Things to do in Shropshire | Days Out | Places to Visit You are here: Counties -> Things to do in Shropshire Things to do in Shropshire Page Contents Places to visit in Shropshire The County of Shropshire is situated on the England/Wales borderlands, one of England's rural peaceful counties, a delightful place to unwind, and enjoy heritage and nature. Shropshire has over 90 places to visit, from Offa's Dyke, the longest archaeological monument in Britain, built by King Offa in the 8th Century to keep the Welsh Princes at bay, to historic houses and castles, beautiful gardens, and the famous Ironbridge Gorge Museums . There are miles of unspoiled tranquil countryside, with 30 nature reserves to discover, many family attractions, 32 Castles, as well as many annual festivals and local events. In north Shropshire you will find the pretty market town of Ellesmere , with medieval streets and Georgian buildings. The miniature lakeland of Meres and Mosses around Ellesmere are a haven for wildlife, where you can enjoy fishing or boating. Market Drayton was the hometown of Clive of India.

It is well known for its Wednesday market and as the home of gingerbread, baked here for 200 years. Discover the town trails, or take a walk along the Shropshire Union Canal to the impressive 40 step aqueduct. Wem is home of the modern Sweet Pea flower, developed here by Henry Eckford. Wem holds an annual Sweet Pea festival in July, visit then for a delightful and unique experience. Whitchurch is the oldest continually inhabited community in the County. The Shropshire Way and other long distance walks start from the Jubilee Park in the town. The Heritage Centre in Oswestry is a good source of Shropshire Tourist Information, the town is situated on the border with Wales. It is an excellent place to start exploring the Welsh Mountains and nearby Chirk and Powis Castles. Shrewsbury is Shropshire's county town, centrally situated on the banks of the River Severn. The town is the birthplace of Charles Darwin, who was inspired by the Shropshire landscape. A town of intrigue, with its narrow,cobbled streets and distinctive black and white buildings.

To the east side of the county lies Ironbridge, a World Heritage Site, home of the original Iron Bridge. There are also the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums that are well worth a visit. Newport is one of the most unspoiled market towns in the district, it is located ten miles from Telford on the border of Shropshire and Staffordshire. Bridgnorth High Town perches a hundred feet above the Low Town and the River Severn, the two are connected by England's oldest Funicular railway, The Bridgnorth Cliff Railway. The Severn Valley Railway is Britain's premier steam railway - it will take you on a nostalgic scenic 16 -mile trip along the River Severn. Southern Shropshire also has several historic towns and picturesque villages. Ludlow is often called the "perfect historic Town", described by John Betjeman as "the loveliest town in England". Today it is a lively place, renowned as the Gastronomic Capital of Shropshire. The Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival is held in September and the Ludlow Festival is in June/July.

Church Stretton , with its alpine-like hills and valleys is sometimes called 'little Switzerland' - it retains its spa town feel with natural springs, the source of Stretton Hills bottled water. The Long Mynd rises above the town topped by a moorland plateau of heather and rocks. A popular walking area, ideal for exploring the Shropshire Hills. At Bishops Castle you can admire the Town Hall, other historic buildings and the unusual Elizabethan House on Crutches, supported by wooden posts over a cobbled alley. Many traditional shops and art galleries line the main street. Craven Arms is home to Stokesay Castle, the finest 13th Century fortified manor house in England. The town is an ideal place for long walks along scenic routes through Shropshire's idyllic countryside. Shropshire Towns - Shrewsbury - Ironbridge - Ludlow - Bridgnorth What's On Shropshire Towns To discover Shropshire's districts and towns, please click the district of Shropshire you would like to explore on the map below. Alternatively click the relevant text link for the town below. North Shropshire Market Drayton A market - so good that the town was named after it.

The town is also known as the home of gingerbread which has been baked to a secret recipe in the town for over 200 years. Some say rum is included; but just in case it isn't the locals tend to dip it in port before they eat it. Wem Lies at the heart of North Shropshire, a perfect base for exploring in all directions. It is, as our friends across the water might describe as "quaint", filled with pretty Georgian buildings and delightful 'proper' small shops. The annual sweet pea show is a riot of colour and scent to delight the eye and tickle the nostril. Bridgnorth Was described by Charles I as the "Finest View in all my Kingdom" and its easy to see why, for the town remains as stunning today as it was 350 years ago. It is also home to the Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth Cliff Railway - England's oldest inland Funicular railway and RAF Cosford - catch the last of the few. Much Wenlock Is home of the Modern Olympic Games, honestly! They were the brainchild of William Penny Brookes, his lofty aim was to provide the locals with an alternative to one of their favourite pastimes: drinking.

Fortunately Shropshire's many delightful pubs seem to have survived his attentions. In fact, many of our innkeepers have branched out into serving fine food too. We don't know what happened to the Olympics. Ironbridge It's all so peaceful to day... Strange to think, then, that 250 years ago this was the furnace in which the Industrial Revolution was being forged. But it was here, within the dramatic gorge of the River Severn, that the great Ironmaster Abraham Darby (the first) perfected the secret of smelting iron with cheap and plentiful coke, rather than expensive charcoal. There are also the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums that are well worth a visit. Telford Telford named after Thomas Telford the renowned civil engineer, Telford's gleaming buildings and hi tech businesses mark it out as a town for the future. One of the UK's fastest growing and most successful new towns - it contrasts with its historic neighbour Ironbridge the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. History of Gingerbread | Confectionary Chalet Search History of Gingerbread This following information was compiled from a variety of resources. Very interesting facts and history on Gingerbread.

