Queen Aethelflaed - The Warrior Queen 1st Anglo Saxon Queen of Mercia

The Middle Ages were full of kings, but there are hardly any strong defining women we know much about. There are, of course, notable exceptions such as Elizabeth I, and Hildegard of Bingen.

It now seems that those may be just the tip of the iceberg, and that many more have been recorded in old manuscripts and need to be researched, their stories published and brought out into modern culture.

This article is about one such woman. We are beginning to be told about Aethelflaed, Queen of Mercia, and it seems there may be many more. The rest of this article is devoted to our local female Aethelflaed:

Aethelflaed - The Warrior Queen who was the first Shropshire town planner.

Aethelflaed, the daughter of Alfred the Great, was the first Saxon woman to rule a kingdom.

Many of the urban centres we know today, including Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Chester and Stafford, are Aethelflaed's gift to the Midlands.

Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, is the subject of a new book by Margaret Jones, who says that in recent years her story has been rediscovered by historians.

Aethelflaed lived over 1,000 years ago, and she was powerful.

She did what no Anglo-Saxon woman before her had done – she led her army in battle, says Margaret in her book, "Founder, Fighter, Saxon Queen," published by Pen & Sword.

Shrewsbury had been founded between 901 and 912, to keep watch from a hilltop over a bend in the River Severn.

St Alkmund's Church, Shrewsbury is unusual in having retained the name and dedication of the original Aethelflaedan church.

This is where Aethelflaed is said to have brought the remains of St Alkmund – Ealhmund – from Derby, to keep them safe from the Danes and to bless the newly established town.

Margaret says while locals in Bridgnorth insist on dating the town from 1101 when a Norman lord built a castle there, but it is almost certainly the place referred to in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles, where Aethelflaed built a burh – a fortified settlement – on a hill overlooking the river in 912.

In 896 the marauding Danes had wintered near Bridgnorth, but were to find it impossible to do so again.

Both Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth were entirely new towns built from scratch, she says, although Bridgnorth was in effect re-founded in the 12th century when the layout of the main streets probably changed.

As a warrior queen defending her realm against invasion, and as the founder of strategic towns like Runcorn, Stafford, Shrewsbury and Warwick, she brought peace to the Midlands and paved the way for the unification of England.

Click the link below to read the book:
https://amzn.to/2CgljrF

Law and Order Before Police Forces

Throughout all-time, and until the end of the medieval period it was believed that the only way to keep order was to make sure that the people were scared of the punishments given for crimes committed.

For this reason all crimes from stealing to murder had harsh punishments. Although there were goals, they were generally used to hold a prisoner awaiting trial rather than as a means of punishment. Fines, shaming (being placed in stocks), mutilation (cutting off a part of the body) or death were the most common forms of punishment. There was no police force in the medieval period so law-enforcement was in the hands of the community.

Top List of Shropshire Castles

Shropshire Castles - The Top List!

If you fancy exploring a bit of England's rich heritage then there is no better place to start than the historic Shropshire Castles. The stormy past of Shropshire has left the county with many hillforts, castles and abbeys, many which saw .

1. Acton Burnell Castle:

Acton Burnell Castle is located in a small village of the same name, and it is in fact a fortified manor house.

2. Bridgnorth Castle:

Bridgnorth Castle, set in the town on a cliff by the side of the River Severn, is no more than a ruin.

3. Chirk Castle:

Chirk Castle is an wonderully romantic place, it's 700 years-old, and a fortress of the Marches area between England and Wales, in lovely grounds.

4. Clun Castle:

Now a ruin Clun castle was built around the 1100’s by the Norman, Robert de Say.

5. Ludlow Castle:

Built in the late 11th Century as the border stronghold of one of the Lords of teh Shropshire Marches, Roger De Lacy.

6. Moreton Corbet Castle:

Moreton Corbet Castle is a magnificent and unusual, ornate ruin that is, disturbingly atmospheric.

7. Powis Castle & Garden:

Powis Castle and Gardens, built around 1200 houses textiles, and bronzes, plus ivory and jade from India.

8. Shrewsbury Castle:

Shrewsbury castle in its current form, is a Norman red sandstone construction built by Roger de Montgomery in 1070.

9. Stokesay Castle:

Stokesay Castle, near Craven Arms, nestles in peaceful South Shropshire countryside near the Welsh Border.

10. Whittington Castle:

Whittington Castle is very impressive and picturesque, situated in the heart of Whittington village.

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Roman Ruts - The Roman History of Craven Arms - Shropshire History

Oh! Ruts! Roman Ruts! Craven Arms, Shropshire History

Who would have thought that Craven Arms was once an important place, which suffered from a lack of council road repairs just like today!

In Roman times it was.

It was on a Roman cross-roads.

It was a junction and stopover for marching legionaries, with at least one temporary fort or encampment, a temple, farms, houses, and at least one Roman villa.

It was a part of the nation-wide road system from the Midlands in the East to Wales in the West, where it was crossed by a Roman road known as an extension of Watling Street.

Watling Street which starts on the Kent Coast, was a major thoroughfare on the Roman road running all the way from Rome.

The Craven Arms section would take you from Wroxeter (9 miles east of Shrewsbury) in the north to South Wales in the south.

But, sometimes it is the discovery of little everyday details which make events of over 1,500 years ago seem so real.

And, for me it's the Craven Arms ruts!

With government cuts our big worry is potholes, but cartwheel ruts worn by metal wheel rimes, were the problem in those days.

Here on this slide are the ruts which were found near Ludlow in another excavation to the one for excavations for a Highways Department extension, just south of Craven Arms Business Park carried out in 2013. See end of video for attribution.

Excavation at Overton Road, Ludlow

Copyright Transactions of the Shropshire
Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol 91, 2016

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Shrewsbury Centre High Street Healthy and Ranked 4th from the Best in Review

Shrewsbury Centre and High Street 2018 Shop Closures and Health of the High Street

High Street in Shrewsbury Shrewsbury is known for its many independent cafes and has few town-centre bookmakers compared to most UK cities, although there are William Hill and Coral branches on High Street. In general, the town is symbolic of what many other county towns are experiencing on their high streets.

