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Shrewsbury

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For other places with the same name, see Shrewsbury (disambiguation).
Shrewsbury
File:Old Shrewsbruy Market Halledit.jpg
The Old Market Hall in the Square.
Population71,855 
OS grid referenceSJ491124
• Cardiff89 mi (143 km) SSW [1]
• London150 mi (240 km) SE [2]
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSHREWSBURY
Postcode districtSY1, SY2, SY3
Dialling code01743
PoliceWest Mercia
FireShropshire
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Shropshire

Shrewsbury (pronouncedⓘ /ˈʃruːzbri/ or alternativelyⓘ /ˈʃroʊzbri/[3]) is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is home to 71,855[4] inhabitants, and is the primary settlement of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham, which has a population of 95,900. Consequently, it is the largest town in the non-metropolitan county.

Shrewsbury is an historic market town with the town centre having a largely unaltered medieval street plan. The town features over 660[5] historic listed buildings, including several examples of timber framing from the 15th century and 16th century. Shrewsbury Castle, a red sandstone castle fortification, and Shrewsbury Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery, were founded in 1074 and 1083 respectively, by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery[6]. The town hosts one of the oldest and largest horticultural events in the country, Shrewsbury Flower Show, and is well known for its floral displays, having won various awards in recent years[7][8], including Britain in Bloom in 2006[9].

Today, lying 9 miles east of the Welsh border, Shrewsbury serves as a cultural and commercial centre for the ceremonial county and a large area of mid-Wales, with retail output alone worth over £299 m per year[10]. There are some light industry and distribution centres, such as Battlefield Enterprise Park, located mainly on the outskirts. The A5 and A49 trunk roads cross here, as do a number of railway lines at Shrewsbury railway station.

History

Typical Tudor architecture on Butcher Row.
Market Street, behind the Old Market Hall with the Music Hall on the left. The brick clocktower of the current Market Hall can be seen in the background.
The remains of the Roman city of Wroxeter.
Main article: History of Shrewsbury

The town was known to the ancient Britons as Pengwern, signifying "the alder hill"[11]; and to the Anglo-Saxons as Scrobbesburh (dative Scrobbesbyrig), which has several meanings; "fort in the scrub-land region", "Scrobb's fort", "shrubstown" or "the town of the bushes". [12][13] This name was gradually corrupted in three directions, into 'Sciropscire' which became Shropshire, into 'Sloppesberie', which became Salop/Salopia (the historical name for the county), and into 'Schrosberie' which eventually became the name of the county town, Shrewsbury.[11] Its Welsh name Amwythig means "fortified place".[14]

Shrewsbury is popularly known as a medieval town, having been founded c.800 and it was during the "late Middle Ages" (14th/15th Centuries) in which the town was at its height in terms of national importance and wealth. This was mainly due to the wool trade, a major industry at the time, with the rest of Britain and Europe, especially with the River Severn and Watling Street as trading routes. [15] It is believed that Henry VIII intended to make Shrewsbury a cathedral city after the formation of the Church of England, but the citizens of the town declined the offer. In 2000 and again in 2002, Shrewsbury unsuccessfully applied for city status.[16]

Over the ages, the geographically important town has been the site of many conflicts, particularly between the English and Welsh. Shrewsbury was the seat of the Princes of Powis for many years, however, the Saxons, under Offa, king of Mercia, took possession of it in 778. The Welsh again besieged it in 1069, but were repelled by William the Conqueror. Roger de Montgomery was given the town as a gift from William, and built Shrewsbury Castle in 1074, taking the title of Earl. Montgomery was later deposed, in consequence of taking part in the Rebellion of 1088 against Henry II.[11] The Battle of Shrewsbury was fought in 1403 a few miles north of the town centre, at Battlefield. It was fought between King Henry IV and Henry Hotspur, with the King emerging victorious. [17]

The town is home to the Ditherington Flax Mill, the world's first iron-framed building, which is commonly regarded as "the grandfather of the skyscraper". Its importance was officially recognised in the 1950s, resulting in it becoming a Grade I listed building. [18][19] Shrewsbury in the Industrial Revoution was also located on the Shrewsbury Canal which linked it to the Shropshire Canal and wider canal network. [20]

