Shropshire Through The Ages

c1070

Shrewsbury Castle is built by the first Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery during the reign of William the Conqueror.

Sir Michael Woodhouse surrenders the Royalist stronghold Ludlow Castle to Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War.

1709

Abraham Darby smelts iron ore using coking coal in the village of Coalbrookdale. His process helps to pave the way for the Industrial Revolution.

Historical highlights from the region

1757

Industrialist John Wilkinson erects a blast furnace at Willey, a village south-west of Broseley in Shropshire.

1771

Mary Bosanquet Fletcher writes to John Wesley, the co-founder of Methodism. She is credited with persuading him to allow women to preach in public.

1779

Thomas Farnolls Pritchard designs the world’s first castiron bridge. The Iron Bridge opens near Coalbrookdale in 1781, built from about 380 tons of iron and spanning 100 feet over the River Severn.

1836

The first Shrewsbury Flower Show takes place. The event is still running today, making the event one of the longestrunning flower shows in the world.

1897

A bronze statue of Charles Darwin is unveiled outside the site of his old school in Shrewsbury.

1974

Telford and Wrekin becomes a non-metropolitan district of Shropshire.

1924

Legendary Wolverhampton Wanderers and England footballer Billy Wright is born in Ironbridge. During his career he becomes the first to win 100 caps for England.