More information and recipes will be updated in the future; continue checking back for updated information. If you have any further History to share, please Contact Us , Kathleen at Confectionary Chalet. Thank you! Interesting Facts about Gingerbread Gingerbread is a sweet food-product flavored with ginger and typically using honey or molasses rather than just sugar . Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit . The different types likely share a common origin. Originally, the term gingerbread referred to preserved ginger . It then referred to a confection made with honey and spices . Gingerbread is often used to translate the French term pain d’épices (literally “spice bread”) or the German term Lebkuchen or Pfefferkuchen (pepperbread, literally: pepper cake). The term Lebkuchen is unspecified in the German language. It can mean Leben (life) or Laib (loaf), while the last term comes from the wide range of spices used in this product. Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by the Armenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis (Gregory Makar) (Grégoire de Nicopolis).

He left Nicopolis Pompeii, to live in Bondaroy (France), near the town of Pithiviers . He stayed there seven years, and taught gingerbread baking to French Christians. He died in 999. During the 13th century, gingerbread was brought to Sweden by German immigrants. In 15th century Germany, a gingerbread guild controlled production. Early references from the Vadstena Abbey show how the Swedish nuns were baking gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444. It was the custom to bake white biscuits and paint them as window decorations. The first documented trade of gingerbread biscuits dates to the 17th century, where they were sold in monasteries, pharmacies and town square farmers’ markets. In Medieval England gingerbread was thought to have medicinal properties. One hundred years later the town of Market Drayton in Shropshire , UK became known for its gingerbread, as is proudly displayed on their town’s welcome sign. The first recorded mention of gingerbread being baked in the town dates back to 1793; however, it was probably made earlier, as ginger was stocked in high street businesses from the 1640s.

Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century. In England, gingerbread may refer to a cake, or a type of cookie / biscuit made with ginger. In the biscuit form, it commonly takes the form of a gingerbread man . Gingerbread men were first attributed to Queen Elizabeth I, who allegedly served the figurines to foreign dignitaries. Today, however, they are generally served around Christmas. Parkin is a form soft gingerbread cake made with oatmeal and treacle which is popular in northern England. In the United States , this form of gingerbread is sometimes called “gingerbread cake” or “ginger cake” to distinguish it from the harder forms. French pain d’épices is somewhat similar, though generally slightly drier, and involves honey rather than treacle. Original French gingerbread did not contain ginger. In Germany gingerbread is made in two forms: a soft form called Lebkuchen and a harder form, particularly associated with carnivals and street markets such as the Christmas markets that occur in many German towns. The hard gingerbread is made in decorative shapes, which are then further decorated with sweets and icing.

The tradition of cutting gingerbread into shapes takes many other forms, and exists in many countries, a well-known example being the gingerbread man . Traditionally, these were dunked in port wine . In the Nordic countries, the most popular form of ginger confection is the pepperkaker ( Norwegian ), pepparkakor ( Swedish ), brunkager ( Danish ), piparkökur ( Icelandic ), piparkakut ( Finnish ) and in the Baltic countries piparkūkas ( Latvian ) or piparkoogid ( Estonian ). They are thin, very brittle cookies / biscuits that are particularly associated with the extended Christmas period. In Norway and Sweden, pepperkaker/pepparkakor are also used as window decorations, the pepperkaker/pepparkakor are then a little thicker than usual and decorated with glaze and candy. Many families bake pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager as a tradition with their kids. In English, pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager would be referred to as ginger biscuits rather than gingerbread.

In Switzerland , a gingerbread confection known as “ biber ” is typically a three-quarter inch thick rectangular gingerbread cake with a marzipan filling. Biber are famously from the cantons of Appenzell or St. Gallen and respective biber are artfully adorned with images of the Appenzell bear or the St. Gallen cathedral by engraving or icing. In the Netherlands and Belgium , a soft and crumbly gingerbread called Peperkoek , Kruidkoek or Ontbijtkoek is popularly served at breakfast time or during the day, thickly sliced and often with butter on top. Gingerbreads are known in Russia . The most famous gingerbreads there are baked in the ancient cities Tula ( Tula gingerbread , Тульский пряник), Vyazma , and Gorodets . In Poland , gingerbreads are known as pierniki (singular, piernik). The most famous are called Toruń gingerbread (piernik toruński), a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń.

It was a favorite delicacy of Chopin ‘s when he visited his godfather, Fryderyk Florian Skarbek , in Toruń during one of his school vacations. In Romania , gingerbread is called turtă dulce and is usually coated with sugar glazing. In Brazil , a type of cake similar to gingerbread is known as pão de mel (“honey bread”), it can be as big as a coffee cake, or bite-sized, and it’s usually coated with chocolate. There is also a very popular local variety of gingerbread in Bulgaria . It’s called меденка (“made of honey”). Traditionally the cookie is as big as the palm of the hand, round and flat, covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Other common ingredients include honey, cinnamon, ginger and dried clove. It is also made in Karakol . Gingerbread Houses A gingerbread house is a model house made of gingerbread . The usual material is crisp ginger biscuit made of gingerbread – the ginger nut . Another type of model-making with gingerbread uses a boiled dough that can be molded like clay to form edible statuettes or other decorations.

