BROSELEY, a market town of England, in the county of Salop, is situated on the river Severn, which separates it from Madelev, 145 miles N. W. from Lon don. It possesses considerable iron-works, where can non and all kinds of cast-iron articles are founded ; and also a manufactory for glazed tobacco-pipes. But it is chiefly remarkable for a curious burning spring in the neighbourhood, which was discovered in June 1711. It was first announced by a terrible noise in the night time, which awaked several people that lived near it, who, going out to ascertain the cause, perceived, about 200 yards from the Severn, a surprising shaking of the earth, and a little boiling up of water through the grass.
Upon digging round the spring, the water sprung up to a great height, and a candle, which they held in their hand, set it on fire. This circumstance excited great curiosity ; and many persons, from different parts of the country, came to visit the burning well. To pre vent it from being destroyed, an iron cistern was placed upon it, with a small hole in the middle of the cover, through which the water might be viewed. When a lighted candle was put into this hole, the water im mediately took fire, darting and flashing in a violent manner, much in the same way as spirits in a lamp, but with greater agitation. Its heat exceeded that of any other combustible matter. It would sometimes burn for 48 hours together, without any sensible diminu tion ; and an ordinary tea-kettle, full of water, by being placed upon the hole, was made to boil in nine minutes.
In 1747, it had been lost for many years ; and the poor man in whose land it was, missing the profit which it brought him by shewing it to strangers, applied his utmost endeavours to recover it ; and, after many fruit less attempts, he happened to hit upon it, about 30 yards nearer the river, by attending to a rumbling noise under ground, similar to that by which it was first dis covered. It, however, completely disappeared in 1755, by the sinking of a coal-pit in the neighbourhood. Some have attempted to account for this phenomenon, by sup posing the water to have been mixed with petroleum, one of the most inflammable substances in nature, and which has the property of burning in water ; and others, that the vapour produced by the fermentation of coal and iron-ore, which abound in the vicinity, by ascending with violence through the chinks of the earth, gave the water its turbulent motion and inflammable quality.
Broseley is chiefly inhabited by colliers and miners, and carries on a considerable trade in coals with the different towns upon the Severn. Houses, 1022 ; popu lation, 4832. See Philosophical Trans. for 1712, vol. xxviii. p. 475; and for 1747, vol. xliv. p. 370; also Pen nant's Tour. (1.)