S H R O P S H I R E The Ge ography of the Coun ty w D . D F W W ATT LL. S S c . R . S . , , , P o f o of o o a t h Im i a o r ess r Ge l gy t e per l C llege , a n d H o o a o o t S S x o am i e n r ry Fell w idney usse C lle ge , C br dg Illustrated with numerous photographs by O Z S F . G . T . ATCH IS N , M . A . , . and with other photographs and maps 1 9 1 9 Printed and Published by i \Vild n . r g Son , Ltd , Shrewsbu y PREFACE , %L‘ (A) $ 1 HIS work was originally written for the Cambridge was series of County Geographies . As the text a little l onger and the illustrations more numerous than in the books of that series it has been found better to it o publish independently . More freed m in treatment . has thus been secured and certain modifications in pla n have allowed greater stress to be laid on features indi C vidual to the ounty . The author desires to express his indebtedness to oo s the b k and papers of the Rev . Prebendary Auden , t o the Rev . J . E . Auden , and Miss H . M . Auden Also the works of Sir Bertram Windle , Mr . H . E . Forrest , . o v . Mr E S . Cobbold , Pr fessor C . Lapworth , the Re W . W . M . D . La Touche , Mr J Randall , and Mr G a nd Robinson to the Victoria History of the County , ’ o V of t Mr . Cranage s beautiful olumes on the Churches Shropshire . The proof sheets have been read Wi th great care by Fo t e or Miss H . M . Auden and Mr . H . E . rrest , and h auth cannot be too grateful for the suggestions and corrections the c k received from them , by which a curacy of the wor e nchanced has been much . Fo r personal assistance he wishes to thank D r . A . o Fea rnsides Morley Davies , Profess r W . G . , Professor For J . B . Farmer , and especially Mr . G . T . Atchison . practically all the photographs ta ken expressly for the 879 3 5 5 i v P F C . RE A E to o o boo k he is indebted Mr . Atchis n ; but thers have s a t o been generou ly placed his disp sal by Mr . Fo rrest , o o o o o Pr fess r Lapw rth , and Mr . C bb ld . The Auth o rities o f the Shre wsbu ry Public Library a nd Museum have kindly a ll o wed illust rati o ns to be p repared from Prehisto ric and Ro man relics prese rved M th e o t o in that useum , and auth r desires particularly ackn owledge the court e sy o f the Chief Librarian in h elping him to make a selection . o o Mrs . Wo lley has been so g od as to allow the use o f o f o o n 1 6 o the plan Ludl w Castle , page 5 , fr m ’ 7 olle s o \\ o y Ludl w Guide . I”M PE RI A L C OLL EGE O F SCI E N C E A N D T ECH N L G O O Y . h 1 l l a rc 1 . , 9 9 T H E C O U N T Y A R M S . D el . E. Cole ERRATA . 8 ico nium r ad 1 or U r e U . page 4 line 9 , f riconian m al ead 2 2 or at ea i r . line , f material “ “ - 2 2 or l tmbered read . page 3 line 4 , f ha f half timbered CONTENTS . — H T R I TH E HI RE . C AP E . S 1 a a a . Its gener l ch r cter o i 2 . Its r gin ts i a nd o 3. I s ze utline — E R R R . CHAPT E R II . PHYSICAL G OG APHY SH OPSHI E “ 3 T h a n d a 4 he ills p l ins Rivers an d va lleys So il a n d ro ck Clim a te Pla nts a n d a nim a ls H T —~ TH E M M E RCI L E R H F H R SHI R A E R II I . O A OG A Y O S O E C P C G P P . 9 . A griculture i a nd m a 1 0 . M nes iner ls 1 a a a n d 1 . M nuf cture industry H T R — TH E IST RI C L E GR H O F HR SHIR E C AP E IV . H O A G O AP Y S OP 2 a a n d o u a o 1 . R ces p p l ti n a a m 1 3. Pl ce n es 1 o 4 . Written hist ry - o an d a i 1 5. Pre hist ry ntiq uit es a nd a 1 6 . Buildings rchitecture a a o a 1 7. Gre t S l pi ns H T E R V — TH E LITIC L E GR H F HR SHI R O E . C AP . PO A G O AP Y S OP 8 o mm i a o 1 . C un c ti ns f 19 . Origin o the to wns 2 o m a o . Ad inistr ti n E — THE GR O F R RE H T R . T H H SHI C AP V I OPO AP Y S OP . 2 T i o w n i a 1 . he ch ef t ns a d v ll ges I N D E X LIST OF I LLUSTRATIONS . Physica l MAP o f S h ro pshire Ge o l o gica l MAP o f Shro pshir e ti c on s ie e o . t Fr p Ludl w Pha . Frith R a in fa ll MA P o f Shro pshire M A P o f the Midl a nds a nd Wa les 2 . K m o o Ph t G T o a . e bert n C lliery . A tchis n G o a hat . L S . P h r pe ne , hrewsbury Frit T o m at \V ild in h . he Wrekin fr Cressa ge . P g MAP o f Bo und a ries o f Shro pshire \V hi l t o xa l o . T M ss Pha . G . A tchis n . o f MA P Bo und a ry o n R . Vyrnwy T i n t i a . he Wrek n a d the No rthern Pl a in . Ph Fr th MA P o f the Physica l Divisi o ns o f the C o unty - t . i o a m T . H f H o a t H o Pha . l ti bered use dnet . G A tch s n Oro gra p hic MAP o f Shro p shire D o a hat . T . o . H S . P pe ingle , ne r helve G A tchis n hat . The Lo n gm y n d Pl a tea u a n d Churc h Stretto n . P Frith T T i o h t . f o m . P a he Wrekin , r the West G Atch s n a H t T ha . o . Lillesh ll ill . P G Atchis n t o o ha . L king into the Iro nbridge Go rge . P Frith Lo o king up the Severn V a lley fro m the m o uth o f the o . hat G rge P . Frith MAP o f the Rivers Of Shro pshire o f i MAP the Wa tersheds o f Shro psh re . T R P P ho to \V ild m he iver erry . g a m r t . T . o ha . n e a E m . P Bl ke ere , lles ere G Atchis n o - t h . a R a o E . P a d cutting , Wenl ck dge W W tts V Geo lo gica l Secti o n thro u g h V e n lo c k a n d View Ed g e Geo lo gica l Sectio n thro ug h Benth a ll Ed ge a nd the C o a l l) ro o kd a le Co a lfield A fo ssi l Trilo bite fro m the \V e n lo c k Li m esto ne Co lu m n o f Stra tified Ro cks W t . o o a S o ac o S o f o m N . o S E Ge l gic l ecti n r ss hr pshire , r LI ST OF ILLU STRATIONS . PAGE i o a t a o o a 8 L D c E . P t a h . 2 . ke istr t B ulder t n C nst ntine a . T o G . Atchis n f i o Ea o 2 . a o La D o a 9 W ll built ke strict B ulders , t n C nst ntine . i o Phat . G T . Atch s n 0 o f s 3 . R a infa ll MAP the British Isle r d o n a a o n C o n .