Part 15

It was at this time considered rather as a place of great consequence in protecting the country from the invasions of the Welsh, than as a royal or baronial residence. By the union with Wales all apprehensions on this ground vanished, and the importance of the castle as a fortress ceased. In the time of Henry VIII. it seems to have been rapidly hastening to decay. Leland, who then saw it, observes that it had been a “stronge thynge, but now much in mine.” In the reign of Elizabeth, a grant was made of its site and buildings to Richard Onslow, Esq., who subsequently transferred his interest in it to the corporation.

During the civil war, in the reign of Charles I., the Castle resumed some share of its former importance, and was garrisoned for the royal party. The dilapidated walls were repaired, and its gates strongly fortified. After its surrender to the parliamentary forces, in 1645, it escaped the destruction that fell upon many other castles, owing to the circumstance of its being entrusted by the House of Commons to the government of Colonel Mitton, a native of the county, who, displeased with the virulent persecution of the king, soon after resigned his commission. Colonel Mackworth was then appointed governor, and he was succeeded by Colonel Hunt. On the restoration of Charles II., the property of the Castle returned to the burgesses, who in 1663 surrendered it to the king. That monarch shortly afterwards presented it to Viscount Newport, afterwards Earl of Bradford. The garrison at this time consisted of two companies with their officers; the daily expenses of which, as given in an old record, are stated at £8. 17s., or £3,230. 5s. per annum. The Castle continued in a fortified state, and had a large magazine of arms, which was not removed till the reign of James II. It is probable that the out-works were in a great measure destroyed, and its ancient chapel demolished, about this period. The part still remaining was leased by the Earl of Bradford to Mr. Gosnell. About the year 1730, this gentleman converted it into a gloomy habitation, in which state it remained until Sir William Pulteney repaired and greatly improved it. The outer walls of the Castle are now undergoing a complete reparation by the present proprietor, the Duke of Cleveland.

The Castle stands boldly elevated on a considerable eminence on the narrow isthmus formed by the windings of the Severn, which in every other part, by surrounding Shrewsbury, formed a portion of its defence. It has undergone so many changes, and has suffered so much from the dilapidations of time, that it is not easy to form any correct notion of its original state. Its appearance does not convey an adequate idea of the size, stateliness, or the strength of a great baronial fortress, placed in so important a position as Shrewsbury was once esteemed. The present buildings are of red free stone, and consist of the keep, the walls of the inner court, and the great arch of the interior gate. How far the original fortifications extended cannot now be absolutely determined. It is probable that the usual appendages of feudal castles, the outer court or ballium, with its strong gate, portcullis, and towers, once made part of the fortress, and extended, perhaps, beyond the Council House. The keep is a square building of great strength, connected with two round towers, embattled and pierced, and originally consisted of one great apartment on each of the upper floors. The interior as well as the exterior has been greatly altered. In the vestibule is a statue of the founder, Roger de Montgomery. A handsome stone staircase, of modern construction, leads from the vestibule to the principal apartments. The drawing room, a spacious and handsome apartment, was used as a guard chamber in the time of Charles I. A narrow stone staircase within the wall, lighted by chinks, leads to an apartment in the western tower, in which was a recess, with a strong groined ceiling, and small sharp pointed windows. This building does not appear older than the time of Henry III.; the beams are of an immense size, and the walls are ten feet in thickness. The battlements of the walls are pierced with narrow cruciform openings, called loops or oilets, which were intended for the convenience of the cross-bowmen. The noble arch of the gateway is the only existing part of the original Norman fortress of Roger de Montgomery. It is eighteen feet high, semi-circular, and with plain round facings; and its walls appear to have sustained a tower, from which hung the portcullis. On the east side of the court is a postern, built probably in the time of Charles I., when the fortress was restored; and near it are the massive foundations of an ancient tower. The Castle still retains one mark of its ancient dignity, for in the area of the inner court the knights of the shire are nominated, and from time immemorial have been girt with their swords by the sheriff.