There have been a number of shop closures in 2018. House of Fraser in Shrewsbury is one of 31 stores shutting nationwide The drastic plan will also see branches closed in Wolverhampton and Birmingham in a bid to rescue the rest of the struggling business.

But, losses were not limited to the town centre with the closed down former Toys R Us store in Shrewsbury still empty, but there is news that it has been snapped up by an unnamed retailer.

It is surrounded by a big river so it makes many people more concerned about what will happen if people take walks at night so close to a dangerous river. It is being said that rough sleeping in Shrewsbury has reached epidemic proportions for a variety of reasons, impacting negatively on business, on visitors and those of us who wish to be able to be proud to be part of the county town.

The UK's Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has published a league table ranking 70 of Britain’s major towns and cities by the impact of their high streets on the public’s health and well-being.

Shrewsbury came 4^th in the national list for having a high street which relatively free of off-licences, fast food outlets and empty shops.

Grimsby was ranked the unhealthiest high street in the country.

The league table features in the new RSPH report, Health on the High Street: Running on empty, which follows on from the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer of a package of measures designed to reinvigorate the nation’s high streets. This is a follow up report to the original RSPH Health on the High Street published in 2015, and assesses changes in British retail areas over the past three years.

The report updates the methodology used in 2015, to reflect the changing face of the British high street, adding off-licences and empty shops to the negative influences on health, and cafes and vape shops to the positive influences. via Shealthiest high streets

Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID) has entered the town in the Great British High Street Awards 2018 to celebrate its achievements and gain wider recognition.

It has put Shrewsbury forward in the Champion High Street category on behalf of members and partner organisations. The category is judged on successes in community, customer experience, environment and digital transformation criteria.

Seb Slater, Executive Director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “We have a thriving community spirit and passionate organisations who work together to ensure our high street maintains a strong appeal and adapts to meet changing consumer demands.

“We believe we have something for everyone with our mix of independents and well-known retailers, an interesting heritage and charm, lively events and festivals programme along with a safe and welcoming night time economy.

“Entering the Great British High Street Awards is a chance for us to showcase all we offer and build on Shrewsbury’s reputation as an original one-off destination.” via High Street accolade

Shrewsbury has plenty of choice in the mid-market sector. It’s well served by local independents, many of which are fighting for the same dollar, with a number of big name multiples offering bargain eats for those seeking an informal night out. Against such tough competition, simple errors are enough to make alternatives seem desirable. via Harvey's

View the above YouTube video, on YouTube here https://youtu.be/UdvbVDnpjXA

What to do in Shrewsbury - 4 Top Places to See in Shrewsbury, Shropshire

1. Shrewsbury, Shropshire has traditionally been known as the "Town of Flowers", a moniker incorporated into many of the signs on entrance to the town via major roads, although this was replaced in 2007 with 'the birthplace of Charles Darwin'.

2. Shrewsbury has been twinned with Zutphen, Netherlands since 1977.

3. It has been home to many contributors to literature.

4. The town has a busy spring and summer events season, which includes music, art, food and sport.

5. University Centre Shrewsbury has been offering postgraduate courses since autumn 2014 and undergraduate students are being welcomed to the institution from autumn 2015.

6. Shrewsbury has a Park and Ride bus scheme in operation and three car parks on the edge of town are used by many who want to travel into the town centre.

7. Shrewsbury has a comprehensive network of on-road and traffic-free cycle routes.

8. The town has a lot to offer and is a place which visitors flock to, to experience its individuality and history, as well as its excellent shops and eateries.

9. Home to Percy Thrower. Percy Throwers Garden Centre in Shrewsbury has been sold off by its parent company Wyevale.

10.  The gym in Shrewsbury has over 400 pieces of the very latest fitness equipment, a pure Cardio zone and a self contained, ladies only area.

11. Shrewsbury has fallen back in love with its footballing side. This will mean everything to the supporters if Shrewsbury can get promotion.

12. Residents of Shrewsbury can now enjoy an array of leisure activities with family and friends at Shrewsbury Sports Village following an extensive refurbishment of the facilities.

13. "Paul Hurst is eager to discover if Shrewsbury can write their own fairytale this season after opening League One five games unbeaten.

14. There is a real sense of momentum on the back of the Big Town Plan and a belief that Shrewsbury can genuinely lead the way for other English county towns, putting people and place first, as the way to attract investment.

15. Our mental health care facilities in Shrewsbury can act as a step-down following on from or as an alternative to a hospital stay and help to spur on the recovery of guests and help make their transition to their communities a bit easier.

16. The many historic streets and shops of central town can be reached within 5 minutes on foot.

17. The High Street is under pressure from internet retailers to compete on price, but Shrewsbury still has many successful independent shops offering personal service.

18. It's not all that long ago that Shrewsbury still offered the choice of HMV, Virgin, and MVC Music Shops.

19. But despite edging the chances in a gruelling and largely unspectacular clash at Sixfields Stadium, Shrewsbury still remain unable to record back-to-back wins.

20. Shrewsbury still holds the individual records at County level in six separate events, including D Tinsley's 22.

The Ludlow Shrewsbury Suffragette and Centenary Celebration in Shropshire

The Ludlow Post Office Suffragette and her Shrewsbury Trial

Last week (August 2018) a group of women entertained Shrewsbury townsfolk by dressing up as suffragettes, as part of the Shrewsbury celebrations of the Centenary of the Suffragette Movement.

But, who were the LOCAL suffraggetes?

According to 'The Postal Museum': visit postalmuseum.org one local suffragette was Elsie Rachel Helsby of Shrewsbury.

She became a notorious suffragette, as follows:

At about 3am on 28 June 1912 a woman broke the windows at Ludlow Post Office, causing approximately £5 worth of damage.

