page_title: History of Shrewsbury
section_title: Industrial Revolution
hierarchical_section_title: History of Shrewsbury / Industrial Revolution
caption_attribution_description: English: Rear of Ditherington Flaxmill
context_page_description: The town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England, has a history that extends back at least as far as the year 901, but it could have been first settled earlier. During the early Middle Ages, the town was a centre of the wool trade, and this was a peak in its importance. During the Industrial Revolution, comparatively little development took place in the town, although it did serve as a significant railway town after the development of rail transport in the area. The town today retains much of its historic architecture.
context_section_description: The town did not experience the same massive growth that other English towns experienced during the industrial revolution and few large factories grew up in the town. Despite this, the world's first iron-framed building, the Ditherington Flax Mill was built in the town in 1797. In fact, during the 1830s and 1840s, the town actually decreased in population – mainly due to the lack of good transport links and little industry. The railways, however, became a major employer by the end of the 19th century, as Shrewsbury became an important railway town. Today, the town is still not industrial and the railways no longer play such a major part in employing its people.
caption: Reverse of Ditherington Flaxmill
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