On the south side of the court is a lofty mount, which rises abruptly from the Severn, the summit of which is crowned with ruinous walls, and an ancient watch tower for the purpose of descrying an enemy at a distance. This was rebuilt about thirty years ago, and converted into a beautiful summer room, commanding a fine panoramic view, and now called Laura’s Tower. From the above mount there is also a view of uncommon grandeur and beauty—the sides of the mount are richly clothed with foliage, the Severn winds majestically below—the eye of the spectator beholds in succession, the town, with its spires and turrets, its beautiful suburbs, and a wide sweep of finely wooded and diversified country, with the most extensive amphitheatre of mountains of which perhaps the island can boast. The majestic Wrekin is connected by the hills of Acton Burnell and Frodesley with the towering heights of the Lawley and Caradoc, from whence the Long Mynd, Stiperstones, and Long Mountain, form an uninterrupted chain, with the bold and precipitous cliffs of Kefn-y-Castyr and Breddyn;—thence the horizon is bounded by the stupendous Berwin range, losing its blue summit in the clouds,—while the northern prospect is terminated by the humbler eminences of Grinshill, Pymhill, Hawkstone, and Haughmond.

When the frontier situation of Shrewsbury is considered, and that for four centuries it was, perhaps, the most important station on the marches of Wales, it is extraordinary that, though it has several times fallen into the enemies’ power by treachery and surprise, yet it never sustained more than two sieges, and those in rather early periods of its history. This circumstance may partly be attributed to the slender hopes an adverse army must have entertained of reducing by regular approaches a place so strongly fortified both by nature and art; for it was not only defended by its castle, but by the river, and a wall which completely surrounded it.

THE TOWN WALLS.—The following account of the ancient walls of Shrewsbury is chiefly taken from Phillip’s history of the town:—The walls were built across the isthmus, from the castle down to the river on each side, by Robert de Belesme, son of Roger de Montgomery. The other part of the walls surrounding the town was built in the reign of Henry III., who earnestly pressed the inhabitants to fortify and strengthen their borough, lest the enemy should surprise them unawares. This part of the wall was thirty-two years in building; it was finished in 1252, to defray the charge of which the king, at sundry times, granted the burgesses leases of the tolls of the town, and other favours; among which, every barge laded with merchandise upon the river had to pay the charge of fourpence. That part from the north end of the above-mentioned wall to the Welsh bridge, called Roushill, was built by Oliver Cromwell in the year 1645, the stone of which was brought from Shrawardine Castle. The more accessible parts of the town walls, particularly on the south and south-western sides, were formerly strengthened by towers, which are now demolished, excepting one, situated near the Murivance; it is square, embattled, and of two stories high, lighted by narrow loop holes, the entrance of the upper story being from the top wall. The only portions of the ancient walls now left standing are those on the north side of the town, extending from the Castle gates towards the Welsh bridge, and on the south-west side, where they stretch to a considerable distance. Although reduced in height, and stripped of the battlements, they form an agreeable walk to the inhabitants of the town.

GATES AND POSTERNS.—In an exchequer manuscript, without date, several gates or posterns are mentioned, to the keepers of which the coroners of the town delivered bolts and locks for their security. Those at Shepelache and at Kaymeplace no traces of the names remain. That called Bulgerlode was under the place formerly called the Gulph, at the bottom of the Wyle Cop, and Cleremont, on the top of Claremont Hill. There were also gates in Milk Street, Barker Street, and Water Lane. The latter only remains, and is memorable as the avenue through which the parliamentary forces were treacherously admitted into the town, at the siege of Shrewsbury, on February 22nd, 1644.

STREETS, &c. The following are some of the ancient names of the principal streets given in Phillips’ History of Shrewsbury, many of which have become obsolete.

_Mardol_, anciently written Marlesford, Mardefoie, and Mardvoll. It had the name of Marlesford from the ford through the Severn at the bottom of the street, near the welsh bridge.

_Chepynges-street_.—An ancient name probably of the street leading from the Corn Market to Murivance.

_Stalles_.—The street leading from Mardol head to High-street.

_High-street_, formerly called Baxter’s-row, also Barker’s-row.

_Ickeslode_.—A lane that went from Dogpole to the Walls.

_The Sextry_ was the Shutt from the passage from Kiln-lane to High-street.