Shrewsbury has also played a unique part in Western intellectual history, by being the town in which the great naturalist Charles Darwin was born and raised. Darwin later published the famed book The Origin of the Species and developed the theory of natural selection. [21]

Nearby is the village Wroxeter, 5 miles to the south-west where the now ruined Roman city of Viroconium Cornoviorum lies. Viroconium was the fourth largest civitas capital in Roman Britain. As Caer Guricon it may have served as the early Dark Age capital of the kingdom of Powys.[22]

Governance

A ward map; the Shrewsbury Urban area is shown in orange, within the larger Shrewsbury and Atcham district.

Shrewsbury is the administrative centre for both Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough and Shropshire County (which does not include the Telford and Wrekin borough, which is now a unitary authority). The County Council have their headquarters in the Shirehall, on Abbey Foregate[23] and the Borough Council have their headquarters in The Guildhall, on Frankwell Quay. [24] The Borough Council have moved from their old Guildhall, now known as "Newport House" (as it was before it became the Guildhall), on 19 March 2004. Shrewsbury has no town council, the Mayor of Shrewsbury and Atcham being also the mayor of the town.

Shrewsbury is in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency and is the only large settlement in the constituency. Before 1997 Shrewsbury and Atcham's MP was Derek Conway, a Conservative. Paul Marsden of the Labour Party was elected to serve the constituency in Labour's 1997 landslide victory, the first time Shrewsbury had a Labour MP. Marsden defected to the Liberal Democrats following the Afghanistan war, deciding not to stand for election again. Following this, 2005 saw Labour lose a lot of votes to the Liberal Democrats, allowing Daniel Kawczynski of the Conservatives to be elected with a majority of 1,808. Previous MPs for Shrewsbury have included former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. [25]

Shrewsbury is twinned with Zutphen in The Netherlands[26]. The town also serves as the administrative headquarters of the British Army's 5th Division, which has their administrative HQ at the Copthorne Barracks. [27]

Geography

File:Shrewsburypanorama.JPG
Panorama over Shrewsbury from the grounds of Shrewsbury School, located in Kingsland.
The Severn as viewed from Laura's Tower in Shrewsbury Castle.

Shrewsbury is located approximately 23 kilometres (14 mi) to the west of Telford, 69 kilometres (43 mi) west of Birmingham and the West Midlands Conurbation, and about 240 kilometres (150 mi) north-west of the capital, London. [2] More locally, the town of Welshpool is to the east, and Bridgnorth and Kidderminster are to the south-east. The border with Wales is only 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) to the west.

The town centre is partially built on a hill whose elevation is, at its highest, 75 metres above sea level. The longest river in the UK, the River Severn, flows through the town, forming a meander around its centre. [11] In recent years the town has experienced severe flooding problems from the Severn and Rea Brook. In the autumn of 2000 large swathes of the town were underwater, notably Frankwell which was flooded three times in the space of six weeks. [28] The Frankwell flood defences were completed in 2003, along with the new offices of the borough council. In recent years, such as 2005 and 2007, flooding has been less severe, and the defences have generally held back floodwaters from the town centre areas. However, the town car parks are often left to be flooded in the winter, which reduces trade in the town, most evidenced in the run up to Christmas in 2007. [29]

The town is situated near Haughmond Hill, a site where Precambrian rocks, some of the oldest rocks in the county can be found[30], and the town itself is sited on an area of largely Carboniferous rocks[31]. A fault, the Hodnet Fault, starts approximately at the town, and runs as far as Market Drayton.

Shrewsbury has a large number of distinct suburbs and surrounding villages. As the town continues to expand, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the suburbs, which are joined to the town, and the surrounding villages, which often join on to the suburbs.

An example of where this has happened is Bayston Hill, which has grown considerably over recent years; now separated from the Meole Brace suburb by only a few fields and the A5 road. It remains, however, a separate entity to the town, with its own parish council, etc. Bayston Hill lies some 3 miles south of the town centre of Shrewsbury and on the A49 and near to the A5. The smaller village of Battlefield, this time to the north of the town, is also considered now as a suburb of the town due to recent growth in the surrounding area. It is covered by the unparished town area of the borough and is included in a town ward.

