Shropshire the Geography of the County

Home , Acton Round, Baschurch, Bouldon, Bury Walls, Castle Ring, Cherrington

S H R O P S H I R E

The Ge ography of the Coun ty

w D . D F W W ATT LL. S S c . . . R . S . . . , , ,

P o f o of o o a t h Im i a o r ess r Ge l gy t e per l C llege ,

a n d H o o a o o t S S x o am i e n r ry Fell w idney usse C lle ge , C br dg

Illustrated with numerous photographs by O Z S F . . G . T . ATCH IS N , M . A . , .

and with other photographs and maps

1 9 1 9 Printed and Published by i \Vild n . r g Son , Ltd , Shrewsbu y

PREFACE , %L‘ (A) $ 1

HIS work was originally written for the Cambridge

was series of County Geographies . As the text a little l onger and the illustrations more numerous than in the books of that series it has been found better to

it o publish independently . More freed m in treatment

. has thus been secured and certain modiﬁcations in pla n have allowed greater stress to be laid on features indi C vidual to the ounty .

The author desires to express his indebtedness to

oo s the b k and papers of the Rev . Prebendary Auden ,

t o the Rev . J . E . Auden , and Miss H . M . Auden Also

the works of Sir Bertram Windle , Mr . H . E . Forrest ,

. . o v . Mr E S . Cobbold , Pr fessor C . Lapworth , the Re

W . . . . W . M . D . La Touche , Mr J Randall , and Mr G a nd Robinson to the Victoria History of the County ,

’ o V of t Mr . Cranage s beautiful olumes on the Churches

Shropshire .

The proof sheets have been read Wi th great care by Fo t e or Miss H . M . Auden and Mr . H . E . rrest , and h auth cannot be too grateful for the suggestions and corrections

the c k received from them , by which a curacy of the wor

e nchanced has been much .

Fo r personal assistance he wishes to thank D r . A .

o Fea rnsides Morley Davies , Profess r W . G . , Professor For J . B . Farmer , and especially Mr . G . T . Atchison . practically all the photographs ta ken expressly for the

879 3 5 5 i v P F C . RE A E

to o o boo k he is indebted Mr . Atchis n ; but thers have

s a t o been generou ly placed his disp sal by Mr . Fo rrest ,

o o o o o Pr fess r Lapw rth , and Mr . C bb ld .

The Auth o rities o f the Shre wsbu ry Public Library a nd Museum have kindly a ll o wed illust rati o ns to be p repared from Prehisto ric and Ro man relics prese rved

M th e o t o in that useum , and auth r desires particularly ackn owledge the court e sy o f the Chief Librarian in h elping him to make a selection .

o o Mrs . Wo lley has been so g od as to allow the use o f o f o o n 1 6 o the plan Ludl w Castle , page 5 , fr m

’ 7 olle s o \\ o y Ludl w Guide .

I”M PE RI A L C OLL EGE O F SCI E N C E A N D T ECH N L G O O Y .

h 1 l l a rc 1 . , 9 9

T H E C O U N T Y A R M S .

D el . E. Cole ERRATA .

8 ico nium r ad 1 or U r e U . page 4 line 9 , f riconian

m al ead 2 2 or at ea i r . line , f material

“ “ - 2 2 or l tmbered read . page 3 line 4 , f ha f half timbered

CONTENTS .

— H T R I TH E HI RE . C AP E . S 1 a a a . Its gener l ch r cter o i 2 . Its r gin

ts i a nd o 3. I s ze utline — E R R R . CHAPT E R II . PHYSICAL G OG APHY SH OPSHI E

“ 3 T h a n d a 4 he ills p l ins Rivers an d va lleys So il a n d ro ck Clim a te Pla nts a n d a nim a ls

H T —~ TH E M M E RCI L E R H F H R SHI R A E R II I . O A OG A Y O S O E C P C G P P .

9 . A griculture i a nd m a 1 0 . M nes iner ls

1 a a a n d 1 . M nuf cture industry

H T R — TH E IST RI C L E GR H O F HR SHIR E C AP E IV . H O A G O AP Y S OP 2 a a n d o u a o 1 . R ces p p l ti n

a a m 1 3. Pl ce n es 1 o 4 . Written hist ry

- o an d a i 1 5. Pre hist ry ntiq uit es

a nd a 1 6 . Buildings rchitecture

a a o a 1 7. Gre t S l pi ns

H T E R V — TH E LITIC L E GR H F HR SHI R O E . C AP . PO A G O AP Y S OP 8 o mm i a o 1 . C un c ti ns f 19 . Origin o the to wns

2 o m a o . Ad inistr ti n

E — THE GR O F R RE H T R . T H H SHI C AP V I OPO AP Y S OP .

2 T i o w n i a 1 . he ch ef t ns a d v ll ges

I N D E X LIST OF I LLUSTRATIONS .

Physica l MAP o f S h ro pshire Ge o l o gica l MAP o f Shro pshir e

ti c on s ie e o . t Fr p Ludl w Pha . Frith R a in fa ll MA P o f Shro pshire M A P o f the Midl a nds a nd Wa les

2 . K m o o Ph t G T o a . . . e bert n C lliery . A tchis n G o a hat . L S . P h r pe ne , hrewsbury Frit

T o m at \V ild in h . he Wrekin fr Cressa ge . P g MAP o f Bo und a ries o f Shro pshire

\V hi l t o xa l o . T M ss Pha . G . . A tchis n .

o f MA P Bo und a ry o n R . Vyrnwy T i n t i a . he Wrek n a d the No rthern Pl a in . Ph Fr th MA P o f the Physica l Divisi o ns o f the C o unty

- t . i o a m T . H f H o a t H o Pha . l ti bered use dnet . G A tch s n Oro gra p hic MAP o f Shro p shire D o a hat . . T . o . H S . P pe ingle , ne r helve G A tchis n

hat . The Lo n gm y n d Pl a tea u a n d Churc h Stretto n . P Frith T T i o h t . . . f o m . P a he Wrekin , r the West G Atch s n

a H t T ha . . . o . Lillesh ll ill . P G Atchis n t o o ha . . L king into the Iro nbridge Go rge . P Frith Lo o king up the Severn V a lley fro m the m o uth o f the

o . hat G rge P . Frith MAP o f the Rivers Of Shro pshire

o f i MAP the Wa tersheds o f Shro psh re .

T R P P ho to \V ild m he iver erry . g

a m r t . T . o ha . n e a E m . P Bl ke ere , lles ere G Atchis n

o - t h . . a R a o E . P a d cutting , Wenl ck dge W W tts V Geo lo gica l Secti o n thro u g h V e n lo c k a n d View Ed g e Geo lo gica l Sectio n thro ug h Benth a ll Ed ge a nd the C o a l l) ro o kd a le Co a lﬁeld A fo ssi l Trilo bite fro m the \V e n lo c k Li m esto ne Co lu m n o f Stra tiﬁed Ro cks

W t . . o o a S o ac o S o f o m N . o S E Ge l gic l ecti n r ss hr pshire , r LI ST OF ILLU STRATIONS .

PAGE i o a t a o o a 8 L D c E . P t a h . 2 . ke istr t B ulder t n C nst ntine a

. T o G . Atchis n f i o Ea o 2 . a o La D o a 9 W ll built ke strict B ulders , t n C nst ntine . i o Phat . G T . Atch s n

0 o f s 3 . R a infa ll MAP the British Isle

r d o n a a o n C o n . 1 . o a M 3 Cl ud B nner , ne r the B rytes ine

t . T o Pha . G A tchis n ’ t k o o . ha . . . o 2 . K a 8 Oa P T 3 ing Ch rles , B sc bel G Atchis n

hat . In H kst n P a r . T w o . o 33 Sa ndsto ne Hill a e k P G . Atchis n ’

t H . E . a n . a . o 34 ° Swa n s Nest d Cygnets Ph F rrest

H . . o T c hat . 35 Nest o f ufted Du k . P E F rrest .

H hat . . T o o a . . o 36 . Prest n Br ckhurst ll P G Atchis n

hat . . . o . i 37‘ Herefo rd Ca ttle P G T Atch s n

t . 8 K . T o a nd P ha G . o 3 . Shr pshire erry Sheep A tchis n

T H - a m i a o m a E o . 39 he rp er Ad s A gr cultur l C llege , dg nd t a Pha . B rtlett

i h r t . i . Old G n Pi L t m o o Pha . T . o t , g G A tchis n

- hat . . . i o L m o a o . P T i e w rks , ne r Wenl ck G Atch s n

S a o a . Phat . . T . o ndst ne Q u rries , Grinshill G Atchis n

hat . . . o a u . P T Buildw s Abbey , the Ch rch G Atchis n

f o o a o a a a M . W ll built l rge s ndst ne bl cks , ne r yddle

hat . . T o P G . Atchis n

’ D h - o m a a . H u S o a Clee ill t ne C p ny s Q u rries , ne r

hat . . . o Ludlo w . P G T Atchis n

- hat . : c o a . T . a I o P . Gre t W ter wheel , r nbridge G At his n t a . Co a lbro o kd a le a n d it s Iro nworks . Ph Frith

— - i t o a n o l a t h . . T . H a S o d d S . P a rseh y teel w rks , l g p G Atchiso n W t i a n d o a H a . ha . . . . P T o P T 49 pe ile rks , ne r rseh y G A tchiso n l h 0 t . . E a Ti o a c kﬁ e d . P a . T o . 5 nc ustic le W rks , J G A tchis n

1 . a hat . T . o o o a o P . 5 Chin W rks , C lp rt , G A tchis n f o 52 . MAP sh o wing the Density a nd occup a ti o ns o the Pe p le o f Shro p shire MAPS sh o wing the Distributi o n o f certa in Pl ace - n a m es

57' MAP o f the R o m a n Roa ds o f Shro pshire

8 o f 5 . MAP the Shropshire Woo dl a nds T F T T . viii . LI S O ILLU S RA ION S

t h o . ha . 59 . Wenl ck Abbey P Frit

h t . . 0 i o . a 6 . Br dgn rth P Frith

G i o t . T 6 Ph a . . o o . 1 . B sc bel Atch s n l i m t h c m m . t 6 2 . o o I S M Ph Ne a . ple ents , hrewsbury useu B a rtlett t G . T i o 6 S o S a H Pha . . . 3. t ne Circle , t peley ill Atch s n t 6 z I m m S M m . Ph o a . 4 . Br n e ple ents , hrewsbury useu Bartlett r f t i 6 a m o n o B u . a . . T . o 5. C p Abd n Ph G Atch s n t 6 Ko a a m . ha . . T . o 6 . rdy B nk C p P G Atchis n

\ n o a ri n i m . o m a a a d U co u at . T R H Ph . . 7. n V ll y p c ust , G A tchiso n

o m a m Ur ic o ni u m O m . 6 8. R a S M n rn ents , ; hrewsbury useu t a Pha . B rtlett

R o ma o Po Uric o niu m S n British ttery , hrewsbury t a . a Museu m . Ph B rtlett

d i ll t 0 T Ro m a ea H . . a I M S Pha . . 7 he n Gr vels ine , helve G o T . Atchis n

1 R o m a P i o f L a S Di c 7 . n g e d , helve stri t

- - — T a . h t T S o R P a . . . he t cks , under ed C stle G A tchiso n t G . . i o v . . T . o a S Pha 73 C r cle , e ern Atch s n

’ m a a a n d a nd i i i . No K S 74 r n Ch pel eep , dney s Bu ld ngs , t ha . Ludl o w C a stle . P Frith

H . t i a o a . . T . . a Ph c o 75 Bu ldw s Abbey , Ch p ter use G At his n

t . . T o E Pha . . o Act n Burnell Church , West nd G A tchis n

l a o VV n t . T . M e o c k H . Pha . . 77 uch Abbey , Ch pter use G Atchiso n t . i T o a d Pha . . T . o he Cr ss , Bitterley Churchy r G Atch s n T t ha . H o ly Cro ss ( he Abbey) Church Shrewsbury . P Ba rt l ett

’

80 . hat . . S . Ma S P t ry s Church , hrewsbury Frith

81 . o a a nd \V 0 w r . t L c E 0 d o k Pha . udl w Chur h , st Frith

h t . 82 . Ludlo w C a stle . P a Frith W L N . o o P A o f Ludlo w Ca stle . Mrs lley

t . h . . 8 i o a . a T o 4 . Wh ttingt n C stle P G A tchis n T F T T LI S O ILLU S RA IONS . ix .

T o n t o a S . Pha . wer W lls , hrewsbury Frith

t i a m . i S o a So a R o o Pha . F r t l t kes y C stle , l r t a . i St o kes ay Ca stle . Ph Fr th

i i t M c la r a . a d . Pa H o . Pha rk ll , Wh tt ngt n y

Be n tli a ll H a . Phat ll . Wilding t ha . . o o o a . T C nd ver H ll P G . Atchis n i o t. . T o a a . o Moret n C rbet C stle . Ph G Atch s n

t . T . ha . G o Clive Vill age . P Atchis n t o a o a m ha . . T H R H H . P . use p rtly in ck , r er ill G Atchiso n

T S o o a nd a S . Phat . a t he ch l Q u rry , hrewsbury B rtle t

T a n a t. S a d S u S . Pha he q u re , Clive t t e , hrewsbury Ba rtlett l ’ t O d Pa o a a M o . Pha . . rr s C tt ge , ne r iddlet wn Wilding Old S o o n ow M m a n d Da S a S ch l ( useu ) rwin t tue , hrews t ha . a bury . P B rtlett t T o . a M S . Pha he unt , hrewsbury B rtlett

o t . T a . . o Ir nbridge . Ph G Atchis n E at . . . o o The (Ca erleo n) Wa tling Street . Ph S C bb ld

’

m a a t a a . t . R o D Pha . . n Bridg e , the evil s C usew y W W Wa tts i t a a x a . Pha . . T . o C n l Bridge , Wh ll G Atchis n MA P o f Shr opshire Ca n als a nd R a ilwa ys

t . ha . . o R ailwa y in the Iro nbridge Gorge . P G T Atchis n Old t T i o o a oa o . Pha . . . Ferry B t , C lp rt G Atch s n

a . Phat . a . Buildw s Abbey , Church B rtlett i S t on ew a S o . Phat . y teps , Bridgn rth Fr th

a a t o . at . T . o M rket Dr y n Ph . G Atchis n ’ M a cla r O a m at. d S . o E . Ph t sw ld s C llege , lles ere y V V n lo T n a . at Much e c k Church o wer a d Guildh ll Ph .

i o . T G . Atch s n G t . o o n a . T . Newp rt Church a d Cro ss . Ph Atchis n PLA N o f Shrewsbury

’

I a M a o S . Phat. a rel nd s nsi n , hrewsbury B rtlett T o o a S Sh Phat. H he ch l , rewsbury e th

T o S c o a S o o Sh . P hat. he C unty e nd ry ch l , rewsbury Ba rtlett i t ha . F Wh tchurch . P rith RAINFALL MAP

2 6 - 2 9

29 - 3 0

30 - 3 2

- 3A

3 L - 36

O V ER

R o h S c M a o f S o Ra fa 1 0 — 1 1 ug ket h p hr pshire in ll , 9 3 9 5 .

This m a p is fo unded o n d a ta c o llected by the Ca ra d oc i a a \V nd a M . M D L To No a . F eld Club , t bul ted by r . . . uche te

a fa o f C le e s a nd o f S o the high r in ll the the trett n , Clun ,

S a nd O a n d h low a i fa o f Re a helve , swestry hills ; t e r n ll the T - o T M h On n a a n d o Da . ern eese dep ressi n , t e y V lley , C rve le he ﬂ Severn in uences ra infa ll o nly when i t s v a lley is bro a d a nd open .

P . P C . SHRO SHIRE HA . I

o o r marked out have c me vict s and settle rs , the Celt , the

o o o Roman , c nquer r and r ad builder , the Angle , settler

o m m and village maker , and the N r an , establishing hi self m ﬁr ly in his castle fort ress . The western hills a nd m oorlands of the county

the o o o f - o f a re utp st the mountain refuge land Wales ,

F i 1 —M a to S o i f n a i t th e . o g , p h w po s tio n o Shro p shire i rel t o n a o f S a nd D M a P a i a nd h h G ps evern ee , the idl nd l n , t e Wels T a c a 00 se a - o o m o a . rivers . he bl k p rti n is re th n 5 feet bo ve level inhabited and h e ld by the toughest su rvivors d riven ever

w of west ard by successive waves conquest , standing ba v s o f here at in time of st res , and raiding in times

o r conﬁdence and p r sperity . The pathways from thei fastnesses lead down the river gaps , such as those of the 3 GENERAL CHARACTER .

V r nw a ll Dee , the y y , the Severn , the Rea , and the Teme , c r onve ging upon the county and its plain . Hence the land of peace became one of st ruggle and bloodshed ; ll its hi s are crowned with camps and fort resses , its plains

o have been battleﬁelds , its houses are m ated and loop holed and its very chu rches have been used as keeps a nd - o watch towers . Thus its people became s ldiers in defence of their own h omes or in adventu re with the attacking or defending hosts .

— F i . 2 . K m o o oa o o g e bert n C lliery encr ching u p n c rnﬁeld .

As animosities slowly died down and the intervals of peace grew longer , the different elements thus intro duce d into the p opulation intermingled and became e w lded together, giving rise to a hardy , agile , and e r i d te mined race , capable of tu rn ng to good account the

so r o f e re u ces the land , of providing armed men to serv

’ their count ry s need , and of sending colonists to people and civilise the uttermost corners of the earth . S HROPS HIRE.

— F z . . o La S . g 3 Gr pe ne , hrewsbury G F 5 z . ORI IN O SHIRE .

With the pacific a tion of the country and the cessation of intestine wa rfare came the development of the mineral resources which lay , hidden under the soil , in u the rocks of the county , and great industries sprang p from the exploitation of its fields of coal and ironstone , its zinc and lead , its clay and limestone . So the keyno te of the county may be found in the v contact and mingling of its di erse elements , its mixed race , its upland and plain , mining and agriculture , tiny rural villages and flourishing towns , its soldiers and

the farmers , and the growth of the new in the heart of

S ee . old . ( ﬁg

2 —Its Or n . igi . Of the innumerable towns and settlements scattered o o ver Saxon England , a few , by reason of a c nvenient

e Situation , natu ral strength , command of roads , or som ’ other cause , grew more important than the others . They were naturally chosen as dwelling places by chieti

o the tains and kings , who extended their dominion int

o c unt ry round as far as their energy , wealth , and com

l e mand of men enabled them . Thus kingdoms ik

a nd ‘ Ke nt Sussex , Essex , originated . As time went on , and ambition , opportunity , or power increased , other m and larger kingdo s grew up , such as Mercia , Wessex , now and Northumbria . Of these large kingdoms now one another gained the lead . When the need arose for partitioning them into div isionS ' for administration , the towns were too small fo r so o the pu rpose , they were g rouped together int hundreds , nominally of a hundred families , or perhaps 6 PS I . SHRO H RE I .

c n apable of fur ishing a hundred armed men . In time these proved too small for convenience in the ad mini stration m of justice , and although they re ained the units through which taxes were levied by the rule rs , it bec ame necessa ry to group them t ogether into larger divisions . The older and small kingdoms were the right

r o m Size for such a pu pose , so they became earld s under the Saxons and were each ruled under the king by a single

— i no w T ki f o m a . T ( i . g F g 4 . he Wre n , r Cress ge restle br d e - a ﬂ a t o f i f o o R . S a i , rep l aced by erro c ncrete) ver evern , lluv l r ver a nd Wrekin rising a bruptly fro m side o f va lley .

earl . These divisions were accepted by the Normans

comitatus and received the name of , eventually sho rtened ! o to county (from the French comt ) . But kingd ms of the Size of Mercia were too large and it became necessa ry to shear them up into Shares or Shires . This was done by taking a convenient number o f F . 7 2 . NAME O SHIRE hundreds grouped round some central town of strength shire or importance . This area was called a and given l a name that was usua ly derived from its central town , to which it was bound to supply a rmed men in time of war and distu rbance . Indeed one of the chief obj ects of the shiring was to give facilities for rapidly raising a force at any desired point to resist the incu rsions of the D anes , and thus the principal shiring of England took place about a thousand years ago . The most important to wn in the middle west of r Me cia was Shrewsbu ry , founded by the Celts , possibly

re - o taken by the Romans , ccupied by the Celts , and at last conquered by the Saxons . It held a strong position on the river Severn , was easily fortiﬁed , and com m anded m of S c robb es i portant lines road . It was called b ri r y g , which means the fo tiﬁed town in the scrub .

The word became written in various ways , such as ” S ciro esbe rie p , and it eventually settled down i nto

Sh re sbu hra w rv . S z ebur But the usual pronunciation , y ,

o belies the spelling , and among unlettered count ry pe ple ’ ’ ’ ' S az eb r S az eb it is still generally called y or y . The v sp read of education , howe er , has generally caused it to ’ ’ ’ ’ — be pronounced S h ewsb ry or even S h ewsby one of the f e fects of a little knowledge . The shire was called Sc robbesc ire or Sciropes cire , the shrubby shire , a name very appropriate to it . In old documents the name was Spelled by ear rather than by sight and the exact form depended upon the acuteness of the hearer and the articulation of the S cro scire speaker . Hence we have the variants p and Salopscire from one of which has descended the modern B S HROPS HIRE.

o Shropshire and from the ther the county of Salop . The last word indeed is o ften a pplied to the town of

Shrewsbu ry itself , giving an indication of the dependence f o . s the one upon the other The town was so well cho en ,

o it was so central in positi n , so strong in its natu ral site ,

so convenient of access , that it has remained the cent re

o of populati n , administ ration , business , and communi

to to cations this day , and is likely so remain as long as

the county endu res . The Shires possessed defects inherent in their

o o distribu meth d of rigin . The towns were i rregularly

ted , according to the natu ral qualities of the land their limits were boundaries of acquisition d rawn to include desirable ground and in accordance with natu ral

obstacles and human competition . When grouped into hund reds this irregularity persisted in their outer

borders . Several detached parts might even be included in a Single hundred for the convenience of individuals

holding isolated estates . The same thing occu rred in

grouping hundreds into Shires . Irregular as they were , the Shires persisted for 9 centuries with very little

change . Du ring the last centu ry , however , they have become such important units for the pu rpo ses of l egislation , representation , and administ ration , that

o o f many simpliﬁcati ns boundary have been carried out ,

and the existing outlines . complicated as they are , are

o much simpler than those which persisted for so l ng .

— O t n . Its S e a n d u e 3 iz li . The area of the county of Salop is

1 6 . acres , about 34 square miles Its greatest length

IO P l SHRO SHIRE . .

the principle of give and take , or dictated by con v e nience of approach to towns or to administ rative or electoral cent res ; or they may be scientiﬁc fro ntiers

H I R E Lt N r

NATU RE o r BO U N DAR Y

S TR EAM S w

a S EV ER N

wu snsue os W

M A RS H O 0 0 0

ROAD o n C ANAL E u

EAR THW O R K ”Hm

ARTIF IC IAL

c w o l‘

—M a t o o a o f o o a i a nd co a F ig . 5. p sh w n ture C unty b und r es ntr st

between th ose o f the ea st a nd west . d eﬁned by a line of latitude or longitude or by some o ther line easily recognised and exp ressed . B . 3. OUN DARIES

The western and part of the northern a nd Southern

a o to bound ry , fr m Whitchurch Knighton is not merely the boundary of a county but one dividing England l from Wales , and it is thus approximately a racia boundary as well . Hence it may be expected to be one largely of defence and attack . The cont rast between

this and the eastern boundary is brought out by the map , on which the special feature of the line at different points is indicated . The following types of line a re — indicated by the symbols used Stream s and the

‘ - a a o t h e o b ound ar riins. F i . 6 . x Mo g Whi ll ss , cr ss which c unty y a i Pe t cutt ng .

’ e o e Severn especially , wat rsheds , f rtresses (Offa s Dyk Coxwa ll three times and Knoll once) roads , railways , “ l and canals , the scientiﬁc frontier across Whixal

o Moss , and other conventi nal lines not following any e particular featu re . The p ortion of the line which mor or less follows the River Vyrnwy is inst ructive , and a the separate map of it on a larger scale is given . When 12 P I SHRO SHIRE . . bounda ry follows the river it coincides with its cu rves but it cu rves in exactly the same kind of way when it d eparts from the river for a Space . This shows clearly that the boundary was o riginally d rawn along a winding stream which has subsequently shifted its position . For 2 0 miles the county boundary th readsits way through the

— o a a d a R . F i . o o n n w to o g. 7 C unty b und ry ne r Vyrn y , sh w

shifting o f river curves .

western mountains leaving on the Welsh side the Seve rn m o f B reidd e n arshes , the crags , much of the Long

Co m d on Mountain moorland , and the mountain of ; but keeping on the English side a su fﬁciency of high land on

Bulth o t o y Hill , the Long M untain , and the Shelve Hills , defend the fertile valleys o f the Rea and its t ributa ries ( along which there was the easiest app roach to Shrewsbury Ca mlad Onn from Wales) , the middle , and the upper y . It may be a coincidence but the cu rious crook at the Breidde n includes inside Shropshire the only mine on

o o Co m don those hills , and the m nst r us cantle of also

— o f leaves the lead mines Shelve on the English side . It i s strange that the Severn only forms the b oundary for a 13 B . 3. OUNDARIES mile or two on the west and for about the same distance on - the south east . The Watling Street is a boundary for only a quarter of a mile though it is a parish bound

’ ary for several miles . A long , st raight piece of boundary near Hinstock on the north - east follows the apparent

o o prolongati n of the L ngford , an ancient and probably Roman road

A be Lillesh a ll b v. CHAPTER I I .

PH YSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF SHROPSH I RE .

— H n s a n d P a s. 4 . ill l i The Shropshire toast is to all friends round the Wrekin and t o Salopians the Wrekin stands for the u centre and focus of their county . Standing on gro nd 00 which averages about 5 feet above the sea , the hill rises abruptly to 1 320 feet therefore from its position and isolation it commands in ﬁne weather an un rivalled

1 8 S ee ( 3 view extending over some counties ( ﬁg . 4 At ou r feet as we look southward the Severn writhes like

on o a snake over the ﬂats the ﬂ or of its valley . Towards the west we catch sight of reach after reach glinting in the sunlight till the river is lost among the spires and smoke of Shrewsbury , beyond which rise the three

’ summits of the Breidd en Hills crowned by Rodney s

P l so N W N il ar . If we now swing round as to face . . , . , N E . . . , and E successively the eye passes over a wide plain , the western part of the great Midland Plain of

England . Out of the Sh ropshire part of the plain there Hau hm ond rise a few isolated hills such as g , Grinshill ,

Hawkstone see and ( ﬁg . but with these exceptions the plain Sweeps away unbroken till it meets the distant hills of Llanymynech and the Berwyns , and those of

Flintshire , Cheshire , Staffordshire , Derbyshire , and

Leicestershire . P SHRO SHIRE . 15 V i Ew P FROM WREKI N . CH A . I I .

Tu rning back to ou r ﬁrst p osition and swinging

o s uthward all is changed . Mountains and hills rise

e verywhere , usually in ridges which t rend like the

o f o - rollers the Atlantic r ughened by a north west gale . These bec o m e higher and mo re important as we loo k

o \ m int Vales till they cul inate in Cader Id ris , the Arans ,

a nd Pl nlim on oo y . L king nea rer and into Shropshire

o o Sti e rstone s Cornd on we see the L ng M untain , the p , ,

Lon m nd o the g y , Carad c and the Stretton Hills , Hoar

o . o f Edge and Shadwell , and , m st conspicuous all , the great wo oded ridge of Edge which r uns almost in the same line as the Wrekin itself for 2 0 miles to the s - outh west . Wh ere the northern end of this Edge st rikes the ‘ Severn the walls close in and the river valley becomes so 6 1 1 0 see s. 1 narrow that a railway b ridge ( ﬁg , 7, 99 , 4)

r o r sp ings acr ss it with a single g aceful arch , and the river

seems to have fo rced a passa ge through the ridge with . f the greatest di ﬁculty . Lincoln Hill continues the line V o f V e nloc k a Edge on the north b nk of the river, and beyo nd a nd about it are seen the chimney stacks and pit mounds which mark the Shropshire Black Country

S ee s 16 8 o ( ﬁg . , 4 , Wenl ck Edge hides the Southern Plateau of the c ounty but the culminatio n of it in the

y t o Clee Hills can generall be seen , while a little the east o f them we may be fortunate enough t o catch the

M a o lve m and Abberley Hills and the Cotsw lds . In

front of these , but hardly visible , lies another plain , and beyond that again the view is cl osed by the smo ke pall

o f the Staffordshire Black C ount ry . Thus we ﬁnd that the c ountv is made up of two

18 T P N . HE LAI S I I .

o G rge between Buildwas and I ronb ridge , accompanied

o n by the Wrekin range the west , and the uplands of the

o C alﬁeld on the east . These last converge upon the

o f m a steep little crag Lilleshall , which y be identiﬁed by

o ~ s its c lumn , away to the north east , the last outpo t of

o the mountain land , wrapped r und by the Midland

t o S ee Plain which Spreads away the east and south . ( s 8 G i ﬁg . This Peninsula of high land div des the Plain into two parts which we may call the No rthe rn and the Eastern Plains .

o f The Northern Plain is a land gentle Slopes , b road valleys , and sluggish streams , with meres and marshes . Its average elevation is from 2 00 to 300 feet above

2 00 e the sea but there are large areas under feet . On

o of these is ab ut the j unction of the Severn and Vy rnwy ,

o a second ab ut Shrewsbu ry , and a third , larger than

two r the other together , in the basin of the River Te n . Along a crescent - Shaped line there stretches a band of isolated sandstone hills with their steep Sides looking east and south . These begin at Ness Cli ff , and continue

Pimhill W ebscott il th rough and , nea r Myddle , to Grinsh l ;

o Hawkstone they form a large area of high gr und at , and pass out of the county at Cheswardine and Woore . They are generally from 400 to 500 feet high but at

Hawkstone a —6 they re ch their highest point 74 feet . ab They rise Sha rply from the plain , and , from their ru tne ss i p , they a re conspicuous obj ects when v ewed

o o r r fr m any directi n but the no th . Near at hand thei

o f cli ffs white , red , or brown sandstone stand out against th e deep Shadow of their pines and make them exceeding l nd S ee s. a y beautiful . ( ﬁg 33 This is especially T T P 19 4 . HE NOR HERN LAIN .

Hawkstone - the case at Park . The hill line , though conspicuous , is of little importance as a watershed for it ” is pierced by three streams , at the picturesque na rrows of the Perry a nd the Roden , and the broad st rath of the Tern . There a re few indust ries on the Plain except th ose connected with agricultu re and forest ry , but in places

r o - o there are b ickyards and st ne quarries . The h uses may

F i 0 — —im o n . 1 . H a f H a t H o o No P a g l t bered use dnet , the rthern l in .

be built of stone , but more often of brick or of a timber framework ﬁlled in with b rick or plaster , The towns inside the Plain are few and small , Wem , Prees , Hodnet , a Ruyton , B schurch , and Whittington , only two of 2 000 them with more than inhabitants . There are , w ho ever , important market towns at the edges 20 T T P . HE EAS ERN LAIN I I .

