Alveley
Alveley is a village in south east Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley on the east side of the River Severn. It has appeared in records dating back to 50AD.
The current church (St. Mary's) is of Norman design, built in 1140 on the grounds of an earlier Saxon church (of which only a stone cross survives). It has a notable, although badly damaged, 14th Century mural of the Seven Deadly Sins.
In 1349 the Black Death is said to have killed 60% of the village population. A stone cross - The Buttercross - two miles outside the village dates back to the time of the Black Death when it was a place for food to be left for the village when it was quarantined.
From 1937 to 1969 the village was an active coal mining community in conjunction with the neighbouring village of Highley across the River Severn. After 1986 the disused colliery and slag heaps were converted into a country park. A recently renovated footbridge (formerly carrying mine trams) connects Alveley to Highley over the river to the Country Park Halt on the Severn Valley Railway steam heritage line. The riverbank is popular with fishermen, and a number of local private pools further serve the western Midlands angling fraternity.
Alveley has several historic pubs including the Three Horseshoes (1406). With a population of around 2000 and five drinking establishments (if you include the Working Men's Club and Mill Hotel), Alveley has the notable statistic of one pub to every 400 residents.
The village is further served by a large primary school, post office, newsagent and a couple of other small shops and eateries.