magnitude, ornamented with a massive square tower at the west end, in
which are eight musical bells. The structure was enlarged and beautified
in 1807, and since that period it has undergone great improvements. A
handsome organ was erected by subscription in 1812; it is stated that the
old organ, a fine toned instrument, is now in one of the churches in
London. The chancel, commonly called St. Mary’s, was destroyed in 1616,
and the tower and part of the body of the church were demolished in the
civil wars of 1644. The vicarage house, which stood on a piece of ground
adjoining the churchyard, with many other buildings, were burnt to the
ground at the same period, in consequence of the town being besieged.
The church contains many handsome tablets and monumental inscriptions,
among which is a beautiful canopy of elaborate workmanship, and
underneath it two figures in the attitude of prayer, in memory of Hugh
Yale, alderman of this town, and Dorothy, his wife, whose bodies were
interred within the chancel of this church, before its demolition in
1616. On the north side of the chancel is an elegant mural monument,
with a latin inscription, commemorative of Richard Maurice, who died in
1700, and other members of the family who died at a subsequent period. A
superb monument at the east end of the chancel remembers Robert Powell
Lloyd, who died in 1769, aged five years; Sarah Lloyd, mother of the
above, who died in 1790; and Robert Lloyd, Esq., the father, who died in
1793. A neat tablet at the same end records the death of the Rev. Thomas
Trevor, in 1784, vicar of this parish 50 years, and of Rhuabon 15 years,
chaplain to W. W. Wynne, Bart., and one of his Majesty’s justices of the
peace for the counties of Salop and Denbigh. There are various other
marble tablets, some of them beautifully executed, which our limits will
not allow us to notice. The living is a vicarage valued in the king’s
book at £23. 15s. 7½d., now returned at £507, in the patronage of the
Earl of Powis, and incumbency of the Rev. Thomas Salway. The iron gates
facing the town were put up in 1738 at the expense of the parish, at a
cost of £46 1s. 4d. The churchyard was enlarged in 1817. The elm trees
were planted between the years 1707 and 1713. The vicarial tithes upon
1,832A. 2R. 23P. of land in the town and liberties of Oswestry are
commuted for £70 1s. 6d., and the rectorial for £211. £13s. 6d. There
are 82A. 2R. 7P. of land tithe free. Earl Powis is the impropriator and
lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Earl Powis, W. W. Wynn,
Bart.; Earl of Bradford; Richard Jones Croxon, Esq.; William Ormsby Gore,
M.P.; Mrs. Lloyd, Thomas L. Longueville, Esq.; and Mr. Williams, besides
whom are several other proprietors.
TRINITY CHURCH, situate in the Salop road, a neat fabric built of free
stone in the decorative style of English architecture, was erected in
1837; it consists of nave and chancel, and the roof is of groined timber,
which gives it a very interesting appearance. There are 670 sittings, of
which 400 are declared free and unappropriated for ever, in consequence
of a grant from the Incorporated Society, for building and enlarging
churches. There are 28 pews in the body of the church, 29 in the
gallery, and the free sittings are open benches. The gallery contains a
small organ, which was presented to the church, on the condition that the
incumbent for the time being be allowed to receive the rent of the six
pews in front of the communion table, in lieu of the pews in the gallery,
partly taken up by the organ, and partly thrown open as free sittings.
The chancel exhibits some fine chiselling and decorative workmanship; the
east window is also richly adorned with stained glass. The living is a
perpetual curacy returned at £450, in the gift of the vicar of Oswestry,
and is enjoyed by the Rev. John Jones.
THE INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, situate in Arthur-street, is a commodious and
well built brick structure, with stone finishings, and a portico of the
Doric order, which gives it a chaste appearance. The pews are arranged
in a semicircular form, and there is a gallery; it will accommodate about
600 hearers. There is a flourishing society and a Sunday school in
connection with the chapel.
THE BAPTIST CHAPEL, situated in Smithfield, was built in 1805, and
enlarged in 1818; it is provided with galleries, and will hold 300
persons.
THE METHODIST CHAPEL is a good brick structure, erected in 1811, in the
Salop road, and will accommodate 400 worshippers.
THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL, built in 1801, and situated in Castle
Fields, is a brick building cemented; it is neatly pewed and calculated
to hold 600 hearers. There is a small burial ground annexed to the
chapel, and a house has been built for the resident minister.
THE WELSH INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, a small fabric, is situated in Castle
Fields. Divine service is performed in the Welsh language.
THE WELSH CALVINISTIC CHAPEL (ZION), a good building of brick with a
stuccoed front, is situated in Gateacre place, and was erected in 1836.
