is a handsome building, having two entrances, with a Doric portico to
each. The cost of the structure was £1500, and it was opened for divine
worship, June 13th, 1834. The interior has a light and pleasing
appearance; it is without galleries; in the centre of the chapel are two
rows of pews, with a row on each of the sides, which ascend gradually
from the floor; the blank walls display arches and pilasters, supporting
a frieze and cornice.
THE FRIENDS’ MEETING HOUSE, a plain brick structure, in a retired
situation, on St. John’s-hill, is fitted up with much simplicity and
neatness. It was erected in 1746, and enlarged in 1807.
THE WELSH CALVINISTIC CHAPEL, a brick structure, erected on the site of a
former edifice, is situated in Hill’s-lane. It is calculated to
accommodate about 400, and was opened for divine worship in December,
1826. The Dissenters of this persuasion have also a small chapel,
situated in the Wagon and Horses passage, Pride-hill. The service in
both these chapels is in the Welsh language.
THE PRIMITIVE METHODISTS have a place of worship to accommodate about
four hundred, situated in Castle-court. They have also a small chapel,
at the Old Heath.
SCHOOLS.
THE ROYAL FREE GRAMMAR SCHOOL, situated near the Castle gates, is a noble
institution for the education of youth, founded by King Edward VI., in
1552, and endowed with the greater portion of the revenues of the two
dissolved colleges of St. Mary and St. Chad. Queen Elizabeth greatly
augmented the endowment, in 1571, by adding the rectory of Chirbury, with
additional tithes and estates in St. Mary’s parish. The structure is
large and lofty, and occupies two sides of a quadrangle, with a square
pinnacled tower at the angle, partly rebuilt in 1831. The original
school was of timber, and the present tower, chapel, and library, were
added in 1595. The wooden building was taken down in 1630, and its place
supplied by the present stately edifice of Grinshill free stone. In the
centre is a gateway, adorned on each side by a rude Corinthian column,
supporting statues of a scholar and a graduate bareheaded, in the costume
of the times. Over the arch is an inscription in Greek, importing that a
love of literature is essential to the formation of a scholar. The whole
structure exhibits an incongruous mode of building, and that mixture of
styles, “where the Grecian and the pointed, however discordant and
irreconcilable, are jumbled together, and compose a fantastic species,
hardly assignable to any class or name.” The principal school room,
which occupies the upper story, was originally divided by three
partitions with folding doors, but these being removed, it forms a very
spacious and noble apartment. The chapel, in which prayers are read by
the head master every morning, occupies the ground floor, and is divided
from the ante-chapel by a very handsome oak screen carved in the
grotesque manner prevalent in the days of Elizabeth. The ceiling is
adorned with fret work, preserved from the ruins of St. Alkmund’s church.
Above the chapel is the library, which was rebuilt at considerable
expense in 1815. It contains a valuable collection of manuscripts and
books—one side being occupied by the library of the late Dr. Taylor. Two
large pointed windows, with mullioned tracery, afford light to this
apartment;—in the northern window are the arms of Edward VI., Queen
Elizabeth, St. John’s College, Cambridge; the See of Lichfield and
Coventry impaling Cornwallis, and those of the town;—in the south windows
are the arms of the four principal benefactors, with appropriate
inscriptions in Latin. Around the walls are portraits of Henry VIII.,
Edward VI., an Admiral in the costume of the time of Charles II., and
several of the former head masters.
Among the curiosities in the library are three sepulchral stones,
discovered in ploughing a field near Wroxeter. The largest has on its
summit, a pine-cone between two lions, and beneath the pediment a rose.
