6 Towns to Explore in Shropshire

6 Towns to Explore in Shropshire
Explore our country towns which are truly delightful. It’s here uou'll find lots of shops and attractions all waiting to be discovered each with their own distinctive character.
 

Shrewsbury

Shropshire's county town which lies in the meandering loop of the River Severn, making it almost an island. It is jam-packed with medieval history hosting unaltered, higgledy-piggeldy street plans and over 660 listed buildings. It offers a mix of the very old, the very new and the very quirky. A modern cinema in the old market hall, a spa in an old Welsh Chapel and endless boutiques tucked away in shuts and passages. As well as its beauty it is also famous for being the birth place of Charles Darwin; his statue sits outside Shrewsbury Library watching over his town.

Ludlow

A market town which was described by Sir John Betjeman as "the loveliest town in England”. Ludlow is an official ‘slow town’ and sits on a cliff above the picturesque River Teme in the unspoiled south Shropshire countryside. The small market town boasts over 500 listed buildings and the magnificent Ludlow Castle, which dates back to around 1085. The town has a well-deserved reputation for quality food and drink with a personal touch, it also hosts the prestigious annual Ludlow food festival and was once the only town in England with three Michelin-starred restaurants. It still has two. Today it's a very popular tourist destination, with a multitude of antique shops, independent bookshops, art dealers, local producers and highly-acclaimed pubs and restaurants.

Bridgnorth

Bridgnorth in reality is two towns, the High Town and the Low Town, connected by the steepest inland funicular railway in Britain. It has been described by Charles I as the "Finest View in all my Kingdom" and when you visit, you can see why. There are shops and pubs and events galore, as well as many places to explore including the castle, heritage railways and markets.

Ironbridge

Today the Ironbridge Gorge is a place of beauty, a lot different to the industrial town it was 250 years ago. Heavy industry has long disappeared but many of the historic buildings remain as a testimony to the area's past. The restored buildings, now shops, pubs and cafes sit either side of the River Severn’s valley with a maze of footpaths and bridleways. There are also the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums which are well worth a visit.

Much Wenlock

This 700 year old medieval market town lies on the Northeast end of Wenlock Edge, on the way to Ironbridge from Bridgnorth and Is home of the Modern Olympic Games! Today it is a small, rustic market town filled with black and white timbered buildings and limestone cottages which host old country pubs, quirky cafes and a range of independent shops.

Church Stretton

As the only town in Shropshire to be nestled in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It was nicknamed Shropshires 'Little Switzerland' in late-Victorian and Edwardian times, because of its surroundings and the way many houses hug the hillside. A thriving antiques centre with over 60 stalls is open every day. The local geology is complex; the area lies astride the Church Stretton Faultand atop some of the oldest rocks in England - formed over 560 million years ago.