Bridgenorth is a borough and market town, in the hundred of Slotterden and county of Salop. It is delightfully situated on both banks of the river Severn. Pop. 5,065, chiefly employed in the manufacture of cloth, stockings, carpet-making, and iron-melting, and steel tools; it has, however, a large business connected with the navigation of the Severn, to which it forms a sort of depôt. Markets on Saturday; fairs, Thursday before Shrove-tide; May 1; June 30, August 2; and October 29, for horned cattle, horses, sheep, wool, linen, yarn, butter, and cheese. There are two churches in the town; one, dedicated to St. Leonard, is a curacy, not in charge, and exempt from visitation; P.R. 283. The other, dedicated to St. Mary, is also a curacy, under the same circumstances as the former; the livings are in the gift of Thomas Whimore, Esq., of Apley Park. The town has places of Worship for various classes of Dissenters, a Free Grammar School for the sons of burgesses, and Almshouses for widows. The government of the town is vested in 2 Bailiffs, a Recorder, a Deputy Recorder, 24 Aldermen, 48 Common Councilmen, 2 Bridge Masters, a Town-clerk, 2 Serjeants-at-mace, and various subordinate officers. It has sent members to Parliament since the time of Edward the First, and the Reform Bill confirmed the privilege; the electors are about 700 in number, and return two representatives; the Bailiff is the returning officer. The situation of the town has been said to resemble that of Jerusalem in
