An English county, 44 miles in length, and 28 in breadth; bounded by Cheshire, Denbighshire, Montgomeryshire, Herefordshire, and Staffordshire *. It contains 170 parishes, and 16 market towns. The principal rivers are, the Severn, which runs through the midst of the county, the Terne, the Clun, and the Rhea, with several other small streams. The west and south parts are mountainous, some points being nearly 2000 feet high, and several surpassing 1000; but the east and north more plain and level; however, the soil is pretty fertile everywhere, yielding corn and pastures, besides coal, iron, and other commodities. The air is sharp on the tops of the hills and mountains, but in the lower parts tolerable enough. The great branches of manufacturing industry carried on here are all kinds of ironworks, woollens, and china, earthenware, &c. Shrewsbury is the capital. Population, 239,048. It sends 11 members to parliament".[Barclays Complete & Universal English Dictionary, 1842-1852]
Shropshire,
England Census Records
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Shropshire, England: Parish and Probate Records
A collection of parish and probate records in England and
Wales, from the 1500s to the 1800s.
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