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Thursday 11th March 2010

Thoughtful Shrewsbury

Shropshire's county town of Shrewsbury has given us some of the most controversial thinkers of the last 200 years, not to mention writers, politicians and poets.

Yet despite all of this, the town itself has survived relatively unscathed. It has retained the charm of a traditional English town with streets lined by timber-framed buildings.

The pace of life is gentle (a rarity these days) and the town is like stepping back in time for many of our visitors.

This could in part be due to Shrewsbury's rural location. There are miles and miles of countryside surrounding the town and it is almost an island encapsulated by a meandering loop of the river Severn. This idyllic place was described by A. E. Housman in 'A Shropshire Lad' as "High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam, islanded in Severn stream."

Originally Shrewsbury was a saxon settlement called 'Scrobbesbyrig'. The name changed later to 'Salopsbury', which explains why locals often refer to themselves as 'Proud Salopians'. Eventually and thankfully the name Shrewsbury was settled upon.

The town itself is full of medieval heritage and has proven to be the inspiration behind several writers, perhaps most notably in recent years the authoress Ellis Peters (Edith Pargetter) who set her series of historical whodunits featuring the well loved Brother Cadfael in Shrewsbury's historic abbey.

Edith Pargetter was born in Horshay, Shropshire and wrote 20 medieval mystery novels featuring her famous character and fans of her books still visit Shrewsbury from all over the world.

Shrewsbury Abbey itself was founded in 1083 by the Norman Roger de Montgomery, although it started life as a small Saxon chapel. The Abbey became the Norman centre of power in the region and was home to the Benedictine monks who worshipped there.

The Abbey flourished in the 12th Century but the monks felt that a suitable saint needed to buried on its hallowed ground. The prior went to Wales in 1138 and brought back the bones of St. Gwenfrewi, or St. Winifred as she was known to the English.

These holy relics were enshrined and made Shrewsbury an important pilgrimage site. Today however, the Abbey is a peaceful place where many visitors can enjoy its attractions in a moment of quiet contemplation.

Edith was not the only writer to be inspired by Shrewsbury. Mary Webb (1881 - 1927) was an English novelist and poet. Born in Leighton-under-Wrekin near Shrewsbury still lived and worked there most of her life, except her last six years which were spent in London. Webb, died prematurely due to a thyroid disorder and she is buried in Shrewsbury main town cemetery on Longdon Road. Her writing still evokes the beautiful countryside and landscapes of Shropshire.

Shrewsbury is also home to perhaps the greatest war poet of all time. Wilfred Owen moved to Shrewsbury in 1907. It would remain his home until 1913 when he moved to France. By 1915 he enlisted in the Artists rifles and his experiences in the trenches of the war were used to form some the best war poetry ever written.

Tragically Owen was killed at the age of 25 one week before Armistice day. He is buried in France although a memorial to him stands in the grounds of Shrewsbury Abbey.

Other famous Shrewsbury faces include Michael Palin, who was educated at Shrewsbury School. Christopher Timothy who became famous for playing the vet James Herriot in 'All Creatures Great and Small', who was also educated in Shrewsbury. The politician Michael Heseltine also a Shrewsbury resident.

Historically another local politician was Robert Clive (Clive of India) who became MP for Shrewsbury in 1761 and later mayor in 1762.

Arguably Shrewsbury's most famous son is Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882). Darwin would write a book that was to change the world and bring us the theory of evolution. He was born and educated in the town. Today the town is so proud of its most famous son that it holds a celebratory festival to him every year and his bronze statue sits outside the town library (his former school).

Much of the town would still be recognizable to them today. Many of the street names are still the same. Indeed as you wonder around Shrewsbury, be sure to look at the street names. Many of the streets are named after what used to be sold in them. Butcher Row sold meat, Fish street sold fish, Milk street sold milk and suffice to say Grope Lane was the towns ancient Red Light area!

Fish Street in particular has some fine architecture. It was also home to one of the country's most famous Methodists, John Wesley, who first preached in the town in 1761.

The house he used still stands next to the Three Fishes pub and is today used as a bed and breakfast.

Other examples of fine architecture can be found in the Castle, the Abbey and the Victorian railway station.

Whatever street you choose to wonder down, you're sure to find a plethora of great shops, fine restaurants and a multitude of pubs and inns. There are many independent boutiques mixing with large High Street chain stores. Black and White magpie buildings dominate and provide an elegance to every shopping trip. You'll find everything here, art, antiques, fashion and food. Where else could you find so much in such elegant surroundings?