These houses, covered with a variety of candies and icing , are popular Christmas decorations, often built by children with the help of their parents. Records of honey cakes can be traced to ancient Rome . Food historians ratify that ginger has been seasoning foodstuffs and drinks since antiquity. It is believed gingerbread was first baked in Europe at the end of the 11th century, when returning crusaders brought back the custom of spicy bread from the Middle East. Ginger was not only tasty it had properties that helped preserve the bread. According to the French legend, gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by the Armenian monk, later saint, Gregory of Nicopolis (Gregory Makar). He lived for seven years in Bondaroy , France, near the town of Pithiviers , where he taught gingerbread cooking to priests and other Christians. He died in 999. Gingerbread, as we know it today, descends from Medieval European culinary traditions. Gingerbread was also shaped into different forms by monks in Franconia , Germany in the 13th century.

Lebkuchen bakers are recorded as early as 1296 in Ulm and 1395 in Nuremberg . Nuremberg was recognized as the “Gingerbread Capital of the World” when in the 1600s the guild started to employ master bakers and skilled workers to create complicated works of art from gingerbread. Medieval bakers used carved boards to create elaborate designs. During the 13th century, the custom spread across Europe. It was taken to Sweden in the 13th century by German immigrants; there are references from Vadstena Abbey of Swedish nuns baking gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444. The traditional sweetener is honey, used by the guild in Nuremberg. Spices used are ginger , cinnamon , cloves , nutmeg and cardamom . Gingerbread figurines date back to the 15th century, and figural biscuit-making was practised in the 16th century. The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread biscuits is from the court of Elizabeth I of England : she had gingerbread figures made in the likeness of some of her important guests.

History of Shaping Gingerbread The gingerbread bakers were gathered into professional baker guilds. In many European countries gingerbread bakers were a distinct component of the bakers’ guild. Gingerbread baking developed into an acknowledged profession. In the 17th century only professional gingerbread bakers were permitted to bake gingerbread except at Christmas and Easter, when anyone was allowed to bake it. In Europe gingerbreads were sold in special shops and at seasonal markets that sold sweets and gingerbread shaped as hearts, stars, soldiers, babies, riders, trumpets, swords, pistols and animals. Gingerbread was especially sold outside churches on Sundays. Religious gingerbread reliefs were purchased for the particular religious events, such as Christmas and Easter. The decorated gingerbreads were given as presents to adults and children, or given as a love token, and bought particularly for weddings, where gingerbreads were distributed to the wedding guests. A gingerbread relief of the patron saint was frequently given as a gift on a person’s name day , the day of the saint associated with his or her given name. It was the custom to bake biscuits and paint them as window decorations.

The most intricate gingerbreads were also embellished with iced patterns, often using colors and also gilded with gold leaf . [2] Gingerbread was also worn as a talisman in battle or as protection against evil spirits. Gingerbread was a significant form of popular art in Europe; major centers of gingerbread mold carvings included Lyon , Nuremberg, Pest , Prague, Pardubice , Pulsnitz , Ulm, and Toruń . Gingerbread molds often displayed actual happenings, by portraying new rulers and their consorts, for example. Substantial mould collections are held at the Ethnographic Museum in Toruń, Poland and the Bread Museum in Ulm, Germany. During the winter months medieval gingerbread pastries, usually dipped in wine or other alcoholic beverages, were consumed. In America, the German-speaking communities of Pennsylvania and Maryland continued this tradition until the early 20th century. The tradition survived in colonial North America, where the pastries were called ginger snap cookies and gained favor as Christmas tree decorations. The tradition of making decorated gingerbread houses started in Germany in the early 1800s.

According to certain researchers, the first gingerbread houses were the result of the well-known Grimm ‘s fairy tale “ Hansel and Gretel ” in which the two children abandoned in the forest found an edible house made of bread with sugar decorations. After this book was published, German bakers began baking ornamented fairy-tale houses of lebkuchen (gingerbread). These became popular during Christmas, a tradition that came to America with Pennsylvanian German immigrants. According to other food historians, the Grimm brothers were speaking about something that already existed. Modern Gingerbread In modern times the tradition has continued in certain places in Europe. In Germany the Christmas markets still sell decorated gingerbread before Christmas. (Lebkuchenhaus or Pfefferkuchenhaus are the German terms for a gingerbread house. Making gingerbread houses is still a way of celebrating Christmas in many families. They are built traditionally before Christmas using pieces of baked gingerbread dough assembled with melted sugar. The roof tiles can consist of frosting or candy. The gingerbread house yard is usually decorated with icing to represent snow. A gingerbread house does not have to be an actual house, although it is the most common.

