a municipal and parliamentary borough and the seat of a poor-law union in Worcestershire, is situated on the river Salwarpe, 7 miles N.N.E. of Worcester, and 116 miles N.W. by W. from London. The borough returns one member to parliament, and is governed by a municipality consisting of four aldermen and twelve councillors, one of whom is mayor. The livings are in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester. Pop. (1851) 3125; of extended parliamentary borough, 7096. From a very remote date, Droitwich has been famous for its wyches or salt. springs. These were known to the Romans, who had a station called Saline on the spot now occupied by the town of Droitwich. In the formation of the Oxford and Wolverhampton railway, remains of a Roman villa were discovered, containing some interesting and valuable relics which have been carefully preserved. In "Domesday Book," mention is made of a tax imposed upon the salt mines of Droitwich. King John granted a charter to the borough.

The chief public buildings of Droitwich are the Court Chamber, a handsome edifice, and the churches of St Andrew and St Peter, besides the chapels of the Plymouth Brethren and the Methodists. Droitwich also possesses national and infant schools, and an admirably conducted hospital, which maintains about forty men and women, besides educating 100 young persons of both sexes. Droitwich possesses a very large trade in salt; of which it produces annually upwards of 60,000 tons. The canals and railways which pass the town at short distances afford great facilities for the transit of this article to other parts of the country.