Shropshire Routes to Roots

Trade directories: History and Description of Broseley (Pigot's Directory, 1821-1822)

History and description of Broseley, 1821-1822 [Shropshire Archive reference: Pigot's Directory, 1821-1822]

BROSELEY, MADELEY,
COALBROOK-DALE, COALPORT, IRON-BRIDGE, BENTHALL, & NEIGHBOURHOODS.

BROSELEY, a market town and parish, in the liberties of Wenlock, is 146 miles from London, 25 from Ludlow, and 13 from Shrewsbury, situated on the Severn, which river separates it from Madeley, Ironbridge and Coalbrook-dale. The mines of coal here are very extensive, which are worked and appropriated on the spot to various iron furnaces, potteries, &c. as well as to the manufacture of glazed pipes, for which it has been long noted. A court of requests is held here for the recovery of small debts. Here is one church under the establishment, and three dissenting chapels; the benefice of the former is a vicarage, in the incumbency of the Rev. Townend Forester. The market day is on Wednesday, and the fairs are the last Tuesday in April and October the 28th. The population of Broseley parish contained, in 1811, 4,850 inhabitants, and in 1821, 4,814, the reduced population being attributed to the depression of the iron trade.

MADELEY, or Madeley Market, is a parish and market town, in the same liberties as Broseley; the town extending to COALBROOK-DALE, which is accounted a part of it, and connected therewith in its trade and history. The iron works of this parish are supposed to be the most considerable of any in England; the forges, mills and steam engines, with all their vast machinery, the flaming furnaces, and smoaking lime kilns, form a spectacle horribly sublime, while the stupendous iron arch, striding over the Severn, gives these scenes a yet nearer resemblance to the ideas in romance. The famous iron bridge was built in the year 1779, the whole having been previously cast in open sand; all the principal parts were erected in three months, without any accident to the work or workmen, or the least obstruction to the navigation of the river. This great work, which has given name to a part of the parish, IRONBRIDGE, has every claim to attention as an effort of great mechanical genius, and is only surpassed by the bridge at Bishop's-Wearmouth.

At COALPORT, two miles from Ironbridge, are the celebrated china manufactories, which are well worth the minute inspection of the visitant, as indeed is the whole of this curious and romantic neighbourhood; where may be seen winding glens, vast hills and hanging woods; while the bosom of the noble Severn, that so essentially contributes to the prosperity of this district, in bearing away the articles of trade produced here, adds also to the general beauty of the country through which it glides. The market-day is on Friday, held at Ironbridge, and the fairs, which are held at Madeley, are January 26th, May 29th and October the 12th. The parish of Madeley, by the last census, contained 5,379 inhabitants.

BENTHALL, a parish and village, 2 miles and a half north of Much Wenlock, has a population of about 600 inhabitants, who are chiefly supported by potteries established here.

POST OFFICE, BROSELEY, Hannah Guest, Post Mistress - A horse post is despatched to SHIFFNAL every morning at a quarter before four with letters for the North and LONDON Mails, and arrives at half-past four in the afternoon - IRONBRIDGE, William Smith, Post Master - A horse post is despatched to SHIFNALL every morning with letters for the North and LONDON Mails, and arrives at four in the afternoon.