Transcribed from the John Davies, Fourth Edition (1855) by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
A GUIDE,
DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL,
THROUGH THE
TOWN OF SHREWSBURY,
INTERSPERSED WITH BRIEF NOTICES OF THE MORE
REMARKABLE OBJECTS IN THE ENVIRONS,
TO WHICH ARE APPENDED, LISTS OF
THE EMINENT NATIVES OF THE TOWN,
WITH REFERENCES TO BIOGRAPHICAL WORKS;
OF
THE BIRDS SEEN IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD;
AND OF
THE RARER SPECIES OF PLANTS
INDIGENOUS TO THE VICINITY.
BY THE
REV. W. A. LEIGHTON, B.A. F.B S.E.
AUTHOR OF “A FLORA OF SHROPSHIRE,” &c.
“I held on way to auncient Shrewsebrie towne,
And so from horse at lodging lighting downe,
I walkt the streats, and markt what came to vewe.”Churchyard.
FOURTH EDITION.
Illustrated with Sixty=one Engravings on Wood.
SHREWSBURY:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN DAVIES, XV. HIGH STREET.
SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
“Without aiming to be great—we aspire only to be useful.”
Dr. Butler’s Inaugural Address, 1835.
LIST OF ENGRAVINGS.
| PAGE. | ||
| 1 | Organ Screen in St. Mary’s Church | [1] |
| 2 | Norman Doorway, ditto | [1] |
| 3 | Town Hall | [7] |
| 4 | Market House | [9] |
| 5 | Statue of Richard Duke of York, on ditto | [10] |
| 6 | Angel under canopied niche, on ditto | [10] |
| 7 | Public Rooms | [12] |
| 8 | Ireland’s Mansion | [14] |
| 9 | “Bennette’s Halle” | [15] |
| 10 | Timber Houses on Pride Hill | [16] |
| 11 | Gateway of the Council House | [19] |
| 12 | Ditto of the Castle | [22] |
| 13 | The Castle | [23] |
| 14 | Laura’s Tower | [24] |
| 15 | Royal Free Grammar School | [27] |
| 16 | Principal School-Room, ditto | [43] |
| 17 | Bible Stand in the Chapel, ditto | [44] |
| 18 | The Library, ditto | [45] |
| 19 | Railway Station | [48] |
| 20 | Berwick Chapel | [53] |
| 21 | St. Michael’s Church | [54] |
| 22 | Battlefield Church | [56] |
| 23 | St. Mary’s Church | [62] |
| 24 | Monument to Rev. J. B. Blakeway, in ditto | [72] |
| 25 | Triple Lancet Window, ditto | [74] |
| 26 | Ancient Stone Font, ditto | [76] |
| 27 | Monument to Admiral Benbow, ditto | [77] |
| 28 | Altar-tomb, Simon de Leybourne, ditto | [79] |
| 29 | Monument to Master Wigram, ditto | [79] |
| 30 | Statue to Bishop Butler, ditto | [81] |
| 31 | Salop Infirmary | [86] |
| 32 | St. Alkmund’s Church | [94] |
| 33 | Guild House of the Holy Cross | [99] |
| 34 | St. Julian’s Church | [100] |
| 35 | Old St. Chad’s Church | [107] |
| 36 | Tower on the Town Walls | [119] |
| 37 | English Bridge | [122] |
| 38 | Abbey Church, or Church of the Holy Cross | [130] |
| 39 | Ditto, eastern end | [133] |
| 40 | Stone Railing, in ditto | [134] |
| 41 | Monument to Roger de Montgomery, ditto | [136] |
| 42 | Altar-tomb to Richard Onslow, Esq. ditto | [137] |
| 43 | Ditto to Alderman Jones and his Wife, ditto | [138] |
| 44 | Reader’s Pulpit, ditto | [141] |
| 45 | White Hall | [145] |
| 46 | Column in honour of Lord Hill | [147] |
| 47 | St. Giles’s Church | [148] |
| 48 | Interior of ditto | [151] |
| 49 | “Pest-Basin,” in St. Giles’s Churchyard | [152] |
| 50 | Altar-tomb at Longner | [155] |
| 51 | Roman Wall at Wroxeter | [155] |
| 52 | Trinity Church | [156] |
| 53 | Meole Bridge, &c. | [157] |
| 54 | Window in Franciscan Friary | [158] |
| 55 | The Quarry | [159] |
| 56 | St. Chad’s Church | [163] |
| 57 | Font in ditto | [165] |
| 58 | Figure of St. Chad in ditto | [167] |
| 59 | Welsh Bridge | [171] |
| 60 | St. George’s Church | [173] |
| 61 | Shelton Oak | [176] |
August, 1855.
SHREWSBURY.
Shrewsbury, the capital town of Shropshire, lies nearly in the centre of that fertile county, and occupies a commanding eminence which gradually rises from the bed of the river Severn, whose stream gracefully bends its course around three sides of the town, thus forming a peninsula, having its narrow isthmus towards the north-east. From whatever point the traveller approaches, his mind cannot fail of being forcibly impressed with the singular beauty of its situation and general aspect;—its dark and frowning castle, the elegant towers and gracefully tapering spires of its ecclesiastical structures; the undulating, irregular, yet picturesque disposition of its buildings, and above all, the beautiful windings of “Severn’s ambient wave;”—all combine to form a prospect surpassed by none and equalled but by few other towns of our island.
From the gradual and progressive improvements of civilization, the present condition of the town presents few points of resemblance to the appearance indicated in its original Saxon name, Scrobbesbyrig, the fenced eminence overgrown with shrubs; a dense population of more than 20,000 inhabitants [2] now dwelling within its extent, busily engaged in the manufactures of linen, thread, iron, brawn, &c.—not forgetting those far-famed cakes
“Whose honour’d name th’ inventive city own,
Rendering thro’ Britain’s isle Salopia’s praises known.”
To all classes, in their various and varied pursuits, our town will be found replete with matter of interest and instruction. The refined traveller will here meet with customs and manners peculiar, singular, and interesting—the artist, subjects for his pencil and exercise for his judgment, in imitating the tints and stains of time and nature’s never-ceasing powers—the historical antiquary will, with enthusiastic delight, trace its connexion with many of the grandest features of our national history—the architectural antiquary will find ample scope for many an hour’s delightful meditation on the massive grandeur of the “oulden time”—whilst to the scrutinising eye of the naturalist, the vicinity will, at every step, unfold objects of beauteous and wondrous design, which will uplift his enraptured mind, as he fondly gazes on them, in heartfelt gratitude, adoration, and praise, to the bounteous Giver of all good.
Commencing then at the centre, let us first survey that emporium of civic honour,