BISHOP’S CASTLE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.
Reading edition
Bishop’s Castle is a borough corporate, market town, and parish, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Purslow, 157 miles N.W. by W. from London, 20 S.W. by S. from Shrewsbury, and 8½ S.E. from Montgomery (North Wales). It is situated partly on the summit, but chiefly on the steep declivity of a hill, in the midst of a fertile country, abounding with pleasing views. The town, which is irregularly built, and the habitations, for the most part, detached, derives its name from a castle, that stood here, belonging to the Bishop of Hereford—but of which the site (now a bowling green belonging to the Castle Inn), and some small portions of the walls, only can be traced. The government of the town, by charter granted in the 15th year of Elizabeth, and confirmed and extended by James I. is vested in a bailiff, recorder, and fifteen capital burgesses, assisted by a town clerk, a serjeant-at-mace and subordinate officers: the bailiff, late bailiff and recorder are justices of the peace. The corporation hold a court of session quarterly; and Bishop’s Castle is included in the twenty-seventh circuit of County Court-towns, under the acts passed for the recovery of debts not exceeding £50. The town hall, a plain brick edifice, erected by subscription of the burgesses in 1750, has a prison on the basement for criminals, and above it one for debtors. The elective franchise was conferred in the 26th of Elizabeth, from which time it sent two members to parliament, till the Reform Bill deprived it of that privilege, but made it a polling station at the election of representatives for South Shropshire.
About ten miles distant from the town are some considerable lead mines; but those works have no influence upon the trade or prosperity of the place—the former being entirely of a local nature, without manufacturing establishments of any kind.
The parish church of Saint John the Baptist, is a fine old structure, principally in the Norman style, with a square embattled tower, crowned with pinnacles; it was burnt by Cromwell in the parliamentary war, and was re-built without a due regard to the original style of its architecture. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Earl Powis and Rev. William Morgan Rowlands is the present vicar. There are places of worship for Independents and Primitive Methodists. The free school here was founded in 1737 by Mrs. Mary Morris, and endowed with £1,000. in the three per cents., for the instruction of twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls in reading, writing and arithmetic, and the girls also in plain sewing. There are some handsome seats within a few miles of Bishop’s Castle—Walcott, the property of the Earl Powis, is about four miles distant; Linley Hall, the seat of Thomas Frederick More Esq. is about the same distance, and nearer the town is Oakeley, belonging to the family of that name. The market is held on Friday; and the fairs on March 26th, and 27th, the first Friday after May 13th, the second Monday in June, July 5th, Friday before July 13th, September 9th, and November 13th. By the government returns for 1841 the borough and parish contained 1,781 inhabitants, and by those for 1851, 1,961
POST OFFICE, Market cross, Edward Griffiths, Post Master.—Letters from London, Liverpool, Bristol and all parts, arrive every morning at eight, and are despatched thereto every evening at six.
NOBILITY, GENTRY AND CLERGY.
Beddoes Mr. John, Greenfields
Bright Rev. John B. Totterton
Bright Mrs. —, Totterton
Downes Mrs. Sarah, Castle st
Gellion Miss Mary, Welch st
Gilliard Mr. —, Ivy House
Griffithes Miss Fanny, Church st
Griffithes Thomas Jones, Esq. near the Church
Hamar Mr. William, Church st
Hammond the Misses Martha and Sarah, Welch street
Luther Mr. Robert, Acton
More Rev. Frederick, Linley
More Thos. Frederick, Linley Hall
Oakeley Rev. Arthur, Oakeley
Owen Rev. Richard, Slanner
Owen John, Esq. Broadway
Powis the Honble. Earl, Walcott
Rogers Rev. John, Home
Rowlands Rev. Wm. Morgan, Vicarage
Sayce Miss Elizabeth, Castle st
Wellings Mrs. My. Ann, School House
White Robert More, Church stoke
Williams Rev. George, Welch st
ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS.
Bright Mary, (boarding), Church st
Griffiths Sarah, (day), Market cross
Meridith Richd. (boardng), Castle grn
National School, Back lane,—James Fulcher, master
ATTORNEYS.
Griffiths Thomas, Welch st
Pardoe Frederick, Market cross
BAKERS & FLOUR DEALERS.
Gough Jno. (& confctionr.), Church st
Richards Mary, Church st
Williams Thomas, Market cross
BANKERS.
North and South Wales Banking Company, Church st—(draw upon the London & Westminster Bank)—Samuel Bright, manager
BLACKSMITHS.
Bird John, Union st
Lewis Thomas, Back lane
Partridge John, Union st
Richards William, Union st
Robinson William, Union st
BOOKSELLERS, STATIONERS AND PRINTERS.
Dubber William, Corn market
Griffiths Edward (and auctioneer), Market cross
BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS.
Davies John, Church st
Francis William, Castle st
Home John, Church st
Luscott Samuel, Church st
Minton Andrew, Church st
Minton Henry, Church st
Phillips George, Church st
Sayce John, Church st
Thomas Francis, Welch st
Tomlins Edward, Market cross
BUTCHERS.
Edwards George, Church st
Green John, Church st
Home Herbert, Church st
Norton John, Salop st
Robinson William, Church st
Sayce James, Church st
CHAIR MAKERS & TURNERS.
Bright Edward, Welch st
Green Richard, Church st
CHINA, GLASS, &c. DEALERS.
Dyer John, Church st
Walker Thomas, Church st
CURRIERS AND LEATHER CUTTERS.
Norton John, Church st
Spoonley Edward, Church st
DRUGGISTS.
Davies Edward, Market cross
Bell J. C. Salop st
FIRE, &c. OFFICE AGENTS.
