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Tenbury (St. Mary the Virgin)

TENBURY (St. Mary the Virgin), a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the Upper division of the hundred of Doddingtree, Tenbury and W. divisions of the county of Worcester; containing, with the hamlets of Berrington, Sutton, and Tenbury-Foreign with Kyrewood, 1849 inhabitants, of whom 1177 are in the town, 22 miles (N. W. by W.) from Worcester, and 134 (N. W. by W.) from London. This place, originally called Temebury, derives its name from the Teme, which is here a considerable river, separating Worcestershire from Salop, and crossed by a bridge of six arches. The town consists of two streets, intersecting nearly at right angles, and partially paved; the houses in general are indifferently built, but some improvements have been effected, and a gas company has been established since 1841. Races are held in June, on a good course about a mile to the south. A mineral spring was discovered in July, 1839, by some workmen sinking a well on the premises of S. H. Godson, Esq., and it appears likely to raise Tenbury to a high rank among British watering-places. The water, which sprang up suddenly from a bed of limestone lying under a stratum of old red sandstone, was found about 32 feet below the surface, and exhibited a bright sparkling appearance. Several analyses of its contents have been made, differing in some respects from each other, but all exhibiting chloride of sodium and chloride of calcium (muriate of lime), as the principal ingredients. The proprietor built a pump-room over the spring, which was opened on the 1st of June, 1840; and baths on the most improved principles have been erected, which are visited by numerous families of respectability and distinction: a band attends on the promenade, and every attention is paid to the accommodation of visiters. Another well for mineral water has lately been sunk to the depth of 62 feet.

The surrounding country is rich and beautiful, and very productive of hops and apples; great quantities of cider and perry are made, forming a principal source of trade, and returning large profits to the farmers. There are also a considerable malting-trade and a tannery. A canal, commenced in 1794, and originally intended to extend from Leominster to the Severn near Stourport, but not carried through the whole distance, passes within half a mile of the town. The market, granted by Henry III. in 1249, is on Tuesday; the building for the corn-market is an ancient structure, but the butter-cross is more recent. Fairs are held on the Tuesday before the 25th of March, on April 22nd, May 1st, Sept. 26th, and Dec. 3rd; petty-sessions take place once in two months, and a court leet and court baron are held. The powers of the county debt-court of Tenbury, established in 1847, extend over the registration-district of Tenbury. The parish comprises 5179a. 2r. 9p. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £21, and endowed with a portion of the rectorial tithes; net income, £900; patrons, the Misses Wilkinson; impropriators of the remainder of the rectorial tithes, R. Bagnall, Esq., and others. The church, erected in the 11th century, was rebuilt in 1777, the old structure having been swept away by a flood in November 1770; it is a spacious and neat edifice. A chantry anciently attached to it was valued at the suppression at £5. 0. 6. per annum. The church belonged to the monastery of Lyra, in Normandy, till the year 1414, when Henry V. transferred its rights and revenues to the monastery of Sheen, in Surrey, with which it was connected till the Dissolution. There is a place of worship for Baptists. The poor-law union of Tenbury comprises 19 parishes or places, 10 of which are in Worcestershire, 5 in Salop, and 4 in Hereford, the whole containing a population of 7066: the workhouse, situated in the town, was built in 1837, at a cost of £2000.


Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.

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