SHROPSHIRE, or SALOP, a county in the west of England, is bounded N. by Cheshire, E. by Staffordshire, S. by the counties of Worcester and Hereford, and W. by the Welsh counties of Radnor, 3lontgomery, and Denbigh. It lies between 52° IS' and 53" 0' N. 1st, 2' 14 and 3' 12' W. long. Ito greatest length from north to south is 43 miles; from cast to west, 40 miles. The area of the county is 1201 square miles, or S26,055 statute acres. The population in 1851 was 229,341.
Surface, //ydrography, and Cosunuaicatiens.—Shropshire contains every variety of surface, from the rugged mountain to the fertile and cultivated valley. The river Severn separates the county into two nearly equal divisions, and forms a boundary between the more (deemed districts of the west and south, and an extensive level on the north and north-east, which extends into Cheshire and Staffoidehire. On the west various chains of Welsh mountains exteud into Shrop shire. The Berwyn range, which traverses Moutgorneryahire, termi nates within the north-western boundary of Shropshire, in Selattyn Hill, which is 1300 feet above the level of the sea. The Breiddin Hills, remarkable for their picturesque forms, are situated on the right bank of the Severn, near where that river enters Shropshire. The greater portion and highest parts of these hills lie in Montgomeryshire, but their north-eastern extremities extend four wiles into this county. A long range of elevations, commencing in Radnorshire, extends into the south-west of Sbrotehire, and forms the district of mouutaiuous teal ailed Clan Forest, portions of which attain an elevation of 1200 feet and upwards. Connected with this range by Intermediate hills is an elevated tract situated north of Bishop's Castle, the central ridge of which runs nearly from south to north, and attains its highest point in Corudon Mountain, 1700 feet On the east, this tract Is flanked by • very singular mass of rocks called the Stiperstonea Proceediug to thasouth-eaat, another range of hills hi approached, the most considerable portion of which, called the Lougmynd, attaining the height of 1674 feet above the sea-level, is connected on the south with a mountainous district lying east of Clun Forest, and forms with It the watershed between the Clun and Onny rivers. On the eastern
Ade of the Longmynd lies the valley of Church Stratton, which is bounded on the eastern side by the Carideo Hills, reaching the height of from NO to 1200 feet This range, like those just described, rune from south-west to north-east It extends across the Severn in tracts of inferior elevation, and terminates, near Wellington, in the remark able and well-known hill called the Wrekin. This hill rises 1320 feet above the sea, and, being nearly detached from neighbouring hills forms a conspicuous object. The long narrow valley of Ape-Dale lies between the Caradoc Hills and an elevated ridge, called Wenlock Edge, which extends from the valley of the Onny to the Severn at Coalbrookdale, a distance of about 20 miles. It rises gradually on the eastern side to a considerable height, but the western slope is very rapid. Wculock-Edge is flanked on the east by a number of detached roundest hills, all of which, as well as the greater portion of Wenlock Edge, are under cultivatiou or planted to their summits. Between the bills last described and the town of Ludlow lies a rich tract of low land, called Corve-Dale. This valley extends north to within a short distance of Wenlock, and on the south opens to the valley of the Tame. It is shut in on the east by a range of hills extending from Ludlow northward. Connected with this range, a little to the eastward, are the Clee Hills, a long ridge running due north and south, and rising here and there into lofty summits, two of which— Brown Clee Hill (1805 feet) and Titteretone Clee Hill (1750 feet)—are the highest points in the county.
The chief part of the northern division of Shropshire may be described as a plain rising gradually from the left bank of the Severn to the northern border of the county, just within which the northern edge of the basin of the Severn is no more than 300 feet above the sea. A small portiou in the extreme north-west of the county belongs to the basin of the Dee, which river, and its feeder the Ceiriog, form part of the boundary. Another small district in the north-east of the county is drained by the Weaver (a feeder of the Mersey) and its tributaries.