Shrewsbu ry on the south , Oswest ry on the west , Elles

o mere , Whitchu rch , and Market Drayt n on the north ,

Newport and Wellington on the east . The Eastern Plain differs from the N o rthe rn in one

r o r ve y important respect . The n the rn rivers have a very gentle g radient fro m s ource to outfall into the 1 00 Seve rn . The Te rn falls less than feet in 2 5 miles

o from Market D rayt n to its mouth at Atcham , a g radient

r of 4 feet per mile . The Wo f , on the other hand , falls 2 00 2 0 1 0 feet in miles , a g radient of feet per mile . This gives th e eastern rivers much greater speed and in

- consequence they have cut out deep , steep Sided valleys , which cont rast st rongly with the open st raths of the north . The Eastern Plain has thus become dissected into valleys with portions of the plain still standing between them as plateaux , or reduced to ridges . The ri dges and valleys trend from N . N . W . to S . S . E a direction about parallel t o the c ourse of the Severn

e south of its great bend at Coalport . The Chief of thes Sha tte rford Tuc khill ridges are , with its continuation

r the High Rock and Apley Terrace nea r Bridgno th , and ’ o Abbott s Castle Hill . Like the northern sand st ne hills these ridges are cut through by st reams , the Rive rs

o Worf and St u r , and the Bowhill and Claverley Brooks but the main course of the streams is pa rallel to the ri to dges . The agricultu re is Similar that of the Northern

Plain , the villages are small , and the towns are at the

r edge Bridgnorth on the west , and Shifnal on the no th .

south a re The needs of the east and _ supplied by Wolver hampton (Staffordshire) and Bewdley or Kidderminster W orﬁeld a l ri (Worcestershire) . , Cl verley , and A b ghton , T P . 21 4 . HE U LAND

all 1 00 under 5 inhabitants , are the chief villages of the

r Easte n Plain . The key to the st ructu re of the Upland is furnished S W h . t by Wenlock Edge This t rends away . . from e

F i i r —T o f R i a nd S a m g . rend d ges tre s

fo r 1 Seve rn at Buildwas in an unbroken line 7 miles , On n when it is cut through by the y River . It then runs another 6 miles to Downton (Herefo rdshire) where it is ‘

T P . 22 HE U LAN D I I .

e t renched by the Teme , and swings round in a hors shoe L cu rve the toe of which abuts on udlow . Throughout most of its cou rse it is a double ridge made of two

S ee . 2 o edges ( ﬁg lower , westward one (Wenl ck 1 000 Edge proper) seldom reaching feet , while the e i astern , wh ch may be called View Edge , attains nearly .

1 200 feet . The steep Slopes or sca rps of both edges look to the north - west and are densely clad with woods o f beech , oak , and elm , while the gentler easte rn Slopes

“ ” - B (the dip slopes ) are arable or pasture . etween the two Edges there is a disc ontinuous depression known a s D Hope ale , in which rise numerous streams that all tu rn at right angles , cut gaps through View Edge , and so escape to the S E . The double ridge is ﬂanked by a valley on each Side of a type called longitudinal because it runs parallel

t . e to the trend of the ridge , . along the grain of the

o count ry . That to the east , called Corve Dale , is ver

1 7 miles long and carries the River Corve . That on the west is known as Ape Dale and has a watershed about

—in - - its middle , at Longville the Dale , from which the ' N E Sheinton Brook has a longitudinal , . . cou rse to the i Severn , and the Eaton or Byne B rook a Sim la r cou rse 1 1 1 8 ( 5 W nn S ee s. S . O . to the y . ( ﬁg , Approximately parallel t o Wenlock Edge and its l Dales run other main ridges of simi ar character, also with their sca rp faces to the west . Two of the chief of these are known as Yell Bank and Hoar Edge . Passing westward over these and then another 7 miles in the same direction (leaving the Stretton Hills and Valley

Lon m nd o and the g y out of acc unt for a time) , we meet 3 T G . 4 . HE ED ES another grea t ridge reaching over 1 700 feet above the a l se . This is crowned by bare crags of white Spark ing i rock called qua rtzite , one of which from its cu r ous ’ ” v r Shape is known as the De il s Chai , and another from its vegetation the Cranberry Rock , while the rocks themselves have given the name of the Stiperstones i (or steep stor es) to the ridge . Edge after edge follows ,

- N E S W all t rending in the same direction . . to . . , Shelve

Hill , the Oak Edge , Stapeley Hill , and the Kenton ,

i 1 2 — i a i a F . . H o D o a in S g p e ngle , l ngitud n l v lley the helve ‘ '

u . o a oo i o D d . a c ntry ense kw s A typ c l h op e .

H Whitt r e . agley , and y ridges These are likewise separated one from another by longitudinal valleys among which is the exquisite rift of Hope Dingle , and the dainty Marrington Dingle , with rivers which ﬂow l Onn northward , and the val ey of the West y which C ﬂows south . 24 T G F T C T HE RAIN O H E OUN RY . I I .

- Crossing the mile wide Ma rton Valley , also longi

- tudinal ~ , with the Rea ﬂowing north east and the Hails

- ford Brook ﬂowing south west from . a watershed so inconspicuous that in times of heavy rain Ma rton Pool

drains out in both directions , we encounter the mass of N E S W . . i the Long Mountain trending . to . , which r ses 1 6 1 to 33 feet , and is cultivated on its ﬂanks up to 000

feet . Looking across the last longitudinal valley , that

Trewe m Breidde n of the , we see in front the range , of

which , however, only a small fraction is included in our

Breidde ns county . But , beyond the , the boundary crosses the Seve rn ﬂats and the Vyrnwy t o encroa ch

' upon the Be rw yn outpost of the Welsh mountains from

Llanymynech to Selattyn . Having thus grasped the law of the Upland with its

N E - S W ri . . . . dges and parallel valleys we must retu rn to

a few features which seem at ﬁrst to t ransgress the law . Recrossing the Rea into the Shelve count ry we a re a t

- Corndon 1 68 once st ruck by the cone like mountain of , 4

o ro feet high , on an outpost of M ntgome ryshire , which p

o o t rudes into Shr pshire . Fr m its summit we get a clear picture of the ridges and at once notice that they are all cut off abruptly to the south by a great t rans verse valley running across the grain of the l count ry . This also has a low watershed in its midd e ,

Camlad about Lydham , from which the drains to the N W . . , a small st ream soon j oined by the West and East Onn S E y , to the , and a third to j oin the Kemp to the B south . eyond the valley lies a mass of cultivated land , the Kerry Hills , rather like the Long Mountain in aspect 1 0 and rising to 6 0 feet . The part visible is in Mont

26 - T HOG B C . H E A KS I I .

sides locally known as batches and gutters . Standing on a spur between two gutters we look out e astward over the Church Stretton valley towards Hoar

E . dge , Wenlock Edge , and the Clee Hills . But these are in part hidden by a range of cu rious hills called

- hog backs from their Shape . If a segment is broken from a round biscuit and set up on its broken edge it

will illust rate the Shape of these hills , with their abrupt

ﬂanks , and sha rp ridges declining gently towards both

— T W ki f o m o i h o - a c 1 . F ig . 4 he re n r the west sh w ng the g b k - a i a a n d o . sh pe , w th bru pt western side gently sl ping ends

Ra le th ends . This is the shape of g , Caradoc , and the

W . Lawley ; their ridges all run from S . to the

three lie on a line in the same direction , and this line 1 off w points straight to the Wrekin 4 miles , hich is of

Co ar s ( S' m e . the same Shape . ( p ﬁg 4 It is even con e tinne d another 8 miles to Lilleshall Hill (S e ﬁg . The

C hurch Stretton valley is longitudinal and parallel .

Its watershed is at Church Stretton , from which the T P T . 27 4 . HE LA EAU

N E. Cound Brook ﬂows . to the Severn . To the uinn S W south the Q y Brook starts ﬂowing to the . but as the hog - backs die down the stream cuts across them to j oin the Onny before that river trenches Wenlock v Edge at Stokesay , but after it has car ed its valley Lon m nd across the southern g y . U The pland is a complex area , often wild and barren , with rock , heath , moorland , and mountain pasture , but with many rich and fertile valleys folded away among and the hills . Villages except in the valleys are small

at r on sc tered . Towns are mostly at the edges , Oswest y

coalﬁeld - the N . Wales to the north west , Shrewsbu ry ,

the Wenlock , and Minsterley on the north , Chirbury on s west . But there are also important towns in the valley

’

. like Clun , or else on the low watersheds , as at Bishop s

Castle and Church Stretton . Besides these there was once a large population in the lead - mining ground about Lon m nd Shelve . On the other hand the g y is practically devoid even of hamlets . " Beyond Corve Dale stretches a great t riangula r

o Plateau bounded r ughly by this Dale , the R . Teme , and 00 ' the Severn . It averages 5 feet in height but a central 00 terrace rises abruptly to 7 feet , and on that again.

~ : stand two table topped mountains , the Brown Clee with 1 2 a double summit 79 feet high , mainly covered with Titterstone 1 t woodland and heath , and the Clee 749 fee S ee rontis iece and ( f p ) , with a craggy summit looking west

‘ north . This is a land of heavy red soil , of ﬁelds and of im orchards , oaks , hazels , beech , and ash , and with

- m portant stone quarries and s all coal mines . It is dotted i over w th innumerable tiny villages accessible by narrow , P P II 28 LATEAU AN D ENINSU LA . .

s out tony , muddy lanes which branch from the few main roads and are steep and tortuous to enable them t o negotiate the abrupt slopes cut out by swift - ﬂowing

streams hastening to the Severn . The only important town on this Southern Plateau is Ludlow but it is se rved B by Wenlock and roseley to the north , Bridgnorth on

o the east , Cleobu ry Mortimer to the s uth , and the growing town of Craven Arms on the west One o ther portion o f the county remains for d esc rip o f tion , the wedge or Peninsula high land which separates

r o o the Northern from the Easte n Plain , the C albro kdale

o f Coalﬁeld and its envir ns . The weste rn ﬂank o

— i I . a i o m o F ig . 5 L llesh ll H ll fr the s uth .

this t ract springs abruptly fro m the Plain at the Wrekin

o t and Lilleshall , but elsewhere it rises m re gen ly , and everywhere on its eastern edge it slopes by easy stages m to the Eastern Plain . Its natural featu res are asked

o r by the refuse heaps of limest ne quar ies , of coal and S ee w iron mines , and of blast fu rnaces ( ﬁg . hile the drainage is diverted among the tip s and through deserted

o o mines . Some of the waste m unds a re l fty and the T C F . 29 4 . HE OAL IELD

S ee older ones are often covered with trees ( ﬁg . The p rincipal valleys have been deeply trenched by streams

o o that ﬂow to the Severn , or more lightly h ll wed where the drainage is towards the Worf . The deeper valleys hum with the indust ri es of secluded towns whose straggling streets clamber over the intervening hills .

(S ee ﬁg . This is the area of the Coalbrookdale

Coalﬁeld , the industrial centre of the county , thickly

of peopled , full towns and villages living on the wealth c oalﬁeld mined from the . Agriculture is p ractically negligible , forests have almost disappeared , and as is so often the case , the wealthier part of the population lives outside the margin of the c oalﬁeld in such towns as

o Wellingt n , Newport , and Shifnal . But there are inside it many important industrial towns , such as Madeley , ’ ri Dawley , Wrockwardine Wood , Hadley , Lilleshall , P or s

’ o Lee , St . George s , Ir nbridge , Ketley , Oakengates ,

Coalbrookdale , and , where the Coalﬁeld crosses the river,

ackﬁ ld Broseley and J e . The population of the towns

mentioned above is a quarter of that of the whole county . Thus we have in Shropshire two divisions of the great Plain , a Northern and an Eastern pa rt and we have found it convenient to divide the Upland Into three U parts , the Main pland , including the Western Hills of

Oswestry and Clun Forest , the Southern Plateau , and the Peninsula or Coalﬁeld area , the only considerable part of the Upland which crosses the Severn .

—R v rs n d V s 5. i e a a lle y .

There are two peculiarities in the river system o f

Sa10 o p . Almost the wh le county is t ributary to the 30 V L . RI ERS AN D VAL EYS I I .

Severn , and , with the exception of that brought into the all county by the Seve rn , Vyrnwy , and Teme , practically i its water comes from the rainfall on its own h lls . A t Dee e ve ry small area in the nor h d rains to the or Me rs y , and the d rainage of a large region in the South only reaches the Severn indirectly th rough the Teme but all the rest drains t o the Seve rn directly or through t ribu taries wholly contained within the county . The Se vern enters Salop near Melverley at its conﬂuence with the Vyrnwy , and its valley has a length 6 e of 5 miles inside the county . For 35 miles its cou rs runs E . S . E . to Coalport , where it bends sharply to S . S . E . and holds this direction till it leaves the county near

Highley . In this S . S . E . part it should be noted that the river runs in straight reaches or in cu rves with a 1 radius from to 3 miles i n length . The walls of the valley are steep and they close in upon the river so that it is often cutting into the live rock . The stream is so shallow and swift that navigation has always been diﬂi cult 60 irl 2 1 m l . The river falls feet i es or 3 feet m per ile , a steep gradient for so large a stream . This is i the cause of its speed and st raightness , as it is not eas ly tu rned aside by small obstacles , and it cuts rapidly

- l down into its bed , producing a steep sided val ey . l Where this condition begins , just below Bui dwas , the river has sawn a gap through Wenlock Edge and the — rocks of the Coalﬁeld , and made the steep Sided gorge 6 e through which it ﬂows for 5 or miles , with the Spe d

S' S ee s. ( and turbulence of a mountain torrent . ( ﬁg 99

l v l Above Bui dwas all is different . Here the al ey T 5, HE SEVERN .

walls are far apa rt , sometimes nearly a mile back from the river, and the space between them is occupied by broad flat meadows growing on the silt and gravel deposited by the river when , as is often the case , it ” floods its plain . Over this alluvial plain the river meanders in cu rves with a radius of as much as three S ee quarters or as little as a quarter of a mile . ( fig . but The banks are generally soft gravel or sand , sometimes the river touches the valley wall s and

C too cuts a liff in the live rock . Sometimes , , the larger curves , like that of the Isle above Shrewsbu ry , are cut down into solid rock so that the valley - walls themselves swing in great curves . Its behaviour may be connected h with the fact that the stream , though carrying muc water , is t ravelling Slowly , its gradient for 35 miles being 2 e r rather less than feet p mile . but the Above Melverley , outside the county ,

l - s character of the river changes again . The val ey wall are straight and more than a mile apart , and over the wide alluvial plain between them the river meanders in' 1 o curves of only /5 to mile radius . The fall here is als about 2 feet per mile and the difference in behaviour is t o be r att ributed to its low velocity , the result of the smalle

fdr mass of water , the Severn has not yet received the

Vyrnwy , which at Melverley nearly doubles its volume Before it reaches the Melverley bend the Severn receives the Camlad on its right bank and the Vyrnwy on

its left . The ﬁrst of these rivers rises at a low watershed

’ e o - e n ar Bish p s Castle , ﬂows through the oak clad gorg known as Marrington Dingle and reaches the Severn

near Montgomery , after a remarkably inconstant cou rse V A ND V . II RI ERS ALLEYS .

4 3 RIVERS AN D VALLEYS . I I

The b ends of the Vyrnwy have already been referred to and it has been Shown that the county boundary at times . v follows cu r es which the river has now abandoned .

8 —M a f o f o o wi a F i . 1 . o S g p the rivers hr pshire , sh ng the l rge m of a m o n a m o o o f a nu ber stre s the h rd i pervi us r cks the U pl nd , F w a m a nd the sm a ller num ber o n the Pl a ins . e stre s in the Co a lbro o kda le Coa lﬁeld a nd o n the Perm i a n a nd Tri a ssic Sa nd m o o . Lo i a a nd a a a st nes ng tudin l tr nsverse v lleys ng the Ed ges , a ia i o f o m Lo n m nd o a a nd r d t n g gr u ps r the g y the C lﬁeld , the Clee

H a nd a Lo n m nd . ills , irregul r gutters in the g y 35 W T . 5. A ERSHEDS

Be low Melverley there is no important tributary from the right bank until the Severn reaches Shrewsbury where the Rea brings in the drainage from several

— - f i a a nd a h o o . F i . 1 R S g 9 . ver b sins w ters eds hr pshire 3 6 V . RIVERS AN D ALLEYS I I .

o u S ee l ngitudinal valleys , incl ding Hope Dingle ( 1 2 ﬁg . ) and others from the north of the Shelve count ry , together with that from valleys in both ﬂanks of the

Long Mountain . Cound Brook which falls in between

Uriconium and Cressage , collects from the north of the Longmynd and is the northern longitudinal stream of the

Stretton valley .

— - - F i . 2 0 . T R P a R o I To g he iver erry ne r uyt n X wns .

Three gentle winding rivers drain the Northe rn

Plain . First the Perry , rising nea r the county bounda ry at Oswest ry and meeting the Severn above Shrewsbu ry second the Roden , rising in Whixall Moss and j oining the Te rn ; thirdly the Tern itself , receiving its water in from Whitchurch , Woore , and Newport (some coming here from Staffordshire) and reaching the Severn near H 3 T T V . 5. HE NOR ERN RI ERS 7

Atcham . These streams are in strange contrast to the southern tributaries j ust mentioned . The latter are

- - st raight , swift , strenuous , with well marked valley walls ,

S ee s 1 2 ( 3 The and scenery of wild beauty ( ﬁg .

r northern streams are slack , sluggish , and se pentine , with no definite structural directions , bounded by alluvial S ee meadows ( fig . easily flooded , often passing through lowlying and swampy land , and only occasionally

- with marked valley walls , such as where they cut through the sandstone hills at Ruyton , Myddle , and

Lee Brockhu rst . In and near to the Ironbridge Gorge the Seve rn receives from the Wrekin and the Coalﬁeld a few small

- torrents in deep cut valleys , notably those of Coalbrook

S ee o dale ( ﬁg . 47) and Madeley . Below the C alport bend the t ributary valleys are called dingles , steep wooded

of hollows with rapid streams . The chief these is the River Worf on the left bank above Bridgno rth and the M or and Borle Brooks on the right bank below that town . A valley analogous and roughly parallel to that of the Severn from Melverley to Coalport carries the

U t o southern drainage of the pland the Severn . In its upper part it is the valley of the Onuy , in its lower the

Teme . The West Onuy gathers the water from the Corndon ; Shelve count ry and , it is j oined by the East Onuy which occupies a striking longitudinal valley Sti e rstones Lon m nd L between the p and the g y . ater come in the Quinny and Byne Brooks from Church Stretton and Ape Dale be fore the Onny cuts through

Wenlock Edge . Just above Ludlow it receives the 38 V L . RI ERS AN D VAL EYS I I .

v Cor e on its left bank and the Teme on its right . The l W k D atter, before it cuts th rough enloc Edge at ownton , has received the Clun and carries so much water that it n gives its name to the j oint streams . Flowi g past Ludlow it is ﬁnally met by the Ledwy che Brook and the Rea River which drain much of the Southern

Plateau and the Clee Hills . In the extreme north of the county there are a few streams about Adderley draining towards the Wea ver W and so reaching the Mersey , while about hitchurch

- and to the north west the drainage passes to the Dee . s The maps of the river system of the county (ﬁg .

1 8 ( 5 1 r 1 9) b ing out several important points . ( ) The much larger number of streams in the Upland compared with those of an equal area in the Plain . This is largely due to the fact that the streams rise in the high ground B ut and j oin up with one another in flowing to the low . the hardness and impervious chara cter of the Upland 2 rocks is not without its influence . ( ) The radiating character of the streams in the Longmynd and from the G lees and the Coalfield , compared with the longitudinal and transverse directions among the Edges . 3) The ex ceptionally small number of streams on the Bunter and

- Permian porous sand rock areas . (4) The ra rity of irre u streams in the Coalfield Peninsula . And (5) the g lar and apparently planless character of the drainage of the Northern Plain . If on a map all the land draining direc tlv t o the Severn were painted in one colour and that dra in ing to the e 1 Teme in another (S e fig . 9) the basins or drainage areas of those rivers would be displayed . The colours would 39 T W T . 5. HE A ERSHEDS meet along a line from which water flows off in opposite

o - directions ; it is c nsequently called a water parting ,

- r un o water Shed , or divide . This line is found to fr m

’ Bishop s Castle to near Shelve and then app ro xim ately — N W . . . . . S E to Cleobury Mortimer It is , however ,

o sinuous and varies much in height . Thus it cr sses

o o f o s me the highest land in the Shelve c unt ry , the

Lon m nd g y , and Wenlock Edge ; but , between these

o points it passes through low gr und at Marsh Pool ,

- in - - Church Stretton , Longville the Dale , and Bourton . On the other hand it leaves Caradoc and the Lawley wholly within the Severn drainage and Clun Forest and the Clee Hills in that of the Teme . This line is called a tertiar o y, watershed because it nly divides the waters of; u a secondar two sets of trib t ries of one river . The only y watershed in Shropshire divides the waters of the Mersey;

rimar s from those of the Dee . A p y watershed separate ! : rivers ﬂowing to separate seas . A line from nea r Selattyn eastward to Welshampton and then through

o Fenns Moss to Wo re , divides the Bristol Channel drainage from that of the Irish Sea . A second p rimary

ru . N watershed ns from near Newcastle outside the E . corner of the c ounty and divides the Irish Sea drainage from that carried by the Trent to the North Sea and a third running south from the same point to near Wolve r hampton divides the Trent drainage from that of the

Severn . It is this last line which for a Short distance forms the county boundary near Boscobel . The ﬁrst of these three p rimary watersheds is remarkable in that within the county it traverses low ground and even marshes like Whixall , part of which D 40 W A TERS H . EDS I I .

drains north and part south and throughout its cou rse 00 it does not touch 5 feet . And yet rive rs from it cut

through hills of at least the same height . This acco unts

r for the slack cu rrents , the winding cu ves , and the broad

S ee valleys of the Northern Plain ( ﬁg . It also explains the water- logged character of some of the ground such as the ma rshes in the middle cou rse of the Perry

and in the Weald Moors . The sluggish Character of the

— 2 1 . a m a m . F ig . Bl ke ere ne r Elles ere drainage is also responsible for the meres of the Northern

o . Plain , the chief of which are clustered ab ut Ellesmere There are others near C o ndover and in the Perry basin about Baschurch , while in the ground between Whitchurch and Market D rayton there is a w o nde rful area of tiny meres , one or more occurring in every ﬁeld . The terti ary watershed lines d rawn to divide the drainage basins of the chief Severn t ributa ries bri ng out

42 B SOI L AN D SU SOI L . I I .

- below by means of frost and rain water . The rock fragments become fractured again and again in the h igher laye rs of the subsoil by the same agencies , aided m by bacteria , roots of plants , wor s and moles , vegetable

s . w acid , etc Thus the character of a soil va ries ith the

nature of the rock beneath it . Under sandy soils we ﬁnd C sandstone ; under lay soils , clay , shale , or slate ;

2 2 —R0ad - i o a a im o a nd . cutt ng thr ugh ltern ting l est nes

ha H a a o k Ed . s les , rley B nk , Wenl c ge

and under marly soils , marls , clay with limestone , or

limestone alone . At the junction of two dissimilar

a re rocks there mixed soils , generally the richest and

most fertile of all .

o o An opening d wn into the r ck below the subsoil ,

such as that shown in the pictu re , made to ca rry a road o \Venlock ver Edge , displays the rock under the subsoil 6 43‘ . ROCK .

at that spot . When the cutting was made the rock was found to consist of plates of limestone resting on and n alter ating with plates of clay , like the sheets , blankets , . and quilt of a bed . It is the edges of the plates thus cut through which give the st riped character seen in th e

S b e photograph . A rock arranged in plates is aid to

o om bedded or st ratiﬁed , and it is f und that most c mon

o - r cks , conglomerate or pudding stone , sandstone , shale ,

’ C o o ‘ o lay , Slate , marl , limest ne , ir nstone , and c al , are of this character . About 95 per cent of the Shropshire rocks are st ratiﬁed . At the t op of the cutting a number of qua rries have been opened in a mass of limestone over 1 00 feet high f which has been given the name o the Wenlock Limestone .

A S o ! the w rkings extend , the limestone can be followed bel o w ground and proved to be a sheet or stratum o ve r 1 00 feet thick lying parallel to the thin beds of the m cutting and everywhere resting upon the . All the

di o S E . layers incline , or p downward t wards the

1 r in' at an angle of about 0 degrees . The quar ies extend N E a line . . from Wenlock to the Severn at I ronb ridge

S ee n o c S W . ru ( ﬁg . while to the they all al ng Wenlo k

Edge as far as Ludlow and beyond . Thus the edge of this sheet of limestone rises out of the ground into

N E S . W . contact with the soil along a . . to line for at least 30 miles . Such a line is called the outcrop t o of the limestone , and the following facts with regard it are worthy of note (1 ) Everywhere it weathers up into calcareous and

’ marly soil , fertile , and supporting a great growth of t rees and lime - loving plants (S ee p age C A ND RO K SOI L . C CT RO K SE IONS . 45 46 C RO K AN D SOIL . I I .

(2) All the quarries Show that it inclines steadily to the S E . (3) Unde rneath it there are always clays alte rnating

o f o o with thin sheets limestones , f ll wed by a Sheet

o r 2 000 of hardened clay Shale nearly feet thick . This is

\Ve nloc k called the Shale .

(4) Resting on it where it plunges into the ground ,

a and therefore outcropping in a p rallel band on its S . E .

o Side , is an ther sheet of sandy clay or mudstone (so called because it easily weathers into mud) , the Lower

o Ludl w Mudstone . (5) Everywhere it forms a ridge o r edge line drop ping steeply d o wnwards o n its ﬂank o r sca rp

o o face , where the sheet is ften broken int a cli ff ; but

on inclining gently away its S . E . Side , that towards which the beds are inclining (the dip - Slope It is a hard band of resistant rock between two soft ones , consequently under the wear and tear of rain u and st reams it stands p better than its softer neighbou rs , which have been wo rn out into the parallel depressions f N V V o o n S E . . Hope Dale the . and Ape Dale on the s The e features a re depicted in the annexed section , which sh o ws what would be visible if the Edge and its neighb ou ring count ry were cut th rough down to sea level by a deep t rench . It displays the rock sheets which have j ust been described and also th ose which lie

o below and th ose which follow above them . It als b rings out the Shape of the g round and the relati on it bears t o the positio n and - arrangem ent of bands of hard

o F i and soft r ck ( g . Am ong the debris of the limestone quarries one can 4 F . 6 . OSSI LS 7

i u s p ck p hundreds of fossil shells , bits of coral , fragment

- - of sea mats , or of shrimp like creatures , all more or less related to such as now live in the sea . An examination of a bit of weathered limestone Shows that it is almost

— F o ssil T o i om i 2 . o m o . F ig . 5 ril b te fr the Wenl ck L est ne

l entirely made of such fossils , and that it was once a shel

- o s bank or a coral reef forming on a sea bed . F ssils are les abundant in the strata above and below , but they are common enough to demonst rate that these also were

or - ﬂoor f med by the deposit of mud on a sea , the dwelling

f “ o . place Shellﬁsh , sponges , and corals As the sheets of rock lie parallel the deposition must have p roceeded s regularly and without distu rbance . Only at ﬁr t the sea

o n was muddy , when the Wenl ck Shale was laid down ; the it cleared and the abundant growth of animals formed the Limestones ; lastly mud and sand were again washed into the sea and the Ludlow Mudstones originated . r Thus the st ratiﬁed rocks are deposits , formed unde

v still water, which ha e subsequently hardened and then been hea ved up above sea level later they have be en

. carved by the sea , or by rain and rivers into the hills and valleys of which the landscape consists . But things have not always been as quiet and placid as this . Generally when heaved above the sea , the

sediments have been bent and c rumpled , or even broken . 48 C . RO K AN D SOI L I I .

To di and c rushed . the ﬁrst of these causes their p

is due , to the second the want of continuity or regular b succession sometimes p resented y their outcrops . Moreover the present p ositio n o f rocks is often the

of o outcome more than one phase of uplift . If r cks are be nt o r folded du ring the movement of one Perio d and then again lowered benea th the sea the ne w series of sediments will not lie parallel to the laye rs o f the folded

o st rata on which they rest . Such a relati nship is 2 illustrated by the section (ﬁg . 4) which Shows that the coal - bearing rocks were laid d o wn after disturbance o f the

o Wenlock Limestone and its ass ciates , and also after the su rface of some of the sheets had been broken into and

of uncan worn away . A junction this kind is called

ormit f y , while a parallel relationship between t wo sets of m st rata , such as that between the Wenlock Li estone

o r and the beds immediately above below it , is called

Again vo lcanoes burst out in Uric onium and Ord ovician times b ringing up melted rock from the hot

r r inte ior of the ea rth , which ﬂowed over the su face as

m at e aial o lava . The same was at these and ther periods i ntrusively forced into the crevices among the bedded

r o rocks , or even pa allel to their strata . In b th cases it

o S ee s 2 ( 9 solidiﬁed into hard , c rystalline , r ck . ( ﬁg . 7 By taking note of the order in which bedded rocks rest one upon another it is possible to asce rtain their relative age on the p rinciple that of any t wo in contact

the one underneath is the older of the two . In this way the relative age of all the stratiﬁed rocks of Britain has

been lea rnt , and names have been given to them ,

0 5 C L . RO K AN D SOI I I . generally de rived from their character or the loc ality 26 where they occur . Figure represents what would be seen if we could ﬁnd some place where all these rocks

were present , and could sink a Shaft right th rough them . s At any particular Spot , however , one or more membe r

th e s was of sequence may be missing , either becau e it

never formed there , or , having been formed , it has after

i r wards been washed away . There are only a few m no gaps in Shropshire until we reach the Middle Lias . Everything above that except the Pleistocene dep osit s ll is absent , and of the Lias only a comparatively sma

v s patch sur ive . The geographical position occupied in the county by the outcrops of each important member of the rock sequence is displayed in the Geological Map at the end w of this volume , which should be carefully compared ith a re the physical map at the beginning . The older rocks , l the better are the chances that they wil become hardened . Thus it is not su rp rising to ﬁnd that the Upland is made

of th e m oldest rocks , the Arch an , Cambrian , Ordovician , and Silurian the S outhern P la tea u and the C oa lﬁelds which come next in height are built Of the Old Red

the Sandstone and Carboniferous Rocks , later in age P la ins are founded on the newest rocks the Permian ,

Trias , and Lias . But among both old and new rocks some band s

are harder than others , and the hills run along the

o outcr p of these , while the nearly parallel longitudinal valleys are cut out along the outcrop of the softe r U members . This is well seen in the pland , where i n View Edge , Wenlock Edge , the Ca radoc and Wrek G G C L CT EOLO I A SE IONS . 51 52 C . RO K AN D SOI L I I .

- Sti e rstones N E . S W hog backs , the p , the to . . ridges in

o o the Shelve Count ry , foll w the outcr p of hard bands ; while Corve Dale , Hope Dale , Ape Dale , the valleys of On n Stretton , the East and West y , and the Rea , each pu rsue the line of some soft bed . Of cou rse streams cut t ransverse rifts through hard bands when they cann o t

d o o help it , but , wherever they so their valleys are narr w ,

- o - a nd In steep Sided , g rge like , often ve ry beautiful .

Se v e m Onn stances are the Gorge , the y at Horderley and at Stokesay , and the Roden at Lee Brockhurst . The relationships of the rocks which constitute the U land the p , Southern Plateau , and the Eastern Plain may 2 be gathered from the section (ﬁg . 7) which cuts across the N W strata from . . to S . E . This Shows that the older rocks are bent as a whole into an arch lying between two t roughs . The centre of the arch is broken by faults

Lon m nd at Chu rch Stretton , and c rumpled at the g y , and there is one subsidiary buckle on each Side . The oldest rocks in the county outcrop along the line of

- hog backs extending from Lilleshall , through the

S ee 1 t o . s. Wrekin ( ﬁg 4, the Lawley and Caradoc These are of Arch aean age and consist of volcanic lavas and f tu fs The next in point of age are the conglomerates ,

Lon m nd S ee . g rits , and Slates of the g y ( ﬁg of vast thickness and so ancient that no fossils except worm r burrows have been found in them . The rocks are ve y well consolidated throughout , there are practically no

o weak strata to f rm st ructural valleys , and the mass of

a - them makes a ﬂ t topped plateau . Camb rian rocks succeed , hard qua rtzites and sandstones with soft Shales

(the Sheinton Shale) , the latter eaten out into the hollow T C 6 . DH U S ONE AND OAL MEASURES . 53

Lon m nd under Hoar Edge and that west of the g y . The Ordovician System has as resistant rocks the Sti e rstones qua rtzite of the p , the volcanic ashes of

W hitte r Shelve Hill , Stapeley Hill , and the Hagley and y Snailbeach the ridges , the grits of Priest Weston and , H sandstones of oar Edge and Chatwall , the limestone of

o . As Middlet n , and a few int rusions of volcanic rocks

and Rorrin ton weak rocks there are the Shales ﬂags of g ,

A ld ress . , and Harnage The sandstones are useful as building stones and the g rits fu rnish lead and

zinc . The Silu rian rocks are based upon hard grits at

' Kenley a nd Little Wenlock but they mainly consist of the mudstones of Wenlock and Ludlow with the inter

stratiﬁed Wenlock and Aymestry Limestones , much

- quarried for lime burning and for iron smelting . In the Long Mountain there are mudstones but no hard lim estones and there are in consequence no scarps or

All o edges . these rocks were f rmed in the sea and

contain abundant marine fossils . The next rock group was formed in lakes and consists of soft red sandstones and marls with some

lim t n ~ c n l m ate hard es o e o g o er bands . These latter form

the great terrace round the Clee Hills , and the hills themselves stand so high because the Old Red Sandstone

is here covered by the next division , the Carboniferous , which has been locally preserved by its capping of hard

- r e n . igneous , int usive dolerit k own locally as dhu stone

S ee rontis iece and ( f p ﬁg . There are limestones and grits at the base of the Carboniferous rocks at the Clee

a Lla n my Hills , ne r the Wrekin and Lilleshall , and at y

o nech , the rock being quarried at all these l calities . 4 5 C . RO K AN D SOI L I I .

o Elsewhere in the Hanwood , Leebotwo d , Forest of Wyre , and Coalbrookdale c oa lﬁelds these lower rocks a re absent and the c oal - bea ring Coal - measu res rest directly and

unconformably on Silu rian , Ordovician , and Cambrian

rocks , which were bent , broken , and denuded before their

d o - o f ec o n epositi n . The Coal measures are immense o mic importance t o the county as they not only yield s everal beds or seams of workable coal , va rying

2 1 0 ﬁre cla from to feet thick , but seams of ironstone , y ,

- y brick cla , and sandstone suitable for building . The Coal - measures appear to have be en laid down in the swampy delta of a great riv er on which grew the forests

r - that have p rovided the mate ial for the coal seams .

