Web Analytics

See also ebooksgratis.com: no banners, no cookies, totally FREE.

CLASSICISTRANIERI HOME PAGE - YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms and Conditions
Shrewsbury - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shrewsbury

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shrewsbury


The Old Market Hall in the Square.

Shrewsbury (Shropshire)
Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury shown within Shropshire
Population 70,689 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference SJ491124
 - Cardiff 89 mi (143 km) SSW [1]
 - London 150 mi (240 km) SE [2]
District Shrewsbury and Atcham
Shire county Shropshire
Region West Midlands
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SHREWSBURY
Postcode district SY1, SY2, SY3
Dialling code 01743
Police West Mercia
Fire Shropshire
Ambulance West Midlands
European Parliament West Midlands
UK Parliament Shrewsbury and Atcham
Website: http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk
List of places: UKEnglandShropshire

Coordinates: 52°42′28″N 2°45′15″W / 52.7077, -2.7541

Shrewsbury (pronounced  /ˈʃruːzbri/ or alternatively  /ˈʃroʊzbri/)[3] is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is home to 70,689 inhabitants,[4] and is the primary settlement of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham, which has a population of 95,850.[5] Consequently, it is the second largest town in the ceremonial county, after Telford.

Shrewsbury is an historic market town with the town centre having a largely unaltered medieval street plan. The town features over 660 historic listed buildings,[6] including several examples of timber framing from the 15th century and 16th century. Shrewsbury Castle, a red sandstone castle fortification, and Shrewsbury Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery, were founded in 1074 and 1083 respectively, by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery.[7] The town hosts one of the oldest and largest horticultural events in the country, Shrewsbury Flower Show, and is known for its floral displays, having won various awards since the turn of the 21st century,[8][9] including Britain in Bloom in 2006.[10]

Today, lying 9 miles (14 km) east of the Welsh border, Shrewsbury serves as a cultural and commercial centre for the ceremonial county and a large area of mid-Wales, with retail output alone worth over £299 million per year.[11] There are some light industry and distribution centres, such as Battlefield Enterprise Park, located mainly on the outskirts. The A5 and A49 trunk roads cross here, as do five railway lines at Shrewsbury railway station.

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: History of Shrewsbury
Typical Tudor architecture on Butcher Row.
Typical Tudor architecture on Butcher Row.

The town was known to the ancient Britons as Pengwern, signifying "the alder hill";[12] and to the Anglo-Saxons as Scrobbesburh (dative Scrobbesbyrig), which has several meanings; "fort in the scrub-land region", "Scrobb's fort", "shrubstown" or "the town of the bushes".[13][14] This name was gradually corrupted in three directions, into 'Sciropscire' which became Shropshire, into 'Sloppesberie', which became Salop/Salopia (the historical name for the county), and into 'Schrosberie' which eventually became the name of the county town, Shrewsbury.[12] Its Welsh name Amwythig means "fortified place".[15]

Shrewsbury is known as a town with significant medieval heritage, having been founded ca. 800 AD. It was during the late Middle Ages (14th/15th Centuries) when the town was at its height of commercial importance. This was mainly due to the wool trade, a major industry at the time, with the rest of Britain and Europe, especially with the River Severn and Watling Street as trading routes.[16] It is believed that Henry VIII intended to make Shrewsbury a cathedral city after the formation of the Church of England, but the citizens of the town declined the offer.[17]

Market Street, behind the Old Market Hall with the Music Hall on the left. The brick clocktower of the current Market Hall can be seen in the background.
Market Street, behind the Old Market Hall with the Music Hall on the left. The brick clocktower of the current Market Hall can be seen in the background.

Over the ages, the geographically important town has been the site of many conflicts, particularly between the English and Welsh. Shrewsbury was the seat of the Princes of Powis for many years, however, the Angles, under King Offa of Mercia, took possession of it in 778. The Welsh again besieged it in 1069, but were repelled by William the Conqueror. Roger de Montgomery was given the town as a gift from William, and built Shrewsbury Castle in 1074, taking the title of Earl. The 3rd Earl, Robert of Bellême was deposed in 1102, in consequence of taking part in the rebellion against Henry I.[12] The Battle of Shrewsbury was fought in 1403 a few miles north of the town centre, at Battlefield. It was fought between King Henry IV and Henry Hotspur, with the King emerging victorious.[18]

The town is home to the Ditherington Flax Mill, the world's first iron-framed building, which is commonly regarded as "the grandfather of the skyscraper". Its importance was officially recognised in the 1950s, resulting in it becoming a Grade I listed building.[19][20] Shrewsbury in the Industrial Revolution was also located on the Shrewsbury Canal which linked it to the Shropshire Canal and wider canal network of Great Britain.[21]

Shrewsbury has also played a unique part in Western intellectual history, by being the town in which the naturalist Charles Darwin was born and raised. Darwin later published his seminal text On the Origin of Species and developed the theory of natural selection.[22] Nearby is the village of Wroxeter, 5 miles (8 km) to the south-west, where the now ruined Roman city of Viroconium Cornoviorum lies. Viroconium was the fourth largest civitas capital in Roman Britain. As Caer Guricon it may have served as the early Dark Age capital of the kingdom of Powys.[23]

Pride Hill, which features many examples of tudor architecture.
Pride Hill, which features many examples of tudor architecture.