Climate

The climate of Shrewsbury is similar to that of the rest of Shropshire, generally moderate. Rainfall averages 760 to 1,000 mm (30 to 40 in), influenced by being in the rainshadow of the Cambrian Mountains from warm, moist frontal systems of the Atlantic Ocean which bring generally light precipitation in Autumn and Spring. [32]

The nearest weather station is located at Shawbury.

Climate data for Shawbury[a]
WMO ID: 03414; coordinates 52°47′41″N 2°39′53″W / 52.79469°N 2.66473°W / 52.79469; -2.66473 (Met Office Shawbury); elevation: 72 m (236 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1960–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.6
(58.3) 		17.4
(63.3) 		21.5
(70.7) 		25.2
(77.4) 		26.7
(80.1) 		31.2
(88.2) 		35.7
(96.3) 		34.9
(94.8) 		29.6
(85.3) 		28.1
(82.6) 		18.4
(65.1) 		15.4
(59.7) 		35.7
(96.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 7.5
(45.5) 		8.1
(46.6) 		10.3
(50.5) 		13.2
(55.8) 		16.3
(61.3) 		19.1
(66.4) 		21.1
(70.0) 		20.7
(69.3) 		18.1
(64.6) 		14.2
(57.6) 		10.3
(50.5) 		7.7
(45.9) 		13.9
(57.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.3
(39.7) 		4.6
(40.3) 		6.3
(43.3) 		8.6
(47.5) 		11.5
(52.7) 		14.4
(57.9) 		16.3
(61.3) 		16.0
(60.8) 		13.7
(56.7) 		10.4
(50.7) 		6.9
(44.4) 		4.5
(40.1) 		9.8
(49.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.2
(34.2) 		1.2
(34.2) 		2.3
(36.1) 		3.9
(39.0) 		6.8
(44.2) 		9.6
(49.3) 		11.5
(52.7) 		11.4
(52.5) 		9.3
(48.7) 		6.6
(43.9) 		3.5
(38.3) 		1.3
(34.3) 		5.7
(42.3)
Record low °C (°F) −21.4
(−6.5) 		−12.9
(8.8) 		−12.2
(10.0) 		−5.9
(21.4) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		2.5
(36.5) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		−5.9
(21.4) 		−12.5
(9.5) 		−25.2
(−13.4) 		−25.2
(−13.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 57.4
(2.26) 		43.3
(1.70) 		43.4
(1.71) 		47.1
(1.85) 		53.6
(2.11) 		59.0
(2.32) 		57.6
(2.27) 		64.2
(2.53) 		61.1
(2.41) 		68.8
(2.71) 		60.8
(2.39) 		66.3
(2.61) 		682.5
(26.87)
Average snowfall mm (inches) 26
(1.0) 		19
(0.7) 		3
(0.1) 		4
(0.2) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		1
(0.0) 		27
(1.1) 		80
(3.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.1 10.8 10.2 10.4 10.0 10.1 10.5 10.5 10.0 11.3 12.5 13.1 131.6
Average snowy days 3.0 2.9 1.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.6 9.1
Average relative humidity (%) 90 87 84 83 82 84 83 83 86 88 90 90 86
Mean monthly sunshine hours 52.8 74.9 114.6 158.1 194.9 187.5 193.3 168.0 134.7 97.5 61.8 49.9 1,487.8
Mean daily daylight hours 8.3 9.9 11.9 14.0 15.8 16.8 16.3 14.7 12.7 10.6 8.7 7.7 12.3
Average ultraviolet index 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 3
Source 1: Met Office[33] European Climate Assessment and Dataset[34]
Source 2: WeatherAtlas[35]

Demography

According to the 2001 census, the population of the town of Shrewsbury is 67,126[36]. The same census puts the population of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham at 95,850[36]. In 1981 the population of the town was 57,731 and in 1991 the population of the town was 64,219[37]. Shrewsbury is Shropshire's second largest town, after Telford. The population of the town centre (the area within the loop of the Severn) is approximately 1,300. In line with the rapid growth of town population, a 2005 report on prison population in the UK has found that the prison, HMP Shrewsbury, is the most overcrowded in England and Wales[38].

