| Shelf Bank | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 145 m (476 ft) |
| Location | |
| Location | Shropshire, England |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 126 |
| OS grid | SJ296299 |
This large hill in the centre of Oswestry is a 3 hectare area consisting of acid grassland and naturally regenerated areas of woodland and scrub.
The site occupies the majority of a knoll which offers views across Oswestry town and the wider Shropshire countryside. For that reason during WWII anti aircraft guns and lookout posts were established on the summit. Along the southern edge of the site there can be found a section of Wats Dyke, an earth bank structure dating back to the Dark Ages. On the North side, it is surrounded by a vast desolate area of old railway sidings of the Oswestry Branch Line (closed many years ago) and a huge Victorian engineering works, now being converted into a new Health Centre. On the rare occasions when snow falls in the town, it provides the local populace with superb sledging opportunities.
Local legend had it that the land was donated to "the children of Oswestry" by a long-forgotten landlord and as a result of its disputed ownership has proved very difficult to redevelop, despite occupying valuable land just outside the town centre.
The site was compulsorily purchased in 2005 by Oswestry Borough Council to ensure it could be managed for wildlife and the quiet recreation of Oswestry residents and visitors alike. Shelf Bank was not left to the children of Oswestry, it was only through the intervention of Shropshire County Council staff that the previous owner of the site was finally found and the land purchased for the people of Oswestry.
Shelf Bank is now managed by Shropshire Council who are seeking Local Nature Reserve designation, securing its open space nature for generations to come.