The pleasant-faced lady in question gave her name as Elsie Rachel Helsby of Shrewsbury.
She was granted bail but refused it, and she was remanded in Shrewsbury Prison.

In her defence at the trial Miss Helsby stated that she had been motivated to break the windows because of the treatment of women at Holloway and other prisons, and "in defence of poorly paid women and unhealthy and over-worked children".

A newspaper report details that Miss Helsby smashed the windows with a hammer to which was attached two labels, one reading "Votes for Women", the other a protest against the force-feeding of suffrage campaigners on hunger strike.

The magistrates decided that Miss Helsby could either be fined for costs and damages or sentenced to 28 days hard labour.

Miss Helsby elected for the hard labour and was sent back to Shrewsbury prison.

During my research I also found suffragette Violet Ann Bland born in Bayston Hill.

Bayston Hill's Suffragette!

DO YOU KNOW of any others, or more about these two?

Please tell us. Comment!

Images are for illustration only: No pictures exist of Miss Helsby.

Please share this article!

More About Suffragette  Elsie Helsby

Elsie Helsby is listed in the following roll of honour:

Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners 1905-1914

Description: Pamphlet containing an alphabetical list of Suffragette Prisoners [no publishing details available]. The entries have been copied out as indicated below [The list does not contain any additional details].

Please note that this list of prisoners was compiled by the Suffragette Fellowship, c. 1950, based on the recollections of former suffragettes. As such it is not a comprehensive source.

via Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners 1905-1914

Broken windows theory: Why suffragettes attacked the Post Office

In the early 20th Century the state-owned GPO was one of the largest businesses and employers in the world. It controlled the mail, telegraph and telephone services throughout the United Kingdom, and was vital to everyday life. With a post office branch a feature of almost every high street in the country it was one of the most visible signs of government and authority, and was thus an ideal target for suffrage campaigners. The First World War interrupted the suffrage campaign, and it would not be until 1928 that women in the United Kingdom had the same voting rights as men. – Alison Bean, Web Officer

via Broken windows theory

Shrewsbury from the Second World War to Now - Shropshire History

This is the highly condensed version of the history of Shrewsbury from the Second World War to Now!

It is the subject of our video of the same name, which we have embedded below for you to watch. After watching please come back here and scroll down to make a comment.

The town suffered very little from the bombing in the Second World War, that killed so many, and did such appalling damage to so many English locations.

The worst case in Shrewsbury was in 1940, a woman and her two grandchildren were killed, when a cottage was destroyed on Ellesmere Road, thankfully these were the only local air raid deaths.

Rubble of Shrewsbury's only air raid bombing
((c)Shropshire Archive - watermarked)

Note: The man wearing a uniform forage cap in the video, may possibly have been a German prisoner of war.

Therefore, many of its ancient buildings remain intact, and there was comparatively little redevelopment in the 1960s and 1970s.

Shrewsbury escaped much of the development which arguably, destroyed the character of many historic towns in the UK.

((c)Shropshire Archive - watermarked)

However, some historic buildings were demolished to make way, for the brutalist architectural style of the 1960s, and these were not exactly improved by later face-lifts!

The town was saved from a new 'inner ring road', due to its challenging geography on a loop of the River Severn.

BUT, some buildings of that period were truly despised!

((c)Shropshire Archive - watermarked) Barker St. Multi-Storey Car Park, 
with nearby Rowley's House.

Two notably disliked examples of 1960s to 70s construction in Shrewsbury were demolished in the 2000s.

These were the "lovely" Telephone House, on Smithfield Road, and the multi-storey car park at St Austin's Friars, now also demolished!

Do you have memories of WW2 or of these buildings? Sorry to see them go? Please, give your comments!

Please Share this article, and visit our YouTube Channel.

Lyth Hill Countryside Site - Where to Go Near Shrewsbury in Shropshire.

A video about the glorious Lyth Hill Countryside Site, in our series on where to go near Shrewsbury in Shropshire, UK.

This site, on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, offers some of the best panoramic views of the Shropshire Hills.

Follow the paths through wide open grassy areas, and amongst oak woodland for relaxing walks.

This is the landscape that inspired the work of the famous Shropshire author Mary Webb, who used to live on the edge of Lyth Hill.

Lyth Hill - View toward The Wrekin

The views of the south Shropshire Hills, extend from The Wrekin in the east to Wenlock Edge in the southeast, and the Stiperstones in the southwest.

Lyth Hill grassland

The site with its areas of woodland, scrub, and open grassland provides a, wonderful wildlife refuge.

Historically, ropemaking was carried out on the site, with individual flax strands laid and twisted together on a rope-walk, similar to shown here, and located close to the track at the top of the lane.
and the author Mary Webb, author of 'Precious Bane', lived in Spring Cottage on the edge of Lyth Hill.

Lyth Hill - Oak Trees, joined together. Probably the result
of traditional hedge laying many years ago.

There is a good path network around the site, which is great for walks and jogging.

There are benches and picnic tables where visitors can sit and admire the view.

The Humphrey Kynaston Way long-distance bridleway passes through the site.

Next to the top car park, (accessed from the unclassified lane that leads through Lyth Bank), is a toposcope which describes the landscape and identifies the hills that can be seen.

WHEN will you visit it? Look up the route to Lyth Hill Rd, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury SY3 0EW, UK

Please comment below!

We make videos, and we'll make you one as well! Just send us your text content! www.ippts.info

Burrs Field Kingsland Shrewsbury - A Story of Lead Manufacture During the Industrial Revolution

Burrs Field Kingsland - The Story of Lead Manufacture in Shrewsbury.

This is the Story of Burr's Field Between Kingsland Bridge and Longden Coleham.

Shrewsbury was once an important lead manufacturing town.

Watch the story by viewing our video below, please do give us your comments and perspective upon the Burr's Field Lead Works.

The lead works were owned by the Burr family and were situated near the river Severn in Kingsland, to the left of the Kingsland Bridge.