Clerical, Medical & General, William Dubber, Church st
National Provident (life), Thos. Griffiths, Welch st
Salop, William Harris, Church st
Shropshire and North Wales (fire), Edwd. Davies, Market cross
Standard (life), James H. Bright, Church st
Sun (fire) Thos. Griffiths, Castle st
GROCERS & DEALERS IN SUNDRIES.
Bailey Thomas, Church st
Bore & Harris, Market cross
Bowen John, Welch st
Bright Edward, Church st
Bright Mary, Welch st
Butler Mary Ann, Church st
Davies, Legge & Co. (and drapers), Market cross
Hetet Mary, Church st
Home Edward, Welch st
Johnston John, Market cross
Knill Thomas, Market st
Minton Andrew, Church st
Nicholas Mary, Church st
Norton Robert, Church st
Peplow Mary, Union st
Playfair Thomas, Church st
INNS & PUBLIC HOUSES.
Black Lion, Edwd. Home, Welch st
Boars Head, Howard Greenhouse, Church street
Bull, James Robinson, Bull st
Castle Inn. (commercial & posting), James Newbery, Castle square
Harp, Francis Hamar, Church st
King’s Head, John Starr, Church st
Plough, John Davies, Market cross
Red Lion, William Home, Church st
Six Bells, William Farmer, Church st
Three Tuns, John Anstey, Salop st
White Horse, Thomas Bluck, Market cross
IRONMONGERS.
Norton Robert, Church st
Phillips John & Co. Market cross
JOINERS AND CARPENTERS.
Bright John, Church st
Norton Charles, Church st
Pritchard James, Church st
Pugh Edward Nicholas, Church st
Pugh Richard, near the Bull Inn
LAND AGENTS.
Griffithes Thomas Jones, near the Church
Newill Joseph, Librey
LINEN DRAPERS.
Bore and Harris, Market cross
Bright Thomas, Market cross
Davies, Legge & Co. Market cross
MALTSTERS.
Beddoes John, Cabin
Beddoes Richard, Welch st
Harris Ann, Church st
Howell George, Union st
Norton Mary, Church st
MILLERS.
Davies James, Cox
Hamar William, Brockton
Tomlins John, Snead
Williams John, Lydham
MILLINERS & DRESS MAKERS.
Dayas Agnes, Church st
Northwood Mary, Church st
Powell Mary Ann, Welch st
Sayce Mary, Church st
PAINTERS, PLUMBERS AND GLAZIERS.
Bowen John, Market cross
Jenkins George Harley, Church st
Nicholas —, Church st
SADDLERS.
Griffiths James, Church st
Lewis Richard, Market cross
Norton Richard, Church st
SEEDSMEN.
Davies William, Market cross
Newill Elizabeth, Market cross
Norton Robert, Church st
Phillips John & Co. Church st
STONE MASONS.
Collins John, Castle green
Home George, Castle st
Lockley Richard, Castle green
Nicholas Edward, Church st
Nicholas Samuel, Castle green
Richards Samuel, Castle green
Sayce John, Market cross
STRAW BONNET MAKERS.
Dayas Agnes, Church st
James Eliz. (& stay maker) Church st
SURGEONS.
Brook Henry, Church st
Jackson William, M.D. Welch st
Medlicott Jeremiah, Prospect place
TAILORS.
Bright Edward, Church st
Horton John, Castle st
Palmer Francis, Church st
Palmer John, Church st
Pugh Thomas, Church st
Pugh William (& draper), Salop st
Sayce John, Church st
WATCH & CLOCK MAKERS.
Bond Henry C. Market cross
Matthews John, Market cross
WHEELWRIGHTS.
Bird Samuel, Union st
Davies John, Church st
Hammond William, Cabin
WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS.
Jones & Harris, Church st
Norton William Davis, Church st
MISCELLANEOUS.
Bowen John, registrar of births, deaths and marriages, Welch st
Bowyer Richard, relieving officer, Salop st
Bright Samuel, bank manager, Church st
Downes Elizabeth, beer retailer, Union st
Green Mary, skinner, near the Church
Hall George, brazier, Church st
James Elizabeth, stay maker, Church st
M‘Minn David, hop merchant and tea dealer, Market cross
Newill Joseph, agent to the Earl of Powis, Librey
Norton Mary, tanner, Church st
Pugh Edwd. Nichls. beer retailer, Church
Syce James, beer retailer, Castle green
Stamp Office, Market cross—Elizabeth Newill, sub-distributer
Station House—Stephen Surman, superintendent
Vickers John, cooper, Church st
Walker Thos. earthenware dealer, Church st
William John, hair dresser, Salop st
POOR LAW UNION.
Workhouse—Union st.
Governor—John Waidson
Matron—Mary Waidson
Schoolmaster—Henry Trubshaw
Chaplain—Rev. George Williams
Surgeon—Henry Brook
Clerk to the Board of Guardians—Frederick Pardoe
Relieving Officer—Richard Bowyer
COUNTY COURT.
Office, Market cross.
Judge—Uvedale Corbett Esq.
Clerk—Frederick Pardoe
High Bailiff—Thomas Griffith
Sub Bailiff—Edward Bright
RAILWAY.
The nearest Station is at Craven Arms, on the Shrewsbury & Hereford Line, twelve miles distance
CARRIERS.
To CRAVEN ARMS, Thomas Bluck, from the White Horse, Monday, Wednesday & Saturday
To HEREFORD, Gibson and Co’s Waggon, once a week
To NEW TOWN, John Jones, from the Three Tuns, every Friday
To SHREWSBURY AND NORTH WALES, per the Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway Company, Gibson & Co. agents