Limestone is quarried in various places, but par ticularly at Lilleshall, Porth-y-wain, and Llanymynech, and likewise in the parishes of Cardiston and Alder bury. The limestone in the south forms the northern extremity of a long range, which joins 1Venlock, in a south-west direction, to Hope Bowdler Hill, near Church Stretton, and thence in a southerly direction to the neighbourhood of Ludlow. In many parts of the irregular band of limestone, mentioned in the para graphs on coal,especially near Oswestry, the limestone is in the state or perfect marble, and there have been round in it small quantities both of leach and copper.
The sandstone, which is round so extensively in Shropshire, is chiefly red; but in some places it is found white, particularly at Grinshill, where it has been quarried to a great extent, For the churches, bridges, and other public edifices in Shrewsbury.
In the coal field orColebrookdale there is a spring of petroleum, which formerly yielded a great quantity or this mineral tar. It also exudes from a red sandstone at Pitchford, about seven miles south-east of Shrews bury. From this rock has been extracted an oil known by the name or Betton's British oil. A quartz and clay have been found in the lordship or Cadington, the first of which is said to be superior to that im ported from Caermarthenshire for the potteries of Staffordshire. Copper and blende, which yields ca lamine, is also found in the Stipertones, but neither of them have been wrought with any success. There is a brine spring in the same district with the Pitch ford rock.
The principal seat of the manufactures of Shrop shire is Colebrookdztle," which," says Authur Young, " is a winding glen between two enormous hills, which break into various forms, being all thickly covered, and forming most beautiful sheets of hanging woods. The noise or the forges, mills, furnaces, &c. with all their vast machinery; the flames bursting from the furnaces, with the burning coal and smoke of the limekilns, are altogether horribly sublime." Iron works exist also at Ketley and Oakengates. Besides the process of separating the iron from its ore, and bringing it into the state of bar and pig iron, iron goods of various kinds are manufactured. All the iron bridges in the county, the iron work of Pontcysylte aque duct, which is all of iron, except the piers, and many of the iron bridges erected in other parts or the king dom, have been made in Shropshire. At Coalport, coloured china of all kinds, and likewise Queen's or Wedgcwood ware, is manufactured. At Caughlcy there is an excellent china manufacture; and at Brosely, garden-pots, tobacco, paper, and coarse arti cles of earthen-ware are made. Considerable potte ries have been established in the district of Colebrook dale, particularly one for ironstone china, which has greatly lowered the price of that article. A work is also carried on here for obtaining coal tar from the condensed smoke of the coal. Cotton manufac tories have been established at Coleham and other places, which rival the largest in Lancashire. Many
branches of the linen trade have been carried on in the northern part of the county, and some of the coarser kinds or woollens have been manufactured in different districts, and several mills have been established for dyeing woollen cloths.
The trade of Shropshire has been greatly benefited by the canals which have been carried on to a great extent, and of which a very minute account will be found in our article NAVIGATION INLAND. The navi gation of the Severn yet requires much improvement. Pathways have for some time been constructing along its banks, in order that horses may be employed in place of men in towing the barges up the river.
At the time of the Roman invasion, during the reign of Claudius, Shropshire was inhabited by the Ordovices and Cornavii. It was afterwards part of the province of Flavia Ccesariensis. The principal Ro man stations were Uriconium, now Wroxeter, Me diolanum. near Drayton, and Rutunium, near Wer. Watling Street enters the county on the cast between Cracklay bank and Weston, and passes through it in a bending line to Leintwardine, in Herefordshire. Some of the principal remains of ancient architecture are Haugmond Abbey; the walls of \Vroxeter, which are of Roman and British construction; the abbey of Buildwas; the monastery of Wenlock; Ludlow Castle, the residence of the Sidneys and the place where some of Milton's works were composed; Wannington Castle; Lilleshall Abbey, remarkable for sonic highly ornamented Norman arches; and Roscabel House, with the oak which sheltered Charles II. after the battle of Worcester. The most remarkable encamp ments are the Roman camp. called the Walls at Quat ford, and those of Buryditchcs, Purslow, Basford Gate, and Hawkstone.
The estates are here of various sizes. A few noble men and gentlemen possess estates from 10.000 to 25,000 acres. The number of freeholders entitled to vote for the two members sent from the county amount to 3000, and the total rental, including tythes.
about -1900,000.
The following are the principal residences in the county. \Volcat Hall, Earl Powis; Hardwicke, Lord Hill; Rosshall and WeHey Park, Lord Forrester; Apiey Park, Thomas Whitmore, P.: Dudrnaston, William Whitmore. AI. P.; Pitchford, I fon. Mr. Jen kinson, Al. P.; Hodnett, Reginald Heber, Al. P.; Hawkstone, Sir R. Hill, Bart. M. P.; Kinlett Hall, W. C. Childe, Esq. Al. P.; Stanley Hall, Sir 'I'. Tyr whitt Jones. Bart.; Allingham, Lord Berwick; Ma nor House, Sir G. Jernyingham, Bart.; Pradoe, Ilon. T. Kenyon; Pentrapent Hall, Hon. F. West; Orlaton Hall, W. Cludd, Esq.; Downton Castle, R. Payne Knight. Esq.; Oakley Park, Hon. Robert Clive; Plow den Hall, Edward Plowden, Esq.; Audlem, Lady Cotton.
The following is the population of the county and principal towns in 1821: See the Beauties of England and [Vales, vol. xiii. Archdeacon Plymley's General View of the .dgriculture of Shropshire, 1803. Sec also our articles BninoE, NAVIGATION INLAND, and RAILWAY. Sec also Em.r.s frimtr.. and