The Powis Market Hall forms one side of the spacious area of the Bailey Square, and is a plain stone building, with a high clock turret. The front part of the structure was formerly used as the Guild Hall, at the back of which additional erections have been made of brick, chiefly through the instrumentality of P. Cartwright, Esq., and a few other resident gentlemen. It is a spacious structure, partly covered with glass. Here the corn market is held on Wednesdays, and is very numerously attended by the farmers in the surrounding district.
The Fairs at Oswestry are held on the first Wednesday in each month, for the sale of butter, cheese, and other commodities, which take place in the Powis Market Hall. The North Shropshire and North Wales yeomen are justly proud of their fine dairies of cheese and butter, and the market is unrivalled in Shropshire for the extent of business that is transacted in these commodities. The day preceding the above is for the sale of cattle, sheep, and pigs, which takes place in the Smithfield Market.
The Market held on Wednesdays for butter, poultry, and butchers’ meat, is very numerously attended. The meat and provisions brought to the market are abundant in quantity and excellent in quality. Considerable quantities of poultry (geese, ducks, as well as the small Welsh mutton) are brought here weekly for sale. The shambles are in Willow Street and Bailey Street; and the butter and poultry market is conveniently arranged and covered in.
The Gas Works, situated near Gallows Tree Gate, on the Salop road, were established in 1842. The premises are conveniently arranged, and from 8s. to 10s. are charged per 1,000 cubic feet for the luminous vapour. Mr. Robert Roberts is the proprietor.
The Theatre, a small building in Willow Street, is usually open for a few weeks in the year by a company of comedians.
The Races are held at Cen-y-bwch, a beautiful piece of ground situated on an eminence to the west of the town. The races of late years have not commanded that attention and support which they formerly did, and they were altogether discontinued last year. It is expected, however, they will again take place during the present year about the usual time, in the autumn of the year.
The Railway Station is situated on the north-east side of the town. There are ten trains arrive and depart during the day to Gabowen, where the branch from Oswestry joins the trunk line of the Shrewsbury and Chester railway. Mr. E. Jones is the station-master. The Assembly Room and Bowling Green are at the Wynstay Arms. The Stamp Office is in Willow Street. The Excise Office is at the Cross Keys Inn. The News Room is at the Court House, Bailey Square. The Cricket Ground is in Lower Brook Street. The Oswestry Advertiser, a small publication which makes its appearance on the first Wednesday in each month, is extensively patronised as an advertising medium, and is worthy of support for the interesting local information which it furnishes. Mr. John A. Roberts is the publisher and proprietor.
Charities.—The Free Grammar School is pleasantly situated on the west side of the town. It was founded as early as the reign of Henry IV. by David Hobech, who granted, for the maintenance of a schoolmaster, and the reparation of the school-house there, certain lands in Sweeney, Treflach, Maesbury, and Crickheath. By an inquisition, under a commission of charitable uses, taken at Oswestry, and dated 10th April, 1634, it is stated that although the bailiffs of Oswestry had the ordering and disposing of the school and the school lands, they had done the same without any just authority, and that if they had been trusted they had manifestly abused the trust, in making leases at an under value and for secret rewards for themselves. The said commissioners therefore decreed, that the bailiffs of the said town should be for ever discharged and excluded from any trust or intermeddling with the school lands, that the schoolmaster for the time being should let the premises in possession, and not in reversion, for the term of seven years, with the consent of the bishop and chancellor of the diocese. The commissioners further ordered that the schoolmaster should have an usher, to be allowed £10 a year; and the master for the time being to keep the school premises in repair.
The property now held by the master consists of 34a. 3r. 18p. of land at Crickheath, let for £30 per annum; three closes of land in Treflach, containing 23a. 1r. 7p., producing a yearly rental of £36; land in the township of Sweeney, containing altogether 68a. 3r. 10p., let for £134 per annum. There was also a small piece of land in Sweeney, of about half an acre, of which the master had lost possession. It was surrounded by property belonging to Sir W. W. Wynne, and had in fact been sold by him. The master having established his title thereto, a small piece of land adjoining the school premises was given up to him in lieu thereof. Four closes of land in Weston Cotton, containing 19a. 2r. 9p., producing £40 per annum; and an allotment in the same township of 1a. 2r. 9p., let for £3 yearly; land in the township of Maesbury consisting of 16a. 0r. 18p. producing an annual sum of £24; and the yearly sum of £1. 6s. 8d. as a free farm rent, issuing out of a corn mill in Maesbury. The rents of the above premises amount in the whole to £271. 10s. 2d., and are received by the master of the school. In addition to the premises already noticed, there is a school and school-house, and seven acres of land in the town of Oswestry, held under lease from Sir W. W. Wynne, bearing date 22nd September, 1815, for 10,000 years, at the clear yearly rent of £12. The school now existing was built by Dr. Donne, the expenses of which amounted to about £1,400. The school is open to all boys born in the parish of Oswestry, for instruction in English, Latin, and Greek; but it is expected that they should be able to read before they are admitted. No payment is demanded of the scholars, except 7s. 6d. for entrance, and 2s. a-year for fire money. The course of instruction in the school is chiefly classical; but algebra, geometry, history, and writing are also taught. For the latter a separate charge is made. In addition to the scholars on the foundation, the master takes a limited number of boarders. We cannot but observe on the inconveniences that have occurred, and are likely to occur, for want of trustees. It is true that Dr. Donne recovered possession of a great part of the school property, or an equivalent for it, at his own expense; but few persons in his situation would have undertaken the same risk; and the necessity for such proceedings was probably owing to the reluctance felt by former masters to involving themselves in litigation with the tenants. The Rev. Stephen Donne, M.A., is the head master.
Thomas Owen, in 1713, left £20 for the use of the charity school. Daniel Poole, in 1716, left the interest of £20 for the same use. In 1737, £32 was laid out on the poor house in Church street, which sum was paid out of the above legacies; and it was ordered at a vestry that a yearly sum of 40s. should be paid towards the support of the charity school. Nothing, however, has been paid in respect of these charities for many years. The poor house in Church street has been sold, and the produce applied to the general purposes of the town.