The Sun. — 1833-10-05 (London, England)

THE OLD THEATRE, SHREWSBURY.  The very ancient and spacious structure on St. John's-hill, in this town, in modern times occupied as a theatre, was this week razed to the ground. The walls were more than four feet thick; but, in consequence of passages having been cut out of the walls, they, as well as the roof, were utterly dangerous; and the calamitous deaths occasioned in June, in 1821, by the falling of a wall, must be in the memory of many of our readers. When or by whom the structure was built, is unknown. Phillips, in his History of Shrewsbury (published in 1789), states that, in the year 1326, it was then " in the possession of John de Charlton, Lord of Powis, who obtained leave of King Edward to fortify it with a wall of stone, embattled." This Hall was afterwards granted to the family of Warring, at 133. 4d. rent. The following extracts are from a MS. in the Exchequer, at Shrewsbury, marked A. 34. " Henry Gray, Earl of Tankerville, and Lord of Powis, gave to Thomas de Bromley of Salop, merchant, one messuage or dwelling house, called Charlton Hall, with the buildings and nine tenements, two cellars, with a garden, and all other lands belonging to the said messuage, lying in the town of Salop, in length between a parcel of waste ground called Behind the Walls, on the one part, and in breadth between the land of William Alytton,Esq. and the land of John Grace. Dated Anno Henry VI. 24." The Grant runs thus :  " One great Hall called Charlton Hall, one great Stone adjoining to the said Hall, one large Cellar under the said Hall, and one great Garden enclosed on either side with a atone wall, which (to wit the said Hall, Cellar, and Garden) lie together in Salop, in a street called Shoplatch, extending in length by the King's Highway, to that part of the King's Highway leading from the aforesaid street towards the (old) Church of St Chad. Dated Anno Henry VI. 49."  During the last few weeks, in taking down this ancient structure, which has existed so many centuries, nothing of importance has been discovered, except a few gothic tiles, and ancient pipes for smoking. A human skull was discovered secreted in the roof, and some consternation was visible among the workmen, who expected thence to trace a horrid murder ! But the fact is, the skull had been hid by a man who belonged to the theatre, that it might be produced when wanted for Hamlet's grave-digger or other theatrical representations. The purchaser of the late building is Mr. Bennett, the respectable proprietor of the Worcester and other theatres, and he is about to erect here a modern and elegant building for theatrical talent and scenic display. The building will have handsome shops on the ground floor; and the interior of the theatre will be adapted to musical festivals, masquerades, lecture or auction rooms, &c. We hope the proprietor will be amply rewarded by public patronage.—Shrewsbury Chronicle.  We are happy to learn, by further arrivals from Davis' Straits, that the whale fishing continues to be uncommonly successful. As yet we have only heard of one loss this season, namely, the Ingria, of Hull. A Joint-stock Bank is intended to be immediately formed at Walsall, under the appellation of the Walsall and South S.affordshire Banking Company." The capital to be 300,0001., divided into shares of 501. each. P. Potter, Esq. of Gorway House, near Walsall, is Chairman of the Committee for the establishment of the above bank  A Correspondent says, that the General "!:D"nald; who is left to command the troops of Don >slguel, was some years ago a bankrupt in this country as a wine-merchant' He is well known to the house of Reay and Nephews, of Mark-lane. He adds, that Marshal l Beresford used to say of him, that be was the only man whovalid make the Portuguese fight.