Bishop's Castle

Bishop's Castle is a small market town in Shropshire, England, and formerly its smallest borough. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,630. Bishop's Castle is 4 miles east of the Welsh border, about ten miles north-west of Ludlow and about twenty miles south-west of Shrewsbury. To the south is Clun and to the east is Church Stretton.

There is no main road running through the town, though the A488 runs north-south to the east of the town, on its way from Shrewsbury, Pontesbury and Minsterley to Clun and Knighton. The B4385 runs around the town and connects with the A488.

It is also known for its alternative community.

[edit] Facilities

Although it is smaller than many villages, Bishop's Castle has all the facilities of a small town and still retains its important cattle market in the heart of the town. It has a post office, two banks, two butchers, a bread shop, a chemist, three general groceries and shoe and clothes shops where you can buy walking gear. It also has several good pubs, including two micro-breweries, the Six Bells Brewery and the renowned John Roberts Brewery at the Three Tunns, and all of which have restaurants or do bar meals. There are also several other places to eat, The Castle Hotel and plenty of B&B's, two second hand bookshops and several antique shops.

Sights in the town include Bishop's Castle Town Hall, the House on Crutches, the John Roberts Brewery and the Six Bells Brewery.

[edit] History

The Castle at Bishop's Castle was originally a motte and bailey design built to defend the church and village from the Welsh, grid reference SO323891.

Bishop's Castle has been on a main route for travellers since prehistoric times. The inns would have provided accommodation for travellers and have stabled their horses.

The town was bypassed in the 19th century by Thomas Telford's great road further north, which ran through Shrewsbury. A branch railway was later built from Craven Arms to Bishop's Castle, but closed in 1935.

The town was classified as a municipal borough in 1885. It lost this status in the 1960s, but still has a mayor and its regalia.

The church of St John the Baptist lies at the lower end of the town and the remains of the castle, of which almost nothing survives, at the upper end. Between the two runs the main street.

Ceremonial county of Shropshire
Unitary authorities:	Telford and Wrekin
Boroughs/Districts:	Bridgnorth • North Shropshire • Oswestry • Shrewsbury and Atcham • South Shropshire
Cities/Towns:	Bishop's Castle • Bridgnorth • Broseley • Church Stretton • Cleobury Mortimer • Clun • Craven Arms • Dawley • Ellesmere • Ludlow • Madeley • Market Drayton • Much Wenlock • Newport • Oakengates • Oswestry • Shifnal • Shrewsbury • Telford • Wellington • Wem • Whitchurch See also: List of civil parishes in Shropshire