Exploring Shropshire’s Rich Cultural Heritage Sites

Shropshire boasts an abundance of historic sites spanning millennia. From Bronze Age stone circles to Iron-Age hill forts, there is much waiting for discovery here.

Shrewsbury is an ancient medieval gem surrounded by riverside walks and historic buildings. Come see where Charles Darwin was born or explore the streets based on their original medieval layout!

Roman City of Wroxeter

Wroxeter Roman City lies approximately five miles southeast of Shrewsbury and was one of Britain’s largest and best preserved urban centres during ancient Britain’s golden era (first to fifth centuries CE). Now submerged beneath Shropshire fields, Wroxeter’s impressive museum serves as a testament to this once vibrant metropolis from long ago – making a visit a must for history lovers or culture seekers visiting Shropshire!

Early evidence of settlement on this site dates back to the Iron Age when it was home to an area British tribe called Cornovii. Their tribal capital was initially located within an impressive hillfort at the top of what is now known as The Wrekin; however, when Roman armies under Claudius invaded Britain in AD 43 and destroyed this hillfort they quickly rebuilt into what became Viriconium Cornoviorum, one of England’s four-largest Roman towns.

The city was home to an eclectic population who enjoyed many opportunities for self-expression within its boundaries and to pursue their personal interests freely. Wealth increased, providing citizens with cultural activities as well as high standards of living.

Excavations has revealed various aspects of the city’s history and a new site museum has explored themes pertaining to domestic and commercial life such as food, religion, industry and clothing. Artifacts that depict life among residents can give visitors an idea of their day-to-day experience as they browse the displays.

At its height, this city housed thousands of residents and served as an important commercial hub. Today, its remains include remnants from a bath house complex, forum colonnade, simple temples, and the remnants of an unfinished basilica wall. Rediscovered during the mid 19th century and one of the first archeological sites to draw visitors; since that time much has been written about this city; such works as works of fiction, journalistic articles chronicling visitor responses to excavations as well as guidance designed to assist them as they navigated their exploration of this historic site.

Offa’s Dyke

Offa’s Dyke, one of Shropshire’s cultural heritage sites, is perhaps best-known and understood. This linear earthwork marks the boundary between England and Wales, and has long been debated as to why and how it was constructed – as well as what its significance in its day was.

Offa’s Dyke, like many of the monuments and fieldwork undertaken in this region of ‘hard border’ country – hill forts, castles and prehistoric barrows – was probably constructed to show dominance and power by Offa and his Mercian kingdom over their rival kings in England and Europe at that time.

As is often the case with monumental building projects, Offa’s Dyke remains obscure in terms of date and purpose of construction. One hundred years later in King Alfred’s biography it is mentioned as being built by “an aggressive ruler named Offa who terrified all his neighbors”.

There can be little doubt that the dyke was an extremely important landmark at its time, both physically and visually. Aside from demarking the border, it also served an aesthetic function by offering views into Wales from all along its length – an aspect likely contributing to its psychological effectiveness as a means to ward off invaders.

Today, the dyke remains in remarkable condition thanks to volunteers and landowners devoted to its preservation, including volunteers and landowners dedicated to keeping it intact and raising awareness about its significance. Unfortunately, maintaining its condition can sometimes be challenging due to traversing private property on both sides. Furthermore, maintaining records of any damage may prove challenging; often walkers and local people report any issues – creating an informal border force.

Offa’s Dyke Centre is the only museum in Britain dedicated to exploring this iconic early medieval monument, providing exhibitions and learning materials about its significance for visitors from all over the world. A must-visit for those interested in British Isles history or medieval borders!

Old Oswestry Hillfort

Old Oswestry Hillfort (Yr Hen Ddinas) is one of Britain’s best preserved Iron Age hill forts, rising majestically on its hilltop outlining this market town and boasting impressive views across Shropshire. According to legend, Guinevere was said to have been born here at Old Oswestry Hillfort during early medieval battle of Camlann.

Complex earthworks of ramparts and ditches were constructed around this 3,000 year-old site to slow any attackers who tried to gain entry. Each rampart includes two entrances with deep rectangular hollows defending them. Archaeologists are still unclear as to their purpose – water tanks, quarry sites or fortifications perhaps? – but they add to its fascinating story.

Shropshire Council owns and English Heritage manages this site. Visitors are free to explore year round on an unmanaged path which runs to the western entrance and around its upper circuit of defences; or you can explore one of several un-managed paths which weave their way in and out of defences to create an endlessly intriguing monument experience.

Even though this Scheduled Ancient Monument site is of significant historical and architectural importance, its integrity has come under attack by developers looking to construct homes nearby. This has caused outrage from residents and key stakeholders – with local residents gathering signatures for a petition against this development which was submitted to the planning inspectorate.

Decisions on proposed developments will be made in September. Anyone wanting to help preserve this significant and unique landscape should sign the petition here. The hill fort is one of Oswestry’s crown jewels – an undervalued heritage asset which lies at its very heart – it should be preserved rather than despoiled with new housing estate developments.

Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings

Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings stands as one of the first iron-framed buildings and an early precursor of skyscrapers in history. Unfortunately, over time this incredible complex fell into disrepair; this situation is slowly being remedied as Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings embarks on a multi-million pound restoration program.

This historic building now houses a visitor centre, cafe and shop as well as state-of-the-art offices while Grade I listed Main Mill and Kiln are restored – an extraordinary achievement which earned numerous awards, such as the 2023 Supreme Award at BDA Brick Awards which recognized quality, craftsmanship and sustainability of renovation alongside historic preservation features of this iconic structure.

The Maltings was constructed as a purpose-built flax mill in 1797. As textile markets shifted towards the end of the 19th Century and linen use diminished, its purpose changed. Converted into a maltings until 1987 before closing and becoming derelict.

English Heritage (now Historic England), together with Shropshire Council and Shropshire District Council, acquired the site in the late 2000s. Following years of neglect, restoration began on restoring both smithy and stable buildings before progressing to restore Main Mill later that same year.

Tim Greensmith, an SPAB scholar who has led multiple award-winning heritage lottery-funded projects reviving historic buildings, leads Historic England’s team on the Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings project. He has overseen refurbishments to four listed buildings on site – such as Main Mill and Kiln.

Restoration was made possible thanks to generous support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and an ambitious capital campaign led by Historic England Foundation, raising over PS1 million. These efforts allowed repairs and renovations of the complex that will bring it off Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register, and provide new jobs, education, and training facilities that will last another hundred years.