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Brierley Hill in 1868

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)]

"BRIERLEY HILL, a market town and chapelry in the parish of Kingswinford, and hundred of North Seisdon, in the county of Stafford, 3 miles to the S.W. of Dudley, 7 from Wolverhampton, and 11 from Birmingham. It is a station on the West Midland railway. The town consists of one long street, nearly a mile in length, well paved and lighted with gas. There are numerous shops, and the market is held in the High Street. There is a mechanics' institute, several building societies, and an association for the prosecution of thieves.

The chief manufactures are in iron and glass, consisting of boiler-making, iron-rolling, chains, implements, nails, glass, fire-bricks, and several malting establishments. There are many large collieries and extensive iron-works in the neighbourhood, as also fire-clay and porcelain stone. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Lichfield, of the value with the chapelry of Hart's Hill annexed, of £300, in the patronage of the Rector of Kingswinford. The church, dedicated to St. Michael and All Angels, was built in 1765, and has recently been twice enlarged. It contains a fine organ, erected in 1844 at the cost of £500. From the tower may be seen an extensive prospect, embracing 12 churches at once, with the Stour winding beneath, bounded by the Wrekin, in Shropshire, and the Malvern hills of Worcestershire, to the S.W.

The Baptists, Independents, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists have chapels, and there are National and infant schools. The Dudley and Stourbridge canal passes through this district, and has many branches. The chapelry forms a separate parish for ecclesiastical purposes, though locally situated within the parish of Kingswinford. The market is held on Saturday."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]