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Shropshire by Dale Nolan

Shropshire, the birthplace of Charles Darwin and the Industrial Revolution, is a land of gentle hills and farmlands which has been attracting visitors for centuries. Located at the very heart of the West Midlands and on the border with Wales, the county boasts historic castles and Marcher Lords, rural farmsteads and bustling, market towns and the Severn Valley – one of the most attractive inland waterways in Britain. Furthermore, Shropshire remains one of the least populated counties in all of England providing ample space for hiking, walking and waterside activities.

The region now known as Shropshire was originally visited by the Romans who settled in the north of the county near to their fort at Chester but it wasn’t until much later that it formed into a county. This happened in the Tenth century when the kingdom of Saxon Mercia was divided into separate counties. Following the conquest of the land by the Normans, the county’s main estates fell under the control of Norman landlords. These landlords would make frequent overtures into the Marches or border areas bringing Shropshire into conflict with the Welsh. As a result, the Normans built a series of castles here to protect the Marches from Welsh retaliation and there are no fewer than 32 English castles located in the county.

At the turn of the Eighteenth century, Shropshire was credited with bringing about the Industrial Revolution when coaking coal was found in the county and used for smelting iron. The Ironbridge Gorge area of Shropshire quickly became the centre of this industrialism and Shropshire began producing iron at an incredible rate. The world’s first iron bridge was smelted here and lies precariously across part of the gorge. Such was the importance of the Ironbridge that it is now recognised as a World Heritage Site making it a popular visitor attraction. The gorge holds a number of museums and places of interest including the Museum of the Gorge, the Museum of Iron and the village of Ironbridge itself. Despite its industrialism, the area remains pretty and is surrounded by woodland. Shropshire also boasts another industrial relic, the Severn Valley Railway. This railway remains one of Britain’s premier steam railway journeys covering Sixteen miles of rolling countryside.

As a whole, Shropshire has a disproportionate array of visitor attractions and one of its most favourite is the wonderfully-eccentric Hawkstone Historic Park and Follies. This part natural, part man-made park was used as the setting for the BBC’s Chronicles of Narnia and is over 200 years old. Hawkstone contains a grotto and many caves, fairy-tale twisted trees and viewing platforms, a 100ft column and statue and monolithic-style, sandstone crags. It is an enchanting and fascinating landscape of curiosities in which to explore with the family.

As well as the industrial heritage and beautiful countryside, the county of Shropshire is also home to the pretty towns of Shrewsbury and Ludlow which attract increasing numbers of visitors. Shrewsbury is the administrative centre of the county and is wrapped tight within a loop of the mighty, River Severn. The town has a good selection of pubs offering Real Ale to enjoy and is a fantastic point to explore the scenic beauty of the riverside. The town of Ludlow to the south is often regarded as the prettiest village in England and is made up of Georgian shops and half-timbered buildings. Today Ludlow is equally famous for its good range of Michelin-starred restaurants and its annual Music and Arts Festival.

Away from Ludlow’s obvious charms, Shropshire also boasts many unique festivals including Tree-Dressing in Aston-on-Clun, the Shrewsbury Flower Festival, the Biggest Liar in Shropshire festival and Much Wenlock’s internationally-known storey-telling extravaganza called The Tales from the Edge. Again, all of these events provide excellent family entertainment and hint at the underlying sense of fun which seems a common part of county life here.

Shropshire’s lovely towns and festivals, as well as its industrial heritage and natural beauty, provide a nice backdrop to the good restaurants, pubs and attractions which cover the length of the shire. The county is fast-becoming an excellent visitor and family destination which remains largely empty and within close reach to the UK’s major transport networks.