Acton Burnell Castle, 7 miles S. by E. from Shrewsbury, was founded or restored by Robert Burnell, bishop of Bath and Wells, treasurer and afterwards chancellor of England. It is remarkable as being the place where a parliament was held in 1234, in the reign of Edward I. The Act entitled Statutum de Mercatoribus was passed here. The remains of the castle consist of a square building, with a tower at each corner. Cause Castle, near Westbury, is a mere con fused heap of ruins, a great portion of the atone having been removed. The site of the castle is one of the most lofty and commanding iu the western border of this county. liopton Castle, situated a little south of Clunbury, was held for the Parliament in the reign of Charles I., and was besieged for upwards of a fortnight. It is now in complete ruin. Whittington Castle, near Oswestry, was formerly a place of considerablo importance ; the ruins are extremely pictu resque, and include eight massive towers. The east wall is washed by a lake.
The remains of some of the abbeys in Shropshire are very beanti fuL Buildas Abbey, situated at the village of Buildas, on the right bank of the Severn, about 11 miles below Shrewsbury, was founded in the year 1135. The walls are nearly entire. The building is cruciform, with a massive tower rising from the intersection. The lower story of the tower remains, resting on four arches springing from brackets in the walls. Of Haughmond, or Haghmond Abbey, situated on a rising ground 4 miles east of Shrewsbury, and founded in 1100, the chapter-house is entire. It is oblong, the tipper end forming two aides of a hexagon. Lilleshall, or Lilleshull Abbey, near the village of Lilleshall, 3 miles S. from Newport, is an extremely beautiful ruin. It was founded in the reign of Stephen. The church, which was cruciform, was 223 feet in length. The south door com municating with the cloister is one of the richest early Norman arches in the kingdom. The abbeys of Shrewsbury and Wenlock are noticed
elsewhere. There are also remain! of an abbey near Alderbury, called New or White Abbey, founded by Fulke Fitz-Warine, in the early part of the 13th century. At Chirbury, on the borders of Montgomeryshire, are traces of an Augustinian priory, founded in the reign of John ; its nave forms the present parish church. White Ladi -s' Priory, near Tong, on the borders of Staffordshire, is a pictu resque ruin, situated iu a sequestered spot. It was inhabited by White, or Cistercian, nuns as early as the reign of Richard I. or John. White Ladies' and Boecobel House, near it, afforded concealment for a short time to Charles IL after his defeat at Worcester.
Statistics : Rdogious Worship and Educcolion.—According to the Returns of the Census in 1351, it appears that there were then in the County 679 places of worship, of which 291 belonged to the Church of England, 273 to eight sections of Methodists, 59 to Inde pendents, 31 to Baptists, 11 to Roman Catholics, 3 to Quakers, 3 to Plymouth Brethren, 2 to Irvingites, 2 to Mormons, and 1 to Unita rians. The total number of sittings provided was 145,186. There were 559 day schools in the county, of which 247- were public schools, and 312 were private schools, with an aggregate of 25,254 scholars. Of Sunday schools there were 293, with 22,705 scholars. Of evening schools for adults theme were 14, with 175 scholars. Thera were 8 literary and scientific institutions, with 802 members, and about 2500 volumes in the libraries belonging to them.
&rings Banks.—In 1853 the county posaeased 11 savings banks at Bridgenorth, Ellesmere, Lilleshall, Market Drayton, Newport, Oswestry, Shiffnall, Shrewsbury, Wellington, Weadock, and Whit church. The total amount owing to depositors on November 20th 1853 was 635,9111. 10s. 6d.