Secrets of Shrewsbury- A Guided Tour

A Guided tour of Shrewsbury featuring the actor John Challis (Boycie), from 'Only Fools and Horses' fame.
This video highlights some of the most interesting historical sites and folklore in and around the town.
It was produced for and sold by the local Visitor Information Centre for a number of years.

[@WalkswithBcGirl]

As a Shrewsbury Lass, this was lovely to watch 🥰 I moved to Bishops Castle nearly 6yrs ago, but visit Shrewsbury regularly to meet up with family. I remember as a child feeling annoyed by tourists just standing in your way, taking photos 🙈 it wasn’t til I was an adult myself & teaching my son about the town, that I truly appreciated her beauty & history. I consider myself very blessed to now be living in another beautiful part of the County 🥰

[@THINKincessantly]

This is how a documentary should be done....the style pace and overall content is perfectly done... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿♥️ Long and good health from Texas.

[@royrogers1604]

Your kind comments are much appreciated

[@PaulEllisaustralia]

It’s a fabulous documentary indeed

[@surreygirl2075]

I like the black and white buildings and the beauiful gardens and flowers. Very interesting history

[@user-dp8gi7sz7e]

Really enjoyed this video, so much information about Shropshire and Shrewsbury. I'm hoping to visit Shrewsbury very soon. Thank you for sharing

[@royrogers1604]

You're welcome. So glad you enjoyed it. Nice to know that 20 years later the videos are still giving pleasure to people

[@monicacall7532]

After reading all of the Brother Cadfael mysteries and many of Mary Webb’s books I can finally see what Shrewsbury and its environs actually look like! My guesses were about 60% correct. Webb’s books make it sound so much more forbidding yet Peters’s do not. Oh well. To each their own view of the countryside! Thanks for the lovely and informative tour. When I reread these books I’ll have your video in mind.

[@klausirion9556]

Thank you for the excellent work. 🙌

[@marktwain368]

Marvellous and informative tour! Such a delightful piece of England that all can enjoy!

[@royrogers1604]

Thank you

[@Robert-ts2ef]

Excellent video tour of Shrewsbury and surrounding sights. Boycie did a good job.

[@royrogers1604]

Thanks

[@bloggalot4718]

A town worth visiting.

[@sharoncarter4086]

Boycie, where's Marlene? Love you John, great tour of my home town! Best town in the world!!!! I love Shrewsbury, love from Sharon xx

[@royrogers1604]

Thank you

[@alanclark1146]

Great to see and great to share with family who are far away

[@royrogers1604]

Pleasing to know how much you enjoyed it

[@markbright684]

Thoroughly enjoyed this film I was born here but moved to Hornses to be near my mum's parents when I was only a few months old so never got to see this beautiful place.

[@royrogers1604]

Let's hope you do eventually make the pilgrimage to what is a fascinating and beautiful town

[@paulmoreland1563]

Wonderful

[@voraciousreader3341]

First, I’m really shocked no mention was made of the famous historian and novelist Ellis Peters, pen name of Edith Pargeter, who created the very popular “Brother Cadfael” mysteries! She certainly put Shrewsbury on the map all over North America and Europe, and the way she wove the struggle between the Welsh and English, the Christian religious practices of the period in a Benedictine Abbey, and the history of the Civil War between adherents of King Stephen and the Empress Matilda, into wonderful mysteries is quite an achievement….but no mention, at all!! Is this because she was a woman?? It’s clear she loved Shrewsbury with all her heart, such a shame it doesn’t seem to love her. Next, I’ve always bemoaned the American way of knocking down beautiful old buildings to make room for shoddy new constructions, and applauded the English way of preserving important buildings and structures, but never more! Nearly everything mentioned here of historical or architectural importance was in the place of something destroyed for various (many ridiculous!) reasons, which really is such a shame! Ugh, people can be so clueless.

[@royrogers1604]

I take on board your concerns about Ellis Peters and Brother Cadfael and she should indeed have been mentioned. I have been criticised for omissions on numerous topics, people and places, which is inevitable with such a historic town. I also accept that Shrewsbury in general does seem to ascribe her a lower profile than some might expect. There used to be a Shrewsbury Quest Museum adjacent to the Abbey, dedicated to monastic life in the time of Cadfael, which closed in the early 2000’s……one assumes from lack of interest and footfall. I visited shortly before its closure and it did indeed look quite rundown. I do, however, resent the suggestion that she was left out simply because she was a woman…..that was offensive and unnecessary. I did, after all, refer to the writer Mary Webb in the preamble to the tour of Shrewsbury. As to your point about the buildings and architecture of Shrewsbury……..well, I’m not sure that I really understand it. Shrewsbury has over 600 listed buildings and retains the remains of a wide spectrum of architectural history……..much more than most comparable towns. If I am guilty of bias against Ellis Peters, it is more to do with her writing style - and I know this will likely incur the wrath of her many fans - but I find her books guilty of being, as one reviewer stated it, ‘leaden paced, one dimensional in characterisation, with implausible dialogue and little insight into the medieval mind. But I hold my hands up…...it was remiss of me to leave her out.

