Continuing our route to the left of this house, we pass steps leading to the churchyard, and the foundations of a stone building (which once pertained to an Oriel and the ancient college of St. Alkmond), into Fish-street, occupied by shambles, and on market-days by the country butchers. Crossing the top of High-street, we enter Milk-street, which leads to Old St. Chad’s (page 28), and the street called Belmont, in which is situated
THE JUDGES’ HOUSE,
purchased by the County of Salop in 1821, under an act for providing suitable accommodation for the reception of his Majesty’s judges of assize. At the south-west end of the opposite thoroughfare across the church-yard is the remains of a red stone wall which formed part of
THE COLLEGE OF ST. CHAD,
originally a large ancient building inclosing a quadrangular court, separated from the street by a lofty wall and gateway, In 1549 Edward the Sixth granted the college to Hugh Edwards, Esq. the individual who (in 1551) exerted himself in obtaining the foundation of our grammar school. It continued in his family until 1752, when Lord and Lady Malpas disposed of the buildings, which were soon afterwards converted into three excellent houses, but so effectually modernized with brick as to display none of the appearance of a “college,” although the name is still retained.
Westward is College Hill. Half-way down this street, a modern Gothic front denotes
VAUGHAN’S PLACE,
which, before its alteration and brick casing in 1795, was considered a most curious specimen of the unembattled town mansion, erected (it is conjectured) about the middle of the fourteenth century by Sir Hamo Vaughan, whose daughter Eleanor married Reginald de Mutton. By this alliance the house came into the possession of the Myttons of Halston, several of whom represented this town in parliament; but little of its original state now appears. The hall is approached from a passage near the Corn-market by a flight of steps, and displays a deeply-recessed pointed arch; a similar one is seen from the College-hill entrance. One portion of the building forms the Watch Room and Police Station of the town, and some of the spacious vaults beneath are used as a temporary receptacle for midnight disorderlies.
Nearly adjoining, in the street leading to the Corn-market, is the Talbot Hotel, where the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria alighted on their visit to this town in 1832, on which occasion the mayor and corporation waited upon them with a congratulatory address.