We have a busy day today as there is a lot to see in the area. So we leave early and head to Shrewsbury, the birthplace of Charles Darwin. It’s also one of the best preserved Tudor towns of England so there are half timbered houses everywhere. Everything is still closed as we have arrived before 10.00.
So we’ll just walk through the old town, past the market square and up to the town castle. The castle houses a regimental museum which we skip so we enter st Mary’s church. This is an old Norman church with beautiful stained glass windows. The volunteer at the entrance has a lot to tell about the church and the town. So when we leave we are much the wiser. We’re parked next to the old Norman abbey of which only the church remains. After a quick tour we’re ready to leave and drive to the old flaxmill on the edge of town.
The flaxmill is seen as the forefather of all skyscrapers as its the first building in the world with a cast iron frame. We also learn that flax is not only usefull to put in your breakfast but is also used to make linen clothing. The children.have completed another treasure hunt and with another stamp and sticker we drive to the next site.
This stop is the ruins of Haughmond abbey. As almost all abbeys in England, it fell into ruin after the dissolution in 1539. But the remains are still impressive and an opportunity to practice some climbing skills.
The area is very dense with interesting sites, so after just 10 minutes we’ve reached our next stop, Attingham Hall. This is another country estate, the area is huge as we can see as we drive up towards the main house. The main house is fully decorated and filled with period pieces. It has a nice boudoir, inspired by the one of Marie Antoinette in Fontainableau.
As we tour the large servant quarters in the basement we are drawn to the kitchen by the smell of pastry. The kitchen staff is dressed in Georgian clothing and baking all kind of pastry dishes. The children squeeze their way forward sensing there is something to be had. It’s there lucky day as they get a love tart, a jam packed sweet pastry.
Olga and the kids walk towards the summer of play area in the huge garden as Tim rummages through the second hand bookstore for some new books.
But there is no rest today, as only 5 minutes away are the ruins of the old Roman town of Viriconium (Wroxeter). This was the fourth largest town of Roman Brittain but much of it still remains underground. What we do see are the remains of a large Bassilica, a bath house and a reconstructed Roman Villa. There is another treasure hunt here but it’s the same as the one we did yesterday. This makes it easy as Cleo has remembered all the answers. This means another sticker and stamp which we suplement with an icecream as it was a long and warm day.
Just 10 minutes away is the birthplace of the industrial revolution and about 5 other sites. We just have to come back tomorrow and relax the rest of the afternoon.
Heel mooie foto’s!