Once a dirty fuming and noisy scene of industry it is now pleasant public parkland.

Location of Burr's Field - Copyright Google Maps

The story is that: The Burrs were a London-based family of plumbers.

Thomas Burr, moved to Shrewsbury in 1813, and started 80 years of lead manufacturing in Shrewsbury.

His family had patented an invention known as the ‘Burr’s Lead Squirting Press’.

Using this he was able to make lead pipes more cheaply than his competitors and his business prospered.

In 1829 he moved his business from within town, and notably built a shot tower, allowing him to add lead-shot for gun cartridges, to his products which included paint and cosmetics.

The shot-tower was 150ft high, 30ft in diameter at its base and 12ft in diameter at the top.

In the shot tower molten lead was passed through a copper sieve at the top of the tower, and the falling lead landed as lead-shot balls, in a water bath at the bottom.

Burr’s lead works were heavily criticised on account of the bad smelling smoke, soil, and water pollution they caused.

In modern times chemical analysis of the ground near the factory showed 780 grams of red lead per square foot.

The modern maximum for a safe blood lead level is far lower and less than one 10 millionth of a gram.

No wonder that the workers suffered from lead poisoning, and early deaths.

Even now, the factory site is too contaminated to be used for agriculture or housing.

Text: Based upon Dr Andrew Pattison's article at his excellent website shrewsburylocalhistory.org.uk

Note: All images are illustrative only for your entertainment, and do not necessarily represent the long demolished buildings in Burrs Field etc..

Shrewsbury Places - The Mount - Charles Darwin and Tourism Opportunity

Information about another historic part of Shrewsbury town with associations with Charles Darwin.

So many people liked the last video about Frankwell, that I thought I would stay in the same part of town with this video.

The Mount is the site in Shrewsbury on which stands the Georgian house, officially known as Mount House, but often itself described simply as The Mount, which was the birthplace of Charles Darwin.

The Georgian house was built in 1800 by Charles Darwin's father, the local very successful doctor Robert Darwin.

His son Charles was born there on 12 February 1809.

Robert Darwin died in the house on 13 November 1848, followed by his unmarried daughters Catherine and Susan.

Since there were no surviving members of the Darwin family in residence, the house was then put up for auction.

Since 2004, the house is occupied by the District Valuer and Valuation Office of Shrewsbury.
according to Wikipedia, visits may be made by appointment during office hours.

The lease on the current use of The Mount, expires in 2021.

The building is grade II listed, but the site is not recognized as a museum.

Down House, in South London, where Darwin spent most of his adult life, is the museum dedicated to his life.

In February of this year it was suggested that Charles Darwin’s Shrewsbury home could become a popular tourist attraction.

A Shropshire Star article said that a working party will be set up to look at buying Charles Darwin's Shrewsbury birthplace and turning it into a tourist attraction.

It is clear, however, that Council funding for such a venture would be unlikely to be available.

With the global importance of Darwin's work surely there would be enormous potential for another Darwin Museum?

Read more at the Shropshire Star website. 

Frankwell Shrewsbury - Medieval river port, bridges and buildings

The Story of Shrewsbury: Frankwell District of Shrewsbury is a story of a medieval river port, old and new bridges and wonderful old buildings from half-timbered wood framed houses to Edwardian style professional and wool merchant residences.

This district is a joy to walk around in and enjoy the variety of streets and architectural styles, from medieval to modern.

The Shrewsbury Council Guildhall, and the Theatre Severn are the newest additions to the area. Not in themselves noteworthy architecture, of course, but no less important to the community benefits of the area.

Now watch our video (below) about Frankwell. Afterwards don't forget to scroll on down below this video for more info about Frankwell, Shrewsbury.

Anchor Inn, Shrewsbury

The Anchor was in danger of going out of business at the turn of the century following repeated flooding of the nearby River Severn. However, the erection of flood barriers in 2003 has alleviated the situation, and trade would have gained a boost thanks to the Theatre, which opened in 2009. via AnchorInnShrewsbury

Frankwell Quay History

Back in the day, Shrewsbury had a lot of river trade. Walk down the water lane behind St Mary's, and you'll see the archways of former shopfronts for the people arriving by boat, and by the river itself is still the area where boats would have been tethered up, complete with stone steps up from the water to the walkway. The walkway itself originally was built for horses toeing barges, but now it provides the means of a lovely stroll. Well, maybe not right this second. Currently it's overflowing due to recent rainfall. But beneath an inch or so of water, that walkway is totally there!

However, Shrewsbury actually retains very little of its river trading past, and what little it does have, a lot of people know absolutely nothing about.

For those of you who don't know, the river severn loops around Shrewsbury, almost making it into an island.

This island contains the castle, and it was all wrapped up neatly by the town walls.

So hundreds of years ago, any settlement on the other side of the river, outside the walled borough of Shrewsbury, existed independently of the towns jurisdiction.

The people of Shrewsbury referred to the nearest of these settlements as Little Borough. But the residents took to calling it Frankville, which meant "Town of free trade." It boasted its own mayor and its own festivals, and despite its small size, the census in 1881 reveals that there were fifteen pubs in the little borough at that point in time.

Today, it is just part of Shrewsbury, known as Frankwell. Through the Victorian era, Frankwells history became colourful with prostitution and this persisted into the 20th and 21st Century, and in 2006 it made headlines when two prostitutes were bludgeoned to death with a hammer in a brothel. But that aside, Frankwells history is primarily to do with the river trade.

Some of the old buildings in Frankwell are remarkably old, dating back to the early 15th Century. But Frankwell Quay, with the exception of two old, unused buildings, has been modernized quite a bit, housing the council offices, the theatre, and a car park. The two unused buildings seemed to have survived amongst the modernization, but for how much longer is currently a topic of discussion.

While these buildings were constructed in the 1700s, records of Frankwell Quay date back to 1405, when James Callerode described "the stew" as a land, a croft and dovecote just upstream from St Georges bridge.