The first is taken from the _Picea_, called by Pliny, _Feralis Arbor_,
expressive of its melancholy subject, and not unfrequent on memorials of
this kind; the inscription denotes the death of _C. Mannivus Secundus_,
of the town of Polentia, a _beneficiarius_, or veteran of the twentieth
legion, who had served his time, and was called again into the service by
the entreaties of the chief legate. The second stone has, on the upper
part, a human face, two dolphins, and two serpents. The third is
inscribed to M. Petronius, sigifer, or standard bearer, to the _Legio
quatuor-decima gemina_, the fourteenth double legion, or a legion formed
from two. As this legion never was in Britain, the learned Dr. Ward
supposes that Petronius only came for his health and died here. There
are also various other interesting antiquities, chiefly found at
Wroxeter, and a small collection of fossils and natural curiosities. In
front and at the back of the schools are play grounds, contiguous to
which are houses for the master and the assistant-masters, with ample
accommodation for boarders who come from all parts of the kingdom. The
grammar school has long maintained a pre-eminent rank among the public
seminaries of sound learning and religious education in this country, and
has sent forth numerous individuals who have been distinguished for their
eminent classical attainments. Under the care of its first master,
Thomas Ashton, we learn there were two hundred and ninety scholars, among
whom were the sons of many of the first families in England. Camden,
when he wrote, says—“it was the best filled in all England, being
indebted for their flourishinge state to provision made by the excellent
and worthie Thomas Ashton”—who was a munificent contributor to the school
himself, and was instrumental in procuring the grant of augmentation from
Queen Elizabeth. Mr. Ashton resigned his office some years before his
death, but he continued to cherish the seminary over which he had
presided with paternal care. He drew up the code of laws by which it was
governed for more than two centuries; and one of his last acts was to
visit the school, when he preached a farewell sermon to the inhabitants
of the town, after which that “Godlie father,” accompanied with the tears
and blessings of the people, returned to Cambridge, near which he died at
the end of a fortnight, 1578.
The school is open for the gratuitous instruction of burgesses of
Shrewsbury, who are not under six nor more than sixteen years of age,
provided they are qualified to begin the Latin accidence. By act of
parliament, 38th George III., the whole management of the school and
revenue was vested in the Bishop of Lichfield, as visitor, and thirteen
governors and trustees. The appointment of head master rests with the
Fellows of St. John’s College, Cambridge. The under master is appointed
by the head master. Among the many persons of eminence who have received
their education in this school, we may enumerate Sir Philip Sidney; Sir
Fulke Greville; Lord Brook; Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York; Judge
Jeffries; Lord Chief Justice Jones; Dr. Bowers; Bishop of Chichester; Dr.
Thomas Bishop, Salisbury; Dr. Taylor, editor of _Lysias and Demosthenes_;
James Harrington, the author of _Oceana_; Wycherley, the dramatist;
Ambrose Phillips, the poet; and the Rev. J. B. Blakeway and the Venerable
Archdeacon Owen, the learned historians of Shrewsbury. Through the
exertions and learning of the late venerable head master, Dr. Butler
(late Bishop of Lichfield), the school attained to unrivalled celebrity,
and the learned prelate observed, on resigning his arduous duties to his
talented successor, “That he considered Dr. Kennedy as the most brilliant
scholar he had ever sent forth, as the brightest star in that galaxy of
distinguished pupils whose names adorn the ‘boards’ of Shrewsbury school.
That from Dr. Kennedy’s experience of his system, both as a pupil and
assistant master at Shrewsbury school, from his constant practice as a
lecturer and private tutor at College, and as an assistant master for six
years or more at Harrow, as well as from his own unrivalled talents and
high literary distinction, from his fine taste and sound learning, there
was not a shadow of doubt but that he would fully maintain the reputation
which Shrewsbury school had already acquired, and would add at least as
many distinguished names to its ‘boards,’ during his superintendence of
this important foundation, as had been inscribed there by himself in an
equal period.” We are happy to observe that the bright anticipations of
the venerable bishop have been already realised. By an act of
parliament, passed 33rd George III., for the better government and
regulation of the Free Grammar School in Shrewsbury, it was ordered,
that, after the payment of all taxes, salaries, scholarships,
exhibitions, and repairs of the school, and all expenses about the
necessary business of the school, the surplus should be employed in
founding and maintaining exhibitions in the Universities of Cambridge and
Oxford, as the governors and the bishop of the diocese for the time being
should think fit; and that such surplus should, when and as often as it
should amount to £100 or upwards, be laid out in the purchase of lands
and tenements, or in the purchase of stock, or in such other way as the
governors and bishop should deem advisable. At this period the annual
income of the school amounted to £900.
From the Charity Commissioners’ Report, published in 1830, we learn that
the total income of the school property for the year ending December
31st, 1828, amounted to £2,740. 2s. 9d. The following will show the
particulars of the property held by the governors:—The tithes of
Albrighton, in the parish of St. Mary, £101. 15s. 6d.; the tithes of
Chirbury, £1,045. 13s. 4d.; tithes of Clive, in the parish of St. Mary,
£347. 13s.; tithes of Astley, £221. 15s.; tithes of Oxon and Shelton,
£71. 4s.; tithes of Frankwell, £56. 14s.; tithes of Betton, £129. 1s.;
tithes of Whitley and Welbatch, £99.; tithes of Leaton, £150; tithes of
Wollascot, £13.; tithes of Woodcote, Horton, Bicton, and Calcot, £397.;
tithes of Almond Park, Berwick, and Newton, £52. 10s.; tithes from Castle
Foregate, £18. 18s.; schoolhouse at Grinshill, built in pursuance of one
of the orders of Thomas Ashton, for the scholars to retire to in case of
infectious disorders, let for £4. 4s.; spiritual jurisdiction of St.