It can be anything from a castle to a small cabin, or another kind of building, such as a church, an art museum or a sports stadium and other items, such as cars, gingerbread men and gingerbread women, can be made of gingerbread dough. Shropshire Travel Guide | Area Guide & Travel Information English Bridge, Shrewsbury - © Dpaajones at en.wikipedia Introduction and Overview The Shropshire Travel Guide outlines local attractions, places of interest and tourist information for visitors. The area guide includes travel information on local events, facts & figures, entertainment, transport, maps and accommodation giving an insight in to the county. The county is located in the West Midlands sharing borders with Wales, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. The county is known for being one of the quiet counties in England, Shropshire has a lower profile as a tourist destination than some other counties, however for visitors there is plenty to see and do here. The county is home to a number of historic houses, castles, museums and the world heritage site of Ironbridge. The Shropshire landscape is of great importance given Shropshire is geologically unique.

It creates the special habitats needed to ensure the diversity in Shropshire's wildlife. The quiet countryside has long been a favourite for walkers and outdoor enthusiasts. There are ancient churches and country inns famous for their local beer. There are market towns and local festivals, the relaxed atmosphere and lush countryside emphasise Shropshire as unspoilt and tranquil providing a perfect place to get away from it all. The north of Shropshire includes the counties major towns and settlements including Shrewsbury and Newport. The south of Shropshire is generally more rural than the north with no large towns and settlements, the landscape is also different with a number of hill ranges including the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) valleys and pine forests. The majority of Shropshire’s population live in the five main towns in the county. Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire located in the centre of the county. Shrewsbury is located 9 miles from the border with Wales, the town is known for its historic listed buildings, there are over 660 along with a number of historic buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

The historic market town is well known for being the birth place of Charles Darwin; visitors can see Mount House, the Grade II listed Georgian building where he was born in the town. The town centre includes many narrow streets dating back to their medieval origins. Local attractions include the Quarry; a 20 acre park located in close to Shrewsbury town centre. Inside the park there is the Dingle, a landscaped garden featuring flower beds, statue and memorial benches. The park offers a relaxing green space where visitors can enjoy a stroll and the gardens. Historic attractions include Shrewsbury Castle and Shrewsbury Abbey dating back to the 11th century. The town hosts the annual Shrewsbury Flower Show each August. The Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery is housed inside a historic building and includes a range of collections including geology, social history, ceramics and fine art. Telford is a new town located 15 miles from Shrewsbury, it is the largest town in Shropshire. Telford was built back in the 1960s and 1970s as a new town and has grown rapidly since.

Telford town centre includes the Telford Shopping Centre with 160 outlets including well known high street brands. The Telford Town Park includes 170 hectares of grassland, woodland, lakes and ponds. The park provides a tranquil green space in which to enjoy a walk and see wildlife and flora. Other local attractions include Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom, located in woodland the farm is home to a variety of farm and more exotic animals. Shopping facilities include Telford Shopping Centre located in the town centre, with high street shops and designer stores. Oswestry is a market town located in the north of Shropshire 20 miles from Shrewsbury and close to the border with Wales. The town has Welsh influences including in street and place names and includes both English and Welsh speaking populations. The town first became a market town back in the 12th century and over the years was regarded as a strategic frontier town due to its border location. Oswestry Hill Fort is an Iron Age hill fort that covers 40 acres and includes multiple ramparts and is regarded as one of the finest preserved hill forts in the UK.

The town is well known for its public houses, visitors can try real ale at one of the numerous houses across the town. Nesscliffe Country Park is located a few miles from Oswestry includes an iron age hill fort and the cave of highwayman Humphrey Kynaston from the 18th century. Bridgnorth is located 20 miles south east of Shrewsbury along the Severn Valley. The town is spilt into the High Town and the Low Town. Historically the Low Town was a busy port with many living in the High Town above, there are still many 16th and 17th century houses around. The Low and High Towns are connected via the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, a funicular railway that is both the oldest and steepest inland electric cliff railway in UK. Visitors can experience the journey on the railway offering some splendid views along the way. Visitors can wonder around the markets, shops and inns of the town steeped in history. Historic buildings include St Mary’s Church and St Leonard’s Church with notable classical and gothic architecture. Ludlow is a market town located close to the Welsh border, 30 miles from Shrewsbury.

The town is known for its abundance of listed buildings, there are in excess of 500 many half timbered or Georgian in design. The town plays hosts to various festivals during the year, in September the Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival is held, the Medieval Christmas Fair is held locally in November. Historically the Ludlow Festival was held in the summer attracting performers from the UK and abroad. Local attractions include Ludlow Museum providing an insight in to the history of the town, St Laurence's Church known for its tower and fine views and the 11th century Ludlow Castle. Market Drayton is small market town located in north east Shropshire. The historic town has been synonymous with Gingerbread for the past 200 years, visitors can wonder around the street markets and see some architecturally significant historic buildings including a number of half timbered and red brick buildings. Notable sites include the 14th century St Mary’s Church noted for its fine paintings and woodwork screens. In the town centre the Buttercross dates back to the 19th century originally as cover for the local market stalls. The county of Shropshire is conveniently located for exploring the West Midlands region and nearby North Wales.

The largest settlements of county town Shrewsbury and Telford offer a good base from which to explore the county including a number of town attractions such as Shrewsbury Castle, Shrewsbury Abbey and the Telford Stream Railway. Other popular tourist draws also reside in the county including the Ironbridge Gorge, World Heritage Site. There are great examples of fine historical architecture in the county with a number of well preserved historical buildings helps retain much to the heritage of the area. The West Midlands location of the county and the road and rail links mean it is located conveniently for visitors to come and enjoy its attractions. Disclaimer: The information given in on this website is given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge. If there are any discrepancies in no way do we intend to mislead. Important travel details and arrangements should be confirmed and verified with the relevant authorities.

