{10} Our ancestors petitioned the king for permission to convert the
monastery of Salop into “a college, or free school.”
{16} This was an essential characteristic of the castellated structure
of the Danes, although subsequently adopted by the Normans.
{18} The town had originally three principal gates, besides several
postern or smaller gates, and was from an early period encompassed with a
wall, strengthened by towers in those parts most liable to be attacked.
Within the last sixty years many parts of the walls have been built upon,
and the gates and towers, with one exception, fallen a prey, not so much
to the ruthless power of time, as to the less sparing enemy—modern
improvement.
{23} Mr. Heylin appears to have been connected with this town, having
previously founded a lectureship in St. Alkmond’s church, to which he
afterwards added the tithe of Coton. In 1630 he was at the expence of
printing the Welsh Bible in octavo, a form more suitable for domestic
reading than the two former folio editions.
{24} The site of St. Michael’s church cannot be satisfactorily stated.
Messrs. Owen and Blakeway consider that Speed’s map represents it as
standing near the river towards the area of the present county gaol; but
this must be a mistake, for Speed intended to shew the bastion tower of
the castle. The church being probably only a very small structure, and
designed by its founder (Roger de Montgomery) as a place of worship for
those who inhabited the keep, it doubtless stood, as its name implies,
WITHIN the walls (similar to the one at Ludlow Castle), and was taken
down about 1605, before Speed’s map was published. The present detached
part of St. Julian’s parish in the direction of Castle Foregate formed
its parochial boundary.
{26} Earl Hugh was slain by an arrow in Anglesea, in the month of July,
1098, and received sepulture seventeen days after in the cloisters of
this abbey. Twenty years ago, a plain stone coffin was discovered near
the south-west door of the present church, which probably enclosed his
remains.
{36} He was a gentleman of warm piety and extensive benevolence; as a
scholar and linguist he was scarcely surpassed by any of his
contemporaries. He meditated a History of Shropshire, which, had it been
completed, it is probable the world would have seen, from his diffusive
acquirements and general antiquarian knowledge, a very superior
topographical work.
{39} Page 25.
{44} About the close of the 12th century, companies of masons,
designers, or architects, as well as workmen, were incorporated under the
especial patronage of the Pope, and associated together as a fraternity
of free and accepted masons, under certain regulations and peculiar
privileges.
{48} This is now a principal entrance to the church; the jambs of the
door-way are in the debased style prevalent during the last century, and
the obtuse arch seems originally to have formed the head of a window.
{52} In 1831 was published Mr. Blakeway’s SHERIFFS OF SHROPSHIRE,
illustrated with their armorial bearings, and notices genealogical and
biographical of their families, edited with great judgment by a reverend
gentleman of this town, a particular friend of the deceased. It is
perhaps the first work in which what may be termed the genealogy and
biography of a county has been distinctly treated, and evinces in a high
degree the patient and diligent research of its talented author, whose
valuable life we have reason to deplore was not spared to publish a
History of the County of Salop, for which his talents and extensive local
knowledge rendered him so eminently qualified.
{63} These possessions were about 150 acres.
{82} A notice of the improvements in this church will be found in vol.
100, part II. of the Gent. Mag. communicated by the author of these
Memorials.
{101} The scholars, in grateful remembrance of the kindness of their
preceptor, presented him (on his taking leave of the School, June 7th,
1836,) with a massive silver candelabrum, of three hundred guineas value,
raised by their united contributions,—the subject a vine branch with
Genii pressing the fruit, and bearing an appropriate inscription; in
acknowledging which Dr. Butler said, under your future head master and
his able coadjutor (the Rev. G. I. Welldon), and my long-tried and
much-valued friends, the assistant masters, may you pursue your career
with the same success as those who have gone before you; and to my best
wishes for your welfare and happiness, let me add, as my last official
words, “FLOREAT SALOPIA!”
{103} Of the one hundred and twenty first-rate honours recorded here,
the present learned head master (Dr. Kennedy) claims more than
one-twelfth for his own individual share.
{106} The old liberties of the borough extended a few miles round
Shrewsbury. A large part of this ancient boundary, possessing a property
of the annual value of fifty thousand pounds, and which formerly used to
contribute to the rates levied in connexion with the town, is now taken
from the liberties and annexed to the county.
{107} A merchant guild is supposed to have been established as a
voluntary association as early as the year 1128; for, among other customs
granted by Henry III. there was one by which no person who was not a
member of the “merchant guild” could exercise merchandise in the borough
without the consent of the burgesses.
{110} A more extended account of this pageant, by the author of
“Memorials of Shrewsbury,” will be found in the Gentleman’s Magazine for
July, 1833.
{111} Mayor.
{114} The former courts were 44 ft. 9 in. by 31 ft.
