WENLOCK.

Or Much Wenlock, is an ancient borough, both corporate and parliamentary, a market town and parish, and the head of a liberty, having separate jurisdiction; 148 miles N.W. from London, and 12 S.E. from Shrewsbury. The town, which is situated on the Phobrook, and in a pleasant vale, is of considerable antiquity. The British name was Llan Melien, or ‘Saint Milburgh’s Church;’ and in the Monasticon it is denominated Winnica, or ‘the windy place.’ Its early importance originated with the establishment of a convent, about 680, by Melburga, daughter of king Merwald. Having been destroyed by the Danes, it was restored by the Earl of Mercia, after which it fell into decay. Soon after the Conquest it was rebuilt by Roger de Montgomery, and converted into a priory for Cluniac monks. The ruins are on the south side of the town; they are extensive, and present the most finished specimens of Norman architecture, together with the early and decorated English styles. Of the church, the south transept is in the most perfect state, three beautiful Norman arches, and two of the cloisters remain in good preservation. This establishment must have been extensive, and its buildings magnificent. The town consists principally of two narrow streets, some of the houses forming which are modern and respectable in appearance, and others but poorly built. The guildhall, more remarkable for its antiquity than its external beauty, is constructed of timber frame-work, resting on piazzas. This building underwent in 1849, restoration with great taste and skill, at the expense of the corporation. Two charters have been granted to this ancient borough; the first in the eighth of Edward IV, at the request of Sir John Wenlock, Knight, ‘in consideration of laudable and acceptable services performed by the liege men of the town of Wenlock.’ The second charter was granted in the reign of Charles I. Under the Municipal Reform Act, the corporate body consists of a mayor, two aldermen and six councillors. The borough is divided into three wards—namely, Wenlock Ward, Broseley Ward, and Madeley Ward. Sessions are held quarterly in the guildhall, before the recorder, and the magistrates meet here in petty sessions every sixth Tuesday. The Madeley circuit of the new County Court, includes Wenlock in its jurisdiction; the court sits monthly at the former town, and takes cognizance of debts and claims to any amount not exceeding £50. Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., is lord of the manor, and holds, by his agent, courts leet and baron, in the months of May and October. The elective franchise was conferred upon the burgesses by Edward IV, with the privilege of returning one member—the borough now sends two; those returned at the general election in 1852, were the Honble. George Cecil Weld Forester, Willey Park, Salop; and James Milnes Gaskell, Esq. Thornes House, Wakefield, Yorkshire (both re-elected). The Boundary Act defines the limits of the borough to comprise ‘the old borough of Wenlock:’ by the same act the town is appointed a polling station at the election of members to represent North Salop. In the time of Richard II, this place was noted for copper mines, and lime quarries: the former have ceased to be wrought, but the latter are still productive, and in the town are two maltings and a tannery.

The places of worship are the parish church of the Holy Trinity, and a chapel for Wesleyan Methodists. The former is a venerable structure, with a square tower surmounted by a spire; it partakes, in a remote degree, of the style of the abbey, being partly of the Norman and partly of the decorated English: the living is a discharged vicarage, with the perpetual curacies of Burton and Benthall annexed, in the gift of the lord of the manor; the Rev. William Henry Wayne, is the present incumbent, and the Rev. Nathaniel Haywood, curate. The principal charities consist of a free school, originally endowed in 1778, by the Rev. Francis Southern; and almshouses for four poor widows. There is a reading room in connection with a well-selected library, to which, also is attached, a museum, formed to illustrate the natural history and antiquities of Wenlock and its neighbourhood. The market is held on Monday; and the fairs, on the second Monday in March, and May 12th, for horned cattle, horses and sheep, and for hiring servants; July 5th, for sheep and October 17th, and December 4th, for cattle of all kinds. The parish of Much Wenlock contained, by the government returns for 1841, 2,487 inhabitants, and in 1851, 2,398.

POST OFFICE, Wilmore-street, Thomas Lawley, Post Master.—Letters from London and all parts arrive (from Wellington), every morning at twenty-eight minutes before seven, and are despatched thereto at seven in the evening.

NOBILITY, GENTRY AND CLERGY.