Related Articles Market Drayton Hotels, Shropshire - Hotels in England - Smooth Hound Market Drayton hotels Phone: +44 (0)1630 638246 Online booking and availability Pricesfrom (per room per night) Single£55.00 Phone: +44 (0)1630 657523 Online booking and availability Pricesfrom (per room per night) Single£55.00 Phone: +44 (0)1630 652995 Online booking and availability Pricesfrom (per room per night) Single£45.00 Book Now! The English town of Market Drayton is located within the northern part of Shropshire. The town of Market Drayton is located on the banks of the River Tern, which is located between Stoke on Trent and Shrewsbury. The town is commonly referred to as Drayton. The town of Market Drayton is located on the banks of the Union Canal of Shropshire and the town is also on a national cycle route that is known as 75.

The town is located in the western part of England close to the border with Wales. The town is probably best known for its connections with gingerbread and this connection dates back as far as 1793. At one point there were four bakers within the town that produced the traditional gingerbread bread, which contained rum. Nowadays the main producer of gingerbread within the town is the company that is known as Image on Food and this company produces about one million novelty gingerbread figures per year. The town of Drayton has a vast number of facilities on offer including a twenty-five meter modern swimming pool and there is also an outdoor pool available for the summertime. The town is also home to a skate park, which is located close to the swimming pool. The town of Market Drayton was at one point connected to the town of Wellington by a railway branch line that was opened in 1867. There is a strong educational network within the town of Market Drayton and this is made up of two primary schools, a nursery school, a secondary school and also a college.

The secondary school is known as Grove School and it has a student population of about one thousand one hundred pupils some of whom travel about twelve miles to get to the school. We hope you enjoy your stay in one of our cheap Market Drayton hotels, mid range or luxury Market Drayton hotels. Copyright © 1995 to 2017 Smooth Hound Systems Shropshire Life | towns in Shropshire | Wem | Ironbridge | Craven Arms | Oswestry |Clun - Shifnal Shrewsbury: The county town and the birthplace of Charles Darwin. With medieval cobbled streets the town has over 660 listed buildings including the Abbey which is the home of the fictional Brother Cadfael. Amongst the modern shopping centers are little boutique shops. Something here for everyone. The annual shrewsbury flower show is hosted here, a fantastic day out. Oswestry: Situated on the Welsh border and has a bustling weekly market with over 100 stalls, you are sure to find what you are looking for here!

Oswestry also boasts Park Hall, With 40,000 square feet of indoor attractions, regular hands-on animal activities, lots of outdoor play and driving activities there is never a dull moment for the kids. Telford: Boasts one of the major shopping centers in the region and home to one of the countries largest animated clocks. It is home to one of the UK's top conference and exhibition centres.There is also an ice rink, multi screen cinema, sports halls, swimming pools, ten pin bowling and fitness centres and excellent golfing facilities. Ironbridge: The birthplace of industry, takes its name from the famous Iron Bridge, a 30 metre cast iron bridge that was built across the river there in 1779. Ironbridge has now become a major tourist attraction in Shropshire with 35 historical sites including 10 museums. Newport: An interesting and picturesque market town in the centre of a rural farming area.

It has hosted the Newport carnival for over 150 years In 1665 a great fire caused £30,000 worth of damage and 166 families lost their homes, since then a smoked cheese was named after the terrible event the Newport 1665, which has gone on to win prestigeous awards! Ellesmere: The town is located by the side of 'The Mere', the largest natural Mere (lake) in England outside the Lake District. The mere has a visitors' centre and is popular with birdwatchers, many of whom visit to see Grey Herons nesting. Wem: Home of the sweet pea and also is one of the shortest place names in britain, it has been a market town since 1202 and a market is still held in the Town Hall every Thursday. Wem still has many coaching inns offering real ales and is noted for its range of speciality shops. Market Drayton: The town is promoted as 'the home of gingerbread'. Baked there for over 200 years and to this day, Image on Food based in Market Drayton produce nearly one million novelty gingerbread figures for Britain's leading retailers.

Market Drayton has a number of 17th and 18th century half-timbered buildings in the town centre, as well as a restored Norman church, St. Mary's. Whitchurch: Originally a settlement founded by the Romans around AD 52 or 70, it was called Mediolanum, meaning The place in the middle of the plain. Whitchurch is the oldest continually inhabited town in Shropshire and currently has a population of around 9000. Bishops Castle: Best known as a thriving market town with a strong agricultural community and has more recently become known for its alternative community including artists, musicians, writers and craftspeople. Bishops Castle is home to a fantastic railway and transport museum in the High Street. Clun: located entirely in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town's name is taken from the river on which it lies, the River Clun. Attractions in the town include the Norman Clun Castle (now only a ruin), the fourteenth century Clun Bridge basically a Packhorse bridge, most of which is still in the original stone despite being a road bridge today used by all vehicles.

