Location

The County Of Shropshire

The county of Shropshire lies on the border between England and Wales. It is one of the largest and most beautiful counties in England. The river Severn, Britain's longest river, originates over the border in Wales and carves its way through the Shropshire landscape on its way to the sea. From the lakes and meres in the north, over the Wenlock Edge, a 400 million year old coral reef, to the Shropshire hills in the south, the county offers spectacular scenery and fascinating towns and villages. What’s more, Shropshire is located in the centre of England allowing easy access to the major cities of Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool and to seaside towns on the Welsh coast.

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the capital town of the county of Shropshire and has its origins in Roman times. It is best known, to the hosts of tourists that visit it, for its medieval, picturesque town centre and the delightful Quarry Park adjoining the River Severn, which encircles the town. Charles Darwin, one of England's finest scholars, was born here and taught for a time at the Shrewsbury School which now houses the town library. Today Shrewsbury combines the splendour of its past with the modern feel of a town serving its 98,000 inhabitants, offering ample amenities and cultural events throughout the year for leisure and learning.

Such amenities comprise an 8 screen cinema complex, a new theatre, numerous art galleries and of course shops of all description. There are also various live music venues to cater for all tastes and opportunities to participate in youth orchestras and bands. If sport is your preference, swimming, athletics, tennis, golf, football, dance and keep-fit are all readily available. Alternatively, why not go rowing or canoeing on the river Severn, jog or cycle through the wonderful park, climb the hills or go horse riding in the neighbouring Shropshire countryside?

Wem

Wem is a friendly town in the heart of North Shropshire, 15 kilometres north of Shrewsbury. From its time as a Saxon settlement, mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086, through to the present, Wem has been at the centre of life in North Shropshire, becoming a market town in 1202, a tradition it still carries on today. The present population is over 6,000. In 1650 a local landowner, tanner and ex-Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Adams, founded Adams Grammar School, now known as the Thomas Adam's School, which is still central to the community today.

Ludlow

Ludlow is the main town in South Shropshire and is situated about 30 kilometres from Shrewsbury. It is an important town of culture, set amidst some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, and is one of the finest towns in England with a wealth of beautiful period buildings. Having made its wealth in the 17th Century, Ludlow became fashionable to the local gentry who built the fine Georgian houses which line its wide main streets. The town also has a splendid castle which provides a dramatic backdrop for the annual Ludlow Festival with its open air performances of Shakespearian plays. Ludlow is also a market town holding lively, weekly markets and regular farmers' markets selling a wide variety of local produce. The town has lots of individual shops and tucked away down the lanes and back streets are numerous antique, book and craft shops. In recent years the town has also developed a formidable culinary reputation and has the greatest number of Michelin starred restaurants outside London.

Designated as the first Citta Slow town in the United Kingdom, Ludlow is today a beautiful vibrant town with a growing international reputation for the finer things in life.

Much Wenlock

A quintessentially English town, off the beaten track and the birthplace of William Penny Brookes, founding father of the Modern Olympic Games.

Ironbridge

One of Shropshire's most important locations, the Ironbridge Gorge is known throughout the world as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Nowadays the area is far from industrial. Although the revolution started here, most of the factories are long gone and the natural beauty of the Gorge has been restored and is protected as a World Heritage Site.