The town avoided bombing in World War II and so many of its ancient buildings remain intact and there was little redevelopment during the 1960s and 1970s, which arguably destroyed the character of many historic towns in the UK. However, a large area of half timbered houses and businesses were destroyed to make way for the Raven Meadows multi-story car park, and other historic buildings were demolished to make way for the brutalist architectural style of the 1960s. The town was saved from a new 'inner ring road' due to its challenging geography. [24]

Shrewsbury won the West Midlands Capital of Enterprise award in 2004.[25] The town has two expanding business parks - the Shrewsbury Business Park and the Battlefield Enterprise Park. There are many residential developments currently under construction in the town to cater for the increasing numbers of people wishing to live in the town and commute to Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.[26] In 2000 and again in 2002, Shrewsbury unsuccessfully applied for city status.[27]

[edit] Governance

The Borough of Shrewsbury's first Charter was granted by King Henry I allowing the collection of rents. King Richard I granted another early charter in 1189 and from that time the town’s regional importance and influence increased, as well as its autonomy from the county of Shropshire. Further charters were granted in 1199 (King John), 1495 (Henry VII), 1638 (Charles I), and 1685 (James II). In 1974 a charter from Queen Elizabeth II incorporated the Borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham.[17]

A ward map; the Shrewsbury Urban Area is shown in orange, within the larger Shrewsbury and Atcham district.
A ward map; the Shrewsbury Urban Area is shown in orange, within the larger Shrewsbury and Atcham district.

Shrewsbury is the administrative centre for both the Borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham and County of Shropshire (which does not include the Borough of Telford and Wrekin, a unitary authority area). Shropshire County Council have their headquarters in the Shirehall, on Abbey Foregate,[28] and the Borough Council have their headquarters in The Guildhall, on Frankwell Quay.[29] The Borough Council have moved from their old Guildhall, now known as "Newport House" (as it was before it became the Guildhall), on 19 March 2004.

Shrewsbury is in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency and is the only large settlement in the constituency. Before 1997 Shrewsbury and Atcham's Member of Parliament (MP) was Derek Conway, a Conservative. Paul Marsden of the Labour Party was elected to serve the constituency in Labour's 1997 landslide victory, the first time Shrewsbury had a Labour MP. Marsden defected to the Liberal Democrats following the Afghanistan war, deciding not to stand for election again. Following this, 2005 saw Labour lose a lot of votes to the Liberal Democrats, allowing Daniel Kawczynski of the Conservatives to be elected with a majority of 1,808. Previous MPs for Shrewsbury have included former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.[30]

Shrewsbury is twinned with Zutphen in The Netherlands.[31] The town also serves as the administrative headquarters of the British Army's 5th Division, which has its administrative HQ at the Copthorne Barracks.[32]

[edit] Town Council

Shrewsbury is at present an unparished area and so has no town or parish council(s), the Mayor of Shrewsbury and Atcham being also the mayor of the town. However as part of wider changes to local governance in Shropshire, the town is likely to be parished in 2009, with one large parish covering the entire town created and a Town Council established. Current proposals are for town councillors to be elected from 17 wards which would be coterminous with Shropshire Council wards. There are plans for the Town Council to have Rowley's House as their headquarters and meeting place.[33]

[edit] Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the former Shrewsbury Borough Council depicts three loggerheads, with the motto Floreat Salopia, a Latin phrase that can be translated to "may Shrewsbury flourish".[34][35] The coat of arms is the same as that of the borough council of Shrewsbury and Atcham - Shrewsbury council's shield is the same but without the bridge (which is the Atcham Bridge). Shrewsbury Town FC historically have used the Loggerheads but now have a bespoke badge, retaining a single Loggerhead.

[edit] Geography

Panorama over Shrewsbury from the grounds of Shrewsbury School, located in Kingsland. The spires visible (from L-R) are those of St. Chads church, The Market Hall clocktower and St. Mary's church.
Panorama over Shrewsbury from the grounds of Shrewsbury School, located in Kingsland. The spires visible (from L-R) are those of St. Chads church, The Market Hall clocktower and St. Mary's church.
See also: Shropshire#Geography

Shrewsbury is located approximately 14 miles (23 km) to the west of Telford, 43 miles (69 km) west of Birmingham and the West Midlands Conurbation, and about 150 miles (240 km) north-west of the capital, London.[2] More locally, the town is to the east of Welshpool, and Bridgnorth and Kidderminster are to the south-east. The border with Wales is 9 miles (14 km) to the west. The town centre is partially built on a hill whose elevation is, at its highest, 75 metres above sea level. The longest river in the UK, the River Severn, flows through the town, forming a meander around its centre.[12]

From the late 1990s the town has experienced severe flooding problems from the Severn and Rea Brook. In the autumn of 2000 large swathes of the town were underwater, notably Frankwell which was flooded three times in the space of six weeks.[36] The Frankwell flood defences were completed in 2003, along with the new offices of the borough council. More recently, such as in 2005 and 2007, flooding has been less severe, and the defences have generally held back floodwaters from the town centre areas. However, the town car parks are often left to be flooded in the winter, which reduces trade in the town, most evidenced in the run up to Christmas in 2007.[37]

The town is situated near Haughmond Hill, a site where Precambrian rocks, some of the oldest rocks in the county can be found,[38] and the town itself is sited on an area of largely Carboniferous rocks.[39] A fault, the Hodnet Fault, starts approximately at the town, and runs as far as Market Drayton.

A5 (T'FORD) ->
Monkmoor
Sutton Farm
Bicton
Heath
Castlefields
A clickable link map of Shrewsbury showing suburbs and surrounding villages.

[edit] Suburbs and surrounding settlements

See also: Suburbs of Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury has a large number of suburbs and surrounding villages. As the town continues to expand, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the suburbs, which are joined to the town, and the surrounding villages, which often join on to the suburbs.[40]

An example of where this has happened is Bayston Hill, which has grown considerably in the last 20 years; now separated from the Meole Brace suburb by only a few fields and the A5 road. It remains, however, a separate entity to the town, with its own parish council, etc. Bayston Hill lies 3 miles (5 km) south of the town centre of Shrewsbury and on the A49 and near to the A5.[41] The smaller village of Battlefield, this time to the north of the town, is also considered now as a suburb of the town due to growth in the surrounding area. It is covered by the unparished town area of the borough and is included in a town ward.[42]

[edit] Climate

The climate of Shrewsbury is similar to that of the rest of Shropshire, generally moderate. Rainfall averages 76 to 100 cm (30 to 40 in), influenced by being in the rainshadow of the Cambrian Mountains from warm, moist frontal systems of the Atlantic Ocean which bring generally light precipitation in Autumn and Spring.[43] The nearest weather station is located at Shawbury.

