18th and 19th centuries Shifnal

the old magistrates court, 1843

thomas telford upgraded watling street, turnpike road passed through town, in late 18th century. road carried traffic london shrewsbury, chester , holyhead ireland. reported many 18 coaches day called @ shifnal. passengers rest travels @ 3 coaching inns jerningham arms, star hotel , unicorn.

during period of prosperity many new houses built, lending shifnal georgian air. name idsall still used distinguish area around st andrew s church , manor market , commercial area of shifnal.

there records of parish workhouse in operation in shifnal in 1777 accommodation 40 inmates. new parish workhouse built on park street in 1817. adopted workhouse shifnal poor law union , enlarged in 1840-1 @ £800. number of inmates never more 100. buildings later became part of shifnal hospital before being turned homes.

shifnal scene of 1 of victorian era’s biggest banking frauds. town head office of shrosphire banking company, founded in 1836 amalgamating 4 nearby banks - horden & hill of newport; reynolds; charlton & co of wellington; darby & co of coalbrookdale; , biddle, mountford, pidcock & cope of shifnal.

the bank closely connected local iron , coal industries , fortunes varied performance. gravely weakened internal troubles , suffered major banking fraud, committed employees, in 1850s. bank recovered losses, had absorbed more twice capital, after directors put in large sums , brought accounting under proper control. shropshire banking co prosperous when acquired lloyds in 1874, , office on park street remained bank until closed in 2016.

the railway line london , birmingham holyhead constructed through shifnal @ high level in late 1840s. station built, opening of line on 12 november 1849 brought abrupt end declining coaching traffic. viaducts constructed cast horseley ironworks.

in 1855 house on broadway, used town’s 200-odd catholics mass, burnt down during anti-irish riot. lord stafford replaced in 1860 combination school , church built on land donated @ corner of victoria road , shrewsbury road. school closed 1917, building has continued church. present presbytery on victoria road, original school-master s house, still has lord stafford s coat of arms above door.