The old almshouses extended along the whole of the west side of St. Mary’s church-yard: and, being much dilapidated and very incommodious dwellings, they were taken down in 1825. The present building, completed in the above year, from a design by Mr. J. Carline, now consists of eighteen comfortable habitations, of two chambers each; the front is in the old English style of architecture, having in the centre a gateway within an embattled tower; in the centre of the latter are the armorial bearings of the Drapers’ Company, with the motto “Unto God only be honour and glory.” This re-edification, including the purchase of the land, cost the Drapers’ Company upwards of £3000, from whose funds each of the poor people receive annually about six pounds. ST. CHAD’S ALMSHOUSES adjoin the cemetery of Old St. Chad’s, and were erected in 1409 by Bennett Tipton, a public brewer, who lived in the College, and died in 1424. The allowance to the eleven poor occupants, “decayed old men and women,” arises chiefly from a benefaction of £180 by David Ireland, alderman of the town, and Catharine his wife; which is now commuted to a rent charge of £8 on the Lythwood estate, the proprietor of which nominates the alms-folk. Previous to the Reformation the poor people received one penny a-week from the Mercers’ Company, since which time the whole annual payment of the Company has been only two shillings and two pence. HOUSE OF INDUSTRY. This spacious and well-built structure stands on an eminence rising from the Severn, which forms a beautiful object beneath. The site is highly salubrious, and the prospect delightfully variegated by many natural beauties. The majestic Wrekin, with an extensive tract of country, is seen to the right; while the front presents a very general view of the town, skirted by genteel residences partly obscured by the foliage of The Quarry trees, which, with the towers of the Castle, the lofty steeples of the churches and their glittering vanes, unite in producing a scene diversified and impressive, especially when the evening sun illumines the landscape, and gives to it that variety of light and shadow which poets have associated as only belonging to the scenes of enchantment and fairy land. A fine terrace extends the whole length of the building, which was erected (in 1760) for the reception of orphans from the Foundling Hospital in London, at an expence of £12,000; but the funds of that institution not proving adequate to the plan of sending children to provincial hospitals, it was discontinued in 1774. It afterwards served as a place of confinement for Dutch prisoners taken in the American war; and in 1784 it was purchased under an act of parliament for incorporating the five parishes of the town and that of Meole Brace in the liberties, so far as concerned the maintenance of the poor, as a general House of Industry for their admission and employment, under the management of a board of directors.