Church Stretton: The town was nicknamed "Little Switzerland" during the Victorian and Edwardian periods, due to its hilly terrain. The local geology is complex and incorporates some of the oldest rocks in England. Historically, the town was noted for its textiles, but the town's carding mill closed at the beginning of the 20th century. The valley it was in took the name "Carding Mill Valley", and is now a tourist attraction owned by the National Trust. Craven Arms: Craven Arms is a relatively new town for Shropshire, but grew when the railways came during the mid to late 19th Century. Craven Arms is home to the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, a centre featuring exhibits about the county's geography; and Stella Mitchell's Land of Lost Content Museum, a collection of 20th century memorabilia. Cleobury Mortimer: The River Rea runs to the east of the town. The Clee Hills, the highest hills in Shropshire, are nearby and the Wyre Forest lies between the town and Bewdley. There are a number of landmarks in the town, the most famous of which is the 12th-century St.

Mary's church in the town centre, renowned for its crooked spire. Ludlow: A market town in Shropshire, close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, The Ludlow Festival has been held annually since 1960. An open area within the castle serves as the stage and backdrop for various Shakespearean plays, while a number of supporting events at various venues include classical and pop/rock concerts, varied musicians, lecture talks from public figures, and entertainers. Bridgenorth: Bridgenorth has a theatre, the Theatre On The Steps, and a 1930s cinema which is still in use, the Majestic, originally having one screen, but now three. There is a museum, the Northgate Museum with many artifacts connected with the Town and surrounding area Bridgnorth is home to a funicular railway that links the high and low towns, the Castle Hill Railway, which is the steepest and only inland railway of its type in the country.

Broseley: In 2007, Broseley won a Gold award in the Heart of England Britain in Bloom competition for the second year running, also gaining first place in the Best Small Town category. Broseley has a large Amateur Dramatics society, BroADS, which performs a number of plays every year. There is also a thriving arts and crafts community, who form a group known as the Broseley Artists. Much Wenlock: The town is known for Wenlock Olympian Games set up by Dr. William Penny Brookes in 1850. In 1861 he was also instrumental in setting up the Shropshire Games and later in 1866, the National Olympian Games. Shifnal: A picturesque little Market town, once an important staging post on the London to Holyhead road. The Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford is nearby. Shifnal is home to Naughty Nell's public house, a restored 16th century coaching inn, originally known as the Unicorn, claims to have been the home of Nell Gwyn and her renowned bedchamber.

History about Gingerbread History about Gingerbread Call 24/7 866-396-8429 email us This following information was compiled from a variety of resources and compiled over the decades. Very interesting facts and history on Gingerbread. More information will be updated in the future; continue checking back for updated information. If you have any further History to share, please 866-3964829 Gingerbread Bakery USA. Thank you! Interesting Facts about Gingerbread Gingerbread is a sweet food-product flavored with ginger and typically using honey or molasses rather than just sugar . Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit . The different types likely share a common origin and taste. Originally, the term gingerbread referred to preserved ginger . It then referred to a confection made with honey and spices . Gingerbread is often used to translate the French term pain d’épices (literally “spice bread”) or the German term Lebkuchen or Pfefferkuchen (pepperbread, literally: pepper cake). The term Lebkuchen is unspecified in the German language.

It can mean Leben (life) or Laib (loaf), while the last term comes from the wide range of spices used in this product. Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by the Armenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis (Gregory Makar) (Grégoire de Nicopolis). He left Nicopolis Pompeii, to live in Bondaroy (France), near the town of Pithiviers . He stayed there seven years, and taught gingerbread baking to French Christians. He died in 999. During the 13th century, gingerbread was brought to Sweden by German immigrants. In 15th century Germany, a gingerbread guild controlled production. Early references from the Vadstena Abbey show how the Swedish nuns were baking gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444. It was the custom to bake white biscuits and paint them as window decorations. The first documented trade of gingerbread biscuits dates to the 17th century, where they were sold in monasteries, pharmacies and town square farmers’ markets. In Medieval England gingerbread was thought to have medicinal properties.

One hundred years later the town of Market Drayton in Shropshire , UK became known for its gingerbread, as is proudly displayed on their town’s welcome sign. The first recorded mention of gingerbread being baked in the town dates back to 1793; however, it was probably made earlier, as ginger was stocked in high street businesses from the 1640s. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century. In England, gingerbread may refer to a cake, or a type of cookie / biscuit made with ginger. In the biscuit form, it commonly takes the form of a gingerbread man . Gingerbread men were first attributed to Queen Elizabeth I, who allegedly served the figurines to foreign dignitaries. Today, however, they are generally served around Christmas. Parkin is a form soft gingerbread cake made with oatmeal and treacle which is popular in northern England. In the United States , this form of gingerbread is sometimes called “gingerbread cake” or “ginger cake” to distinguish it from the harder forms. French pain d’épices is somewhat similar, though generally slightly drier, and involves honey rather than treacle.

