Summary
Nestled within the steep Severn Valley, Bridgnorth is a historic market town featuring High and Low areas along the valley slope.
The Low Town is located by the river, at the base of a sandstone cliff, whereas the once impenetrable High Town is dominated by two churches and the remnants of Bridgnorth Castle.
The castle was devastated following a three-week siege in 1646, an event that has left its mark throughout the town.
The most convenient ascent to the High Town is via the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, a funicular that ascends a challenging gradient of 64%.
Elegant country houses in the surrounding countryside open their doors during summer, while the Severn Valley Railway provides an exceptional steam train experience, stopping at Bridgnorth’s preserved railway station established in 1862.
1. Bridgnorth Cliff Railway
Connecting Low Town by the Severn River with High Town and the castle, the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway is recognized for several remarkable features.
This railway is the oldest, shortest, and steepest electric funicular in the UK, operating smoothly along the steep sandstone cliffs.
The incline reaches a maximum steepness of 64%, and the track extends slightly over 60 meters.
Established in 1891, it has been managed by the same entity, The Bridgnorth Castle Railway Company, since its inception.
The funicular carriages operate on parallel tracks and counterbalance one another through a steel cable.
Initially powered by a water balance system, an electric winding engine was later installed between 1943 and 1944, while the current car design dates back to 1955. The service operates 363 days a year, and as of March 2019, the fare for a return journey was only £1.60.
2. Bridgnorth Castle
In the manicured gardens on the hill, visitors can uncover the twisted remnants of Bridgnorth Castle.
This castle dates back to 1101, with the primary remaining structure, the square great tower, built during the latter half of the 12th century under the reign of Henry II.
During the English Civil War, Bridgnorth served as a significant Royalist stronghold, housing numerous troops in 1642. It was besieged by the Parliamentarians over a three-week period in 1646 and was subsequently demolished to prevent its reuse.
The site was excavated for its precious stone, although a substantial portion of the great tower remains.
This fragment exhibits a remarkable lean of 15°, four times that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
3. Dudmaston Estate
Occupying the Wolryche or Wolryche-Whitmore family lineage since 1403, the Dudmaston Estate is a National Trust property comprising a 17th-century William and Mary residence along with 3,000 acres of gardens, woodland, and parkland.
The house remains inhabited by a branch of the Wolryche-Whitmore family and is open to visitors from April to September, offering a glimpse into several rooms adorned with 18th-century panelling and stuccowork.
In the 20th century, various rooms were transformed into exhibition spaces for an impressive modern art collection featuring works by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.
The grounds, cascading down from the house, were designed by William Shetstone and exemplify the Picturesque style.
Visitors can enjoy the scenery year-round, featuring meandering paths past pools, conifer plantations, and ancient woodlands, while the garden hosts sculptures and the quaint Orchard Tearoom offering refreshments from Sunday to Thursday.
4. Upton Cressett Hall
Situated in serene countryside, four miles west of Bridgnorth’s High Town, Upton Cressett Hall is yet another magnificent country estate.
This Elizabethan manor, constructed for the Cressett family between 1540 and 1580, remained with them for 200 years before its transformation into a farmhouse, leading to a gradual decline.
In 1969, the property was acquired by the Member of Parliament for Stone, Sir William Cash, who initiated restoration efforts, welcoming public visits during open days since the 1970s.
The manor is characterized by its towering 16th-century chimneys and features a timber-framed Great Hall from the 1400s, predating the remainder of the structure.
The fine turreted gatehouse also dates back to the 16th century, having hosted kings, princes, and more recently prominent figures including Margaret Thatcher, Boris Johnson, and Elizabeth Hurley over the past 500 years.
Please consult the website for information regarding open days and opportunities for guided tours, which include tea and homemade cake.
5. Daniels Mill
Set in a picturesque location, Daniels Mill functions as an operational water mill.
This facility boasts the largest waterwheel powering a corn mill that is still in use in the country today.
The mill’s origins can be traced back to the late 15th century, evolving with time.
The current whitewashed structures primarily date from the 1700s and are nestled within a wooded valley traversed by a 19th-century brick viaduct that carries the Severn Valley Railway towards Bridgnorth.
Daniels Mill has been under the same family stewardship for over 250 years and opens to the public from April to October, allowing visitors to experience the enchanting surroundings and learn how grains such as wheat are processed into flour.
Visitors can purchase bags of this stone-ground 100% wholemeal flour from the gift shop, alongside recipe suggestions.
6. Bridgnorth Town Hall
A prominent feature on Bridgnorth’s quaint High Street is the half-timbered Town Hall, erected in 1650 and resting on an arcaded brick base.
The space beneath the Town Hall originally served as the public wool market and continues to host Bridgnorth’s weekly Charter Market.
Visitors can enter this historical building year-round.
During the summer, it is accessible daily except Thursday, while winter hours are Friday to Sunday from 11:00 to 15:00.
Guided tours conducted by the curator lead guests through the stunning stained glass windows in the Council Chamber, with a pause for tea in the former waiting room.
7. St Leonard’s Church
When observing Bridgnorth’s High Town from the east bank of the Severn, two churches prominently stand out across the river.
One of these is the defunct St Leonard’s Church, constructed from local red sandstone and in existence since the 12th century, incorporating concealed stonework from older Anglo-Saxon and Norman structures.