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Avg. High (°C) 6.9
(L)
7.3 9.7 12.1 15.7 18.3 20.9
(H)
20.6 17.6 13.7 9.8 7.6 13.4
(AVG)
Avg. Low (°C) 0.7 0.5
(L)
2.1 3.2 6.0 8.9 11.0
(H)
10.8 8.6 5.9 2.8 1.4 5.2
(AVG)
Precipitation (mm) 58.5 42.9
(L)
49.0 47.1 51.1 54.9 47.3 59.1 60.8 60.4 60.2 64.5
(H)
655.7
(TOTAL)
Sunshine (hours) 48.7 63.6 96.1 138.6 187.9 174.9 191.6
(H)
172.7 126.3 94.9 61.5 41.5
(L)
1398.1
(TOTAL)
Wind at 10 m (knots) 9.0
(H)
8.9 9.3 8.1 7.6 7.4 7.2 7.1
(L)
7.3 7.4 7.9 8.6 8.0
(AVG)
Source: Met Office - RAF Shawbury (1971–2000 averages)
RAF Shawbury is located approximately
7 miles (11 km) NE of Shrewsbury, and 12 miles (19 km) NW of Telford.

[edit] Demography

Shrewsbury & Atcham Compared
2001 UK Census S'bury & Atch. West Midlands England
Total population 95,850 5,267,308 49,138,831
White 98.5% 86.2% 87.0%
Asian 0.4% 7.3% 4.6%
Black 0.1% 2.0% 2.3%
Over 65 years old 17.2% 16.0% 15.9%
Christian 77.9% 72.6% 71.7%
No Religion 13.7% 12.3% 14.6%

According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of the town of Shrewsbury is 67,126.[5] The same census puts the population of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham at 95,850.[5] In 1981 the population of the town was 57,731 and in 1991 the population of the town was 64,219.[44] Shrewsbury is Shropshire's second largest town, after Telford. The population of the town centre (the area within the loop of the Severn) is approximately 1,300. In line with the rapid growth of town population, a 2005 report on prison population in the UK has found that the prison, HMP Shrewsbury, is the most overcrowded in England and Wales.[45]

The 2001 census also indicates that the population of the town consists of 51.1% females, and 48.9% males, which echoes the trend of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough, and that of Shropshire as a whole.[46] According to the same census, the ethnic composition of the town is largely white, at 98.5% of the total population. The next largest ethnic group is mixed race, at 0.5% of the town's population. 0.4% of the population is Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi, and 0.1% of the population is South Asian or British Asian. A further 0.1% is Black, Caribbean or African.[46]

[edit] Historical population

Year 1801 1811 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901
Population 31,280 34,158 38,263 40,480 41,858 43,818 46,261 48,704 51,146 50,678 52,181
Year 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Population 53,729 55,481 57,290 62,398 67,965 74,831 82,392 85,136 92,347 95,896
Population figures for Shrewsbury & Atcham borough. Source: A Vision of Britain through Time

[edit] Economy

The Darwin Shopping Centre in Christmas decoration.
The Darwin Shopping Centre in Christmas decoration.
See also: Shropshire#Economy

Throughout the Medieval period, Shrewsbury was a centre for the wool trade,[47] and used its position on the River Severn to transport goods across England via the canal system. Unlike many other towns in this period, Shrewsbury never became a centre for heavy industry. By the early 1900's, the town became focused on transport services and the general service and professional sector, owing to its position on the A5 road, part of the strategic route to North Wales.[48]

The town is the location of the borough and county councils, and a number of retail complexes, both in and out of the town centre, and these provide significant employment. Four in five jobs in the town are in the service industry. Within this sector, the largest employers are the administration and distribution sectors, which includes retail, food and accommodation.[46]

The visitor economy of Shrewsbury and Atcham was worth about £115 million in 2001, with approximately 2,500 people employed directly in the visitor industry and 3,400 indirectly. There were about 3.1 million day and staying visitors to the borough in 2001, with 88% being day visitors and 12% being staying visitors; staying visitors accounted for 42% of spending. [49] Shrewsbury is home to two small shopping centres, the Darwin and Pride Hill centres, which house many high street retailers such as Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx and Boots.[50] There is also the large Meole Brace Retail Park to the south, and the Harlescott Retail Park to the north. Major supermarkets in the town are the 2007-opened environmentally friendly[51] Tesco Extra at Harlescott, Morrisons on Whitchurch Road, ASDA on Old Potts Way and Sainbury's at Meole Brace. Shrewsbury's position of being the only sizable town for a large area, especially to the west in Mid-Wales, allows it to attract a large retail base beyond that of its resident population. This is not only evident in the retail sector, but also in the healthcare sector, where the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital has the only A&E department eastwards until Aberystwyth, approximately 75 miles (121 km) away.[52]

In terms of social and economic deprivation, according to the Overall Index of Multiple Deprivation of 2004, one Super Output Area (SOA) in the town is in the bottom 15% of all areas nationally. This area is located in the ward of Harlescott.[53] A further four SOAs fall into the bottom 30% nationally, these being located in the wards of Monkmoor, Sundorne, Battlefield and Heathgates, and Meole Brace.[54] The most affluent areas of the town are located to the south, surrounding Shrewsbury School. Areas such as Kingsland and Porthill tend to have higher house prices than average.[55]

[edit] Landmarks

The Dingle, formerly a Quarry, now a scenic garden.
The Dingle, formerly a Quarry, now a scenic garden.

