Shrewsbury
County town of Shropshire, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Shrewsbury?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Shrewsbury (/ˈʃroʊzbəri/ ⓘ SHROHZ-bər-ee, also /ˈʃruːz-/ ⓘ SHROOZ-)[1][2] is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Shropshire, England. It is sited on the River Severn, 150 miles (240 km) north-west of London. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 76,782.[3]
| Shrewsbury | |
|---|---|
| County town | |
    Clockwise from top: Shrewsbury skyline, Shrewsbury Castle, English Bridge and The Square | |
  Shrewsbury Location within Shropshire | |
| Population | 76,782 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SJ 4915 1253 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Areas of the town | List
|
| Post town | SHREWSBURY |
| Postcode district | SY1 SY2 SY3 |
| Dialling code | 01743 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Shropshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
 | |
Shrewsbury has Saxon roots and institutions whose foundations dating from that time represent a cultural continuity possibly going back as far as the 8th century.[4][5] The centre has a largely undisturbed medieval street plan and over 660 listed buildings,[6] including several examples of timber framing from the 15th and 16th centuries. Shrewsbury Castle, a red sandstone fortification, and Shrewsbury Abbey, were founded in 1074 and 1083 respectively by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery.[7] The town is the birthplace of Charles Darwin.[8] It has had a role in nurturing aspects of English culture, including drama,[9] ballet, dance[10] and pantomime.[10]
Located 9 miles (14 km) east of the Welsh border, Shrewsbury serves as the commercial centre for Shropshire and parts of mid-Wales, with a retail output of over £299 million per year and light industry and distribution centres, such as Battlefield Enterprise Park, on the outskirts. The A5 and A49 trunk roads come together as the town's by-pass and five railway lines meet at Shrewsbury railway station.