- m The Permian rocks a re limestone conglo erates ,

r s with dark red and pu p le sands and marl , which are

r - confo mable to the Coal measu res . They are lake

o e formed sediments . After their f rmation there happen d one of the most imp ortant p e riods of earth mo vement

o All that has occu rred in Shr pshire . rocks older than the Permian were bent , broken , and carved by the d o f enudation rain and rivers into hills and valleys . These were partly submerged under the waters of a lake in o u in a desert climate , but part they st od p for a time e as p ninsulas and islands . Sediments of pebbles , sand , and marl were deposited on the lake bed and in the gulfs and st raits among the peninsulas and islands . In fe w very cases are the deposits of this Period , the Trias ,

o v m found s uth of the present line of the Se e . The lake may have extended farther south but if it did its deposits have been swept away . It is more likely that the southern shore - line of the lake was not very far from the 6 . W T B G T 5 A ER AN D UILDIN S ONES . 5

U present borders of the pland and the Southern Plateau , and that its western Shore - line was near the Welsh

Breiddens boundary , the , and Oswest ry . On the other hand any peninsulas or islands which may have stretched into the lake to the north have been destroyed or bu ried

Hau hm ond up and hidden in the red sand , except two , g — — Hill an is land of Longmyndian Rock and the Coalfield peninsula running north to Lilleshall . Whether in covering up islands the deposits have also bu ried a coalfield or other rocks of economic value , is a matter for the future to determine , but it is known that the eastern the margin of Coalbrookdale Coalfield is so covered , as , when the Trias is pierced , coal seams have been found and worked . The sandstones are in great demand for

S ee s. building stone ( ﬁg 33, and wells sunk in the softer sands yield excellent water . When subsidence of the land let the sea into the Triassic lake the marine Liassic clays and limestones found about We m and

Prees were laid down . Of the later geological history of the county with the exception of two phases we know little from evidence in S i hropshire . At some period the Triass c rocks were t bent into a basin in the centre of which lies he Lias .

o Fractures and irregular folds were made , and denudati n of these brought various members of the Trias to the

a su rface . Wherever conglomerates or brecci s outcrop Pimhill there are hills like those of Ness , , Grinshill , and

Hawkstone S ee s. in the Northern Plain ( ﬁg 33, and ’ ridges like Abbott s Castle in the Eastern . At some time ee also the intrusive igneous rock of the Glees (S ﬁg . o Kinlet , and about Little Wenlock , was forced in am ng E 0 5 C L . RO K AN D SOI I I .

: the other rocks And , gradually a river system was developing on the surface of the land .

The last phase is an even more remarkable one . As

o uncomform abl the Trias c vers all older rocks y , so , both it and the older rocks are covered unconformably in many places by Pleistocene deposits—irregular masses of clay stu ffed with boulders , gravels and sands , or the alluvial muds of the ﬂatter river valleys . Of these the

- oldest and most remarkable are the boulder clays .

8 — a o f a - i . 2 o i i F g . L rge B ulder L ke Distr ct Gra n te a t E a to n o a i C nst nt ne .

Although sediments they are not stratified or sorted . fil l They are most irregular in thickness , and they up valleys or spread over plateaux and hill flanks . Many of the boulders found in them are granites which have S come from outh Scotland , granites and lavas from the

Lake Count ry , or grits and Slaty rocks from North Wales .

58 SOIL AN D CLIMATE . I I .

- by the ice Sheets from Scotland or Lakeland . The water e scaping from the melting ice distributed some o f the

material as gravels and sands , Such as are seen near

Buildwas railway station . The dumping down of moraine material in irregular masse s in some cases obliterated the channels of pre g lacial rivers , and prevented those rivers from resuming their channels when the climate improved and the S ee Glacial Epoch passed away . The greater meres ( 2 1 ﬁg . ) and the innumerable lakelets of the North lie on

its irregular su rface , and it is possible that some of the a nomalies of the northern t ributaries of the Severn with their Slack cu rrents and wide valleys may be due to the

same cause . It has even been suggested that before the Glacial Epoch the upper Severn itself may have ﬂowed into the Dee or Mersey but that it was blocked by the ice o r its deposits and compelled to Cleave a new channel

through the north end of Wenlock Edge , and so to escap e

southward to the Bristol Channel , a cou rse which it has

o maintained ever since . This w uld explain why the c o urse of the river south o f Buildwas is straight and swift and would also explain why it and its northern

tributaries , held back by the hard rock of the Gorge ,

e ffect little denudation , but meander Slowly about their

plains and deposit alluvium on them .

— C m ate 7. li .

The Climate of a place may be deﬁned as the average

of its weather conditions taken over a series of yea rs . e Its main factors are the temp ratu re , pressu re and 59 W A RM TII W . 7. AN D IN D

o or m isture of the air, its movement as wind , the rain

- snow fall that it brings , and the sunshine that it permits . All these factors at any place are dependent up on fou r m 2 circu stances its latitude , ( ) its position with r - egard to the great belts of high and low air pressure ,

(3) its distance from the sea , (4) its height , Slope , and surface . ° ' 2 in Shropshire is Situated in lat . 5 and is therefore

’ the temperate zone . Its average temperature through o ut a series of years is about the same as that of two Liverpool and Dublin . Its July average is degrees warmer than those two towns, and its January average one degree colder than Liverpool and two degrees colder than Dublin . This gives a range between

’ i 2 s summer and w nter of 4 degrees , while that of the Land

1 1 . End is 8 and that of the S W . of Ireland only 5 degrees

This is because the inﬂuence of the Atlantic Ocean in. cooling the land in sum mer and warming it in wint e r

f of is diminishes as we pass inland . The e fect the ocean further brought out by the fact that in winter Shropshire is a little colder than Shetland which is 500 miles farthe r north ! The Upland is cooler than the Plain both in m a su mer and winter, result due to its greater height .

The average harvest is about ' 3 - weeks later than in

’ a E stern England . Wind blows from areas of high pressu re to those of low r S W , and the dominant wind in B itain is the . anti t rade which blows outward from the high pressure bell i i Wi in along the trop c of Cancer . Th s nd , like all others the northern hemisphere , is deﬂected towards its right I S W . . n hand and thus comes from . instead of S ( 30 C T II LIMA E . . a ddition to this constant wind areas of low pressure t ravel across the Atlantic along a path from the West

t. e . W N . Indies towards Iceland , usually of the British

Isles . Round these disturbances or cyclones the wind c ircles in a direction contra ry to that of the hands of a

watch . Therefore as they advance we feel in England ﬁrst a southerly and then a south - westerly wind later the wind veers to the west and north -west as the dis

turbance passes away . But each cyclone generally i v b rings w th it hea y winds and gales with rain or snow , particularly in the south - easterly quadrant which passes

over England . Most of our storms are due to these

cyclones , the track of which is variable , their centres W B usually passing over the sea to the . of the ritish Isles ,

but sometimes right over the country , or even , much m ore rarely , to the south of it .

Other air disturbances are regions of high pressure , c alled anticyclones , round which the wind circles in the s ame direction as the hands of a watch . An anti c yclone is generally present in the North Atlantic and in v western Europe and , mo ing much more Slowly than a c v yclone , it occasionally Spreads o er England or may r emain stationary for weeks together . The winds are

gentle breezes , the air is dry , and the weather in summer is steadfastly ﬁne ; but in winter the very clea rness

brings frost and frequently fog . Thus the wa rm winds f W . S W S o . . . England are from the , , and , and the cold N N o E. . ones fr m . , . , and E The ﬁrst are wet because

o n they blow from the ocean to land , and warm because of the heat given to the air by condensing moisture the s econd are dry because they travel over land , and cold RAIN FALL 6 1

that land is generally cold at the time they

RA IN F A L L U N D ER I N C S H E .

— 3 0 3 5

4 0—5 0

O V E R

IN C H E S

Fi — . o . Ra fal M a of E a g 3 in l p ngl nd a nd Wa les . 6 2 C T . LIMA E I I .

The rainfall of England and Wales is depicted on the map . It is expressed as the number of inches by which the land would be submerged if the rain of a year remained where it fell . It will be seen that on the ocean side of the island rain is heavier than on the Side of the narrow seas and the continent ; that it tends to be all greater in the south than in the north , and , above , s that it is greatest on hills , and especially the higher hill

- which happen to be situated to the west and south west . On the other hand it is small to the east and pa rticularly

of under the Shelter windward hills , as behind the P Chilt e m s. ennine , the Welsh Mountains , and the This S W . i is because rain is brought by W and . w nds which , u coming wa rm from the sea , st rike the colder land . Th s they are cooled , can no longer hold the moisture they

o i n . carry , and drop it in the f rm of clouds , mist , and ra They are fu rther cooled by mountains and especially by lofty ones , and descend to the plains comparatively d ry . While on the Harlech mountains and those of the l Lake District over 5 feet of water fal s in the year, the Shropshire Plain gets about 28 inches and the Upland 1 0 about 33 inches . At Oswest ry the average for years

Bromﬁeld o was 37 inches , at near Ludl w and at Much

1 o 2 r Wenlock 3 , at Market Drayt n 7, and at Shrewsbu y 2 5. The highest rainfalls have been regist ered at the

o o f W stati ns Oswestry , estbury , Clun , and Church b Stretton , and the lowest at Shrews ury , B ridgnorth ,

1 0 Pontesbury , and Newport . The year 9 3 was an ex

o o n ceptionally wet one , ver 57 inches falling one station ,

1 1 1 o ne 1 8 while 9 was a d ry , as little as inches being e S e . . registered at Shrewsbury and 2 1 at Shifnal . ( p x ) 3 C . 6 7. LOUD AN D SUNSHINE

o The wettest month is as a rule N vember , followed

r in orde by January , October, and August . The d riest r month is March , followed by Ap il , May , September , and

June in order . Of course this refers to total rainfall and not to the number of rainy days . In many cases , the smaller the actual fall , the larger the number of days through which it is distributed . The amount of sunshine is dependent upon the othe r features of climate , more particularly those which cause

— r n don a M C orn don . C o H 1 . a F i . B rytes ine , ill in the b ck g 3 — gro und co vered with clo ud b a nner .

rain , mist , and cloud . The maximum possible amount of sunshine in the latitude of Shropshire is about 4500 1 881 hours in a year . The sunshine records taken in o o at Church Stoke , just outside the c unty , gave a t tal the rather under 1 400 hours . Thus we may say that probability is that a place in the county will see the sun 6 4 C M T P T M LI A E , LAN S AN D ANI ALS . I I . fo r rather m o re than o ne third of the tim e he is above the

ad va nt horizon . In this particular the Plains have an

U the a age over the pland , and Severn v lley lying in the s o f o helter the hills is pr bably the sunniest of all , for here the ai r descends from the hills , is warmed by the process , a nd eats up the clouds which have been formed in c o old air about the hill t ps . Fogs are c omm o n in valleys and especially in those that are broad and ﬂat , and it is not an uncommon sight to see the m ist ﬁlling all the tract between Wenlock Edge and the Longm ynd with only the tops of the

Lon m nd Caradoc range , the g y , and perhaps the Edges , peering out of it like islands . On the other hand in ﬁne

o o e s 1 weather there are ften cl ud banners (S e ﬁg . 3 a n d 63) on the Cle e s and the \Vre kin when all else is clear . The highest land is not high enough to have snow

' m on fo r o lying un elted it l ng periods in an average winter, but during a bad season it is often difﬁ cult and even dangerous to cross the Longmynd or the Stipe rstones on

o o acc unt of sn w .

— n m s 8 . Pl a nts a n d A i a l .

- Shropshire is still a well wooded county , not less than ee acres being occupied by woodland (s ﬁg .

T o w his , however , is nly a relic of the primeval forests ith which about two - thirds of the surface was covered in the time of the Saxons , and not less than half in Norman times . These forests were mainly situated in the south o f the county and particularly in the Upland and the

o Southern Plateau . Of Clun F rest much still remains

( i P T LAN S . I I

Morfe and to the east with Forest which ran from Apley . The Wrekin (or Mount Gilbert) Forest followed the v Pimhill Coalﬁeld , but Spread westward o er the Plain to , and eastward to j oin the Forest of Brewood in Stafford s shire . Reference will be made later to the clearing made in these great forests by the Saxons , but a much more effective Clearance was brought about in making cha rcoal before coal and coke were used for iron smelting .

F - a o i Ha w ksto ne a i a a i ig . 33. S ndst ne H ll in P rk w th ch r cterist c o i Sc ts P nes .

The tree most characteristic of the county is unquestionably the oak , which is found everywhere and l frequently attains great Size and beauty . It is especial y p revalent in the Forest of Wyre and the Severn Gorge . e It is accompanied by ash , elm , poplar, alder, b ech , 6 8. FIELDS AN D WOODLANDS . 7

s a re yc mo , ma ple , mountain ash , horse chestnut , willow ,

ra w . c b , ha thorn , elder, walnut , and hazel Birch and Spa ni sh chestnut grow freely in the c oalﬁelds and even ’ m ee o i it ound S . d s. , n the , sused p ( ﬁg Larch holly , a nd a re l ntiful Scots pine .p e on the sandy soils ; the last and birch grow on the high lands ; yew and beech (S ee

82 - ' W ﬁg . ) on limestone out crops such as enlock Edge . There are extremely ﬁne yews at Acton Bu rnell and i n Bu ldwas , and large oaks at Holt Preen , Ki let , and il W ley . In the Middle Ages yew and ash were often planted together to p rovide wood for bows and arrows . M In Linley Park , near ore , are some of the earliest r la ches planted in Britain .

r The hedges are mostly of hawtho n , but holly , hazel , u privet , and sometimes spindlewood and b eech , are sed ; mixed with these grows the blackberry and at times the e o o h0 raspb rry h neysuckle , convolvulus , wild r se , or p clia over them and on the hedge banks grow the bl ue ’ speedwell , wood sorrel cuckoo s bread and cheese

- cuckoo pint , and wild strawberry . In the ﬁelds at their p roper season are to be found abu ndance of snowdrops ,

- i ox - daffodils , cowslips , violets , birds foot trefo l , eye , harebell , the pu rple or Spotted orchis , and the beautiful

- meadow saffron . On plough land the scarlet pimpernel r g ows freely . The ground in the woods may be white with wood anemone , yellow with celandine or

’ - - St . John s wort , blue with forget me not or bluebell , or a sober green with a ca rpet of the male or lady fern , the p rickly shield or the hard fern , or more rarely with the . e be ch fe rn . A sti ff soil will yield the centau ry and the i w llow herb bogs the asphodel and bog myrtle , cotton 6 8 P T LAN S AN D ANIMALS . I I .

e llow . ﬂ a grass , the royal fe rn , the y g , and the sundew ; ’ ’ - ﬁn e r and limestone ground the lady s g vetch , t raveller s

’ o - j oy , the scabi us and hound s tongue , spurge laurel ,

bee or butterﬂy orchids , and such ferns as the polypody .

r In ponds we meet with the water violet , the bul ush , and the horsetail on the Sides of brooks are hartstongue

- and liverwort , garlic , meadow sweet , and butter bu r

wallﬂowe r while on walls and rocks we ﬁnd the , the wall

- rue , the black and maiden hair Spleenworts , and more

rarely the oak fern . Over the cottages there climb

' o raca nthus h neysuckle , clematis , pyrus japonica , py , and V irginia creeper ; on the tiles we may ﬁnd the houseleek ,

r and on the thatch polypody . On the d ier hills the yellow pansy grows freely and at times the ﬁeld gentian , maiden pink , and great mullein ; at greater heights we meet with ling and heather , the sweet wild thyme , bilbe rries ,

’ - hom crowberries and cranberries , and at times the stag s

b o w moss . Gorse , racken , and br om are every here

‘ when not kept back by cultivation . Close by the Roman Camp near Stokesay there survives what may

m a A strarztia possibly be a relic of the Ro n occupation , ma or j , a plant which is rare in Britain but grows freely

a in Italy . The alg e growing in the meres fructify and produce in summer o r autumn the phenomenon known ” as the breaking of the meres . The county is not rich in butte rﬂies or land - shells an and does not appear to Show y very rare forms .

Crayﬁsh occur in some of the streams . Salmon though once frequent are now comparatively rare in the Severn the brown t rout , grayling , and chub are common , but the r barbel is seldom seen . Pike and eels are eve ywhere , 8. F B ISHES AN D IRDS . 69

. ca r and the river lamprey occurs Perch , p , and tench u B are caught in the pools , and the r dd lives in ome re and Shome re Pools . Three species of newts askels occur , and the natterj ack toad sparingly , while of course both frogs and ordinary toads are abundant . Lizards and the blindworm are well known , the ringed snake is V fairly common , and the iper, our only venomous snake ,

— N o f a i a nd 2 i ' F i . . S a g 34 est w n , w th 7 cygnets eggs j ust h tch ng

Sa fo a i . nd rd , ne r Wh tchurch

o is found usually in dry , warm , and st ny places , but is also abundant on the peat of Whi xall Moss . o Shropshire abounds in birds , and it is only p ssible to name a few of the more important . The nightingale u occurs regularly in the so thern Severn Valley , the 0 P T 7 LAN S AN D ANIMALS . I I . gold ﬁnch o r seven - coloured linnet is still found where there is thistledown for it to feed on , and the bullﬁnch is at times very dest ructive to fruit buds .

The raven is a very ra re bird , and the carrion c row is diminishing ; the swift or j acksqueale r is l ocally common du ring its short season , but its relative the S nightj ar is much less frequently een . The buzzard is

- as getting ra re , and the white tailed eagle occurs a wanderer , though the golden eagle has never been

— o T a o a \ i h r h f Vh tc u c . F i . . N f D S f g 35 est u ted uck , nd rd , ne r

owl recorded . Five Species of are known from the

- county , but the kestrel and sparrow hawk are the com

- monest birds of prey . Black game still occur in Clun

Lon m nd Forest and the red grouse inhabits the g y , the G lees , and Clun . Waterfowl are plentiful on the meres and pools , including the greater and lesser grebe , the heron , the mute swan , the shoveller and tufted ducks , B B T . 1 8. IRDS AN D EAS S 7 and gulls of many kinds pass up and down the Severn Valley

About the mammals there is little to say . The wild boar and the beaver have passed away and left little mark , but the wolf has perhaps given its name to

W . olverley and Wollaston There are no wild deer, but while red deer and roe - deer lived here in early historic o times , fallow deer are preserved in numer us parks . D ormice , squirrels and otters are plentiful and the badger

not scarce . Though the polecat , and the wild cat , are extinct , the weasel and stoat are abundant . There are ’ Six b at e Species of , of which two , Daub nton s bat and the e whiskered bat have only recently b en recorded .

a a B i E m . C n l r dge , lles ere CHAPTER I I I .

COMMERCIAL GEOGRAPHY OF SH ROPSH I RE .

- A r cu ture . 9 . g i l

It has already been pointed out that much of

Shropshire was originally covered with forest , but there was also scrub , marsh , and moorland . The marshes were chieﬂy about the Upper Severn and its northe rn t ributaries . These have now been converted into meadows for pastu rage but some o f them are still liable

o r to ﬂoods . Much of the primeval woodland is has been converted into arable , but a large p roportion is now laid m down in permanent grass . The oorland is the least u m altered , tho gh in places it has been ade to yield a grudging retu rn for cultivation . This applies to the high moorlands and also to the lower ba rren heaths occasionally found on the Plain . About acres or one—eighth of the entire acreage is at any one time growing grain and less than half as much is under root crops . Of cereals ba rley is

o o the most widely gr wn . Oats c me next and wheat last with only acres , the Southern Plateau once known

now Tum i s swedes as Wheatland being pasture . p , , mangolds , and potatoes account for acres , peas , beans , and other small crops for acres . Potatoes ,

r barley , and beans are especially characte istic of the P M Eastern lain . ore and more of the arable is being

74 G C T C P A RI U L U RE . HA . I I I .

Fou r thousand acres are occupied by apple orchards . Many excellent dessert apples and pears are also grown in the same dist rict . The mistletoe grows freely in these o rchards and is quite a valuable commodity . A con side rable area is also occupied by damson o rchards

S ee m ( fig 44) , the fruit being largely used for making d e . filbe rt s y Cherries and bush fruit , walnuts and are a lso grown . There are , however , few nu rse ry gardens , a nd B those chiefly near the larger towns . ilberries or w Lon m nd hinberries , grow freely on the g y , Clun Forest , and other hills , and gathering the crop for market is an important local occupation for a week or two . Cran berries are only occasionally met with , but blackberries

. are very abundant . In the extreme south , and in f o l avourable Sp ts , particularly in the Teme va ley , hops a o re U . grown . Mushro ms grow freely in the pland Probably pigs were the most important domestic animals of the Saxons because they could be fed on acorns and beechmast and tu rned out into the woods to

a get their own living . But as the woods were cle red their numbers diminished while they were fed in a different way . At the same time cattle and Sheep increased . Pigs now number rather more than one i per family of 4 people . Shropshire is not a great dairy ng

no county . It has special b rand of cheese or butter of its own and the only extensive dai rying is in the Northern n l r Plai , especial y from Market D ayton to Ellesmere where Cheshire cheese is largely made . Here the c attle are chieﬂy shorthorns , but in the rest of the county s cattle are mainly u ed for store or for fattening , and the

- o white faced Herefords are preferred for the pu rp se . . C TT P 9 A LE AN D SHEE . 75

The Eastern Plain , the great valleys of the Rea and the

r Lower Severn , and the southe n fringe of the Northe rn Pla in are among the chief localities where stock is

fattened at the farms , while the Stretton Valley , Corve D ale , Clun Forest , and the south of the county generally r aise large numbers of store cattle . The total numbe r of cattle is app roximately or roughly 3 head for m every fa ily of 4 people . At Lydham Heath there are

’ —H fo a on o o f o t he 37. ere rd C ttle the b rders Clun F rest ; i r Ro und t a n in the backg o und . a few cattle said to be only slightly modiﬁed descendants of the prehistoric herds of wild cattle which once existed in the county . The chief domestic animal in Shropshire is now the sheep , suited to all types of pasturage , whether water meadows , grass land , tu rnips , or mountain pasture . 76 G C T A RI U L U RE . I I I .

Sheep could not exist in large ﬂocks until the wolf had been much reduced in numbers , a task seriously under taken as soon as man possessed metal weapons . Con side ra ble reduction had been e ffected by the end of the 1 3th Centu ry but the entire extinction was no t c o m

le te d o f p till two centuries later in the time Henry VI I . 1 By the 3th Centu ry , however , Britain had become the

- o o greatest wool gr wing c unt ry in the world . When

o m agricultu ral lab ur beca e scarce and dear , after the

- F i . 8 o o f S o a nd K S a a m g 3 . Fl ck hr pshire erry heep , ne r Cr ven Ar s d ecimation wrought by the Black Death in the middle of t he 1 n 4th Centu ry , the landow ers devoted much more of t d - c heir lan to sheep farming , an o cupation which called

for less labou r than raising cattle or grain . Shropshire therefore took its Share in making England the cent re of t he wool t rade , a position which she still holds although to - day the whole world is under t ribute for a supply of w 1 8 6 the raw material . The repeal of the Corn La s in 4 P 9 . SHEE AND HORSES . 77 caused the devotion of still more of the arable to pastur age . The sheep now in the county amount to 8 or about Sheep to each family of 4 . Shropshire has long been noted for its own breed of sheep which has been much improved of late years by j udicious crossing with the South Downs . The Sheep have valuable

ﬂeeces and also p roduce excellent mutton . Another breed of Sheep is that of the Kerry Hills related to the o lder Clun Forest breed .

—H a - a m i a o E m o a 39 . rp er Ad s A gr cultur l C llege , dg nd , ne r

Newp o rt .

Horses are also bred in considerable numbers , mainly for agricultural pu rposes though many are used for hunting and driving . Ponies are allowed to run l i Lon m nd p ractical y w ld on the g y and in Clun Forest , b eing driven in for sale once a year . Adding these 8 G G 7 C LT . A RI U U RE AN D MININ I I I . to the other horses the total in the c ounty amounts to about or one between each two families of 4 people . Large quantities of poult ry are kept and the sale of eggs and chickens cont ributes to the proﬁt of fa rming .

- a Ducks geese , tu rkeys , and guinea fowl are also re red . Little i s done in the way of canning fruit or preserving it in the form of jam , or in preserving eggs on a large scale . A great number of bees are kept by the cottagers and the honey sold , though the making of mead has o almost died out . The c unty abounds in ground game and part ridges , and numbers of pheasants are reared .

- The Ha rper Adams Ag ricultu ral College , founded by v m p ri ate endowment at Edg ond , near Newport , and

ri aided by the County Council , p rovides ag cultu ral education , and it has an experimental farm from which valuable reports are issued .

- M in es an d M in e ra ls. 1 0 .

At least as im portant to the c ounty as its

r ag iculture is its mineral wealth , and a large population is supported by it and the industries to which it has

iv n is g e r e .

c oa lﬁelds The chief are those of Coalbrookdale ,

Oswest ry , the Forest of Wyre , and Hanwood , but

D r ton there are a few smaller ﬁelds such as those of y ,

Leebotwood , and the Clee Hills . Only in the larger ﬁelds are the lower or middle Coal - measures present in which the more valuable seams occur . The upper Measures yield thin seam s of sulphu rous coal which a re 1 o . C L OA . 79

not very good for manufactures or for domestic purp oses . In the Coalbrookdale Coalﬁeld there are 6 seams of coal 2 t k 2 over fee thic , giving altogether 7 feet of coal , 1 000 contained in about feet of measures . Coal was

t o probably worked by the Romans , and it is known have been got in the Coalbrookdale Field in the 1 2th centur while a ainst its use y , a p roclamation g was issued in 1 0 6 8. 0 e or 3 Over mines are yielding coal , ironston , clay , giving employment to more than men . Although

o — l in it a Li h T O d G tm o or . i w a s F ig . 4 . p ne r g h s wo rked by

a h orse . parts of the Coalfield are now w o rked out it is estimated that not less than 320 million tons of coal remain for extraction in the county . The seams come to the sur face on the weste m Side of the field and dip downwards towards the east ' where the Measures eventually pass under Permian and Triassic rocks , east of a line drawn now from Lilleshall to Coalport . The chief mining is carried on in the deeper parts of the field to the east , 80 III MINES AN D MINERALS . .

and some pits are worked through the cover of the newer e rocks near Lilleshall and at Kemberton (S e ﬁg . 2)

How far east it may be possible to ﬁnd coal . or to work it

if found , is not yet known . While much of the coal is used for house wa rming

and some is exported from the county , the bulk is e mployed in local manufactures . The chief of these was

formerly that of iron , derived from i ronstone which occu rs as layers of nodules interbedded with the c oal

seams so that the two could be worked in the same pits . The ironstone was smelted and iron obtained from it by

a large number of blast fu rnaces , the ﬁres of which used t o light up the whole coalﬁeld and p roduce a weird 2 spectacle at night . There were 3 blast fu rnaces in the c 1 860 ounty in but all except 3 have been blown ou t , and

the rest are now represented only by old Slag heaps . Limestone is required for smelting ironstone and a lthough there is none in the C oal measures there is p lenty of it in the rocks below . The two chief beds are

in the Lower Carboniferous and in the Silu rian Systems ,

the former restricted in distribution , the latter extending in two bands from Ironbridge to Ludlow and the county s boundary . Besides the e there are others good for l bui ding purposes and agriculture in the Shelve count ry , n u ear Stretton and Cardington , in the So thern Plateau , a nd about Prees in the Lias . The Wenlock Limestone along Wenlock Edge has been opened up in a very e e n xtensive s ries of quarries and underground worki gs , ” some of which are now abandoned and left as caverns . Here and there the limestones are exceptionally pure ; ” t - hese masses , called ball stones , were especially

82 M . INES AND MINERALS I I I .

B oa Broseley . rick clays are also found in the other c l

ﬁelds . The waste tips of the older coal mines , consisting ” v in largely of Shale , clunch , batt , and clay ha e many cases become disintegrated by weathering since the material was brought up from below and it has been

- k found possible to use them for b rick ma ing . Con sequently many of these unsightly mounds have be en

dug away .

— f r - F i . 2 . a o i o i . T ia i Sa g 4 Q u rries build ng st ne , Gr nshill r ss c nd

stone . There are several other clays which have been used for brick - making including the marls of the Uppe r

r - T ias , the Lias about Wem and Prees , the boulder clay , and the alluvium or brick - earth that is deposited by l some of the rivers on the floor of their val eys . In the Oswestry Coalfield there occur beds of fine sili ceous sandstones known as gannister and employed for making G I . 8 O . BUI LDIN STONE 3

b k r ric s capable of standing a ve y high temperature .

‘ Such bricks are used for lining iron furnaces . In the Coal - measures there are also beds of sandstone that are quarried for building pu rposes and also used for

nd l - g ri stones . The . chief bui ding stone in the county , U T however, is the sandstone of the pper rias which is m r r r uch quar ied in the No the n Plain , and , to some e t the r o x ent , in Easte n . The most fam us quarries are

— i a . a i . T F . i i o No m a g 4 3 Bu ldw s Abbey Church r ns t n r n style . of h o Built Grins ill st ne .

i o r at Grinsh ll . The stone is usually white red but it may be brown or orange it is easily obtained in r la ge masses and the quarries are deep , with

- tee 15 . s p walls . It known as a free stone from the rea diness with which it may be sawn or cut in all direc tions so as to make squared blocks o f any desired size

S ee s. 2 W i s ( ﬁg 4 , hen freshly quarried it soft and l II 84 MINES AN D MINERALS . .

r eadily worked , but on exposure , when the qua rry

v . water has d ried out , it becomes hard and se r iceable These qualities are well displayed in the Grinshill stone 1 06 used for building Buildwas Abbey (S ee ﬁg . ) in the twelfth century , which , although it has long been exposed ’ to the weather , retains the chisel and mason s marks . In the north a special character is given to the walls and buildings by the use of large ﬂat Slabs of sandstone set

— i . a a t to i F g . 44 W ll Myddle Sho w build ng w ith grea t sla bs o f

T ia Sa o . a i a m r ssic ndst ne G ther ng the d so n ha rvest .

on edge , so that walls often consist of only two or three courses of stone .

s Most of the other hard stone , even the limestones a and igneous rocks , are used loc lly for building material . These are hard and int ra ctable and are more suitable for rubble masonry than for ashlar made of squa red e ston s . Volcanic ashes and related rocks are used in the

86 S . MINES AN D MINERA L I I I .

run the requisite machinery . Rocks of simila r com a t position occu r Kinlet and near Little Wenlock . Other igneous rocks are quarried fo r the same pu rpose

at the Wrekin , near Shelve , and near Chirbu ry . Some

Lon m nd of the harder g rits of the g y and Shelve , the Sti e rstones quartzite of the p , and even the limestones

o o and harder sandstones are l cally empl yed . In the

— a o f o m a a t F ig . 4 5. Q u rry the Clee Hill Dhu St ne Co p ny the i e rs o n o i ri r - T tt t e Clee . D ler te q u ar ed fo roa d m eta l a nd p a ving

setts .

clay localities refuse b ricks , tiles , and even china , have been employed for road - mending but the practice is not

- to be recommended . The dhu stone can frequently be broken by hand into the large cubical blocks which are

se - u d as paving setts , or into kerb stones and gate

- posts , and the ﬁner chippings from the rock c rushe rs are Z C . 87 I 0 . LEAD AND IN

an admirable material for making concrete , for garden paths , for gritting slippery roads and for strewing over freshly tarred roads . The people employed in qua rrying

’ 1 1 0 1 6 2 in 9 numbered 5 persons , and the output of over 70 quarries yielded three quarters of a million tons of stone and clay .