St Georges bridge stood just upstream from where the old welsh bridge stands today. In fact the Welsh Bridge was built to replace it.

The name "The Stew," while being an overall name for the land back in the 1400s, is retained by one of the buildings here today. via Shrewsbury from where you are not: Frankwell Quay

Frankwell in the Early Modern Period

Frankwell was highly prosperous in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. 4-7 Frankwell is an imposing building with ground-floor shops and first- and second- floor workshops above, built in about 1590. 113-14 Frankwell, built around 1620, remains a splendid and imposing half-timbered building. Late seventeenth and early eighteenth century buildings, including the 'Anchor' public house, line the corner to the approach to the old Welsh Bridge.

The old Welsh Bridge (St George's Bridge) was replaced by the present day Welsh Bridge in the 1790s. The new Welsh Bridge is located some 70m (80 yards) further downstream from the old bridge.  via Frankwell : Wikis (The Full Wiki)

Wheatsheaf Pub, Frankwell Shrewsbury

This black and white former coaching inn features an inglenook fireplace, beamed ceiling and bay windows in the bar. This is a comfortable room which was refurbished in 2014. There's another small room to the rear of the pub, that is used as a games room. The serving area is triangular-shaped which is fairly unusual. Three handpulls dispense beers from local and regional micro breweries, usually with a real cider as well.


There is keen emphasis on music, particularly at weekends when live bands are often in evidence, though the jukebox is usually active the rest of the time, Barbecues are often held on the large beer garden decking in the summer. In its time it has been owned, not only by the Wrekin Brewery of Wellington, but also was part of the large local estate of the Shrewsbury & Wem Brewery.
Historic Interest

The black & white building with the triangular frontage opposite used to be a pub called the Old Bell up until 1910. This used to be the home of the Frankwell Brewery, which was producing up to 200 barrels of beer a week in the 1880s. via Wheatsheaf, Shrewsbury • whatpub.com

Flood alleviation scheme: Frankwell, Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire with a population of approximately 100,000 people. It has a rich architectural and historical heritage and is one of the best preserved medieval towns remaining in England. The town centre stands on a hill in the middle of a narrow necked horseshoe loop of the River Severn with the river surrounding most of the town’s historical centre.

The Frankwell scheme Feasibility studies identified the Frankwell area of the town as the area most likely to be eligible for a flood defence scheme. Frankwell is the first area in Shrewsbury where a substantial number of properties are affected by flooding. In addition, much information on this area was already available from earlier investigations, allowing an accelerated programme to progress. Prior to the scheme, there were no flood defences in Frankwell. The heights of the existing riverbanks and riverside buildings varied. It was estimated that many properties in Frankwell had no more than a 1 in 3 year standard of protection.

The Agency adopted a creative and innovative approach because heritage and aesthetic considerations were paramount. The resulting scheme combined traditional stone clad floodwalls and embankments with new demountable defences. These are only erected in the event of a flood. For the majority of the year, when the river is not a threat, they will simply not be there.

The Agency is responsible for the storage and erection of the demountable defences and when not in use, the barriers are stored locally. The flood defences principally consist of steel sheet pile underground walls up to 16 metres deep, which limit the flow of groundwater under the defences.

They also act as a foundation for reinforced concrete walls up to 3 metres high and demountable aluminium barriers. The demountable defences have been designed so that they can be erected progressively.

This means that when a flood warning is issued the defences are erected in a particular sequence thereby increasing efficiency and providing a longer time to erect the barriers in advance of a flood. If flooding is imminent, only the demountable barriers necessary to stop flooding will be erected. Shrewsbury is fortunate in that the Agency is usually able to provide at least 6 – 12 hours warning time.

The longest single section of demountable defences is along the ‘promenade’ at Frankwell Quay, an area that has been significantly enhanced as a result of the scheme.

The works have also included major improvements to the drainage system, including the construction of two new large pumping stations by Severn Trent Water Ltd.

These will reduce the risk of flooding due to backing up of the drains. Under normal circumstances, the pumping stations will operate automatically. However, they are monitored remotely from the Severn Trent Water control room and can be operated manually if required. Flood risk can never be completely removed. The Frankwell scheme has been designed to provide a 100 year frquency protection level. via Flood alleviation scheme: Frankwell, Shrewsbury - GOV.UK

Meole Brace - Shrewsbury - History and Facts

Read this and watch the video we made below, about Meole Brace, Shrewsbury. 

We explain the fascinating history and facts about the village of Meole Brace, which is situated on the Rea Brook, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK. And, we do it in less than 2 minutes!

Meole Brace is a south-western suburb of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

The Rea Brook, a tributary of the River Severn, flows through the area.

Locally the brook was, in the past, known as the "Meole Brook".

The name Meole Brace comes from an old Saxon manor house, which no longer stands, owned by the Brace family (perhaps originally 'de Bracey': Norman barons).

It has been known as Meole, or Mole, or Mill for almost 1,000 years; or possibly from the Welsh 'moel' meaning "bare", or by extension "bare hill" - or from Old English mele, "meal" as in "oatmeal", or possibly from the Welsh 'moel' meaning "bare", or by extension "bare hill" - or from Old English mele, "meal" as in "oatmeal", referring to the sediment in the brook giving a "mealy" appearance.

The A5112 (Hereford Road), formerly the A49, runs north-south past Meole.

The old part of Meole Village, lies on the route of a Roman road and could be even older than the town of Shrewsbury.

The village has a church, Holy Trinity Meole Brace.

Built at a cost of £7,500, it was consecrated in 1869 and is a Grade II listed building.

The  ground, home of Shrewsbury Town F.C., is nearby.

Old St. Chad's Church - The Story of a Sudden Building Collapse in Shrewsbury 1780s

Old St. Chad's Church Clock Chimes Struck at 4 am - WHAT HAPPENED THEN?

This is one of a series of videos about Shrewsbury Local History Events, and it took place in the 1780s.

Watch our video below for the answer, but don't forget to return afterwards to SCROLL DOWN this page for the full article.

