My father introduced me to the Ellis Peters' Cadfael books a lifetime ago. I have the whole set, so I couldn't be in this territory without going to Shrewsbury. Ironically, it was cheaper to go from Newport to Chester then do a day trip to Shrewsbury than do Newport-Shrewsbury-Chester. The vagaries of British Rail - I'm sure ours is the same.
Firstly though I visited a Roman site. Just out of Shrewsbury is Wroxeter where part of the remains of a huge Roman town are on show, as well as a 'Roman villa' which was built recently using traditional Roman tools and materials with the process filmed for TV. I saw some of the series and it was highly entertaining, although it would need significant editing to show to the students because the builders get very frustrated and there is quite a bit of swearing! Having seen parts of the show, it is reassuring to see that it is still standing, although in a few parts it is showing signs of issues. The main actual Roman site exposed is a set of baths from when the battalion was based there. The audio tour is excellent and supported by boards that are informative without being too technical. As with all these sites, it is mostly the foundations that are visible, the rest having been scavenged centuries ago. The main street of the town is part of a long Roman road that leads down to Bath, the coast and on to Rome. It is still used as a road, although the Roman road is buried beneath it. When the Romans eventually deserted the area, the local tribes managed to keep the town area going for several hundred years, so there is a good record of post-occupation development.
I took a taxi from the station to Wroxeter and the lady gave me her card so I could call for a return trip. So extravagant!! Having a UK sim does make it easier though.
Back in Shrewsbury, she dropped me at the abbey and inside was a small shop, as they all seem to have, where they were able to supply the Cadfael tour guide book. The books have done so much for the town that there is a special stained glass window in the abbey celebrating Cadfael and Ellis Pargeter (Peters). There are also supposed to be markers on the footpaths for the various sites on the tour, but I only found one! So I wandered the town, enjoying the old architecture, and imagining life in the 1200s. It was a lovely sunny day, there had been a thick coating of frost on the ground as I travelled down by train, and the autumn leaves of the willows reflecting in the water of the Severn was beautiful and very peaceful.
Shrewsbury also celebrates two famous sons - Charles Darwin and Wilfred Owen. The Abbey has a memorial plaques for Wilfred Owen and there is an interesting sculpture in the abbey grounds inspired by one of his poems. Laying on it were two offerings, presumably from Nov 11, one of artificial red poppies, and the other, a bouquet of real poppies wrapped and labelled with his most famous poem Dulce et Decorum est.
There are numerous sculptures, a walk and building named after Darwin or referencing him. My favourite was a sculpture down by the Welsh Bridge, which looks like an arched backbone. (I'll put up a picture). Around it, set in concrete were each of the time periods of life on earth. It reminded me of the one down along the creek between Burwood Hwy and Highbury Rd near school. If you've never seen it, wander down sometime, it lies along the bike path and starts at the Highbury rd end. Of course, it is just in the final piece that we have the age of man, putting us firmly in our place!
Being Sunday I enjoyed a traditional Sunday roast lunch (Spanish time, about 3pm) with all the trimmings. Tick another off the list :)
Firstly though I visited a Roman site. Just out of Shrewsbury is Wroxeter where part of the remains of a huge Roman town are on show, as well as a 'Roman villa' which was built recently using traditional Roman tools and materials with the process filmed for TV. I saw some of the series and it was highly entertaining, although it would need significant editing to show to the students because the builders get very frustrated and there is quite a bit of swearing! Having seen parts of the show, it is reassuring to see that it is still standing, although in a few parts it is showing signs of issues. The main actual Roman site exposed is a set of baths from when the battalion was based there. The audio tour is excellent and supported by boards that are informative without being too technical. As with all these sites, it is mostly the foundations that are visible, the rest having been scavenged centuries ago. The main street of the town is part of a long Roman road that leads down to Bath, the coast and on to Rome. It is still used as a road, although the Roman road is buried beneath it. When the Romans eventually deserted the area, the local tribes managed to keep the town area going for several hundred years, so there is a good record of post-occupation development.
I took a taxi from the station to Wroxeter and the lady gave me her card so I could call for a return trip. So extravagant!! Having a UK sim does make it easier though.
Back in Shrewsbury, she dropped me at the abbey and inside was a small shop, as they all seem to have, where they were able to supply the Cadfael tour guide book. The books have done so much for the town that there is a special stained glass window in the abbey celebrating Cadfael and Ellis Pargeter (Peters). There are also supposed to be markers on the footpaths for the various sites on the tour, but I only found one! So I wandered the town, enjoying the old architecture, and imagining life in the 1200s. It was a lovely sunny day, there had been a thick coating of frost on the ground as I travelled down by train, and the autumn leaves of the willows reflecting in the water of the Severn was beautiful and very peaceful.
Shrewsbury also celebrates two famous sons - Charles Darwin and Wilfred Owen. The Abbey has a memorial plaques for Wilfred Owen and there is an interesting sculpture in the abbey grounds inspired by one of his poems. Laying on it were two offerings, presumably from Nov 11, one of artificial red poppies, and the other, a bouquet of real poppies wrapped and labelled with his most famous poem Dulce et Decorum est.
There are numerous sculptures, a walk and building named after Darwin or referencing him. My favourite was a sculpture down by the Welsh Bridge, which looks like an arched backbone. (I'll put up a picture). Around it, set in concrete were each of the time periods of life on earth. It reminded me of the one down along the creek between Burwood Hwy and Highbury Rd near school. If you've never seen it, wander down sometime, it lies along the bike path and starts at the Highbury rd end. Of course, it is just in the final piece that we have the age of man, putting us firmly in our place!
Being Sunday I enjoyed a traditional Sunday roast lunch (Spanish time, about 3pm) with all the trimmings. Tick another off the list :)
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