even to the passing stranger, a very pleasing scene.  The
gardens, walks and pleasure grounds, are laid out with taste, and display
some very fine scenery.



Hawkstone,


The seat of the noble and celebrated family of the Hills, is situated on
the eastern border of the county, about 14 miles from Salop, and though
with regard to the surrounding country it may be said to stand on an
extensive plain, it in itself consists of a group of prominent and
astonishingly romantic rocks, forming by far one of the most attractive
features, not only of this, but perhaps, taken altogether, of any other
county.  To attempt a particular or even a general description, would
very far exceed the limits of our whole book, as a cursory inspection of
its wonders occupies a walk of several days.  General Paoli, who visited
this place before the late improvements, publicly declared that in all
his extensive travels, not even excepting Italy or Switzerland, there
were some scenes here that surpassed in grandeur any thing he had seen.—A
slight notice of some of its principal beauties will best become our
humble efforts in so limited a work.  The house, though spacious and
elegant, and not of very ancient erection, notwithstanding it is
embellished with some fine specimens of sculpture and painting, forms but
a small part of what is sought after here; the attractive powers of
Hawkstone consisting entirely in the enchantment of the surrounding
scenery.  Three or four massive rocks irregularly grouped, with their
fine wooded sides disclosing at intervals abrupt crags, towers, and
shelving precipices, with intermediate vallies of still seclusion and
spreading lawns of verdant freshness, together with many a broad expanse
of park, studded with luxuriant trees either grouped in groves, or single
in feathery fullness, the whole enlivened by inhabitants appropriate,
picture to the sight both at once and successively—scenes only equalled
and seldom surpassed, even in the poetic regions of luxuriant
romance.—The Grotto is approached through a stupendous natural chasm of
great length, and narrowing till but one person at a time can pass, while
over head the sky is just seen at a great height; a dark cavern is then
passed, and the sky is again for a moment seen, when entering another
cavern of complete darkness and gradual ascent, the grotto is, after
considerable, though perfectly safe wandering, entered: the first
appearance of this spacious cavern is truly sublime, as it is seen by the
glimmering light of variously stained glass, throwing its lurid and
sepulchral faintness on the massive pillars, till at length the grotto is
entered with all its brilliance: It consists of a very extensive
excavation, finely fretted to its termination with a profusion of rich
petrifactions, shells, and marine productions.  In one of its awful
recesses, through an iron grate, is seen the figure of a British Druid,
in complete costume, passing amid the massy pillars, in a dim and green
light.—After various windings, a door suddenly opens in the summit of the
precipice, where, over the shelving rocks below, and far above the
highest forests, a scene of magnificence bursts on the eye exceeding
almost conception.  This height is with some difficulty descended by
innumerable winding steps cut in the solid rock.

A SCENE in SWITZERLAND is presented here on the heathy summit of one of
the mountains, where a narrow plank bridge crosses a deep chasm, and
connects two rocks of terrific height and cragginess.

The terrace formed on the ridge of one of the hills, finely wooded, is
terminated by an octagon summer-house, that commands a prospect of
astonishing extent, from whence the bordering mountains of Wales, with
parts of no less than 13 counties, are distinctly enumerated.—Near this
place is a Column, 112 feet high, surmounted with a colossal statue of
sir Rowland Hill, the first protestant lord mayor of London, in 1550, the
3rd year of Edward VI.  In a most romantic glen, near this place, is an
Urn, erected by the late sir Richard Hill, purporting that it was the
hiding-place of one of his ancestors, during the civil wars of Edward I.
while his house was ravaged by the parliament soldiers; but that his son
speedily came to his assistance: the approach to and from it now is much
facilitated, without destroying the wildness of the scene, by extensive
passages and steps.  Beyond this is a well-stocked Menagerie of living
Animals, principally birds.—From hence, round the sudden and abrupt
corner of a rock, and through the cleft body of an old oak, is entered
one of the sweetest vallies imagination can tint, and most properly
called ELYSIUM: It is bounded completely by wooded and inaccessible
rocks, and can only be entered at this narrow passage, or at the extreme
termination of its extent, about half a mile.—On the most western of this
group of rocks are the remains of RED CASTLE, built in the reign of Henry
III., though it is mentioned by this name in a grant as ancient as
William the Conqueror.  It is now in awful ruins; but lofty fragments of
its walls form some of the most picturesque beauties of this romantic
place; and fling on the mind, if such scenes needed it, the additional
charm of that strange feeling that antiquity and fallen grandeur never
fail to excite.  Amid these towers is a well of surprising depth; called
now the GIANT’S WELL.  The site of this castle is ascended and descended
(as is usual amid most of the strange scenes here) by steps cut in the
rocks; and very frequently through caverns, sometimes natural, but always
surprising.  At the bottom of one of these is suddenly seen a Lion in his
den, which, though assuredly a trifling toy amid such scenery, never
fails to astonish the generality of visitors.—Here is also a SCENE in
OTAHEITE, consisting chiefly of a Hut, built exactly on the model of what
our lamented countryman, Captain Cook witnessed in that happy island, and
ornamented accordingly: the scene wherein it is erected first pointed out
the propriety.