The historic town centre still retains its medieval street pattern and many narrow streets and passages. Some of the passages, especially those which pass through buildings from one street to the next, are called “shuts” (a suggestion is that this is because they were once shut at night).[56] Many specialist shops, traditional pubs and local restaurants can be found in the hidden corners, squares and lanes of Shrewsbury. Many of the street names have also remained unchanged in centuries and there are some more unusual names, such as Butcher Row, Longden Coleham, Dogpole, Mardol, Frankwell, Roushill, Grope Lane, Gullet Passage, Murivance, The Dana, Portobello, Bear Steps, Shoplatch and Bellstone.[57]

The town was also used as the set for the popular 1984 movie, A Christmas Carol,[58] which filmed many of its interior and exterior shots in and around Shrewsbury. The facade of the Shrewsbury Music Hall doubled as the London Exchange Building in the film. The gravestone of Ebenezer Scrooge (played by George C. Scott), which was used in production, is still present in the graveyard of St. Chad's Church.

In the centre of the town lies The Quarry. This 29 acre (120,000 m²)[59] riverside park attracts thousands of people throughout the year and is enjoyed as a place of recreation. Shrewsbury is known as the "Town of Flowers" and this was the motto printed onto many of the signs on entrance to the town via major roads, although in 2007 the signs were replaced, instead branding the town as 'the birthplace of Charles Darwin'.[60]

The church of St. Chads and The Quarry recreational area (foreground).
The church of St. Chads and The Quarry recreational area (foreground).

The British Army's Light Infantry has been associated with Shrewsbury since the 17th century when the first regiments were formed and many more regiments have been raised at Shrewsbury before being deployed all over the world from the American Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, after several major reorganisations, the Light Infantry Brigade now forms part of the regiment known simply as The Rifles. Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks, spiritual home of the Light Brigade, still houses the Headquarters of the British Army's 5th Division.[61]

Between 1962 and 1992 there was a hardened nuclear bunker, built for No 16 Group Royal Observer Corps Shrewsbury, who provided the field force of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation and would have sounded the four minute warning alarm in the event of war and warned the population of Shrewsbury in the event of approaching radioactive fallout.[62] The building was manned by up to 120 volunteers who trained on a weekly basis and wore a Royal Air Force style uniform. After the break up of the communist bloc in 1989, the Royal Observer Corps was disbanded between September 1991 and December 1995. However, the nuclear bunker still stands just inside Holywell Street near the Abbey as a lasting reminder of the cold war, but is now converted and used as a veterinary practice.

The tourist information centre is at the Music Hall on The Square in the town centre. The three main museums are Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (located at Rowley's House), Shrewsbury Castle (which houses the Shropshire Regimental Museum) and the Coleham Pumping Station.[63] Also, there is the Gateway arts and drama centre and there are also various private galleries and art shops around the town. Another notable feature of the town is Lord Hill's Column, the largest free-standing Doric column in the world.[64]

[edit] Religious sites

Barnabas Community Church, a former army centre now used as a church in Shrewsbury
Barnabas Community Church, a former army centre now used as a church in Shrewsbury

There are many church denominations represented in Shrewsbury, housed in a range of buildings, including Shrewsbury Abbey, founded by Roger de Montgomery in 1083.[65] The Orthodox Church's main building, which is located on Wenlock Road to the east, is over 1,000 years old.[66] Shrewsbury is home to the Roman Catholic Shrewsbury Cathedral, located by Town Walls,[67] as well as two other parishes in Harlescott and Monkmoor, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury.

There are several Anglican Churches in Shrewsbury.[68] Other denominations, such as methodists[69] and baptists[70] are represented alongside newer church groups, which include: Elim pentecostal[71] and two Newfrontiers churches.[72][73] Many community projects in Shrewsbury are based in, or have been started by local churches, including the Isaiah 58 project, which is the primary work amongst homeless people in the town.[74] Basics Bank is another example, based at The Barnabas Centre, which provides debt relief for local people.[75] Churches Together in Shrewsbury is seeking to continue its long term commitment to helping homeless people through The Ark project.[76]

[edit] Culture

Music Hall façade
Music Hall façade
Events and venues

Shrewsbury is home to one of the largest and oldest horticultural events in the UK - the annual Shrewsbury Flower Show.[77] A two day event, the Flower Show takes place in mid-August, has been running for more than 125 years, and attracts around 100,000 visitors each year. Set in the Quarry park, there are a multitude of events, exhibitions and displays, with a fireworks display at the end of each day. The town is well known for its flower displays, and has won numerous awards in recent years.[78]

Shrewsbury is also home to one of the region's main agricultural shows - the West Mid Show. This is held every year, usually in May, at the Shropshire Agricultural Showground on the outskirts of town at Coton Hill.[79] The town is host to the Shrewsbury International Music Festival, when musical groups from all over the world come to perform for about a week for local residents, and give a final concert in the Abbey. The festival is organized by WorldStage Tours.[80] 2006 saw the first Shrewsbury Folk Festival, after the event moved to the town from nearby Bridgnorth. Held annually over the August Bank Holiday, the event is very popular, with people travelling from across the UK to attend. In 2006 much of the event was held in the Quarry, with other related festivities happening around the town. For 2007 the event moved to the West Midlands Showground on the other side of the river.[81] A new annual arts festival - the Shrewsbury Summer Season - was established in 2004 and runs each year from June to August with an extensive programme of music, visual arts, theatre and spectacle.[82]

There are some very old public houses, which have been continuously open as pubs, such as the Golden Cross (established 1428 - the oldest pub in the town), the Dun Cow and the King's Head.[83]

