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We now proceed to Bromsgrove through a pleasing line of country, indifferently well wooded, but where the traveller cannot help noticing that observation of Arthur Young’s, that here he first remarked the abominable custom of stripping the timber trees to make them look like Maypoles, to the entire destruction of the timber, and distorting the face of the whole country.
This town was formerly called Bremesgrave, and was in the Crown from the Conquest, until the reign of Henry III it then passed through various occupants, returning several times to the Crown, until James I granted it to the ancestor of the late Lord Chedworth whose heir sold it to the Windsor family. Leland speaking of it in his time, says, “I rode from the Wyche to Bromsgrove, a four miles, by enclosed ground, having some good corne, meetly wooded, and well pastured; and in this waye I passed over two or three bridges over the water that cometh from the Wyche. The town of Bromsgrove is all in a manner of one street, very large, standinge in a plain ground. The town standeth somethinge by Clothinge. The heart of the town is meetly well paved. “
It is not even now much altered from that description, and is still a large, but dirty place, full of shops, and of manufacturers of nails, needles, and some sheeting and coarse linens. The principal street is long, but straggling; containing some very good houses, whilst many of the more ancient ones are framed of wood, and curiously decorated with black stripes and cross pieces, scallops, flowers, leaves, and other ornaments, of which the glaring contrast of colours produces a most unharmonious effect. The church, which is a pleasing Gothic structure, is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The tower and spire, whose height is 189 feet, form a most commanding object, and cannot perhaps be surpassed for antique elegance, by any others in the county. They are highly ornamented with Gothic mouldings, and with three statues of St. John, St. Peter, and St. Paul, on the western side. The body of the church has three aisles; the windows contain some very good painted glass; there are several handsome monuments of the Talbots of Grafton, now the Earls of Shrewsbury, and one of Counsellor Lyttelton, of the Hagley family; but we are sorry to observe, that during the repair of the chancel, some years ago, some very improper changes of the monuments and brasses took place. It were well indeed, if an Act of Parliament were to take place to prevent the barbarous beautifyings which are so often executed by the orders of as barbarous churchwardens. Surely even now, the bishops, or archdeacons, in their visitations, might look into these matters, if the resident clergy will not. The ground on which the church stands is so high as to be ascended by fifty steps.
There is a grammar school here, founded by Edward VI with an additional endowment by Sir Thomas Cookes, who gave exhibitions from the school to Worcester college, in Oxford, of his own foundation.
Bromsgrove, as early as the reign of Edward I returned two members to parliament; but that is now discontinued.
The local jurisdiction consist of a court baron, which sits once in three weeks in the Townhall, for the recovery of small debts.
Those who are fond of hunting after Echoes, may find here several remarkable ones; the first is at a white gate between Dyer’s Bridge and the turnpike; a second in the Crown close, behind the High Street; again, at the east and west corners of the church, and on the east side of the High Street, near the Presbyterian meeting-house. At Barnet Green, in this parish, there is a chalybeate spring, which, though not yet in fashion, is known by the poorer classes, and sometimes used with good effect; a petrifying well also near Holly Wood, but these modes of encrustation are too well known to require description.
The market is on Tuesday; and there are two fairs for linen cloth, cheese, horses, and cattle, on the 24th of June, and 1st of October. In manufactures, Bromsgrove does a little in the combing and spinning of long wool for the hosiers in Leicestershire; and the other modes of industry are linen for wear, and also for sheeting and table-cloths, &c. besides many small articles of iron ware, such as needles, nails, and tenterhooks. The town itself contains about 500 houses, and 3000 inhabitants; but the whole parish consists of 14000 acres, and 3000 of an additional population, of the whole of which, about one one half are supported by manufactures: and it is much to the credit of this place, that although the poor-rates were 6000l per annum, in 1801, yet by careful and judicious management, they were reduced, in 1807, to 3,500l.

Source: A Topographical and Historical Description of the County of Worcester, by Mr. Laird. Printed for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, Paternoster Row; and George Cowie and Co. successors to Vernor, Hood, and Sharp, 31, Poultry, London. Printed circa 1814.