The Innellan

Engraved by Schulte from an Original Drawing by W. Warner

Dated: Aug. 22, 1776. By Order of the King's Council, London.

BRIDGENORTH.

BRIDGNORTH,

AN ancient borough in Shropshire, occupying a moat pictureque and romantic situation on the Severn, which divides it into upper and lower town; over the Severn is a bridge of seven arches, supposed to have been originally built by the widow of Etheldred, King of the Mercians, about the year 675.

BRIDGNORTH Caftle is of Danish structure, and has flood above 900 years. The town was walled round by Robert de Belefme, Earl of Shrewsbury, who afterwards revolted from Henry I. as did Roger de Mortimer, from Henry II. relying on the strength of the place, but both unsuccessfully, as they were obliged to surrender. At the fief of this place occurred one of those rare instances of loyalty and friendship we sometimes hear of, that of a subject sacrificing his own life to fave his king.

Hubert de St. Clare observing an arrow directed at Henry II. and having no way to prevent its effect, stepped before him, and received it in his own heart.

BRIDGNORTH remained the property of the crown till granted by Richard III. to John Sutton, Lord Dudley; it has been several times besieged, but suffered most in the civil wars, the citadel being gallantly defended for King Charles, by Sir Lewis Kirk; there are now but very small remains of the caftle, which was on the highest part of the rock, and had a very extensive command of the country. On the west bank of the river flood a magnificent convent, under which were several remarkable large caverns and vaults; and in some parts of the town, excavations in the rock are united to the dwellings; indeed, the whole town has a singular appearance.

In BRIDGNORTH are two churches; and on the Caftle Hill is a walk, which King Charles I. laid he thought the pleafanteft in his dominions. The town, which conſits only of three streets, paved with pebbles, is populous, and has a good trade, both by land and water.

The corporation of BRIDGNORTH is of a very ancient grant, and its privileges are considerable; it is exempt from the payment of tolls, cuſtoms, &c. to any other place, while it receives many. Its internal government is in the hands of two bailiffs, annually elected, 24 aldermen, a recorder, 48 common council, and a town clerk.

The bailiffs *pro tempore* are lords of the manor for the town and its surrounding liberties; and it ſends two members to Parliament, which are elected by the free burgeſſes.

Here is a free school for the burgeſſes' fons, from whence are ſent and maintained 18 ſcholars at the University of Oxford; likewife an hofpital for poor widows; but the church endowments are very deficient, the ancient revenues having been entirely alienated by the ſtatutes of diſolution.

The market of BRIDGNORTH is on Saturday, and is well ſupplied and attended. There are annually four fairs; a very thriving ſtocking manuſactory is carried on here; as alſo of late years the trade of gun-making. The diſtance of the town from the capital of the kingdom is 135 miles, and 15 from Shrewsbury, the county town.

The bridge has ſuffered considerably from floods, and the gate-house on it has very recently been pulled down.