THE WREKIN
The Wrekin rises sharply out of the Severn valley to 405m and is the first hill to greet you as you enter Shropshire from the flat West Midlands plain. It is Shropshire’s most famous hill, with a long history dating back to the days of the ancient Britons. The Iron Age hill fort on its summit is believed to have been the headquarters of the pre-Roman Cornovii tribe. The two ditches around it follow the contours of the hill, and there are traces of foundations of about 25 round houses within it. The fort was captured by the Romans in AD49, who subsequently built the town of Viriconium in its shadow – which in its time became the fourth largest town in Roman Britain.
The Wrekin was never an active volcano, but like the Stretton Hills it was formed from the debris of volcanic action about 560 million years ago. Another explanation for its formation dates from the days of giants. A wicked giant from Wales had a grudge against Shrewsbury and wanted to flood it by damming the River Severn. On his way there he met a cobbler and asked him how far he had to go. The wily cobbler was carrying a sack full of shoes to mend, and told the giant that he’d just come from Shrewsbury and it was so far that he’d worn out all the shoes on the way. The giant was tired and dumped his rocks where he stood, and so made The Wrekin.
The Wrekin was never an active volcano, but like the Stretton Hills it was formed from the debris of volcanic action about 560 million years ago. Another explanation for its formation dates from the days of giants. A wicked giant from Wales had a grudge against Shrewsbury and wanted to flood it by damming the River Severn. On his way there he met a cobbler and asked him how far he had to go. The wily cobbler was carrying a sack full of shoes to mend, and told the giant that he’d just come from Shrewsbury and it was so far that he’d worn out all the shoes on the way. The giant was tired and dumped his rocks where he stood, and so made The Wrekin.