Shrewsbury: where the hell is that?
Good question and one I often have to answer. I live abroad so I just tell people that I’m from the UK, not expecting them to have heard of my hometown.
“Try me?” they challenge. As they never do know, I say it’s between Birmingham and Wales, however it’s closer to the Welsh border. Situated in the rural county of Shropshire, the medieval town of Shrewsbury lies within a loop of the River Severn.
Ok but how do you say it?
There’s been a raging debate about whether it’s pronounced shr-oo-sbury or shr-oh-sbury for years – even by people who live in the town. I used to be a steward at the town’s Theatre and every single comedian who performed, made their opening joke about it. Yawn! My advice – choose one and stick to it.
Why should I go to Shrewsbury?
Here are my top five reasons to visit:
1. Charles Darwin was born there! You can visit his old school, now the town’s majestic library, or see the controversial piece of public art to commemorate him ‘The Quantum Leap’, which looks like the spine of a giant dinosaur. It caused uproar when it was unveiled (Shrewsbury folk do like a good old moan), but I think it’s pretty cool.
2. “Awww it’s so cute” says any American who has ever visited. And they are right, cobbled streets such as the wonderfully named ‘Grope Lane’, the narrow shuts and alleys, tiny independent shops and seriously old black and white tudor buildings epitomise the word ‘quaint’.
3. It isn’t necessary to visit New Zealand for Lord of the Rings! Tolkien is said to have written his ‘Shire’ based on Shropshire, which is not far from the industrial Black country where he lived. There are a variety of theories as to why. It could be due to the county’s rolling green hills, or that he heard Salopians (the traditional name for those of us from Shropshire) were all short and had hairy feet. I’ll leave you to decide for yourselves which of these is true.
4. I once saw an advert that said Shrewsbury is the ‘Gateway to Wales’. This is especially true for those who wish to visit Snowdonia National Park, which I recommend for anyone who enjoys a walk in the great outdoors . You can actually enter Shrewsbury over the English Bridge and leave by crossing the Welsh Bridge. Unfortunately, the boundaries between England and Wales moved so you still have another 8 miles to go before the border.
5. The Shrewsbury Folk Festival; arguably the best way to experience English culture, rather than fish’n'chips and Buckingham Palace. Throughout one weekend in August, you’ll see grown men with ‘blackened’ faces Morris dancing (traditional English folk dance), you’ll drink cider or real ale and eat Pieministers, the best savoury pies ever made. If you’re not able to go in August, folk bands play at the small but busy Hive Music and Media Centre all year round. For food and drink, pick up a Pieminister from the pub next to the train station, rather aptly called ‘The Station’ and try the The Salopian or The Admiral Benbow for the best range of ales and English ciders.
