Shrewsbury is Unreal

English Bridge, Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury. Not exactly a world-famous travel destination (perhaps more locally renowned?). Home to the famous travel youtuber Mark Swain, who introduced me to this town through his videos. I didn't expect much of Shrewsbury before the trip as I thought it'll just be one of them generic British towns, but I was properly surprised by this town, and I'll tell you all about it in this post. 

'Welcome to Shrewsbury' Signs

As I arrived at Shrewsbury station after reviewing the Class 196 (click here for the review if you're interested), I was greeted by two "Welcome to Shrewsbury" signs down the stairs to the exit. You'll notice that the one on the top is actually from Transport for Wales (TfW). Yes, despite not being in Wales, this is a TfW managed station, with services to North, South and West Wales, and of course, to Birmingham, Crewe, and Manchester. So, Shrewsbury station kind of serves as a hub for TfW in the west midlands. 

Shrewsbury station, a Grade II listed building

Statue of Robert Clive, Shrewsbury Square

After admiring the gorgeous station building, I then head out to the town centre in search of some food. As I made my way into the town centre, I went past the town's shopping centre and ended up in front of Clive's Statue at Shrewsbury Square.

Clive, or Clive of India, was a key figure in establishing British colonial rule in India through his role in the East India Company. In 1757, he led the British to victory against the Nawab of Bengal in the Battle of Plassey, obtaining control over Bengal. Apart from his achievements in India, it's also worth noting that he was a MP for Shrewsbury from 1761 until his death in 1774 and was also elected as mayor from 1762 to 1763. 

Old Market Hall, a Grade I listed building.

After admiring Clive's Statue, I was immediately drawn to the Elizabethan building just behind the statue. The Old Market Hall, built in 1597, it is now a cinema and cafe bar following a restoration back in 2004. As I'm not particularly interested in the films that were on that day, I continued on and went past the new market hall (I didn't go inside though) and ended up at the Montgomery's Tower (Sounds fancy, isn't it? It's actually a Weatherspoon pub lol).

Welsh Bridge

Sightseeing boat

Behind the spoons lies the River Severn, and the Welsh Bridge connecting Frankwell (the bit across the river) with the city centre. There's also a boarding point for sightseeing boats (I didn't go on one of them boats, but I'm sure it'll be a great view onboard. The boat tour company's called Sabrina boats by the way (XD)). 

Porthill Bridge

I walked alongside the river following Victoria Quay and ended up in front of the gorgeous Porthill Bridge, which is a suspension bridge opened in 1923. (Even older than the Trews Weir Suspension Bridge!) The bridge was refurbished in 2012 which gave it a fresh lick of paint and a new deck, as you can see on the image above.  

St Chad's Church

I continued on and head into the Quarry, past the swimming and fitness centre, I ended up in front of St Chad's Church, also a grade I listed building, features a distinctive circular building structure, which is not commonly found in regular church buildings. (How cool is that though!) 

Anyway, I continued exploring the absolute stunning quarry under the sunlight, walking through the soft grass past the locals having a picnic, and eventually, I stumbled upon something breathtaking.

The Dingle

Lies in the heart of the Quarry is the Dingle, a charming garden filled with blooming flowers and stunning water features and a lovely little lake. Words truly can’t capture the beauty of this place, so I’ll share some pictures for you to see for yourself:

Kingsland Bridge

I continued on my exploration by heading back towards the riverside, it's not long before I reach the next river crossing - the Kingsland bridge, another gorgeous bridge built in 1883. Unlike the other river crossings, this bridge is actually tolled, charging vehicles 30p per crossing. It's interesting that there's also an honesty box for pedestrians with a suggested payment of 1p. (I wonder if anyone would actually pay if the same thing were implemented in Croydon.)

English Bridge

A plaque on the English Bridge

Anyway, I kept walking along the river till I reach the next crossing after Kingsland Bridge, which is the English Bridge, another historic bridge in town. A plaque was displayed on the bridge, denoting the history of it. (Click on the image above to have a closer look.) 

Shrewsbury Abbey

Inside of the Shrewsbury Abbey

I crossed the bridge and find myself near the Shrewsbury Abbey. One of the most important and influential abbeys in England. It's not as majestic as the Exeter Cathedral, but it sure holds similar if not equal historic importance. 

As it's getting late, I head back into the town centre and admired this gorgeous town one more time before I head back down to Birmingham. Having visited a number of English towns in my 4 years studying in this country (mostly along the south coast), Shrewsbury is one of those towns where you can tell it's a bit different, or unique in its own way, unlike any other regular British towns. Another example of such towns would be Totnes, Devon. It's hard for me to describe it in words, but I'm sure you'll understand once you're in the town itself. So, if you ever found yourself in the West Midlands, do go and have a look. I can guarantee that it's a town that wouldn't disappoint.  

Shrewsbury Library

Anyway, thanks for joining me on this lovely trip to Shrewsbury. As always, leave your thoughts and comments below, and I'll see you in the next post. 

Postscript: 

The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk this week has weighed heavily on our hearts. Please join me in praying for Charlie's family and loved ones during this unimaginable time. Click here for more information.