_Frankwell_, anciently Frankvill; the Frank’s Vill, probably inhabited by the Franks, for in Doomsday book it is recorded that a part of the town containing 45 Burgase were inhabited by those people, who are there called _Francigence_.—This place seems to have been regarded as unconnected with the other part of the town; they had a strong work erected there for their defence, which at the time Shrewsbury was taken by the parliamentary forces surrendered upon bare quarter; and in the year 1640, when the plague began there, the inhabitants made an attempt to come into the town, but were beaten back by the bailiffs and townsmen.

_Cheddelode_.—A lane that went to the Severn, by Stury’s Close.

_Bulgerlode_.—A place at the bottom of the Wyle Cop, taken down in 1766.

_Murivance_.—A name of French extraction signifying before the walls, or within the walls.

_Murivance-lane_, led from the town wall down to the river.

_Sheteplace_, in old records written Sotteplace, and Soetteplace, is now called Shoplatch. _Behind the Walls_, from its situation behind the walls, now the Quarry.

_Priest’s-lane_, led from the walls near the tower, to Murivance, now inclosed.

_Romboldesham_, now called Barber-street.

_The Bailey_.—That part of the town which lies before the castle.

_Hound-street_.—A street leading from the playhouse to Barber-street.

_Grope-lane_.—A narrow “shutt” leading from High-street to Fish street.

_Corvisor’s-row_.—The same as that which is now called Pride-hill.

_Shoemakers’-row_.—In Speed’s map the lower part of Pride-hill.

_Hawmon-strete_.—Probably that now called Castle-street, or Raven-street.

_Merival_.—At the east end of the New bridge. Early in the 16th century, Merival was separated from the jurisdiction of the corporation, and considered a hamlet within the liberty of the town.

_Altus Vicus_.—The high pavement, near the Cross made in 1570.

ANCIENT MANSIONS.—THE COUNCIL HOUSE, was so called from having been the residence of the Council of the Marches of Wales, during their occasional visits to Shrewsbury. It is situated in the precincts of the Castle, on a bold acclivity which rises abruptly from the Severn, and commands a most delightful prospect of the surrounding country. The house has been modernized, and divided into several tenements; that portion which comprises the hall and the great chamber over it, includes nearly the whole of the building which retains any resemblance of its original features. It was built about the year 1501. The unhappy Charles I. resided here for six weeks, upon the commencement of his troubles in 1642. James II. on his visit to the town 24th August, 1687, held his court here. These once magnificent apartments have been subdivided and despoiled of their rich furniture and beautiful stained glass. A fine old porch, and the entrance hall with other relics have been carefully preserved. The present proprietor, William James Clement, Esq., has furnished several of the apartments with antique oak furniture, elaborately carved. The gateway of the council house is an interesting specimen of the style of architecture which prevailed in the early part of the 15th century.

THE WHITE HALL, situated near the Abbey Foregate, is a stately mansion, and exhibits a fine specimen of the Elizabethan style of architecture. It is a lofty structure with numerous pointed gables; the roof is adorned with ornamental chimnies, and crowned with a central octagonal turret. At the back of the mansion is a magnificent walnut tree, probably coeval with the house. It was formerly the manorial seat of Richard Prince, Esq., by whom it was built in 1758.

ROWLEY’S, on HILL’S MANSION, said to have been the first brick building erected in Shrewsbury, was built in 1618, by William Rowley, Esq. He amassed great wealth by fortunate speculations in Barbadoes. His son, Roger Rowley, Esq., was the first person in this town who kept his carriage. The daughter and heiress of the latter married John Hill, Esq., who lived in this mansion, from whom the street received the appellation of _Hill’s-lane_, instead of Knuckin-street. The house has been unoccupied some time, it now presents a dilapidated appearance.

IRELAND’S MANSION, situated in High-street, a noble timbered residence four stories high, terminating in pointed gables, was formerly the town residence of the ancient family of Ireland, long seated at Albrighton. When entire it must have presented an imposing appearance; it is now divided into three excellent tenements.

JONES’S MANSION, situate near St. Mary’s Church, was built by Thomas Jones, Esq., who was appointed by Charles I. in 1638 the first mayor of Shrewsbury. Subsequently the mansion became the residence of Chief Justice Jones. The Duke of York was lodged here in 1624, during the stay of Charles I. in Shrewsbury, and Prince Rupert made it his residence after the battle of Worcester.

