Sights in Shrewsbury
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Shrewsbury Abbey
Famous as the setting for Ellis Peters' Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, the lovely red-sandstone Shrewsbury Abbey is all that remains of a vast, cruciform Benedictine monastery founded in 1083. Twice the setting for meetings of the English parliament, the Abbey church lost its spire and two wings when the monastery was dissolved in 1540. It sustained further damage in 1826 when engineer Thomas Telford ran the London–Holyhead road right through the grounds. Nevertheless, you can still see some impressive Norman, Early English and Victorian features, including an exceptional 14th-century west window.
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Henry Tudor House
Follow Mary's St into Dogpole and turn right into Wyle Cop, Welsh for 'hilltop'. Henry VII stayed in the seriously overhanging Henry Tudor House before the Battle of Bosworth. At the bottom of Wyle Cop, Welsh for 'hilltop', is the graceful 18th-century English Bridge, which takes you across to Shrewsbury Abbey (E of Town Centre).
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Market Hall
The mellow-stone building balancing on chunky legs opposite the tourist office is Shrewsbury's 16th-century Market Hall, hub of the historic wool trade. A few pillars are still dented by rows of holes used to count how many fleeces were sold.
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Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery
The stunning timber-framed Tudor merchant's mansion and warehouse in which Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is housed are as much of an attraction as its exhibits, which range from Roman finds to Darwin's times.
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Bear Steps Hall
From the atmospheric Fish Street, steps lead to the 14th-century Bear Steps Hall, now home to a small exhibition space. On the hall's other side is Butcher Row, home to more half-timbered lovelies.
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Council House Gatehouse & Old Council House
Near the entrance of Shrewsbury Castle is Jacobean-style Council House Gatehouse, dating from 1620, and Old Council House, where the Council of the Welsh Marches used to meet.
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St Mary's Church
Peek inside medieval St Mary's Church, which has one of the highest spires in England and the astonishingly vivid Jesse window of rare mid-14th-century glass.
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Shrewsbury Library
Opposite Shrewsbury Castle is the rather ostentatious Shrewsbury Library, with a statue of Shrewsbury's most famous son, Charles Darwin.
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Grope Lane
The charmingly named and almost claustrophobically narrow Grope Lane features overhanging storeys that seem to close in around you.
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Shrewsbury Castle & Shropshire Regimental Museum
Terracotta-coloured Shrewsbury Castle houses the stiff-upper-lip Shropshire Regimental Museum and has wonderful views.
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St Chad's
Listen to the cacophonous bells of odd 18th-century round church St Chad's, which dominates the top of Quarry Park.
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Ireland's Mansion
The lordly timber-framed Ireland's Mansion is one of Shrewsbury's most magnificent black-and-white beauties.
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St Mary's Cottage
Take a peek at the tilted 17th-century St Mary's Cottage on your way to Shrewsbury Castle.
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Quarry Park
Stroll along the riverside to enjoy an ice cream in the tumbling gardens of Quarry Park.
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St Alkmond's Church
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Old Market Hall
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St Mary's Church
The magnificent spire of this roughly hewn medieval church is one of the highest in England, and the interior is graced with an impressive collection of stained glass, including a 14th-century window depicting the Tree of Jesse, a Biblical representation of the lineage of Jesus.
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Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery
The town museum is currently housed in the timbered, Tudor-era Rowley's House, with an eclectic selection of exhibits, from Roman treasures to Darwin memorabilia. In 2012, the museum and tourist office will move to the Music Hall on the Square – visit the website for the latest news.
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Shrewsbury Castle
Hewn from sunset-red Shropshire sandstone, the town castle contains the Shropshire Regimental Museum, plus fine views from its battlements.
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