| Shropshire is England's forgotten county, but it is well | | | | fascinating small ancient town. Katherine of Aragon |
| worth making the effort to get there. It is only three | | | | was imprisoned there in the castle after Henry the |
| hours by train from London and there is plenty to see | | | | eighth turned his attentions elsewhere. The castle is still |
| and do. It is primarily a rural county steeped in history | | | | in surprisingly good condition and is open most days. |
| bordering as it does mid Wales, from Oswestry in the | | | | Countless narrow streets with many half-timbered |
| northwest to Ludlow and the Hereford border in the | | | | buildings always have something to offer. Check out |
| south. | | | | the Feathers Hotel in Ludlow for olde England history |
| Consider staying in Shrewsbury, the capital of the | | | | and charm. |
| county. Shrewsbury is a growing mediaeval town with | | | | Bridgnorth is a town split in two. The lower level beside |
| a large mixture of places to stay and lots of things to | | | | the River Severn and the high town set on the |
| see. It straddles the mighty River Severn, one of | | | | escarpment that commands views along the river. |
| Britain's longest rivers. The river twists and turns and | | | | Take the old steam powered Severn Valley Railway, |
| revisits the town in several places. It can and still does | | | | scene of countless films and TV series, from there |
| flood some of the town occasionally and the effects | | | | south towards Kidderminster and over the border into |
| of global warming have persuaded the town council to | | | | Worcestershire. |
| beef up the flood defences. On a mild balmy day with | | | | In the north of the county Ellesmere in the Shropshire |
| the river low and sleepy it seems hard to imagine that | | | | Lakeland is a small town well worth a visit. Check out |
| the river could ever offer a threat, but when it is angry | | | | the canal where Thomas Telford's masterpiece, built in |
| and running, it does. | | | | 1760 runs through the town before wending its way |
| Visit the castle set beside the Victorian railway station. | | | | over the border and into Wales and on to Llangollen. |
| Shrewsbury is the home of Charles Darwin and there | | | | Oswestry in the northwest is a bustling market town |
| are reminders of their famous son throughout the | | | | and on market day you are as likely to hear Welsh |
| town. Consider too the half timbered and ancient | | | | being spoken as often as English. Another small town |
| Rowley's museum. To the north of the town is an | | | | worth a visit is Much Wenlock, located on Wenlock |
| area called Battle, named after the battle in the War of | | | | edge, a cliff face that runs diagonally across the |
| the Roses fought there in 1403 when thousands of | | | | county. There is an ancient monastery there and |
| men were slaughtered on both sides, the majority | | | | quaint buildings aplenty. |
| brought down by the English longbow. See Do visit the | | | | For the more energetic, walking holidays across the |
| old church just north of the battlefield site where a | | | | moorland of the Long Mynd offers a surprising taste |
| permanent memorial is on display. | | | | of wilderness. Stay in Church Stretton, a mecca for hill |
| But Shropshire has much more to offer than simply | | | | walkers. |
| the county town. In the south of the county Ludlow is a | | | | |