We walked our legs off in the Lake District. Now we're looking forward to a change of pace—we’ll step back in time to what once was an Anglo-Saxon village.
Shrewsbury is a picturesque market town rich with history
. It was an important trading center in Anglo-Saxon time; its wealth originating from wool. The town could be well defended because of the bend in the River Severn (see map).
Our B&B was the only hotel we stayed in. It was on a busy corner and the room was only just big enough to “swing a cat”; however, the breakfast was excellent and service pleasant. It was conveniently located near the river walkway and a short distance to the town center. One morning we spotted a small yellow boat adrift in the river. It looked a bit suspicious—it had no “painter” (rope) attached anywhere, no oars, and a motor was fixed to the stern. Another passer by stopped and called the authorities. She was concerned because a number of people have fallen into the river and died after having one too many in the pubs. Two young officers arrived and seemed to have things under control.
The sun appeared and disappeared in 1-2 minute intervals during our brief two-day visit
. Sun break! Time to explore! In recent years sections of the old town were leveled to make way for modern malls and shopping centers with marginal architectural value. Fortunately much of the character of the old town is preserved in quaint alleys, streets, and pedestrian walkways. We enjoyed walking along the river, over bridges, and through the parks. Although we missed the annual flower festival, colorful blooms still filled containers and baskets throughout the town.
Shrewsbury Castle dates back to1067. The red sandstone castle stands high on a hill in the crook of the river. Today it houses the Shropshire Regimental Museum; an impressive exhibition of the Shropshire regiments dating back to years prior to the British Civil War (1600’s) to present day.
A large public park was originally a sandstone quarry supplying building material for the many churches and buildings. In the center of the park is "The Dingle" and the meticulously tended “Enchanted Garden” where we had a picnic lunch and shared bread crumbs with little feathered friends
.
We're off to the Shrewsbury Museum; a good way to spend time on a rainy afternoon. The museum takes the visitor from prehistoric times through Roman and Norman conquests; the ups and downs of the wool trade to the present. We were treated to the story of the “Corbet Bed 1593 reproduction project” by a delightful docent who worked on the tapestry for over 3 years! Over 200 stitchers took part in the 13-year painstaking project.
Time to say hasta luego for now. We'll return to Wimbledon for a couple of days before resuming our tour of the Cotswolds!
Click link below for more photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/104590044281989964656/20140704ShrewsburyAlbum?authkey=Gv1sRgCIusi-XX9cPX-AE#
Shrewsbury
Saturday, July 05, 2014
Shrewsbury, England, United Kingdom
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