Route 27 Lower Frankton to Llanymynech Canal locks at Lower Frankton St Winifred’s Well

A jaunt along the Monty St Winifred’s Well – Fast horse-drawn packet boats would This level walk takes you along the a short detour draw up at Heath Houses ‘cross over’ towpath (a permissive right of way) of bridge to allow passengers and light the delightful northern section of the St Winifred was a seventh-century Welsh goods from Newtown, and places 34 mile Montgomery Branch of the princess, sworn to a life of chastity, who between, to transfer to and from the Union Canal. Much of this was brought back to life after being nearby railway at Rednal Station. walk is alongside navigable waterway decapitated by an frustrated suitor. though there is a ‘dry’ section awaiting Pant restoration. The well marks the place where 12th century monks bearing her bones Pant, meaning ‘hollow’ in Welsh, has seen silver, lead and copper mining Looking along even the straightest (and rested on their way to Shrewsbury come and go. More recently quarrying therefore most direct) stretch of canal it Abbey. Later the well was enlarged to for limestone was its business. is impossible not to marvel at the sheer form a cold bath for the general public, graft that created it, and equally to whose conduct became so riotous that The canal, and later the railway line that wonder what is round the next, albeit it was closed in 1755. The little building ran alongside it, was a vital transport far bend. above is the medieval well chapel which now functions as a Landmark link allowing the export of limestone and also burnt ‘quicklime’ used for The restoration work – much of it being Trust holiday cottage. building mortar and fertiliser. done by volunteers – has sensitively involved the creation of Nature This is a quiet and picturesque spot, You will see limekilns and also the Reserves such the one at Aston Locks. whose spirit was probably worshipped chimney of the more efficient ‘Hoffman’ These are unheralded to prevent long before Christianity. The well is kiln. The walk on Route 24 will take you too much human footfall but you are open to view but please respect the through the Llanymynech Heritage welcome to explore them. privacy of the cottage occupants. Area where you can find out more about the limestone industry. Prepare to be enchanted by place Canals and railways names such as Cupid’s Ramble, Queen’s The Bone Canal is a narrow canal arm Head, Keeper’s Bridge (finders keepers - that leads to a wharf that served the Approaching Llanymynech Rocks where is it?) and Marsh along former Rednal Bone Works. the way. Make sure you visit Canal Central at Maesbury Marsh with its Cattle bones were boiled and stripped homemade food and horse-drawn boat of fat and tissue which was loaded onto Canal at Queens Head rides (Tel: 01691 652168). boats to go to the soap factory at Port Sunlight. The bones were then ground for fertiliser.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas Across the fields from St Winifred’s Well

WAY DISMANTLED RAIL Discover Shropshire Route 27 DIFFICULTY: level, canal towpath. Minor Welsh Frankton inclines at locks. Whittington Big Wood

Tyn-y-coed 10.75My milesnydd / Summer17.2 kilometresDyke Offa’s Myfyr Hill Gravenhall Lower Riv Locks er M Feggy orda Coppice Frankton A5 Babbinswood Trefonen

Morda Services

Weston A483 Hordley B5069 Gronwen Nantmawr B5009 Quarry Sweeney Keeper’s Bridge Tre ach Mountain Crumpwell 01KILOMETRES 2 Wootton Nantmawr Sweeney Fen Bone Canal 01MILES ½ Nature Reserve Y WA A5 Heath Houses Whitehaven AIL Bridge TLED R Dolgoch Quarry Aston Porth-y-waen Maesbury Nature Reserve DISMAN Maesbury Nature Queen’s A495 Llynclys Reserve Hill Marsh Aston Head Locks Lynclys Cambrian Cupid’s Ramble Blodwel Heritage Rock Crickheath A483 Railway Canal Central Hill ke St Winifred’s West Offa’s Dy Pant Crickheath Well B4396 Felton Asterley Rocks Woolston a

er Mord Cambrian Heritage Railway: Llynclys to Pant iv R

DISMANTLED RAILWAY You are not permitted to copy, sub-licence, Llanymynech Route Profile distribute or sell any of this data to third B4398 Heritage Site parties in any form. The route is generally level © Crown copyright and database rights Llanymynech 2012 Ordnance Survey 100049049

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