Clun
Located in the county of Shropshire in the West Midlands area of England, the town of Clun lies deep within the Shropshire Hills. This area is designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Clun was given its name from the River Clun as is the valley in which the town is located, the Clun Valley. The river runs in the middle of the town. It can be crossed via the Clun Bridge, a ford and a footbridge. The town has also been referred to as Colun in the past.
It is thought that people have settled in the Clun area since Neolithic times. As a town Clun started really coming together towards the end of the 600s and based itself around the Saxon church that stood in this area. The present day church in the town, St George’s, is thought to stand on the original Saxon church site.
This is a small and rural town which has historically been involved more in agriculture than industry. It stands, for example, on ancient droving roads where local farmers used to drive their Shropshire bred animals to markets all over the country. The Clun Forest Sheep breed is well known throughout the country. Until the times of the Normans Clun was ruled by Eadric The Wild.
In Norman times Clun became part of Roger de Montgomerie’s lands as Earl of Shrewsbury. He put Robert de Say in charge of Clun and the surrounding area which became known as the Barony of Clun. As a town Clun underwent some changes during its Norman rule. The Normans liked to set towns out in a specific layout which can still be seen in the structure of the town centre. Robert de Say also built the motte and bailey Clun Castle here in the 1090s.
By the early 1200s Clun was given a charter for a fair to be held every November (The Martinmas Fair) in the town. In later years another charter gave the town the right to hold a May Fair. Over the years Clun became a small centre for the shoe and boot making trade and it is said that a shoe or boot maker could be found on every street in the town. There were also a significant number of tailors in the town.
If you are visiting Clun then you will see some of the finest countryside in the area. The Shropshire Way walk goes through the town itself. You may also want to visit the nearby Offa’s Dyke or take a walk along the Offa’s Dyke Path. Clun Forest is also a good place to visit for walkers and nature lovers.
Visitors may also enjoy a look around Clun Castle. Although this Norman castle is in ruins nowadays the grounds are still used by the people of Clun. It is, for example, the site of Clun’s May Fair. This fair is known as the Green Man festival and is held on the May Bank Holiday. Clun also has an annual carnival that takes place in August and is host to the Clun Valley Beer Festival which takes place in October.
St George’s Church at Clun is also worth a visit as it has some interesting examples of Norman architecture. Clun Bridge is also historically interesting. This old packhorse bridge dates back to the 15th century and is still mainly composed of the stones used in its original construction but it still capable of being used for modern traffic. A visit to the town’s museum which is housed in Clun Town Hall will also tell you more about the town.