The beauty of the Shropshire landscape has been the inspiration for a number of well known authors, some who stayed in Shropshire and others who were just passing through.
Shropshire is a county full of surprises, many are well documented but some are yet to be discovered.
Perhaps it’s our special Shropshire welcome that makes us so well-loved by the cult of celebrity. Not only do we have Hollywood stars like Harrison Ford and Calista Flockheart, willing to spend their well-earned break from filming crusing our canals, but we have managed to attract the likes of Hollywood star Pete Postlethwaite to actually live here.
If you think about it for a minute, you’ll realise that the scenery and landscape of any region depends on what lies beneath. Well Shropshire rests on the most extraordinary geological foundations.
Shropshire, in the heart of the English countryside, lies unspoilt and largely undiscovered. Shropshire’s castles, country houses and tiny villages are a haven for lovers of ghostly tales.
My grandfather was a bank manager in Shrewsbury, my father grew up there and I spent eleven years of my childhood at school in the town...
Popularity has its price - as sir Derek Jaobi has discovered. Ever since he played the medieval sleuthing monk Brother Cadfael in the television series based on the best-selling books by the late Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi has been inundated by eager fans who send him gifts.
Shropshire's wildlife constantly surprises. Buzzards and rare Red Kites wheel through the border valleys and bright blue Kingfishers startle shoppers in Shrewsbury. Many of the county's hotels, pubs and B&B's display Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Badger signs, which means the proprietors will gladly introduce you to their local flora and fauna and nature reserves. Shropshire has 50 designated "wild places".
The Aga Cooker, that ultimate symbol of homeliness, (which is manufactured in Shropshire) has become a world wide favourite with the great and the good. Ask renowned cookery writer and TV expert Mary Berry, and you'll immediately know why.
Jullian Lloyd Webber is widely regarded as one of the most creative musicians of his generation, and s bought many new listeners to the cello. Having performed at Ludlow Festival twice in the past few years, he has developed a great affection for the county. Here he describes just a few of Shropshire's many events - cultural, countryside or just plain unusual.
How to get to Shropshire 
Events to really SHOUT about
Shropshire Food & Drink
Shropshire News
