You can find two of the seven Laird residential parks in the west Midlands of England. Both Grindley Brookand Warren Park are estates packed with luxury homes and sited close to a whole host of wonderful things to do in and around Shropshire. Both Laird locations have their own particular appeal for residents (for example, Grindley Park features park homes for the over 50s only). But in this edition of our blog we’re focusing on things outside of the parks which increase their attractiveness: Places of interest, places of activity, visitor draws and so on. Things to do in Shropshire!
Ironbridge Gorge:
The iconic Iron Bridge over the Severn was the first bridge in the world to be made of cast iron, and was erected in 1779. The picturesque area around the bridge gets its name from the landmark structure, and it’s a truly wonderful spot to appreciate both the natural world and the triumphs of early industrial age engineering. In 1709 iron was first smelted in close-by Coalbrookdale using coke as a fuel instead of charcoal, which then led to commercial iron being produced on an enormous scale. As a consequence, Ironbridge Gorge is sometimes said to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and the bridge is a significant physical marker in our country’s history.
An exhibition in the former toll house on the south side tells the story of iron in the region, the bridge itself and the surrounding area (which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site). There are scenic riverbanks, side valleys and pleasant woods to explore, and a climb to the Rotunda lookout point offers a fantastic view of the gorge and of the bridge itself (which is also free to walk across).
Blists Hill Victorian Town:
If you want to step back in time and see how folks lived in the 19th-century there are a handful of terrific sites in England – with Beamish (near Durham) and Blists Hill (near Telford) topping the list. Though Blists Hill deals exclusively with the past, it has briefly been the site of some futuristic science fiction – the BBC TV series Doctor Who filmed the story The Mark Of The Rani here in the 1980s, and some of the spots used during that production will be instantly recognisable to fans.
Sited where a brick and tile works, blast furnaces and coal, iron and fire clay mines once stood, Blists Hill has now been open for fifty years as a living museum, and its continually growing recreation of a Victorian town has proved enduringly popular. It’s a great spot to visit and dip right into the past.
Pontcysyllte Aquaduct:
Another incredible feat of design and civil engineering construction is this stunning aqueduct, located five miles north of Oswestry (just a tad over the Welsh border). Pontcysyllte Aquaduct, which took ten years to build and has been in operation since 1805, is sometimes referred to as the ‘stream in the sky’. It stands 126 feet above ground level, stretches for 336 yards and is a navigable part of the Llangollen Canal system, carrying it across the River Dee below. Comprising of 18 stone arches and a cast iron structure on top, the aqueduct offers a 15-minute route for walkers but it’s more of an authentic experience to go across by boat (there are a couple of local companies offering trips)!
Hoo Zoo & Dinosaur World:
The last couple of places we’ve mentioned have been historic – so how about somewhere to visit that’s prehistoric? Just outside the town of Telford is Hoorassic World, part of a popular family run zoo nestling in 32 acres of woodland and paddocks. This is a really terrific place to take the grandkids as they’ll be overjoyed to experience many species of dinosaur up close and in seemingly natural habitat – including the fearsome T-Rex. You can even buy a VIP experience where you accompany a ranger around the park in a vehicle similar to those in the film Jurassic Park. The rest of the zoo is absolutely fantastic, too, including big cats, wolves, exotic birds and more, all kept in modern, naturalistic enclosures in accordance with best practice.
Wrexham Football Club:
A mere 20 miles or so from Grindley Brook Park (and hopping across the border into north Wales) is Wrexham FC’s Racecourse Ground. Wrexham has the distinction of being the third oldest professional football club in the world and has played at the ground since 1864. After some lean years in the lower echelons, Wrexham has recently been promoted back to the English football league. The involvement of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as owners has been absolutely crucial and the fly-on-the-wall TV series which documents their purchase, restructure and subsequent success is wholesome viewing. It’s a club and a community on the up, so if this exciting sport is your thing then trips to Wrexham could fulfil your regular footy need and give you a great way to meet likeminded people.
Market Drayton:
Warren Park, one of our two Shropshire residential parks, is conveniently located just 4 miles from the popular market town of Market Drayton.
The weekly street market there has been running for over 750 years, and provides quality fresh food for locals. There is a terrific 130-acre organic farm – Fordhall – close by, owned by an industrial and provident society (the Fordhall Community Land Initiative) with the aim of using it for community benefit. Hikers antiquarians will find the Devil’s Ring and Finger in the nearby village of Mucklestone to be a really interesting and somewhat mysterious megalithic site. These unusual stones could be from a chambered tomb but there are no known associated monuments of the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods in the vicinity (though a possible disc barrow lies to the south-west). An ancient puzzle which modern man may never work out – but a brilliant spot to ponder.
Shrewsbury:
Just 20 miles away from Market Drayton is what may at first appear to be a sleepy rural town but there’s more than enough going on in Shrewsbury to pique your interest. A great place to start is with the Sabrina boat trip, which runs six times a day around the River Severn loop. It features live commentary and table service and is a very pleasant way to pass an hour or so and catch some of Shrewsbury’s sights from an unusual angle. The town’s Museum and Art Gallery documents the town’s involvement in the English Civil War and reveals how the River Severn helped make Shrewsbury a financial hub.
The town’s most famous son is undoubtedly the natural historian and theorist Charles Darwin, born here in 1809. You can undertake a guided walk to discover the sites which tell the story of his early life, including his birthplace, the church where he was christened, his school and a couple of terrific sculptures – one of him, and the other named the Quantum Leap. This piece of abstract modern art is situated on the Riverside, was created in 2009 to celebrate the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth of Charles Darwin in 2009, and is open to interpretation on themes relating to dinosaurs, rocks and DNA.
There are so many more places of interest, great activities to undertake and experiences to enjoy around either Grindley Brook and Warren Park – and so we could probably continue this blog for several thousand more words… However, we’d prefer it if you explored and discovered things for yourself and then let us know what you found! It’s such a wonderful part of England and living at either of our parks will prove to be a wonderful way of life with so many opportunities to keep yourself occupied and entertained!
