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S H R 
stone. The central arch is 60 feet span, and 40 high. The 
breadth between the ballustrades is 25 feet, and the orna¬ 
ments are light and graceful. In the suburb called the 
Abbey Foregate, are the remains, though now inconsider¬ 
able, of the abbey dedicated to St. Peter (to whom St. Paul 
was afterwards added), founded by Roger de Montgomery, 
and at one time a great resort of people from all parts of the 
kingdom, to the shrine of St. Winefrid, of which the monks 
here had got possession. The ground on which the abbey 
stood is now a garden. A curious part of the ruins is a 
small octagonal building, generally called the stone pulpit. 
It is overhung with ivy, and is reckoned a valuable antique. 
Its use is not very obvious, and has been a subject of much 
conjecture among antiquaries. The church was a spacious 
and magnificent building. The only part that remains is 
the nave, which is now used as a parish church, under the 
name of the Holy Cross, and in which the beauty of the 
ancient structure may still be traced in many parts. Besides 
the abbey, Shrewsbury had formerly a convent of Augustine 
friars, founded about the year 1256; two other convents, 
and five chapels, dedicated to their respective saints. 
Shrewsbury is a place of considerable trade. Flannels used 
to be the staple articles, and a coarse kind of woollen cloth 
made in Montgomeryshire, called Welsh webs, which were 
bought up in all parts of the country, often to the value of 
1000/. per week, and dressed here for exportation, chiefly to 
Holland, Germany, North and South America, and the 
West Indies. The flannels were made in Montgomery¬ 
shire, and the neighbouring parts of Shropshire. They 
were bought at Welshpool by the Shrewsbury drapers, and 
were chiefly re-sold to London merchants for exporta¬ 
tion. The webs are made in Merionethshire and Denbigh¬ 
shire, and were formerly brought to Shrewsbury market, but 
of late years they are bought up in the country. This trade 
in flannels, of which Shrewsbury had formerly a kind of 
monopoly, is now open to other parts of the county, but the 
town still continues a common mart for all sorts of com¬ 
modities for Wales. About 20 vessels are employed on the 
Severn, between Shrewsbury, Gloucester, and Bristol. Some 
manufactures are also carried on in the town, viz., two large 
manufactories of linen yarn, a porter brewery, and an ex¬ 
tensive iron foundry. Shrewsbury is famous for its excellent 
bran, which is sent to various parts of the kingdom. Salmon 
is somewhat scarce in the Severn, owing to weirs erected 
below Gloucester; but both that and other fish, as well as 
provisions of all sorts, are plentiful; and from the beauty of 
the situation, and other advantages, the town forms a very 
agreeable residence, and is inhabited by a great many genteel 
families. Shrewsbury is a corporation, both by charter and 
prescription. By the charter of Charles I. now in force, the 
corporation consists of.a mayor, a recorder, steward, town- 
clerk, 24 aldermen, 48 assistants or common councilmen, 
and other officers. Besides the general corporation, here 
are T6 chartered companies, of which the drapers and mer¬ 
cers are the principal. Shrewsbury sends two members to 
parliament, and has done so from the earliest period of re¬ 
presentation. They are chosen by the inhabiting burgesses, 
and the mayor is the returning officer. Shrewsbury is a 
place of great antiquity, and of considerable note in history. 
Its origin is referred to the 5th century, when the Britons are 
thought to have established themselves here, on account of 
the security afforded by the situation. It soon became the 
capital of the princes of Powis, and remained in the hands 
of the Britons for some ages, until they were dispossessed by 
the Saxons. In the reign of Alfred, it w r as numbered among 
the principal cities of his dominions. Being esteemed the 
most important town and fortress on the marches of Wales, 
it continued for many centuries to be one of the principal 
places of rendezvous for the English armies. It was hence 
often visited by the English moriarchs, became the scene 
of many military events, and took uniformly an active share 
in the various contests of these turbulent periods. In 1215, 
it is said to have been retaken by the Welsh, who are 
supposed to have retained it till 1221, but there is no good 
authority for this assertion. In 1277, Edward I. made this 
the principal seat of his court, while lie was engaged in the 
final subjection of Wales ; and till the conclusion of that war 
he removed hither the courts of exchequer and king’s bench. 