THE JUDGES’ LODGINGS, situated at Belmont, is a spacious residence purchased by the county in 1821, for providing suitable accommodation for the Judges during their attendance at the assizes.

In various parts of the town are seen many curious old timbered houses, interesting as specimens of the domestic architecture of the honest burghers of former days. Nearly opposite the Butter Cross stood the mansion of the Prides, who gave their name to the street. This house has been greatly modernized, and partly rebuilt. In the Butchers’-row, is one of the largest, and supposed to be one of the oldest timber houses in the town. History is silent as to the time or by whom it was erected. It may have been the town mansion of the Abbot of Lilleshall, who had a residence in this part of the parish, and to which monastery the patronage of this church belonged.

ANNALS OF THE TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.

The following is a brief chronological sketch of the most remarkable events which have at different periods taken place in the town of Shrewsbury:—

A.D. 961—Land about Shrewsbury sold for one shilling per acre. The price of an ox was 2s. 6d., a cow 2s., a sheep 1s., a pig 8d.

1110.—A great earthquake, and great mortality among men and cattle.

1225.—Three gallons of ale sold for one penny in the town, and four out of town.

1315.—The price of provisions settled by the bailiffs.—A corn fed ox 24s., a grass fed ox 16s., a cow 12s., a fat sheep 1s. 8d., a fat hog 3s. 4d., a goose 2d., a hen 1d., a capon 2d., four pigeons 1d., twenty-four eggs 1d.

1347.—A fine horse 6s. 8d., an ox 4s., a sheep 4d., a lamb 2d.

1349.—The sweating sickness desolated the town.

1421.—Rees-ap-Doe, a Welsh Esquire, was hanged, drawn, and quartered here for treason.

1454.—Wheat sold for 14d. a quarter (eight strikes).

1490.—Wheat sold for one shilling and eightpence a bushel.

1509.—Provision made for building upon waste land and repairing decayed houses, by an Act of Parliament.

1519.—A general Chapter of the Grey Friars held here.

1520.—Griffith Wickham drawn through the town and afterwards hanged.

1532.—George Goldsmith drawn through the town and afterwards hanged, for coining money.

1537.—The plague raged frightfully during this year.

1542.—Rowland Lee, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, burned before the high altar of St. Chad’s church.

1563.—The bailiffs agree that no foreigner should be a freeman of the town without paying £10 and the usual fees.

1570.—Two men killed by the falling of the clapper out of St. Wenefrede’s bell, in the Abbey Church.

1571.—Humphrey Onslow built the chapel of our Lady in St. Chad’s church, and paved the causeway from the Lord’s place, (the Council House) to the cross, at his own cost.

1575.—That fearful malady, the plague, again visited Shrewsbury.

1581.—John Capper, clerk of the Abbey Church, was hanged at Kingsland for treason.

1582.—John Prestige was hanged upon a gibbet near the abbey mill, for the murder of his wife.

1588.—Richard Reynolds was put into the pillory and had both his ears cut off, for setting fire to a sheep-cote.

1591.—After the assizes in September, eight men were hanged at the Old Heath, one of whom was hung in chains there.

1596.—Wheat sold for 20s. a bushel, rye for 16s. a bushel.

1630.—Great numbers died of the plague. In 1632 and 1634—many fell victims to the same malady.

1647.—December 23rd. A woman was burnt in the dingle of the quarry for poisoning her husband.

1683.—An earthquake felt here, February 7; a dreadful fire in the Abbey Foregate.

1708.—Wheat sold for 9s. a bushel, muncorn 8s., rye 7.

1715.—It being the time of the rebellion new gates were made to the walls and the trained band called together.

1726.—Lamps were put up in several parts of the town, at the expense of the several parishes.

1727.—An earthquake felt here. A great meeting of quakers from all parts of England.

The judges of the assize were refused the usual compliments by the mayor, on which account the next assize was held at Bridgnorth.

1756.—Thirty-seven colliers brought to gaol for rioting and committing outrages in the county; four died in gaol, and two were executed.

1758.—The country butchers were again admitted to sell meat in the town, and shambles were erected for them near St. Alkmund’s church.

