Shrewsbury
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Embraced by the looping banks of the River Severn, Shrewsbury is one of the country’s most famous and picturesque market towns. It is cradled by the rolling hills and plains of Shropshire, and at its very heart, recalls the splendour of a bygone age, with black and white Tudor houses, dating back to the 15th century, sitting either side of narrow cobbled alleyways.
Shrewsbury is a beautiful, floral town, which has been home to the famous Flower Show for over a hundred years. The show is held in The Quarry, a riverside parkland where the late Percy Thrower was Parks Superintendent for nearly thirty years.
Most famous among the town’s celebrities, is Charles Darwin, who was born and educated in Shrewsbury and whose theory of evolution changed the way that people thought. Darwin’s early years and forays into geology were inspired by the Shropshire landscape.
Think of Shrewsbury, think of Brother Cadfael. Ellis Peters’ chronicles of the twelfth century detective monk are set in and inspired by the medieval market town. Ellis Peters, whose real name was Edith Pargeter, sadly died in 1995. Her medieval mystery stories are best sellers, their popularity further boosted by the television adaptations starring Derek Jacobi. Brother Cadfael figures prominently at two Shrewsbury tourist venues.
Shrewsbury Abbey is at the very heart of the Cadfael tales. Founded in 1083, it became a powerful Benedictine monastery. The church survived the dissolution, and remains a place of worship to this day. Open to visitors, there are displays illustrating the abbey’s history, with tape tours also available.
The Shrewsbury Quest opened in 1994. Visitors are invited to live the history and solve the mystery within the medieval themed attraction, on part of the original grounds of the Shrewsbury Abbey. Offering an entertaining day out for the whole family, the Quest includes the chance to play medieval games and create an illuminated manuscript.
Visitors can explore Cadfael’s workshop – as described in the novels – and his herb garden of twelfth century plants. The Shropshire countryside has numerous castles and monasteries to explore – many of which actually feature in the chronicles of Brother Cadfael – evoking images of life, religion, conflict and civil war form past centuries.
Many of Shrewsbury’s visitor attractions are in the town centre, within walking distance of the bus and railway stations. It is a perfect town to experience on foot. The variety of life through the centuries is illustrated in Shrewsbury’s four very different museums. The red sandstone castle houses the Shropshire Regimental Museum. In its grounds is the motte of the original Norma castle. Rowley’s House Museum is a splendid black and white Tudor building with collections ranging from Roman artefacts and prehistoric longboats to costume the geology. The decorative arts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries feature strongly in Clive House, which houses displays on Shropshire naturalists and their work, including Charles Darwin.
Renshaw steam engines of Coleham Pumping Station are a restoration project in progress. Churches, too, illustrate the town’s life, past and present; St. Chads and St. Mary’s are particularly rich in spectacular stained glass. Out of town, Shropshire’s countryside and villages are rewarding to explore. There are magnificent walks, and interesting discoveries to be made in hamlets and churches. Condover, for instance, is conserved as a typical country estate village, fashioned by the likes and dislikes of successive squires. Dating back before Doomsday, it has its own village trail.
The village of Atcham - on the old Roman road, Watling Street - is known for its two stone bridges and its eccentric eighteenth century squire, Jack Mytton. Nearby the Regency mansion of Attingham Park, the family attraction of Home Farm and the ancient Roman city at Wroxeter. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, at Battlefield, has a special place in history. Founded as a memorial to the men killed in the Battle of Shrewsbury, it stands peacefully on the site of the battle, and is open for visitors on summer Sunday afternoons. Also playing a role in the nation’s history is the ruined castle in the village of Acton Burnell, where one of the earliest parliaments was held in 1283. It is open to visitors everyday.
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