The metal next in importance to iron is lead . This is found in the district between the Stipe rstones and Com don which is generally called the Shelve country . This used to be one of the richest lead localities in Britain but so much ore has now been extracted that it can only with difﬁculty compete with newer districts where the r lead lies nearer the su face . The most important mines

Snailbea ch - were along the line from to the Bog Mine , and about Shelve Hill , the latter having been worked by the

Romans . There are deep shafts all over the dist rict and the amount of lead that has been raised is indicated by the tips of waste spar which can be seen from a distance

S ee n of twenty miles ( ﬁg . The refuse is mai ly calcite , but quartz and other minerals occur, often in beautiful crystals . The chief ore is galena , a sulphide of Snailbeach lead , bearing Silver, which was smelted at and i Pontesbury , where tall ch mney shafts still stand , with hundreds of yards of ﬁnes to recover such by - products as arsenic . The galena is accompanied by blackjack

' of zinc or blende , a sulphide , which was at one time thrown away but is now suffi ciently valuable to be worth picking off the tips , and is mined to some extent by

plunderers . In the same veins , and in others in the v ” region , occurs barytes or hea y spar, sulphate of k barium , a dense , white mineral used in ma ing paint G 88 M M INES AN D INERA LS . I I I .

v i and to gi e we ght to paper and fab rics . This was much worked at Wothe rton near Chirbu ry but now the chief

o rnd o n ee o n L n m mines are near C (S ﬁg . the o g ynd and on the Shelve Hills . Another has been reopened on the English side of the Bre idde ns and quite near to it felspar was quarried for glazing china . The metalliferous mines employed over 200 pe rsons in 1 910 and about

tons were p roduced . Mineral pitch a nd tar have been obtained at Pitch Ta rbatch ford and , near Coalpo rt in a dingle called tar in can be obtained in small quantities from a spr g . This ’ Be tton s Oil r s was formerly sold as British . Pet oleum al o welled out formerly at Coa lport but the supply ceased on

- the extension of mine draining operations . Natu ral gas once escaped in quantity from a well at Broseley which was called the burning well and was looked upon as a great natu ral curiosity , but this , too , has ceased . Some copper has been obtained in the Longmynd Hawkstone n and from the Trias at , but more has bee ext racted from the Carboniferous Limestone at Llany m nech y , where it was mined by the Romans , and was the i ori g n of an important station there . A little underground water is drawn from the older rocks of the Upland but excellent and abundant over ground water could be obtained by impounding rain and streams as has been done in the Longmynd for Chu rch

Stretton . In the Plain , underground water is abundant and can be reached by wells in the Triassic and Permian an S dstones . In the Coalﬁeld a supply of good water is f a s always a di ﬁculty , and within the last thirty ye r it was customary to sell it in buckets in the st reets of the

T . IN DUS RIES I I I .

— - F i . 6 . a a i h I o . g 4 Gre t W ter w eel , r nbr dge 1‘ 1 1 IRON AN D STEEL . 9

fall exists at Ironb ridge . The streams and coal supply are also harnessed to run saw mills which deal with the i —o n — abundant t mber k ash , elm , and sycamore grown

i s in the county . The oak much used for palings , gates ,

w . agons , and carts The smaller timber is either burnt or converted into charcoal , the latter once an important indust ry , but now fallen off as charcoal is no longer is essential for iron or steel making . Oak bark needed in the tanneries at Ludlow , Bridgnorth , a ricul Shrewsbu ry , Oswest ry , and Wem , the centres of g a a re tural dist ricts which supply the hides . L rches employed for pit p rops and fo r telegraph poles r Very important indust ies , depend upon the supply of power or raw material obtained in the coalﬁelds and o elsewhere . Th se engaged in getting these materials have already been referred to . It was at Madeley that works were erected in 1 81 0 for obtaining fossil tar or

- s petroleum from the condensed smoke of pit coal . Thi p rocess of gas making , patented by Lord Dundonald , The included an improvement in coke manufacture . county has long held a great reputation for its cast and

o o e wrought ir n . These comm dities were expensive becaus of the charcoal required in smelting and working them , and eventually all the timber of the forests was practically ” - bu rnt up . The furnaces were called blow shops and were erected on high ground where the strong winds Dud 1 supplied the draught . Dudley , early in the 7th it centu ry , had discovered that it was possible to use p coal for iron manufacture but no development followed the discovery till a century later when Abraham Darby of a Coalbrookdale applied it in his works . It was not ST . INDU RIES I I I .

9 4 N T I D US RIES . I I I .

scale , and the steel work now manufactured is chieﬂy i made w th imported raw material . There are works at H Coalbrookdale , orsehay , Madeley , Lilleshall , and

elsewhere in the Coalﬁeld and from these , girders , ri l as b dges , plates and the like are tu rned out , as wel

ﬁre - hollow ware , fencing , chains , galvanised iron , grates ,

all kitchen ranges , and a host of other articles . In the agricultu ral centres and especially Wellington and Whit an church there is indust ry employing coal and iron , the

— i f old a -ti a o a ai a a i o i 8. o H h F ig . 4 V ew sl g p ne r rseh y r lw y st t n w t - o ho old ki and H o a S o k . r und use ( ln) , rseh y teel w r s

manufacture of agricultural implements , such as ploughs w i and harrows , reaping and mo ing mach nes , t raction engines , and thrashing machinery . The people employ 00 ed about all these iron and steel t rades number over 80 . Very important indust ries have sprung from the

- a re exploitation of the Coal measure clays . They mainly located on the east of the Coalbrookdale Coal 95 B C T . 1 1 . RI KS AN D ILES

o “ ﬁeld , where the chief clay seams c me to the su rface or are workable in Shallow mines . Bricks , white or red in colour, as well as the Staffordshire blue brick , are

t r C o th e largely manufac u ed from the local lays , and fr m same source are made the roof - tiles for which the district

- is especially famous . Fire bricks and terracotta are

ﬁre - made from the local clays . Coarse pottery , earthen ware , stoneware , and art pottery are also mainly

—~ F . i i . P a nd T o H o a g 49 pe ile W rks , rseh y .

- made from Coal measure clays , and there is a large

- manufacture of drain pipes , chimney pots , and sanitary ware . Another clay indust ry for which the Severn

- valley Coal measu res have gained a great reputation is .

the making of the encaustic . tiles used for paving and for lining walls . These are either made of ﬁnely a re powdered clay p ressed in a steel mould , or

II 9 8 T . I IN DUS RIES .

from Cornwall , ﬂint , and bone ash . The ﬂint is calcined ,

ir powdered , mixed with the other substances and the ground into the ﬁnest possible mud or slip which in some cases is used for making ware by a process allied to casting , or is dried so that it can be moulded on the

’ e potter s wheel . It is then ﬁred , painted and ornament d ,

n . glazed , and ﬁred again as often as may be ecessa ry There are two reasons why an indust ry of this natu re is carried on in a coalﬁeld rather than at the place that the kaolin comes from . It requires more coal than clay to make a piece of china , and the local clay can be used for the cases or saggers in which the china is e stacked for bu rning . Coalport china has long b en i ri famous for its pur ty and t ranslucency , for the ch and h beautiful colours employed , and for the skill with whic it is printed or painted . The town of Broseley has long been associated with

- the the manufacture of clay tobacco pipes , especially

- oi— chu rchwarden or yard clay va riety . These are also made from kaolin and they require special skill for the manufacture as they are very fragile and delicate . The indust ry is now on a small scale but it has been in

Operation here for three centuries . The people engaged in the industries dependent upon clay number about 2000 . Lime is made from the Wenlock or other limestones

e by bu rning them in kilns (S e ﬁg . It is mostly used for making mortar . As it is free from clay not much cement or hydraulic lime is made except at Wenlock . The lead - smelting indust ry was important in the past but has now almost died out . In place of it ba rytes is now ground and prepared for market nea r Minsterley . I M OR 0 I . IN IND USTRIES . 9

Shrewsbury in the Middle Ages was closely associated with woollen l manufacture , and was in continual com

‘ petition with Oswestry and Ludlow . The Shrewsbu ry people appear to have done little but collect and dress for sale the ﬂannel and cloth woven in Wales . The same town was associated with cotton manufacture and also , i later, w th that of linen thread , but all these industries v ha e died out , as has the making of rugs at the Carding

- Mil l . l at Stretton . Pil ow lace and woollen caps were at

im r one t e made at Bridgno th , followed by the spinning and dyeing of worsted . This is largely used in the manufacture of ca rpets which has been carried on here r for a centu ry . Brussels , Wilton , and Axminster ca p ets all are woven in this town . Quite a number of other indust ries that were formerly practised have now almost or entirely dis appeared . Some have shifted elsewhere and in other e cas s demand for the product has ceased . The making l of bel s , parchment , paper, gloves and hats , clogs and

- pattens , needles , hair weaving at Market Drayton , and i ni the mak ng and stai ng of glass , all come within this catego ry . Ludlow was once famous for its smith work . On the other hand there are now important manufactures of tram - cars and steel motor wheels at Shrewsbu ry and

r Hadley . The works and headquarters of the Camb ian i Ra lway , where engines , t rucks , and carriages are built ,

r o are situated at Oswest ry . The making of tu ret cl cks , once a famous indust ry at Whitchurch has been revived l now there . Sma ler industries carried on comprise

' ri buildin the car age and motor body g , making of ropes , sacks and tarpaulins at Shrewsbu ry and elsewhere , 100 T I . IN DUS R ES I I I .

yarn - spinning at Oswestry ; chemical manufacture at

Dawley mineral water making , boatbuilding , tobacco

- manufacture , and cake making at Shrewsbu ry ; wood

- r i carving at Chelmarsh fu rniture making , bone c ush ng , and the making of artiﬁcial manures . A local need is supplied by the making of presses and dies for encaustic ac ﬁ ld t iles at J k e . Ten wee kly newspapers are published in the county but there is no daily paper and no large amount of i n ri pr nti g is done , though important works or se als b r have een published at Shrewsbury , Oswest y , and

Wellington .

Co a lport Ch in a W o rks

102 P P . C P EO LE HA . I V .

r eligion . They do not appear to have been exterminated by their conquerors but to have associated and inter ri ma r ed with them , and their descendants can be

recognised in Shropshire , and generally in larger numbers

in the west than elsewhere in Britain . The next conquerors were the Celts who like tneir s predeces ors came over from Europe . They came in

two hordes , the ﬁrst at a time when the use of bronze had

been discovered . These people are the Goidels or Gaels ,

ee who have left a few of their bronze implements (S ﬁg . 64) in the county but little other mark except possibly few l o a bu ria m unds .

The second wave of the Celts known as the Brythons , not only made their mark but survive to - day as a con siderable - element , possibly about one tenth , of the population of the county . They were a tall , fair , people ; had learnt to make weapons and implements of iron , and had correspondingly advanced in the other a rts of

i - civ lisation . The widely scattered round and disc like burial mounds give evidence of their numbers and

' importance , just as the camps , with which they crowned

s S ee to almo t every hill ( ﬁg . bear witness the stub born bravery with which they defended their liberty , retreating only step by step , and again and again making good the lost ground .

They could not stand , however, against the a rms and discipline of the Roman legions , who drove them back , settled in their land , and established themselves wherever there was sufﬁcient wealth or other inducement to att ract them . The conquerors , however, lived aloof as rulers , v B and when they withdrew , e en such rythons as had 103 1 2 . NORTHMEN .

r become Romanised relapsed into barba ism . There is hardly a Latin name left except a few chesters , and e ev n the most permanent work of the Romans , their a nd roads fords , like the Watling Street and Stanford , " w are now kno n by Saxon names , while the name of their e Uriconium gr at city lapsed into Wroxeter . r — Of the va ious groups of Northmen Jutes , Angles , e — Saxons , and Dan s practically only the Angles reached

Shropshire , and founded there an important part of the M 6 kingdom of ercia . During 5 or centu ries the Angles were establishing themselves . They drove the Brythons ,

unintelli ibles whom they called Welsh ( g ) before them , a built stockaded villages , cle red the land and brought i it into cultivation . More than most counties , ma nly because of its physical character and its junction of upland and plain , Shropshire felt the clash of the two peoples , but the Angles made sure of their ground by wiping out their enemies , people , dwellings , camps , and even names , leaving only the names of the chief natural features which they adopted probably Without needing

- to know their meanings . As the Anglo Saxon kingdom

the grew , Brythons (who called themselves Cymry or comrades) were pushed back and were at last held by the great Dyke of Offa which for centuries marked their approximate border .

The Danes hardly reached the county , as the W S atling treet , their bounda ry , was only once or twice transgressed .

The Normans , like the Romans , came as conquerors , ' own picked men in their land , but with this great difference , that they were Northmen related in blood to H 104 P P . EO LE I V .

- o the Anglo Saxons , and were p ssessed of institutions

o which , though more advanced , were descended fr m the o f B same st ock as those the vanquished . eing few in

o number , and placed in exalted positions , they f und it best to adapt rather than change cust oms and institu

o tions just as they had ad pted the count ry , and thus in a generation or two they became p ractically English , a consummation which was helped on by the qua rrels

rm e between the No ans in France and thos in this count ry . The last racial st ruggles were between the English thus constituted and the Welsh , and though they ended in the nominal defeat of the latter , and the union of the two peoples , the boundary line of the Marches continued to make , and still constitutes , a very important deﬁn ing line between the two peoples . As Shropshire includes a part of the Marches , the site of the last ﬁnd st ruggles and the region of comp romise , we , as would

r o ula be expected , two main elements in the p esent p p

- tion , Anglo Saxon to the east , Welsh to the west , and a bo rder zone where the two stocks are closely commingled . In Domesday Book there are recognisable 2 1 1 villages which have given names to the same number out of the 267 existing civil parishes 80 of these appear to have been towns , and the total population recorded in the

080. county according to Ellis was 5 At the ﬁrst census , 1 801 that of , the inhabitants numbered and 1 1 their numbers increased steadily up to in 87 .

They remained stationary for ten years , and then

2 6 1 8 1 . declined to 3 , 339 in 9 Both increase and decline are to be att ributed to ﬂuctuations in the mining indust ries , pa rticularly those connected with iron and lead , but the

106 PEO PLE . IV

o 8 0 i ver a large area , attaining 3 4 per square m le at

Wrockwardine Wood . Recent coal developments at Weston Rhyn and Highley account for the density at

those places , the former increasing in total population 1 2 1 86 from 5 3 to 3 in ten years , and the latter from 526

F — 2 . M a m f i ig . 5 p to Show the nu ber o inh a b ta nts pe r sq u are mile i n iff i d erent p a rts o f the Co unty . The ch ef oc c u pa tio ns o f the a o a a re a o i di a t o S o o f v ri us p rts ls n c ted , h w the dependence i o f o a io o n oc a o dens ty p pul t n cup ti n . P M 1 . 3. LACE NA ES 107

1 8 In i - to 4 9 twenty . The build ng stone indust ry reacts ri on G nshill , the limestone on Wenlock , and the dhu Knowbur stone on y , while Church Stretton is becoming t an impor ant recreative and residential centre , its total i 81 6 1 01 1 1 1 1 population hav ng risen from in 9 to 455 in 9 .

— N m s 1 P a ce a e . 3. l

Names are often more lasting than peoples , thing s , or places , and the study of them often brings to light long B vanished conditions . Such names as attleﬁeld , the ’ New Road , Bishop s Castle , the Bull Ring , the Coach e and Horses , Ironbridge , the Aqueduct Inn , at onc suggest some military , historical , customary , social , or structural event in the immediate neighbourhood and ,

e even when the name itself expresses little . the languag in which it is written or spoken may tell of vanished people and of their distribution and habits . Shro Taking negative evidence ﬁrst , we have in p suﬂixes shire no village names ending in the by , ” ” ” ” thorp e , kirk , thwaite , beck , haugh , or D fell , which the anes and other Norsemen used in

We Danesford naming their settlements . have only a B Da n shil near ridgnorth and a doubtful e l elsewhere . v Again distincti e Goidelic words such as ben , ”

cerrig , magh , are absent , the name Knockin being a possible exception . Further there are no Roman names left in use and though we know the position of i i Uxa ona B aviviium Ur con um we are not sure of c or r .

v . v The Brythonic Celts , ha e , howe er , left a good record , which is also rather a remarkable one . The 108 C T C M I . V EL I NA ES . g reat natural features retain to this day their Celtic

Ca mlad names . Of rivers , for example , we have Severn , , d On n Vyrnwy , Rea , Ro en , Tern , Worf , Teme , y , Clun , and Corve . Many of these names are derived from

o ne words signifying water or of its attributes , clear , smooth , running , etc . Such words settlers would ﬁnd it convenient t o adopt if they had the opportunity of m hearing them , perhaps odifying them a little , as the

S a brina r Romans called the Severn , and ensh ined Uriconium e Wrekin in , while the Saxons probably buri d W the same word in rockwardine and Wroxeter . Again

- the home making Saxons avoided the hills , partly

u se for because they had no them , but chieﬂy because their forests and crags sheltered wild beasts and the m ore t w errible ild Celts . Here again the Celtic names sur v ived Ga erstone , Wrekin , Lawley , Caer Caradoc , , Clee ,

idd n Lla nfawr Cornd o n Bre e . , , and Within their own b orders , however , the Celts inhabited the plains and l re re va leys as well as the hills , and they are strongly p s - ented there to day . The Welsh border and particularly the angles of Oswestry and Clun swarm with Welsh ” ” ” ” “ w names such as tre , bett s , llan , cefn , nant ,

” “ ” l l ” “ ” uchaf hend re , pen , pant , pentre , gwyn , . The distribution of these and kindred names is given a o n the m p (ﬁg . The Saxons called their settlements hams (or homes) but when it was im pera tive to seek safety by fortiﬁcation o r concealm ent they used other names . The word

tun or ton meant a hedge or enclosure , and “ a stock or stoke was stockaded ; while if the d wellings were on or round a hill or strengthened by a

110 P L C . A E NAMES IV .

- stone or earth built fort they were called burys ,

“ “ lham s burghs , or barrows . Now there are but four L a in Shropshire and of these , ydh m , Caynham , and

Atcham , were close t o fortiﬁed posts . On the other hand there are nearly 1 00 tons scattered all over the s county . They are conspicu ously ab ent from the Celtic corners just mentioned and from the ar eas where they S are replaced by leys . tokes , stocks , and i burys , are s milarly distributed but tend to occur on

St . the higher ground like Diddlebury , Lydbury , Stoke Mi o lborough , though there are some in defensible p si

tions on low ground such as Stoke on Tern , Hinst ock , and

Shawbury . These names indicate a conquering people settling among enemies and not t oo t rustful of one F i another . ( g . The other great Anglo - Saxon su ffi x in the county is 1 20 ley and there are of them . The word has two 1 2 meanings ( ) a river meadow (lea) , ( ) a clearing in a fi forest , a p osition hard t o find and dif cult to approach . The leys cluster about the old forests bet ween the Severn

and Wenlock Edge , in the Severn Gorge , in the Coalﬁeld

Forest , and down the River Severn to the county bound

ary . Names with ﬁeld (also a forest clearing) , ” i ” hurst , and wood , are associated w th leys , like

Brom ﬁeld B , rockhurst , Leebotwood , and about the

Coalﬁeld many towns had woodland annexes , Broseley

ri Wood , Wrockwardine Wood , etc . , Compa son of the maps wil l show that the concealment names are m F i co plementary to the fortiﬁcation names . ( g . Other natural features indicated in Saxon names are ” ca elike i ness , indicating p hills , rudge or r dge , O N M 11l 1 3. SAX N A ES .

—c hales or Slopes , and hill itself g , Great Ness , H s Rudge , Sheri ff ales , Grinshill ; lake or marshes , l Bom ere e v El esmere , , Morville ; shelter d alleys or M k H esa Millicho e hopes , like on hopton , op y , p . H v the U la opes mainly occur in alleys in p nd , hills es entirely in the Plain . Great estat are indicated

wardine Stanwa rdine Sh rawar by , Wrockwardine , , Belswa rdine i dine , , and Cheswardine ; v llages about ” “ ” a great (stone) houses are halls , s ls , or els , h i F . 6 Posenhall , S ifnal , Bucknell , Ercall . ( g 5 ) ” ” e and Roads , fords , bridg s , chesters , are Saxon names having reference to Roman roads and 60 ma settlements . There are fords and ny stret F tons , ord itself , Pitchford , Tugford , Burford , Stret h e ese all ford , Chesterton , Wroxeter . T es repr nt nearly h wa na that the Romans ave left in the y of mes . Cold are o H l harbours absent but there is C ld i l , Coldwell , F i “ u . s ooc rs and Cold Oak . ( g 57) Hunger al o . The Saxons have left their family names Ufﬁ n ton r t u g , Eard ington , Wellington , Che ring on , L lling M o ﬁelds , Marrington , and errington . The Normans als M gave their personal names to places , oreton Say , B a Stokesay , Hop esay , Hope agot , Stanton L cy , Cleo u Hau hm ond and bu ry Mortimer, and their lang age in g a s de C aux Caus Castle (p y ) .

Occupation has given such words as Smethcott ,

’ Le e Shipton , Presthope (priest) , Prior s , Minsterley , are Hinstock (hind) , Charlton (ceorl) . Natural products

for responsible many others the oak , Acton Burnell

Brom ﬁeld the ash , Ashford ; the broom , ; the fern , the Farley ; wolves , Wollaston ; badger, Brockhu rst ; and the stoat , Stottesden . 112 P C N M T . LA E A ES AN D HIS ORY I V .

s Many word are duplicated . There are many Astons

(east) , such as Chetwynd Aston , Church Aston , Aston

Bo ttere l - o n- , Pigott , Eyres , Rogers , and Aston Clun ; W s i 4 Westons , e ton under Redcastle , Rhyn , Lull ng

ﬁelds , and Cotton 5 plain Suttons (south) as well as Great and Little Sutton and Sutton Maddock and

- i - 7 Nortons including Norton n Hales . Sometimes great a nd little distinguish two villages as in Great and v Little Ness , and Bolas ; or Dawley , Magna and Par a . W l o ! Little en ck however has Much (monks ) Wenlock ,

Dr D - in- Little ayton has Market rayt on , or Drayton Hales , Al l Little Stretton has Church Stretton and Stretton , w l ’ U hile Chi d s Ercall has High Ercall . pton Magna has Waters Upton and Upton Cressett ; there is Acton

B Re nald urnell , Acton Round , Acton Pigot , Acton y , and Acton Scott ; Preston Brockhurst and Preston Gubbals as well as Preston - on - the - Weald - Moors and in addition to Great and Little Ryton there is Ruyton - of

- - the Eleven Towns .

There are a few distinctively local words . Edge of

Wenlock Edge , with Edgton , Edgmond , Edgeley , and

“ 0 Edgerley . There are 5 batches or beaches (much the same as a combe in the south or a c wm

Snailbeach a in Wales) , , Batch Gutter , and the B tches ll w i u a . h le leasow , t mp , rough , and stocking are used The word thrift or frith frequently used for a coppice on a brook is possibly the Welsh ffri dd (pronou nced freethe) .

— 1 W r tt n H stor of th e C o unt . 4 . i e i y y

The written history of the c ounty begins early in the C hristian Era with the account by Tacitus of the defeat

114 T IV HIS ORY . .

- south east , the Angles or English by the east and

- r north east . Gaining possession of the coast each g oup ” B pushed into the hinterland , exterminating the ritons and colonising as it advanced .

The Angles , who chiefly concern us , pressed up the Dee Trent , and pushed a wedge to the mouth of the ’ which cut the Britons territory in two . That part of their new conquest which bordered , or marched with B that of the west ritons , grew st rong , separated from the parent kingdom of Northumbria , and became the land of the Marches or Mercia which eventually comp ri sed was in all middle England . The edge of this kingdom contact with the Britons (Welsh or Cymry) in Shropshi re M s and the ercians first drove their enemies to the fore ts , marshes , and mountains , and eventually pushed them as far westward as they dared , establishing such encamp n vil es ments as were necessary , and founding tow s and lag vi l e of with names explained in the last chapter . The l ag Minton on the Longmynd is supposed still to possess the s the chief characteristics of a Saxon village . At fir t

Mercians refused to accept Christianity , and their king

’ Penda defeated at Oswest ry (Oswald s cross) the North umb rian king Oswald who came to impress it upon them . ’

Eventually they embraced this religion , Penda s grand

St Milbur a daughter . g founding a nunnery at Much m h Wenlock and many churches were built . so e of whic still remain , U iconium i r S ee . The Romans , possessing ( fg appear to have had little need of Shrewsbu ry . When ,

o Uriconi h wever, the Angles expelled the Britons from u m of which they had retaken possession , the vanquished 1 G . 115 4. AN LES AN D DANES

Pen we m people took refuge at Shrewsbu ry , calling it g

r (the hill of alders) , until they were at last d iven out by the Angles who named it Scrobbesbyrig (the fortress in h t e scrub) . This valuable position helped them to keep the Britons in check , though the latter continued to give ro A D 8 K f t uble until (about . 7 4) ing O fa resolved to d elim n re it his kingdom deﬁ itely by const ructing , or ru const cting and linking up , the great dyke which bears hi s name .

' ' ' — S h ow rn a a nd o M o k . i . F g . 59 uch Wenl c Abbey g n ve s uth

tra nsept ; a lso t rifori um a nd cleresto ry .

The Watling Street was accepted as the boundary of their kingdom by the Danes in the time of King Alfred , i but this people has little to do with Shropsh re history . v o An ad ance party of them was destroyed at Buttingt n , and a second body spent a winter of discontent at 1 10 T . HIS ORY . IV

e o f Quatford , leaving b hind them little but the name

Danesfo rd .

1 066 o f r In came the last branch the No thmen , this time from N o rmandy in which they ha d previ ously

e s ttled . Like the Romans they established their rule by

o t e r ad and for ress , by d legated authority and a strong

o e military organisati n ; unlike the Romans , howev r , the y did not imp ress an alien code upon the country but gra fted their ow n institutions on those they found on the soil ; and so they succeeded in reconciling the

' 0 — i f i F 6 . a o o . . a i . S M c K g Gener l v ew Br dgn rth t ry s chur h , eep o f a a i o a i a a o a nd hi a o a ! C stle (le n ng t wer) , r lw y st ti n steep ll ppr ch in g to wn .

p opulation as well as winning the territory . Shropshire

it is t rue , made some resistance , and t raditions of the ri achievements of Wild Ed c still su rvive . But the sub jugation of the county was in the capable hands of

Roger de Montgomery , Earl of Arundel and afterwards

S ru . Ea rl of hrewsbu ry , a stern conqueror but a wise ler i Be ng rewarded with 357Shropshire manors , he fortiﬁed own the Castle of Shrewsbury for his occupation , and ,

118 H S . I TORY IV .

Parliament was held at Shrewsbu ry t o which not only 1 1 0 2 20 earls and barons , but deputies from each of i S w towns , of wh ch hre sbu ry was one , were summoned , was ie e and David tr d and ex cuted . The Parliament r adj ou rned to Acton Bu nell , where the king was probably B l B W visiting his friend urnel , ishop of Bath and ells , s es and , among other bu in s , passed the important act relating to the recovery of debts which is known as the B l Statute of Acton urnel . Even more important was the work of repairing and renewing the chain of bo rder h e u e M l castles , whic s c r d the quiet of the arches ti l the 1 Du end of the 4th century . ring this pe riod Edward I I . ” held a tou rnament in Shrewsbu ry ; the Black Death was rampant in the county in the middle of the centu ry and towards the end of it the Great Parliament held at Shrewsbu ry constituted the evanescent Principality

r of Chester and nominated Richard I I . its p ince . The disturbances which culminated in the deposition of this monarch encou raged a fresh rebe llion of the Welsh under Glendower in which Clun and Oswestry were again bu rnt or destroyed . in The Percys their rebellion against Hen ry I V . j oined forces with the Welsh and gave battle to the King e north of Shrewsbu ry . They were defeat d by him with the death of Hotspur and a slaughter which for a battle e in those days was a h avy one . This engagement was commemorated by the erection on its site of Battleﬁeld Th ui l l Church . e tranq l ity which fol owed was at last

W . broken by the ars of the Roses The Yorkists , victorious at Blore Heath (close to Market Drayton but beyond the county boundary) were betrayed to the King C C F T M A RC HEs 11 1 . 9 4. OUN IL O HE

at Ludford near Ludlow , but they won the battle at Mortimer ’ s Cross (also beyond the boundary nea r 'Lud h of of low) , under the Earl of Marc , son the Duke York

'a who had been killed at Wakeﬁeld . The Earl after

o fu rther victory at Towton was cr wned as Edward IV .

o f s He frequently stayed at Shrewsbu ry , and two his son

of m a were born there . Henry , Earl Richmond , rched through Shrosbe rie literally over the body of the

o n Head Bailiff , and spent the night in a house the Wyle

s o Cop . Then with a strong Wel h f rce , reinforced by

2000 his o Salopians , he passed to vict ry over Richard I I I . at Bosworth , and so became King Henry VI I . of England . 1 About 473, in the reign of Edward I V . a Council of the Marches was established t o administer the Welsh borderland . This Court first became important in the reign of Henry VI I . , and , du ring its two centuries of m existence , had its usual eeting place in Ludlow . — Rowland Lee held the offi ce of President from 1 534 1 543 o and suppressed ri t and murder on the border . Du ring his term the union of England and Wales was effected by Parliament and the j urisdiction o f the C ouncil was n confirmed . Sir Henry Sid ey , the father of Sir Philip (who was educated at Shrewsbury School) was Lord

1 - 1 86 President from 559 5 , and frequently resided at

Ludlow . He repaired the Castle and erected a new S ee i range of buildings ( fg . 74) in it . The Council fell i nto disrepute in its later days , but one incident in ’ 1 6 connexion with it must be recorded . In 33 Milton s m asque of Comus , the scene of which is laid in Shropshire , w as n the performed in the great Hall of the Castle , o o ccasion of the entry into ofﬁce at Ludlow of the Earl o f Bridgwater . 120 T HIS ORY . IV .