To enumerate, much more to describe, all, or even the principal
attractions of this wonderful place, would, as we before stated, very far
exceed the limits we have allotted thereunto: yet before we close, as we
would willingly please readers of every description, it may not be amiss
to notice what is not improperly called NEPTUNE’S WHIM, a spot no doubt
most largely applauded by the generality of visitors here.  It is very
properly detached at a tolerable distance from the principal scenery of
Hawkstone; and consists of a cottage ornamented with shell-work and
cinders, amid ponds of fish; behind which is a mighty figure of the
marine god, with a profuse current gushing through his urn; he is
accompanied, of course, by his Tritons and Nereids, spouting water
through their leaden shells.  This is acknowledgedly _a whim_ of his
godship, whereof he partakes with mortals; nor can these trifles, or even
some of the inscriptions, tend to lessen the august grandeur of this most
magnificent spot, wherein art has had little more to do than clear a
path, for the votaries of nature to have access to her most sportive and
astonishing charms.

          What skill, what force divine,
    Deep felt in these appear! a simple train,
    Yet so delightful mix’d, with such kind art,
    Such beauty and beneficence combin’d;
    Shade, unperceiv’d, so softening into shade;
    And all so forming an harmonious whole;
    That as they still succeed they ravish still.

                                                                  THOMSON.

At the entrance to the Park is erected a very handsome and commodious
Inn, capacious enough for the reception of a number of families; many of
which frequently spend a considerable part of the summer in this
delightful spot.  The attention of the worthy host and the excellence of
the accommodations, provisions and wines, must be experienced to be duly
appreciated.

   [Picture: Decorative graphic of building with tree, and houses with
                          church in background]

                             Howell, Printer.

                                * * * * *



FOOTNOTES.


{33}  The Welsh word for the principality of Wales.

{89}  A great quantity of human bones have from time to time been dug up
in the grounds which surrounded this ancient friary, from which it
appears probable that it was once used as a burying place for those who
died of the plague, which frequently and severely visited this town.
Phillips says that after the battle of Battlefield, between Henry IVth
and Hotspur, “many persons of note were buried in the Black and Austin’s
Friars in Shrewsbury.”

{108}  Sutton-spring water:

                                                          _Grains_.
A wine gallon of Sutton-water                              1082      6
contains of muriate of soda
Ditto of lime, with an                                      226      0
admixture of muriated soda
Carbonate of iron                                             0      5
Clay and silex                                               11      5
                              Total of solid contents      1320      0
                                                           _Cubic
                                                          Inches_.
Carbonic acid                                                    1.805
Common air, contaminated with                                   12.635
azote and sulphurated hydrogen gas
                           Total of volatile contents           14.440

{113}  The hospitable and truly old English mansion of Mrs. Corbet, which
is seen on the right hand.

{115}  When the French took possession of Rome, this font was undergoing
a repair at the statuary’s, and was considered so valuable an antique,
that the French Commissary priced it at 2000 guineas.  Being claimed
however by the statuary as his own property, he was allowed to retain it,
and afterwards he contrived to convey it to Lord B. to whom it belonged.





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