The Borough of Oswestry is situated on the north-west border of Shropshire, in the Diocese of St. Asaph, and Deanery of Marchia, and in the Hundred to which it gives name. In 1535, by a statute of Henry VIII., Oswestry, with Whittington, Maesbrook, Knockin, Ellesmere, Down, and Chirbury, was, by Act of Parliament, severed from Wales, and annexed to the County of Salop. The Hundred of Oswestry is bounded on the west by Montgomeryshire and Denbighshire; on the north by the rivers Ceiriog and Dee, and the stream of Shelbrook, which separates it from Denbighshire and Flintshire; on the east by the Hundred of Pimhill; and on the south by the rivers Vyrnwy and Severn, which divide it from Montgomeryshire, and from the Hundred of Ford.

The Upper Division of the Hundred contains the parishes of

St. Martin,

Whittington,

Selattyn (part of),

Oswestry (part of),

Llanymynech (part of),

Llansilin (part of),

West Felton (part of),

Ellesmere (part of),

Llanyblodwel,

and the extra-parochial places of Halston and Heath Farm.

The parish of St. Martin contains the townships of Ifton Rhyn (upper), Ifton Rhyn (lower), Weston Rhyn (upper), Weston Rhyn (lower), and Bronygarth (east and west).The parish of Whittington contains the townships of Whittington, Welsh Frankton, Old Marton (part of), Berghill, Daywell, Fernhill, Hindford, Henlle, and Ebnall.

The parish of Selattyn contains the townships of Porkington (upper), and Porkington (lower).

The parish of Oswestry contains the townships of Oswestry, Middleton, Aston, Hisland, Wooton, Sweeney, Weston Cotton, Maesbury, Llanvorda, Pentregaer, Cynynion, Coed-tan y gaer, Treferclawdd, Treflach, Trefonen, and Crickheath. The parish of Oswestry contains also the township and chapelry of Morton, which are in the Lower Division of the Hundred.

The parish of Llanyblodwel contains the townships of Llanyblodwel, Abertanat, Blodwel, Bryn, and Llynclis, or Llunck-Llys.

The parish of Llanymynech contains the townships of Carreghofa, Llanymynech and Llwyntidman. The parish of Llanymynech contains also the township of Treprenal, which is in the Lower Division. The rest of the parish is in Denbighshire, and, for election and other purposes, is annexed to Montgomeryshire.

The parish of Ellesmere, in the Upper Division of the Hundred of Oswestry, contains the townships of Dudleston (upper), and Dudleston (lower). The other townships in the parish are in the Ellesmere Division of the Hundred of Pimhill.

The parish of West Felton contains the townships of Woolston (part of), Sandford, and Twyford. The other townships in this parish, namely, West Felton, Sutton, Rednal, Haughton, and Tedsmere, are in the Lower Division.

The parish of Llansilin has only one township in Shropshire (Sychtyn). The rest of the parish is in Denbighshire.The Lower Division of the Hundred contains the parishes

The parish of West Felton contains the townships of West Felton, Rednal, Sutton, Haughton, and Tedsmere, or Tedsmore. The other townships in the parish, namely, Woolston, Sandford, and Twyford, are, as already stated, in the Upper Division.

The parish of Knockin contains only the township of Knockin.

The parish of Ruyton (of the Eleven Towns) contains the townships of Ruyton, Cotton, Shotatton, Shelvocke, Eardiston, and Wikey.

The parish of Kinnerley contains the townships of Kinnerley and Argoed, Dovaston, Kynaston, or Kinaston, Maesbrook-issa, Maesbrook-ucha, Edgerley, Tir-y-Coed, and Osbaston.

The parish of Melverley contains the townships of Melverley (upper), and Melverley (lower).

The parish of Oswestry, in the Lower Division of the Hundred, contains only the township of Morton.

The parish of Llanymynech, in the Lower Division of the Hundred, contains the townships of Carreghofa and Treprenal.

The Manors in Oswestry Parish are Aston, Duparts, and Middleton. Aston includes the townships of Aston, Hisland, and Wooton, and also Twyford, in West Felton parish. Duparts includes the township of Crickheath, Cynynion, Llanvorda, Maesbury, Morton, Pentre-gaer, Sweeney, with Weston Cotton, and the township of Sychtyn, in Llansilin parish. Middleton includes the township of Middleton, and Oswestry the town and liberties of Oswestry. Lady of the Manor for Aston, Mrs. Lloyd; and Lord of the Manor of Oswestry and Duparts, the Earl of Powis.

POPULATION.

The population of the town and parish, in 1801, amounted to 5,839; and the number of houses, 788. In 1811 the population of the town and parish had increased to 6,733. In 1821 the returns showed that the population of the town and parish was still on the increase, the number of males and females being 7,523. The population of the town and liberties, in June, 1831, was—males, 2,007; females, 2,471; total, 4,478. The return further showed that the number of houses in course of being built, was 3; houses uninhabited, 29; ditto inhabited, 885; families engaged in agriculture, 11; in trade, 276; all others, 613. Total number of families, 899. Male servants, 42; females, 311; retired tradesmen, 38; clergy, educated men, &c., 79; handicraft, 567; gardeners, &c., 232. The returns for 1841 were as follows;—Town and Liberties, 4,569; Parish, 4,277; total, 8,846. Houses occupied in the town, 931; unoccupied and building, 68; in the parish, 886; unoccupied and building, 18. In 1851 the census returns were as follows:—

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

A return was made in 1854, giving the following details on agriculture, in reference to Oswestry Town and Liberties, Oswestry Parish, and other parishes within the Hundred:—The total number of acres occupied in the Town and Liberties of Oswestry, the Parish of Oswestry, Llansilin, Llanyblodwel, Selattyn, Llwyntidman, Sychtyn, St. Martin’s, Chirk, Whittington, Felton, Ruyton, Knockin, and Kinnerley, was 78,301; sown with wheat, 7,909 acres; with barley, 6,512; oats, 2,924; rye, 39¾; beans and peas, 275; vetches, 160; turnips, 4,420½; mangold, 48¼; carrots, 24; potatoes, 566; flax, 5. Total under tillage, 24,013; clover, lucerne, and other artificial grasses, 6,307¼; permanent pasture, 3,198; irrigated meadows, 2,599¼; sheep walks and downs, 3,095½; total under grass, 63,990; number of acres in houses, gardens, roads, fences, &c., 1,468¾; number of acres in waste (if any) attached to the farms, 2,258; horses, 2,618; colts, 802; milch cows, 6,854; calves, 5,571; other cattle, including working oxen, 4,636; tups, 588; ewes, 12,509; lambs, 9,047; other sheep, 4,572; swine, 7,142; number of acres in wood and plantations, 3,749; common lands, 227.

The greatest registered quantity of wheat, according to the excise returns, ever sold in one day at Oswestry market, was disposed of on Wednesday, the 11th of July, 1855, namely, 4,373 imperial measures.