Although du ring the Civil War no great battles were

o fought in Shr pshire there were many smaller ﬁghts ,

e . o ski rmishes , and si ges Wem was the ﬁrst st r nghold of the Parliam entaria ns and although o ften invested it

o o remained in their hands thr ugh ut the war , and to it

o o o were added Longf rd and H pton . A sc re or more of

places were garrisoned for King Charles I . and several of

them , particularly Shrewsbu ry , were very active . One r r by one , however , they fell , until High Ercall , B idgno th ,

o and Ludlow al ne were left . These three were taken in

1 6 6 o a . 4 , Ludl w holding out till the l st Thus the county

o o o f was st r ngly l yal , and at the beginning the war

o Charles himself came to Wellingt n , Shrewsbury , and

a to a Bridgnorth , m de a declaration maint in the Protest

o m ant religi n and the freedom of Parlia ent , raised

o o b o soldiers , coined m ney p ssi ly in a h use still known

to as the Mint , and passed on the battle of Edge Hill . Lord Capel was the ﬁrst c om mander in the county but he was replaced by Prince Rupert while Colonel Mytton and Thomas Hunt w e re among the chief of the Parlia

a a n o o o ment ri s. Sir Francis Ottley was the l yal g vern r

i o of Shrewsbu ry . Cromwell h mself had a narr w escape at Bridgnorth where an ofﬁcer with whom he was talking

was shot at his side . The Cavaliers won battles at M arket Drayton , Lilleshall , Knockin Heath , and High

Ercall the Roundheads at Whittington , Stokesay , wi and near Montgomery . The war left the county th m any of its castles , manor houses , and churches destroy ed or greatly damaged . M k a t o Charles I I . passed through ar et Dr y n , New W 1 6 1 port , and Tong on his way to orcester in 5 , and ,

122 T P - T HIS ORY AN D RE HI S ORY . I V .

e a scaping after his defeat , hid ﬁrst in barn at Madeley ,

o and later at Bosc bel . Two 1 68 years after his accession in 5 James I I .

for visited Ludlow and Shrewsbu ry a few days , holding h is c ou rt a t the Council H ouse and passing out o f th e o o f the a county th r ugh Whitchu rch . One ﬁrst cts of the reign of Willia m and Ma ry was to abolish the C ouncil o f the a 1 6 t he M rches in 89 . A centu ry later began great and pea ceful indust rial revolutio n resulting from the d evel opment of minera l res ou rces which has effecte d so d istri great a change in the life , occupation , food , and bu ion t of the population .

1 —P r e - H sto a n d Ant u t e s 5. i ry iq i i .

It might reasonably be expected that a region which h as so l ong been a focus of border warfare would be rich in the type of antiquarian relics that are best ﬁtted for survival , those marking sieges and battleﬁelds , the s marches and headquarters of a rmies , or the memorial

f o f o t riumph and death . There is abundance such

relics in Shropshire , but there are also many remains of o p eaceful habitati n and pu rsuits . a h Of Pal eolit ic man there is no trace , but of the who presence of his successor, the Neolithic Iberian , had imp roved on the chipped stone weapons of his pre d ecessor , and learnt to grind and polish them , we have

U . ample evidence , mostly gleaned from the pland The most remarkable are a large series of ﬂint arrow heads

ri s a d other weapons found at Clun . No suitable ﬂint occur 1 00 nearer than Berkshire , miles away , and either the 12 A C E . 3 1 5. NEOLITHIC raw materia l o r the weapons must have been carried at least this distance . Other neolithic implements have o been disc vered at Chu rch Preen , Cound , Newp ort , a a re Grinshill , and Harmer Hill and sever l examples p reserved , with those from Clun , in the Museum at e Shrewsbu ry , None of the long ba rrows in which thes people bu ried or bu rnt their dead have yet been dis covered .

—1 m . 6 2 o i i m m . . N I S M F ig . e l th c p le ents hrewsbury useu

4 Na tura l size . It is generally thought that stone circles made of unhewn stones are the work of neolithic people , and those with hewn stones , like Stonehenge , of the men of w “ the bronze age . This has not been demonstrated ith certainty . Shropshire has relics of several stone circles .

That near the Marsh Pool and the Whetstones , have p ractically disappeared , but several stones of ’ Mitchell s Fold and another on Stapeley Hill are

- - on r . left , and also a circle Pen y we n Hill near Clun 124 P - T IV RE HIS ORY . .

o r o There are a few menhirs single standing st nes ,

o ne o n to o f o being the p the Br wn Clee . The burial ba rrows had sometimes chambers of stone slabs

e w within them , and at tim s the chambers were used ith o ut a o o r o e barr w tumulus being erected ver th m . Such

m a e o f a dol en as it is c lled , was known by the nam

’ the no w Giant s Grave at Llanymynech , but it has

o d . o o e been dest r yed In eed , th ugh surr und d and guard

o fre ue ntlv o u ed by superstiti n , such relics were q br ken p

li l ll . 6 . o c o a F i . S a M S g 3 t ne ircle , c lled itchells F ld , t peley

- Lla nfa w r a nd C or nd o n (cl o ud ca pped ) in the backgro und .

and carried away fo r building and within quite recent

fo r years they have been deliberately taken road metal . Metal seems to have been introduced bv the ﬁrst

- o Celtic h rde , the Goidels , and , though these people left

m la ce ~ na m es o e o no ark in the p in the c unty , th ir weap ns

o have been frequently picked up . Hoards have been f und Broadwa rd o \Vre kin a m at nea r Clungunf rd , and the F r

near Little Wenlock , and single examples at Battleﬁeld ,

’ Hawkstone , Mitchell s Fold , Chirbu ry , and the Titter s C tone Clee . The most haracteristic relics are bronze

- 26 PRE HISTORY . IV

Lon m nd They chieﬂy occu r on the g y , Clun Forest , the

o U . Shelve c unt ry , and other parts of the pland

o o s Sh r pshire is very rich in encampments , or f rt resse e rected o n hills or other places o f defence or refuge . The m aj o rity a re summit camps such as crown nearly

o o Burf eve ry c nspicuous hill , and notably Abd n on the o d Brown Clee (which will , apparently , s on be qua rrie

— r f. m o 6 . o B u i a o n m m o f F ig . 5 Abd n Br tish C p su it Br wn Clee o f io m a Hill . Tra ces depress ns y be seen which h a ve been t a ken fo r o ld dwellings but a re m o re pro ba bly bell - pits o r old

wo rkin gs fo r iro n o r co a l .

w a a ra a ay) , Caynham Camp , the two C er C docs of

St retton and Clun , Old Oswest ry , and the Wrekin

on Camp . Others were the spu rs or buttresses of hills , places st rong by nature but with their weaker sides

Specially strengthened , like the Bu ry Walls of Hawk

owe stone . Others again their main strength to their 12 C P . 1 5. AM S 7

to m commanding . situation and their ent rench ents , though any natu ral sl opes they may possess are fully

No rd o n o utilised . y Bank an outp st of the Brown Clee ,

m o Norton Ca p near Stokesay , and Chestert n Walls , near

rfield ffi to Wo are fine examples . It is di cult assign t e to o hes a definite peri d , and in many cases they were used by successive peoples . The th ree last named are am o l st certainly Roman , while the Walls at Kinnersley , All Bu ry Ditches , Castle Hill at Stretton , and Caynham

to r m Camp are considered be Saxon . The othe s na ed , with Coxwall Kn oll nea r Bucknell and Pe ngwe rn

r (Sh rewsbu ry) are almost unquestionably B itish (Celtic) . The last named group fo rtify the outpost hills of

a Clee s o r Wales . Like the Wrekin , Car doc , and the , , like

- m of Bodbur the six fold embank ent Old Oswest ry , y Ring

o Co xwa ll o and Br ckhu rst nea r St retton , Kn ll and Gaer

or Ditches ( Caer Caradoc) near Clun , they gua rd the

o valleys and ther app roaches to the Welsh fastnesses . In other words they were built by a western pe ople to

o resist p ressu re from the east . These pe ple p robably n ot m o did ake r ads , for one of their best defences was the diﬂi cult natu ral y of the ground , and they communicated with one a nother by a tangle of narrow t rackways wind ing among the crags , forests , and marshes , where it was

m o p ractically i p ssible for an invader to follow them . The Rom a n method was to d rive their attack right

o int the heart of the enemy along straight military roads ,

o built for the rapid t ransport of t ro ps and stores , rein forced by fortresses and stations , protected by wide clearings , to reach points required for some speciﬁc e purp ose . Having determined the limits of their empir 128 P - IV RE HISTORY AN D ANTI Q UITI ES .

for the time being they c oncent rated their chief st rength o n o its borders , t rusting to their reputation and m bility t o o Shro meet distu rbances within . Their pu rp se in p shire was to keep the border ; to guard their gre at road

o o f o a nd S o uthe m and the juncti n the n rthern , western , , branches with its eastern t runk , the Watling Street and t o o o f o roba blv o f btain supplies lead and c pper , and p

— 6 6 . Nord a . o m a a m o n a o f F ig . y B nk R n C p sp ur the Bro wn i i o m o a n o f a m . Clee . Sh w ng nner st defence d extent c p

c oal and limestone . Thus they built a great city , Uriconium , in a strong position at the road junction W and fortiﬁed camps , one at Chesterton alls to watch

P th e the Eastern lain and river crossing at Bridgnorth , o ne Nord v at y Bank , to overlook Cor e Dale , and a third at Norton Camp to secure the Caerleon road where it nn p assed through the O y Gorge . These three camps a re U ﬁnely p reserved and of great size . nder the shelter l 30 THE C T ROMAN I Y . IV . 1 URIC ONIUM . 131 5.

i has been ident ﬁed as the basilica , p robably a meeting

on o place or exchange . Adjoining it the s uth Side is a great bathing establishment in which it has been possible

e o o to t race the usual annex s , dressing ro ms , warm ro m ,

o o hot rooms , hot and c ld baths , a c oling room , and a p rob bly the site of a swimming bath , with attached

ofﬁces and friel stores containing coal and charcoal .

Roofs and drains were constructed of tiles , the ﬂoors of

- m concrete , herring bone brick , or osaic . The roofs were in some cases vaulted and the ﬂoors were supported

on innumerable small brick pillars 3 feet high , which

o were found in place . Fu rnaces in the f undations l ﬁl ed the hypocausts , or spaces under the ﬂoors , with

hot air, and the hottest rooms were further heated

- by ﬂue tiles and pipes in the walls . Other discoveries include t races of a building once supposed t o be the

ru o fo m of the city , many ther scattered buildings ,

o e pavements , a street , and , utside the city , at l ast one m ce etery . Recent excavations have brought to light l wel s and furnaces , a temple , large houses abutting on a

street , baths , a water supply and drainage system , and

o a large building of unkn wn use . When the Romans retired from Britain they took

away with them their portable property and valuables . n v Ma y Romanised Britons however did not lea e , but

Con e lived on in the cities till these were destroyed . s quently relics belonging to the actual Roman occupation a re likely to be rare and to consist of articles of little

‘ val e hi For u , t ngs broken , lost , or thrown away , else of h c u suc p roperty as ould not be removed . The last wo ld a d be trea e n res ect . n t d with sca t p , it is only by chance 2 3 T C T . HE ROMAN I Y IV .

that we have o ne or two read a ble but m utilated insc rip

o o m e o o f ti ns left , one of which c m m rates the death a soldier of the X IV legi o n which was withd rawn fro m

r 6 . o B itain in A D . 9 This is imp rtant because it proves that the city was founded very soon after the defeat o f

o o In o ne Caractacus . A few skelet ns have been f und . o f the hyp ocausts were the remains o f an o ld m a n

— w m 8 o m O a m r ic o n iu m . . 6 . a U F ig . R n rn ents Shre sbury Museu

with a bag of coins o f which the latest were minted th in the latter part of the 4 centu ry . This man was thought by Wri ght to have taken refuge here when the k city was sac ed and bu rnt , and if that was really the C fate of the ity , he was probably suffocated where the o d remains were disc vere . Oyster shells and remains of

134 T M C T . HE RO AN I Y IV .

the oo strigil used in hot r m of the baths , masks made of

o o o te rra cotta and ther clay , an ir n h rseshoe and a bit ,

o f and a bronze statuette Venus . Lead was a scarce and precious com mo dity to the

o e o It R mans before th y disc vered it in Britain . was exceedingly abundant in the Shelve district , rich veins c ropping out a t the su rface o f the ground and e asily

' o — T a ea i Th ma a . e F i . . h Ro L M S g 7 e n Gr vels d ne , ne r helve

R o m a n wo rkings a p pea r a s groo ves o n the face o f the hill .

r mined in Open t renches down to a conside able depth . The chief workings were at the Old Grit and Ro man

o Gravels mines where , as will be seen fr m the picture , the whole surface of the hill was tu rn ed over in search of the metal . Actual proof that mining and smelting were carried out by the Romans is fu rnished by the 135 1 5. ROMAN MI NES . discovery of seve ral pigs of lead stamped with the name D A . 1 1 of the Emperor Had rian ( . 7 In the old workings there have also been found cu rious oak Spades

Shaped like those on a playing card .

— i o f a a a m of 1 . o m a P F ig . 7 R n g Le d be ring the st p the Emp ero r — H a a A D 1 I 1 8 fo a L . N o w o o i . ca dri n ( . 7 3 ) und ne r inley in the Ge l g l m m i Museu m a t Bir ingh a U n versity .

Sim ilar relicshave been found in old copper mines at

' ' . o Llanymynech . There can be little d ubt that the . Romans also worked for lime to m a ke the mortar which has set as hard as stone , and for coal , though of this we

r v ’ have no ce tain e idence . But there are old men s workings along the outcrop of coal seams in the Coal ﬁeld from which so much coal as could be reached in

AS of- o pen trenches has been got out . fragments coal a re found at Uriconium the Roman miners may have been the old men in question . There is little or no e vidence that they worked the iro nstone of the county

- of but they apparently mined iron ore in the Forest Dean . How long the Angles took to reach the border is not n k own , though there is some evidence to connect their a w dvent ith the ﬁfth centu ry . It seems very likely that t B hey found the city in the hands of the rythons , and 136 T T . AN I Q UI IES IV .

Ll warch if y Hen is to be t rusted , they bu rnt it , drove

out the inhabitants , and compelled them to take refuge Pe n we m o o at g . The recent excavati ns , h wever , give

no o o support to the the ry of des t ructi n by a fire . The Brythons who had lived with and in subjection had to the Romans , no hesitation in living in their cities but the Angles preferred the open air and dwellings erected by their own hands They natu rally e look d with suspicion on the buildings of a former age , v i a oiding them and their neighbou rhood , and even go ng so far as to dive rt the roads round them . Thus super stitions grew up about the Romans , their cities , villas , and roads . Content with defacing , destroying , and perhaps bu rning them the Angles left the ruins severely ri alone , and the accumulation of soil and deb s has prese rved the foundations and lower parts of the build ings intact . In a later age , though probably dreaded by night , the ruins were often pillaged by day , and stones m a from them y often be recognised in houses , gardens , and churches . It is cu rious to note that such names as ’ v S ee 1 01 De il s pavement or causeway ( fig . ) still cling about the relics of Roman roads . There are very many small mound - fo rts of which there is a capital example near Brockton and a host of s moated enclosures chiefly away from the border . The e seem to have a fforded protection in count ry which was W not very close to the elsh border . r The Angles did not place much reliance in fort esses . k Their hams , tuns , burghs , and sto es , were individually m fortified or oated , but few larger camps were erected or adopted by them . The most important were Bury D Roman itches nea r Clun , Caynham Camp (probably

138 T ITI AN I Q U ES . I V .

— - 2 . - - F i . T S o VV esto n d R a g 7 he t cks , un er ed C stle .

- Fi . . A o a for hi T g 73 C r cle used ﬁs ng . his light bo a t c a n be e a sily ca rried any dista nce up strea m and used fo r ﬁshing d own

stream . B G . 139 1 6 . UI LDIN S barges moored in mid - stream and actuated by steering with the rudder against the swift cu rrent of the river .

ee - (S ﬁg . There is a seventeenth centu ry hour glass attached to the pulpit of Easthope Church .

— 1 6 Sh r o sh re Bu d n s. . p i il i g

The buildings of a county are of great value in supplementing written history , in giving evidence of advance in Skill and the employment of materials , and in throwing light on the habits and customs of thei r builders and users . They are not only endu ring in themselves but are often associated with deeds , registers , c harters , or other documents from which details of

o history may be btained . Ecclesiastical buildings are especially valuable because of their connexion with communities rather than families , and because of the veneratio n with which they have usually been t reated

r m re Sto and st ress , with periodical destruction and

o constructi n , form an important part of the story of military buildings and also of the more important domestic buildings . Smaller dwellings , on the other hand , have often remained immune and unchanged for long periods .

The chief building materials used are stone , timber ,

. C plaster , and brick The oldest houses and hurches are of stone , and stone has been continuously employed up to the present day , though in steadily decreasing quanti t y . The local sandstones are the principal and earliest material , but limestones and marbles have been imported o fr m elsewhere for special work . From the middle of 140 C IT CT . AR H E U RE IV .

the 1 sth to the middle of the 1 7th centu ry houses were la rgely const ructed with a timber framework ﬁlled in at

ﬁrst with lath and plaster but later on with brick . This method lent itself to highly o rnamental t reatment both in const ructi o n and decoration and the later e xamples are often elaborate and beautiful . Brick was at ﬁrst used only for chimneys (towards the end of the

1 6 1 . th century) , but for entire houses early in the 7th At ﬁrst it admitted only of severe treatment but gradu

ally greater skill and license were displayed . Slate for

o rooﬁng comes fr m Wales , but slabs of local sandstone ,

o called tilestone , are empl yed in the south , and tiles are f o cou rse Supplied by the county itself . A ce rtain amount of thatch is still used and the county supplies

plenty of lime for mortar .

— E s c rch ct c c e ast a A te u e . 1 6 a . l i i l i r

With the exception of the Roman buildings already d esc ribed none earlier than Saxon are known to exist in 0 the county . There were , however, 7 churches in 1 086 t Shropshire by the year , the maj ority of which mus

o have been of Saxon f undation . Traces of actual

- a - buildings are only left in about half dozen cases , c hieﬂy distributed over the Southern Plateau and D e specially about Corve ale . The su rviving work consists of walling generally made of unsquared stones o r rubble masonry , with corners of oblong stones placed alternately upright and ﬂat long and short work

a - few round headed doors or windows , and narrow a rches .

42 C IT CT . AR H E URE IV . 143 1 6 a . ABBEYS AND CH URCHES .

o r end , or annexed to a side corner of the nave . Fo rtress towers are a characteristic of ma ny of the

o o Shr pshire chu rches . Morville and Wenl ck contain 1 2th much work of early century . The pier arches , much of the nave of Holy Cross (the Abbey Church) in r roxe te r Shrewsbu y , and the chancel of W are ext remely

o o 5236 ﬁne . Norman work in t wers is seen in Wenl ck (

ﬁg . Clun (damaged in the Civil War) , Atcham , and ’ oo St . Mary s , Shrewsbury . There are ﬁne d rways at

Holgate and Edstaston , and grand chancel arches at

U o . Morville , pt n Cressett , Shi fnal , and Stirchley Many o one of the fonts are Norman , that at St ttesden being

o o of the m st beautiful known , but there are thers at

. Claverley , Holgate , Edgmond , and Lilleshall , while that at Wroxeter is the base o f a Roman pillar inverted

o out o of and holl wed . One of the few r und churches this date is the chapel in Ludlow C a stle of which the

oo h walls of the nave , a ﬁne d rway , t ree windows , and the chancel arch remain , though the chancel itself is lost , The ruined abbeys of Haughm ond and Lilleshall were founded for the Austin Canons in the 1 2th centu ry and

o both Show ﬁne late Norman w rk . Shropshire is well off in examples of what IS call ed transitiona l e work , in which distinct changes in styl were being introduced leading up to the features charac teri stic o Ciste r of Early English , the next peri d . The

of B 1 1 eian Abbey uildwas , built in 35, is a ﬁne illust ration . the The chancel , nave , and transepts remain , though

o aisles and much of the outer walls have g ne . The tall all windows of the east end , and those of the clerestory ﬁne have round heads , but the pier arches and the very 144 C T CT AR HI E URE .

F — i . g 75 . B urld wa s a Ho T , . a i o a Abbey Ch pter use r ns ti n v ulting .

146 C T CT AR HI E URE . IV .

o o r n m o e r unded capitals , and a ent or m ulding mor

a o f the o elaborate than th t N rmans . This style pre vailed from the end o f the 1 2 th till late in the 1 3th

o o o o f 0 centu ry , a peri d which c mp rises the f undation 3

o r e o o churches . Act n Bu n ll , except the m dern t wer, is ex c lusivel o y Ea rly English , and there is much good w rk of

o o r e the peri d at Cle bu y Mortimer , Chirbu ry , and the nav

’ o f r ﬁ . ve St Ma y s , Shrewsbu ry . In the last chu rch are lancet wind ows gro uped together ; while the west wind ow at Acton Bu rnell has three g ro uped and included

o o i r under a single m ulding , and the east wind w is sim la but the spaces bet ween the lancets are pierced by simple o o penings , one of the earliest f rms of plate t racery . Brom ﬁeld the The towers of Oswest ry (restored) and ,

- o saddle back t wer of Alberbu ry , the pier arches of

Shifnal and Chirbu ry , the transepts of Chu rch Stretton

S ee r r ( ﬁg . the south doorways of Cleobu ry Mo time

’ r o r M and Ludlow , and the no th do way of St . a ry s ,

oo h Shrewsbu ry , are all g d examples of Early Englis building .

a t St There is nothing left Much Wenlock of . ’ Milbur a s th r the g foundation of the 7 centu y , or of th ri restoration by Lady Godiva in the 9 , and the p nci pal parts of the Cluniac Priory remaining were built afte r

o - the time of Roger de Montg mery . The chapter house ,

r e however, has a beautiful Norman inte ior with elaborat entrance arches and a splendid interlaced arcading . F i 00 ( g . The church was 3 feet long and typically

r Early English (S ee ﬁg . The cleresto y of lancet windows is high above the pier a rches and betwee n comes a gallery or t rifo rium separated from the 14 1 6 a . CH URCHES 7

C hurch by beautiful open lancet arches . Relics of a g roined roof remain . — During the next hundred years 1 270 1 370 a fu rther advance took place in the handling of m r aterial , and the buildings of this pe iod are known as

D -r 1 1 eco ated . Probably not more than Churches were f ounded , but the style was much employed when new

— i o o m a a . F g . 77. Much Wenl ck Abbey . N r n Arc ding

work was undertaken in older churches . In the Early — English plate tracery the window openings were

r . gene ally of simple geomet rical Shapes But , later, attention was devoted also to the Shape and geomet rical u v l c r es of the stone between the ights , sometimes to the i detr ment of the lights themselves . The stonework beca me more slender and graceful and there was much 8 14 C T CT . AR HI E URE IV .

greater freedom in design . This style is illust rated by ’ the famous reader s pulpit at Shrewsbu ry , the c ross B Worﬁeld in itterley Chu rchyard , the chancels of and v Edgmond , the chancel and aisle of Stottesden , the na e and beautiful hexagonal porch of Ludlow , parts of

8 — o in a D e c F i . . a L d o . . g 7 Cr ss churchy rd , Bitterley , ne r u l w

Cleobury Mortimer, Shawbu ry , and Albrighton near S S H hifnal , the square towers of tanton Lacy and of oly

Cross Shrewsbury , the octagonal tower of Hodnet , and the font at Bu rford . The t racery placed in the t riforium

150 C T CT AR HI E URE .

F — ’ i . 80 . S t . Ma h Sh N f g , . a ry s Churc , rewsbur ve , ro o a nd y , i o i a o f D o a d Jesse W nd w w th tr cery ec r te ty pe . 1 16 a . CH URCHES . 15 were obtained rather by deep carving than by thickness

o of wall and st ructure . The nly church exclusively belonging to this perio d is Battleﬁeld built in 1 406

o o m Tong , L ppington , and Edgmond , are als ainly

C o Perpendicular, as are the beautiful hancel of Ludl w , the

of I htﬁeld towers Edgmond , g , Baschurch , and Ruyton ,

’ and the ﬁne spires of St . Mary s , Shrewsbury , and

f ﬁe ld o o Wor . e o a nd The t w r of Ludlow , from its positi n workmanship (F ronti sp iece) one of the most co nim a nding

1 o s o 0 . in England , was erected ab ut 47 P s ibly one of,

— of the two half timbered churches , that Melverley , may;

o be attributed to this peri d , but that of Halston is later . , To the Perpendicular style belongs the Oteley Chapel

o h o f o Ellesmere , and als muc the beautiful carved w od work in many of the churches , especially in Ludlow . Eight churches were founded between the 1 6th and 1 8 0 m 1 th th , and 5 ore in the 9 centu ry , and , in addition; n m o u er us chu rches , particularly in the towns , were rebuilt or restored about this time . Indeed a sequestered p osition was almost as desirable for safety during the

' ri o p e od of rest ration as du ring times of spoliation . In some cases new churches were in a classical style like ‘

’ 1 2 the new St . Chad s 79 and St . Julian in Shrewsbu ry, 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 6 75 , Wellington 79 , Whitchurch 7 3, Madeley 79 6 0 1 . o and Minsterley 9 In others one of the G thic styles, w as d o 1 66 1 8 : followe , as at Cond ver 5 and Broseley 45

’ Batchc ott The new church at , near Richard s Castle , is a h m a andsome building by Nor an Shaw and th t of Clive , 1 888— 1 8 one of built in , 94 is the ﬁnest modern buildings. i n u o Shropshire . But the best reconstr cti ns have been t hose built of old materials and including unchanged or K CH URCHES .

154 CASTLES . IV .

P ulverbatch C or ham o a , / , associated with the Fair R s Cleobu M ortimer mond , Holgate , ry , and , last but not

least , Ludlow . Shrewsbu ry was erected by Roger de

Montgomery , and it , Oswest ry , and Holgate a re the only ones mentio ned in Domesday Ludlow was built in the time of Rufus by one of the de Lacys while Bridgnorth

° a nd Ca rreghofa were the work o f the rebellious son of o Roger de M ntgomery .

Shrewsbu ry , from its central position and facility of a ccess , its site so well defended by the river loop , and its relation to the guarded Welsh border and the roads into

that count ry , was the heart of the county Bridgnorth

e 0 E S e . 6 S ( ﬁg ) guarded the approach from the , where the Seve rn was bridged and the road to Shrewsbu ry

E o from the S . avoided the f rest and other obst ructions of the Gorge ; Ludlow was not only a guard for the M arches against the west , but commanded the approach f rom the south , being more useful in this respect than S tretton , which fell into disuse . These are vital spots and round them the events o f history naturally con

d r c entrate . There were times of peace , p rospe ity , or

beautiﬁed stress , when a castle would be enlarged , , or

fortiﬁed , and times of misfortune when it was damaged

or destroyed .

o o Ludl w , alike by its size and its hist ry stands easily

ﬁrst in importance , and indeed in these respects vies with m some of the ﬁnest in Britain . At the same ti e the

S ee ronlis ieee striking beauty of its situation ( f p ) , as well as

that of its buildings , and the charm of the town of which

but rs it is the chief by no means the only ornament , rende

it one of the best known . The ground slopes steeply LUDLOW . upwards from the ri ver Teme and the crest of the rise is

everywhere c rowned by walls and towers . Thus it was

triply defended on the north and west , doubly on the

o . s uth , and singly on the east The east side was p ro tected by a wall and probably an outer moat . 00 This formed the outer bailey or ward , over 3 yards long and 2 00 wide Admission is gained from the town by a strong gateway tower in the east wall

82 — o a t o S o i o o F i . . L o f e g udl w C stle , h w str ng de ens ve p siti n , riv r ,

a a nd a . steep b nk , w lls

i The bu ldings of the bailey are not noteworthy . In the south - west corner are the court - house and record ofﬁce

of the Court of the Presidency of the Marches , bu ilt by Sir Hen ry Sidney To the north of these buildi ngs the outer wall carries a semi - circular tower (4) sup posed to have been the p rison of Mortimer when captured oce r by J de Dinan , Lord of Ludlow in the reign of Hen y

I I . 156 L D Low u CASTLE . IV

The north -west com er of the bailey is occupied by the main stronghold or citadel , (5) built for defence if the

outer works should be captured . It was deﬁned by a

- w q uad rant shaped wall and moat ith a drawbridge . On the west side of the gate is the great t o wer or keep

' — m W ll s o Gu rd e 8 a o f o a o o o e . F ig 3. Pl n Ludl w C stle (fr y Ludl w )

S ee ( ﬁg . 74) built in the time of Rufus , but showing signs of later alteration especially in the enlargement of its windows Such a tower was usually designed and

provisioned for a last stand , but as this tower was de

ﬁcient in certain requisites , notably a well which was

158 . C ASTLES IV .

Belesm e I. Robert de and quickly captu red by Henry , nothing remains but the leaning tower , the only pa rt of the keep to su rvive the bombardment of the Parlia a a m e nt ri ns. It was one of the last castles to stand fo r o sa the King , nly su rrende ring when threatened by a p d riven through the rock from bel ow which rendered

. D it no longer tenable At Holgate in Corve ale , there

- 8 . a o o f a F . i i o . g 4 G teh use C stle , Wh ttingt n

o f - Of remains as pa rt a farm house a circular tower , part

’ Hel ot s g Castle . Of Red Castle only a few remains are left Of the outer belt Whittington Castle is the best

o of 1 o p reserved . The t wers the 3th century gateh use and a few other relics exist . It was defended by a

a morass , and by a mo t of which a pa rt still remains . Wa ttlesborough Castle near Cardeston is now a farm

rm house and shows a square No an tower , the upper 15 1 6 b . . WALLS 9

o f o as part which has been dest r yed . The castle w m oated and “ was almost certainly a strong post as

o o . a r it guarded an imp rtant r ad Caus C stle , nea

Westbu ry , was built by Roger Fitz Corbet and named

P a s de C ame o after the y in N rmandy . It is now only

b o represented y earthw rks , having been destroyed i n

1 o e the 7th centu ry . Clun (pr bably the Castle of Gard ’ Doloureuse of Scott s stands in a ﬁne 1 2 position , and portions of a th centu ry tower , a wall , and part of two bastions are left . It was originally built by Pic ot de Say before 1 1 00 and shows some work as late as

’ 1 r o s the 4th centu y . A p rtion of Lea Castle near Bishop

a o f o o f Castle survives as p rt a farm h use , and the keep o H pton still stands . Of the sec ond line Ruyt on Sh ows little and Myddl e m o o . only the at , part of an uter wall , and a tu rret s Thi castle played a small part in the Civil War . Shrewsbu ry was surrounded by walls in the 1 2th 1 century , and these were rebuilt in the 3th . Part of them can still be t raced where the hill abuts up on the plain (M uriv anc e ) on the ﬂoor of the Sever n Valley 1 e Here there is a 3th centu ry tower, and on the other sid

- e of the town a water gate . Other walled towns wer

o r Ludlow , Bridgn rth , and Oswest y .

—~ h 1 6 c D m e st c A c c u re . . o i r ite t

Shropshire is dotted over with many beautiful

r Ha wkstone residences , some , like Bu warton , , Apley

Lutw che t o Park , and y , owing much of their beauty

t o m k their Site ; others their char ing buildings , like Par 160 \ VALLS . IV

Fi — g . 85. To o n To \ a S wer wn V lls hrewsbury . ,

M T C T CT DO ES IC AR HI E URE . T B B G . 16 1 6 0. IM ER UILDIN S 3

1 2 1 s 86 family by permission of the King in 9 (ﬁg . , It is protected by a tower and the main stone building contains a beautiful hall with ﬁne , lofty , windows . The gem of the house is the Solar or withdrawing room i i w th two small windows look ng into the hall . It is completely panelled and still preserves an extremely

- beautiful carved chimney piece . At the north end of the building is a curious proj ecting timbered storey , and there is a gatehouse also with an overhanging upper storey , the woodwork of which is ﬁnely carved .

Acton Burnell Hall is modern , but in the park are a Old the rem ins of the Castle erected by Bishop Burnell , the friend of Edward I . Here the Lords sat at the

Acton Burnell Parliament , while the Commons then summoned for the ﬁrst time , met in a barn , supposed to be the building of which the gables still stand in the park . 1 Another 3th century building is Ludford Hall . Its lower part is of stone and above there is timber and brick work. Portions of a 1 4th centu ry house remain in r the rectory of Edgmond , near Newpo t , and there is ’ much 1 5th centu ry stone work at the Pri o r s Lodge of n We lock Abbey . It is however in timber buildings that Shropshire is

l - fo r exceptiona ly rich , many of them being world famed a nd t their perfection beauty . Some of them date back o 1 t 1 6 the 5th cen ury , most of them are th , and the style wa s 1 . practised in the. 7th Such buildings occur not r only in the count y and as large houses , but in the towns

S ee s. and as small houses and cottages . Shrewsbu ry ( ﬁg 1 0 3, , Ludlow , Bridgnorth , and Oswestry all

‘ ‘ In w possess good examples . Shre sbury we have the 164 T C C T CT . DOMES I AR HI E URE IV .

