The Coolidge examiner., 1935-10-11

turned Lake vyrnwy into a reser-
voir for part OF their water supply,
the floods have been to some slight
extent under control.
Shrewsbury Is Very Ancient.
In one Of the loops made by the
Severn several miles farther down
stands Shrewsbury, town full OF
varied interest. There has been n
settlement here at least since the
sacklng Of the Roman city OF Uri-
conlum, six miles To the southeast
In 5s4. Pengwern. as II was called.
was for some time the capital OF
the kings Of Powis, before the castle
az Welshpool was built. The Sax
ons called the town Scrobbesbyrig.
which time has mellowed into the
present Shrewsbury.
When the Normans came they
recognized what an Ideal spot II
was for defense. surrounded on all
sides by the river except where a
steep rock closed the gap. The
Conqueror entrusted the building OF
the castle to his kInsman. Roger de
Montgomery, and this building has
been restored recently and present
ed to the town out Of the profits
made by Shrewsbury's famous aow-
er show-the arts OF peace thus
rescuIng n relic OF war.
Shrewsbury. like Banbury. Is also
noted for its cakes. and one shop
owes It's fame To the mention OF Its
name by minor poet In The In.
goldsby Legends" the story is told
OF a local blnebeard. The heroine
gets past the feroclous dog who
guards the chamber OF horrors by
feeding him on the contents OF her
basket. "She has given him a
Shrewsbury cake OF Palms own
make" and the successor OF that
worthy c0nfectI0ner still finds that
line his own best advertisement.
In the stirring days OF border
warfare. Shrewsbury held the re-
sponslble Office OF the northern war
den OF the marches. with Ludlow.
on the tributary Teme. taking equal
responsibility at the southern end.
Besides its border warfare,
Shrewsbury witnessed one critical
fight In English history. the battle
which Is familiar TO all lovers from
Shakespeare's description OF II in
Henry ~" The turning point I'm
this conflict was the death OF Hot
spur. which Falstaff himself
claimed to have encompassed after
a duel lasting "a long hour by
Shrewsbury clock"
Shakespeare permits himself al
most as much poetical license as he
allows his mock-yalIant knight In
giving the glory 10 Prince Hal. The
prince was but fifteen at the time,
and although he came fresh from
helping 10 defend his title of Prince
OF Wales, and not from tavern rev.
elry, and although he fought brave
ly In this. his first pitched battle.
he would have been no match for
his doughty opponent. a tough vet
eran OF thIrty-nine. Sober history
records that Percy Hotspur was not
slain until he was completely sur
rounded by his foes.
As the rebels proposed to divide
the kingdom into three parts. their
victory would probably have put
back the clock OF English history
for at least century.
Home Of Two Famous Men.
Shrewsbury's most famous son,
Darwin. began another kind Of bat
tle-a battle OF ideas-wHh his
theory OF evolution; and. although
the battle ground Is changing, the
fight he commenced still goes on.
A STATUE to his memory stands in
front of the old grammar school.
now the public library.
Near the Old Market hall stands
a statue to another famous son Of
Shropshire, Lord Give. who helped
to lay the foundations Of British
rule over India.
The old Roman road, Waiting
street, crossed the Severn a few
miles lower down. near Wroxeter.
and turned southwark. toward
South Wales. another branch run
ming northward toward Chester.
Just behind WrOxeter are the ruins
Of the important Roman city, Uri-
conium, or VirOcOnium. The exca-
vations prove it to have been Of
considerable size, larger than Pom
peii. though not as rich in treasures.
South and west Of WrOxeter rises
the long slope of Wenlock Edge,
celebrated in song, with the delight
full ruins of Wenlock Abbey nesting
beneath it. To the east Of Wroxe-
ter, the Wrekin, 1885 feet high.
gains by its solitude a dignity to
which Its height alone would not
entitIe II. Remains Of a British
camp can be clearly traced on its
summit, and the panorama it COM
mands is a fine one.