Construction of Theatre Severn,[84] a new entertainment complex in Frankwell, was commissioned in September 2006. Actual construction began on the site in April 2007 when the Borough Council appointed a contractor. The design will feature a prominent glass curve and steel frame. The site is positioned next to the Guildhall, alongside the namesake River Severn.[85] The new complex is to replace the existing theatre, the Shrewsbury Music Hall. The Music Hall will then be refurbished, and take on the role of Rowley's House Museum, which will then be closed for renovation for the foreseeable future.[86]

The Brother Cadfael series was based at Shrewsbury Abbey.
The Brother Cadfael series was based at Shrewsbury Abbey.
Cultural references

The town appears in the Brother Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters, aka Edith Pargeter. The novels take Shrewsbury Abbey for their setting, with Shrewsbury and other places in Shropshire portrayed regularly, and have made Medieval Shrewsbury familiar to a wide worldwide readership.[87]

The local author, Carol Ewels has written two children's books, including Jack the Cat, which are set in the town. Also, the children's author Pauline Fisk writes about a town called Pengwern, which is based entirely on Shrewsbury, in books including Midnight Blue, and Sabrina Fludde. Frank Cottrell Boyce, another children's author, writes briefly about Shrewsbury in his book Millions.

Media

Two newspapers are published for Shrewsbury - the Shrewsbury Chronicle,[88] and the local edition of the county's Shropshire Star.[89] There are presently three radio stations that specifically serve either the Shrewsbury area or encompass it as part of a Shropshire-wide broadcast. They include: Beacon Radio, part of the wider network of radio stations owned by GCap Media;[90] BBC Radio Shropshire, which is based in Shrewsbury;[91] and, as of September 2006, The Severn, which broadcasts live from Abbey Foregate.[92]

[edit] Sports

Shrewsbury Town Football Club's New Meadow stadium was completed in 2007.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club's New Meadow stadium was completed in 2007.

Shrewsbury is home to a variety of established amateur, semi-professional and professional sports clubs, including Shrewsbury Town, a Football League team currently playing in Football League Two. Shrewsbury Town's achievements include winning The Welsh Cup 6 times, a record for an English club, a sustained run in the old Second Division in the 1980s and victory in the Conference National Playoff Final 2004. The club relocated to the New Meadow stadium in 2007, to a purposely built site located near Meole Brace. Prior to this, the club played at the Gay Meadow stadium, situated just outside of the town centre, for a 97 year period from 1910 to 2007.[93]

There is also a local rugby club, Shrewsbury Rugby Club.[94] The River Severn in the town is used for rowing by both Pengwern Boat Club and the Shrewsbury School Boat Club.[95][96] Shrewsbury Sports Village, a new sports centre, was recently opened in the Sundorne district of the town, with the aim of providing a wider and improved range of sports facilities for townspeople.[97] There are also a number of motorsports and golf facilities (including Meole Brace Municipal Golf Course) in the area. The local motorsports heritage includes the Loton Park Hillclimb and Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit situated near Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury Motocross Club has staged motocross events in the area for over 30 years.[98]

[edit] Education

Shrewsbury School is a public school. The building shown here, which was constructed circa 1765, is Grade II listed.
Shrewsbury School is a public school. The building shown here, which was constructed circa 1765, is Grade II listed.

The long established Prestfelde School is an independent preparatory school, located on London Road, close to the Lord Hill column. As part of the Woodard Schools group, it is affiliated to the largest group of Church of England schools in the country. Whilst originally a school for boys only it diversified and, in the late 1990s, started also accepting girls between the ages of three and thirteen. The school is set in thirty acres of grounds on the outskirts of the town.[99]

Shrewsbury is home to Shrewsbury School, a public school, located on a large commanding site ("Kingsland") just south of the town centre overlooking the loop of the Severn. The school was once located in the town centre, in the buildings that are now the main county library on Castle Street.[100] Opposite it on the other side of the river is Shrewsbury High School, an independent girls' day school.

However, the majority of the town's pupils attend one of the eight comprehensive schools. The Priory School, formerly a grammar school for girls, generally has the best GCSE exam results in the town.[101] Meole Brace School currently carries the status of Science College; The Grange the status of Arts College; Sundorne the status of Sports College and Belvidere has the status of Technology College.

The Main Grade II listed building of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College (SSFC), which was constructed circa 1910.
The Main Grade II listed building of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College (SSFC), which was constructed circa 1910.

The Wakeman School, which is geographically the nearest school to the town, situated next to the English Bridge, was previously known as 'Shrewsbury Technical School', which was attended by the famous war poet Wilfred Owen. Additionally, there are two other establishments located out of the town which serve the town's students. The Corbet, located to the north at Baschurch; and Mary Webb School, located in the large village of Pontesbury, to the south-west.

Post-16 education is handled by Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, which has some of the best A-Level results in the country,[102] and Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology, which handles primarily vocational courses. Proposals from 2007 to co-locate the two colleges have met with fierce opposition, from the fear that town centre trade will suffer from the loss of the student population, as well as the reduced access to the London Road site, which lacks the rail and bus stations of Shrewsbury town centre.[103]


[edit] Transport

Roushill, Shrewsbury
Roushill, Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the county's public transportation hub and has extensive road and rail links to the rest of the county and country.

[edit] Rail

Five railway lines connect the town to most corners of Shropshire and the town is regarded as the "Gateway to Wales". Shrewsbury railway station is served by Arriva Trains Wales and London Midland. Trains frequently run east to Birmingham via Telford and Wolverhampton, north to Chester, Manchester, Crewe and Wrexham, south to Hereford and Cardiff, and west to Aberystwyth.[104] On 28 April 2008 open access service provider Wrexham & Shropshire commenced services to London. This restored the county's direct rail link to London; previously Shropshire was the only English county without a dedicated service to the capital.[105]

[edit] Roads

A map of Shrewsbury showing suburbs, surrounding villages,  Rivers (blue), Roads (red) and Rail routes (green).
A map of Shrewsbury showing suburbs, surrounding villages, Rivers (blue), Roads (red) and Rail routes (green).

