TAMWORTH, Staffordshire, a market-town, municipal and parlia mentary borough, and the seat of a Poor-Law Union, in the parish of Tamworth, is situated on the right bank of the rivers Tame and Anker just at their junction, iu 52° 38' N. lat., 1° 42' W. long., distant 25 miles S.E. by E. from Stafford, 116 miles N.W. from London by road, and 109i miles by the Trent Valley branch of the London and North-Western railway. The church is in Staffordshire, on which account the town is commonly described as being in that county.
The population of the municipal borough of Tamworth in 1851 was that of the parliamentary borough was 3655. The borough is governed by 4 aldermen and 12 councillors, one of whom is mayor ; and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The living is a vicarage in the arcbdeaconry of Stafford and diocese of Lichfield. Tamworth Poor-Law Union contains 24 parishes and townships, with an area of 46,740 acres, and a population iu 1851 of 13,941.
Several of the Mercian kings appear to have resided at Tamworth. After the Conquest, the castle and adjacent territory were granted to Robert Marrnion, hereditary champion to the dukes of Normandy.
The castle now belongs to Lord Charles Townshend. The streets of Tamworth are lighted with gas and paved. The church, which was formerly collegiate, is one of the finest in the county. The transepts are Norman, some portions are of decorated date, and some perpen dicular : some of the windows have had very fine tracery. The tower has been lately restored. There are an almshouse, founded by Guy, the founder of Guy'e Hospital, Southwark ; a town-hall, with a small jail beneath ; a handsome stone building for the savings bank; a railway station, in the Elizabethan style, used jointly for the Trent Valley and Midland railways ; and two bridges, one over the Tame, the other over the Anker. The remains of tho castle are of various
periods, and modern buildings have been added to adapt, the whole to the purposes of a modern residence : the castle commands a fine prospect. The Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, Baptista, and Roman Catholics have chapels in the town. There are National and Infant schools' ; a Free Grammar school, founded in 1587; Sir Robert Peel's school, which 'educates 50 poor boys and provides for each a suit of clothes annually; Rawlet'e Trustees' school for 20 boys, and a school of Industry for 30 girls, both endowed; a library and reading room, founded by the late Sir 11. Peel, and a valuable library called the Permanent Library, containing upwards of 5000 volumes.
Coals and brick-earth are dug in the neighbourhood, and bricks, tiles, and glazed drain-pipes are extensively made. There are two manufactories for elastic) garters and fancy articles. The market is on Saturday : there are several fairs for cattle and merchandise. In the market-place is a floe bronze statue of the late Sir Robert Peel.
The Coventry Canal passes near the town. A county court is held iu Tamworth.