The interior arrangements have a neat appearance. The service of this
chapel is also in the Welsh language.
THE WELSH METHODISTS meet for worship in a room near the Welsh walls.
The society contemplate building a chapel in a short period.
THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN assemble for worship in a large room on the
premises of Mrs. Macdongall, in Bailey street.
THE INDEPENDENT METHODISTS have a small chapel in Castle Terrace, built
in 1848, which will hold about 150 hearers.
THE NATIONAL SCHOOL, situate at Pentrepoeth, is a handsome building, in
the Elizabethan style of architecture, with a convenient residence for
the teacher. The centre of the building is occupied by the girls, and
the wings on each side are for the accommodation of the boys and the
infants. The school is pleasantly situated, has a play ground attached,
and the whole is enclosed by a wall. The institution is supported by
subscription, and a small charge from each scholar.
THE BRITISH SCHOOL, a substantial and commodious building in Arthur
Street, was built by subscription and a grant from the School Society.
The building is ornamented with stone quoins and cornices; the upper room
is occupied by the girls, and the lower room by the boys.
THE YOUNG MEN’S INSTITUTE was established in October, 1850, with the
object of extending the moral and intellectual culture of the young men
of the town of Oswestry. We are happy to observe that many of the young
men in the town have enrolled themselves as members, a library has been
established, and the news room is furnished with papers, and some of the
most popular periodicals of the day. The ordinary members pay 1s. 6d.
per quarter, honorary members pay an annual subscription of 10s. 6d., or
a donation of £10 or upwards. The corporation have kindly granted a room
in the Council Hall for the accommodation of the members.
THE SAVINGS BANK, in Bailey Square, was established in 1818. The capital
stock of the bank on November 20th, 1850, amounted to £50,973. 6s. 1d.,
at which time there were 1463 separate accounts; of which 23 were
charitable societies, having deposits amounting to £851. 8s. 10d., and 31
friendly societies, with deposits amounting to £5,884. 0s. 8d. Of the
individual depositors, there were 697 whose respective balances did not
exceed £20; 442 were above £20, and not exceeding £50; 180 were above
that sum, and not exceeding £100; 62 above £100, and less than £150; 26
did not exceed £200, and two accounts were above that sum. The bank is
open on Wednesdays, from twelve to two o’clock. Thomas L. Longueville,
Esq., is treasurer, and Mr. John Hughes, secretary.
THE HOUSE OF INDUSTRY is an extensive range of building, composed of
brick, pleasantly situated about a mile from the town. It was erected by
the joint subscription of the town and parish of Oswestry, the several
parishes of Whittington, West Felton, St. Martin’s, Chirk, Selattyn,
Knockin, Kinnerley, Ruyton, Llansilin, Llanyblodwell, and the township of
Llwytidman, in the parish of Llanymynech. The house will accommodate 600
inmates; the average number is about 190. It was built under Gilbert’s
Act. The respective parishes appoint the officers, who collect the
rates, and pay the out-poor. The board days are every Monday. Richard
Nightingale Broughton, Esq., is the chairman, Mr. John Hughes, clerk, Mr.
Thomas Morris, governor, Mr. Thomas Davies, relieving officer, and Edward
and Ann Jones, schoolteachers.
THE DISPENSARY, in Lower Brook Street, under the superintendence of Mr.
Hales, is supported by annual subscriptions and donations. It is worthy
of increased support from the charitable and humane; for since its
establishment hundreds have partaken of the healing benefits of this
Samaritan institution, the object of which is to check, and ameliorate
suffering humanity, in whatever form it is found.
THE TOWN HALL is situated near the site of the Castle, and forms one side
of the square called Bailey-head. It is a plain stone building,
comprising a large room (where the sessions and public affairs of the
town are transacted) and offices for the clerks, &c. The front is
enclosed by an iron palisade. Near the centre of the building is a
figure of King Oswald, carved in stone. At the back of the hall is the
police establishment, built in 1830, and residence of Mr. Jacob Smith,
clerk of the market and superintendent of police.
THE BOROUGH GAOL, in Castle Fields, is a brick structure, erected in
1826, which contains three cells and two airing yards. It is now used as
a lock-up, under the control of the borough and county magistrates.
THE COUNTY COURT OFFICE adjoins the Town Hall, at Bailey-head. The
jurisdiction of the court embraces the following parishes and places,
viz.:—Knockin, Ruyton of the Eleven Towns, West Felton, Kinnerley
Llanymynech, except Carreghova township, Llansilin, part of Soughton
township, part of Selattyn, Llanblodwell, Oswestry town and liberties,
St. Martin’s, Chirk, Ellesmere, except Penley, Welsh Hampton, and
Hordley. Judge: Edward Lewis Richards, Esq. Clerk: William Simons, Esq.
