The splendour and charm of Abbey Foregate’s architecture was absorbed on a walking tour of the area by Rotarians and guests and as the walkers meandered through the maze of streets, cuts and gullies surrounding the Abbey Church, there was an aura in the history of this fascinating section of town.
Guide Philip Davies, who met the members and guests of Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club in the grounds of the Abbey, was a mine of information, not least on the history of the area’s road and rail infrastructure for it was Thomas Telford, ‘The Colossus of Roads’ who died in 1834, built the Abbey Foregate road into Shrewsbury. The road originally ran on the left hand side of the Abbey before it was decided it would be better switched to its current location.
Of course, a tour of Abbey Foregate would not be complete without tracing the history of the old Potts railway line and former Abbey Station. In fact, Abbey Foregate is rich in railway history with the Shrewsbury to Hereford LMS line working alongside the Great Western Railway.
Railway historian David Giddins, a retired railwayman himself, gave Rotarians a well informed synopsis of the role Shrewsbury Abbey Station played in a bewitching bygone era and as the walkers threaded their way along Underdale Road, where once there was a level crossing, his knowledge of railway infrastructure and signalling was robust.
Walk completed, the group made their way to the Peach Tree for supper. A big thank you to Rotarian David Morris for organising the tour and social evening.
