Shrewsbury Abbey

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We had planned visiting Wroxeter Roman City, one of the English Heritage sites on 22 May. Mark suggested buying snacks before going there, as there wouldn’t be any shops in the little village. We had read through the English Heritage guidebook and said that Wroxeter Roman City does not have the picnic tables.



I therefore suggested visiting Shrewsbury Abbey in the morning, have lunch along the riverside walk, and go to Wroxeter in the afternoon.



Shrewsbury Abbey is one of the most distinctive historic buildings in Shrewsbury. It was originally found in 1083, and it was the setting of the famous Cadfael novels written by Ells Peters.



Like all of the abbeys in the UK, much of the original structural buildings together with furnishing and treasures dating before the Dissolution, i.e. 1540 have disappeared. Nevertheless, the fourteen century refectory pulpit with the centre boss which represented the crucification with the Virgin Mary and St John and the part of the gatehouse wall have survived, and we cold see them on the opposite side of the abbey. We learnt from the guidebook of Shrewsbury Abbey that the train used to be running across the town and Abbey Station was standing until the 1930s.



Having entered from the south door, we strolled through the nave and looked at tombs, lady chapel, stained glass, organ, and a very beautiful high altar recedos featuring St Paul, St Winefride, St Helena, and St Peter, and other apostles. We read through the information boards telling about the history of the abbey and the details of the reconstruction and restoration, which began in 1886. It is a great pity to learn that the outbreak of the First World War prevented the plan of the restoration of the abbey.



We had bought snacks at Asda. We explored the abbey garden near the art college and decided to have a picnic lunch before going to Wroxeter.

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