Assistant Clerk: Thomas Askew Davies. High Bailiff: Mr. Charles Scarlett
Andrews. Bailiff; Mr. Ellis Hughes. Broker: Mr. Edward Evans.
THE POWIS MARKET HALL forms one side of the spacious area of the Bailey
Square, and is a plain stone building, with a high clock turret. The
front part of the structure was formerly used as the Guild Hall, at the
back of which additional erections have been made of brick, chiefly
through the instrumentality of P. Cartwright, Esq., and a few other
resident gentlemen. It is a spacious structure, partly covered with
glass. Here the corn market is held on Wednesdays, and is very
numerously attended by the farmers in the surrounding district.
THE FAIRS at Oswestry are held on the first Wednesday in each month, for
the sale of butter, cheese, and other commodities, which take place in
the Powis Market Hall. The North Shropshire and North Wales yeomen are
justly proud of their fine dairies of cheese and butter, and the market
is unrivalled in Shropshire for the extent of business that is transacted
in these commodities. The day preceding the above is for the sale of
cattle, sheep, and pigs, which takes place in the Smithfield Market.
THE MARKET held on Wednesdays for butter, poultry, and butchers’ meat, is
very numerously attended. The meat and provisions brought to the market
are abundant in quantity and excellent in quality. Considerable
quantities of poultry (geese, ducks, as well as the small Welsh mutton)
are brought here weekly for sale. The shambles are in Willow Street and
Bailey Street; and the butter and poultry market is conveniently arranged
and covered in.
THE GAS WORKS, situated near Gallows Tree Gate, on the Salop road, were
established in 1842. The premises are conveniently arranged, and from
8s. to 10s. are charged per 1,000 cubic feet for the luminous vapour.
Mr. Robert Roberts is the proprietor.
THE THEATRE, a small building in Willow Street, is usually open for a few
weeks in the year by a company of comedians.
THE RACES are held at Cen-y-bwch, a beautiful piece of ground situated on
an eminence to the west of the town. The races of late years have not
commanded that attention and support which they formerly did, and they
were altogether discontinued last year. It is expected, however, they
will again take place during the present year about the usual time, in
the autumn of the year.
THE RAILWAY STATION is situated on the north-east side of the town.
There are ten trains arrive and depart during the day to Gabowen, where
the branch from Oswestry joins the trunk line of the Shrewsbury and
Chester railway. Mr. E. Jones is the station-master. THE ASSEMBLY ROOM
and BOWLING GREEN are at the Wynstay Arms. The STAMP OFFICE is in Willow
Street. THE EXCISE OFFICE is at the Cross Keys Inn. THE NEWS ROOM is at
the Court House, Bailey Square. THE CRICKET GROUND is in Lower Brook
Street. _The Oswestry Advertiser_, a small publication which makes its
appearance on the first Wednesday in each month, is extensively
patronised as an advertising medium, and is worthy of support for the
interesting local information which it furnishes. Mr. John A. Roberts is
the publisher and proprietor.
CHARITIES.—THE FREE GRAMMAR SCHOOL is pleasantly situated on the west
side of the town. It was founded as early as the reign of Henry IV. by
David Hobech, who granted, for the maintenance of a schoolmaster, and the
reparation of the school-house there, certain lands in Sweeney, Treflach,
Maesbury, and Crickheath. By an inquisition, under a commission of
charitable uses, taken at Oswestry, and dated 10th April, 1634, it is
stated that although the bailiffs of Oswestry had the ordering and
disposing of the school and the school lands, they had done the same
without any just authority, and that if they had been trusted they had
manifestly abused the trust, in making leases at an under value and for
secret rewards for themselves. The said commissioners therefore decreed,
that the bailiffs of the said town should be for ever discharged and
excluded from any trust or intermeddling with the school lands, that the
schoolmaster for the time being should let the premises in possession,
and not in reversion, for the term of seven years, with the consent of
the bishop and chancellor of the diocese. The commissioners further
ordered that the schoolmaster should have an usher, to be allowed £10 a
year; and the master for the time being to keep the school premises in
repair.
The property now held by the master consists of 34A. 3R. 18P. of land at
Crickheath, let for £30 per annum; three closes of land in Treflach,
containing 23A. 1R. 7P., producing a yearly rental of £36; land in the
township of Sweeney, containing altogether 68A. 3R. 10P., let for £134
per annum. There was also a small piece of land in Sweeney, of about
half an acre, of which the master had lost possession. It was surrounded
by property belonging to Sir W. W. Wynne, and had in fact been sold by
him. The master having established his title thereto, a small piece of
land adjoining the school premises was given up to him in lieu thereof.
