Parochial Account of the City and Suburbs of Worcester

Three several essays have been made towards an accurate enumeration of the inhabitants of this city and its suburbs; the first was made in 1563, 5th of Eliz. under Bishop Sandys, when the families in the eleven parishes, exclusive of the cathedral precincts, amounted to 1025.

In 1646, during the siege of Worcester, the inhabitants within the city were 7176; gentlemen in the garrison, soldiers, and trained bands, about 2007; total, 9183.
In the Plan of the city, published by Mr. G. Young, an accurate and ingenious surveyor, in 1779, he has stated the number of houses in the city and suburbs to have been 2449; and the number of inhabitants, 13,104.¹ In that calculation, St. Clement’s parish is stated to have had, within the bounds of the city and suburbs, 141 houses, and 671 inhabitants. Each of those totals have varied in this parish more than in any of the others ; first, from its extent within the limits of the city being the most considerable of any, except St. Peter’s ; and, secondly, from its suburbs, including the superior advantage of a variety of eligible situations whereon to build, in an improving neighbourhood about the Terrace, Hinton-lane, and on Henwick’s hill, west of the Severn, insomuch, that in the year 1790, the number of houses was increased to 199, and their inhabitants to 1007² The same progress of improvement having taken place proportionably in each of the other parishes, parts of which form the exterior or suburb of the city, we are thence warranted in supposing, that, at the present time, the number of houses in the city and suburbs of Worcester amounts to, at least, 2530, and their inhabitants to not less than 13,550. Instances of longevity in the natives and inhabitants of this city, by which its healthiness is proved, appear from its registers to be as numerous as in any of the great towns in England.

Source: Green, Valentine. The History and Antiquities of the City and Suburbs of Worcester. London, Printed for the Author by W. Bulmer and Co. 1796.

Population.

But if we include the tything of Whiston, the township of St. Johns, the parish of St. Michael, and those divisions that form part of Worcester, though not actually within the limits of the city, the whole population will be as follows, viz.

Source: Worcestershire Delineated: Being a Topographical Description of Each Parish, Chapelry, Hamlet, &c. In the County; with the distances and bearings from their respective market towns, &c. By C. and J. Greenwood. Printed by T. Bensley, Crane Court, Fleet Street, London, 1822.