Mary’s, demised by the corporation to the Rev. W. G. Rowland, the office
of the said ecclesiastical, spiritual, peculiar, and exempt jurisdiction,
with all the profits thereto belonging, and the seal of office for
twenty-one years, at the yearly rent of £1. 6s. 8d., payable to the
governors and trustees of the Free Grammar School, dated 29th January,
1828; Chief rents at Astley and Sansaw, 18s. 3d.; for encroachments on
school garden, 3s.; and £30 per annum arising from the sum of £1,000
invested in the three per cent. consols, purchased in 1828. In January,
1829, the amount of stock was £14,570. 10s. 4d. three per cent consols.
This was subsequently reduced by sales, made under the directions of the
Court of Chancery, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of repairs
on the estates, to £13,311. 19s. 6d.
The income arising from the school property now (1851) amounts to upwards
of £3,000 per annum, which is appropriated in the payment of the salaries
of the masters, the maintenance of scholarships and exhibitions in the
universities, the stipend of the Vicar of Chirbury, and the curates of
St. Mary’s, Clive, and Astley, and the necessary repairs of the school
buildings. The surplus is employed in founding additional exhibitions in
the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The following list will show
the great advantage presented to meritorious scholars of Shrewsbury
School:—Four exhibitions, of £63 each, founded by James Millington, D.D.,
in 1724, at Magdalen College, Cambridge, tenable during residence till
M.A.; two exhibitions of £40 each, founded by the same donor, for sons of
burgesses born in Frankwell, and who have been educated at the school, in
Millington’s Hospital, founded by the testator; also one fellowship of
£126 per annum at Magdalen College, tenable during residence till M.A.;
one exhibition, of £23 per annum, founded by the Rev. John Taylor, D.D.,
in 1766, open to any college. The scholars chosen are allowed to enjoy
the exhibition for the term of six years, provided they reside in the
college the greater part of each term. One exhibition of £10 per annum,
the gift of Mr. Noneley; one of £30 per annum, founded by Mr. Podmore.
There are also four foundation exhibitions of £70 per annum each; one
Butler foundation of £100 per annum; and one of £66 per annum;—all
limited to the sons of burgesses of Shrewsbury. Two exhibitions, founded
by Oswald Smith, of £25 per annum; four exhibitions to Christ Church,
Oxford, founded by Mr. Careswell, in 1689, for natives of Shropshire, of
£60 per annum.
_Head Master_: Rev. Benjamin Hall Kennedy, D.D.—_Second Master_: Rev.
William Burbury, M.A.—_Assistant Master_: Rev. John Mort Wakefield,
M.A.—_Mathematical Teacher_: Rev. Alfred Tolver Paget, M.A.—_Assistant
Master_: Rev. Vanden Bempde Johnstone, M.A.—_Modern Languages_: Mr.
Thomas Amand Bentley.—_Writing Master_: Mr. Thomas Northage Henshaw. The
head master has a salary of £300 per annum, and the second master £150.
BOWDLER’S, or THE BLUE SCHOOL, situated in Beeches-lane, a plain brick
building with a cupola, was founded in 1724, pursuant to the will of Mr.
Thomas Bowdler, alderman and draper, for the instruction, clothing, and
apprenticeing poor children of St. Julian’s parish. Twenty-five boys and
an equal number of girls are now educated and clothed; the dress of the
children is blue, whence the school is called “The Blue School.” The
master has a salary of £40 per annum, and the privilege of taking twenty
day scholars, and the mistress £20 per annum. Robert Rogerson and Mary
Ann Sharrat are the teachers. The foundation of the several charity
schools will be more particularly noticed with the general charities of
the borough.