Four closes of land in Weston Cotton, containing 19A. 2R. 9P., producing
£40 per annum; and an allotment in the same township of 1A. 2R. 9P., let
for £3 yearly; land in the township of Maesbury consisting of 16A. 0R.
18P. producing an annual sum of £24; and the yearly sum of £1. 6s. 8d. as
a free farm rent, issuing out of a corn mill in Maesbury. The rents of
the above premises amount in the whole to £271. 10s. 2d., and are
received by the master of the school. In addition to the premises
already noticed, there is a school and school-house, and seven acres of
land in the town of Oswestry, held under lease from Sir W. W. Wynne,
bearing date 22nd September, 1815, for 10,000 years, at the clear yearly
rent of £12. The school now existing was built by Dr. Donne, the
expenses of which amounted to about £1,400. The school is open to all
boys born in the parish of Oswestry, for instruction in English, Latin,
and Greek; but it is expected that they should be able to read before
they are admitted. No payment is demanded of the scholars, except 7s.
6d. for entrance, and 2s. a-year for fire money. The course of
instruction in the school is chiefly classical; but algebra, geometry,
history, and writing are also taught. For the latter a separate charge
is made. In addition to the scholars on the foundation, the master takes
a limited number of boarders. We cannot but observe on the
inconveniences that have occurred, and are likely to occur, for want of
trustees. It is true that Dr. Donne recovered possession of a great part
of the school property, or an equivalent for it, at his own expense; but
few persons in his situation would have undertaken the same risk; and the
necessity for such proceedings was probably owing to the reluctance felt
by former masters to involving themselves in litigation with the tenants.
The Rev. Stephen Donne, M.A., is the head master.
_Thomas Owen_, in 1713, left £20 for the use of the charity school.
_Daniel Poole_, in 1716, left the interest of £20 for the same use. In
1737, £32 was laid out on the poor house in Church street, which sum was
paid out of the above legacies; and it was ordered at a vestry that a
yearly sum of 40s. should be paid towards the support of the charity
school. Nothing, however, has been paid in respect of these charities
for many years. The poor house in Church street has been sold, and the
produce applied to the general purposes of the town.
THE ALMSHOUSES.—_Dame Ellen_, widow of Sir Francis Eure, by will bearing
date 20th August, 1626, devised six tenements in William street, to the
bailiffs and burgesses of Oswestry, and their successors, to be used and
employed for the habitation of six poor men and six poor women, to be
appointed by the said bailiffs and their successors. _Jane Owen_, in
1732, bequeathed to the twelve poor persons, inmates of the almshouse
commonly called Porkington almshouses, the sum of 18s., to be paid to
them yearly for ever; and she ordered her executor to charge her real and
personal estate with the payment thereof. It does not appear that this
gift was ever in any way settled to the use of the almspeople, _Mrs. S.
Ormsby_, by her will in 1805, requested her daughter (now the wife of W.
Ormsby Gore, Esq.), and those who should succeed her in the Porkington
estate, would pay, “as she had done,” the poor people in the almshouse
for ever. _Mrs. Gore_ distributes £3 among the inmates on Christmas day,
that being the sum her mother had previously given. The almshouses are
kept in repair by Mrs. Gore, and she appoints the inmates.
_Margaret Godolphin_, in 1748, gave a messuage and shop, and other
premises to the use of the vicar of Oswestry for the time being, provided
he should live in the said house; and if the vicar should not reside in
the said dwelling, the same should be let yearly, and the rents paid to
the churchwardens, to be applied in placing out poor fatherless children
apprentices. The premises above were exchanged in the year 1823, for
other premises situate in Brook street. Before this exchange took place
the house originally devised was not occupied by the vicar, but was let
by the overseers, and the rent improperly carried to the general account
of the poor’s rate. _Owen Morgan_, in 1604, gave certain property to the
Haberdashers’ Company, London, subject to the payment of £20 yearly, for
the relief of the poor people of the parish of Oswestry, to be
distributed where most need should appear, by the parson, curate, and the
churchwardens of the said parish. The yearly sum of £20 is received from
the Haberdashers’ Company, through the Oswestry bank. This forms part of
a general fund, which is distributed as hereafter mentioned.
