MARKETS.
The market days are Wednesdays and Saturdays. The former is small, but that on the latter day is well attended and abundantly supplied. In fact, few towns enjoy the advantage of a better or cheaper supply of meat, poultry, butter, vegetables, fruit, &c. But it must be confessed that many places of far less importance than the capital of Shropshire possess more suitable accommodations befitting the ample produce brought from the surrounding districts to its markets.
The space allotted for the sale of vegetables is in the spacious square opposite the County Hall, commonly called the “Green Market;” that for poultry, eggs, &c. on Pride Hill and in the Butter Cross. The shambles for butchers’ meat is in a street called “the Double Butcher Row;” and in Fish-street, near St. Julian’s church, are sheds and stands for the country butchers. The corn mart is held under the old market house.
THE FAIRS.
The fair for the sale of horses, cattle, butter, cheese, &c. is held on the second Wednesday in every month; and that for sheep and pigs on the preceding day. It has long been in contemplation to form a proper “Smithfield” for cattle, &c. which are now disposed of in the streets, much to the annoyance of passengers. The wool fairs are in July and August.
THE SEVERN.
This beautiful stream, the queen of rivers,—famed in British story and noticed by classic historians,—the theme of poets and the admiration of tourists, is next in importance to the Thames.
It rises in Plinlimmon mountain, Montgomeryshire, and pursues its course through that county, receiving in its meanderings numberless tributary streams, and presenting to proud Salopia the richest variety of picturesque scenery. After winding sixty or seventy miles through the centre of Shropshire, passing Worcester, &c. it at length becomes “a mighty river, potent, large,” and empties itself into the Bristol Channel, fifty miles below Gloucester.
THE NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER
is free for barges from thirty to eighty tons burden, during the whole of its course throughout Shropshire, which are towed up the stream by horses belonging to a company; but the navigation is liable to interruption from high and rapid floods in winter, and occasional want of depth of water in summer.