Shrewsbury Street Names - The Dana
The Dana is one of the more intriguing Shrewsbury place names, especially for visitors!
It starts with steep steps as a walkway from Castle Street, continues around the Castle, and across the railway, and then becomes a street skirting the Prison until it merges with Victoria Street.
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The Dana (pronounced ‘Danner’, not ‘Darner’) is named after Rev Edmund Dana (1739-1823), who was Vicar of Wroxeter, Eaton Constantine, Harley and Aston Botterell, all apparently at the same time!
He did not live in any of these places, however, but in Castle Gates House, the black and white house near the Castle entrance.
He had a reputation for being a very eccentric character, but he was a magistrate, Hence, his interest in improving the rough path that wound around the Castle.
Powerful Dana Connections
His wife, Helen Dana was related to the powerful Vane family, through whose influence Edmund had became the Vicar of Wroxeter, and later other Parishes.
Helen Dana was also related to William Pulteney, who owned Shrewsbury Castle, which is presumably why the Danas (who eventually had 13 children, nine girls and four boys), lived in Castle Gates House.
Thomas Telford, another protégé of William Pulteney, arrived in Shrewsbury in 1786, initially to superintend the rebuilding of the Castle, so one assumes that he advised Dana on the re-engineering of the path, which was finished in 1790.
The text of this video is based upon an article by Dr. A Pattison at http://shrewsburylocalhistory.org.uk/dana.htm
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