A local stonemason was employed by the churchwardens of the Old Saint Chad's Church to mend some alarmingly large cracks that had appeared in the church.

As it was nearly midsummer he started work at 4am, and went to the sexton’s house nearby to collect the key.

While he did so the church clock struck 4:00.

The heavy movement, caused a vibration which was the final straw for the tottering structure, and, he, and two chimney sweeps working nearby noticed that the tower "suddenly opened".

It stood for a moment, as it were, suspended on the balance, and FELL; as it sunk, a cloud of dust rose so high, that for a while it concealed every surrounding object.

When the dust fell-away the whole area was spread with masses of stone, lead and timber, they lay in confused heaps, mingled with the shattered remains of pews, monuments, bells, and fragments of the gilded pipes and the framework of the noble organ.

The north side of the church had gone, while the whole of the south side of the tower hung in the air, with portions of its beams threatening destruction to any who would dare approach them,’ a contemporary wrote.

Furthermore, this need not have happened if the church authorities had listened to the advice, which was given previously by the young Thomas Telford, to start his recommended repairs, urgently.

In this capacity as County Surveyor he had previously been asked by the churchwardens of St Chad’s Church to report on some rather alarming cracks that had appeared in the building.

Telford had presented his report, ending with the words, “I think, Gentlemen, that if you have any other business to discuss, you would be wise to continue your meeting elsewhere, since this church may fall down on our heads at any moment.”

However the churchwardens chose to ignore the advice of the young Scotsman, and had employed that local stonemason alone to remedy the defects.

After much debate, the new St Chad’s Church was built near the Quarry, which stands to this day, but contrary to what you would expect Telford was not asked for advice on that.

Not that it mattered to him, because the fear of other medieval churches collapsing into oblivion, gave Telford lots of work, and he designed and oversaw the building of several new churches, in Shropshire at that time.

Attribution: Image of Old St. Chad's Church is by Richard Symonds (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

English Civil War and the Dramatic Seizure of Shrewsbury - Part 18

English Civil War -  Dramatic Seizure of Shrewsbury - Part 18 of the Story of Shropshire - The English Civil War 1642 to 1645

See Note 1 for attribution

The year of 1642 brought the horrors of the English Civil Wars, in which the Parliamentarians (led by men like Essex, Fairfax, and Cromwell) rebelled against King Charles I, whose government they considered to be arbitrary and oppressive.

Shrewsbury, like most of Shropshire apart from Wem, was strongly Royalist.

Watch our video below, but don't forget to come back here, after watching the video SCROLL ON DOWN THIS PAGE and tell us what you think, by commenting!

King Charles I visited the town in 1642, and Prince Rupert arrived and stayed for a few weeks in 1644. while Charles was there he recruited men for the disastrous campaign which later led to a Royalist defeat, in the famous battle of Marston Moor.

To prepare for any Parliamentary attack, the townspeople built additional fortifications which ran across the northern end of the town. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any evidence of those walls still existing today.

These included a fortified wall, and a ditch which reached from the Castle all the way to the western loop of the River Severn, and another wall and ditch which should have reached all the way to the eastern loop.

Unfortunately, it didn't - and the gap was filled by nothing stronger than a few feet of wooden palisade.

Learning of this weakness from their spies early in 1645, the Parliamentarians at Wem entrusted Lieutenant-Colonel William Reinking with a force of twelve hundred men and instructed him to seize Shrewsbury.

Setting out from Wem by the light of the moon, on the evening of Tuesday 21 February, Reinking and his followers are said to have reached Shrewsbury at about 4 O'clock on Wednesday morning.

The main body of some eight hundred horsemen halted to the north of Castle Foregate, while the other four hundred dismounted, and made their way across the fields towards the wooden palisade by the river.

Reinking had brought carpenters with saws and axes to cut down the palisade, but when they arrived he was afraid that the noise of breaking down these fences would wake them, and alert the garrison to their presence.

So he launched a small boat on the River Severn, loaded it up with men, and told them to row it up-river and land inside the defences. However, the current in the river that day, was apparently too strong for them.

Twice they tried and failed to by-pass the defences in this manner; and then they were seen by a royalist sentry, who gave the alarm. They realised that, at that point, it was too late to worry about making a noise. So, Reinking and five of his men rushed immediately to the palisade, and broke it down.

That allowed the infantry to rush through the gap.

One group of fifty are said to have used ladders which they had brought with them to scale over the town wall where it ran along the riverside. Once through they dashed across the town to open the northern gateway.

But, Sir Michael Earnley led a small sortie from the Castle, in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the gateway. In the melee that took place his men were swept aside, and he himself was seriously wounded.

So it was, a few minutes later, the gateway had been captured. The drawbridge was let down, and eight hundred Parliamentarian cavalry were rode into the town virtually unopposed.

Meanwhile Reinking, at the head of the other three hundred and fifty men, who had streamed through the gap in the palisade, went forward to St. Mary's Watergate. In those days a tower and sentry point was attached to the Gate.

However, the guards, both at that location, and at another fort higher up the lane (where it was crossed by the town walls), were traitors.

A pre-agreed password was given by the invaders, and the guards immediately opened the gates. This allowed the Parliamentarian infantry to stream into the town.

They reached the street between the castle and the town, just as the cavalry came up.

Reinking was given a horse once again, and led an attack upon the 'Court of the Main Guard', which stood on the site of the present market square.

This was overcome after a short struggle in which it is said that Reinking had his horse killed under him.

Most of the royalist officers were taken in their beds.

That ends the story for us here.

Miraculously, the total loss on both sides was only seven men and one captain, and the Roundheads had gained the town.

Text based upon The Story of Shrewsbury, by Richard Graves, Hardwick House, Ellesmere 1993.

