Shrewsbury Castle

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Shrewsbury Castle

Shewsbury Castle is a red sandstone castle in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Its location is on a hill situated on the neck of the meander of the River Severn which the town originally grew up in. It was therefore built as a defensive fortification for the town, which was otherwise protected by the river. Town walls, of which little now remains, then radiated out from the castle and surrounded the town (although the area known now as Town Walls still has a small section of it and a tower).

The Shropshire Horticultural Society bought the castle and gave it to the town in 1924. It is currently owned by Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and houses the Shropshire Regimental Museum. Laura's Tower is a good vantage point and looks over the surrounding townscape and further out to the countryside. Entry to the museum at the castle is free for residents of the borough, or £2 for non-residents. Anyone can climb Laura's tower for free. Marriages also take place here and the castle grounds are used sometimes for plays (such as the Canterbury Tales).

Shrewsbury, then Shrewsbury and Atcham, borough councils used the hall for full council meetings until 1981. After that they held their meetings at Oakley Manor in Belle Vue, and now at the Guildhall at Frankwell.

The castle is currently undergoing some restoration, which is needed as the sandstone building material is soft and quickly erodes.

The castle is situated directly above Shrewsbury's railway station and is clearly visible from the station platforms.

See also Ludlow Castle, another English Marches stronghold, which is in South Shropshire.