WORCESTER, a borough of England and the capital of Worcestershire, is situated in a fine vale on the banks of the Severn, over which there is a handsome stone bridge of five arches, built in 1780. The principal streets are the Firegate street, the High street, the Broad street, and Bridge street, which are regular and beautiful, and contain many handsome houses. The cathedral is a fine speci men of the simple Gothic, and is remarkable for its height and extent, as well as for the lightness of its architecture. It is 514 feet long, 78 broad, 68 high, with an ornamented and elegantly embattled tower, which rises from the centre of the cross aisle to the height of 200 feet. The interior is distinguished by the regularity and beauty of its architecture, and by the numerous monuments which it contains. The choir is particularly fine, and the stalls elegantly carved. The cast window over the altar, and the octagonal stone pulpit, with emblematic sculpture, deserve notice. The organ has a fine tone and excels all others in its trumpet stop. In going up to the altar the spectator is ar rested by an altar tomb in the centre and near the east end, which is the tomb of King John, sur mounted with his effigy, and bearing the almost effaced inscription of Johannes Rex .Inghae. In 1797, the stone coffin was taken up, and the royal corpse found in it. On the south side of the altar is Prince Arthur's sepulchral chapel, one of the most elaborate parts of the cathedral. The clois ters now inhabited by the dignitaries of the cathe dral are 125 feet long and 16 wide. On the south side of the cathedral is the college green, on the east side of which is a gate called Edgar's tower, having on the outer front statues of that king and his two queens. The bishop's palace stands on the banks of the Severn, in a commanding situation. Parts of the ditch of the ancient castle are yet to be traced.
There are seven parish churches within the walls, and two without. The most important are St. Michael's, St. Andrew's, and All-Saints. St. Andrew's is very beautiful and has a lofty spire. All-Saints church is a handsome modern edifice.
There are also meeting houses for catholics and other dissenters.
The guildhall, finished in 1723, is a handsome brick building with stone corners. The chief en trance, which is by semicircular steps, is adorned with rich composite columns, with statues of the two Charles' in niches, and one of Queen Anne.
The county jail, enlarged in 1775, is on the Howard plan. It has two large court yards, and a centre house for the jailor. The city jail was once part of a house of Franciscan friars. "Fhe other build ings are the city bridewell, the infirmary, and various hospitals, alms-houses,and charity-schools, together with a Lancasterian school. The market place is a handsome building with a fine stone front, with excellent interior arrangements. The high market is a large quadrangle, having on three sides lofty ranges of large and regular warehouses. The theatre is a neat The principal manufacture is that of gloves, which is carried on upon a great scale both for home consumption and exportation. The annual returns are estimated at £100,000, and the persons employed at 500 women, besides the men. The royal porcelain works carried on by Messrs. Flight, Barr, and Barr, have produced from British mate rials the most beautiful and highly finished specimens of the art, which completely equal if they do not surpass the best foreign productions. Population of the city of Worcester in 1821, 3037 houses, 3786 families. 3247 ditto in trade, and total number of inhabitants 17,023. See Chamber's History, 4-c. ofIl'orcester, 1818, and the Beautiesof England and Wales, vol. xv. part i. \VORCESTER,county of Maryland, the extreme southeastern of that state, bounded by Accoma county of Virginia S., Somerset county in Mary land W., Sussex county in Delaware N., and by the Atlantic ocean E. Length from S. to N. 30 miles, mean width, including the islands, 25, but excluding the islands 20, the area with that of the islands about 700 square miles. Most maps ex tend this county, and of course the state of Maryland, to N. Lat. 58°; this is however a mistake, the real southern boundary is not along a curve of latitude, but is on the Atlantic ocean about 3 minutes, and on Pocomoke bay, upwards of 1 minute, N. of Lat. The northern boundary is on N. Lat. 38° 28', and the country lies between Long. 1° 24' and 1° 55' E. from W. C. The declivity is to the S.W., and drained in that direction by Pocomoke river, which is discharged into Chesapeake bay. The surface is level and soil sandy. Chief town, Snow hill. By the post-office list of 1831, there were post-offices at Berlin, Newark, Newtown, Poplar town, Saint Martin's, Sandy Hill and Snow Hill. Population in 1820, 17,421; in 1830, 18,271.