The town's most famous son, naturalist Charles Darwin, was born in the Mount in Shrewsbury's Frankwell area in 1809. He's commemorated by a statue outside the town library, formerly the Shrewsbury School, where he was educated.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal World Heritage Site
22.79 MILES
The preeminent Georgian engineer Thomas Telford (1757–1834) built the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in 1805 to carry the canal over the River Dee. At 307m long, 3…
-
24.31 MILES
For a glimpse of the life of the British upper class in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the 'upstairs-downstairs' social hierarchy of their bygone world,…
-
17.77 MILES
Surrounded by magnificent gardens, the redbrick Powis Castle was originally constructed in the 13th century by Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, prince of Powys,…
-
Cosford Royal Air Force Museum
18.8 MILES
This famous aerospace museum 13 miles east of Ironbridge is run by the Royal Air Force, whose pilots steered many of these winged wonders across the skies…
-
12.56 MILES
The arching Iron Bridge, which gives the area its name, was built to flaunt the new technology invented by the pioneering Darby family. At the time of its…
-
19.64 MILES
More than 6000 vines are now planted over 2.4 hectares of the former Pentreheyling Roman Fort, where pottery and metalwork have been uncovered and are…
-
12.23 MILES
An ideal place to kick off your Ironbridge Gorge visit is the Museum of the Gorge. Occupying a Gothic riverside warehouse, it offers an overview of the…
-
24.75 MILES
The 18th-century home of the Ladies of Llangollen (Irish aristocrat Lady Eleanor Butler and her companion, Sarah Ponsonby), Plas Newydd is an atmospheric…
Nearby attractions
0.06 MILES
Hewn from flaking red Shropshire sandstone, the town castle contains the Shropshire Regimental Museum. There are fine views from Laura's Tower and the…
0.13 MILES
Built in 1793, this was a working prison as recently as 2013. Today tours are led by former prison guards: when you arrive, you're 'processed' as a…
0.16 MILES
The fabulous interior of this tall-spired medieval church contains an impressive collection of stained glass, including a 1340 window depicting the Tree…
0.23 MILES
Dating from 912, St Alkmund's Church today is part medieval and part Georgian.
5. Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery
0.3 MILES
Diverse exhibits at Shrewsbury's town museum cover everything from Roman treasures to Shropshire gold, including the Bronze Age Perry Bracelet. Its…
0.36 MILES
All that remains of a vast, cruciform Benedictine monastery founded in 1083 is the lovely red-sandstone Shrewsbury Abbey. Twice used for meetings of the…
3.91 MILES
Built in imposing neoclassical style in 1785, Attingham Park looks like something straight out of a period drama with its grand columned facade, manicured…
9.94 MILES
The former lead- and silver-mining village of Snailbeach is littered with intriguing, rusting machinery relics. You can download a self-guided trail from…