1762.—A great fire happened in New-street, Frankwell, on the 23rd February.

1766.—February 12th, 13th, and 14th, there fell a great snow in Shrewsbury, which lay on the ground several days, eighteen inches deep.

1772.—A smart shock of an earthquake was felt, which occasioned much terror and consternation.

1774.—On Good Friday, April 1st, a fire broke out in the Abbey Foregate, by which forty-seven houses were burnt down, and several others much damaged.

1775.—September 8th, the inhabitants were much alarmed with the shock of an earthquake; in the midst of a calm a rumbling noise much like that of a strong wind was heard; this was soon followed by two tremulous motions of the earth, succeeding each other instantaneously.

1778.—The Shropshire militia marched from Shrewsbury on May 7 to Bridgnorth, where they were reviewed; from thence they marched into Kent.

1780.—A stage coach began to run between Shrewsbury and Holyhead.

1782.—Baron Hotham laid a fine of £2000 upon the county, till they should build a new Shire Hall; the new hall was built 1786.

1789.—July 23rd, T. Phipps, a lawer, and his son, just twenty years of age, were executed at the old heath for forgery; Mr. Phipps had an income of about £300 a year from landed property.

1793.—May 13th, the first stone of the new Welsh bridge was laid.

1794.—April 28th, John Pritchard died in Frankwell in the 101st year of his age; he had ten children by the first wife, and twenty-two by the second.

1795.—February 7th to 11th, one of the greatest floods ever remembered in the Severn; Mr. Johnson and his man were both drowned in endeavouring to recover a large barrel.

1802.—A sturgeon eight feet six inches long, three feet four inches in girth, and weighing 192lbs. was caught near the wear below the castle.

1809.—February 7. The suburbs of the town deeply inundated by the Severn.

1811.—May 27th. An extraordinary flood in the Meole Brook, which inundated all the houses in Coleham, situated near the confluence of the brook with the river Severn, and caused the latter river to rise four feet in less than ten minutes; although the Meole Brook is an inconsiderable stream, the rush of water actually turned the current of the Severn at its confluence with that river.

1811.—August 24th. Four persons executed on the new drop for a burglary at Betton, near Market Drayton.

1814.—June 30th. Lord Hill paid a visit to Shrewsbury after the peace of Paris. The day was one of general festivity among the inhabitants; thousands went out to meet him, and in the evening partook of tea in the quarry. On the 17th of December the first stone was laid of the column in honour of Lord Hill.

1827.—July 19th. First stone of the new infirmary laid by General Lord Hill; opened for the reception of patients September, 1830.

1828.—August 4th. Three persons executed on the new drop of the county gaol for murder. On the 24th of the same month Ann Harris was executed for the same offence.

1831.—February 10th. In consequence of the sudden melting of the snow, the suburbs of the town were deeply inundated.

Though the flood in 1831 was considered a very high one, according to evidence of brass plates affixed to the inside of the window jambs of a house in Frankwell, the Severn at that end of the town was 3½ inches lower than the great flood in 1795. The lowest plate bears the following inscription:—

“This is to let you know The Severn up to me did flow. December 21, anno 1672.”

A second plate two inches above the preceding, records—

“To this line flowed Severn. November 8, 1770.”

On the third plate six inches higher than the second is inscribed—

“This plate is fixed to let you know That Severn to this line did flow. February 11, 1795.”

1832.—The cholera morbus in its destructive career through the kingdom visited Shrewsbury, when about a hundred persons fell victims to that direful malady.

1849.—The cholera again made its appearance in Shrewsbury; the fatal cases were fewer than in 1832.

CHARITIES.

_Sir Thomas White_, in 1566, bequeathed certain monies for charitable uses, in respect of which £100 is annually paid to twenty-four corporate towns in rotation (Salop being one), to be lent out, without interest, for a period of ten years, to poor young men of the said towns.

_Robert Allen_, by will 24th August, 1568, bequeathed £200 to be lent out to the poor inhabitants of the town of Salop, in sums of £10, to be held for three years; each recipient to find a bondsman for the repayment of the same at the expiration of the term, and to pay 4d. per annum, to be divided among the inmates of the almshouses of St. Mary and St. Chad.