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Bewdley in Worcester County England History and GeographyBEWDLEY, a borough, market town, and chapelry in the parish of RIBBESFORD, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the lower division of the hundred of DODDINGTREE, county of WORCESTER, 14 milcs (N.W.) from Worcester, and 122 (N.W.) from London, containing 3725 inhabitants. This place, from the pleasantness of its situation, and the beauty of the surrounding scenery, anciently obtained the appellation of Beau lieu, of which its present name is a corruption. In the 13th of Henry IV., a petition was presented to parliament from the men of 'Bristowe' and Gloucester, praying that they might navigate the river Severn without being subject to new taxes levied by the men of Beaudley. At this time Bewdley appears to have enjoyed many privileges, among which was that of sanctuary for persons who had shed blood: it was formerly extra-parochial, but by letters patent granted by Henry VI., was annexed to the parish of Ribbesford. Edward IV. gave the inhabitants a charter of incorporation in the 12th year of his reign; and Henry VII. erected a palace here for his son Arthur, in which that prince was married by proxy to Catherine of Arragon, and dying soon after at Ludlow, his corpse was removed to this town, where it lay in state previously to interment in the cathedral church of Worcester. Bewdley, formerly included in the marches of Wales, was, by an act of parliament passed in the reign of Henry VIII., added to the county of Worcester. During the civil war in the reign of Charles I., that monarch, who had been driven from Oxford by the parliamentary forces, retired with the remnant of his army to this town, where he encamped, in order to keep the river Severn between him and the enemy. Whilst staying here, he was attacked by a party of Scottish cavalry, when several of his officers, and seventy men, were made prisoners. In these attacks the palace was greatly damaged, and was subsequently taken down; the site is now occupied by a modern dwelling-house, and not a single vestige of the original edifice can, with certainty, be traced. The more ancient part of the town was built at a greater distance from the river, and the street called Load-street is supposed to have been the place where the inhabitants loaded their boats: there were formerly four gates, two of which were standing in 1811, but they have since been entirely demolished. Bewdley is beautifully situated on the western bank of the river Severn, over which a light and elegant stone bridge was erected in 1797: the main street, leading from the bridge, diverges right and left, but extends farthest in the latter direction; it is indifferently paved and not lighted. The houses are, in general, well built, and of respectable appearance; and several of them, erected at different elevations on the slope of the hill rising from the bank of the river, with well cultivated gardens, and tastefully disposed pleasure grounds, present an appearance truly picturesque: the inhabitants are amply supplied with water; the air is salubrious, and the surrounding scenery richly and pleasingly diversified. Some years since, Bewdley was a place of considerable trade, having two markets and four fairs, and for a long period was the mart from which the neigh bouring towns were supplied with grocery and other articles of consumption; but in consequence of the recent construction of a canal from Stourport to Stourbridge, that portion of its trade has been diverted to other towns. The manufacture of woollen caps, known by the name of Dutch caps, was introduced here in consequence of the plague prevailing at Monmouth, where it had previously been carried on, and, being encouraged by legislative enactments in the reign of Elizabeth, it continued for some time to flourish, but has now declined, and the trade is principally in malt, the tanning of leather, and the making of combs. The market is on Saturday: fairs are held, April 23d, July 26th, and December 10th and 11th. The government of the borough, by charter of incorporation granted by James I., and confirmed by Queen Anne, is vested in a bailiff, high steward, recorder, deputy recorder, (who is usually the town clerk), and twelve capital burgesses. The bailiff, who is also coroner and clerk of the market, the late bailiff, and the recorder are justices of the peace: the freedom of the borough is obtained only by gift. The corporation hold a court of session annually, in which the bailiff, the late bailiff, and the recorder preside; a court of record for all pleas, and for the recovery of debts under £100, in which the bailiff, or, in his absence, a deputy appointed by him from among the capital burgesses, and the recorder, preside; and a court leet, at which constables and other officers are appointed. The town hall is a neat building of stone, erected in 1818; the front is decorated with six square pilasters supporting a pediment, in which are the arms of the family of Lyttleton: under the hall is the entrance into the market place, which has an arcade on each side for stalls, and an open area in the centre; at the extremity are two small prisons, one for malefactors, the other for debtors. The elective franchise was conferred by James I., since which time Bewdley has returned one member to parliament: the right of election is vested exclusively in the bailiff and burgesses, thirteen in number; the bailiff is the returning officer. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry of Salop, and diocese of Hereford, endowed with £8 per annum, the revenue of a dissolved chantry which formerly existed here, and in the patronage of the Rector of Ribbesford. The chapel, a neat stone edifice at the upper end of the street leading from the bridge, was erected in 1748. There are places of worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians. The free grammar school, founded and endowed in 1591, by William Monnox, or Mormoye, and further endowed in 1599, by Humphrey Hill, was made a royal foundation by charter of James I.; the endowment, augmented by subsequent benefactions, produces a salary of £26 per annum to the master, who has also a house rent-free: a collection of books, the gift of the Rev. Thomas Wigan, is deposited in the school, under the care of the master, and the rector of Ribbesford, for the use of the clergy and laity in the neighbourhood. The blue coat school for thirty boys and thirty girls, is supported by subscription. Almshouses for six aged men, founded by Mr. Sayer, of Nettlestead, in the county of Suffolk, and endowed with £30 per annum, were rebuilt in 1763, by Sir Edward Winnington, Bart., member for the borough. Burlton's almshouses for fourteen aged women, were founded and endowed in 1645; and eight other almshouses were erected and moderately endowed in 1693, by Mr. Thomas Cook. John Tombes, a celebrated biblical critic of the seventeenth century; and Richard Willis, Bishop of Winchester, and principal founder of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, were natives of this town. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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