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Shropshire is England’s forgotten county,
but it is well worth making the effort to get there. It is only three hours by
train from London and there is plenty to see and do. It is primarily a rural
county steeped in history bordering as it does mid Wales, from Oswestry in the
northwest to Ludlow and the Hereford border in the south.
Consider staying in Shrewsbury, the capital of the county. Shrewsbury is a
growing mediaeval town with a large mixture of places to stay and lots of things
to see. It straddles the mighty River Severn, one of Britain’s longest rivers.
The river twists and turns and revisits the town in several places. It can and
still does flood some of the town occasionally and the effects of global warming
have persuaded the town council to beef up the flood defences. On a mild balmy
day with the river low and sleepy it seems hard to imagine that the river could
ever offer a threat, but when it is angry and running, it does.
Visit the castle set beside the Victorian railway station. Shrewsbury is the
home of Charles Darwin and there are reminders of their famous son throughout
the town. Consider too the half timbered and ancient Rowley’s museum. To the
north of the town is an area called Battle, named after the battle in the War of
the Roses fought there in 1403 when thousands of men were slaughtered on both
sides, the majority brought down by the English longbow. See
http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/history/2003/02/battle_of_shrewsbury/battle_smil.shtml.
Do visit the old church just north of the battlefield site where a permanent
memorial is on display.
But Shropshire has much more to offer than simply the county town. In the
south of the county Ludlow is a fascinating small ancient town. Katherine of
Aragon was imprisoned there in the castle after Henry the eighth turned his
attentions elsewhere. The castle is still in surprisingly good condition and is
open most days. Countless narrow streets with many half-timbered buildings
always have something to offer. Check out the Feathers Hotel in Ludlow for olde
England history and charm.
Bridgnorth is a town split in two. The lower level beside the River Severn
and the high town set on the escarpment that commands views along the river.
Take the old steam powered Severn Valley Railway, scene of countless films and
TV series, from there south towards Kidderminster and over the border into
Worcestershire.
In the north of the county Ellesmere in the Shropshire Lakeland is a small
town well worth a visit. Check out the canal where Thomas Telford’s masterpiece,
built in 1760 runs through the town before wending its way over the border and
into Wales and on to Llangollen. Oswestry in the northwest is a bustling market
town and on market day you are as likely to hear Welsh being spoken as often as
English. Another small town worth a visit is Much Wenlock, located on Wenlock
edge, a cliff face that runs diagonally across the county. There is an ancient
monastery there and quaint buildings aplenty. For the
more energetic, walking holidays across the moorland of the Long Mynd offers a
surprising taste of wilderness. Stay in Church Stretton, a mecca for hill
walkers. Lastly, if you still have time, try and visit Telford at Ironbridge
where Thomas Telford’s bridge still stands, the first metal bridge built
anywhere heralding the dawn of the industrial revolution.
Shropshire is still relatively undiscovered, especially by international
travellers, but it has much to commend it. The people are gentle and friendly
and it is well worth the effort to get there. You can access thousands of
holiday villas and cottages worldwide on my website
www.pebblebeachmedia.co.uk. Enjoy your
travelling!
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