Ro w o f the 1 th houses of Butcher probably 5 centu ry ,

' ' o f S ee 1 1 the hall the Drapers Guild , I reland s ( ﬁg . 3) and ’ Owen s mansio ns n e a r the Squa re ( 1 6th centu ry) and the Council House of which the gateway house ( 1 6 20) remains

' o e in its original state . At Ludl w there is the Read r s

o f a nd House near the chu rch , built timber stone ; the Feathers Hotel erected apparently fo r o ne o f the Lo rds of the Marches and containing panelling ca rved with the royal a rms ; several houses near the Castle and the ve ry picturesque old Bell Inn at Ludford . In Bridgnorth we have the house of Bishop Percy marked with the date 1 80 o 5 and the legend Except the L rd build the Owse ,

o va il no t the Labourers there f e . But the choicest examples in the c ounty are Pitch ford Hall near Acton Bu rnell and Pa rk Hall nea r

\Vhittin ton a two g . The former is a l rge building of

o . c urts and fully timbered , with much diagonal work

o o 1 0 It is thought to date fr m ab ut 57 , and was the

o r o f residence of Sir Francis Ottley , the l yal Gove nor

Shrewsbury during the Civil War . There are several

ﬁne ceilings in the interior and beautiful oak panelling . There is also a summer house built in a great lime t ree in

o the garden . Park Hall was perhaps even m re striking in

o its general c mposition , the vertical lines of timber being more strongly emphasised than at Pitchford . It was 1 1 erected about 1 560 and destroyed by ﬁre in 9 8. There is only space to mention a few other timbered

o n o f t h uses ; Marri gton Hall , Situated on the dingle tha S 6 1 name near Chirbu ry ; and Boscobel ( ee ﬁg . ) the exact date of which is unknown . It was here that Charles I I . t ook refuge du ring the day in the Boscobel Oak , and

166 T C C T CT . DOMES I AR HI E URE IV . beautiful in its position near the northern e xte rmity of W enlock Edge , and in its st ructure , was erected about 1 80 Pla ish 5 . Hall is also an Elizabethan building , with ﬁne Chimneys said to have been erected for Judge Leighton by a prisoner who assured him that they would

a always remain unique . It was in Eliz bethan times that the greatest amount of building was done S tan wa rdine 1 60 o f ( 5 ) built brick and stone , Shipton

— 8 . a H a a o . F i . g 9 Benth ll ll , ne r Br seley and Condover ( 1 590) a building of exceptionally ﬁne

To design . these must be added High Ercall , built of red

o 1 608 o sandst ne in M reton Corbet Castle , an ambitious n building erected (but never ﬁ ished) , by a supporter of the Parliamentarians , and seriously damaged by the Royalists in 1 644 ; Preston Brockhu rst (S ee ﬁg . F i — — 0 . o o H a g 9 C nd ver ll .

r — — F . 1 . R o f M o o o a g 9 uins ret n C rbet C stle . 168 A L T C RC HI EC TURE . DOMES I IV .

- o - Te m Ludstone Longden up n , near Claverley , and Whit t o n o o Court . C und Hall and Hampt n Hall are examples

o of Queen Anne style , and Kinlet Hall is Ge rgian .

Tong Castle , like Clun , is on a site whose history

a o dates b ck to Sax n times , but the p resent building was

1 8th oo mainly erected in the century in M rish style . At

to o the park lodge which gives on the main r ad , is a summer - house on the boundary wall erected apparently t o o watch the c oaches g by on the road to the north .

— 2 i o f a o . F i . . a S g 9 Clive V ll ge , built Grinshill ndst ne The smaller houses and cottages are often extremely

S ee s. 1 0 picturesque ( ﬁg , The older ones are usually built of timber with plaster or brick , and often carry w their date marked on them . In the dist ricts here stone

r is easily obtained as in parts of the Northe n Plain , about

r the Ca adoc district , and in the south , one of the sand stones is generally used , and some of the villages , particularly Clive and Grinshill , are almost entirely

170 M T C B I G DO ES I UILD N S . 1 . 71 6 c . SCHOOLS

W orﬁe ld We m o o , Donnington , , Newp rt (which h wever

' 1 6 a nd existed in the th century) , High Ercall , Whitting t e ton , the two last no longer exis ing . Of later dat o o a are the Woodard Sch l of St . Osw ld at Ellesmere , and o oo the Priory County Sec ndary Sch l at Shrewsbury . e (S e ﬁg .

- oo a nd a o m . F i g . 9 4 . Shrewsbury Sch l Q u rry fr the Severn

Richard Baxter endeavoured to establish a Uni versity fo r Wales in Shropshire but was unable to effect o U his purp ose . A p r vincial niversity was however started in the later 1 7th centu ry by John Woodhouse at

on am Sheriff Hales , and carried for twenty years on bitious S ee lines ( p .

1 —Gre at Sa o ns 7. l pia . Many men distinguished in their lives have been born in Shropshire o r closely identiﬁed with the county . 2 G P 17 REAT SALO IANS . I V

Be ginning with men of action Roger de Montgome ry , the ’ S commander of William s right wing at enlac , claims the i prom nent place . Talbot , who afterwards became Earl 1 of Shrewsbu ry was born at Whitchurch in 373. He H of fought for en ry VI . in France against Joan Arc , and his name was so much feared that the mere ru m our of his approach caused the French to raise the siege of

o o f o f Bordeaux . The mem ry this Scou rge France ’ is enshrined in Shakespeare s play . He was ﬁnally defeated and slain at Chatillon and his body was brought to Whitchurch for burial . Sir Francis Ottley was the mainstay of the Royalist Pa rty in the county as C o lo nel M ytton was of the Parliamentarians . Admiral Benbow was born in Shrewsbu ry about

1 6 . 53, in a house that still stands He served in the merchant service and carried on what would now be v called p rivateering , received an appointment in the na y , and , after ﬁghting the French in the Channel , was sent to command a ﬂeet in the West Indies , where he was 1 02 eventually wounded and died in 7 . St che nea r M a rket Robert Clive , born at y Hall , Drayton in 1 72 5 entered the service of the East India

Company at a critical time in its history . It was la rgely through his milita ry talents that India was won for

England against the French , whom he defeated at Plass He is commemorated by a statue erected in

old o front of the market hall at Shrewsbury R wland ,

Hawkstone r 1 2 a ﬁrst Lord Hill of ; bo n in 77 , bec me one ’ i of Wellington s most d stinguished generals . He fought in the Peninsular War, and commanded the brigade w hich destroyed the Old Guard of Napoleon at Wate rl oo .

174 G P T . REA SALO IANS IV . and by practising the art of engraving made a consider able fortune which he devo ted to an attempt to pro duce a

’ o f o monumental edition Shakespeare s w rks . It is thought probable that Sir Richard Whittington , (Dick

W o f hittington) was a native the county . Many Shropshire men have attained high p ositions

wh o in the law . Sir Robert Brooke built Madeley Cou rt , was Speaker of the House of Comm ons and Chief Justice

1 —1 8 o w of Common Pleas from 554 55 . Th mas O en , another Judge of C omm on Pleas ab out 1 590 was a

’ descendant of the builder of Owen s Mansion in Shrews

r o o bu y , and himself built one of ou r ﬁnest h uses , C ndover

' o Hall . Judge Jeffreys , though not a Shr pshire man ,

o was educated at Shrewsbu ry Sch ol , visited the county ,

o m and took the title of Bar n of Wem . Sir T . Han er was

m o 1 th Speaker of the House of Co m ns in the 8 centu ry . Of eminent ecclesiastics and divines we may mentio n

r 1 Robert of Shrewsbu y , bishop of Bangor in the 3th

o of centu ry ; Ralph of Shrewsbu ry , bish p Bath and ’ “ ells in 1 32 9 Ro wland Lee who was not only bishop of Covent ry and Lichfield but as Lord President of the Marches brought them into order in the 1 6th centu ry S and amuel Butler, who revived Shrewsbu ry School in 1 th the 9 centu ry , and afterwards became bishop of Lichfield o . Robert Bu rnell , born at Act n Bu rnell in the beginning of the 1 3th centu ry became Chancello r. and friend of Edward I . who probably owed much to his influence He was made bishop of Bath and Wells and ee did much for his native village and church (S fig . Richard Baxter was a famous No nconformist divine i associated with High Ercall , Br dgnorth , and Eaton 175 1 W T . 7. RI ERS

1 1 6 8—1 0 Constantine , in the 7th centu ry . Dr . Bray 5 73 was founder of the Societies for the Propagation of the

r a Gospel and for the Promotion of Ch isti n Knowledge . John Fletcher was an eminent rector of Madeley in the 1 8th centu ry he was a friend of Wesley , who made a

his o o study of life . Thomas Percy , bishop of Dr m re and author of the Reliques of Ancient English Poet ry founded on a manuscript said to have been discovered in 1 2 a house in Shifnal , was born in 7 9 in the beautiful

o timbered house on the Cartway , in Bridgn rth . Bishop Heber was for a time rect o r of Hodnet in the early part 1 th of the 9 century .

o has Of artists , p ets , and musicians the county

o of pr duced a fair number . Dr . Charles Burney , father

' ’ Fanny Burney (Madame d A rblay) and autho r of the

of History of Music and books of t ravel , was born in h 1 726 at S rewsbu ry . Salopians cherish the fact that ” of b w part Hudi ras was written by Butler, in Ludlo

o Castle . Of native p ets there are William Langland , author of The Vision of Piers Plowman (1 332 ) born

r o Aude la s at Cleobu y Mortimer, J hn y Thoma Churchyard ( 1 52 0) the author of m o re than 60 volumes

o f of verse and p rose , and Lord Herbert Cherbury , in

o turn soldier , statesman , poet , and philosopher, b rn

- on - v 1 8 . at Eyton Se ern in 5 3 William Wycherley , a dramatist of the ﬁrst rank who attracted the patro nage

o r of both Charles I I . and James I I . , was b rn nea

a Shrewsbury about 1 640 nd later owned the Clive estate .

Tom Brown , a brilliant writer, was born near Shifnal in 1 663 and was buried in the C loisters of Westminste r

Abbey . Ambrose Philips , poet and friend of Addison 176 G P REAT SALO I ANS . IV .

a nd Steele , was born at Shrewsbury but he is chieﬂy

’ famous for Pope s ridicule of him . The art of painting is represented by William Owen (1 769) the portrait B painter, Edward Pryce Owen Sir Wyke ayliss and John Randall and that of acting by Tarleton , the Elizabethan comedian , and Betty the

Young Roscius .

’ - l a o a W a F i . 6 . O d P i o g 9 rr s C tt ge , the Glyn , inn ngt n , ne r i M ddletown .

old ! wa s The , old , very old man Thomas Pa rr , — bo rn at the Glyn in the township of Winnington in the 1 y ear of our Lord 483. He lived in the reigns of ten K Edwd th kings and queens of England (viz . ) . 4 I st 1 bur ed Westmin K . Chas , died the 3th and was y in h 1 1 2 s 1 t 6 . ter Abbey , on the s of November , 35 Aged 5

1 C W . 179 7. HARLES DAR IN

d of omain biology and geology , to have given a new i o nspirati n to the work which followed its publication , ’ a nd to have revolutionised man s o utlook upon matters

— i a F i 8. T o . M S a of a D g 9 he unt , hrewsbury . B rthpl ce Ch rles rwin .

i i scientiﬁc , rel g ous , and social . A ﬁne statue has been e rected to his memo ry in front of his old School ; and in Westminster Abbey there is no nobler memorial than

o that expressed by the two w rds Charles Darwin .

M a rringt on H a ll . CHAPTER V .

POLITICAL GEOGRAPH Y OF SH ROPSHI RE .

— m m n c a 1 8. C o u i tions.

The communications of a county are the lines along which passengers , supplies , powe r, and news are conveyed into it from outside , or from place to place within it .

They follow as a rule the shortest , easiest , and cheapest

o directions or rather, in each case , they are a c mp romise

o between these th ree factors . They will theref re depend up on ( 1 ) the relative situation of places as Shown on a m ap (2) the relief of the su rface and cha racter of the i m . e count ry between the , . the obstacles or facilities presented by it (3) the mate rial of the soil and rock beneath it in relation to such enginee ring work as may

be required . A line of communication consists of two

route transit medium pa rts , the or direction , and the

whether road , water, rail , pipe , or wire . The most obvious routes are the river valleys

o r whether the loads are carried on land water . Rivers

may be swift and dangerous , or slack and winding and thus wasteful of time ; their valleys are closed in by a re i watersheds , their ﬂoors often ma rshy and l able to

ﬂoods , t ributa ries and the winding cu rrent require l bridging , or the valley wal s may be too steep to hold a road or railway It may be necessary to cross water bills i sheds even when they are important , to bridge w de

. C 182 ROUTES AN D TRANSI T MEDIA H A P . V .

at the shortest cuts possible , even the expense of great engineering works which are paid for by the tolls charged fﬁ on t ra c . In many cases the same route may be occupied by t a nsit media two or more r . The route of Watling Street through the county c o rresponds with that taken by the

' ’ — - i F i . . Da Ca ro n B ri I o id d e . g 9 9 rby s st g , r nbr ge

We ste m a Great Railway . It is ccompanied throughout a by telegraph lines and in part by the Shrewsbury c nal .

An inspection of the map will give many other examples . In every case bridges are one of the great sources of expense , both in const ruction and maintenance . For 1 . 83 1 8. ROADS this reason narrow crossings are chosen at places where f they can accommodate several tra ﬁc lines . These

- ee rontis iece a nd s 1 6 <5 1 bridge places (S f p ﬁg . 7) i become po nts of great geographical importance , especially on a large river . The Severn is crossed by 1 1 2 bridges carrying roads , by 5 railway and or 3

- i - foot bridges . Bridgnorth s the lowest road bridge in the county and Montford the highest there are 3 at

Shrewsbury , the English and Welsh bridges being the old

at - ri ones , one Atcham , an old trestle b dge at Cressage

- re S ee . now built ( ﬁg and 4 in or near the Gorge , one 2 being at Buildwas , at Ironb ridge , and one at Coalport .

The roads , as the oldest communications , although ruled by geographical factors still in operation , often bear Of t races of conditions partly or wholly obsolete . One these conditions was the work of conquest and occupation of a hostile countryf The chief and boldest road con structors were the Romans , who , while not neglecting strategic points , or encountering needless obstacles , swept their roads along straight routes over hill and dale so as to be able to move troops from point to point in the quickest and most effective fashion . They guarded against surp rise by clearing timber away from the sides of the roads , and for defence relied upon frequent garrisons and the military trafﬁ c which con s a t ntly patrolled the road . A second condition was the occurrence of civil war, raiding brigandage , and high Of i way robbery , the effects wh ch may be seen in the fact that many main roads traverse observation heights v t and ridges , while a oiding forests and poin s of ambush . On the other hand minor roads and lanes are tortuous i t 184 . ROADS v,

and difﬁcult as they formed lines of ret reat to places of

refuge or concealment . A third condition was the

of o existence physical obstacles such as f rests , marshes ,

and steep or rocky Slopes , which have been overcome by

o improved engineering meth ds . The study of Sh rOp

shire roads is rendered much easier when the inﬂuence ,

greater in the past but still serious , of two especially

reat obstac le s . o g , is understood First the Severn G rge

with its steep walls , its swift river, its maze of dingles , v o its hea y covering of f rest , and its overhang by the Wrekin and Wenlock Edge These facts made it practically impenetrable and to this day there is no road alo ng the valley from Coalport to B ridgnorth or south ‘ r of the rive from Ironb ridge to Cressage , while there is

' p ractically no road to Linley Sta tio n on the Se vern diﬂi cult Valley Railway . The second y was p resented by

ﬂ ood - the ﬂats , marshes , and plains of the rivers of the no Northern Plain . For instance roads cross the Perry '

ﬂ ats and marshes . Unfortunately we do not know the dates of the f di ferent Roman roads , and whether they were built for

storius conquest or occupation . From the fact that O Scapula drove back the Silures about the lower Seve rn before defeating Caractacus it is likely that he came into the county by the south and probably pushed north from Bridgnorth avoiding the river gorge but being compelled to overcome another great natural obstacle in

Wenlock Edge . The skill with which the Watling Street gets on to high and safe ground within a mile or two of

Uriconium v , a oids the Gorge by passing north of the

Wrekin , c rosses the Coalﬁeld along almost its best route ,

ROMAN ROADS .

Of the other probable Roman roads there is space o nly to mention that from Weston - under- Lizard north

t ~ Whitchurch ward o and Chester by the Longford , S ee and that southward to Chesterton ( ﬁg . 57) that which leads by the Devil ’ s Causeway and a Roman bridge to Rushbu ry and 'Wall and then over Wenlock

’ 1 0 1 —R o m a ri a i h D a a F ig . . n B dge c rry ng t e evil s C usew y

o ha t a oo R a o . ver the C w ll Br k , uckley , ne r Act n Burnell

v K Edge by the Roman Bank to Cor e Dale , ordy B ank Camp , and probably southward and the road o ver Wenlock Edge to Bridgnorth probably the one discovered and improved by Hen ry I . in his su rprise a ttack upon Robert de Bele sme at Shrewsbu ry abou t ﬁ A D . 1 1 00. The dif culty of this route is illustrated by the ee picture of the modern road (S ﬁg . Whether the 1 7 T . 8 1 8. ROADS AN D ROU ES

Portway along the Longmynd and the summit road of the Long Mountain are Roman or earlier is not known ; the roads t oo by which the Romans carried their lead are lost or merged into modern ones . When Telford constructed his great coach - road from London to Holyhead he natu rally b rought it through b Birmingham and Wolverhampton and , y passing

the through Shifnal , he found a better route through Coalﬁeld than the Roman one : He j oined the Watling

U iconium Street near Ketley and followed it nearly to r . Here he branched off to Shrewsbu ry and Whittington and

o ri s left the county by cr ssing the R . Cei og at Chirk . Thi is typical of the roads of the Northern Plain they branch out from Shrewsbury , Wellington , and Newport , and ,

Nesscliffe Pimhill avoiding such obstacles as , , Grinshill , Ha wkstone re and , reach the towns of Oswest ry , Ellesme ,

. Whitchurch , and Market Drayton . The map shows how -these roads make use of the stream - routes through

e the sandstone hills , while they avoid marshes like thos l s of the Pe rry and Roden , Whixa l Mo s , and the Weald

Moors . In the Upland the dependence on physical features i is more obv ous . The run of the hard rocks , the ridges , and the longitudinal valleys , all give the county a NE S W . grain trending . and . , and it is rarely that important roads cross the grain . To get from Melverley to Church Stretton along anything like a straight line is fﬁ impossible , and it is almost equally di cult to get from

Church Stretton to Cleobury Mortimer . But the south westerly roads make use of the easy gradients of the

valleys and the still more important low watersheds . 188 ROADS .

' Thus from Shrewsbu ry we have the Welshpool road t a hrough the Westbury g p , the Chirbury road through

’ o the Rea and Mart n gap , the Bishop s Castle road t a hrough the Shelve and Marsh Pool g p , and the Ludlow r oad th rough the Chu rch St rett on valley and down the

Onn . R . y From Buildwas ( Ironbridge and Wellington) a hilly road climbs the steep Farley Dingle to Much Wenlock and then Slips down Corve Dale to Craven Arms a nd Ludlow .

diﬂi cult Some wate rsheds are much more to cross .

’ The direct road from Shrewsbu ry to Bishop s Castle - on the west ﬂank of the Longmynd reaches 1 1 49 feet above

- sea level , and that from Wenlock to Church Stretton attains 867 feet on Wenlock Edge and then dips gradu a o lly down the escarpment . The road from Ludl w to Bridgnorth betw een the Clee Hills reaches over 1 000 feet a nd that to Cleobury Mortimer and Wyre Forest 1 249

feet , besides which both of them have to c ross the

- innumerable deep cut dingles of the l ower Seve rn system .

There are roads down the Severn to the Gorge , but they cling to the valley walls out of reach of ﬂoods ; that on

t he u south climbing p the steep face of Wenlock Edge , while that on the north squeezes through the Gorge as

far as Coalport , and then takes to the hills to descend

o again at Bridgn rth for Kidderminster , keeping well back o o fr m the river . It is the nly road which has not to face a n exceptio nally steep climb out o f the valley at Bridg W n orth . The Coalﬁeld is traversed by the atling

Street and Holyhead roads , and by main roads from i Well ngton to Ironbridge and to Bridgnorth , but there

is of course a network of minor roads .

190 WATERWAYS . V .

mile . The chief chains of locks are outside the county but there is a group north of Adderley where the canal

ri 60 ses about feet . In the Coalﬁeld about Coalpo rt ,

Stirchley , and Lilleshall there are inclined planes where the barges were lifted from 1 20 to 200 feet above the sea S ee in wheeled carriers. ( ﬁg .

— F i . I o z . D a w o n S o i o a a a hi xa g r bridge hr psh re U ni n C n l , ne r W ll

M o ss .

The c anals were c onst ructed when heavy goods t rafﬁc had congested the roads and seriously hampered f the fast coach t ra ﬁc . The canals fu rnished relief , but

a fﬁ t r c along them was slow if cheap . Consequently when railways came and carried goods quickly as well as cheaply it was thought that canals would be but little . 19 1 1 8. RAILWAYS wanted in future and the railways were allowed to purchase them and even to occupy their routes , thus eliminating a possible rival , and destroying a system which would have again become of great importance now that the railways in their tu rn are con gested . In the extreme south of the county runs a part of the aqueduct carrying water from the Rhayader Lake rese rvoirs to Birmingham , and the Vyrnwy aqueduct

t o o touches Oswestry on its way Liverpo l . When the main t rafﬁ c was carried on the roads it was discovered that stone rails laid on the hills both eased the heavy t rafﬁc and economised the wear of the d roads . Grooved iron rails , the next stage , were use d earlier in Shropshire than elsewhere , and then followe

raised rails and ﬂanged wheels . Later came the dis c ov e r y of steam traction , and railways rapidly displaced o the use of b th roads and canals . The p rincipal railway in the county is the Great

ri Western which enters near Alb ghton , passes through Wellington and Shrewsbury (where the London and s North Western has running powers on it) , and goes acros

the Plain through Whittington , whence (giving off a branch to Oswestry) it proceeds to Chirk and Birkenhead .

Two branches are given off at Wellington , one northward i to Market Drayton and Nantw ch , and one t raversing l the Coalﬁeld to Coalbrookdale , where it receives a smal

Ioop from Shifnal , crosses the Severn at the ent rance of

W . the Gorge , and runs along enlock Edge to Craven Arms From Shrewsbury the Severn Valley Railway keeps t o the right bank of the river all through the county . It has a route of great difﬁculty and it was considered no A 192 R ILWAYS AN D CANALS . V . small engineering feat on the part of B runel to ca rry the line through the Gorge where it clings to the steep valley wall partly on a platform cut out of the rock and partly o n viaduct buttresses built up from the river .

— f r i f i a nd a a o o . an a F i . ro a a g 3. M a p o R lw ys C n ls Sh psh re C ls

sho wn by d o uble li nes .

Several lines are worked j ointly by the Grea t

W estern and the London and North Western Companies .

19 4 LW RAI AYS . V .

re - o o r has been opened , and a sh rt line fr m Craven A ms to ’

Bishop s Castle , which has had a chequered career , is l stil running . There is a light railway on the Southern Plateau from Ditton Priors through Stottesden to Cleobu ry Mortimer where it j oins the Great Weste rn

e the Railway in the Teme Valley . Only a few mil s of l latter lie in Shropshire . Finally there are the minera

co a ﬁelds l . railways of the Clee quarries , and the The main railways are between 200 and 300 fee t above the sea but the Market Drayton line falls below 1 0 1 20 r 7 and the Severn Valley below . On the othe . hand the line from Coalbrookdale to Craven Arms

00 200 to reaches 5 feet in the Coalﬁeld , drops to cross the Seve rn and rises again to 700 feet at Presth ope where it t raverses Wenlock Edge in a tunnel and descends steeply

A e so into p Dale . The gradients are steep and the cu rves so sha rp on this line that Specially sh o rt good s

o s engines are used for working it . The j int line reache 600 feet at Church Stretton and the Welshpo ol line passes over a summit of 450 feet . From this sketch and the map it will be seen that 8’

6 o railroads branch out from Shrewsbu ry , fr m Welling

o W ton , 5 from Craven Arms and Oswest ry , 4 fr m hit chu rch and Buildwas , and 3 from Ellesmere , Market

o o Drayton , Ludlow , Shifnal , and Cle bu ry M rtimer o f o o Craven Arms with its coaching inn , s me n te as a road n junction , is growi g rapidly in impo rtance as a railway centre , but Buildwas has made no p rogress , and the rail way has robbed Shifnal of the impo rtance o f its position

’ o r d on Telford s road . The Coalﬁeld is reached traverse by 6 lines belonging t o two Companies and is the best 1 G F T W . 195 9 . ORI IN O O NS

v ser ed part of the county , numerous colliery and works branches feeding the lines . Some of the stone and lime q uarries have their own lines but outside the Coalﬁeld

- ra fﬁ c most of the service t is carried on the roads . The o nly points more than 6 miles from a railway occur near

—- W v Bettws y Crwyn in the S . and near Cla erley to the east A good many places are as much as 4 miles , and the nearest stations are not in all cases the easiest to of reach because the grain of the county .

— h C h f T n 1 Ori i n o f t e i e ow s. 9 . g A small number of village settlements in a county o are destined , through various causes , to grow int m i portant towns or cities . There are several causes of such growth .

1 F ortress towns . , chosen for their strong strategic positions by some Chieftain requi ring protection for his f i am ly and his wealth .

M a ket town 2 . r s i , with good access and ex t so that they are convenient for the collection of commodities o p r duced in the neighbourhood , easily approached by s fa rmers with ﬂocks , herd , or crops to sell , a good meeting point for sellers and buyers to bargain , and a good c entre for sending produce to distant places .

Ind ustrial towns 3. , on sites where raw materials

for manufacture are obtained , where labour can live and

r indust ies thrive , and the goods produced be disposed of . These towns are of two kinds (it) Those on the mineral ﬁelds where the population is engaged in winning the mineral wealth or in manufacturing goods from it 196 IGI or T W OR N O NS .

(b) Those in which the employers of labour i reside , w th those who trade in the goods produced and those who carry on manufactures which

require the combination of several materials ,

some of them possibly not local , and call for the

application of Skilled work . Such towns are generally near but not actually on the mineral

ﬁelds .

— t l o a a t o a o . o a o 1 0 . O d a F ig . 5 Ferry b t C l p rt The b t is f stened - d in mid - a m a i a n d c rirre nt of the river be stre by w re , the the river is so swift th a t by m a nip ul a tin g the rudder a ga inst the

strea m the bo a t ca n be ferried a c ro ss .

Tra i c towns u 4 . f , which grow p at points where routes converge so that they have access tomany places in surrounding dist ri cts . The convergence is likely to v s occur at b ridge heads , passes or gaps , junctions of di er e

198 I N DUSTRIES AN D MARKETS .

many kinds of manufactures . Hence this area is p ractically one large indust rial town made of many units c oa lﬁeld merging into one another . But a is never a

pleasant place to live in on account of its waste heaps , s dis smoke , and water, and so towns without the e a rs W dvantages grew up on its borde such as ellington ,

o i Newp rt , and Sh fnal . In market towns another law has established itself i ten mile r ule wh ch may be called the . The farmer must

be able to reach his market town easily , do his business ”

there , attend his ordinary , and drive home in safety

before dark . His cattle , sheep , and pigs , must reach the

market early and in good condition , his milk must be in

time for t rains to the distributing centres , his butter and in i eggs must be good t me for purchasers . The road and not the railway as a rule carries him and his produce e to market . Hence we may expect that those cent r s which have grown natu rally into market towns will be dist ributed about the county at average distances of from 1 0 —1 e r i l 5 mil s apa t , and intervening centres w l be to ll some extent sta rved . The distance wi tend to be l longer in ﬂat and easy count ry , a little less in hil y and f a di ﬁcult count ry . Moreover each of the main physic l divisions of the county is likely to have its own set of w market to ns , and in many cases those near the border

rv may se e more than one physical division or one county ,

Thus we have Oswest ry , Ellesmere , Whitchurch , Wem , w Market Drayton , Shrewsbu ry , Wellington , Ne po rt , vi ser ng the Northern Bridgnorth , and Shifnal the l Eastern Plain ; Much Wen ock , Craven Arms , Ludlow S and Cleobu ry Mortimer, the outhe rn Plateau and 1 9 1 F NC T FF C . 9 9 . DE E E AND RA I

’ t Bishop s Castle , Clun , and Church Stret on the Hills . v On the borders we ha e Nantwich , Stafford , Wolver Bewdle Te nbur hampton , Stourbridge , Kidderminster , y , y ,

W . Knighton , Montgomery , and elshpool

Our chief fortress towns are Ludlow , Shrewsbu ry , ’

Bridgnorth ; Oswestry , Bishop s Castle , and Clun , but of these only the first three have been both strong in S ee site and important in strategic position . ( figs. 60 W , hen attacked they have made a good defence and have been able to resist or obtain honourable ’ terms of surrender . Bishop s Castle has been strong in itself but not of vital importance , Clun and Oswest ry were important in position but weak in site . Of the traffi c towns pure and simple Craven Arms is the best example , but even here market conditions v very naturally ha e been added . Wellington is a radiant point but it is also a market and an industrial town , fi s while Shrewsbu ry is a traf c town , a fortre s , a market , and to some extent it is also industrial . Oswestry again f has added its t ra fic influence to its market , its defensive position , and its industrial relation to the North Wales

S ee a e Coalﬁeld . ( p g Ecclesiastical centres have sometimes grown up in the shelter of retirement or in association with j udicial o r m ilitary protection . An abbey and churches at Shrews bury and Much Wenlock have added to the other causes of their importance but they have left Buildwas , Bromﬁeld Lilleshall , and mere villages . Judicial func tions and scholastic institutions are more generally

the consequence than the cause of growth . The Court

the of the Marches , however, contributed much to N 200 M T T AD INIS RA ION . V . growth of Ludlow and Shrewsbu ry and the schools of r w Shrewsbu y , Oswest ry , Ne p ort , Bridgnorth , and

o Ludlow , have not been with ut their geographical influence . Fina lly for permanent residence or holiday resort a position among beautiful scenery , with fine air, and with facilities for hunting , fishing , shooting , golf , or other sport at hand , offers attractions which may cause the origin of new towns or the growth of othe rs already established . No better example could be chosen than the market town of Church Stretton , the population of 1 1 01 1 1 1 1 which has grown from 8 6 in 9 to 455 in 9 .

— dm n tr n 2 0 . A i i s ti o a .

In Saxo n times the landowner (the earl or the holder under him) ruled , administered justice , and kept order . But the freem en of the settlements and towns met to discuss their wants and to present their grievances

a - m a n o r for redress . They elected a he d reeve , made

- b - town rules or y laws , and appointed a tithing man

out or constable to ensure that they were carried . A similar and larger council or moot was fo r med by the

o hundreds , meeting less frequently . It was thr ugh the latter that the method of taxation was arranged . 1 At the time of Domesday there were 5 hundreds ,

Le nteurde W ite nt reu including (Leintwardine) and , parts of which are now outside the county . All of these

r now except two , Condover and Ove s , are lost , and their names have all disappeared with the exception of

Rec ordin Sciro esbe rie Ode ne t Hod (Wrockwardine) , p , (

202 M T T AD I NIS RA ION . V . c ourts and laid the foundation of Assizes and the Jury system . The administration of justice is now carried on as

ﬂi c rs follows . The two chief o e of the county are the

o L L rd ieutenant and the High Sheriff , both appointed by he t . i z Crown The highest Court of Justice is the Ass e , S held at hrewsbu ry , and presided over by the Judges of 1 the Oxford Circuit . There are 9 Petty Sessional d s o S ee ivisions pre ided over by l cal magistrates ( ﬁg . who also meet at the Court of Quarter Sessions in the larger towns , but in Shrewsbu ry this Court is held by the r Recorder . There are also County Cou ts p resided over i by a Judge , held at various towns , for settling civ l actions and the recovery of debts . The successor of the Shire - moot is the modern

o C unty Council , which meets at Shrewsbu ry and consists

68 out o f o 1 of councillors elected for 3 years , wh m 7

c - b odv aldermen are selected by o option . This has

o r charge of roads , rivers and b ridges , reformat ies and

’ a o sylums , coroners c urts , and education and it has the

o p o wer of levying rates . There is no t wn large enough t o 6 form a county borough , but there are Boroughs ruled

o 8 U o by mayor and c rporation , rban District C uncils , a nd 1 7 Rural Dist rict Councils . In addition to this there are Parish Councils . For Poor Law purposes the c ounty is divided into 1 5 Un ions which c o rrespond vaguely to the Hundreds , but are cent red round the

f o o more important o the m dern t wns . The Hundreds

r themselves have only one function left . The membe s “ o f each Hundred are j ointly liable for damage done by ri oters to the property of any owner within it . P 2 0. ARISHES . 3

When the Saxons accepted Ch ristianity the Church had a st rong organisation and a system of Government

Lichﬁ ld which has changed but little . The dioceses of e and Hereford , both in the p rovince of Canterbu ry ,

o divide the c unty between them , but a few parishes in two the west are in the diocese of St . Asaph . There are

o Lichﬁeld archdeac nries , that of Salop under and of

— 06 I o of a . F i . 1 . g nteri r Church , Buildw s Abbey

Ludlow under Hereford . The former is subdivided

1 0 . under 9 , and the latter under rural deans Within these come the 289 ecclesiastical pa rishes a ccepted as the

26 . basis of the civil parishes , of which there are 7 Some of these are unusually large , for example , Ellesmere over acres , Clun over Oswest ry over and Whitchurch over 204 G C TI RELI ION AND EDU A ON .

