Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/866

WOLVEnLEY. 854 WOLVERLEY. market-place, a triangular area of considerable extent, with an equestrian statue of Prince Albert, by Thorney- croft, in the middle, is in the centre of the town, and the streets diverging from it take their names, in most cases, from the roads in which they terminate. The streets are clean, well-paved, and lighted with gas ; the houses substantial and well-built, and the shops large and well- furnished. There are two large railway stations in the town. The London and North-Western (or high level station) is situated at the bottom of Queen-street. The Great Western (or low-level station) is situated close to, and to the N.E. of the high-level station, with which it has communication by a covered footway. This station is the joint design of the late Sir I. K. Brunei and John Fowler, Esq. There are several public buildings and institutions in the town. The market hall, in North- street, opened in 1853, is a large building of brick and stone, erected at a cost of 30,000. The interior is divided into three compartments, each 100 feet in length ; the centre compartment being 33 feet, and each of the two side ones 26 feet wide. The townhall, in North-street, has a stone front of Italian design, with the borough arms sculptured in the tympanum of the pediment. The corn exchange, adjoining the mar- ket-place, has a principal room of 100 feet in length, and 50 in height ; it contains a reading-room and law library, and was completed in 1853, at a cost of 10,000. The free grammar school in St. John-street was founded in 1515 ; the present building was erected in 1785. Abernethy and Sir W. Congreve were edu- cated there. The Bluecoat school, in Berry-street, was founded early in the 18th century, and is supported mainly by voluntary contributions ; 50 boys and 30 girls are educated and clothed by the charity, and 20 of the above are also maintained. The Union workhouse is a large structure in Bilston-road, and was erected in 1838 at a cost of 9,000. The South Staffordshire hospital, in the Cleveland-road, cost upwards of 15,000, and provides accommodation for upwards of 100 inmates. About a mile from the town, on Goldthorn Hill, Penn- road, stands the Wolverhampton orphan asylum. The institution was founded in 1850, and the present build- ing, which has accommodation for 100 boys and 100 girls, was completed in 1863 at a total cost of 18,000. The charity is mainly supported by voluntary contributions. The Agricultural Hall, Snow Hill, erected in 18G3 by a limited company, is chiefly used for the exhibition of agricultural implements ; the large room is 160 feet by 60. The Athenaeum, post-office, and county-court are in Queen-street ; the police-station in Garrick-street ; the theatre, which is only occasionally open, in Cleveland- road ; the waterworks office in "Worcester-street ; the gas- works in Horseley-field ; the cattle and hay market in Cleveland-road; the pig market in Bilston-street ; and the hide and skin market in Salop- street. There are National schools attached to all the churches, as well as a ragged-school in Salop-street, and British, Congrega- tional, Wesleyan, and Roman Catholic schools. Tho Establishment has nine churches in Wolverhampton. St. Peter's (formerly the collegiate church) is a rectory. The church is cruciform, the tower lofty, and divided into three stories. In the nave is a stone pulpit, orna- mented with tabernacle work. The old building has been almost wholly reconstructed, at an outlay of upwards of 12,000. The new chancel was reopened September 26, 1865." In the transepts are monuments to the Levesons and Lanes ; there is also an erect brass figure, in the S. transept, of Sir Richard Leve- Bon, a rear-admiral in the reign of Elizabeth. The organ is placed above the intersection of the nave and transepts. There are several good stained glass win- dows in the chancel. In the church-yard is an ancient pillar. The patron of the rectory, which is 700 in value, is the bishop of the diocese. St. George's, on the Bilston-road, val. 300, patron the bishop, is a Doric structure. St. Paul's, Worcester-road, val. 300, is in the pointed style. St. Mark's, Tcttenhall-road, and St. Matthew's, Walsall-road, val. each 300, are in the early English style, and are both in the gift of the crown and bishop alternately. St. John's, val. 300, is a Grecian building with tower and spire. St. James's, val. 225, and St. Luke's, val. 150, are in the gift of trustees. St. Mary's is val. 300. The parish of Wolverhampton ia in the dioc. of Lichfield and the archdeaconry of Stafford. The Dissenting places of worship are nume- rous, the Independents, Wesleyans, Primitive Metho- dists, New Connexion and Free Church Methodists, Baptists, Unitarians, and Roman Catholics, having chapels. To almost all the churches and chapels Sun- day-schools are attached. There is a synagogue in Fryer- street. The Independent chapel, on Snow-hill, is in the early English style, and a congregational chapel has just been rebuilt in Queen-street. Tho Roman Catholic chapel on Snow-hill is in the decorated style, with large schools adjoining. The Catholic Apostolic Church have a small stone chapel with tower, on Snow-hill. Wolver- hampton is well supplied with water, partly by deep wells sunk in the rock on which the town stands, but mainly by a company established in 1845, which draws its supplies from the red-sandstone springs at Tetten- h;tll arid Goldthorn Hill ; this water is soft and pure. Wolverhampton is famous for its hardware manufac- tures. Extensive ironworks, smelling furnaces, and foundries, are in the immediate neighbourhood, so that iron is produced in the town from the ore to the most polished perfection. Quarterly meetings of the iron- masters are held here. Tin and iron japanned wares, and articles in papier-mAche, are extensively produced in the town. There are also numerous chemical works, varnish, grease, colour, and dye works, corn mills, rope- walks, cooperages, saw-mills, coach and carriage ma- nufactories, and agricultural implement works, crate works, and clay retort works. There is a large ceme- tery about a mile from the town. Wolverhampton. has a stipendiary magistrate, and the borough court sits daily at the public office, Garrick-street. A county-court is held here. Wolverhampton is within the jurisdiction of the Birmingham bankruptcy court. There is a local police force ; a coroner and deputy- coroner. Tho corporation fire-engine station is in Police-street, and several of the Fire Insurance offices have engines. There are several private and joint-stock banks, and most of the Fire and Life Insurance offices are represented. Two weekly papers are published at Wolverhampton, the Chronicle and the Express. The market days are Wednesday for cattle and corn, and Saturday for meat, vegetables, &c. The annual fair is held on the 10th of July and following days ; it may be continued for eight days, but usually lasts only three or four. The Wolverhampton races are held on the Tuesday and Wednesday nearest to the 12th of August. WOLVERLEY, a par. partly in the upper div. of Halfshire hund., but chiefly in the lower div., and form- ing a detached portion of the lower div. of Oswaldslow hund., co. Worcester, 2 miles N.W. of Kidderminster. The village is situated on the eastern bank of the navi- gable river Stour, and near the Stourbridge canal. The par. includes the vil. of Cookley, where are extensive works for the manufacture of iron, tin plates, screws, and iron wire ; and the hmlts. of Blakeshall, Kings- ford, and Horsley, with other small places. The sur- face is diversified, and the soil is light, resting upon red sandstone. On Blakeshall common is a pillar in memory of Richard Baxter. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Worcester, val. 300, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. There is also a church at Cookley, dedicated to St. Peter. The Wesleyans have a chapel and schools at Cookley. The free grammar school, founded by William Seabright in 1620, was rebuilt in 1829, and is endowed with property in and near London ; there are also infant schools at Wolverley and Cookley. The charities, including the school endowment, produce about 700 per annum. Baskerville, the eminent printer, was born here in 1706. WOLVERLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Wem, co. Salop, 10 miles N. of Shrewsbury.