The News Room.—The public News Room in the Corn-market, immediately above the Post Office, is supported by annual subscriptions; the members have the advantage of perusing the principal London and provincial newspapers, magazines, and journals, &c. The walls are adorned with some fine pictures, presented at various periods to the corporation of the town, among which are Charles I., Charles II., William III., George I., George II., George III., Admiral Benbow, Lord Hill, and others.
The Circus, a spacious building situated near the Welsh bridge, was formerly used for equestrian performances. It is now used as a depot for the immense quantities of butter and cheese which are brought to the town for sale at the monthly fairs; considerable quantities of these commodities are brought from Wales.
The Butter and Poultry Market, situated at the top of Pride-hill, was erected in 1819 by voluntary contributions amounting to £2000. It is not at all commensurate with the wants of the town, and of the ample produce brought to its weekly markets large quantities are exposed for sale in the streets.
The New Butter and Cheese Market, situated in Howard-street, is a spacious building containing an area of 5400 feet. The exterior consists of a centre and two wings, and has a handsome appearance; the roof is supported by four rows of cast iron pillars—and there is ample room to dispose of the large quantities of butter and cheese which are brought for sale on the Wednesdays following the first fair in each month.
The House of Industry was originally built as an asylum for the reception of orphans from the Foundling Hospital in London. This spacious structure is situated at Kingsland, and crowns the steep eminence above the river, whence a most delightful and picturesque view of the town and country is obtained. The governor of the Foundling Hospital began the building in 1760, and finished it in five years, at an expense of £12,000. Children were sent down from London in great numbers, and put out to nurse with the neighbouring cottagers, under the inspection of the gentlemen in the vicinity. At a proper age they were taken into the house, where they were employed in the manufacture of wool, and afterwards placed out as apprentices. At one time there were more than four hundred orphans in the hospital; but the funds of the institution not proving adequate to the plan of sending children to provincial hospitals, it was discontinued in 1774. After being shut up several years, it was converted into a place of confinement for the Dutch prisoners taken in the American war. It was afterwards used as an infirmary, whilst the present noble structure was building. The rapid increase of the parochial rates, of Shrewsbury, induced the inhabitants to petition parliament for an act to incorporate the five parishes of the Town and Meole Brace, so far as concerned the poor, and to establish a general House of Industry. In 1784, they purchased the orphan hospital from the governors of the foundling charity, for the admission of the poor, who, in their declining years, here find an appropriate shelter, and are supplied with decent and comfortable necessaries of life. The situation is highly salubrious, and the terrace in front of the house commands a fine view of the quarry, the town, its suburbs, and the whole range of mountains in Salop, Montgomery, and Denbigh. The internal arrangements have a clean and orderly appearance, and the kind attention of the governor and guardians to the wants of the inmates, who are chiefly the aged, infirm, and helpless poor children, is highly creditable. [When we visited the house there were six old women of the age of 75 and upwards, one had reached the age of 95 years.] There is accommodation for 350 inmates, exclusive of that portion of the building which has been let off as a private asylum; the inmates are now 75. The infirmary and vagrant ward are in the rear, as are the schools, which are held in a building formerly used for hand-loom weaving; adjoining which are four acres of land, cultivated by the scholars; it is chiefly used in raising green crops, and is highly productive. The union embraces the parishes of St. Chad, St. Mary, St. Alkmund, St. Julian, Holy Cross, and Meole Brace, for which ten guardians are appointed. Chairman, Mr. Charles Lloyd. Surgeon, Henry Keate. Chaplain, Rev. W. J. James. Governor, Mr. William N. Kindellon.
The Savings’ Bank, situated on College-hill, was erected in 1838, at a cost of £2000, which includes a sum of £600 given for the site. The capital stock of the bank, on November 20th, 1849, amounted to £179,990. 6s., at which time 4461 depositors, 56 Charitable societies, and 42 Friendly societies had accounts with the bank. Of the depositors there were 2329 whose respective balances did not exceed £20; 1138 were above £20 and not exceeding £50; 587 were above £50 and not exceeding £100; 253, not exceeding £150; 134 not exceeding £200; and 20 exceeding the latter amount. The bank is open on Monday and Saturday, from 11.30, a.m. to 1.30, p.m. Mr. Charles Blount, Actuary. The gross amount of the capital invested by the Charitable Societies, amounts to £307. 14s. 5d.; and of the Friendly Societies, to £18,362. 5s. 4d.
The Royal Baths, situated at Benbow-place, were established in 1831, by Mr. William Onions. The front of the building exhibits a chaste design, being ornamented by a portico, supported by two Ionic pillars, and two pilasters. The conveniences, are varied and ample, and such as are only to be met with in the first rate establishments in the kingdom. The moderate charges and strict attention to cleanliness and comfort will, no doubt, insure to them an extensive patronage. The swimming bath is of sufficient dimensions to enable persons to learn or practice the art of swimming; there are also hot, air, vapour, shower, warm, medicated, salt, and fresh water baths in constant readiness. A charge of 21s. per annum is made for the use of the swimming bath, and sixpence for a single bath.
The Shrewsbury Waterworks were established, by a company of shareholders, under an act of parliament, obtained in 1830, for the purpose of affording the inhabitants a constant supply of water from the Severn. The works are situated in Chester-street, and the water is raised by means of a steam engine, capable of throwing up 20,000 gallons per hour, into a large reservoir near the top of Pride-hill, and thence distributed in pipes to all parts of the town. The town is also gratuitously supplied with excellent water from a fine spring called Broadwell, near Crow Meole, distant about two miles, being conducted thence to conduits placed in different parts of the town for the convenience of the inhabitants. Few towns have such an excellent and abundant supply of this fine beverage of nature.
The Gas Works are situated in the Castle Foregate, near the goods depôt of the Shrewsbury and Ellesmere canal. They were established in 1820 by a company of shareholders with a capital stock of £10,000 raised in £10 shares. The luminous vapour is supplied from three gasometers which will hold together 80,000 cubic feet of gas.
The Railway Station.—The united station of the Shrewsbury and Chester, the Shrewsbury and Birmingham, and the Shrewsbury and Stafford branch of the Shropshire Union Railway, is a magnificent structure in the perpendicular style of architecture, situated near the Castle-gates. It exhibits a frontage of 150 feet in length, and two stories in height, with a square tower in the centre, ornamented with a richly carved battlement, with octagonal turrets of considerable elevation, at the corners. On each side of the tower extends a large wing, divided into four equal spaces by projecting turrets. The ridge of the roof is finished with an ornamental cast iron crest, and the windows are divided by stone transoms and mullions. The total cost of the station-house, offices, and engineering works, was £51,000; the goods, engine-station, and other necessary works £20,000. The gross cost of the above works, including the viaduct of the Severn, contiguous to the station, and the bridge over Castle Foregate, exceeded £100,000.