Charles I image: By Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1641 - 1641) Details of artist on Google Art Project - BQHR9te2WWtyOA at Google Cultural Institute , Public Domain, Link

Tudor Shrewsbury its Famous School and New University - Part 17

This video (Part 17 "The Story of Shrewsbury") is about the fascinating period of Tudor Shrewsbury, when its Famous School (Shrewsbury school was started, and how Shrewsbury now at last has its own, new University. Finally, this video also lists famous past pupils of the Shrewsbury School.

Watch the video below, but don't forget to come back here, after watching the video SCROLL ON DOWN THIS PAGE and tell us what you think, by commenting!

   

Much of the old Shrewsbury we know today, grew out of the wealth of the Tudor period. As we showed in the last video, Shrewsbury flourished for over a century and a half of peace and prosperity.

It was also during this period that the importance of education was realised. A petition in 1542 to Henry VIII from the townspeople of Shrewsbury for a free grammar school, led to the founding of Shrewsbury's best known school. In 1552 Shrewsbury School was founded by the fifteen-year-old King Edward VI.

At first it occupied a house not far from the Castle. Then in the 1590s and 1630s, it gradually expanded into the handsome stone buildings, which are now used as the Library, in Castle Gates, on the road from the station into the town centre.

It was not until many years later, in 1882, that "Shrewsbury School", by then badly in need of larger premises, moved to its present commanding heights, above the southern banks of the River Severn, opposite the park known as the Quarry.

Shrewsbury School is one of the, so called "original seven public schools", as defined by an Act in 1868, and 5 years before that the Clarendon Commission called it one of the 'great' nine schools. Pupils are admitted at the age of 13 by selective examination.

It was originally a boarding school for boys. Girls have been admitted into the Sixth Form since 2008. Since 2014 Shrewsbury School has been fully co-educational. Shrewsbury School's "new site" of 150 acres (61 ha) in Kingsland, is where many famous "Old Salopians" were educated.

These include; The Right Honourable The Lord Heseltine CH PC (born 1933), politician. Michael Palin CBE (born 1943), actor and TV presenter. Nick Owen (born 1947), TV presenter.

Richard Ingrams (born 1937), journalist, founder of Private Eye. Going Back! More Shrewsbury education history!

The Tudor period also saw the transition from wooden-framed buildings to brick and stone. William Rowley built the imposing Rowley's Mansion in 1618. It is said to have been the first brick building in the town. William who was a draper dealing in Welsh cloth, certainly created a lasting landmark for the town, and would no doubt have been proud of its new role.

Moving forward to today.

Rowley's Mansion has become one of the sites housing Shrewsbury's new university.

There are seminar spaces, postgraduate and general teaching spaces, and a University Centre help desk, all in the 16th century building.

Yes! After so many years, the town no longer lacks a university.

Shrewsbury is still not yet officially a "CITY"- Shouldn't it be called a city? 

Your comments are welcome! 

But, for any viewers who have not recently visited, we can confirm that Shrewsbury is now a University town!

Historical text based upon: The Story of Shrewsbury, by Richard Graves, Hardwick House, Ellesmere 1993.

Now Watch Part 18: The horrors of the English Civil Wars...

Please Comment and Share!

The Era of the Beautiful Black-and-White Buildings of Shrewsbury - Part 16 - The Story Of Shrewsbury

During the 160 peaceful years, which began 1485, when Henry Tudor took control, Shrewsbury became a beautiful town.

It was during this period that the many successful cloth-merchants and wool-merchants, lived their prosperous lives. They built wonderful wood-frame buildings many of which survive to this day.

These were people like the Owens and the Irelands.

They built the wealth of black-and-white buildings for which Shrewsbury is now famous.

Watch our video to see these lovely old Shrewsbury merchants buildings, but when done, please do come back here, and scroll down to read more and comment on what you thought about our video:

The finest of these timber-framed houses is Ireland's Mansion, as seen here. (Ireland Mansion, Shrewsbury. A view up the High Street from Pride Hill.)

An imposing building, four stories high and finished with gables, dates from the 1570s.

On the left opposite the market square is another large half-timbered house.

The old market-hall of 1595 in the Square, remains another notable feature of the town, with its open arcades and an upper floor where, until not so long ago, the town's magistrates sat.

In Elizabethan times, the corn-market was held at ground level.

Built to replace an older building on the same site, it seems to be an early example of pre-fabrication, as it was reputedly built quite rapidly.

The stone-work and timber-framing was set up in less than four months.

Here is a selection of Shrewsbury's other black and white buildings...

These lovely buildings are just some of the remaining examples. There would have been many more in those days, before the 1960s.

Text based upon "The Story of Shrewsbury", by Richard Graves, Hardwick House, Ellesmere 1993.

Bye for now, but watch out for Part 17: Shrewsbury School starts and handsome Stone Buildings!

The Rope Flying Cadman, St. Mary's Church Shrewsbury and His Horrible Death

An eccentric showman associated with Shrewsbury was the daring Cadman. Read on to find out how he came to a horrible end.
This is a true story, from long ago where facts often seem stranger than fiction.

If you need proof you can find it beside a Shrewsbury church doorway.

Yes. Look on the outside of the west end of St. Mary's Church, which is opposite the Post Office at the top of the town, and you will see a set of verses commemorating his fatal accident in the year 1739.

Watch our video below, about this first and then scroll down and please give us your comment on the event, and on our video:

Robert Cadman, was the man responsible for a sort of early circus act that went horribly, horribly wrong. Mr Cadman was a sort of Evel Knievel of the eighteenth century, a daredevil and an entertainer. He was steeplejack by trade, who performed feats of daring at various places across the country by sliding or "flying" down a rope.

It is recorded, for example, that he "amused the people of Dover, by flying across the harbour from the highest point of the cliff, towards the lower extremity of Snargate Street.

Thousands of people would assemble to watch these events.

Cadman's assumed rope position during his ill-fated "flight".

Anyway, on February 2, 1739, as part of Shrewsbury's celebrations of 'The Great Frost' that year, Mr Cadman was ready to attempt 'flying' from the spire of St Mary's across the River Severn and into the Gay Meadow.