The 2001 census also indicates that the population of the town consists of 51.1% females, and 48.9% males, which echoes the trend of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough, and that of Shropshire as a whole[39].

According to the same census, the ethnic composition of the town is largely white, at 98.5% of the total population. The next largest ethnic group is mixed race, at 0.5% of the town's population. 0.4% of the population is Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi, and 0.1% of the population is Asian or Asian British. A further 0.1% is Black, Caribbean or African[39].

Historical Population

Year 1801 1811 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901
Population 31,280 34,158 38,263 40,480 41,858 43,818 46,261 48,704 51,146 50,678 52,181
Year 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Population 53,729 55,481 57,290 62,398 67,965 74,831 82,392 85,136 92,347 95,896
Population figures for Shrewsbury & Atcham borough. Source: A Vision of Britain through Time

Economy

The Darwin Shopping Centre in Christmas decoration.

The town is the location of the borough and county councils, and a number of retail complexes, both in and out of the town centre, and these provide significant employment. Four in five jobs in the town are in service industry. Within this sector, the largest employers are the administration and distribution sectors, which includes retail, food and accommodation[39].

In terms of social and economic deprivation, according to the Overall Index of Multiple Deprivation of 2004, one Super Output Area (SOA) in the town is in the bottom 15% of all areas nationally. This area is located in the ward of Harlescott[40]. A further four SOAs fall into the bottom 30% nationally, these being located in the wards of Monkmoor, Sundorne, Battlefield and Heathgates, and Meole Brace. [41] The most affluent areas of the town are located to the south, surrounding Shrewsbury School. Areas such as Kingsland and Porthill tend to have higher house prices than average. [42]

Landmarks

The Dingle, formerly a Quarry, now a scenic garden.
The church of St. Chads and The Quarry recreational area (foreground).

The historic town centre still retains its medieval street pattern and many narrow streets and passages. Some of the passages, especially those which pass through buildings from one street to the next, are called “shuts” (a suggestion is that this is because they were once shut at night). [43] Many specialist shops, traditional pubs and local restaurants can be found in the hidden corners, squares and lanes of Shrewsbury. Many of the street names have also remained unchanged in centuries and there are some more unusual names, such as Butcher Row, Longden Coleham, Dogpole, Mardol, Frankwell, Roushill, Grope Lane, Gullet Passage, Murivance, The Dana, Portobello, Bear Steps, Shoplatch and Bellstone. [44]

The town was also used as the set for the popular US television special "A Christmas Carol"[45], which filmed many of its interior and exterior shots in and around Shrewsbury. The gravestone of Ebeneezer Scrooge used in production is still present in the graveyard of St. Chad's church.

In the centre of the town lies The Quarry. This 29 acre (120,000 m²)[46] riverside park attracts thousands of people throughout the year and is enjoyed as a place of recreation. The town is known as the "Town of Flowers" and this was the motto printed onto many of the signs as you entered the town on major roads, although in 2007 the signs were replaced, instead branding the town as 'the birthplace of Charles Darwin'. [47]

The British Army's famous Light Infantry has been associated with Shrewsbury since the 17th century when the first regiments were formed and many more regiments have been raised at Shrewsbury before being deployed all over the world from the American Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, after several major reorganisations the Light Infantry Brigade now forms part of the regiment known simply as The Rifles. Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks, spiritual home of the Light Brigade still houses the Headquarters of the British Army's 5th Division.[48]

Between 1962 and 1992 there was a hardened nuclear bunker, built for No 16 Group Royal Observer Corps who provided the field force of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation who would have sounded the four minute warning alarm in the event of war and warned the population of Shrewsbury in the event of approaching radioactive fallout[49]. The building was manned by up to 120 volunteers who trained on a weekly basis and wore a Royal Air Force style uniform. After the break up of the communist bloc in 1989 the Royal Observer Corps was disbanded between September 1991 and December 1995. However, the nuclear bunker still stands just inside Holywell Street near the Abbey as a lasting reminder of the cold war, but is now converted and used as a vetinary practice.

