This spacious and well-built structure stands on an eminence rising from
the Severn, which forms a beautiful object beneath. The site is highly
salubrious, and the prospect delightfully variegated by many natural
beauties. The majestic Wrekin, with an extensive tract of country, is
seen to the right; while the front presents a very general view of the
town, skirted by genteel residences partly obscured by the foliage of The
Quarry trees, which, with the towers of the Castle, the lofty steeples of
the churches and their glittering vanes, unite in producing a scene
diversified and impressive, especially when the evening sun illumines the
landscape, and gives to it that variety of light and shadow which poets
have associated as only belonging to the scenes of enchantment and fairy
land.
A fine terrace extends the whole length of the building, which was
erected (in 1760) for the reception of orphans from the Foundling
Hospital in London, at an expence of £12,000; but the funds of that
institution not proving adequate to the plan of sending children to
provincial hospitals, it was discontinued in 1774. It afterwards served
as a place of confinement for Dutch prisoners taken in the American war;
and in 1784 it was purchased under an act of parliament for incorporating
the five parishes of the town and that of Meole Brace in the liberties,
so far as concerned the maintenance of the poor, as a general House of
Industry for their admission and employment, under the management of a
board of directors.
Various circumstances, however, have concurred to render the
establishment a complete failure, both as regards the principles on which
it was founded, the economy to be effected, and the advantages eventually
to result in favour of the united parishes, the select vestries of which
now send but a small proportion of their poor, and those are generally
infirm, who are maintained by a contractor, at a certain rate per head
per week; but “averages” are still paid by the several parishes, to keep
the extensive buildings in repair, for a salary to the chaplain, and
other purposes of the institution, which continues under the ostensible
government of directors.
The dining hall is 115 feet in length, parallel with which is a chapel of
the same size, in which service is performed once every Sunday.