The Stranger in Shrewsbury: or, an historical and descriptive view of Shrewsbury and its environsHowell, Thomas J.
History
The Stranger in Shrewsbury: or, an historical and descriptive view of Shrewsbury and its environs
Howell, Thomas J.
Shrewsbury (England) -- Description and travel
This beautiful walk is on the western side of the town near the church of
St. Chad; it occupies a rich meadow of about twenty acres gradually
sloping to the river, and is supposed to have obtained its name from a
small quarry of soft red sand-stone, which was formerly procured here,
and with which some of the ancient buildings were no doubt erected. The
lower walk which skirts the river, is 540 yards in length, shaded with
lime trees, planted by Henry Jenks, Esq. in the year of his mayoralty,
1719. Three walks lead from the town to that on the bank of the Severn,
and two others formerly crossed the entrance.
Few promenades in the kingdom can vie with the Quarry, particularly in
the spring of the year, when it displays all its pride of beauty. Its
spacious fields carpeted with grass, thickly studded with the golden hue
of the butter cup, and the silvery tinge of the modest daisy—its noble
trees clothed with leafy verdure of various hues, and protecting the
pedestrian from the piercing rays of the sun—the Severn rolling its broad
and majestic stream along—whilst the feathered songsters carol their
notes to the God of nature, altogether present a lovely picture of rural
happiness. Nor is the Quarry at “the fall of the leaf” when nature
unburdens herself of her lovely mantle, unworthy the contemplation of the
reflecting mind.
The fading foliage of th’ embrowning grove,
(Which oft has listened to the voice of love,)
In mournful junction with the shortning day,
Reminds us of the circling year’s decay:
While the fleet, whistling winds, dismantling, tear
Each tree’s green honours to the chilling air,
Thence to descend, and in man’s footsteps lie
A just memento of mortality.
In the 16th century, it appears that Shrewsbury was the scene of
theatrical representations. Julian the apostate, was performed here in
1565, and two years afterwards, the Passion of Christ, to see which queen
Elizabeth is said to have come as far as Coventry, but on learning that
its representation was over, returned to London. The particular spot
which formed the rural theatre, was at the top of the rope walk in the
Quarry. The ground which forms a gentle acclivity, was cut into the form
of an amphitheatre, the seats of which may still be traced in the bank.
Beside this, which is the chief walk, the town and neighbourhood furnish
such a variety of picturesque and pleasing promenades as are equalled
perhaps by few in the kingdom.
MANUFACTORIES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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