Acton Sir John Edward Emerich Dalberg, Bart. Aldenham Hall

Adney Miss Elizabeth, Barrow st

Benson Moses Geo. Esq. Lutwych Hall

Burd Rev. Alfred, Harley

Burd Rev. Frederick, Cressage

Burd Rev. Geo. Onions, Shineton

Cooper Mr. John, Barrow st

Foskett Mrs. —, Much Wenlock

Gibbons Rev. John, Harley

Harnage Sir George, Bart. Belserdine Hall

Hinton Mr. Edward, the Abbey

Haywood Rev. Nathaniel, the Grange

Moseley W. W. Esq. Buildwas Park

Mytton Thomas, Esq. Shipton Hall

Patten Mr. Richard, Barrow st

Vaughan Miss Sarah, Shineton st

Wayne Mr. William, High st

Wayne Rev. Wm. Henry, High st

ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS.

Crowther George (boarding and day), Shineton st

German Jane (brdng & day), Mardol Cottage

Nicholson Elizabeth Owen (ladies’ school), Barrow st

National School, Abbey court—Thomas Martin, master; Mary Hollis, mistress; Susannah Simms, mistress of infants’ school

ATTORNEYS.

Blakeway & Burd, Bull ring

BAKERS & FLOUR DEALERS.

Boycott Richard, Spittle st

Owen John, Spittle st

Owen Thomas, Barrow st

Trevor Edward, Wilmore st

BANKERS.

Cooper & Purton, Barrow st (draw on Williams, Deacon & Co., London)

Savings’ Bank, Bull ring—George Pritchard, treasurer; William Smith, actuary

BLACKSMITHS.

Haynes Thomas, Spittle st

James James (& farrier), Shineton st

James John (& farrier), Shineton st

Pearce Charles, Barrow st

Roberts Robert, Harley

Yates William, Bank

BOOT & SHOE MAKERS.

Beavan John, Wilmore st

Beavan Thomas, Barrow st

Caswell William, Harley

Clayton William, Barrow st

Griffiths Joshua, Shineton st

Mason William, High st

Massey Thomas, High st

Richards Francis, Barrow st

Seabury Richard, Shineton st

Seabury Thomas, Turnpike gate

Smith John, Shineton st

BUTCHERS.

Bailey John, Harley

Barnett Joseph, Spittle st

Cooper Samuel, Wilmore st

Harper William, Spittle st

Madeley Richard, High st

CONFECTIONERS.

Boycott Richard, Spittle st

Mason Sarah, Barrow st

Poyner William John, Spittle st

CURRIERS.

Amphlett Joseph, High st

Phillips Henry, Barrow st

DRUGGISTS.

Horton Robert (& chemist), Spittle st

Jones Wm. (& fellmonger), Spittle st

EARTHENWARE DEALERS.

Evans Mary, High st

Wooten George, High st

FIRE, &c. OFFICE AGENTS.

Legal & Commercial (life), William Griffiths, Barrow st

Norwich Union (general hailstorm), Robert Edmund Hartland, Barrow st

Royal Farmers’ and General (life), Joseph Rhoden, High st

Salop, William Griffiths, Barrow st

Shropshire and North Wales, R. C. Blakeway, Bull ring

GROCERS AND DEALERS IN SUNDRIES.

Belcher Charles, Wilmore st

Bryon Ann, High st

Casuall William, Wilmore st

Hopton William, High st

Instone Thomas, Barrow st

Jones William, Spittle st

Palmer Thomas, Shineton st

Pinkstone Henry, Barrow st

Thomas Charles, High st

Trevor Edward, Spittle street and Wilmore st

Trevor Henry, Spittle street

Williams Thomas, Spittle st

HATTERS.

Mason Sarah (& hosier), Barrow st

Moreton Francis, Spittle st

INNS & PUBLIC HOUSES.

