Jun 1

Jun 1 5 things to do on a day exploring Shrewsbury

You know how sometimes you’re on a trip somewhere and you pass through a place which is so lovely you just have to stop and have a stroll round? And how, when you have had your stroll and been thoroughly enchanted, you idly scroll through property websites to see what sort of prices houses are there? Purely out of interest of course.

Well that’s exactly what happened to my sister and her soon-to-be-husband when they were on a road trip to Wales and drove through the enchanting medieval market town of Shrewsbury (which sits in the Shropshire countryside close to the Welsh border, almost entirely encircled by the River Severn). Except their casual property rummage unexpectedly turned into something altogether different when they spotted a house, ripe for reconstruction, on the most glorious plot with a large meadow and a river running round two sides of it.

The upshot of which is that they are moving to this very special spot, nearby this very beautiful town, shortly after they get married this summer, in the meadow of the home they have bought and will spend the next year or so completely rebuilding.

Which is how I came to spend a thoroughly marvellous day being introduced to the many delights of my sister’s soon-to-be-new-hometown and why I so heartily recommend it as such a rewarding place for an enjoyable day out.

As a day-long destination the great thing about Shrewsbury is its compact size. Everything you could want to see or do in the birthplace of Charles Darwin is within easy walking distance, with just the right selection of indoor and outdoor attractions to make it enjoyable whatever the weather. And more delicious places to eat and drink than you could shake a restorative cuppa and cake at.

As it happens (and as you can see from the pics) I was lucky enough to time my visit with one of the first properly warm, sunny days of late spring, so the plethora of medieval and listed buildings, 660 to be precise, some leaning at almost cartoonishly steep angles, the attractive open spaces, and the innumerable tempting independent shops, restaurants and cafes, looked even more enticing.

Some of Shrewsbury’s historic timber framed buildings

Here, then, in absolutely no order of preference or location, are the five things I recommend you put on your agenda when you visit this captivating little town:

Shrewsbury Market Hall

Home to what has been voted Britain’s favourite indoor market, and with 60 stalls selling everything from high quality food to homewares and pet supplies, clothes to antiques and original art, plus a handful of welcoming bars and cafes, you can see why. Busy, buzzy, welcoming and eclectic.

Details of stalls, eateries, services and opening hours HERE

Wyle Cop

Shrewsbury is dotted with whimsically named streets - Shoplatch and Dogpole being two - and innumerable intriguing alleys and passageways cutting through from one to the other. But Wyle Cop (Wyle is medieval English for hill and Cop means ‘top of’) stands out for having what is said to be the longest uninterrupted run of independent shops than any other street in the country. The mix of quirky, stylish, intriguing and chic shops are overlooked by many of the town’s 16th and 17th century timber-framed buildings and surrounded by yet more of the inviting cafes, bars and restaurants you’ll find wherever you happen to be. You definitely won’t starve or go thirsty in Shrewsbury!

For research purposes obviously I went into as many of the shops as I could (I’m very thorough) and was especially taken with dry. a marvellous emporium of alcohol-free craft beers and, at the opposite end of the drinking scale, Tanners Wine Merchants, with its enormous cellar of over 2,000 wines and spirits and knowledgable friendly staff.

Old Market Hall

You’d definitely never guess from its historic exterior that inside the 16th century market hall, built to accommodate the town’s emergence as a major regional centre for trading, is a delightful, timber beamed cafe and bar, and an 80-seat independent cinema (which is almost always fully booked, so if you fancy seeing a film there, make sure you book in advance. Which you can do HERE)

The Quarry and the Dingle

Encircled by a sweeping loop of the River Severn is the town’s immaculately tended 29-acre park, The Quarry at the heart of which is the Dingle, a magnificently planted, sunken walled garden created by long time Parks Superintendent and Shrewsbury resident, world renown gardener Percy Thrower. Take time to wander through the alpine borders, and admire the rotation of colourful bedding plants, gorgeous shrubbery and beautiful water features .

Shrewsbury Cathedral

The Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of Our Lady Help of Christians and Saint Peter of Alcantara, more commonly known as Shrewsbury Cathedral is as diminutive as the town and notable for being the only cathedral in Shropshire. Its interior was restored to its original 19th century state in 2019 and features a set of colourful stained glass windows by Shrewsbury born Margaret Rope, who, having been a cheroot-smoking motorcyclist in her youth, made a dramatic life change and became a Carmelite Nun and prolific stained glass artist whose work adorns buildings all round the world.

Details of opening hours and services HERE

With a thriving THEATRE, a busy schedule of FESTIVALS and EVENTS there’s bound to be something going on when you visit this captivating little town.

Other lovely towns and compact cities for a memorable day out

Rye

Warwick

Wells