The tourist information centre is at the Music Hall on The Square in the town centre. The three main museums are Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (located at Rowley's House), Shrewsbury Castle (which houses the Shropshire Regimental Museum) and the Coleham Pumping Station[50]. Also there is the Gateway arts and drama centre and there are also various private galleries and art shops around the town. Another notable feature of the town is Lord Hill's Column, the largest free-standing Doric column in the world[51].

Religious sites

Barnabas Community Church[52], a former army centre now used by a church in Shrewsbury

There are many church denominations represented in Shrewsbury, housed in a range of buildings, including Shrewsbury Abbey, founded by Roger de Montgomery in 1083[53] The Orthodox Church's main building, which is located on Wenlock Road to the east, is over 1,000 years old.[54]

Shrewsbury is home to the Roman Catholic Shrewsbury Cathedral, located by Town Walls, [55] as well as two other parishes in Harlescott and Monkmoor, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury.
There are several Anglican Churches in Shrewsbury[56]. Other denominations, such as methodists[57] and baptists[58] are represented alongside newer church groups, which include: Elim pentecostal[59] and two Newfrontiers churches[60][61].

Many community projects in Shrewsbury are based in, or have been started by local churches, including the Isaiah 58 project, which is the primary work amongst homeless people in the town[62]. Basics Bank is another example, based at The Barnabas Centre. The service provides debt relief for local people[63]. Churches Together in Shrewsbury is seeking to continue its long term commitment to helping homeless people through The Ark project[64].

Culture

Events and venues

Music Hall façade

Shrewsbury is home to one of the largest and oldest horticultural events in the UK - the annual Shrewsbury Flower Show [65]. A two day event, the Flower Show takes place in mid-August, has been running for more than 125 years, and attracts around 100,000 visitors each year. Set in the Quarry park, there are a multitude of events, exhibitions and displays, with a fireworks display at the end of each day. The town is well known for its flower displays, and has won numerous awards in recent years[66].

Shrewsbury is also home to one of the region's main agricultural shows - the West Mid Show. This is held every year, usually in May, at the Shropshire Agricultural Showground on the outskirts of town at Coton Hill.[67]

The town is host to the Shrewsbury International Music Festival, when musical groups from all over the world come to perform for about a week for local residents, and give a final concert in the Abbey. The festival is organized by WorldStage Tours. In recent years, including 2005, Northern Pines has participated. [68]

2006 also saw the first Shrewsbury Folk Festival, after the event moved to the town from nearby Bridgnorth. Held annually over the August Bank Holiday, the event is very popular, with people travelling from across the UK to attend. In 2006 much of the event was held in the Quarry, with other related festivities happening around the town. For 2007 the event moved to the West Midlands Showground on the other side of the river[69].

A new annual arts festival - the Shrewsbury Summer Season - was established in 2004 and runs each year from June to August with an extensive programme of music, visual arts, theatre and spectacle[70].

There are some very old public houses, which have been continuously open as pubs, such as the Golden Cross (established 1428 - the oldest pub in the town), the Dun Cow and the King's Head. [71]

Construction of Theatre Severn[72], a new entertainment complex in Frankwell, was commissioned in September 2006. Actual construction began on the site in April 2007 when the Borough Council appointed a contractor. The design will feature a prominent glass curve and steel frame. The site is positioned next to the Guildhall, alongside the namesake River Severn[73]. The new complex is to replace the existing theatre, the Shrewsbury Music Hall. The Music Hall will then be refurbished, and take on the role of Rowley's House Museum, which will then be closed for renovation for the foreseeable future. [74]

Coat of arms

The Brother Cadfael series was based at Shrewsbury Abbey.

The town's coat of arms depicts three loggerheads, with the motto Floreat Salopia, a Latin phrase that can be translated to "may Shrewsbury flourish"[75]. The coat of arms is the same as that of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham - Shrewsbury's town shield is the same but without the bridge (which is the Atcham Bridge). Shrewsbury Town FC historically have used the Loggerheads but now have a bespoke badge, retaining a single Loggerhead.