ALLATT’S CHARITY SCHOOL, situate in St. John’s-row, is a neat structure
of free stone, comprising commodious houses for the master and mistress,
connected by arcades, with spacious school rooms. The school was built
in 1800, pursuant to the will of Mr. John Allatt, who bequeathed his
property for the educating and clothing of the children of the more
respectable class of poor persons resident in the town. There are forty
boys and forty girls educated, clothed once a year, and a certain number
at a proper age apprenticed. The funds of the school consist of a
capital stock of £14,200, of which £10,800 are invested in three per
cents, as the educational fund, and £3,400 as a clothing fund. Thomas
Bagley and Frances Buttery are the teachers.
MILLINGTON’S SCHOOL stands in the rear of the hospital, and was founded
by the munificence of Mr. Millington, for the instruction of twenty-five
boys, and as many girls, natives of Frankwell. The children are
completely clothed twice in every year, and at the age of fourteen
apprenticed with a small premium; on producing a certificate of good
conduct during their apprenticeship they are rewarded with a gratuity.
Two exhibitions of £40 a year each, in Magdalen College, Cambridge, are
founded, to which scholars originally on the hospital foundation have the
preference, or in default of such, two born in Frankwell, educated at the
free schools. Sarah Bishop and Francis Cullis are the teachers.
SHREWSBURY NATIONAL SCHOOL, situated in the Abbey Fore gate, is also
called the “Brown School,” from the brown dress of the children. The
schools are commodious, and there is a convenient residence for the
teachers. It is supported by subscriptions, and sermons annually
preached in aid of its funds. There are now 190 boys and 96 girls
educated in this school. Joseph Barker Molynaux and Mary Ann Williamson
are the teachers. The annual income amounts to £250 per annum.
ST. CHAD’S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL is a plain substantial edifice, situated in
Barker-street. It is supported by subscriptions and donations, and a
small weekly sum contributed by the children. The average number of
children that attend the school may be calculated at a hundred boys and
an equal number of girls. Edward Evans and Jane E. Turner are teachers.
HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL is a spacious building of brick, situated in the rear
of the Holy Trinity Church, at Coleham; a residence for the teachers
adjoins the school. There are about 100 boys and girls, and 120 infants,
receiving instructions in these schools. James Owen and Martha Clarke
are the teachers.
ST. MARY’S AND ST. MICHAEL’S SCHOOLS, situated in St. Michael-street, owe
their origin in a great measure to the Rev. W. G. Rowland, the incumbent
of St. Mary’s, who was a munificent contributor towards their erection.
The schools were built in 1832, in the old English style of architecture.
They are supported by voluntary subscriptions, and the scholars are
provided with books, and gratuitously educated, with the exception of a
number of the children from the extensive factory of Messrs. Marshall and
Co., whose instruction is paid for by the proprietors of the mill.
Richard Jones and Sophia Evans are the teachers. About 120 boys and 100
girls attend. Adjoining the school premises are ten neat cottages, built
by the Rev. W. G. Rowland, the income arising from which is expended in
bread, and distributed amongst the necessitous poor, in St. Mary’s and
St. Michael’s churches.
THE DIOCESAN SCHOOLS, Swan hill, in connection with the Lichfield Board
of Education, was established in 1842. This is an institution for the
general education of youth, ably conducted by Mr. Henry Newsham.
Particular attention is paid to the mathematical education of the youth
of this establishment. A limited number of boarders are taken.
THE BRITISH or LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS were first established in Shrewsbury
in 1812, when a commodious school was built opposite the county gaol, for
conducting education on the plan suggested by Mr. Joseph Lancaster.
Subsequently the premises were taken down, and the site is now occupied
as a railway station. A building was afterwards taken in Watery-lane,
where the school was conducted till the present year (1851), when a neat
school-house, measuring forty-eight feet by twenty-eight, was erected at
the rear of the county gaol, at an estimated cost of £700. About 150
boys and 100 girls attend the school. Mr. Thomas Harris is the teacher.
ST. ALKMUND’S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, situated between St. Mary’s-street and
St. Alkmund’s-place, is numerously attended both by boys and girls. The
teachers are William Donellan and Martha Badger.
