Shrewsbury

Bed and Breakfast Shrewsbury Shropshire

Approximate Population: 70,689

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is home to 70,689 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council. Consequently, it is the second largest town in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, after Telford.

Shrewsbury is a historic market town with the town centre having a largely unaltered medieval street plan. The town features over 660 historic listed buildings, including several examples of timber framing from the 15th century and 16th century. Shrewsbury Castle, a red sandstone castle fortification, and Shrewsbury Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery, were founded in 1074 and 1083 respectively, by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery. The town hosts one of the oldest and largest horticultural events in the country, Shrewsbury Flower Show, and is known for its floral displays, having won various awards since the turn of the 21st century, including Britain in Bloom in 2006.

Today, lying 9 miles (14 km) east of the Welsh border, Shrewsbury serves as a cultural and commercial centre for the ceremonial county and a large area of mid-Wales, with retail output alone worth over £299 million per year. There are some light industry and distribution centres, such as Battlefield Enterprise Park, located mainly on the outskirts. The A5 and A49 trunk roads cross here, as do five railway lines at Shrewsbury railway station.

The town was known to the ancient Britons as Pengwern, signifying “the alder hill”; and to the Anglo-Saxons as Scrobbesburh (dative Scrobbesbyrig), which has several meanings; “fort in the scrub-land region”, “Scrobb’s fort”, “shrubstown” or “the town of the bushes”. This name was gradually corrupted in three directions, into ‘Sciropscire’ which became Shropshire, into ‘Sloppesberie’, which became Salop/Salopia (the historical name for the county), and into ‘Schrosberie’ which eventually became the name of the county town, Shrewsbury. Its Welsh name Amwythig means “fortified place”.

Bed and Breakfast Shrewsbury Shropshire

Telford

Bed and Breakfast Telford Shropshire

Approximate Population: 138,241

Telford  is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately 13 miles (21 km) east of Shrewsbury, and 30 miles (48 km) west of Birmingham.  With a population of 138,241 people (2001 census), and a projected population growth within the next 20 years to over 200,000, Telford is by far the largest town in Shropshire, and one of the fastest growing towns in the United Kingdom.

It is named after Thomas Telford, the famous civil engineer.   The town was built in the 1960s and 1970s as a new town on previously industrial and agricultural land. Similarly to other planned towns of the era, Telford was created from the merger of other, smaller settlements, most notably the towns of Wellington, Oakengates, Madeley and Dawley.  

Telford Shopping Centre, a modern shopping mall, was constructed at the new town’s geographical centre, along with an extensive Town Park.   The M54 motorway was completed in 1983, connecting the town with the West Midlands conurbation.

Telford now includes Ironbridge Gorge, a scenic tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The town advertises itself as “The Birthplace of Industry”, due to its proximity to Coalbrookdale, and local activity during the Industrial Revolution as part of the Shropshire Coalfield.   The River Severn flows along its southernmost boundary.

Bed and Breakfast Telford Shropshire

Telford

Bed Breakfast

Telford Shropshire

Approximate Population: 138,241

Telford  is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately 13 miles (21 km) east of Shrewsbury, and 30 miles (48 km) west of Birmingham.  With a population of 138,241 people (2001 census), and a projected population growth within the next 20 years to over 200,000, Telford is by far the largest town in Shropshire, and one of the fastest growing towns in the United Kingdom.

It is named after Thomas Telford, the famous civil engineer.   The town was built in the 1960s and 1970s as a new town on previously industrial and agricultural land. Similarly to other planned towns of the era, Telford was created from the merger of other, smaller settlements, most notably the towns of Wellington, Oakengates, Madeley and Dawley.   Telford Shopping Centre, a modern shopping mall, was constructed at the new town’s geographical centre, along with an extensive Town Park.   The M54 motorway was completed in 1983, connecting the town with the West Midlands conurbation.

Telford now includes Ironbridge Gorge, a scenic tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The town advertises itself as “The Birthplace of Industry”, due to its proximity to Coalbrookdale, and local activity during the Industrial Revolution as part of the Shropshire Coalfield.   The River Severn flows along its southernmost boundary.

Bed Breakfast Telford Shropshire