About Shrewsbury

The jewel in Shropshire’s crown, Shrewsbury is packed with fascinating history. Much of the town consists of beautiful 15th and 16th century timber framed architecture, with over 650 listed buildings in all. Surrounded by the River Severn on three sides, Shrewsbury has a number of landmark bridges, including the 18th century arched examples of Gwynne’s Bridge and the Welsh Bridge.

Shrewsbury’s history goes much further back than Tudor times, however, and can be witnessed in the incredible architecture of the red sandstone abbey (founded in 1083), the Norman castle and St Mary’s Church, dating from 960AD and boasting one of the tallest spires in England.

While Shrewsbury’s history is one of its key attractions, there are plenty of contemporary ways to enjoy the town. Wyle Cop, The Parade Centre and the waterfront area all provide excellent opportunities for shopping and relaxing with many unique, independent shops, bars and restaurants.

Further afield and well worth a visit is the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site; Hawkstone Historic Park and Follies - a wonderland of caves, cliffs, crags and woodland; Wroxeter Roman City (the remains of Britain’s fourth largest Roman settlement), and the Severn Valley Steam Railway. For those who enjoy getting outdoors, the gorgeous rolling countryside and hills of Shropshire stretch as far as the eye can see in every direction, making Shrewsbury the ideal base for a walking holiday.