St Leonard’s has weathered numerous misfortunes, the most destructive being a fire that consumed a significant portion of the High Town during the Parliamentarian siege in 1646 during the Civil War.
The remarkable hammerbeam roof in the nave originates from the church’s reconstruction in 1662, while nearly all the fittings (choir stalls, stained glass, pulpit, and reredos) were added during or following a comprehensive restoration in the mid-19th century.
The church was declared redundant in the 1970s and today welcomes visitors, hosting concerts and exhibitions throughout the year.
8. St Mary’s Church
Completed in 1795, this Renaissance Revival church was envisioned by the Scottish architect and civil engineer Thomas Telford.
Telford’s significant contributions to Shropshire’s early industrial landscape were so impactful that a new town was named after him in 1968 (Telford). The existing St Mary’s was built over a Medieval church and is classified as a Grade II* monument.
At an elevation of 35 meters, the copper-clad cupola is an impressive sight, dominating the skyline, complemented by a portico elevated on Doric columns.
9. Northgate Museum
Despite significant changes since Medieval times, Northgate remains the last of the five gates historically controlling entry into Bridgnorth.
This structure was reconstructed in brick during the 1740s and later embellished with rusticated sandstone in the 1910s.
The free museum established within the gate opened its doors in 1951 and welcomes visitors on weekends, bank holidays, and Wednesday afternoons during the summer.
Exhibits include a fascinating assortment of artefacts, such as an Edwardian cash till, Roman coins, Civil War-era clay pipes, a scale model of Richard Trevithick’s stationary steam engine (1802), a 17th-century turret clock, as well as prehistoric axes and scrapers.
10. Severn Valley Railway
Bridgnorth serves as the northern terminus for an enchanting steam railway that traverses the Severn Valley over a distance of 16 miles.
As one of the most cherished heritage railways in the UK, the Severn Valley Railway was constructed between 1858 and 1862, including historic stations and crossing monumental structures such as the Victoria Bridge, recognized as Britain’s longest single-span cast iron bridge.
The railway operates from early May through the end of October and houses one of the largest collections of operational steam locomotives and carriages in the country, with some dating back over a century.
An appealing feature of the Bridgnorth station is the opportunity to observe the maintenance and restoration of the railway’s collection from the footbridge overlooking the locomotive yard (accessible only on open days). The station itself opened concurrently with the railway in 1862 and has largely retained its original architecture.
11. Rays Farm
Rays Farm offers a delightful rural experience, especially appealing to families visiting Bridgnorth with young children. The farm is home to friendly domestic animals, pathways through ancient woodlands, and areas designed for soft play.
Among the array of farm residents are badger-faced sheep, pygmy goats, miniature Shetland ponies, rabbits, red deer, reindeer, alpacas, up to 25 owls, a donkey, and a llama.
Spring is particularly enchanting as new lambs and goat kids arrive.
Various activities are scheduled throughout the day, such as sheep feeding and introductions to the owls.
The farm’s woodland trails are adorned with sculptures representing creatures from folklore and fairytales, including dragons, gnomes, trolls, and a giant caterpillar. Additionally, the play areas feature a “mini beach,” climbing nets, and ropes designed for older children.
12. Lavington’s Hole
Recognizing that the defending Royalist forces stored their gunpowder in St Leonard’s Church atop the High Town, the besieging Parliamentarians devised an innovative plan to tunnel through the underlying sandstone and detonate the structure from beneath.
The entrance to this 20-meter tunnel is conveniently located at the Quayside in the Low Town.
After enduring the siege for three weeks, the Royalists surrendered on April 1, 1646, prior to the tunnel’s completion.
Adjacent to the tunnel’s entrance are additional excavated cavities within the sandstone, remnants of past cave dwellings.
13. Eardington Nature Reserve
Located just a couple of miles south of Bridgnorth, this picturesque 17-acre nature reserve was formerly a sand and gravel quarry.
The sandy banks surrounding a temporary wetland provide a unique habitat for orchids, uncommon bee species, great-crested newts, and jack snipes.
Quarrying activities ceased in the mid-1990s, the last operation being a concrete plant that vacated in 2010. With support from a local community organization, nature has flourished once again.
Visitors are encouraged to bring binoculars to observe the local wildlife and can use the reserve as a starting point for walks through the charming Severn-side Eardington parish.
14. Old Mill Antiques Centre
Situated on Mill Street in Low Town, the antiques centre is housed within a building connected to an auction house boasting over 170 years of history.
The final auction held by Perry & Phillips took place in October 2018; however, the antiques centre continues to operate into the future.
It provides trading opportunities for more than 90 dealers, spread across four floors within an elegant period setting.
Visitors can explore an extensive array of items, including ceramics, collectibles, furniture, antique weaponry, toys, paintings, timepieces, glassware, and various other arts and crafts, both original and reproduction.
15. Charter Market
Every Friday and Saturday, visitors can explore the Charter Market, which operates under the historic wooden beams of the 17th-century Town Hall.
While the Charter Market may not be extensive, it offers a diverse selection including local produce, a butcher, floral arrangements, jewelry, confectionery, handbags, pet products, and an assortment of arts and crafts.
On Saturdays, an additional market stretches along High Street, while twice monthly on Sundays, the Bridgnorth Sunday Handmade Market also takes place beneath the Town Hall.
During the spring and summer months, special events coincide with the markets, including a beer festival in May, Bridgnorth’s Street Fest in July, and a Music and Arts Festival at the end of August.
