The Severn Trow

Shropshire is one of the least populated and (in our view at least) most beautiful counties in England. A mixtures of fertile plains and rolling hills, its a place where you really can get away from all the hustle and bustle of modern living and truly relax. We know we are lucky to live here and will be happy to share our good fortune with you if you choose to stay with us. The links to the right tell you a bit about our house - The Severn Trow - and its history and also about things to do and see while you stay with us. We hope as well that even for those visitors who don’t stay at the Trow, we will be able to encourage you to visit and enjoy what is a very beautiful - and interesting part of the world.

The Ironbridge Gorge is a unique and fascinating place. As well as being outstandingly beautiful like much of Shropshire, its also the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Abraham Darby’s famous Ironbridge is probably the first thing people want to see when they come here, but look a little closer and you will find a townscape shaped by industry in a landscape that has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature. Ironbridge reminds you of both the power and inventiveness of human beings but also our inevitable fallibility and vanity.

Jackfield is a sleepy little village with a few houses, pubs and a craft centre - plus a fascinating church, some grand walks and views, the Jackfield tile museum and Maws Craft Centre.

There are two pubs in Jackfield - and a beautiful riverside walk between them. There is The Boat Inn which floods pretty much every year and proudly displays the flood level on its front door! They serve a nice range of ales and have a lovely garden to sit out in. The Boat puts on some fantastic live music nights too - and has a great crowd in for its Irish Music nights (when Landlady Jen often puts on some free food). The closest pub to The Trow is The Black Swan. This a real friendly local’s pub with a fantastic seating area right at the side of the river. This pub serves very well kept beer and hearty meals - but be careful, portions are so generous, you might have to stay there all evening!

Across the river from us is the fantastic Blists Hill Victorian Town, which recently won Museum of the Year. In the picture below you can see The New Inn which incredibly was a pub that Ken used to drink in as a young man before it was moved brick by brick from its original location in the Black Country. He must be the only man in England who can claim to be being followed by a pub! (Or maybe not ....)



Over the road is the eccentric and charming Jackfield Tile Museum with its gas-lamp lit galleries. In all there are 10 museums within 5 minutes drive (or 20 minutes walk) of the Severn Trow.

Just 20 minutes stroll down the riverbank is Ironbridge with a lovely selection of gift shops and teashops, bars and a wonderful second hand bookshop. You’ll also find the famous Ironbridge Brewery and the Merrythought Teddy Bear shop

But if Museums are not your style, you might want to simply take to those “Blue Remembered Hills” - the evocative name given by AE Housman to the Shropshire Hills in his collection “A Shropshire Lad”. The Shropshire Hills have been designated an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - and its not hard to see why.


Shropshire is fantastic walking country. We have easily accessible walks for trippers and strollers - like The Ironbridge Way and more challenging walks for experienced ramblers like this wonderful section of The Shropshire Way which takes you across Long Mynd or Mynydd Hir as it is known in Welsh.

If biking is more up your street than walking, then its worth knowing that as well as being on national Cycle Route 45, we are only 20 yards away from Shropshire leading bike hire experts - The Bicycle Hub. They hire out a great range of bikes - including children’s cycles, trailer bikes and all you need to go with them like helmets and locks. If you’re looking for that dangerous combination of exhilarating and romantic why not hire a tandem? Prices are pretty reasonable - and its great fun. Just remember if you’re feeling lazy, sit on the back. You should do more of the pedalling there but your other half will never know if you don’t!

For Birders the area has some wonderful sights - with Peregrine Falcons, Dippers, Ring Ouzels, Merlins, Curlews, Pied Flycatchers, Barn Owls, and Northern Lapwings, among the species to be seen in the area. Other nature lovers need not feel left out. The Severn Gorge Countryside Trust can tell you lots about the beautiful countryside around the Trow - and how local people are working to maintain and protect it (we must admit to a bias here, as Ken was a trustee for a time!). The Gorge is also home to The Greenwood Centre and the Ironbridge Woodland Experience where you’ll find the Woodland Hall, Cherry's Real Food Café, a shop selling woodland products,and of course woodland walks around the Ironbridge Gorge.

The nearby medieval market town of Much Wenlock has four real claims to fame. The first is Paddy Ryan’s Butchers - which surely has the most devoted following of any butchers in the country. There is also Wenlock Priory - with its amazing topiary filled gardens and stunning Chapter House preserved by English Heritage - its just one of the famous Shropshire Priories. Thirdly there is the annual Wenlock Poetry Festival with its patron Carol Ann Duffy. Finally and perhaps most importantly in this pre- Olympic year there is this chap:

Yes its Wenlock, one of the mascots for the 2012 Olympics. But why would one of our Olympic Mascots be named after a sleepy little market town in one of the quietest counties of England. Well actually Much Wenlock is the home of the modern olympic games - and the town holds its own Olympics every year in July - with a particularly good range of equestrian events.

Of course no visit to Shrosphire would be complete without a mention of our great culinary experiences! Ludlow (a short but beautiful drive away) is vying for the title of culinary capital of the UK. There are some fantastic places to eat (7 with Michelin entries) and it is a beautiful place for lunch. Our favourite day out is to visit the farmers market in the morning, have a leisurely lunch at one of the brilliant restaurants and then take a look around the very very eccentric Castle Lodge in the market square. Its impossible to describe what makes the experience of visiting this private museum come “show home” quite so unique. Trust us. You just have to do it to understand. If you are interested in a more traditional tourist attraction, then Ludlow Castle next door is a glorious ruined medieval place in which to live out all your Arthurian fantasies! They host the Ludlow Food Festival here - among other events.

Whatever a short break or holiday means to you, your perfect base for it is at The Trow! *


_{* This is actually a fib. We do not have a beach. In fact Shropshire is the most landlocked county in England. We suggest the seaside is your idea of a great holiday (and once a year it is ours) you try here instead}