Shrewsbury is connected to the national road network and nearby towns via a number of significant roads.

The A5 connects the town northwest to Oswestry, and east towards Telford, where it becomes the M54. The A5 once ran through the town centre, until a bypass was built in the 1930s. Subsequently, in 1992, a seventeen mile dual carriageway was completed at a cost of 79 million pounds to the south of the town, and was made to form part of the A5 route. This dual carriageway was built further out of the town to act as a substantial link to Telford, as well as a bypass for the town.[106]

The A49 also goes to Shrewsbury, joining the A5 at the south of the town, coming from Ludlow and Leominster. At this point, the road merges with the A5 for three miles, before separating again to the east of the town. From there it runs north, passing Sundorne, then Battlefield, before heading out towards Whitchurch. At Battlefield, the A53 route begins and heads northeast towards Shawbury and Market Drayton then onwards towards Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent.

Claremont Bank, with the SSFC campus to the left, and Frankwell in the distance.
Claremont Bank, with the SSFC campus to the left, and Frankwell in the distance.

The A458 (Welshpool-Bridgnorth) runs through the town centre, entering in the west and leaving to the southeast. The A528 begins in the town centre and heads north, heading for Ellesmere. The A488 begins just west of the town centre in Frankwell and heads out to Bishop's Castle, Clun and Knighton crossing the border in the southwest of Shropshire.

Major roads within the town include the A5112, A5191 and A5064. The A5191 goes north-south via the town centre, while the A5112 runs north-south to the east of the town centre. The A5064 is a short, one mile stretch of road to the southeast of the town centre, called "London Road". Additionally, the A5124, the most recent bypass, was completed in 1998, and runs across the northern edge of the town at Battlefield (connecting the A49/A53 to the A528), though it did exist before as Harlescott Lane (which has since become unclassified).

Buses

Bus services in the town are operated by Arriva and serve most parts of the town, congregating at the town's bus station adjacent to the Darwin Shopping Centre and a short stroll from the railway station. Arriva also operate county services both independent of and on behalf of Shropshire County Council. There are other bus companies operating around the Shrewsbury area, including Minsterley Motors.

Shrewsbury has a Park and Ride bus scheme in operation and three car parks on the edge of town are used by many who want to travel into the town centre. The three car parks are located at Harlescott (to the north, colour-coded orange), Oxon (to the west, colour-coded brown) and Meole Brace (to the south, colour-coded green). It is proposed that a fourth one be built to the east of the town, at either Emstrey or Preston.[107]

Frankwell Footbridge (foreground) and the Welsh Bridge (background).
Frankwell Footbridge (foreground) and the Welsh Bridge (background).
Bridges

The town has many bridges, which cross the River Severn and the Rea Brook. Frankwell footbridge is a modern pedestrian footbridge between Frankwell and the town centre spanning the River Severn. Downstream is the Welsh Bridge, which was built in the 1790s to replace the ancient St George's Bridge. Further along is the Porthill Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge running between The Quarry and Porthill, built in 1922. The next bridge along the river is the Kingsland Bridge, a privately owned toll bridge, and the subsequent bridge is the Greyfriars Bridge, a pedestrian bridge between Coleham and the town centre. Following the Greyfriars Bridge is the English Bridge, historically called "Stone Bridge", which was rebuilt in the 1930s, and beyond it is the railway station, which is partly built over the river. After the station is the Castle Walk Footbridge, another modern pedestrian footbridge.[108]

Porthill Bridge, crossing the Severn, connecting Porthill with the Quarry area.
Porthill Bridge, crossing the Severn, connecting Porthill with the Quarry area.

A. E. Housman wrote of the area this verse, which mentions the bridges of the town:[109]

High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam
Islanded in Severn stream;
The bridges from the steepled crest,
Cross the water east and west.

[edit] Notable people

Charles Darwin, Shrewsbury's most illustrious historical resident.
Charles Darwin, Shrewsbury's most illustrious historical resident.

There have been a number of notable Salopians, and people otherwise associated with the town of Shrewsbury, including Charles Darwin, a biologist and evolutionary theorist, one of the most important thinkers of the nineteenth century,[110] who was born in Shrewsbury on 12 February 1809 at The Mount House,[111] and was educated in the town at Shrewsbury School.

People with political associations also have connections with the town. Leo Blair, the father of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, is a resident of the town.[112] Former residents have included Michael Heseltine, a Conservative politician who was educated at Shrewsbury School,[113] and Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, who was once Britain's richest man, and was MP for Shrewsbury.[114] He lived in apartments at Shrewsbury Castle. Robert Clive was MP for Shrewsbury, and also the mayor.[115]

Ian Hunter (or Ian Patterson), the lead singer of the 70's pop group Mott the Hoople, was a resident of 23a Swan Hill in the town centre, and wrote a song of the same name.[116] Also a resident of the town was John Peel, a DJ and radio presenter, who was educated at Shrewsbury School.[117] Another DJ from the town is Lange, a producer of dance music, who was born in Shrewsbury.[118] The 1980s pop group T'Pau was formed in the town and the band's vocalist Carol Decker was born and educated in the town, along with other members of the band.[119]

Darwin Gate sculpture at the top of Mardol.
Darwin Gate sculpture at the top of Mardol.