About two miles from the town was fought the famous battle 
of Shrewsbury, in which Henry V., then prince of Wales, 
first distinguished himself in the field, and the brave Hot¬ 
spur was slain. In the civil wars of Charles I. the king 
came hither, and was cordially welcomed by the inhabit¬ 
ants; but, in 1645, the army of the parliament succeeded 
in surprising and taking the town, an event which gave a 
severe blow to the royal cause, as it cut off the king’s com¬ 
munication with North Wales, and put an end to a loyal 
association then forming among the western counties. At 
the entrance of the town from London is a splendid column 
of freestone (with appropriate inscriptions), erected by sub¬ 
scription in the town and county, and finished in the year 
1816, at the total expence of above 6000/. to commemorate 
the military achievements of the gallant Shropshire hero. 
Lord Hill. Population return, 3229 houses, and 16,606 
inhabitants, which includes those parts of the town parishes 
which lie in the country. Markets on Wednesday and 
Saturday; 40 miles west of Lichfield, and 154 north-west 
of London. Lat. 52. 42. N. long. 2. 45. W. 
SHREWSBURY, a post township of the United States, 
in Rutland county, Vermont. Population 990. 
SHREWSBURY, a post township of the United States, 
in Worcester county, Massachusetts; 38 miles west of 
Boston. Population 1210. 
SHREWSBURY, a post township of the United States, 
in Monmouth county, New Jersey ; 77 miles north east of 
Philadelphia, and 47 north-east of Trenton. The compact 
part is pleasantly situated, and contains an Episcopal church 
and a Friends’ meeting-house. It is a place of resort for 
company from Philadelphia and New Yoik, in the sum¬ 
mer. The township is extensive. Population 3773. 
Lat. 40. 21. N. long. 73. 21. W. 
SHREWSBURY, a post township of the United States, 
in York county, Pennsylvania. Population 1792. 
SHREWSBURY, a post township of the United States, 
in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. Population 294. 
SHREWSBURY, a post township of the United States, in 
Kenhaway county, Virginia. 
SHREWSBURY, a river of the United States, in New 
Jersey, which runs into the Atlantic. Lat. 40.22 N lono- 
74. 2. W. & 
SHREWTON, a parish of England, in Wiltshire ; 5h miles 
west-north-west of Amesbury. 
To SHRIEK, v. n. [skraeka, Icel. skrika, Su. Goth., 
from skrya, to cry out; schreien, Germ., the same.] To 
cry out inarticulately with anguish or horror; to scream. 
On top wLereof ay dwelt the ghastly owl, 
Shrieking his baleful note. Spenser . 
It w'as the owl that shriek'd, the fatal belman 
Which gives the sternest good-night. Shakspeare 
SHRIEK, s. An inarticulate cry of anguish or horror. 
Time has been my senses wou’d have cool’d* 
To hear a night shriek, and my fell of hair 
Wou’d at a dismal treatise rouse and stir 
As life were in’t. Shakspeare. 
SIIRIE'VAL, adj. Belonging to the shrieve or sheriff. 
Chaste were his cellars; and his shrieval board 
The grossness of a city-feast abhorr’d. 
Absalom and Achitophel 
SHRIEVE, s. A corruption of sheriff'. 
SHRIEVALTY. s. Sheriffalty. 
SHRIFT, s. [|cifC, Sax.] Confession made to a prie6t. 
A word out of use. 
Off with 
Bernardine’s head: I will give a present shrift, 
And will advise him for a better place. Shakspeare. 
The duke’s commands were absolute. 
Therefore my lord, address you to your shrift. 
And be yourself; for you must die this instant. Rowe. 
SHRIGHT, 