_Hugh Yale_, by his will bearing date 2nd January, 1605, gave a messuage
and garden adjoining the churchyard of Oswestry, with a croft near the
Chapel Fields, and the reversion of a house and garden adjoining the
school, in trust, to bestow the rents among the necessitous poor of the
town; and he directed that if any preacher, lawfully licensed, should
upon that day preach in the Welsh tongue in the parish church of
Oswestry, he should receive 6s. 8d. out of the rents. The property
belonging to Yale’s charity consists of a field called the Poor’s Croft,
let for £8 per annum; two small tenements in Upper Brook street,
producing a rental of £5 yearly; two plots of ground near the churchyard,
demised to Richard Price for a term of 99 years, from 1st May, 1809, at a
yearly rent of £2. 12s. 6d.; a piece of ground near the churchyard, let
on lease in 1808 for a term of 99 years, to Thomas Davies, Esq., for 20s.
per annum; two small cottages adjoining the churchyard, one let for £2 a
year, and the other for £3 a year. A garden, for which a yearly rent of
2s. 6d. from the year 1688 till 1825 was received, when the party holding
it disputed the right of the claim; the churchwardens, however, intended
to take proceedings for possession of the land. In 1782, 10s. is entered
as received of Thomas Griffith, for one year’s rent for a yard and a
saw-pit adjoining the Lawn House. The same rent was afterwards paid by
the Rev. Mr. Maurice, and, in 1804, by John Bonner, Esq., who succeeded
to Mr. Maurice’s property. Nothing, however, has been paid since 1806,
and the piece of ground could not be satisfactorily identified when the
charity commissioners published their report. The income of this charity
is added to the general fund, disposed of as hereafter mentioned. There
seems to have been great negligence in the management of this charity, in
admitting tenants who were unable to pay the rent; in not keeping up the
boundaries of the land; and in not preserving the counterparts of those
leases which appear to have been granted.
_John Morris_ gave an annual payment of £1. 10s., issuing out of lands at
Crickheath, for the use of the poor of the town of Oswestry. The amount
is paid by the agent of W. Eyton, Esq., as the owner of the land upon
which the payment is charged.
_Richard Witcherley_ gave a parcel of land in Beatrice street, and
directed 1s. per week to be expended in bread out of the rent thereof,
and the overplus to be applied in apprentice fees. The premises consist
of a croft, containing 1A. 2R., let at a yearly rent of £7.
_Mrs. Dorothy Southey’s Charity_.—A yearly sum of £2. 12s. is paid from a
field in the liberties of the town of Oswestry, as the gift of _Mrs.
Southey_, for a distribution of bread.
_William Gough_, in 1669, left a rent charge of £5. 6s. 8d., charged on
certain lands in Trevlach, and directed £5 per annum to be applied in
placing out poor children apprentice, born in the parish of Oswestry, and
the remaining 6s. 8d. to be paid to the minister for a sermon on St.
Stephen’s day.
A donor unknown gave a small plot of land for the use of the poor of
Oswestry. A yearly payment of 5s. is made by _William Ormsby Gore_,
_Esq._, out of a piece of land near Llwyn gate, in respect of this
charity. There is also a yearly payment of 5s. issuing out of a house
and premises in Cross street, the property of D. O. Cooper, which is
distributed in bread among the poor.
_Winifred Matthews_, in 1709, left a yearly sum of £2. 10s., payable out
of a piece of land in Trefonen, called Maes-y-Benglog, towards putting
apprentice one poor child of the town of Oswestry one year, and the next
year from Trefonon, Treflach, Sweeney, or Trever clawdd. The property
from which this payment is made belongs to Sir W. W. Wynne, and the
amount is paid by his agent.
_Mary Lloyd_, in 1727, bequeathed £100, and directed the yearly interest
thereof to be laid out in woollen cloth for the poor of the town of
Oswestry, and apprenticing a poor boy of the said town alternately.
_Mrs. Peacock_, in 1732 gave £5, the interest to be distributed among
poor decayed housekeepers. These two sums are laid out upon the security
of the tolls of the turnpike road leading from Oswestry to Selattyn,
called the Willow Gate Trust; and £5. 5s. is paid as the interest.
_Thomas Turner_, by his will, 1777, bequeathed £20, the interest thereof
to be distributed among the poor of the parish of Oswestry.
The produce of the eleven charities last mentioned, amounting to £55.
11s., are brought to one account, kept by the churchwardens appointed for
the town of Oswestry, and disposed of for the benefit of the poor of the
town, exclusive of the rest of the parish. Six shillings worth of bread
is given away in the church every alternate Sunday, and the residue is
given away at different times of the year, in bread, clothing, or shoes,
according to the discretion of the churchwardens for the time being. As
it appeared the churchwardens had frequently selected for distribution
such articles as they themselves dealt in, the charity commissioners
strongly recommended that some regular mode of distributing these
charities should be adopted, and that the directions of the respective
donors should be followed as far as they could be ascertained, and
circumstances would admit.