Photo Gallery of St. John's Church
Photo Gallery of Graves at St. Johns
Photo Gallery of Bromsgrove
Description of Bromsgrove 1791
[Bromsgrove] is situated near the rise of the river Salwarp, 12 miles from Worcester, and 114 form London. It is the center of the roads to Coventry, Worcester and Shrewsbury. This town is governed by a bailiff, recorder, and aldermen; In the reign of King Edward I it sent two members to parliament, and has had many privileges conferred on it by the different sovereigns of England. King Edward VI founded a grammar-school here, and Sir Thomas Cooks added to the endowment. The church is ancient, but handsome; the tower and spire of which is said to be the completest in the county, 189 feet high; the church stands on a hill, which you ascend by 50 steps, and has some painted glass, and good monuments. Here is a market on Tuesday, and two fairs annually, viz. on June 24 and October 1. A cotton manufactory, established about 10 years ago, is now converted into a worsted manufactory, by Messrs. Adams & Co. Broad and narrow cloths were formerly manufactured here, but that trade has long since passed into Gloucestershire. This parish is also famed for its manufacture of linen-cloths, fish-hooks, needles, nails, and linseys; and has coal and lime. The brooks hereabouts are remarked for fine trout, eels and lamperets. Here is also a brook which runs close to the town, and may be turned through it in a few minutes, in case of fire, or in cleaning the streets. This parish contains twelve manors, viz. Bromsgrove, Burcott, Chadwick, Bunnill, Gannow, Dodford, Woodcot, Dyers, Grafton, Whittford, the manor of the mill, and the manor of the rectory. The lord of the manor holds a court-baron every three weeks, for the recovery of debts under 40s in the town-hall. The air is very salubrious, and the soil very fertile.
On the Lickey, in the parish of Bromsgrove, rises the river Arrow, which empties itself into the Avon, near Stratford; as does the Salwarpe, which falls into the Severn at Hawford, near Worcester; and another which falls into the Trent. The Lickey is generally esteemed some of the highest land in the kingdom. It contains about 2000 acres of waste land, and the sheep thereon are remarkable for fine wool.
The mail-coach from Birmingham to Bristol passes through this town every night and morning, bringing all post-letters; a coach from Birmingham to Bath three times a week; a coach from Birmingham to Bristol every day, (Sunday excepted) and one from Birmingham to Worcester.
Bufford’s Stoubridge Waggon passes through Bromsgrove to London three times a week; also a caravan from Wolverhampton to Worcester comes through every Tuesday and Wednesday; and is a great convenience to that cross country.
At Barnet-green in this parish is a fine chalybeate water, little used, unless by people in the neighbourhood; and near Hollwood is a most surprizing petrifying water.
SEATS AND VILLAGES Grafton-manor, the ancient seat of the Earl of Shrewsbury, one mile and a half South-west Hewell Grange, the seat of the Earl of Plymouth, 4 miles South-east Dodford-priory, one mile and a half North-east Stoke-priory adjoins Bromsgrove, as do the several parishes of Belbroughton, Rushbrook, Chadderly-Corbett, Upton-Warren, Cafton-Hackett, Frankley, and King’s-Norton, in the county of Worcester; the parish of Halesowen, in the county of Salop; and, Tardebig, in the county of Warwick.
Source Universal British Directory 1791
Note: the spellings used are those in the directory so some of the names of the parishes and villages may look a little odd compared to the spellings of their names today, e.g. Chadderly-Corbett is now Chaddesley Corbett.
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