{116} This structure was 111 feet by 51; its exterior feature was a bold
pediment, supported by four three-quarter columns of the Ionic order.
{149} Vide Hazlitt’s Literary Remains.
{151} An office instituted when preaching was not frequent, and granted
to the Minister of St. Mary’s in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
{162} On the visit of Charles the First to this venerable mansion,
Thomas Lyster (among other distinguished Shropshire loyalists) presented
that Prince with a purse of £500. His grandson, Richard Lyster, Esq.
represented this town and county in parliament for a period of forty-five
years, and was known among his countrymen by the familiar appellation of
‘THE SENATOR.’ The somewhat feudal cast of his establishment, and most
ample scale of ancient English hospitality, are pleasingly recorded in
the “Sheriffs of Shropshire.”
{176} The sloping bank above this friary was given to and occupied by
the Monks of Shrewsbury Abbey, as a VINEYARD, as early as the reign of
Henry the Third. Its situation on the northern side of the river,
inclining southward and open to the east, renders it well adapted to the
purpose.
{179} This ferry leads to a walk which commands a bold view of the
town, and communicates with the Abbey-foregate. It conducts also to the
Underdale Tea Gardens—a quiet rural retreat.
{186} The town is supplied with most excellent water for drinking from a
spring called Broadwell, which rises near Kingsland, and is conveyed by
pipes under the river to a reservoir in one of the lodges at the
principal entrance to the Quarry Walk, being conducted from thence to
conduits placed in different parts of the town for the convenience of the
inhabitants.
{187} A detail of the Admiral’s splendid services will be found in the
“Biographia Britannica,” and other similar works.
{188} To the left of the turnpike is the Baschurch road, on which, at
the distance of one mile, are the beautiful Gates leading to Berwick
House; a short distance beyond is the neat structure of Berwick Chapel,
re-built at the close of the 17th century.—The town may be regained by a
walk through Almond Park, rich in sylvan beauty.
{190} In 1604 a great plague began in Salop, on the 2d of June, and
raged until April following, in which time 657 persons had died of it in
the several parishes, and the streets were so little frequented as to be
covered with grass. The two bailiffs died.—MS. Chronicle.
{196} Vide page 6.
{200} Pure muriate of soda does not contain any water in its
crystallized state except what lodges in the interstices of the crystals,
therefore the weight of that, as it exists in the water, would not exceed
the weight above given; 30 grains muriate of lime indicate 51 grains
crystallized muriate, 8.81 grains muriate magnesia indicate 15½ grains.
{204} “Why, brother Wilful of Salop, you may be as short as a SHREWSBURY
CAKE, if you please.”—Way of the World, 1735, by W. Congreve.
{212} Mr. Williams possessed acquirements of no ordinary description,
and was an accomplished scholar. He had studied much of botany, was an
excellent draughtsman, and in early life devoted considerable attention
to the study of antiquities, particularly those connected with his native
county. His collection of materials relating to the History of
Shropshire were most extensive, and although he did not favour the world
with any publication shewing the result of his researches, he has,
nevertheless, left behind a surprising proof of his perseverance in
original drawings of all the churches, parochial chapels, monastic
remains, castles, monuments, and tablets, in Shropshire, besides sketches
of most of the mansions of the nobility and gentry in the same county.
{215} Etbrighton, a Saxon manor in Domesday.
{216} Mr. Thomas Barker, author of a work on angling, was born at this
village. From the singular vein of humour which runs through his book,
he appears to have been a good-humoured gossiping old man. In the
dedication he states, “I have written no more but my own experience and
practice, and have set forth the true ground of angling, which I have
been gathering these three-score years; having spent many pounds in the
gaining of it, as is well known in the place where I was born and
educated, which is Bracemeale, in the liberty of Salop, being a freeman
and burgess of the same city.”—‘Barker’s Delight, or the Art of Angling,’
was published a few years after Izaak Walton’s Complete Angler (1659), to
which Mr. Barker appears to have contributed the greater part of what is
said on Fly Fishing.
{219} Longner, the ancient seat of the Burtons, is about one mile N.W.
of this village, and forms part of the parish of St. Chad. In 1558 it
was the residence of Edward Burton, Esq. a zealous protestant, who
expired suddenly with Joy on hearing of the accession of Queen Elizabeth.
His body was refused interment in the church of St. Chad by the popish
priest, owing to some stipulations made either in his will, or by the
zeal of his surviving friends, that the popish service should not be
celebrated over his remains, which were in consequence buried in his own
garden, over which a plain altar has been erected, with a quaint poetical
inscription.
{221} A great battle seems to have been fought near this hill; for in
1833 a quantity of spear heads and celts, formed of brass, or some other
composition of copper, and of rather elegant workmanship, were found near
the Wrekin Farm.
{227} The errata has been applied to this transcription.—DP.