Montford Bridge to Nesscliffe A leap to a highwayman’s haunts Old Three Pigeons, Nesscliffe Route 6 It is only a short distance from here Country lanes take us from to his cave up the cliffs on Nesscliffe Shrawardine, on to Nesscliffe, and Hill. The cave was reached by 24 the Three Pigeons Inn, where Wild steps, which his horse Beelzebub, Humphrey is reputed to have had when grazing in the fields below, his seat beside the old open hearth. would, when whistled up, climb to his stable alongside. Wingfield Arms, to south of Montford Bridge The Wingfield Arms, set at an angle to the road to the south side of the current bridge, which had the Smithy next door, reflects the line of the old road. A new wooden bridge and Toll House were built over the River Severn in 1637, but that bridge Seven House, formerly the Powis Arms, north of the Bridge We cross the River Severn on Telford’s Montford Bridge, built to the west of was swept away by floods about the one where Wild Humphrey jumped the gap made when the Sheriff’s 50 years after. Thomas Telford’s men removed the planks from the stone piers. new bridge was completed in 1792 just to the west of the old bridge, Passing Montford Church, where Charles Darwin’s parents are buried, we bypassing Severn House, the old follow the old hedged Gipsy Lane bridleway towards the small farming pub, which was built before 1600. hamlet of Ensdon, and on west, with views to the Breidden Hills, and nearer It stands down a drive to the north glimpses of the few remains of Shrawardine Castle. These old tracks were east of the current bridge, on the once main routes leading to the ancient river crossing from Shrawardine line of the original wooden bridge. to Little Shrawardine. A bridleway still goes down to the edge of the River Shrawardine with lane to As well as providing rest to weary Ferry Cottage ahead Severn by Ferry Cottage, too deep to ford now, and the ongoing route to travellers and dispatch riders, it the Motte at Little Shrawardine is not registered. This had stabling for their horses. It also ancient route once led north east past Ensdon and provided stabling for horses used Nibbs Heath via Bunny Lane, Adcote, where a Roman to tow barges up the River Severn farm lay to the north, crossing the River Perry at and to help pull the coaches across Flanders Ford, and on past the site of ancient round the old ford. houses to Baschurch, and beyond to The Berth. Telford’s Holyhead Road milestone just north of Montford Bridge www.shropshireriding.co.uk The Humphrey Kynaston Way Route 6 Clie Montford Bridge to Nesscliffe • 8.8 milesPrescott / 14.1 km Grange Startlewood Walford Pool Valeswood Start: Rest area car park off A5, corner. Follow fenced then double NESSCLIFFE hedged track to gate to road. Hopton CIRCULAR Montford Bridge Cross Fort Shrugg’s Red House Adcote 9 Turn right and follow road round Lodge OS Landranger 126, Explorer 241. Coppice Farm Adcote Grid ref: SJ 432 148. Café and toilets. left bend. Nessclie Little Ness Farm Country Park Car park is locked at night. Alternative ! Turn right in front of church, past Kynaston’s River parking in layby on B4380 north of Cave Perry cottages and on round right bend, A5 Montford Bridge. then go straight ahead for 1¼ NESSCLIFFE 1 Go north out of car park on exit miles (1.6km). road to A5, through wicket gate # Turn right on tarmac lane to Folly to right of cattle grid and just in Farm past farm buildings and bear front of cattle grid by exit, go left left through gate onto hedged through wicket gate into field. lane, and follow round right bend Wilcott Marsh Cross field to join left field edge and on to gate to farmyard. and then turn left on track to road. $ Go through farmyard keeping Felton Butler From here there is a bridleway link to Manor Felton Butler buildings to the left and follow Shrewsbury along the Severn Way. right fence line through to cattle 0 KILOMETRES ½ 1 grid ahead on right. Go through Folly Farm 2 Turn left on B 4380. Go over 0 MILES ¼ ½ gate on left of cattle grid to join Folly Pool Montford Bridge to left turn. Ensdon road. A5 3 Turn left, go over A5 overbridge % Turn left and follow road ahead and follow lane for 1 mile (1.6km.) Shrawardine Military Pool past left turn to cross roads. Training Area to Montford Church. Shrawardine & Turn right go past satellite dishes Castle Forton 4 Continue on lane north past pond to T junction with road to Pentre. Severn and Parish Hall to T junction. DISMANTLED Wa MONTFORD ( Turn right. Cross bridge over A5 RAIL y WA BRIDGE 5 Turn left and immediately right Y Castle and turn left on single-track road (remains) MONTFORD onto hedged bridleway. Follow for CIRCULAR to Nesscliffe. Severn ½ mile (800m) to road. Shrawardine B4380 Way ) At T Junction turn left and after Little Shrawardine 6 Turn right for ¼ mile (400m) to 300m fork right opposite Three concrete hard standing and go left Montford Pigeons Inn and after a few metres River Severn Weir Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire Council 100049049.2014 Farm through field gate onto bridleway. go through gate on your right 7 Bear right on cross field track onto Nesscliffe Hill Country Park. A5 + Go through gate and turn left up , Turn left and then after 100m through field gate, then ahead on * Follow track up round right bend, track past cottage and after 100m turn right on stoned track into part hedged lane, then with hedge past path to Kynastons Cave, the go left through gate and follow Hopton Hill Pine car park. to right to wicket gate. quarry, and on past the Bridleway track up through wood keeping OS Map 126 SJ 390 199 8 Bear right diagonally across field up hill, for ¹⁄₃ mile (600m) to gate right at the bridleways junction through gateway in hedge line and by cottage. on across field to wicket gate in and right at T junction by cottage to join Hopton Lane..