WAY NORTH SECTION About Stage 15: to 12 miles

The at Montford Bridge coaches and stage coaches could now go directly from London to Dublin. The toll house at Montford Bridge is a remnant of turn-pike days, but the village is now by-passed and the A5 has a new bridge to the West. Towards Shrewsbury The route now takes a short cut across the meanderings of the Severn over this lowland area, emerging once again on the old Holyhead Road before the descent into Shrewsbury. The path follows the river bank to Doctors Fields, a meadow at the foot of a flight of steps to The Mount. This After crossing the bridge over the A5 and passing is where Charles Darwin would have wandered through the hamlet of Wilcott, the route rises to as a boy. His birthplace is a house high above a minor crossroads. There is Motte hidden in the overlooking the river. trees on the right and views towards The Breidden Hills as you continue down the lane to Felton The final meadow is Poplar Island. Before the Butler. The Shropshire Way soon joins the Severn weir was built further downstream, the river was Way once again with a glimpse of the river at navigable to here. There is a long depression in the Shrawardine before heading to the river crossing ground known as Barge Gutter where barges had at Montford Bridge. access to turn. Montford Bridge Shrewsbury School The important Holyhead Road was the first major The Shropshire Way leaves the Severn Way at civilian state-funded road building project in Porthill Bridge to remain on the south-west Britain since Roman times. This was as a result of bank and pass by Shrewsbury School. This the Act of Union with Ireland in 1800. The turn- imposing building dating from 1765 was first a pike roads were requisitioned and responsibility foundling hospital and then a workhouse. In 1871 for establishing the new route was awarded to the Shrewsbury School moved here from its older famous engineer, Thomas . He designed building in the town centre. Bear right after the his first river bridge for the crossing here. Mail boathouses to arrive back at Kingsland Bridge.

Shrewsbury School in winter

shropshireway.org.uk Stage 15: Nesscliffe Hill Country Park to Shrewsbury

Valeswood Hopton Hill 0 KILOMETRES 1 2 Hopton

1 A5 0 MILES /2 1 Hillfort Nesscli e Hill Nesscli e Country Park The Old Grafton Three Pigeons Great Ness Fitz

Wilcott Motte Isle Pool Nessclie Broom elds Mytton Training Camp A5 Disused Felton Butler Air eld Miller’s Clump R i v e r Se ve r Bickley n Ensdon Coppice

Alkmund Park Wood

Stitford

D Rough ISMANT Military Horse LED Shrawardine Moors Berwick Training Area RAIL B5067 A5191 W Castle Den AY Montford Bridge House Plantation A528 Shrawardine Bicton B4380

R

i Mott & v e Bailey r Agricultural Montford S Oxon e Little v Showground Field Studies e Shrawardine Pool r e ve r n Water Tower n r S Centre v e R i B4473 Bicton Heath A458 Shelton SHREWSBURY Shropshire Way Footpaths Bridleways Gains WHITCHURCH Park A5 Hospital Boathouse Open Access land Shop ELLESMERE School Kingsland Bridge A5191 Visitor Information Centre Place of Worship B4386 Café Caravan/Camping Site A488 Public House Museum Nesscliffe Car Parking Toilets Llanymynech Haughmond Hill Building of Historical Interest Railway Station Wellington SHREWSBURY Castle English Heritage TELFORD Gardens National Trust

Visitor Attractions Forestry Commission Hill summit Youth Hostel Bridges Wilderhope Artwork by MACreative.co.uk Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire Council 100019801. 2018 BISHOP'S CASTLE

CRAVEN ARMS Wheathill