Many religious orders were represented in the county Shrewsbury was a very important Benedictine W l abbey , enlock a Cluniac p riory , A berbu ry a Grand

m ontine B Hau hmond priory , uildwas was Cistercian , g ,

Lilleshall , Wombridge , Chirbu ry , and Ratlinghope

belonged to the Austin Canons , and there were Fria rs at

Shrewsbury , Ludlow and elsewhere . Several churches s B uch as attleﬁeld , Newport , and Tong were collegiate , a s the larger Saxon churches had been , Education is in the hands of the Education Com

mitte es formed by , and in part out of , District and Parish C ouncils . These take charge of the p rima ry education , and in many cases also of secondary and technical

e ducation by arrangement with the County Council .

The latter, however, has charge of the rest of the second d a ry and technical education of the county , and indee supervises and controls the whole of it b y means of its

g rants of money .

The county now retu rns four members to Parliament ,

o ne for each county division , Oswest ry , Shrewsbury ,

n r Wreki , and Ludlow but it is not many yea s ago that

the boroughs of Much Wenlock , Bridgnorth , and Ludlow o f w had members of their own , and the borough Shre s

bury has only j ust lost it s member . Shropshire may a lso be said to be represented in the House of Lord s 6 coun tv by peers who have residences in the .

' S o H f om “ c k E trett n ills r enlo dge .

206 T W G . O NS AN D VI LLA ES VI .

o ball p robably th se of the old , but they are commonly suppo sed to be the ba rn in which the Commons met on o the same occasi n . Through Ruckley , and over ’ a r Ch t wall Edge uns the Devil s Causeway , paved with great stone slabs for nearly half a mile and crossing the stream by a b ridge which is und oubtedly of Roman S ee work ( ﬁg . This is the line of a Roman Road running from Uriconium to Rushbu ry and p robably on ’ Nord o to y Bank . A sp ring on the hill kn wn as Frog s ” Well is enclosed with stone - work which probably is o m 6 o . 1 8 1 1 6 1 86 . 1 1 6 1 als R an (pp , 45, 4 , 3, 4 , )

Alb r ri 8 60 Alb rbu . e be e . e ry (D ) 75 ( ) (N) , 9 miles

o west of Shrewsbury , has a church w ith N rman and

o - Early English w rk , a saddle back tower and an interest ing triangular Decorated windo w It adj oins the ruins

o f Fitz wa rin a of the Castle the es. White Abbey (Gr nd

n o n E m o tine to N. . m ) , the Severn bank the , is now a far house . Rowton , on the Site of the old castle , claims to

o Rutunium be the R man , a claim disputed by Ruyton

- o 6 X I . . 1 1 T wns (pp 4 , 53,

Albri n A ube rt o n to . gh (by Shifnal , called ) (D = ’ Alb ricstone Ealdbricht s tun) 1 076 (2 1 3) 5 miles E i l 1 8 . S . of Shifnal a v l age which was a borough till 34 The church tower is Transition Nor man t o Early English C and the hancel Decorated , but most of the rest of the l th w fab ric was rebuilt in the g centu ry . The Shre s bu ry Arms and Cro wn Inns are interesting build

- i hto ings , the latter half timbered . Albr g n near Shrews Aibe rton l bu ry ( ) is a picturesque village near Hadnal .

B - - ham =home Eatan Atcham ; (AS . atan ing of family) 363 (80) a village 4 miles from Shrews 2 1 CT B TC . 07 A ON URNELL , A HAM

U . bury , is important as the centre of Atcham nion Most

n rd ricus of the church is Norman and Tra sitional . O e ’ Vitalis , the chronicler and son of Roger de Montgomery s chaplain was baptised at Atcham Church . The Severn here was bridged befo re 1 2 2 1 but this bridge was replaced by Sir Rowland Hill and the present one dates from

1 68 . 7 . (p

r Basche rche 1 601 1 66 Baschu ch . (D ) ( ) (N) , 9 m 8 The miles fro Ellesmere and from Shrewsbury . village possesses a church in which there is late Norman work though rebuilding took place in the 1 8th century it has a chained bible . North of the village is the Berth , a high mound in a marsh the only approach t o which was a winding causeway which woul d be invisible whem l submerged . It is thought to have been an island dwel

cranno e ing or g of neolithic or bronze age , similar to thos 1 1 8 1 1 frequently met with in Ireland . (pp . 37, 4 , 5 )

Batt eﬁeld 1 0 6 s l ; 5 ( 4) (N) , a small village 3 mile

of north Shrewsbury where Henry IV . won the battle of 1 0 Shrewsbury in 4 3. The church was built on the site of the battleﬁeld by the King and by Roger Ive , rector di of Albright Hussey . It is Perpen cular , the tower being later than the rest of the fabric , and it was collegi ate with 6 chaplains . A very perfect moat exists at

Ha rlescote 1 1 1 . 8 . 1 House (pp , 5 ,

Bettws-y-Crwyn ; (Bede - house of the skins) 381

2 o and ( 7) (C) , in Clun F rest , near the head of the river ,

o i 7 miles fr m Clun , is the highest v llage in the county 00 being 1 4 feet above the sea . The church is Early 2 8 0 G . TOWNS AN D VILLA ES VI .

1 th English with a carved oak screen of the 5 century .

There are several encampments in the parish . (p .

’ Bishop s Castle ; 1 409 (960) o ne of the 6 corporate boroughs remaining in the county 20 miles 6 r from Shrewsbury and from Clun . Its charte dates from 1 572 but the Castle was the possessio n of the Bishops of Hereford in the 8th century when it was c a lled Lydbury Castle . The steep streets rise abruptly i from the ﬂats of the river Kemp . The church w th the e 1 860 xception of the tower was rebuilt in , and the Castle '

has disappeared , but there are relics of the Bishop s

Moat to the west , and parts of the castle of Lea are " o r o built int a fa m h use to the east . The Bishops e states amounted to acres but the manor was

r approp iated by Queen Elizabeth . There are markets and stock fairs which are of great importance fro m the quality of the cattle and sheep bred in the valleys of the Onn Camlad y and , and of the Kemp and other tribu 1 taries of the Clun river . (pp . 59 ,

B r Bute rlie 1 0 0 1 t e e . i t l y (D ) 9 (9 ) (P) , a village and

Titte rstone extensive parish lying under the Clee , 4 miles

o r from Ludlow . The church is chieﬂy Transiti n No man

oak with a font which is probably Saxon , a ﬁne chest ,

- m and a half ti bered bell turret with interesting bells . In the churchyard is a very ﬁne and well preserved 1 4th

o o 1 1 2 century cross . The Grammar Scho l , f unded in 7

o - is no l nger in existence . In the parish are dhu stone

a qu rries served by a mineral railway , and there is a m ’ Ti te rsto ne . 8 o n t . ca p at the Giant s Chair (p p 5, 1 48)

2l 0 T W A ND G O NS VILLA ES . VI

F i 1 0 — . . T S to ne wa S i o . g 7 he y teps , Br d gn rth 2 1 G . 1 2 1 . BRI D NORTH

o o usual story is told . The hands me red sandst ne

old o c hurch of St . Leonard was rebuilt after the m del in 1 860 and has a valuable divrnity library bequeathed by

’

Dean Stackhouse . St . Mary s Church near the Castle is a classical building erected by Telford . Round it and the Castle there is a beautiful terrace walk . There are many old houses in the town several of them half ’ o timbered , including Bish p Percy s house in the Cartway . The Grammar Schoo l is an ancient foundation with an

o o s old boarding h use and new sch ol building , The Town Hall was burnt during the Civil War and the present one was built with the materials of a barn brought from Wenlock . A small part of the walls and the n o rth gate are still standing . The chief

ri o indust es of the t wn are now carpet weaving , the

o o m dyeing of w rsted , and malting , but f r erly lace , caps ,

o o - and st ckings were made , and there was b at building

- o o a to and gun making . The t wn was als a riv l Shrews

r o o bu y in the cl oth and hide trades . The b r ugh formerly returned two mem bers to Parliam ent and gave rise to a local saying all one side like a Bridgnorth electio n 1 6 but it lost one member in 8 7 and the other in 1 885. ” A large disc - shaped mound called Pan Pudding Hill exists close to the town at Oldbury , which probably derived its name from it . It has been identiﬁed with the castle built by Ethelﬂ eda the daughter o f Alfred the

o r Great , to repress the Danes . A hands me mode n u mansion stands in Apley Park , p the Severn , with a o 1 1 6 very ﬁne br ad d rive along Apley Terrace . (pp . 99 , ,

Br mﬁ ld Brunfelde 60 on the o e . ; (D ) 539 ( ) (P) , V LL 212 TOWNS AND I A GEs. VI

Teme 3 miles from Ludlow , has a church which was once

collegiate and was mentioned in Domesday . I t contains work of all styles from Norman to Perpendicular and has

a painted chancel ceiling . The archway of the gatehouse

- of the Priory remains , with a later half timbered story

o o n l ver it . There are seven tumuli the Lud ow race course in which bones and cinerary urns have been found

1 6 1 and , in one case , a bronze spear head . (p . 4 , 53,

Bosle 1 2 h Brose e . t . l y (D cent Burwardsley , ’ Burhweard s ley) 3663 ( 1 1 77) (PB ) a town standing high above the Severn , on the south bank 4 miles from

6 o f Much Wenlock and from Bridgnorth . It was once considerable importance for its c ollieries and iro n furnaces , among them the works of the famous and original ironmaster Wilkinson Now the chief industries are the manufacture of bricks and tiles , earthenware , and kﬁ ld clay pipes . Encaustic tiles are chieﬂy made at J ac e ,

r on the Severn now a separate ecclesiastical pa ish . l 1 8 bur t r . The church , in 45 is in the Pe pendicular style

Benthall Hall is a beautiful Tudor building , and Willey

o m o - 8 1 1 Hall a large Ge rgian ansi n . (pp . 93, 95 9 , 5 ,

Bu d as . 8 1 il w (pp 3, 44 ,

Cardintune 8 8 Cardin to . g n (D ) 5 7 (5 ) (H) , a village o ﬁ s mewhat dif cult of approach , among the Stretton

o Hills and 4 miles from Church Strett n . Much of the church is Early English but restored . The Royal

o f o Oak is one the oldest licensed h uses in England . Plai sh Hall is a beautiful brick building o f the 1 6th century . Holt Preen , now a farm house , is of the same 1 date , while Chatwall is dated 543. (p .

214 G T W . O NS AN D VI LLA ES VI . moor was once conducted entirely on horseback but wheeled vehicles are now often seen . On Caradoc and elsewhere on the associated hills there are B ritish camps . Ponies run on the Longmynd and are so ld at an annual fair in the autumn . The excellent water supply is em

C al ployed for making mineral waters at wmd e . The

for Carding Mill is no longer used its original purpose .

o Above it there is a waterfall known as the Light Sp ut . 2 1 0 1 1 1 6 1 8 1 (pp . 5, 99 , 7, 3, 4 , 5, 99 ,

Clav e rle e = clov er 1 6 Claverley (D . g pasture) 3 3 106 x 6 ( ) (E) , is a village and e tensive parish miles east o f 1 0 o Bridgnorth and from Wolverhampt n . The church was founded and built by Roger de Montgomery and the nave arches o f his building and a go od fo nt remain . in There is much Decorated and Perpendicular work , old V cluding the upper part of the tower . The icarage ,

of - one the earliest half timbered houses in the county , m stands near the chu rch . There are traces of enca p

’ ments and pit dwellings on Abbot s Castle Hill on the Ludstone oa county boundary . Hall is a ﬁne m ted 1 168 1 Jacobean brick building . (pp . 43, , 95)

u r lai berie =burh Cleob ry M ortime ; (D . C on Clee) 1 1 1 0 1 2 26 53 ( 3 ) (P) , has been a market town since and was named from Ralph de Mortimer It is 1 4 miles from Bridgnorth and 1 1 from Ludl o w and is a

r w neam ess typical ag icultural to n , of importance from its to the Forest of Wyre coalﬁeld and the stone and coal

i rstone area of the T tte Clee . The church has a Transi tional w Norman Tower , with a t isted wooden Spire , i from which the c urfew is st ll rung . The castle of the 215 C C T TT C B M T . H UR H S RE ON , LEO URY OR IMER

Mortimers was destroyed by Henry I I . as a hotbed of " ’ rebellion . The College , founded as a boys School in 1 740 is now a secondary school under the Board of

Education . Langland is said to have been born here . At one time iron was made near Cleobury and Leland writes There be some Blo Shopps to make Yren apon R M lbroke c om n e the ipes or Bankes of y , y g out of Cade rton 1 6 1 8 Clee or Casset Wood . (pp . 4 , 4 ,

l - Clun ; (D . Clune ; probably Celtic ike Clon mel) 1 8 i 73 (59) (C) , though once much larger is st ll a very large parish in Clun Forest , the town being beautifully situated in the centre of a rich agricultural district . It is a market town 6 miles from Broome station on the

N. W i 2 L . 6 . Ra lway, 9 miles from Shrewsbury and ’ from Bishop s Castle . It received a charter from 1 8 6 Edward I I . but ceased to be a borough in 8 . Though largely rebuilt many portions of the church are very ﬁne ,

- especially the late Norman arches , the fortress tower ,

- scallan e p arts of the roof , and the lych gate or g . The i castle , of wh ch a massive tower remains , was built by

1 0 0 near o r Robert (Picot) de Say about 7 , probably on the site of a Saxon stronghold . The bridge over the

r Clun is a curiously na row and irregular structure . The Hospital of the Holy Trinity was founded in 1 6 1 4 by an 1 2 Earl of Northampton for old men . The Forest , partly o 1 8 encl sed in 75, was evidently a most desirable district for it is protected by numerous camps , Gaer Ditches , C oxwall Knoll , Castle Ditches , Radnor Wood , Bury

’ Ditches , and a very ﬁne stretch of Offa s Dyke . Many neolithic implements have been found in the district and o 216 T W G O NS AN D VILLA ES . VI .

- — S 1 1 on Pen y wern Hill are relics of a tone circle . (pp . 3,

nd r Conondov re = u r Co ove (D . ppe conﬂuence) 1 6 1 N 7 5 ( 45) (H . ) a village mentioned by the same name

o oo o o f in the D mesday B k . The n rth t ransept the

- church is Norman , the south has a half timber storey , but much of the rest of the structure is a 1 7th century

building with interesting monuments . The Hall , one of

was the ﬁnest Elizabethan stone buildings in the country , d 1 0 . . 1 1 1 66 erected by Ju ge Owen about 59 (pp 5 , ,

Craven Arms . See Stokesay .

D l Dalelie 01 1 0 aw e . d y ; (D ) 77 ( 79 ) (B) , inclu ing

Dawley Magna , Dawley Parva , Horsehay , and Malins

L o al ee , is a parish c ntaining several of the industri

towns of the Coalﬁeld . It is 4 miles from Wellington . 1 8 The present church was erected in 45, but contains a

Norman font . The town has a monument erected to coalﬁeld Matthew Webb the Channel swimmer . The yields ironstone , coal , and clay , and there are extensive iron and steel works manufacturing b ridges and girders at Horsehay , and also drainpipe factories . (pp . 94 ,

u D l u orfan 6 0 Diddleb r e b r . C y or y ; (D ) ( 9 ) (49) (P) , v l 8 L a il age in Corve Dale miles from udlow , has a church with walling and a window probably of Saxon work .

It contains exam ples of almost every British style . At 1 Bouldon there was an iron furnace in the 7th century . Broncroft Castle has been converted into a modern s Corfham re idence , but of Castle , connected with the i Fair Rosamond , noth ng but earthworks and moat remain .

218 T WNS I G . O AN D V LLA ES VI .

l and manufactures of agricu tural implements . Blore o f o 1 1 8 1 1 Heath is j ust east the t wn . (pp . , 53, 94 ,

’ E E m = u dgmond (D . d endune Edm nd s hill) 91 3 1 0 2 m o ( 4 ) (N) , iles from Newport , has a go d Decorated c i hurch w th a Saxon or early Norman font , and a rectory 1 with 4th cent ury hall and chapel . The Harper Adams

Agricultu ral College is situated in the parish . (pp . 77,

Edstas n to . See Wem .

’ El esm r Ell = 1 6 102 l e e (D . esmeles Ella s Mere) 94 ( 4) 8 1 6 . (N) , miles from Oswestry and from Shrewsbury

— ’ E t . a o m . F i . 1 0 S O g 9 sw ld s C llege , lles ere

An agricultural centre with fairs and markets for cattle ,

' e oi sheep , and dairy produce . It was once a c nt re

o stocking manufacture . The Castle , of which n thing but a mound remains , was given by King John to

Llewellyn . The ﬁnely placed church has been much restored but contains some Norman and Perpendicular 1 1 M T T . 9 2 . ARKE DRAY ON , ELLESMERE

h . n t e work , with a ﬁne altar tomb In the Tow Hall are collections of the Natural History and Field Club in i l cluding a canoe dug out o f Wh tta Moss . The ﬁne mere — is overlooked by Oteley Park which has been a deer park

. v r since Elizabethan times There are se eral la ge meres , and a host of smaller ones occur in the county to the E .

o U o and NE . The Shr pshire ni n Canal passes to the south o f the town and the Cambrian Railway has a station to the north . Within a mile or two of Ellesmere ’ r i o o s S tuated St . Oswald s C llege one of the W odard

o . . 2 1 0 1 1 1 Sec ndary Schools (pp , 4 , 7 , 53, 94,

M H Er A rchelou Ercall agna or igh call ; (D . and 1 6 2 1 still called Arkel 7 (9 ) (N) , the centre of some of the best farm land in Shropshire , is 75 miles from

Shrewsbury and 55 from Wellington . The church contains Transitional Norman work , but the exterior is 1 l mostly of 7th century date . The Hal of red stone 1 608 and brick is a ﬁnely preserved structure built in , i which held out stoutly for the King , surrender ng only in 1 646 after all other Shropshire Castles except Ludlow l and Bridgnorth had been taken . A Grammar Schoo 1 66 was founded in 3 but is no longer in existence . At — Roden is the very ﬁn e farm of the Co operative Whole 1 20 1 6 sale Society . (pp . , 7,

Hatle e = heath 1 08 800 Hadle . y (D g lea) 3 ( ) (B) , a parish formed in 1 858 from Wellington from which it is he 1 5miles . I n it are situated t iron and steel works of the Shropshire Iron Company and of the Haybridge Iron al and Company , and there are also tileries , chemic works , a steel wheel manufactory . 220 T W V G O NS AN D ILLA ES . VI .

Hanewde 8 600 Great Hanwood (D . ) 35 ( ) a v o - illage 35 miles fr m Shrewsbury . The coal mines in and near Hanwo o d give the name o f the t own to this

lﬁ l r m c oa e d . o o Its mode n church possesses a N r an f nt .

o r Hu elei 1 8 600 H e . ighl y Higley ; (D g ) 4 9 ( ) (P) , a village on the right bank o f the Severn 7 miles from

o Bridgnorth . Its Early English church has been rest red . The recent development o f a colliery has largely increased

o f r t he population , and a new branch the Seve n Valley r o to a o ailway has been c nstructed c rry the c al . (p .

’ H Odenet = Odo S 1 2 1 06 odne . t (D heath) 5 4 ( ) (N) , a charming village 1 3 miles fro m Shrewsbury and 6 from

o . o f o e Market Drayt n The church , which Bish p Heb r w as 1 80 1 82 rector from 7 to 3, is chieﬂy Decorated , with

ak oo a ﬁne o ctagonal tower and a good o r f . I n the interior is a des k w ith chained books . The hall is a

m o old picturesque m odern building . The at of the castle

l o f Ha wksto ne is . sti l visible , and at Bury Walls , S Park ,

o o there is a magniﬁcent camp , pr bably British as br nze weapons have been found here but also occupied by the

o Hawkstone 15 w R mans . park very beautiful ith i rregular wooded sandst one hills scattered among its

S ee . o n grass lawns . ( ﬁg The highest hill bears its

of o w summit a column with a ﬁgure Sir R land Hill ,

o o f o 1 Lord May r Lond n in 549 . Of Red Castle a few

o o s fragments of walls and t wers remain . The st ck still

of Pe tse y oo stand in the village Weston . is a g d half 1 1 66 . 1 26 1 8 8 timbered building . (pp . 9 , , 3 , 4 ,

Stantune 8 Hol te . ga (D ) 5 (44) (P) , a village in a c o n o f o 1 ommanding position the east Side C rve Dale , 3

222 G TOWNS AND VILLA ES . VI .

the residence of the Duke of Sutherland , is a handsome

o 1 1 8 2 - 81 1 . . 1 8 m dern building (pp 3, 5, , , 79 , 43,

Llan m nech y y (place or church of the monks) 577, 2 W l ( 5) (H) , a village Situated on the edge of the elsh hi ls 6 miles from Oswestry . The Carboniferous Limestone

is now extensively quarried , and it is probable that the ’ O o s Ho Romans mined for copper at g le , as skeletons ,

tools , and coins of Antoninus have been found there . A cromlech used to stand on the hill and parts of Offa ’ s ’ Dyke and Wat s Dyke exist in the parish .

Ludlow 26 0 2 HP ; (anciently Lude) 59 (9 4) ( ) , like

o - on - Chester , Shrewsbury , and Stratf rd Avon is much visited by American and other travellers . It is a muni ci al o 2 p bor ugh and a market and union town , 7 miles

o from Shrewsbury , c ntained within a crook formed by

o o the Teme below its c nﬂuence with the C rve , and falling l steeply towards these rivers . On this peninsu a the

o o r Castle occupies a most c mmanding p sition , pa ts of it rising from sheer cliffs (S ee page 1 5 The lofty church tower st anding behind this makes an impressive picture , which , however , is somewhat spoilt by the modern buildings of the town . The castle was founded

1 08 the about 5 by Roger de Lacy and , later , passed into

to possession of Roger Mortimer , Earl of March , and so

o his descendant King Edward IV . The t wn was much

o two favoured by the Y rkist kings Edward I V . gave it

o r representatives in Parliament , and c nﬁrmed its charte s , The and Edward V . was born and proclaimed here .

o f eldest son Henry VI I . , Prince Arthur , resided in the

o - Castle . The t wn is full of beautiful half timbered — 22 2 1 LILLESHALL LUDLOW . 3 buildings among which the Feathers and Angel

” ’ Old Hotels , the Bell Inn (of Ludford) , the Reader s

House , the Castle Lodge and other houses near the

Castle Gates , stand prominent . The Bull Inn has beautiful panelling . The church is of great Size and interest , with Early English , Decorated , and Per

endicular o o p work , beautiful carved oak , s me g od old

. one glass , and ﬁne tombs Of the town walls , gateway and a part abutting on th e Castle remain . Ludlow was often attacked but the strength of its position enabled it to offer strong resist ance and it was the last Shropshire fortress to yield t o the Parlia m en r n ta ia s. Many relics of the Council of the Marches ’ o H remain , including Sidney s buil dings and the C mus all in the Castle . The strongest President ap pears to have o o fﬁ 1 0 been R wland Lee , who , though in ce only for M years , was able to say that in the arches and in Wales in the wild parts where I have been is order and quiet such as is now in England . In addition to this work he al so carried out the shiring of Wales . The town lost one of its members of p arliament in 1 867 and was merged into

o r the Southern Divisi n of the county in 1 885. There a e markets for . corn and the district is a cent re for Hereford cattle . Ludlow was once a rival to Shrewsbury in the dr essing and sale of cloth and was also famous for its smith work . Now it has few indust ries except those connected with agriculture and the sale of dhu stone brought down from the Clee Hills by a mineral railway . ' The museum contains ﬁne collections of fossils and of

British birds , and a relief model of part of the county . in The Grammar School , one of the oldest foundations 224 T W V G O NS AND ILLA ES . VI .

’ 1 England , due to the Palmer s Guild , is a 4th century

o 8 86 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 . . 1 st ne building (pp 5, , 99 , 7, 9 , 4 , 43, 5 ,

1 2 - 1 1 1 6 1 8- 2 00 5 57, 59 , 4 , 9 ,

L u N h Lideberie hlith = a 806 db r o . y y rt (D , slope) ’ 62 ‘ l mileS from . ( ) (C) , a vil age 4 Bishop s Castle The church is o f various dates and contains the Plowden 1 1 1 Chapel built in 9 . The tower is Transition or Early

English . The Plowden estate has been in the possession o f that family Since the conquest and the hall is hal f

timbered Elizabethan . It contains a chapel and many

o f o works art , and is described in the intr duction to ’ John Inglesant . Bury Ditches and Billings Ring

are two important encampments in this parish .

M adelie 81 2 1 1 2 M ade e . l y (D ) ( 79 ) (B) , a large c ivil parish situated high above the Severn on the north

o 6 o \Vellin ton . of the Ironbridge G rge , is miles fr m g T he church is classical in style and famous for Fletcher ’ s

r incumbency . Both Great and North Weste n Railways

o u have stati ns in the parish . Madeley Court , a beautif l

Elizabethan brick and stone house , has fallen into

o . ruin probably wing to undermining . Charles I I

took refuge in a barn here before going to Boscobel . There are extensive manufactures of iron and

steel , and of bricks , tiles , and terracotta . The town of Coalbrookdal e with its famous iro n works associated

o i with the Darbys and with Reyn lds , is in the civ l 1 o o C w . . parish , as als is C alport with its hina orks (pp 9 The t own of Ironbridge is a separate ecclesiastical

on o o f parish the n rth bank the Severn Gorge , which is

of o crossed here by the ﬁrst bridge ever made cast ir n ,

v ﬁ o n g i ing the town its name . The dif culties of the t w

226 T W V G . O NS AN D ILLA ES VI .

i — F . 1 1 0 . M h oc k To N g uc Wenl , Church wer ( o rm a n) a nd Guildha ll 22 . 7 2 1 . M UCH WENLOCK

W enl ock z en Much Wenlock (D . gw lloc either a pleasant hollow or a white hill) 2 1 48 (1 34) is a b orough and market town 1 2 miles from Shrewsbury and

8 r no from B idg rth , situated in a hollow near the north e nd of Wenlock Edge and accessible only over steep bills f rom every side . It probably owes its origin to the fact

' t hat the direct road from Bridgnorth to Shrewsbu ry

' c rossed Wenlock Edge at this point . It is ﬁrst heard of ’ Mil ur b a s th . as the site of St . g nunnery in the 7 century The convent was destroyed by the Danes in the 9th c ur o f o ent y , restored by Lady Godiva , wife Earl Le fric , l as a col ege for priests , and again restored as a Cluniac

1 0 0 o Priory by Roger de Montgomery in 8 . Of the Pri ry c hurch the west end with its beautiful triforium and c o lerestory , the southern and part of the n rthern tran septs survive , and there is also left the very fine chapter ’ infirm r 1 h house and a y . The st century Prior s Lodge has w been converted into a dwelling . The to n received charters from Henry I I I . and Richard I . and was made a ri i borough by Edward IV . , a p v lege confirmed by

Hen ry VI I I . and Charles I . The parish church shows all styles from its Norman tower and chance! arch to its r Oak Pe pendicular windows . The Guildhall has ﬁne panelling and an inscription of the date 1 589 Hi c locus odit a mat unit custodii honorat , , p , , ,

n e uitia m a cem crimina ura robos q , p , , j , p . Here are al so the stocks and remains of the whipping post . There are many interesting houses in the town

- i and neighbourhood , several half t mbered , and one inn traces its license for 3 centuries . The borough originally return ed two members to Parliament but in 1 885 its 228 G TOWNS AN D VILLA ES . VI

representation was merged into that of the county . ” The Audience Meadow in front of Tickwood Hall is i sa d to have been the meeting place of Charles I . and the

o o Shr pshire land wners . Tilting at the ring is practised

o . at the Olympic games originated by Dr . Bro kes A h ospital was founded in 1 903 in memo ry o f the third Lord

Forester . Barrow , in the borough of Wenlock has a 2 church with early Norman and Saxon work . (pp . 4 ,

Estune 8 1 06 Munslow ; (D . 4 5 ( ) (P) one of the most impo rtant Corve Dale villages giving Its name to the hundred and containing the old Hundred House now ” r the Crown inn . It is 75 miles from Craven A ms . The church is mainly Early English though there is so me i Norman and some Decorated work , the latter includ ng the tower and a beautiful porch . The public elementary school is endowed and is situated in the old manor house

- of the Lyttletons . A moated half timbered house

hon lands exists at T g .

M ddle D . M ulleht 1 06 il y ( ) 744 ( ) (N) , a v lage situated on a group of sandstone hills 8 miles from

Shrewsbu ry . The church , originally Norman , was mainly rebuilt in 1 746 and once possessed chained books . Of the castle but few relics are left , a turret , a portion of an outer wall , and the moat . (p .

r 2 0 2 0 Newpo t ; (E . Newborough) 3 5 ( 7 7) a market and union town formerly giving its name to a 1 s parliamentary division of the county , 7 mile from

Shrewsbury and 8 from Wellington . It was founded by

I v . . Henry . , recei ed charters from Henry I I and Edward I

230 N G T W L . O S AND VI L A ES VI .

j unction of the Watling Street with the Holyhead Road ,

o o and the town is 3 miles fr m Wellington . It is pr bably Uxa con a and , a Roman hypocaust was found here in 1 797. Leland states that co les be digged hard by Omb ridge !Wombridge! where the priory was giving

' Of workin in 1 6 evidence coal g the th century . The Priory belonged to the Austin Canons and was

’ founded by Fitz Alan of Clun , The Prior s ownership ’ has given its name to Prior s Lee . Malins Lee chapel is

a Norman building now in ruins . In the parish there

ﬁrecla are some of the mines of coal , iron , and y , the iron

and steel works , rolling mills , and brick works of the

Lilleshall Company . (p .

r M eresberie = M aesbur = 0 en Oswest y (D . y p plain) 1 2 999 (339 ) (H) , a borough and market town on the

o o 1 8 n rthern part of the Welsh border of the c unty , miles from Shrewsbury , is a railway centre and well situated with regard to the valleys proceeding fro m the

Berwyn Mountains . It is j ust off the main Holyhead

o road , a Ioop passing thr ugh the town . Its situation

r with reference to the Marches made it a centre of st ife , and it was twice burn t by the Welsh leaders and once by

’ ’

King John . Its name , Oswald s Tree , or Oswald s

o M ase rfeld Cross , commem rates a battle at bet ween

o f o m r Oswald , King N rthu b ia , and Penda , the ruler of

Mercia , in which the former was slain . The heavily fortiﬁed encampment o f Old Oswestry gives evidence o f earlier struggles and it has been suggested by Wright that it might be the site of the Roman M ediola num between Rutunium and Bovium on the way to D eva

’ (Chester) . Offa s Dyke and Wat s Dyke are both well 21; G T W ST . 231 OAKEN A ES , OS E RY

marked near the town . The Castle was more than once i ar the headquarters of attacks on Wales , and R ch d I I . adj ourned a Parliament from Shrewsbury to Oswestry It was taken by the Roundheads in 1 644 and de m olished by them , so that little now remains . The f v church also su fered , but parts of its tower and na e are

Decorated and a part Perpendi cular . Much was rebuilt in the 1 7th century and the whole building was restored 1 h in the 9t . The ﬁrst Charter was granted by Richard al I I . Some traces of the w ls remain but the gates were demolished in 1 873. The Grammar School is the oldest free school in the county but its present buildings date

o 1 8 1 th fr m the th and 9 centuries . There is a Science l and Art School , and a museum in the Guildhal . Cattle an d horse markets are important , and the chief industries are iron and brass founding , agricultural implement l making , malting , brewing , and wool stap ing . The Cam brian Railwayhas its headquarters in the town and builds engines and carriages here . Close by the town are the ﬁlter beds of the Lake Vyrnwy water works of the 8 1 6 1 2 1 1 . . 1 1 1 1 2 Liverpool Corporation (pp 7, , , 7, 53, 59 ,

’ n ‘ Posentes b ri = Posent s Po tesbury (A . S . y g burh)

' 2 6 0 1 60 9 ( ) (H) , a large parish commanding the Rea S W i valley , 75 miles . of Shrewsbury , now ma nly agricultural but once associated with the mineral

of industry Shelve and with lead smelting works . It

Pontesford includes Hill with its large camp , and extends

o 66 1 into the plain to the north . Here was f ught in a battle between the Kings of Wessex and Mercia . The church with the exception o f the Decorated Chancel was P 2 2 3 T W V G . O NS AND I LLA ES VI .

