Shrewsbury Castle was originally an Anglo-Saxon timber fortification which the Normans re-built in 1070 using red sandstone. Apart from the gateway, very little of the Norman building survives as much of it was demolished during the rebuilding and strengthening of the castle in the early 14th century, when an outer bailey was added.

The original building was constructed by Thomas Telford, following plans by Shrewsbury architect John Hiram Haycock, but was later redesigned by Thomas Telford and completed in 1793.

It is no longer used as a prison and is open to the public.

There has been a market hall on this site since 1260 and the present one was built in 1596. It has two storeys of which the upper room was used by the Shrewsbury drapers or dealers in cloth to sell Welsh wool and the lower, ground, floor was used by farmers to sell their corn.

At the centre of The Quarry Park in Shrewsbury is the Dingle which was formerly a stone Quarry but is now a floral masterpiece created by world renowned gardener Percy Thrower who was Shrewsbury's Park Superintendent for 28 years. The Dingle is a beautiful sunken garden landscaped with alpine borders, colourful bedding plants, shrubbery and water features. There are seasonal floral displays here all year round.

Shrewsbury is surrounded by a loop of the River Severn, the longest river in the UK at 220 miles, which wends its way from just over the border in Llanidloes, Mid Wales, through Shropshire countryside, to the county town of Shrewsbury.

The Roman name for the Severn was Sabrina, there is a statue of the water nymph 'Sabrina' in The Dingle, and boat cruises along the River can be enjoyed on board the motor launch 'Sabrina'.

Shrewsbury Abbey has been made famous by the television series 'Cadfael' but do not expect to see the abbey portrayed in that series. Most of the abbey has long since been demolished and the only part left standing is the church.

The abbey was founded in 1083 and although much of the Abbey was destroyed in the 16th century the nave survived as a parish church.