  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
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 |
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