SHREWSBURY
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire and England’s finest Tudor town. It is built on a rocky promontory within a broad loop of the River Severn, and has been occupied since early Anglo Saxon times. The five churches within the loop were all founded prior to the Norman Conquest. William the Conqueror gave the town to his kinsman Roger de Montgomery who later became Earl of Shrewsbury – the premier earldom of England. Roger built a massive castle to defend the neck of the loop, which is only 300m across, and turned the town into a fortress from which he was able to control the Welsh border. He also founded a Benedictine Abbey just outside the town in 1083 and entered it three days before he died. Shrewsbury became one of the three main Marcher (border) Castles over the next two centuries, and was engaged in constant warfare with the Wales. It was captured briefly by the Welsh in 1215.
Shrewsbury prospered during the 13th and 14th centuries and became one of the twelve richest towns in England. Some of the town’s earliest timber buildings date from this period, and all the churches within the loop where enlarged and had spires or towers added. The street pattern laid out at this time has changed very little since, and many of the street names from this period, such as Wyle Cop, Dogpole, Shoplatch and Mardol survive to this day.
The town went through a depression in the 15th century, but became prosperous again a century later as the main centre for trade in Welsh cloth. Many of the great timber framed buildings were constructed during this period. Further expansion took place in Georgian times when the town became the centre of a thriving coach trade between London and Holyhead, and a fashionable resort for the gentry. Some of their fine Georgian mansions are still in use as private residences.
Shrewsbury today is a thriving market town and the focus of commercial and agricultural activity for the surrounding area and much of Mid Wales. It is also internationally famous as a Town of Flowers. It hosts the longest running horticultural show in the world, the Shrewsbury Flower Show, and it won first prize in the Britain in Bloom competition in 2006. It went on to represent the UK in two international competitions in 2007– Entente Florale and Communities in Bloom – winning the top Gold award in both.
Shrewsbury prospered during the 13th and 14th centuries and became one of the twelve richest towns in England. Some of the town’s earliest timber buildings date from this period, and all the churches within the loop where enlarged and had spires or towers added. The street pattern laid out at this time has changed very little since, and many of the street names from this period, such as Wyle Cop, Dogpole, Shoplatch and Mardol survive to this day.
The town went through a depression in the 15th century, but became prosperous again a century later as the main centre for trade in Welsh cloth. Many of the great timber framed buildings were constructed during this period. Further expansion took place in Georgian times when the town became the centre of a thriving coach trade between London and Holyhead, and a fashionable resort for the gentry. Some of their fine Georgian mansions are still in use as private residences.
Shrewsbury today is a thriving market town and the focus of commercial and agricultural activity for the surrounding area and much of Mid Wales. It is also internationally famous as a Town of Flowers. It hosts the longest running horticultural show in the world, the Shrewsbury Flower Show, and it won first prize in the Britain in Bloom competition in 2006. It went on to represent the UK in two international competitions in 2007– Entente Florale and Communities in Bloom – winning the top Gold award in both.