Black Lion, Thos. Beavan, Barrow st

Bull’s Head, Jerh. Aston, Spittle st

Crown, Jemima Rowe, Spittle st

Falcon, George Wheeler, High st

Feathers, Humphrey Jones, Harley

Fox, John Cooper, High st

George, Thos. Ainsworth, Spittle st

Harp, Wm. Reynolds, High st

Pheasant, Geo. Moreton, jun. Wilmore st

Plough, Mary Horton, Barrow st

Punch Bowl, Edwd. Mason, Bull ring

Raven (and inland revenue office), Robt. Edmund Hartland, Barrow st

Robin Hood, John Felteaus, the Bank

Royal Oak, Wm. Boak, Barrow st

Talbot, Alice Moreton, Spittle st

Unicorn, Richard Langford, Harley

Wheatsheaf, Benjamin Lightwood, Spittle street

Wynnstay Arms (late White Hart, commercial and posting house), Joseph Rhoden, High st

IRONMONGERS.

Haynes Thomas, Spittle st

Mansell Thomas, Spittle st

JOINERS.

Christopher James, Barrow st

Fox Wm. (& cabinet makr), Spittle st

Gwynn William, Harley

LIME BURNERS.

Cooper Jeremiah, Bank

Edwards Elizabeth, Bank

Harrington Edward, Wenlock’s edge

Harrington Francis, Wenlock’s edge

Harrington Thos. Wenlock’s edge

Jukes Thomas, Wenlock’s edge

Jukes William, the Coates

Mason Edward, Bull ring

Nicklin John, Wenlock’s edge

Onions John, Wenlock’s edge

Sheppard George, Wenlock’s edge

LINEN & WOOLLEN DRAPRS.

Bowyer M. & E. Wilmore st

Jeffreys Elizabeth, Barrow st

Johnstone Thomas, High st

Summers Thomas, Barrow st

MALTSTERS.

Canlin Wm. (& hop dealer), High st

Moreton George, jun. Spittle st

MILLERS.

Jeffrey William, Town’s Mill

Maddox John, Harley

MILLINERS & DRESS MAKRS.

Cooper Lettice, High st

Heaford Hannah, Barrow st

Idens Ann, Spittle st

Wilkinson Ann, St. Mary’s lane

PLUMBERS AND GLAZIERS.

Elmer John, High st

Share Thomas, Barrow st

Woofe John, High st

SADDLERS.

Minshall Josiah, High st

Reynolds Luke, High st

Woofe William, High st

SURGEONS.

Brookes Andrew Goode, Cressage

Brookes William P. Wilmore st

James William, High st

TAILORS.

Bailey William, St. Mary’s lane

Johnson John, Barrow st

Johnson Thos. (& hosier), Spittle st

Tilley Wm. Sampson, Shineton st

WHEELWRIGHTS.

Edwards Thomas, High st

Pearce Charles, Barrow st

MISCELLANEOUS.

Adney Geo. & Edwd. tanners, Shineton st

Almshouses, Shineton st

Ashton John, beer retailer, the Bank

Burd George, clerk to the magistrates, Bull ring

Corn Market and Agricultural Library, Spittle st—Mr. William P. Brookes; secretary; Mr. George Burd, treasurer; Mr. Edwin Yardley, librarian

Evans Mary, straw bonnet mkr, Spittle st

Guild Hall, Wilmore st

Hartland Robert Edmund, collector of assessed taxes, Raven Inn, Barrow st

Hinton Edward, agent to Sir Watkin Williams Wynne, the Abbey

Inland Revenue Office, at the Raven Inn Barrow st—Charles Barratt, supervisor

James John, farrier, Shineton st

James William A. registrar of births and deaths

Lawley Thomas, bookseller & printer, Wilmore st

Nicholson Martha, tea dealer, Barrow st

Onions Thomas, beer retailer, Shineton st

Nicholson Martha, tea dealer, Barrow st

Palmer Thomas, nail maker, Shineton st

Stamp Office, Spittle street—Henry Trevor, sub-distributer

Wheeler John, watch maker, High st

Yardley Edwin, cooper, High st

Yates Thomas, hair dresser, Spittle st

OMNIBUS.

To SHREWSBURY, the British Queen, from the Wynnstay Arms, every Saturday morning at eight.

RAILWAY.

The nearest Station is at Wellington, on the Birmingham and Shrewsbury line—about ten miles N.N.E. from Wenlock.

CARRIERS.

To BRIDGNORTH, John Jones and William Clayton, from their houses, every Saturday.

To SHREWSBURY, Jeremiah Aston, from the Bull’s Head, Wednesday and Saturday, and Richard Nicklin, from his house, Mon. Thurs. and Saturday