In those days the Gay Meadow was just a meadow of course, and not a football ground!

Before beginning his epic rope-slide, he entertained the crowd below with a variety of rope stunts. But, tragically the rope snapped.

According to most accounts, one end of a rope had been fixed to the top of the spire of St. Mary's, and the other end to a point on the other side of the River Severn. Cadman, either balancing himself on a wooden box on wheels or holding a breast plate which ran along on the rope, he attempted to glide all the way down the rope.

But, suddenly, when Cadman was half-way across, the rope snapped, and he fell to his death. 

Some accounts say that his wife was so busy gathering money from the huge crowd of onlookers that it was several minutes before she realised what had happened...

Text for this article and the video from “The Story of Shrewsbury”, by Richard Graves plus additional information from Phil Gillam’s article in the Chronicle (newspaper), 11 January 2018 edition, and the Wikipedia, Robert Cadman page.

If you would like a video made for you similar to the one above, email steve@ippts.info and ask for details.

The Story of Clive of India in Shropshire and how 3 Shrewsbury, Streets Were Named.

The story of Clive of India and how three Shrewsbury, Shropshire Streets came to be named.

Clive of India is a figure Shrewsbury residents are unsure whether to honour or to ignore. This is due to his chequered early life, and involvement with the East India Company, culminating in his taking his own life in suicide.

Robert Clive - Wikipedia

Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB, FRS (29 September 1725 – 22 November 1774), also known as Clive of India, Commander-in-Chief of British India, was a British officer and privateer who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal.

He is credited with securing a large swath of South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan) and the wealth that followed, for the British East India Company.

In the process, he also turned himself into a multi-millionaire. Together with Warren Hastings he was one of the key early figures setting in motion what would later become British India.

Blocking impending French mastery of India, and eventual British expulsion from the continent, Clive improvised a military expedition that ultimately enabled the East India Company to adopt the French strategy of indirect rule via puppet government.

Hired by the company to return a second time to India, Clive conspired to secure the Company's trade interests by overthrowing the locally unpopular heir to the throne of "Bengal," the richest state in India, richer than Britain, at the time. Back in

England, he sat as a Tory Member of Parliament in London.

Clive was one of the most controversial figures in all British military history.

His achievements included establishing control over much of India, and laying the foundation of the entire British Raj (though he worked only as an agent of the East India Company, not the British government).

For his methods and his self aggrandisement he was vilified by his contemporaries in England, and put on trial before Parliament. via Robert Clive - Wikipedia

In the mid-1700's the East India Company has power over commerce on the sub-continent, with the blessings of the British government.

A clerk in the company, Robert Clive, is frustrated by his lack of advancement, and transfers to the military arm of the company, where he excels.

Clive's leadership and gift for manipulation strengthen England's hold over India and lead to personal wealth, which is often threatened by the enemies he makes along the way. via Clive of India (1935) - IMDb

Clive, Robert, baron, 'Clive of India', 1725-1774

Clive, Robert, baron, 'Clive of India', 1725-1774 Born in Shropshire, Robert Clive gained a post as a scribe in the East India Company in 1743, but reached India (1744) deep in debt after a prolonged voyage out to India, after which he tried to shoot himself. 

He quickly transfered to the military branch of the company, which was then engaged in the Carnatic Wars, and rose rapidly through the ranks, reaching captain by 1751. In the same year he was allowed to try out a plan for the capture of Arcot, capitol of the Carnatic, where he was then besieged. 

The defense of Arcot (23 September-14 November 1751) made Clive's name. With just over 200 men, he held off a 10,000 strong attacking army, and once reinforced was able to go on the attack. 

He was absent from India from 1753 to 1755, having returned to England to regain his health. In 1756, the new nabob of Bengal, Suraj Dowlah, broke his treaty with the East India Company, and occupied Calcutta, imprisoning the Company staff he found there in the Black Hole of Calcutta. 

Clive commanded the land forced sent against Suraj Dowlah, and on 23 June 1757 defeated his army at the battle of Plassey, deposing him, and gaining control of Bengal for the East India Company, who appointed him governor of Bengal (1757-1760). via Robert Clive, Baron Clive, 'Clive of India', 1725-1774

Later, after Clive loses his seat in Parliament and all his money in the election campaign, and the doctor tells Margaret that their baby son will die within months, they return to India where madman King Suraj Ud Dowlah of Northern India has killed one hundred and forty-six English subjects by suffocation in the Black Hole of Calcutta.

Clive forges the name of Admiral Charles Watson to a treaty with Suraj Ud Dowlah's uncle, Mir Jaffar, because the timid admiral hasn't the courage to sign, and after receiving encouragement from Margaret, he launches a surprise counterattack with far inferior forces against Suraj Ud Dowlah.

The enemy counters using battle elephants, but Mir Jaffar's forces arrive and destroy Suraj Ud Dowlah's. Mir Jaffar, now king, presents Clive with a gift that allows him to retire to England.

Years later, Governor Pigot calls on Clive to return to India where chaos now reigns due in large part to the flagrant abuses of the East India Company directors via Clive of India (1935) - Overview - TCM.com

In declining health Clive went to England in 1760. He was given an Irish peerage, knighted, and made a member of Parliament. In 1765, when administrative chaos and fiscal disorder brought the company near disaster in Bengal, he returned to Calcutta as governor and commander in chief.

Clive limited the company to Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, bringing these states under direct company control. He reformed the company's administrative practices, restored financial discipline while abolishing abuses, and reorganised the army. His efforts made the company sovereign ruler of 30 million people who produced an annual revenue of £4 million sterling.

Clive left India in February 1767. Five years later, in the absence of his strong hand in Bengal, the company appealed to the British government to save it from bankruptcy caused by widespread corruption.

Clive's enemies in Parliament claimed that he was responsible for the situation. After a long trial he was exonerated; but continuing attacks on his integrity, together with illness and physical exhaustion, led him to commit suicide in London on Nov. 22, 1774.
via Robert Clive facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia ...