Shropshire

We're off to Church Stretton in Shropshire for a long weekend, staying for 3 nights at Longmynd House, owned and run by HF Holidays; this is our first HF experience, and may not be our last....

En route, we stop off first at the remains of Wroxeter Roman City, near the small village of Wroxeter. Originally known as Viniconium, this city was once the fourth largest in Roman Britain, located along the Roman Road of Watling Street, and flourished until the 7th century; it is now managed by English Heritage. We visit the museum and then the gigantic public bathhouse complex where people came to wash, exercise, and socialise in the vast open hall (basilica) before entering the baths. Part of the Basilica wall remains and is the largest piece of freestanding Roman wall in the UK. We also visit a recreation of a Roman townhouse.

Our next stop is the market town of Much Wenlock, which is known for :
1. Dr William Penny Brookes established the Wenlock Olympic Games in 1850 and provided the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games,
2. the ruins of Wenlock Priory, which has its origins in the founding in 680 of an Anglo-Saxon Monastery for both men and women; it is noted for its Chapter House remains and topiary in the cloister gardens.
We see the above and the head off towards Church Stretton and Longmynd House, our home for the next three nights.Read more