Cultural references

The town appears in the Brother Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters, aka Edith Pargeter. The novels take Shrewsbury Abbey for their setting, with Shrewsbury and other places in Shropshire portrayed regularly, and have made Medieval Shrewsbury familiar to a wide worldwide readership. [76]

The local author, Carol Ewels has written two children's books, including Jack the Cat, which are set in the town. Also, the children's author Pauline Fisk writes about a town called Pengwern, which is based entirely on Shrewsbury, in books including Midnight Blue, and Sabrina Fludde. Frank Cottrell Boyce, another children's author, writes briefly about Shrewsbury in his book Millions.

Transport

File:NexusShrewsbury.JPG
Roushill, Shrewsbury
A map of Shrewsbury showing suburbs, surrounding villages, Rivers (blue), Roads (red) and Rail routes (green).

Shrewsbury is the county's public transportation hub and has extensive road and rail links to the rest of the county and country.

Rail

Five railway lines connect the town to most corners of Shropshire and the town is regarded as the "Gateway to Wales". Shrewsbury railway station is served by Arriva Trains Wales and London Midland. Trains frequently run to Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Chester, Telford, Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Crewe, Hereford and Wrexham. [77] From Spring 2008 a direct service to London will be operated by Wrexham & Shropshire, an open access service provider. This will restore the county's rail link with London: currently Shropshire is the only English county without a dedicated service to the capital. [78]

Roads

Claremont Bank, with the SSFC campus to the left, and Frankwell in the distance.

Shrewsbury is connected to the national road network and nearby towns via a number of significant roads.

The A5 connects the town east towards Telford, where it becomes the M54, and northwest to Oswestry. The A5 once ran through the town centre, until a bypass was built in the 1930s. Subsequently, in 1992, a seventeen mile dual carriageway was completed at a cost of 79 million pounds to the south of the town, and was made to form part of the A5 route. This dual carriageway was built further out of the town to act as a substantial link to Telford, as well as a bypass for the town. [79]

The A49 also goes to Shrewsbury, joining the A5 at the south of the town, coming from Ludlow and Leominster. At this point, the road merges with the A5 for three miles, before separating again to the east of the town. From there it runs north, passing Sundorne, then Battlefield, before heading out towards Whitchurch. At Battlefield, the A53 route begins and heads northeast towards Shawbury and Market Drayton then onwards towards Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent.

The A458 (Welshpool-Bridgnorth) runs through the town centre, entering in the west and leaving to the southeast. The A528 begins in the town centre and heads north, heading for Ellesmere. The A488 begins just west of the town centre in Frankwell and heads out to Bishop's Castle, Clun and Knighton crossing the border in the southwest of Shropshire.

Major roads within the town include the A5112, A5191 and A5064. The A5191 goes north-south via the town centre, while the A5112 runs north-south to the east of the town centre. The A5064 is a short, one mile stretch of road to the southeast of the town centre, called "London Road". Additionally, the A5124 is the most recently built section of the Shrewsbury bypasses and runs across the northern edge of the town at Battlefield (connecting the A49/A53 to the A528), though it did exist before as Harlescott Lane (which has since become unclassified).

Buses

Bus services in the town are operated by Arriva and serve most parts of the town, congregating at the town's bus station adjacent to the Darwin Shopping Centre and a short stroll from the railway station. Arriva also operate county services both independent of and on behalf of Shropshire County Council. There are other bus companies operating around the Shrewsbury area, including Minsterley Motors.

Shrewsbury has a Park and Ride bus scheme in operation and three car parks on the edge of town are used by many who want to travel into the town centre. The three car parks are located at Harlescott (to the north, colour-coded orange), Oxon (to the west, colour-coded brown) and Meole Brace (to the south, colour-coded green). It is proposed that a fourth one be built to the east of the town, at either Emstrey or Preston.[80]

Bridges

Frankwell Footbridge (foreground) and the Welsh Bridge (background).
Porthill Bridge, crossing the Severn, connecting Porthill with the Quarry area.