INFANT SCHOOLS.—_St. Chad’s Infant School_ is situated in Barker-street,
not far from the National School. One hundred and twenty attend the
school, which is conducted by Segismunda Roberts. The _Infant School_,
Castle Foregate, has an attendance of eighty. Ann Townsend is the
teacher. There is also an infant school in Frankwell, which was built by
the late Dr. Darwin, and is now chiefly supported by Miss Darwin. These
are interesting institutions for giving an early moral bias to the mind,
and calculated to effect much good.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.—The Sunday schools of Shrewsbury have existed nearly from
the earliest formation of such institutions. Schools are connected with
the established churches, and the different congregations of dissenters,
which are very numerously attended.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
THE SALOP INFIRMARY.—This excellent institution, situated near St. Mary’s
churchyard, was established in 1747, and has the honour of being one of
the earliest of these Samaritan institutions in the kingdom. The
building, which preceded the present stately fabric, was a plain brick
structure, designed for a private residence; although repeatedly
enlarged, it was found too small for the additional number of patients
consequent upon an increasing population, and at a meeting held on
November 16th, 1826, it was resolved that a new infirmary should be built
on the site of the old one. The present building was erected in 1830,
from a design by Mr. Haycock, at the cost of £18,735. 18s. 10., of which
£12,994. 1s. 3d. was raised by subscriptions, and the remainder disbursed
from the funded property of the charity. The structure has a noble
appearance, and stands in a commanding position on the verge of an
eminence overlooking the Severn; it is 170 feet in length, by 80 feet in
height, having a handsome Doric portico in the centre. There is ample
accommodation for 150 patients, and the internal arrangements are
admirably adapted for the purpose they are designed to fulfil. The
principal floor is appropriated to the board room, dispensary, waiting
room for patients, with private apartments for the house surgeon and
matron; the first floor has seven wards for male patients, with day room,
scullery, and baths; the upper room contains a spacious operation room,
with wards for females; in the attics above are four other wards with
nurses’ room, &c. A staircase at each end communicates with spacious
galleries extending the length of each story. The whole is thoroughly
ventilated, and an uniform temperature preserved by a patent hot water
apparatus. A spacious terrace has been constructed on the eastern side,
that such of the patients as are able may possess every benefit resulting
from pure air and exercise. From this the eye commands an uninterrupted
view of an extensive and finely wooded country, bounded by the long ridge
of Haughmond Hill, the Wrekin, and the Stretton Hills. The pecuniary
concerns of the institution are superintended by a board of directors; a
treasurer is also appointed annually, who, on the anniversary day in the
hunt week, is accompanied to church by the subscribers and patrons of
this charity, where, after a sermon, a collection is made in aid of the
funds. From its establishment to midsummer, 1849, the sum of £219,934.
16s. 7¼d. has been received for its support; 60,077 in-patients admitted,
and 117,747 out-patients recommended as fit objects for its benefits.
The weekly average number of patients in the house during the year ending
midsummer, 1849, was 103; out-patients on the books, 603. The total
receipts for the year ending at the same period was £3,237. 7s. 5d., of
which £1,669. 11s. was received from yearly subscriptions; £355. 2s. 6d.
from benefactions and legacies; £627. 6s. 11d., the interest and
dividends of funded stock, and £585. 7s. 6d. from miscellaneous sources,
which includes £183 8s. 6d. collected at the anniversary sermon in St.
Chad’s church. Of this stock £16,400 is secured in the three per cent
consols, £3,449. 10s. new 3¼ per cents; £100 on the Watling-street road,
and £150 on the Bridgnorth-road. Subscriptions have been made amounting
to £1,227. 6s. 8d., as a “Chaplain’s Endowment Fund.” “The house surgeon
is allowed to take three pupils at a premium of twenty guineas to
himself, and 200 guineas to the infirmary, which entitles the pupil to
board and residence for five years.” Attendance at this hospital is
recognized by the Royal College of Surgeons, and the apothecaries’
company, London.—_Physicians_: Henry Johnson, M.D., Thomas James Drury,
M.D., Henry Parker, M.D.—_Surgeons_: H. E. Burd, J. Dickin, and J. Y.
Arrowsmith.—_House Surgeon_: John Robert Humphreys. _Secretary_: Henry
Bevan.
THE DISPENSARY, like most other institutions of this kind, is supported
by annual subscriptions and benefactions. It was established in 1843,
and although the funds do not allow the full extent of usefulness which
the charity is capable of, yet it is pleasing to observe from the annual
reports that it is making steady progress in the estimation of the
public. It appears from the report ending September, 1849, that the
total number of patients have been 3,391. The receipts for the year
ending at the same period were £160. During the year 560 cases received
attention, of which 403 were cured, 123 relieved, 30 died, and 4 were
dismissed.—_Patron_: His Grace the Duke of Sutherland.—_Surgeon_: Mr. G.
P. Gill,—_Hon. Secretary_: Folliott Sandford, Esq.—_Dispenser_: Mr. G. S.
Whitney.