1 82 o rebuilt in 9 , and was originally c llegiate , the resi dence of the chief of the three recto rs being still kno wn as

r o m was the Deane y . At the Lea a R man pave ent dis covered and there is a m o at at the half - tmb e re d Moat IIalL

= 1 866 1 1 Prees . 8 (D Pres a thicket) ( ) (N) , a

o f o village situated upon the great outlier Lias f NE . Shropshire and close to the small patch of Middle Lias

' o o “ hitc hurc h Marlst ne . It is 5 miles fr m and 1 4 fro m

Shrewsbu ry .

uatford 1 6 2 1 Q (Coed) 5 ( 3) (E) , a prettily situated village on the Severn 2 miles from Bridgno rth o n the ‘ o m Kidderminster Road . R ger de Montgo ery endowed a collegiate church here o n the spot where he met his second wife on her way from France , but the establish

’ t o n o . ment was removed St . Mary s , Bridg rth The church contains some Norman work but there was much

Danesfo rd later rebuilding . A Danish camp and are

u ru relics of a temporary settlement of Danes at Q ad ge . Certain land in the parish is held by the Corpo ratio n of London on condition of paying to the King yearly a l hatchet and bi lhook of approved quality .

Rote lin sho e 1 8 2 Ratlin ho e . g p (D g p ) 9 ( 3) (H) , Ratchu ﬁ l called p , is a secluded village , very dif cu t of o f Lon m nd o ff access , in a recess in the heart the g y j ust ’ 1 2 the Bishop s Castle road , 4miles from Shrewsbury and

No o r 4 from Church Stretton . trace remains of the pri y o f o Austin Can ns once situated here , for the Church

1 62 o bears date 5. Several camps exist in the neighb ur

o o i ho d one them being Castle Ring . (p .

234 T W V G . O NS AN D I LLA ES VI .

C Bro nt n C Bro nt n astell gy y is a i rcula r earthwork , and gy y o f o House is the seat L rd Harlech . h ff H l = S eri ales . Ha as slo e s 1 ; (D p ) 744 (9 ) (E) , a

o r f o village 3 miles fr m Shifnal , fo merly partly in Sta f rd s s n o 1 8 o f hi re but as ig ed to Shr pshire in 95. Part the c hurch was built of stone brought from Lilleshall Abbey . The half - timbered manor house near the church was the ’ site of Woodhouse s Academy or pro vincial University f t o 1 6 6 rom 1 675 9 . (p .

Shifnal . Itesh all 6 1 8 E B ori rnall ; (D ) 343 ( 5) ( ) , g y c l Idsall Idesall al ed or , an union town with a cattle m 1 0 arket and annual cattle fair , miles from Bridgnort h

o o o n a nd 8 fr m Wellingt n . At e time an important c o n oaching station the Holyhead road , it declined in importance with the advance of the railway . The church has a striking Early English central tower supported on ﬁne arches , and the chancel arch is late

o o Norman . There is als Dec rated and Perpendicular

o r work , and a parvise exists over the south p rch and pa t

o o f the aisle . There are several interesting t mbs . A

o ﬁ ne m o ated m und occurs south of the Vicarage . There a re several good timbered houses in the t o wn in o ne of w hich Percy is said to have found the manuscript on

o w hich he founded his Reliques . The surr unding red

f r s andstone c ount ry is fertile and celebrated o barley . (PP

S c iro e sbe rie 2 8 1 2 hrewsbur . S y ; (D p ) 93 9 (53 ) (N) . The county t o wn is centrally situated and strongly posted o n a narro w - necked peninsula within a cro o k of the

o Severn towards which it sl pes steep ly . A larger 2 1 — 235 SELATTYN SHREWSBURY . northern crook once existed but it has been abando ned

on by the river . The Castle was built the isthmus

o to The and the railway station is placed cl se it . watershed m ap sho ws a m arked convergence o f river

o o o basins up n the town , f ll wed by roads and railways .

o (p . The t wn was founded by the Angles on the site of the British Pe ngw e rn and soon became one of the m ost

F i 1 1 2 —M a o f S h re w sb u r g . . p v .

r impo tant in England . At the time of Edward the Confessor it contained 2 52 houses and it was recogn ised by Roger de Mo ntgomery as the key t o his vast district .

o o Mr . Forrest has come to the c nclusi n that in the

o two N rman period the houses were in groups , one near the castle and within the bar formed by it and Roger de 236 T W A ND LLA GES O NS VI VI .

— ’ F i I I . i . I a Ma o S g 3 rel nd s ns n , hrewsbury .

TO S A ND LL GES WN VI A . VI . 239 SHREWSBU RY . 240 G . TOWNS AND VILLA ES . VI

C hapel and crypt remain but a round church was built

1 . near the Quarry in 790 to take its place . Of St ’ ’ lkm und s A and St . Julian s the Spire and towers are t he only parts of the o riginal buildings left . The n umerous half - timbered and stone mansions testify t o the wealth brought to the town by its connexio n with the cloth trade , and the same is shown by the

’ t own Guilds and the Drapers Hall . At the Council House was transacted much of the business of the

C o o f uncil the Marches , and before fast coaches and railways had brought Lo ndon within easy approach the town was a real social and administrative capital where the c o unty gentry had their town houses . Nowadays most of the industries have shifted to the C oalﬁeld or elsewhere , and the middleman cloth trade has declined , but the town is still an import ant s a ricul hopping centre , and it has maltings , breweries , g

o . tural implement works , a tannery , and an ir n foundry

fo r o fo r There are markets st re and fat cattle , and

d o . airy produce , and a monthly h rse fair It has always been famous for brawn and for cakes and ale .

ow The houses and churches , the beauty of the t n i o o tself , its situati n and surroundings , f rm a great attractio n to visitors fro m Britain and abroad . The

S oo l ch l , former y situated in Castle Gates but moved in

1 882 to o f the right bank the river , Occupies an exception a o o a lly go d positi n , has a ﬁne r nge of buildings , and retains its reputation as one o f the ﬁrst schools in the c o not o in n untry , nly lear ing but in sports both on land a nd ow o o water . The t n is a b rough with a May r and C o rpo ratio n and has received no less than 32 charters of

242 T W V G O NS AN D ILLA ES . VI .

o o 1 o 7 miles fr m Ludl w and fr m Craven A rms . The church was rebuilt in the 1 7th century but there is a Norm an d oo rway and a large and interesting canopie d

o o as pew . The f rtiﬁed manor h use called Stokesay C tle was strengthened and crenellated in 1 2 91 by Law rence de Ludlow and though slighted in 1 647 it is

o i e r still in excellent preservati n . There is a ﬁne t mb ed

o gateh use , a banqueting hall , and the panelled Solar or

o r withd rawing room . Nort n Camp , on the esca pment

overlooking Stokesay is a very ﬁne Roman ea rthwork . Craven Arms o , owing to its situation , is g r wing in

fﬁ o e . 68 6 importanc as a t ra c and market t wn . (pp , 7 , 1 2 1 2 8 1 6 1 7, ,

d n 1 006 68 i l a tottesde . Stodes o e l e S n ; (D ) ( ) (P) , a v g 1 0 m the iles S W . of Bridgnorth on the eastern shelf of n plateau , has a most interesting church with a Saxo

d oorway and a beautiful Decorated chancel . The font is said to be the most beautiful No rman exam ple in

E . ngland . (p

t Twon an = a o f Ton . . . ae g (D Tuang , A S g tongue

80 1 o f o il s land) 4 (9 ) (E) , one the m st striking v lage in

the county , is situated 4 miles east of Shifnal on the road

o is from W lverhampton to Newpo rt . Its church Per pendicular and has an octago nal tower and a Golden ” u l in Chapel , with beautiful fan va lting once gilt , bui t 1 1 5 5 in memory of A rthur Vernon . From the profusion and beauty of its m o numents the church has been called h was a miniature Westminster Abbey . The churc originally collegiate and possesses a beautiful and l a e valuable chalice . The vi lage is said by Dickens to h v 2 T S T G. 243 1 . S OKE AY , ON suggested much of the local colour in The Old Curiosity ” t 1 6 Shop . The castle erec ed in the th century was

1 - al te red in the 8th with additions in Moorish style . Hubb al Grange is connected with the Penderelswho saved

a . Ch rles I I . at Boscobel Tong forge was celebrated for

1 r 1 1 68 its iron in the 7th centu y . (p . 53, , 6 6 ﬂin n . Oﬁtone 0 U gto (D ) 3 ( 4) (N) , 3 miles from r Hau hmond Sh ewsbury , is a parish containing g Hill and the Abbey of the same name , founded for the Austin 1 1 Canons by Fitz Alan about 35. Of this wealthy 1 establishment extensive ruins remain . (pp . 43,

W alitone =town l Wellington (D . of the Wel ings)

820 1 0 EN o 7 (7 4) ( ) , an important and rapidly gr wing manufacturing and market town 1 1 miles from Shrews u and b ry , close under the Wrekin , at the edge of the n Norther Plain where it abuts upon the Coalﬁeld . I t an m ufactures agricultural implements and wood ware , h as the most important fat stock market in the county , being the outlet of the rich farm land to the

“

W . an d N. W . , and it is in the Wrekin parliamentary ’ 1 0 division . All Saints Church was rebuilt in 79 and 1 8 8 Christ Church in 3 . The Wrekin is easily reached

r the f om Wellington along its northern ridge . At

o summit there are extensive earthworks . Th ugh the l hil is covered with trees the summit is rocky . A rock

ﬁssure - on one of the summit rocks , much worn by ’ u to rists , is known as the Needle s Eye , and there is a ’ l o hol ow on another kn wn as the Raven s Bowl . The rocks at the north end of the hill are quarried for gravel and road metal , and to the east there are limestone 1 1 1 6 1 1 2 00 quarries and coal pits . (pp . 5 , 9 , 9 4, 97, , 244 G TOWNS AND VILLA ES . VI .

W em . 22 200 ; (D Weme) 73 (3 ) (N) , a market and 1 0 union town on the R . Roden , miles from Shrewsbury and 9 from Whitchurch . The charter dates from Henry but the town was destroyed by ﬁre in the 1 7th 1 century . The church with the exception of its 4th centu ry tower is modern and there is only a relic of the important fortress wh i ch was the Parliamentarian

o centre in the county . The Grammar Scho l , founded in 1 the 7th century by Sir Thomas Adams , has two Cares 1 6 1 1 well Exhibitions . The Ditches is an old house of

oulton f 1 6 and S Hall dates rom the th century . The small church of Edstaston has 3 doorways and 2 windows o f m r 1 20 1 1 exquisite No an work . (pp . , 43, 77,

n k M We loc see uch Wenlock .

Westbur 1 1 1 80 y 5 ( ) (H) , is a village lying under the Long Mountain at the mouth of the Rea 1 2 8 Valley , miles from Welshpool and 5from Shrewsbury . NE The church is of little interest , but on the . ﬂank of the Long Mountain was situated Caus Castle a border stronghold built by Roger Fitz Corbet of which nothing but very extensive earthworks now remain . It sur

are rendered to the Parliament in the Civil War . There brick works near the village . (p .

i hur h W es une 1 2 Wh tc c . t th . (D , cent Blanc 68 minster) 5757 (7 ) (N) , is the most northerly town in 1 8 the county , 5miles from Shrewsbury . It has markets e in for corn , butter , cheese , and cattle , and its chi f d ust ries are malting , brewing , and cheesemaking . The Castle has entirely disappeared and the old church which fell in 1 71 1 was replaced by a classical structure in which

24 T W G 6 . O NS AND VI LLA ES VI .

Wi Wh xa l . tchala 1 1 1 2 1 6 i i l (D ) 3 ( 3) (N) , m les o from Whitchurch , situated near a marsh and m ss from fo r n a nd which peat bur ing litter is obtained . The U o Shropshire ni n Canal passes through the parish . (pp .

— ’ W istane s n _ _ Wistanstow (D . to Wistan s place) 907 6 ( 1 30) (H) . miles from Church Stretton o n the (Caer leon) Watling Street . The Saxon church built Over the W stan has remains of y , grandson of a King of Mercia

1 2 th 1 r disappeared , but there are and 3th centu y work and many beautiful architectural details in the present church . There is a fortiﬁed manor house at Cheney

on Longville and a camp Wart Hill Knoll .

W rfield h r z Worfield (D . from we f winding river) Wolve rfield 1 1 on ( ) 544 (9 ) (E) , a village the Worf 4 miles

NE . l . of Bridgnorth The church is main y Decorated with som e Early English wo rk and a Pe rpendicular u 200 tower and gracef l spire together feet high . In the village are half timbered houses and picturesque cottag es At Chesterton the Walls is a very ﬁne square Roman m 2 0 encamp ent covering acres , protected by the steep on y natural banks of . three sides , and strongl fortiﬁed on the Thiswas the chief Roman . g

’ station on the Easterp Plain and seems to have been in 1 2 8 connected with the Watl g Street by a road . (pp . ,

R ordin r kward ne . ec W oc i (D , probably connected with Wrekin) 1 070 ( 1 45) on a hill near the 2 Watling Street is miles west of Wellington . It has an Early English and late No rman chu rch with a Decorated 24 E. 7 2 I . WROCKWARDIN

u tower . At Admaston is a spa with s lphurous and chalybeate water .

R he re 600 6 Wroxeter . oc cest 6 (D ) ( 4) (H) , miles from Shrewsbury and on the site of the Roman Urico nium . The church Shows Saxon work constructed of l Roman materia s , much Norman and Transition work ,

r and a late Pe p endicular tower . The font is the hollow

l t - on- ed out base of a Roman pi lar . At Ey on Severn L ord Herbert of Cherbury was born . There is an ancient

o R endowed Scho l at Donnington , where ichard Baxter

1 1 1 1 1 28- 1 was educated . (pp . 3, 4 , 34,

S a tu o f h a D a i S . t e C rles rw n , hrewsbury 248

X I N D E .

o f In the case each place described in chapter V I . lIst o f a full references is given at t he end of each section .

These references are not repeated here .

o 2 0 a H a 1 6 6 2 1 2 Act n Burnell 5 Benth ll ll , o S o 1 2 1 2 0 Act n c tt 9 Berth 37, 7 T a m S . 2 . H . . 1 6 Ad s , ir 44 Betty , W W 7

- - a m . 2 2 2 0 Ad s , W 9 Bettws y Crwyn 7 Ad m a st o n 2 4 7 Billings Ring 2 24 Adm inistra tio n 2 00 - 2 0 4 Birds 6 9 -71 A griculture 72 - 78 Bisho ps Ca stle 2 0 8 A lberbury 2 06 Bitterley 2 0 8 d a m 2 2 o H a 1 1 8 2 1 8 Al enh 5 Bl re e th , A lbrighto n 2 0 6 Bo sco bel 2 09 i i 8 1 2 1 2 0 i o S . 1 o a 1 Al s n , r A 77 B und r es , 9 , , 3, 39 ,

- 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 o . 1 A ngles 3, 4 , 5, 35 37 B ydell , J 73 - m a 6 8 1 a D . 1 Ani ls 7 Br y , r 75 A ntiq uities 1 2 2 - 1 39 B r a vi n i u m 2 33 A e D a 2 2 6 2 B re id d e n 1 2 2 88 1 1 p le , 37, 4 , 5 , 4 , , 3 2 1 1 B 82 A p ley ricks 54 , , 9 5 1 1 2 1 6 I 6 1 82 1 8 2 1 A q ueduct 9 , 3 Bridges , , , 3, 5 Architecture 1 39 - I 7I Bridgno rth 2 0 9 - 2 1 1 a o f o 8 B ro nt n 2 Are C unty , 9 gy y 34 Atch a m 2 0 6 Bro m ﬁe ld 2 1 1

A t c h e rle S R . 1 Br o nc ro ft a 2 1 0 y , ir 73 C stle iii i o G . T . . o z A e 1 0 2 1 2 1 2 2 0 Atch s n , Br n e g , 4 , 5, 7,

H . . 0 M M . 2 2 Auden , iss iii i ir . o ir 1 R . . E . o S R . Auden , ev J Br ke , 74

r T . P e b . . o 2 1 2 Re v . A uden , iii Br seley A udience Mea d o w 2 28 Bro ughto n H a ll 1 6 5

o T . 1 Br wn , 75 a o 1 1 2 2 8 o 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 B rr w 4 , Bryth ns , 3, 7, 3, 5, a 8 88 B rytes 7, Ba schurch 2 0 7 Buildings 1 39 - 1 71 B a t c h c o t t 1 1 i M a i a 81 - 8 1 - 1 0 4 Build ng ter l 5, 39 4 Ba 2 0 i a 0 8 1 1 ttleﬁeld 7 Bu ldw s 3 , 33, 3, 4 3, 44 , 6 1 1 88 1 2 o a x R . R . 1 1 1 1 B ter , ev 7 , 74 , , , 9 9 , 3 T o 1 8 o H . . . u f Bedd ws , iv B r rd 4 o mi a 1 2 R o 1 1 8 1 2 0 Benb w , Ad r l 7 Burnell , bert , 74 , 5

250 INDEX .

D d o a d Lo 1 H a m o H a 1 6 8 un n l , rd 9 pt n ll D a a m 1 1 2 H a oo d 8 2 2 0 uplic ted n es nw 54 , 7 , Ha rle scot e H o use 2 0 7 E a P ai 1 8 2 0 2 2 2 0 1 H a m H 1 0 stern l n , , 5 , 7 , r er ill 7 E a o o a i 6 1 H a - d am o 8 t n C nst nt ne 5 , 57, 74 rper A s C llege 77, 7 E 2 2 2 6 2 - Ha u h m o nd 1 1 2 dges , , 4 4 7 g 7, 55, 4 3, 43 E m o 2 1 8 Ha w kst on e 1 2 6 1 1 2 d g nd , 53, 7 ,

E a S ir H . 1 dw rdes , 73 E a o 1 2 H a 1 1 dst st n 4 3, 44 e th 4 Ed a io 2 0 H I . 1 1 1 86 2 0 1 2 2 8 uc t n 4 enry 7, , ,

E a I . 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 8 1 2 0 1 2 H I I . 1 2 8 dw rd 7, , enry 7, ,

E a I I . 1 1 8 2 1 2 2 1 1 H I I I . dw rd , 5, 7 enry 7,

E a I . 1 1 2 2 2 H I . 1 1 8 2 0 dw rd V 9 , enry V , 9 0 8 E za 2 H I I . 1 1 li beth , Queen enry V 9 E m 2 1 8 H of Lo d 1 lles ere erbert Cherbury , r 75, Erca ll 2 1 9 2 4 7 Eth elﬂ e d a 2 1 1 2 1 Hi h 2 2 0 , 3 g ley E o 1 1 Hi Lo 1 2 1 yt n 53. 77 ll , rd 7 , 73 Hi S R o a 1 2 0 2 1 ll , ir wl nd 73, 7, 7,

m o iii . 2 2 0 a P f . . . F r er, r J B Fa un a 6 8- 71 Histo ry 1 1 2 - 1 2 2 ii i . o 2 0 F earn sid e s P o f . . . H 2 , r W G dnet a h H o 1 6 2 2 H o a 2 2 0 Fe t ers tel 4 , 3 lg te Fishes 6 9 H o lt Preen 2 1 2

h R . . 1 H o 2 Fletc er , ev J 75 p e 3 o a 6 - 6 8 H o D a 2 2 0 2 Fl r 4 p e le , 4 , 5 o 6 - 6 8 H o o 1 1 Fl wers 7 pt n 53, 59 o o f 8 2 1 H o a 2 1 6 F rest Wyre 7 , 4 rseh y 9 4 , 9 5, Forests 6 4 - 6 6 H o tsp ur 1 1 8 ii i 2 2 i a 1 o H . E . H F rrest , , 35, 37 ud br s 75 o r o 1 2 0 1 1 H d 6 2 00 - 2 0 2 F rt ess t wns 7, , 9 5, 9 9 undre s , Fo ssils 4 7 o 1 6 1 1 I h t ﬁeld 1 1 Fr desley , 73 g 5 I ia o 1 06 1 0 1 ndustr l t wns , 7, 9 5, Geo l ogy 4 1 - 58 I 9 7 a ia io 6 I i 1 8 - 1 0 0 Gl c t n 5 ndustr es 9 , 9 ’ 1 6 I a Ma io 1 6 2 6 Glyn 7 rel nd s ns n 4 , 3 a di of i 2 0 0 1 I o Ma fa 1 - 2 1 Gr ent r vers , 3 , 3 r n nu cture 9 9 4 , 5 ai o f o 2 1 I o i 2 0 1 6 1 82 Gr n the c untry , , r nbr d ge 3 , 9 , 9 , 9 , , 2 1 8 I I 2 2 4 . 7. 9 5 9 3. 4 8 2 i hi 1 8 82 8 1 0 1 6 a m I I . 1 2 Gr ns ll , , 4 , 7, J es e ﬂ r e s 1 J y , Jud ge 74 H a 2 1 oh Ki 2 1 8 dley 9 J n , ng H a f - im d o 1 1 2 1 i c 2 0 1 2 0 2 l t bere h uses 4 , 9 , , Just e , 1 1 1 6 2 - 1 6 1 6 2 2 2 2 6 5 , 5, 7 , 3, Kemberto n 3 a o 1 1 2 Ki 2 2 H lst n 5 , 4 5 nlet 1 I NDEX . 1

La To i a R M . D Ii x . . . h d uche , ev W , W ters e s 35 La To h R . . 1 o D . o d a 1 0 uc e , ev J 77 W l nds 9 La a 1 2 . 1 M a h 1 0 1 1 1 1 8 1 2 0 ngl nd , W 75, 5 rc es 4 , 4 , , 54 , 3 , a o ii L P o f . . i 1 2 0 pw rth , r C , 35 4 Le a 1 2 1 1 2 2 Ma D a o 2 1 9 , 53, 59 , 3 rket r yt n 7 L a 1 1 Ma o 1 1 8 e d 34 , 35 rket t wns 9 5, 9 L R o a 1 2 2 Ma i o 1 1 6 2 1 2 1 ee , wl nd 74 , 3 rr ngt n 3 , , 79 , 3 L a P o f S Ma 0 2 1 8 1 8 ibr ry , ublic , hrewsbury rshes 4 , 7 , 4 , 7 1 2 Ma o 1 1 88 iv , 3, rt n 4 , L h a 2 2 1 M a w . 1 illes ll , G 77 Ligh tm oor 79 M e di olan um 2 30 Lim o 6 M 1 1 1 1 8 est ne 4 3, 44 , 47, 7, elverley 3 , 35, 73, 5 , 7 M a 6 1 0 1 1 2 1 erci , 7, 3, 4 , 3 Li 6 1 2 M 0 8 2 1 nley 7, 9 eres 4 , 5 , 9 Ll a nym ynech 2 2 2 Mills 89 - 9 1 Llewellyn 1 1 7 Mines 78- 89 Lo a o 2 6 1 1 2 M 2 2 c l w rds , insterley 5

Lo M . 2 6 Mi o 1 1 ng t 4 , 3 , 53 nt n 4 “ ’ Lo - o - T 1 6 8 M o 1 2 1 2 ngden up n ern itchell s F ld 3, 4 Lo fo 1 1 86 Mo o o 1 6 6 1 6 ng rd 3, ret n C rbet , 7 ' Lo i a a 2 2 2 Mo im o 1 1 ngitud n l v lleys , , 3, rt er s Cr ss 9 I O 2 Mo i 2 2 37-4 , S , S rv lle 5 Lon m n d 2 2 2 6 M o 2 2 6 g y 5, 7, 5 , 4 , 74 , uch Wenl ck Munsl o w 2 2 8 L fo 1 6 1 6 M s m iv 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 ud rd 3, 4 u eu s , 3, 5, 3 , 33, L o 2 2 2 udl w ii , Lu d st o n e 1 6 8 2 1 M d 2 2 8 , 4 yd le Lutw ch 2 n T 1 2 0 1 2 e M tto o o . y 33 y , C l nel , 7 Lydbury No rth 2 24 N e o lrth ic 1 0 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 0 , , 3, 37, 7, M a deley 2 24 2 1 5 Ma i L 1 1 2 0 N o 2 2 8 l ns ee 4 , 3 ewp rt Ma nufa ctures 89 - 1 0 0 Newsp a p ers r o o M a o f o a i 1 0 1 2 N o r d a 1 2 8 p b und r es , y B nk o o a o 0 N o m a 1 0 1 0 1 6 1 Ge l gic l , C ver , 5 r ns 3, 4 , L o a 1 6 N o P ai 1 1 8 1 1 6 8 udl w C stle , 5 rthern l n 5, , 9 , , P a o 0 hysic l , C ver , 3 P a o 1 N o Ri 1 0 8 hysic l divisi ns 7 rthern vers 9 , 37, 4 , 5 P a - a m 1 0 No hm 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 6 l ce n es 9 rt en 3, 4 , 7, Po a o o a io 1 0 No o a m 1 2 1 2 8 2 2 p ul ti n ccu p t n 3 rt n C p 7, , 4 Ra ilwa ys a n d ca n a ls 1 9 2 Ra fa x 6 1 Oa a 2 2 in ll , keng tes 9 ’ R a i o i io o f c o 2 Oﬂ a s D 1 1 1 0 1 1 el t ve p s t n unty yke , 3, 5,

R f 2 1 . 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 o elie 37, 5, , 3 Ri Old O 1 2 6 2 0 vers 34 swestry , 3 88 R o m a oa 1 0 Onn R . 2 2 2 1 n r ds 9 v 4 , 5, 7, 37, S 2 Ord e ric us i a 1 2 0 hrewsbury 35 V t lis 77, 7 252 I NDEX .

O 2 0 R a d 11. 1 1 8 2 1 swestry 3 ich r , 3 - O Sir F . 1 2 0 1 6 1 2 Ri 2 1 1 81 ttley , , 4 , 7 vers 9 4 , O o R oa 2 1 2 1 81 1 8 - 1 8 2 2 utcr p 4 3 ds 4 , 7, , 3 9 , 7 - O d T . 1 6 1 2 1 6 Roa M a 8 86 wen , J u ge 4 , 74 , d et l 5

Ro i o . . iii b ns n , G W Pa i h 1 0 2 0 Ro 1 6 2 1 r s es 4 , 3 den 9 , 3 , 9 Pa k H a 1 6 1 6 2 Ro d Mo o m r 1 1 6 1 1 r ll 4 , 5, 45 ger e ntg e y , 7, Pa ia m 1 1 8 1 2 0 1 8 1 6 rl ent , , 5 , 3, R o m a 6 8 1 0 2 10 1 0 ns , 79 , , 3, 7, Pa T o m a 1 6 1 2 - 2 rr , h s 7 7 35, P e n w e rn 1 1 1 6 2 g 5, 3 , 35 o T 2 1 1 2 m P . 1 Ro a a 1 86 ercy , Bish p 75, , 34 n B nk P a 1 1 2 8 2 0 R o m a R oa 1 0 1 1 1 2 eninsul , , 9 , 5 , n ds 9 , 7, 7, 1 8 - 1 8 4 7,

P R . 1 6 Ro 1 80 1 81 erry , 9 , 3 utes , P e tse y 1 6 5 Ro wto n 2 06 Pitchford 1 6 4 Rushbury 2 33 P a - a m 1 0 - 1 1 2 2 0 Rutu n i u m 2 0 6 2 l ce n es 7 5 , 33 P a 1 1 0 R o - I - To 2 l ins 5, 7, 5 , 59 uyt n X wns 33 P la ish 1 6 6 2 1 2 , Pl a nts 6 4 - 6 8 Sa cheverell 2 33 P a a 2 2 8 0 2 2 Sa o 8 l te u 7, , 5 , 5 , 7 , l p 7, Sa o H 1 8 2 0 ndst ne ills , , 55 P o 1 2 2 Sa x o 6 6 1 0 8- 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 l wden 77, 4 ns , , 3 5, Po 2 1 1 - 1 2 0 0 2 0 ntesbury 3 35 37, , 3 Po a io 1 0 - 1 0 20 - 2 S a 2 2 6 p ul t n 4 7, 5 4 7 c rps , 4 Po w a 1 8 2 1 S o o 1 6 1 1 2 0 0 2 0 8 2 1 1 rt y 7, 3 ch ls 9 , 7 , , , , Po —8 1 ttery 9 5 9 , 33 Prees 2 32 P o o 1 6 6 S o 1 rest n Br ckhurst 73, ecti ns 44 , 4 5, 49 , 5 ’ P i o L 1 1 1 2 0 S a 2 r r s ee , 3 el ttyn 33 - 8 S R . 1 6 0 6 1 evern , 3 3 , 9 u a tfo rd 2 2 S o 0 2 1 Q 3 evern G rge 3 , 3 , 4 5,

R a a 1 81 1 1 - 1 S a 1 8 ilw ys , 9 9 4 h wbury 4 R a i fa x 6 1 6 S 6 n ll , , 3 heep 75, 7 iii 1 6 2 2 8 - 8 2 2 2 1 R a a . S nd ll , J , 7 helve 3, 4 , 5 7, 5, 3 R a tlin gho p e 2 32 Sheri ff H a les 2 34 Rea oo 2 S f a 2 Br k 4 , 35 hi n l 34 R a 8 i o 1 6 6 e R . 3 Sh p t n ’ Rea der s H o use 1 64 Shire 1 - 9 R a 1 2 2 0 S a a i 1 1 1 ed C stle 53, hr w rd ne 7, 53 R f a o 82 8 8 S 2 2 e r ct ries , 3, 9 hrewsbury 34 , 4 7 R f o f fa c 1 - 1 2 1 - 2 S S oo 1 6 1 1 elie sur e 4 7, 7, hrewsbury ch l 9 , 7 S S ir H 1 1 1 2 2 idney , enry 9 , 57, 3 R i i o O 2 0 S S ir P i 1 el g us rders 4 idney , h lip 77 i a I 2 2 2 S e 1 1 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 R . ch rd 7, 37 ieg s 7, , 9 , 3

254 IND Ex

o m i 2 2 2 0 o a i 2 6 W br d ge 9 , 3 Wr ckw rd ne 4 \V o o d la nd s 6 -6 6 2 o x 2 4 , 7 Wr eter 4 7 W o o M . iv h 1 6 lley , rs Wyc erley 5

o f R . 2 0 2 c h . 1 W r , 9 Wy erley , W 75 W orﬁ e ld 2 6 o 6 6 1 88 4 Wyre F rest , i 6 1 - 1 6 2 6 6 6 86 Wrek n , 4 , , , 8 2 Zi c 8 9 , 4 3 n 7 i T 1 2 h . 1 Wr g t , 3 , 77

THE EN D .