Shropshire Travel Guide

English Bridge, Shrewsbury - © Dpaajones at en.wikipedia

Introduction and Overview

The Shropshire Travel Guide outlines local attractions, places of interest and tourist information for visitors. The area guide includes travel information on local events, facts & figures, entertainment, transport, maps and accommodation giving an insight in to the county. The county is located in the West Midlands sharing borders with Wales, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

The county is known for being one of the quiet counties in England, Shropshire has a lower profile as a tourist destination than some other counties, however for visitors there is plenty to see and do here. The county is home to a number of historic houses, castles, museums and the world heritage site of Ironbridge.

The Shropshire landscape is of great importance given Shropshire is geologically unique. It creates the special habitats needed to ensure the diversity in Shropshire's wildlife. The quiet countryside has long been a favourite for walkers and outdoor enthusiasts.

There are ancient churches and country inns famous for their local beer. There are market towns and local festivals, the relaxed atmosphere and lush countryside emphasise Shropshire as unspoilt and tranquil providing a perfect place to get away from it all.

The north of Shropshire includes the counties major towns and settlements including Shrewsbury and Newport. The south of Shropshire is generally more rural than the north with no large towns and settlements, the landscape is also different with a number of hill ranges including the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) valleys and pine forests.

The majority of Shropshire’s population live in the five main towns in the county. Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire located in the centre of the county.

Shrewsbury is located 9 miles from the border with Wales, the town is known for its historic listed buildings, there are over 660 along with a number of historic buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

The historic market town is well known for being the birth place of Charles Darwin; visitors can see Mount House, the Grade II listed Georgian building where he was born in the town. The town centre includes many narrow streets dating back to their medieval origins.

Local attractions include the Quarry; a 20 acre park located in close to Shrewsbury town centre. Inside the park there is the Dingle, a landscaped garden featuring flower beds, statue and memorial benches. The park offers a relaxing green space where visitors can enjoy a stroll and the gardens.

Historic attractions include Shrewsbury Castle and Shrewsbury Abbey dating back to the 11th century.

The town hosts the annual Shrewsbury Flower Show each August. The Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery is housed inside a historic building and includes a range of collections including geology, social history, ceramics and fine art.

Telford is a new town located 15 miles from Shrewsbury, it is the largest town in Shropshire. Telford was built back in the 1960s and 1970s as a new town and has grown rapidly since. Telford town centre includes the Telford Shopping Centre with 160 outlets including well known high street brands.

The Telford Town Park includes 170 hectares of grassland, woodland, lakes and ponds. The park provides a tranquil green space in which to enjoy a walk and see wildlife and flora.

Other local attractions include Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom, located in woodland the farm is home to a variety of farm and more exotic animals. Shopping facilities include Telford Shopping Centre located in the town centre, with high street shops and designer stores.

Oswestry is a market town located in the north of Shropshire 20 miles from Shrewsbury and close to the border with Wales. The town has Welsh influences including in street and place names and includes both English and Welsh speaking populations.

The town first became a market town back in the 12th century and over the years was regarded as a strategic frontier town due to its border location.

Oswestry Hill Fort is an Iron Age hill fort that covers 40 acres and includes multiple ramparts and is regarded as one of the finest preserved hill forts in the UK. The town is well known for its public houses, visitors can try real ale at one of the numerous houses across the town.

Nesscliffe Country Park is located a few miles from Oswestry includes an iron age hill fort and the cave of highwayman Humphrey Kynaston from the 18th century.

Bridgnorth is located 20 miles south east of Shrewsbury along the Severn Valley. The town is spilt into the High Town and the Low Town. Historically the Low Town was a busy port with many living in the High Town above, there are still many 16th and 17th century houses around.

The Low and High Towns are connected via the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, a funicular railway that is both the oldest and steepest inland electric cliff railway in UK.

Visitors can experience the journey on the railway offering some splendid views along the way. Visitors can wonder around the markets, shops and inns of the town steeped in history. Historic buildings include St Mary’s Church and St Leonard’s Church with notable classical and gothic architecture.

Ludlow is a market town located close to the Welsh border, 30 miles from Shrewsbury. The town is known for its abundance of listed buildings, there are in excess of 500 many half timbered or Georgian in design.

The town plays hosts to various festivals during the year, in September the Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival is held, the Medieval Christmas Fair is held locally in November. Historically the Ludlow Festival was held in the summer attracting performers from the UK and abroad.

Local attractions include Ludlow Museum providing an insight in to the history of the town, St Laurence's Church known for its tower and fine views and the 11th century Ludlow Castle.

Market Drayton is small market town located in north east Shropshire. The historic town has been synonymous with Gingerbread for the past 200 years, visitors can wonder around the street markets and see some architecturally significant historic buildings including a number of half timbered and red brick buildings.

Notable sites include the 14th century St Mary’s Church noted for its fine paintings and woodwork screens. In the town centre the Buttercross dates back to the 19th century originally as cover for the local market stalls.

The county of Shropshire is conveniently located for exploring the West Midlands region and nearby North Wales. The largest settlements of county town Shrewsbury and Telford offer a good base from which to explore the county including a number of town attractions such as Shrewsbury Castle, Shrewsbury Abbey and the Telford Stream Railway.

Other popular tourist draws also reside in the county including the Ironbridge Gorge, World Heritage Site.

There are great examples of fine historical architecture in the county with a number of well preserved historical buildings helps retain much to the heritage of the area. The West Midlands location of the county and the road and rail links mean it is located conveniently for visitors to come and enjoy its attractions.




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