WORCESTERSHIRE, an inland county of England, is bounded N. by Staffordshire and Shropshire, E. by Warwickshire, S. by Glou cestershire, and W. by Ilerefordehire. The county lies between 51° 56' and 52' 31' N. lat., and 1° 46' and 2° 33' W. long. The greatest length of the county is about 29 miles, in a direction from north-east to south west ; its greatest breadth is about 22 millets, in n lino running from cast to west. The area of Worcestershire is 783 square miles, or 472,165 acres. The population in 1841 was 248,460; in 1851 it was 276,926.
Surface, Geology, is generally n flat county ; on the eastern and western sides are two nearly parallel ranges of hills, which partly bound and partly intersect it : the intermediate space is, for the most part, a fertile plain. The eastern range of hills commences in the north in the Cleat lints, extends to the uorth-west of Brows grove, and forming near Redditch the boundary between this county and Warwickshire, terminates to the north of Evesham. The western chain commences in the neighbourhood of Bowdley, and runs south ward by Abberley and Martley to the great chain of Malvern Hills, in which it terminates. The principal hills not comprised iu or bordering on these ohains are Bredon Hill, situated about three miles south of Pershore, Broadway Hill, near the town of that name, in the south eastern extremity of the county, and a small lino of hills extending from Croome northwards towards Worcester.
Geology, oroostorshiro is composed, for the most part, of new red-sandstone, lies, and oolito; other formations are visible iu the chain of the Malvern Bills, iu the districts bordering on Tenbury, Bewdley, and Dudley, and in the Liekey and neighbouring hills in the northern part of the county. The new rod-sandstone comprehends that district which is watered by the Severn, together with the north eastern portion of the county : its lower beds being found round Witley, Stourport, Bromsgrove, and Alvechurch; and the higher, called the Kenper beds, round Droitwiell, Worcester, and Upton. The lias formation Is found at Pershore and Evesham, and in the vales watered by the Avon ; it extends from Foster's Green to the limits of the county near Tewkesbury. The portion of the Malvern
Hills within the boundary of Worcestershire consists of trap ; while the Silurian rocks, the Caradoc sandstone, Ludlow rock, and Wenlock limestone appear in the northern portion of the chain. The lower coal and ironstone beds are found at its termination, to the north of Abberloy Hill, in the forest of Wyre. Here also is found the old rod-sandstone formation upon which Tenbury stands, and which is the prevailing stratum throughout the adjoining county of Hereford. Bewdley is situated near the junction of the lower red-saudstono with the coal-field of the Forest of Wyro. The town of Dudley stands on the thicker coal-measures, Weulock limestone appearing ou its north west, and trap at Rowley Hill on the south-south-east. In the neigh bourhood of Droitwich and Stoke Prior aro saliferons beds, from which a large quantity of salt is manufactured. A full and interesting account of them is given in a pamphlet by Dr. llitstings. They are likewise described by Sir R.I.Murchison in his 'Silurian System,' to which work we refer our readers for very accurate accounts of the coal-fields and moro remarkable geological phenomena of the county. In a paper by Mr. Leonard Horner, in the 'Geological Transactions,' is a full and interesting account of the geology of the Malvern Hills.
Hydrography and principal rivers are the SEVERN, the Avox, the Tome, and the Salwarp.
The Tense, which is a very rapid stream, first comes into contact with Worcestershire at its western extremity ; it passes the town of Tenbury, and forms Isere, as during other parts of its course, the boundary of Worcestershire with Herefordshire. It falls into the Severn near Powick, about three miles south of Worcester : it is not navigable. Tho stream is good for fishing, and trout and grayling are abundant. The Salwarp, a email river, rises to the north of 13romegrove, flows through Droitwich, and falls into the Severn near Clainos.