STOURPORT, a market-town in the chapelry of
MITTON, parish of KIDDERMINSTER, lower division
of the hundred of HALFSHIRE, county of WORCESTER,
4 miles (S. S. W.) from Kidderminster, and 130 (W. N.
W.) from London. The population is returned with
Mitton. This place, which is of modern date, owes
its origin and present importance to the junction of
the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal with the
river Severn, on the south side of the town, near the
confluence of the Stour with that river. Its name is derived
from its situation on the Stour, and from its being
the port, or dep6t, to which the manufactured articles
and produce of. the adjoining counties are brought for
transmission to different commercial towns; a communication
being opened between the Severn and the Trent
by the Grand Trunk canal, and a connexion thus formed
with most parts of the kingdom. Prior to the completion
of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, in
1770, the only part of the town in existence was a few
cottages, forming a part of Lower Mitton. The trade
principally arises from its being the dep6t for goods intended
for transmission by canal navigation, extensive
basins having been formed, and warehouses erected, for
their reception; and the conveyance of them is a source
of lucrative employment to many of the inhabitants, as
well as the building of boats and barges, for which docks
have been constructed. A canal was projected from this
town to Kington in Herefordshire, but it has only been
executed as far as Mamble. Stourport is a neat wellbuilt
town, principally of brick j the chief streets are
paved, and it is partially lighted with gas. A subscription
library was established in 1821, and there are two
reading societies. The Severn is here crossed by a handsome
iron bridge to Arely-King's, consisting of one arch,
one hundred and fifty feet in breadth, and fifty in height
from the surface of the water, with several land-arches,
to afford a more free course for the water, in case of
a high flood. The former bridge, built in 1775, had
three arches over the river, the centre arch being fortyeight
feet wide, and the one on each side of it fortytwo
feet:  this bridge having been swept away by a
great quantity of ice brought down by the flood after a
sudden thaw, the present handsome structure was erected.
The market is held on Wednesday, in a market-house
erected on a piece of ground purchased by the proprietors,
who receive the tolls, and is beginning to assume
considerable importance as a corn market. A
great quantity of hops was at one time sold, but this
branch of trade has very much declined. There are
three fairs annually, on the 31st of March, 15th of September,
and 18th of December. The inhabitants attend
divine service at Mitton chapel. The Wesleyan Methodists
have a place of worship, with a Sunday school
attached, in which eighty boys and sixty girls are instructed.
The Sunday school-rooms are spacious and
airy, in which one hundred and twenty boys and girls
receive education by means of voluntary contributions.