Central Shropshire

Uffington stands across the river from Shrewsbury to the east. Behind it is Haughmond Hill a delightful spot and now actively managed as a conservation area. For many years this was a well-known picnic spot for the people of Shrewsbury who would arrive on Sundays and holidays for picnics. Nearby stand the splendid ruins of Haughmond Abbey. It was founded around 1135 by William Fitz Allen of Clun. It was built for the Augustinian friars, and was thus technically never really an Abbey. The difference between friars and monks was that friars led a much more active life outside the Abbey, embarking on evangelistic work as well as bringing culture and art to the people, although they still lived a life of celibacy, chastity and obedience. When the dissolution of the monasteries came in the mid-16th century the riches of Haughmond Abbey were either sold, destroyed or stolen. The Abbey was later converted to a house and was in use until the mid-17th century until it was burnt down during the Civil War.

The parish of Upton Magna lies to the east of Shrewsbury, and is a rural, peaceful parish despite being so close to the county town. The church has a rare dedication to St. Lucy and is of Norman origin built mainly in the 12 century. The church was much restored in the mid-19th century but it still retains all its charm and beauty from earlier times. Around the church are some beautiful timber-framed houses all seemingly well restored and maintained. Today there is little left of Upton Magna's former canal or of the industries it supported. For many years the canal has been drained and disused, and a signpost to Upton Forge does little to remind one of the one-time importance of the site. But it was here that the massive chain links were cast for the Menai Bridge which spans the straits between the North Wales coast and the island of Anglesey.

Although now part of Telford, Wellington is still a town in its own right with a history dating back to Domesday and beyond. The town of Wellington has changed over recent years. Now that the centre is pedestrianised, It is a very pleasant place to visit. The former narrow streets which twist and turn without any apparent reason, and the variety of styles of shop front and building now create a delightful place to walk, with a character that is not the design of the modern architect but an accident created by history.
Despite the town's obvious long history, one has to search for architectural gems. One of the oldest buildings in the town is the Old Hall, which is now a school and stands beside the old A5. the oldest part is from the 15th-century and was built by the Forester family. Probably the grandest house in the area was Apley Castle which stood to the north of the town. From drawings and photographs in the library it was obviously an impressive 17th century house. It was here that Charles I first tried to rally the country to his cause at the start of the Civil War.

The parish of Wroxeter and Uppington lies to the southeast of Shrewsbury, and has the river Severn for much of its western boundary. Its is here that can be found one of the most important Roman sites in England (It has recently been linked with the legendary Camelot. (See Shropshire's Secrets) In its heyday, Viriconium was larger than the Roman town at London at that time, and its military importance was greater than Aldershot is today. The importance of this site was dictated by our neighbours, the Welsh, who refused to submit to the might of Rome. From the present excavations, which are open to the public, it is difficult to get a full picture of how large and how magnificent this town must once have been. If nothing else, it must have been the first place in the county to have running water in the toilets! A little way to the south of the present excavated site of Viriconium is the village of Wroxeter which, in reality, stands inside the original Roman walls which protected Viriconium. The church here is dedicated to St. Andrew. Needless to say, its history is complex. The present structure is mainly Norman, but there are traces of an earlier Saxon church and the stone used is mainly from the neighbouring Roman site.