Original French gingerbread did not contain ginger. In Germany gingerbread is made in two forms: a soft form called Lebkuchen and a harder form, particularly associated with carnivals and street markets such as the Christmas markets that occur in many German towns. The hard gingerbread is made in decorative shapes, which are then further decorated with sweets and icing. The tradition of cutting gingerbread into shapes takes many other forms, and exists in many countries, a well-known example being the gingerbread man . Traditionally, these were dunked in port wine . In the Nordic countries, the most popular form of ginger confection is the pepperkaker ( Norwegian ), pepparkakor ( Swedish ), brunkager ( Danish ), piparkökur ( Icelandic ), piparkakut ( Finnish ) and in the Baltic countries piparkūkas ( Latvian ) or piparkoogid ( Estonian ). They are thin, very brittle cookies / biscuits that are particularly associated with the extended Christmas period. In Norway and Sweden, pepperkaker/pepparkakor are also used as window decorations, the pepperkaker/pepparkakor are then a little thicker than usual and decorated with glaze and candy.

Many families bake pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager as a tradition with their kids. In English, pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager would be referred to as ginger biscuits rather than gingerbread. In Switzerland , a gingerbread confection known as “ biber ” is typically a three-quarter inch thick rectangular gingerbread cake with a marzipan filling. Biber are famously from the cantons of Appenzell or St. Gallen and respective biber are artfully adorned with images of the Appenzell bear or the St. Gallen cathedral by engraving or icing. In the Netherlands and Belgium , a soft and crumbly gingerbread called Peperkoek , Kruidkoek or Ontbijtkoek is popularly served at breakfast time or during the day, thickly sliced and often with butter on top. Gingerbreads are known in Russia . The most famous gingerbreads there are baked in the ancient cities Tula ( Tula gingerbread , Тульский пряник), Vyazma , and Gorodets . In Poland , gingerbreads are known as pierniki (singular, piernik).

The most famous are called Toruń gingerbread (piernik toruński), a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń. It was a favorite delicacy of Chopin ‘s when he visited his godfather, Fryderyk Florian Skarbek , in Toruń during one of his school vacations. In Romania , gingerbread is called turtă dulce and is usually coated with sugar glazing. In Brazil , a type of cake similar to gingerbread is known as pão de mel (“honey bread”), it can be as big as a coffee cake, or bite-sized, and it’s usually coated with chocolate. There is also a very popular local variety of gingerbread in Bulgaria . It’s called меденка (“made of honey”). Traditionally the cookie is as big as the palm of the hand, round and flat, covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Other common ingredients include honey, cinnamon, ginger and dried clove. It is also made in Karakol .

Move to rip up Market Drayton gingerbread icon ‘takes the biscuit’ « Shropshire Star Comments Around 12 feet high, the image was once surrounded by flowers and lovingly tended during the summer months. But now the brick figure, which lies on the A53 bypass near the town, is to be ripped up. It will be removed after councillors decided it had become an eyesore that was too difficult to maintain. Crumbs, this town really is the home of Gingerbread The connection between gingerbread and Market Drayton dates back to 1793 when the first making of the treat was recorded. Roland Lateward was the first recorded gingerbread baker in the town and built a bakery at the back of his cottage in Shropshire Street. Since then, the town has been known as the home of gingerbread bakers for more than 200 years. In 1817 another bakery began in the corner of High Street and Church Street, which then became known as Billington’s Gingerbread. Here the town’s secret recipe was developed and was said to include rum while many claim it should be eaten after being dipped in port.

In the early 20th century, the small town of Market Drayton had four gingerbread bakers. The smell of the spicy little treat would have wafted around the town at the time. Image On Food was first set up in the 1980s by Tim and Sarah Hopcroft. Today, the company still makes the sweet treat at its base in Burnside Business Park in the town and sells to Heals, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, John Lewis and Waitrose. Ginger is not only delicious – it is good for you. It is thought to help digestion and stomach problems as well as burn blisters, heatstroke, colds and gout. While the town’s connections with the history of gingerbread have been debated over the years, many people are sad to see him go. Mark Whittle, chair of the town’s chamber of trade and commerce, said he found it hard to believe councillors had voted to rip up part of the town’s unique identity. He said: “It is a huge figure, about 12 feet. Market Drayton isn’t famous for much, but it does have links to gingerbread and there is only one place now where you can still get it in the town.

“I was really shocked to find out it was being removed. When it is cleaned up and looking good it looks fantastic. “It is such a pity it is being removed.” The town’s links to gingerbread are thought to date back hundreds of years – the first recorded mention of it being made in the town was 1793. Now, just one company, Image On Food, still makes the sweet treat in the town. The brick symbol was created by the town’s In Bloom committee about 15 years ago. It was the centrepiece of a display that was the envy of many rival towns. But councillor Roger Hughes said the figure had been too difficult to maintain and had become unattractive. He said: “It has always been difficult to maintain. “People need to drive along the bypass and see that you can barely see it. I don’t think most people realise it is even there. “We have always had problems planting flowers and getting things to grow there. “The decision was made at a committee meeting and we are going to replace it with something.

“If anyone has ideas they are of course able to contact the town council.” More Market Drayton news: Gingerbread - iSnare Free Encyclopedia Gingerbread For other uses, see Gingerbread (disambiguation) . Gingerbread Media: Gingerbread Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavored with ginger , cloves , nutmeg or cinnamon and sweetened with honey , sugar or molasses . Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit . [1] Contents Gingerbread with royal icing Originally, the term gingerbread (from Latin zingiber via Old French gingebras) referred to preserved ginger . It then referred to a confection made with honey and spices. Gingerbread is often used to translate the French term pain d'épices (literally "spice bread") or the German term Lebkuchen (Leb is unspecified in the German language. It can mean Leben (life) or Laib (loaf), kuchen = cake) or Pfefferkuchen (pepperbread, literally: pepper cake).

History Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by the Armenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis (Gregory Makar) (Grégoire de Nicopolis). He left Nicopolis Pompeii, to live in Bondaroy (France), near the town of Pithiviers. He stayed there seven years, and taught gingerbread baking to French Christians. He died in 999. After long years, in the 13th century, gingerbread was brought to Sweden by German immigrants. In 15th-century Germany, a gingerbread guild controlled production. [2] Early references from the Vadstena Abbey show how the Swedish nuns were baking gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444. [3] It was the custom to bake white biscuits and paint them as window decorations. The first documented trade of gingerbread biscuits dates to the 17th century,[ citation needed ] where they were sold in monasteries, pharmacies, and town square farmers' markets. In Medieval England gingerbread was thought to have medicinal properties.

[4] One hundred years later, the town of Market Drayton in Shropshire, UK became known for its gingerbread, as is proudly displayed on their town's welcome sign. The first recorded mention of gingerbread being baked in the town dates to 1793, although it was probably made earlier, as ginger had been stocked in high street businesses since the 1640s. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century. Varieties Traditional Toruń gingerbread In England, gingerbread may refer to a cake, or a type of cookie / biscuit made with ginger. In the biscuit form, it commonly takes the form of a gingerbread man . Gingerbread men were first attributed to the court of Queen Elizabeth I , who served the figurines to foreign dignitaries. [5] Today, however, they are generally served around Christmas. Parkin is a form of soft gingerbread cake made with oatmeal and treacle which is popular in northern England. In the United States, this form of gingerbread is sometimes called "gingerbread cake" or "ginger cake" to distinguish it from the harder forms.

French pain d'épices is somewhat similar, though generally slightly drier, and involves honey rather than treacle. Originally French pain d'épices did not contain ginger. In the Netherlands and Belgium , a soft and crumbly gingerbread called Peperkoek , Kruidkoek or Ontbijtkoek is popularly served at breakfast time or during the day, thickly sliced and often topped with butter. In Germany gingerbread is made in two forms: a soft form called Lebkuchen and a harder form, particularly associated with carnivals and street markets such as the Christmas markets that occur in many German towns. The hard gingerbread is made in decorative shapes, which are then further decorated with sweets and icing. The tradition of cutting gingerbread into shapes takes many other forms, and exists in many countries, a well-known example being the gingerbread man . Traditionally, these were dunked in port wine . In Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, the honey cake eaten at Rosh Hashanah (New Year) closely resembles the Dutch peperkoek or the German Lebkuchen, though it has wide regional variations.

In the Nordic countries, the most popular form of ginger confection is the pepperkaker ( Norwegian ), pepparkakor ( Swedish ), brunkager ( Danish ), piparkökur ( Icelandic ), piparkakut ( Finnish ) and in the Baltic countries piparkūkas ( Latvian ) or piparkoogid ( Estonian ). They are thin, brittle cookies / biscuits that are particularly associated with the extended Christmas period. In Norway and Sweden, pepperkaker/pepparkakor are also used as window decorations, the pepperkaker/pepparkakor are then a little thicker than usual and decorated with glaze and candy. Many families bake pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager as a tradition. In Switzerland , a gingerbread confection known as "biber" is typically a two-centimeter thick rectangular gingerbread cake with a marzipan filling. Biber are famously from the cantons of Appenzell or St. Gallen and respective biber are artfully adorned with images of the Appenzell bear or the St. Gallen cathedral by engraving or icing.

In Russia , a gingerbread maker was first mentioned in Kazan cadastres in 1568. [6] Gingerbread confections are called pryaniki (sg. pryanik), derived from the old Russian word for 'pepper'. Historically three main centers of gingerbread production have developed in the cities of Vyazma , Gorodets , and Tula . Gingerbreads from Tver , Saint Petersburg and Moscow were also well known in the Russian Empire . A classic Russian gingerbread is made with rye flour, honey, sugar, butter, eggs and various spices; it has an embossed ornament and/or text on the front side with royal icing. [7] A Russian gingerbread can also be shaped in various forms and stuffed with varenje and other sweet fillings. In Poland , gingerbreads are known as pierniki (singular, piernik ). The most famous are called Toruń gingerbread (piernik toruński), a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń.

It was a favorite delicacy of Chopin when he visited his godfather, Fryderyk Florian Skarbek , in Toruń during a school vacation. In Romania , gingerbread is called turtă dulce and usually has sugar glazing. A variety of gingerbread in Bulgaria is known as меденка ("made of honey"). Traditionally the cookie is as big as the palm of the hand, round and flat, with a thin layer of chocolate. Other common ingredients include honey, cinnamon, ginger and dried clove. Gingerbread is popular in England, and is available in supermarkets. As in other countries, Gingerbread biscuits are often decorated with Royal icing . In Panama, a confection named yiyinbre is a gingerbread cake made with ginger and molasses; it is typical of the region of Chiriqui. Another popular confection is quequi or queque, a chewy biscuit made with ginger, molasses and coconut. See also

Question: Which Shropshire town is known for its gingerbread?
Answer: Market Drayton