Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In conjunction with this excellent institution, a District Society has been established here for the purpose of co-operating with the Society at Bartlett’s Buildings, in the distribution of Bibles, Testaments, Prayer Books, and other religious books and tracts. The praise-worthy objects of the Society are supported by some of the most respectable and opulent residents in the county.—Secretary, the Rev. Archdeacon Owen, M.A., F.A.S. Shropshire Bible Society An auxiliary Bible Society, to co-operate with the British and Foreign Bible Society, in London, was instituted here on the 11th of November, 1811. The late Rev. Francis Leighton, explained to the meeting, summoned on this occasion, the nature and objects of this charity. A number of liberal donations were offered, and an extensive annual subscription entered into. The important object of this society, as its name imports, is, the gratuitous distribution of the scriptures among the poor inhabitants, and also by its contributions, to aid the noble design of the parent society in translating the Bible into all languages which are represented by letters, and to circulate them throughout the earth. The Rev. Archdeacon Corbett is the president, and the annual meeting is held on the first Wednesday in July. REMAINS OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS. The Council House Received its name from having been the residence of the Court of the Marches of Wales; for though their principal abode was at Ludlow, they were accustomed to hold one term in the year at this place, for the convenience of suitors, and another at Bewdley, and sometimes at Hereford. The house is in the immediate vicinity of the castle (in the outer court of which, it is supposed to have been built,) on a steep bank overhanging the river. The entrance to it from the town is by a venerable timber gate-house, the ornaments of which have lately been plastered over. The great hall and chamber, which were the only apartments not _modernized_, have just (1815) been pulled down and rebuilt, and the rich old chimney-piece which stood in the hall, in the centre of which were the arms of Owen of Condover, has been removed to that venerable mansion. Charles I. kept his court here, as also did James II. in 1687. St. Nicholas’s Chapel Is still standing in part on the left hand entrance to the council house, and is now used as a stable. The building consisted of a nave and chancel without aisle; the former is nearly perfect, and there is no doubt, but that its erection is of great antiquity. The whole length is 50 feet, the breadth 19 feet. Austin’s Friars. The convent of the Eremites of St. Augustine, stood at the bottom of Barker-Street {89}, near the river. A small part only remains, little of it being to be seen excepting the shell of a large building of red stone, with two pointed arched door ways. It is now used as a tan-house. Franciscan Friary.