Shrewsbury has also been home to contributors to literature. Prior to the First World War, Wilfred Owen, a poet lived in the town.[120] Paul Gustafson, an author, self-publicist and biologist was born in Shrewsbury, and Mary Webb is buried there.[121] Michael Palin, the writer, actor and comedian attended Shrewsbury School.[122] Other actors with associations with the town include Nick Hancock, presenter of They Think It's All Over, who, like Palin, was educated at Shrewsbury School.[123] Nick Conway is another actor connected to the town, and was born in it in 1962.[124]

Sporting Salopians include Danny Guthrie, a footballer who was born in Shrewsbury;[125] and Joe Hart, an under-21 international footballer, born in the town,[126] and educated at Meole Brace School. Sandy Lyle, a professional golfer, was also born in the town.[127]

Other notable people of the town include Robert Cadman, a performer and steeplejack, who is buried in the town, at St. Mary's Church.[128] Simon Gosling, a designer was born in the town, and was resident there until 1994.[129] John Gwynn, an 18th century architect, who designed the English Bridge and the bridge at Atcham was born in the town.[130] Percy Thrower, the gardener and broadcaster was a resident of Shrewsbury.[131]

Flight Lieutenant Eric Lock DSO, DFC and Bar was born in nearby Bayston Hill and was educated at Prestfelde public school on London Road. Lock became internationally recognised as a high scoring fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during World War II with twenty six victories before his death in combat at the age of twenty one. He was the RAF's most successful British-born pilot during the Battle of Britain, shooting down 16.5 German aircraft in a period of just a few weeks.[132][133]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Shrewsbury to Cardiff - Distances in Miles and Kilometres. Airport-Accommodation.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  2. ^ a b Shrewsbury: the Town. SevernVale.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  3. ^ Origins of the name of Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  4. ^ Shrewsbury statistics. World-Gazetteer.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  5. ^ a b c Census - 2001 - Population & Age Structure. Shropshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  6. ^ Destination Guide for Shrewsbury. Enjoy England. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  7. ^ Shrewsbury: A brief History. VisitShrewsbury.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  8. ^ Town celebrates top floral awards. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
  9. ^ Town wins Floral prize. Shrewsbury Chronicle. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
  10. ^ Britain in Bloom Winner 2006 (archived version). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  11. ^ Retail Footprint 2005 (West Midlands). CACI - Marketing Solutions. Retrieved on 2008-02-16.
  12. ^ a b c d Imperial Gazetteer entry for Shrewsbury. Visions of Britain. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  13. ^ Shrewsbury. JRANK Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  14. ^ Shrewsbury. MSN Encarta. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  15. ^ Shrewsbury Guide. Websitehome.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  16. ^ The Economic Journal. JSTOR.org. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  17. ^ a b ESTABLISHMENT OF SHREWSBURY TOWN COUNCIL. Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
  18. ^ Battle of Shrewsbury - Henry VI at Shrewsbury. About.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  19. ^ W. G. Rimmer, 'Castle Foregate Flax Mill, Shrewsbury' Transactions of Shropshire Archaeological Society LVI (1957-60), 49ff.
  20. ^ 'Father of the Skyscraper'. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  21. ^ Thomas Telford in Shropshire. BBC Shropshire. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  22. ^ History of Charles Darwin. Ondix.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  23. ^ The Wroxeter Hinterland Project. Birmingham University. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  24. ^ The English Landscape in the Twentieth Century. Trevor Rowley. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
  25. ^ Advantage WM. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  26. ^ Travel - A day on the Shrewsbury-Birmingham line. BBC Shropshire. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
  27. ^ Five new cities creates row. BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  28. ^ Shropshire County Council Home Page. Shropshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  29. ^ Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council Home Page. Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  30. ^ Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881). VictorianWeb.org. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  31. ^ Culture and Arts - Zutphen on the Ijsel. BBC Shropshire. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  32. ^ British Light Infantry Regiments. LightInfantry.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  33. ^ Shropshire County Council One Council: News and information
  34. ^ Origins of the name of Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
  35. ^ SHREWSBURY AND ATCHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL. civicheraldry.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
  36. ^ Shrewsbury flood alleviation scheme. Environment Agency. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  37. ^ Flood watch continues on Severn. BBC Shropshire News. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  38. ^ Haughmond Hill (HTML). Shropshire Geology. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  39. ^ Shrophire's Geological Trail. Shropshire Rocks!. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  40. ^ New Home Plans in the West Midlands (Shrewsbury). UKLandDirectiry. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  41. ^ Bayston Hill Parish Council. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  42. ^ Expansion of Retail parks. Shrewsbury & Atcham council. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  43. ^ Shropshire. MSN Encarta. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  44. ^ Shrewsbury. World Gazetteer. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  45. ^ Jail most overcrowded in country. BBC News (2005-07-27). Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  46. ^ a b c Shrewsbury Town (PDF). Safety Partnership. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
  47. ^ The Shrewsbury Drapers Guild. shrewsburydrapers.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
  48. ^ Shrewsbury, Shropshire Industry Statistics. A Vision of Britain.
  49. ^ A Visitor Economy Strategy and Action Plan for Shrewsbury & Atcham. Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
  50. ^ Darwin & Pride Hill Shopping Centre, Shrewsbury. EFM Facilities, LTD. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  51. ^ Tesco Corporate Responsibility Review 2007. Tescocorporate.com.
  52. ^ Hospital's cash plans are delayed. BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  53. ^ Index of multiple deprivation - overall results. Shropshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
  54. ^ Deprivation in Shropshire (PDF). Sustainability Group. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