The town has many bridges, which cross the River Severn and the Rea Brook. Frankwell footbridge is a modern pedestrian footbridge between Frankwell and the town centre spanning the River Severn. Downstream is the Welsh Bridge, which was built in the 1790s to replace the ancient St George's Bridge. Further along is the Porthill Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge running between The Quarry and Porthill, built in 1922. The next bridge along the river is the Kingsland Bridge, a privately owned toll bridge, and the subsequent bridge is the Greyfriars Bridge, a pedestrian bridge between Coleham and the town centre. Following the Greyfriars Bridge is the English Bridge, historically called "Stone Bridge", which was rebuilt in the 1930s, and beyond it is the railway station, which is partly built over the river. After the station is the Castle Walk Footbridge, another modern pedestrian footbridge. [81]

A. E. Housman wrote of the area this verse, which mentions the bridges of the town:

High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam

Islanded in Severn stream;
The bridges from the steepled crest,

Cross the water east and west.

Future

The main shopping district, Pride Hill.

Shrewsbury won the West Midlands Capital of Enterprise award in 2004[82]. The town has two expanding business parks - the Shrewsbury Business Park and the Battlefield Enterprise Park. There are many residential developments currently under construction in the town to cater for the increasing numbers of people wishing to live in the town and commute to Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

The town centre has two small indoor shopping centres - the 'Pride Hill' and 'Darwin'[83] centres. The initial plan to merge them into the Castle Gate shopping complex experienced setbacks, and planning permission was withdrawn. However, the development of a new four storey link mall has begun as part of a new project by a different company, with construction being undertaken by local company Morris Property. In addition to connecting the two shopping centres, the new mall may also open onto the main shopping street, Pride Hill.

Media

Two newspapers are published for Shrewsbury - the Shrewsbury Chronicle[84] and the local edition of the county's Shropshire Star.[85]

There are presently three radio stations that specifically serve either the Shrewsbury area or encompass it as part of a Shropshire-wide broadcast. They include: Beacon Radio, part of the wider network of radio stations owned by GCap Media[86]; BBC Radio Shropshire, which is based in Shrewsbury[87]; and, as of September 2006, The Severn, which broadcasts live from Abbey Foregate.[88]

Notable people

Charles Darwin, Shrewsbury's most illustrious historical resident.
Darwin Gate sculpture at the top of Mardol.

There have been a number of notable Salopians, and people otherwise associated with the town of Shrewsbury, including Charles Darwin, a biologist and evolutionary theorist, one of the most important thinkers of the nineteenth century and one of the greatest scientists of all time, who was born in Shrewsbury on 12 February 1809 at The Mount House[89], and was educated in the town at Shrewsbury School.

People with political associations also have connections with the town. Leo Blair, the father of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, is a resident of the town. Former residents have included Michael Heseltine, a Conservative politician who was educated at Shrewsbury School[90], and Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, who was once Britain's richest man, and was MP for Shrewsbury[91]. He lived in apartments at Shrewsbury Castle. Robert Clive was MP for Shrewsbury, and also the mayor[92].

Ian Hunter (or Ian Patterson), the lead singer of the 70's pop group Mott the Hoople, was a resident of 23a Swan Hill in the town centre, and wrote a song of the same name. Also a resident of the town was John Peel, a DJ and radio presenter, who was educated at Shrewsbury School. Another DJ from the town is Lange, a producer of dance music, who was born in Shrewsbury. The 1980s pop group T'Pau was formed in the town and the band's vocalist Carol Decker was born and educated in the town, along with other members of the band.

Shrewsbury has also been home to contributors to literature. Prior to the First World War, Wilfred Owen, a poet lived in the town[93]. Paul Gustafson, an author, self-publicist and biologist was born in Shrewsbury, and Mary Webb is buried there[94]. Michael Palin, the writer, actor and comedian attended Shrewsbury School[95]. Other actors with associations with the town include Nick Hancock, presenter of They Think It's All Over, who, like Palin, was educated at Shrewsbury School[96]. Nick Conway is another actor connected to the town, and was born in it in 1962.

Sporting Salopians include Danny Guthrie, a footballer who was born in Shrewsbury[97] and Joe Hart, an under-21 international footballer, born in the town[98], and educated at Meole Brace School. Sandy Lyle, a professional golfer was also born in the town[99].

