Shifnal
Shifnal is a town in Shropshire located in the English West Midlands. It is thought that Shifnal really came into being as a town in the 7th century when it may well have been an Anglo Saxon settlement. For many years the town was known by the name of Idsall and was occasionally referred to as Iddeshale.
Shifnal gets a mention in the Domesday Book which states that it was ruled by Robert, son of Theobald, on behalf of Roger de Montgomerie, the Earl of Shrewsbury. According to the Domesday Book the town had previously been ruled by Earl Morcar, a Saxon who lost out to the Norman invaders.
Shifnal’s church (St Andrew’s) still has some Norman aspects such as a chancel that dates back to these times - it also has an Elizabethan roof. It is believed that this church stands on the site of a Saxon church. By the mid 1200s Shifnal had been given a Royal Charter to hold a market. As was the custom of the time this involved some work on the layout of the town to make it more suitable to hold a market.
Although predominantly based in a rural landscape Shifnal came to some fame in the 16th century during the first Industrial Revolution. This was based on the fact that a blast furnace powered by charcoal was built in the town area. At around this time the town also suffered from a serious fire which destroyed many of its buildings.
During the 18th century Shifnal became a popular coaching stop for travellers on the London coaches. The town had at least three coaching inns at this time. The main coaching road here was the former Roman road Watling Street which was, at this point, improved by the famous local civil engineer Thomas Telford. Once the railway came to the town and spread across the area the coaching trade went into decline.
Visitors to Shifnal can take some time to relax in the Naughty Nell pub. This was originally one of the town’s main coaching inns, known as The Unicorn. Local legend has it that this was the home of Nell Gwyn. Many people also enjoy a visit to Boscobel House which is close to the town. This house and its gardens are full of fascinating historical effects such as priests’ holes. It is also the site (in the gardens) of the Royal Oak which is the oak tree that Charles II is supposed to have hidden behind in the mid 1600s after the Battle of Worcester. The nearby Royal Air Force museum at Cosford is also worth a visit if you are in the area.
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