  55. ^ Cream of the Country: Shrewsbury. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  56. ^ Shuts of Shrewsbury. Proud Salopian, ShrewsburyForum.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  57. ^ Shropshire Information. FatBadgers.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  58. ^ A Christmas Carol. The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  59. ^ Welcome to the Shrewsbury Flower Show. Shrewsbury Flower Show. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  60. ^ Shrewsbury Tourist Information & Visitor's Guide. ShrewsburyGuide.info. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  61. ^ The Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (53rd and 85th foot). Army.mod.uk. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  62. ^ UKWMO Group Controls. Subbrit.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  63. ^ Shrewsbury Museums. Shrewsbury Museum Service. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  64. ^ Photo Gallery. Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  65. ^ History of Shrewsbury Abbey. ShrewsburyAbbey.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  66. ^ Shrewsbury Orthodox Church. ShrewsburyOrthodox.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  67. ^ Shrewsbury Cathedral Home Page. ShrewsburyCathedral.org. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  68. ^ Shrewsbury - A Church Near You. acny.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  69. ^ Belle Vue Methodist Church, Shrewsbury UK. bvmc.freeuk.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  70. ^ Claremont Baptist Church. Claremont-Baptist-Church.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  71. ^ Rivers Way - An Elim Church. RiversWayelim.org. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  72. ^ Barnabas Community Church, Shrewsbury. BarnabasCommunityChurch.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  73. ^ North Shrewsbury Community Church. NorthShrewsbury.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  74. ^ Isaiah 58 Project. shrop.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  75. ^ Debt Relief - Barnabas Community Church Shrewsbury. BarnabasCommunityChurch.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  76. ^ Churches Together in Shrewsbury - The Shrewsbury Ark. ShrewsburyChurches.org. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  77. ^ Shrewsbury Flower Show website. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  78. ^ Town celebrates top floral awards. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
  79. ^ West Mid Show. WestMidShow.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  80. ^ Festivals - Shrewsbury. eayo.org. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  81. ^ Shrewsbury Folk Festival website. shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  82. ^ Shrewsbury Summer Season. ShrewsburySummer.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  83. ^ Shrewsbury's oldest pub. GoldenCrossHotel.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  84. ^ New Enternainment Venue - Theatre Severn. Shrewsbury.gov.uk. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  85. ^ New Entertainment Venue. The Music Hall website. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  86. ^ Exhibit in Former C&A, Pride Hill Shopping Centre, Shrewsbury. Published by SABC council. Viewed 20th February, 2008
  87. ^ Brother Cadfael. user.chollian.net/~beringar. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  88. ^ Shrewsbury Chronicle. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  89. ^ Shropshire Star. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  90. ^ 97.2 Beacon Radio. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  91. ^ BBC Radio Shropshire. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  92. ^ 106.5 & 107.1 The Severn. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  93. ^ Shrewsbury Town Football Club website. STFC. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  94. ^ Rugby Clubs in Shropshire. Shropshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  95. ^ Pengwern Boat Club website. PengwernBC. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  96. ^ Rowing. Shrewsbury School. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  97. ^ Shrewsbury Sports Village. Shrewsbury and Atcham council. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  98. ^ History of SMXC. Shrop.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  99. ^ Prestfelde Preparatory School Home Page. Prestfelde Preparatory School. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
  100. ^ History of Shrewsbury School. Shrewsbury School. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
  101. ^ League tables: Secondary Schools in Shropshire. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  102. ^ Introduction. Save our Sixth Form. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
  103. ^ Facts and Figures. Save our Sixth Form. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
  104. ^ Shrewsbury Railway Station. NationalRail. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  105. ^ Wrexham & Shropshire railway services. wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  106. ^ Pre-Motorway New Roads. speedlimit.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  107. ^ Shrewsbury's Coach & Bus Station. totaltravel.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  108. ^ A Short History of Shrewsbury. localhistories.org. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  109. ^ Complete Housman. greenend.org.uk/~martinh. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  110. ^ Charles Darwin - Great Minds, Great Thinkers. EDinformatics. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  111. ^ The Mount House, Shrewsbury. City University of New York (CUNY). Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  112. ^ Leo Blair: What's in a name. BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  113. ^ Heseltine: Political CV. BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-01-13.
  114. ^ Johnstone, Jeffrey. Sir William Johnstone Pulteney and The Scottish Origins of Western New York. The Crooked Lake Review. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  115. ^ Robert Clive: Tearaway to empire builder. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  116. ^ Ian Hunter. Everything2.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  117. ^ In his own words, the teenage rape of John Peel. The Telegraph. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  118. ^ Langa (AKA Firewall). Armada Music. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  119. ^ For Crying Out Loud! (T'Pau interviews). T'Pau.org. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  120. ^ Thompson, Harvey (1998-12-02). The war poet Wilfred Owen 80 years on. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  121. ^ Mary Webb. Find a Grave. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  122. ^ Michael Palin. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  123. ^ Shrewsbury School. Tatler Schools Guide. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  124. ^ Nick Conway. Tv.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  125. ^ Player Profile. LFChistory.net. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  126. ^ Joe Hart. Sky Sports. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  127. ^ Sandy Lyle. PGATOUR.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  128. ^ Robert Cadman. Findagrave.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  129. ^ Simon Gosling. LoveFilm.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  130. ^ Shropshire. Google Books. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  131. ^ Percy was the forerunner of TV's gardening celebrities. You&Yesterday. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
  132. ^ "Shropshire's 'Sawn Off' Battle of Britain hero", BBC. Accessed January 3, 2008.
  133. ^ Lashmar, Paul. "`The Few' who saved Britain were even fewer in number than anyone", The Independent, September 16, 2000. Accessed January 3, 2008.

[edit] External links

Destinations from SHREWSBURY
Nesscliffe, Oswestry, Chirk
Wrexham
Wem, Prees, Whitchurch, Nantwich
 
Shawbury, Hodnet, Market Drayton
Stoke-on-Trent
Westbury, Welshpool
N
W E
S
Wellington, Oakengates, Telford, Shifnal
West Midlands conurbation
Pontesbury, Minsterley, Bishop's Castle, Clun, Knighton, Newtown Bayston Hill, Condover, Dorrington, Church Stretton, Craven Arms, Ludlow
 
Atcham, Much Wenlock, Ironbridge, Broseley, Bridgnorth, Kidderminster

Static Wikipedia (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - en - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu -

Static Wikipedia 2007 (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - en - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu -

Static Wikipedia 2006 (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu

Static Wikipedia February 2008 (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - en - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu