This post features: Market Drayton, Hodnet, Ironbridge, Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Wem, Whittington and Oswestry
Market Drayton
The Tudor House, Market Drayton, dates from 1653 – rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1651…A side-on view of The Vaults, Market DraytonThe original site of Chester’s Prize Gingerbread Shop – ginger having been introduced by a local ladSt Mary’s dates from around 1150, with re-building in the 1320’s and subsequent alterations in the Georgian and Victorian eras. The church sits high up over Market Drayton – a lovely position with terrific views over the River Tern and the surrounding countrysideBee basking in the sunshine on a sign about Robert Clive aka “Clive of India”…Joule’s Pale Ales originated from Stone just across the county border from Market Drayton, where beer had been brewed since the 16th century by Augustinian Monks. Bass bought Joules and closed the brewery in 1974. This brewery was opened in 2010 and the famous red cross trademark, first registered in 1867, resurfaced under license from Molson Coors, who had bought Bass. Joules was able to buy the trademark from Molson Coors in 2017…
Hodnet
From the middle ages and into the 20th century, Hodnet was largely an estate village. An article from a 1950’s edition of the Shropshire magazine describes Hodnet as ‘the last stronghold of feudalism’. Hodnet is one of the few English estates which have passed in unbroken succession from the time of the Norman Conquest to the present day, and much of the old village property still remains in the hands of the Hodnet Estate.St Luke’s Church, Hodnet, was founded c.1083. It is thought that the Norman building (some of which is still retained in the present church building) was built on the site of an earlier wooden chapel which had served the village. The church was later extended and restored and includes an unusual octagonal tower, built in the 14th century. It is the only example of this design of tower in Shropshire.
Ironbridge
Blist’s Hill is a Skansen-style open air museum based around local industry and a Victorian town has been recreated…This Pay & Display machine highlights how far Britain has fallen since the giddy heights of the Industrial Revolution that this museum celebrates – it doesn’t accept the £1 coins introduced several months ago…This Banks’ pub was moved from Walsall…Today AF Blakemore is the biggest of the UK Spar wholesalers…An aerial view of IronbridgeIronbridge: the first iron bridge in the world, was designed in 1775 by Thomas Pritchard and built between 1777-79The Ironbridge spans the River Severn
Bridgnorth
Churches:
Looking up towards St Leonard’s ChurchSt Leonard’s – the original church was blown up in 1646 – rebuilt started in 1662 with alterations in the 19th centuryLooking toward Mary Magdalene ChurchThe Mary Magdalene ChurchThe Mary Magdalene Church was designed by Thomas Telford – who lived in Bridgnorth for a while
The Castle:
Bridgnorth Castle was founded in 1101 by Robert de Belleme, the son of the French Earl, Roger de Montgomery, who succeeded his father to become the Earl of Shrewsbury. During the Civil War, Bridgnorth was a Royalist stronghold. In 1646, Cromwell’s Roundheads arrived with orders to take Bridgnorth for the Parliamentarians from the garrison led by Sir Robert Howard. Following a three week siege, Cromwell was successful and he ordered that the castle be demolished. By 1647 little of the structure remained and it was left it much as it is today…The Old Castle pub owned by the Wye Valley BreweryFine view from the Old Castle with a pint of HPA (Herefordshire Pale Ale)…
The High Town:
The last remaining gate tower in Bridgnorth – rebuilt in 1910…Looking up to Bridgnorth’s old town hallThe Town Hall dates from 1652 and later modified in 1887…The market hall dates from 1855
Riverside:
Crossing the bridge over the River Severn from the low town to the high townThe funicularLooking down over the River SevernThe River Severn with the tower of Mary Magdalene Church in the backgroundThe River Severn
Street Scenes:
Bishop Percy’s house dates from 1580Looking back down to Bishop Percy’s house
Ludlow
Black and White:
The Feathers, Ludlow – dates from 1619 or 1670 – depending on which of the two blue plaques you read. The building itself dates back to 1619 and was converted into an inn in 1670… Ludlow is a curious mix of County Set & ordinary folk as well as beautiful buildings and grim modern buildings that seem to be a speciality of the English… I suspect 16th century planning regulations were quite different from today’s The market: selling mostly posh stuff
The Castle:
The construction of Ludlow Castle started around 1085, with many later additions in the following two centuries. It features examples of architecture from the Norman, Medieval and Tudor periods. The building of the castle led to the development of Ludlow itself.In the late 12th and early 13th centuries the castle was extended – see: https://www.ludlow.org.uk/ludlowcastle.html
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury was first settled by refugees from the Roman town of Wroxeter (Viroconium Cornoviorum) in the late fifth or sixth century AD. The new site was chosen as it was located within a loop of the River Severn and surrounded by marshes, both of which afforded it strong natural defences. By the seventh century AD it had developed into a town known as Scrobbesbyrig, which translates from Old English as ‘fortified place in scrubland’. No later than the ninth century AD Shrewsbury was re-founded as a fortified town (burh) possibly by Æthelflæd, daughter of Alfred the Great. The settlement was protected by an earth rampart topped with a timber palisade and fronted by a ditch which enclosed an irregularly shaped area extended south-west from the isthmus at the north end. By the AD 920s coinage was being minted at Shrewsbury and by 1066 it had become a major settlement of circa-300 houses. See: http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/midlands/shrewsbury_castle_town_walls.html#history
Churches:
Inside St Alkmund’s Church in Shrewsbury dates from around 900ad but was rebuilt in 1794. Alkmund was a prince of the royal house of the kingdom of Northumbria, and was born about 770. He was murdered in 800 on the orders of King Eardwulf. This flouted the principle of royal protection by a neighbouring king and a brief war broke out between Mercia and Northumbria. Peace was restored by 802, and Alkmund was proclaimed a saint…
Is that it?
The Castle:
Shrewsbury Castle remained an earth and timber fortification until the reign of Henry II (1154-1189). At this time the Inner Bailey curtain wall was rebuilt in stone and the Great Hall was constructed… You can wander around the grounds of the castle & this view – well, it’s not much of a view – is from the top of Laura’s Tower although there are no signs to tell you who Laura was…
The Old Town:
This was once Prince Rupert’s house – a grandson of King James 1st – although the building dates back to the 12th century Needless to say – the Prince Rupert Hotel is a bugger to find – but got there eventually – traffic in Shrewsbury moves at a shrews’ pace – actually shrews are pretty nippy. Anyway, that’s not someone stealing my car – valet parking, which is just as well… Shrewsbury is a delightful town to wander around – but a nightmare to drive through / around, as the traffic lights aren’t coordinated for optimum traffic flow Wyle CopShrewsbury Market Hall was built in 1596 – https://www.oldmarkethall.co.uk/discover-more/history A statue of Clive of India. In September 2020 the council resisted calls to remove the statue… The Old Post Office dates from the 16th century & is now a pub where damp travellers can shelter from the rain The Georgian Quarter…
Riverside:
The Welsh Bridge Looking over the River Severn up at the town from the English Bridge Another view of the River Severn from the English Bridge
Street Scenes:
Looking down Wyle Cop 1960’s ahoy! Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury. I can’t help feeling that this isn’t an appropriate way to remember or honour him..
Whitchurch
Whitchurch: in addition to being the home of Powell’s Pies, it is an attractive market town with an amazing church…
St Alkmund’s:
This iteration of St Alkmund’s dates from 1712/3 and constructed from Grinshill sandstoneAlkmund was a 9th century king of Northumbria who was killed in battle but became a martyr as a result of his good deeds
Town Centre:
The Powell family has been making pork pies since the early 1800’sThe wonderful lady told me the family story of pie making and Mr Powell was happy for me to take a photo
Wem
Wem originated as the Saxon settlement “Wamm” – meaning marsh as the land around the River Roden is marshy. Over time this became Wem. It was granted the status of market town in 1202. The town was virtually demolished as a result of battle during the War of the Roses and during the Civil War. In 1643 the town was attacked by a band of 5,000 Royalist soldiers only to be defeated by 40 Parliamentarians with help from the town’s womenfolk. The next catastrophe to befall the town was the Great Fire in 1677. Wem is now the home of the modern Sweet Pea which was developed by Henry Eckford, the 19th Century nurseryman. Every year Eckford’s contribution to gardening is celebrated at the Sweet Pea Show which, along with the annual carnival, brings a riot of colour to the town.
St Peter and St Paul:
The tower of St Peter and St Paul dates from around 1350 and was the only part of the church to survive the Great Fire of 1677The current church largely dates from a further rebuild in 1810. The latest iteration of a church comprises in addition to the Hanoverian nave of a later Victorian chancel.
Town Centre:
The Town Hall has had a colourful history. The original town hall was lost in the Great Fire of 1677. It was later rebuilt in 1848 and then 1905 before burning down again 1995 and rebuilt with money from the National Lottery.Sadly, Wem has quite a lot of closed and empty shops giving it a faintly sad air…
Whittington
The Castle:
Whittington Castle dates from 1221, when the Fitz Warren family obtained permission from Henry III to build a castleThe castle fell into decay after the civil warThere’s not much to see but it is quite sweet and has a nice café that serves decent coffee
Oswestry
St Oswald’s:
St Oswald’s is named after Oswald, King of Northumbria who died at the Battle of Oswestry in 642. The church was badly damaged during the Civil War and was subsequently rebuilt and underwent more changes in the 1870’sThere’s a memorial to Hugh Yale in the church – ancestor of Elihu Yale
The Castle:
Oswestry has a castle – albeit there isn’t much left but you get nice views from the top the hill…There’s mention of a castle here in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1165 it was adopted by King Henry and in 1211 by King John. Richard II held a parliament here in 1398 and met an ignominious end during the Civil War, when Oliver Cromwell’s troops destroyed it…
