mediately connected with the Principality, this chapter is devoted to a description of the above places.

SHREWSBURY.

Is a town of considerable magnitude and importance, containing 21,297* inhabitants. It is situated on a sloping ground, and nearly surrounded by the river Severn. The streets are irregular, and many of the buildings very ancient, but great improvements have of late years been made under the provisions of an act obtained in 1821. This place once formed the capital of Powisland, and was, for some years, a seat of the Welsh princes. Near the eastern entrance is a Doric column fluted, rising from a noble pedestal, and supporting a gigantic statue of Lord Hill; on the faces of the pedestal are inscribed the name, style and military actions of this illustrious Salopian. It is ascended by an internal circular staircase. The height of the whole structure is 132 feet. It was built by voluntary contributions.

The Castle is built of a red stone, and situated on an eminence above the river, just in that part of the town where the river leaves it undefended. Its foundation has been ascribed to Roger de Montgomery, the great Earl of Shrewsbury, who lived in the reign of William the Conqueror; but of the ancient structure there is not at this time much remaining. The keep stood on a large artificial mount, which seems to prove it of Saxon or British origin.

The castle continued in possession of the two sons of the founders till the reign of Henry I. when that monarch chose to take it into his own hands. After the restoration of Charles II. it was granted to Francis Lord Newport, after

* Wherever the population is mentioned, the number is taken from the census

in 1831.

wards Earl of Bradford; and some time subsequent to this grant it became the property of the Pulteney family, from whom it was acquired by the Duke of Cleveland, its present

possessor.

Robert de Belesme, son to Roger de Montgomery, was the first who attempted to defend the town by Walls. This he did, by building from the castle along each side of the river for a considerable distance; and thus he secured himself for a while from the attack of his enemy, Henry the First. The remaining part of the walls was erected in the reign of Henry the Third, at the request of the inhabitants, to fortify the place against the inroads of the Welsh. So great, however, was the want of money for the completion of the undertaking, that thirty-two years elapsed before they could be finished. Comparatively speaking, but a small portion of the walls is now left.

At a little distance beyond the castle, and, situated like that building, on the elevated bank of the Severn, is the County gaol, a large and handsome structure. It is constructed of brick, and in a situation that cannot be surpassed for the purity, and consequent healthiness of its atmosphere. In a niche over the entrance there is a bust of Howard. The outer walls were commenced in the year 1789, and some of the apartments were ready for the reception of prisoners in 1796.

Proceeding along a pleasant terrace walk to the end of the building and descending to the river, there is a footpath which leads to the English bridge. From hence the castle, the river and the town, partly hidden by trees, with the spires of St. Mary's and St. Alkmund's churches form a beautiful and picturesque scene.

The English bridge is an elegant structure of seven arches, erected in 1774. On the west side of the town, in a direction nearly opposite to this, is the other, called the

Welsh bridge. This was erected in 1795. The ancient bridge had a gate, and towers at each end, a necessary defence against the turbulent neighbours on that side of the

water.

Shrewsbury Abbey is situated in the suburbs of the town, a little beyond the English bridge. The present remains consist of only the west part, from the transept to the west tower. The choir, the cloister, and chapter-house, are entirely destroyed. Of the side aisles the arches are yet left, and at the east end of the church two of the ancient columns inclose a modern wall and painted window. The great tower still remains, and contains a fine gothic window, over which is a statue, supposed by some to represent the founder, Roger de Montgomery, and by others to represent Edward III. The whole building is of the same kind of red stone as the castle, and, except the west window, is in the Norman style of architecture, with plain arches and massy columns. On the south side of the altar there is a recumbent figure, in a coat of mail, and in the act of drawing a sword; this is believed to have been the monument of Montgomery. An inscription intimates that it was discovered among the ruins of the abbey, and that, in 1622, it had been directed by the heralds at arms to be carefully preserved, in consequence of which it was placed in its present situation. Several other curious monuments are to be found here, and the church is well worthy the attention of the antiquarian.*

*The history of the abbey is short.-It was founded by Roger de Montgomery and his Countess Adelissa, in the year 1083, and dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. Its monks were of the Benedictine order, and first brought over from Seez, in Normandy; and the earl, by permission of his lady, became himself one of the religious of his own abbey. He endowed it largely, and encouraged all who were dependant on him to become benefactors. At his death, about nine years afterwards, he received here an honourable interment. Robert, the fourth abbot, procured, though with much difficulty, the bones of St. Wenefred, and had them enshrined here. The property of the abbey at the dissolution

In a garden on the south side of the church there is a small but elegant octagonal building, the remains of an ancient oratory belonging to the abbey, now called St. Wenefred's Pulpit.

The remaining churches in Shrewsbury are,-St. Giles's, St. Alkmund's, St. Mary's, St. Julian's and St. Chad's.

St. Giles's Church is situated on the skirt of the suburbs, about a mile east of the abbey. It is an ancient, small and inelegant, but somewhat picturesque, building. It boasts a higher origin than the abbey, and in the Domesday Survey is called "the parish of the city." It is at present annexed to the church of Holy Cross, or the abbey. The bones of St. Wenefred, when they were removed from Denbighshire to Shrewsbury, are said to have been first, for a time, deposited in this church. In the church-yard, but now almost obliterated, there is an inscription to the memory of William White, a quarter-master of horse, in the reign of William the Third:

“In Irish wars I fought for England's glory;

Let no man scoff my telling of this story.

I saw great Schomberg fall, also the brave St. Ruth,
Yet here I come to die, not there in my youth.
Through dangers great, I've pass'd many a storm,
Die we must all, as sure as we are born."

St. Alkmund's Church is remarkable for its handsome spire. It contains an east window of stained glass, the workmanship of Eginton, of Birmingham. This was put up in the year 1795, and cost about £200.

This church is said to have been founded by the heroine Elfleda, the daughter of King Alfred.

structure is modern, but the tower and of considerable antiquity.

The body of the spire appear to be

was valued by Speed at about 500l. per annum. On the church being made parochial by Queen Elizabeth, it received the name of St. Crux, or the Holy Cross, in the abbey of Shrewsbury, which name it still retains.

If we may believe a manuscript written by the Rev. Dr. Taylor, and deposited in the Free School Library, the devil appeared in St. Alkmund's church in the year 1533, as the priest was at high mass. During a great tempest and darkness he passed through the church, mounted up the steeple, and, tearing away the wires of the clock, left the print of his claws on the fourth bell; and in his way out took off one of the pinnacles! This is a singular mode of accounting for a violent thunder-storm, and it will appear the more remarkable when the reader is informed, that the prince of darkness on this occasion appeared clad in the habit of a grey friar!

St. Mary's Church bears the appearance of great antiquity. The south and west entrances are beneath arches of Norman architecture. This church was founded by King Edgar, and it formerly had a dean and seven prebendaries. Before the foundation of the abbey, it was esteemed the principal church in the town.

From the elevated situation of the building, and the great height of its spire, the latter has frequently suffered from high winds. In 1739 the weather-cock was blown on one side, when a person of the name of Cadman engaged to take it down, which he soon afterwards did, and then put it in its place again. This man, eager to perform feats of prowess, fixed a rope from the top of the spire to a tree in a field on the opposite side of the river, and to various other places; and for a few times slided from thence without injury; but on Candlemas-day in the same year, after beating a drum, firing pistols, &c. he attempted to slide down the rope across the river, but it broke soon after he had trusted his weight upon it, and he was consequently dashed to pieces. He was buried on the same day, the 2d of February, 1739, at the foot of the steeple, and a plain slab was fixed to the wall over his grave, with this quaint inscription, now scarcely legible :