OSWESTRY, Shropshire, a market-town, municipal borough, and the seat of a Poor-Law Union, in the parish of Oswestry, is situated in 52° 51' N. lat, 3° 3' W. long., distant 18 miles N.W. from Shrews bury, 171 miles N.W. by W. from London by road, and 162 miles by the North-Western and Shrewsbury and Chester railways. The popu lation in 1851 was 4817. The borough is govern° 1 by 6 aldermen and 18 councillora, one of whom is mayor ; and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The living is a vicarage in the arcladea conry and diocese of St. Asaph. Oswestry Poor-Law Union, which is regulated by the provisions of a local contains 14 parishes and townships, with an area of 74,160 acres, and a population in 1851 of 22,775.
Oswestry is traditionally said to have received its name from Oswald, king of the Northumbrians, who was slain here in a battle with Penda, king of the 3Iereians, whence the place was called Oswald's Tree. In the vicinity of the town is a remarkably fine spring of water, which bears the name of Osweld's Well. The first charter was granted to the town in the reign of Henry 11., by William, Earl of Arundel, the lord of the manor. The son of this nobleman having taken part with the barons against King John, the king in 1212 reduced the town to ashes. Edward I., in 1277, ordered it to be surrounded by a wall and
ditch. Some portions of this wall are yet standing. The town is lighted with gas, and paved, and is Increasing in extent, particularly on the English side. It contains a town-hall ; a small jail, erected in 1825; a theatre, and a handsome now market-place. The church, erected in the early part of the 17th century, is n commodious struc ture, with a tower. The Wesleyan, Primitive, and Welsh Methodists, Baptista, Independents, and Welsh Independents have chapels. The Free Grammar school, which is of very ancient foundation, had 98 scholars in 1853. There are also National, British, and Infant schools; a savings bank, a dispensary, and a house of industry. Markets are held on Wednesday and Saturday, and fairs eight times in the year. In the vicinity are corn-mills, paper-mills, and coal-mines. Malting and brick-making are carried on. The trade of the town is facilitated by the Ellesmere Canal. Racca take place annually, in the month of September.