Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is a town in the West Midlands area of England. This is the county town of Shropshire. The town lies on the River Severn and has, for many years, been known as a market town. Shrewsbury has had various names over the ages. For example, the ancient Britons called it Pengwern and the Anglo Saxons called it Scrobbesburh. Over time this name was changed to Schroberie before the modern name of Shrewsbury.
The town of Shrewsbury really came into being as we know in the Middle Ages. By the 14th and 15th centuries it was an important site of commerce in the region and in the country due to the wool trade that was common to the area. As with many Shropshire border towns Shrewsbury spent much of its history involved in conflicts between England and Wales and it changed possession a few times. By Norman times the town was given to Roger de Montgomery who became Earl of Shrewsbury. His efforts saw the building of Shrewsbury Castle in the 1070s.
In the 1400s the town became well known as the site of the Battle of Shrewsbury which saw Henry IV defeat Henry Percy who was perhaps best known as Henry Hotspur. In the late 1700s the town became the site of the Ditherington Flax Mill. This building was unique in that it had an iron frame. Its design is considered by many experts to be the predecessor to the modern day skyscraper. Shrewsbury did well during the Industrial Revolutions due to its specialism in the wool trade but never really became known for other industrial processes.
Visitors taking a quick walk around Shrewsbury will find a place where the streets are laid out much as they were in medieval times. There are over 600 listed buildings in the town itself some of which are relatively rare timber framed buildings that date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The town also has museums and galleries in the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, Shrewsbury Castle and the Coleham Pumping Station.
Shrewsbury Castle is recommended to any visitor. The same goes for Shrewsbury Abbey which was built at around the same time as the castle. The town is also home to the renowned Shrewsbury Flower Show and to the West Mid Show which is one of the largest agricultural shows in the county. Walkers and hikers may also enjoy a trip to Haughmond Hill which is close to the town. This hill has some great examples of ancient Pre-Cambrian rocks. The town park (The Quarry) is a pleasant riverside option as well.
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