Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is situated in the English county of Shropshire which is located in the West Midlands area of the country. Bridgnorth itself lies by the Severn Valley and is split in two by the River Severn. The Low Town here lies on the lower side of the river bank and the High Town on the upper side. In the past the Low Town was a well known and busy port and the High Town was home to the castle, churches and significant dwellings of the town. The town was incorporated by King James I in the 1540s.
It is thought that the Bridgnorth name is derived from a bridge that used to cross the river. There have been settlements here for centuries with recordings showing that the Danes spent some time in the town area in the late 800s. In the early 900s Aethelfleda built fortifications on the river bank in this location against the Viking marauders.
As with much of Shropshire, Bridgnorth was given to Roger de Montgomerie in Norman times. It is thought that the town started coming together in the early 1100s when Montgomerie’s son, Robert de Belesme, moved on to the town site and built a new church and a castle. At this point the town’s fortifications were aimed at protecting the area from the Welsh.
During the 13th century Bridgnorth was given a range of charters and privileges by various kings and by the end of the century the town was sending two representatives to the English Parliament.
Any visitor to Bridgnorth will enjoy a ride on its funicular railway that connects the two areas of the town. The Castle Hill Railway here is the only railway of this kind to operate inland and is also held to be the steepest in the county. You can also take a look at the remains of Bridgnorth Castle. These aren’t just interesting because of their age but also because they lean to the side as they were damaged in the English Civil War by the Roundheads. The lean here is quite spectacular - it is held to be more extreme than the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Other places worth a visit include the town’s museum (The Northgate Museum) which can be found in one of the last remaining town gates and the Town Hall is also often of interest as it dates back to the 17th century.
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