Other notable people of the town include Robert Cadman, a performer and steeplejack, who is buried in the town, at St. Mary's Church [100]. Simon Gosling, a designer was born in the town, and was resident there until 1994. John Gwynn, an 18th century architect, who designed the English Bridge and the bridge at Atcham was born in the town. Percy Thrower, the gardener and broadcaster was a resident of Shrewsbury.

Flight Lieutenant Eric Lock DSO, DFC and Bar was born in nearby Bayston Hill and was educated at Prestfelde public school on London Road. Lock became internationally recognised as a high scoring fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during World War II with twenty six victories before his death in combat at the age of twenty one. He was the RAF's most successful British-born pilot during the Battle of Britain, shooting down 16.5 German aircraft in a period of just a few weeks.

Education

Shrewsbury School is a public school. The building shown here, which was constructed circa 1765, is Grade II listed.
The Main Grade II listed building of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College (SSFC), which was constructed circa 1910.

The long established Prestfelde School is an independant preparatory school, located on London Road, close to the Lord Hill column. As part of the Woodard Schools group, it is affiliated to the largest group of Church of England schools in the country. Whilst originally a school for boys only it diversified and, in the late 1990s, started also accepting girls between the ages of three and thirteen. The school is set in thirty acres of grounds on the outskirts of the town.[101]

Shrewsbury is home to Shrewsbury School, a public school, where Sir Philip Sydney, Charles Darwin, Michael Palin, John Peel, Nick Hancock and Michael Heseltine were educated. It is located on a large commanding site ("Kingsland") just south of the town centre overlooking the loop of the Severn. The school was once located in the town centre, in the buildings that are now the main county library on Castle Street. [102] Opposite it on the other side of the river is Shrewsbury High School, an independent girls' day school.

However, the majority of the town's pupils attend one of the eight comprehensive schools. The Priory School, formerly a grammar school for girls, generally has the best GCSE exam results in the town. [103] Meole Brace School currently carries the status of Science College; The Grange the status of Arts College; Sundorne the status of Sports College and Belvidere has the status of Technology College. The Wakeman School, which is geographically the nearest school to the town, situated next to the English Bridge, was previously known as 'Shrewsbury Technical School', which was attended by the famous war poet Wilfred Owen. Additionally, there are two other establishments located out of the town which serve the town's students. The Corbet, located to the north at Baschurch; and Mary Webb School, located in the large village of Pontesbury, to the south-west.

Post-16 education is handled by Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, which has some of the best A-Level results in the country[104] and Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology, which handles primarily vocational courses. Recent proposals to co-locate the two colleges have met with fierce opposition, from the fear that town centre trade will suffer from the loss of the student population, as well as the reduced access to the London Road site, which lacks the rail and bus stations of Shrewsbury town centre. [105]

Sport

Shrewsbury Town Football Club's New Meadow stadium was completed in 2007.

Shrewsbury is home to a variety of established amateur, semi-professional and professional sports clubs, including Shrewsbury Town, a Football League team currently playing in Football League Two. Shrewsbury Town's achievements include winning The Welsh Cup 6 times, a record for an English club, a sustained run in the old Second Division in the 1980s and victory in the Conference National Playoff Final 2004. The club has recently relocated to the New Meadow stadium, a purpose built site located near Meole Brace. Prior to this, the club played at the Gay Meadow stadium, situated just outside of the town centre, for a 97 year period from 1910 to 2007. [106]

There is also a local rugby club, Shrewsbury Rugby Club[107]. The River Severn in the town is used for rowing by both Pengwern Boat Club and the Shrewsbury School Boat Club. [108] Shrewsbury Sports Village, a new sports centre, was recently opened in the Sundorne district of the town, with the aim of providing a wider and improved range of sports facilities for townspeople.[109] There are also a number of motorsports and golf facilities (including Meole Brace Municipal Golf Course) in the area. The local motorsports heritage includes the Loton Park Hillclimb and Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit situated near Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury Motocross Club has staged motocross events in the area for over 30 years.[110]

Nearby settlements

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