[@royrogers1604]

I forgot to mention that yours is the first criticism on this subject.......which possibly speaks volumes.

[@monicacall7532]

I enjoyed the Cadfael books more for what I learned about Medieval life as seen through the eyes of the community and the church than for the writing. (Derek Jacobi will always be Cadfael in my mind.) Doing so ignited my desire to learn about Medieval England and Europe which has been an ongoing passion for over 30 years.

[@daniellim9943]

thank you. enjoyed it..v useful info

[@royrogers1604]

Thank you!

[@anthony342]

so glad we live here ..

[@royrogers1604]

Yes, your very fortunate indeed. Its a lovely place.

[@thirdratecontent585]

Very interesting. RIP John Challis

[@royrogers1604]

Thanks. Yes, the guy was a real gent....sadly missed.

[@stickykitty]

Boyce!?? You’re the last person I’d expect to see narrate This video!! I love it 🥰

[@royrogers1604]

Thanks! He did a brilliant job, didn't he? Such a shame he has gone.

[@stickykitty]

@@royrogers1604 thank you for the reply. Yes he did a fantastic job.. it's not my usual thing to watch but I did enjoy it rather much! So sad he is no longer with us 😞

[@georginacox3909]

I watched Percy Thrower. Never forgotten him.

[@WildwoodTV]

Met him in Bomere, nice chap

[@neilwilliams2409]

Very well done really interesting.

[@royrogers1604]

Thank you Neil. I'm glad you found it interesting - its a very interesting town.

[@neilwilliams2409]

Roy no worries I found it interesting and very well narrated and good quality.. I have visited most if not all the sites especially Iron bridge. I found Stokesay Castle a good visit near Ludlow another great town in Salop.

[@joeguerra7751]

I came here to see more information about “A Christmas Carol”. It’s clear Shrewsbury is more than just a backdrop for the famous Christmas-theme movie. Now I want a gable half-timber framed house. Works for me in the US.

[@royrogers1604]

In the 1960's Disney dismantled a complete stately home and re-assembled it brick by brick in the US, so I'm sure a timber-framed building is do-able.

[@joannedarling6077]

Oh wow ,I live 20 miles from Shrewsbury n had no idea on its history , I know where I'm going !!

[@royrogers1604]

Glad you enjoyed it. It is a fantastic place to explore.

[@darleytransportandtravel6353]

What a great shame that the Severn Valley Railway could not have been preserved as far as Ironbridge.

[@sonicstoryteller]

Shrewsbury is so small I spotted my brother and his missis in the dingle on hear lol ,,,can you tell me what year was this released as it looks older than 2006 great video and John Challis what a lovely man rip cheers from Shrewsbury 👍🎸

[@royrogers1604]

Yes, it was actually filmed in the Spring and Summer of 2006 and released for Christmas that year. I can tell you that John Challis really was a lovely man and a great professional. I was fortunate enough to work with him on a few occasions and he will be sorely missed. He was very knowledgable about history and loved Shrewsbury and shopping there.

[@sonicstoryteller]

@@royrogers1604 cheers Roy best wishes 👍

[@rosierennie5867]

@@royrogers1604 He lived in Shrewsbury, didn't he? Or he had a house here, just on the outskirts

[@royrogers1604]

@@rosierennie5867 He lived on the Shropshire/Herefordshire borders.

[@joshprinceofficial1626]

It would have been nice to see something about whitehall built by richard prince as well. Very informing video though.

[@royrogers1604]

To be honest there were a few things I missed and regret it now.....but time is always a constraint with these videos. I can't believe I left the Prince Rupert Hotel out though.

[@LukeDayInTheUK]

Shrewsbury 🔱 I play music there.

[@royrogers1604]

Shrewsbury has a great musical tradition. Paganini is said to have played at the Lion Hotel.

[@THINKincessantly]

The Dissolution and Civil War really changed Britain...castles and monasteries really took a hit

[@royrogers1604]

The Dissolution was one of the most audacious land grab's in history. Henry VIII is right up there when we talk about history's greatest villains.

[@ericadwyer5060]

He is correct Shrosburu

[@melfisher1683]

Is the local pub haunted too?

[@vincentvangogh8092]

what has ironbridge got to do with shrewsbury its in telford

[@royrogers1604]

Only that the video was sold in Tourist Information Centres across the county and was intended as a guide to the area. It was felt that as a World Heritage site on Shrewsbury's doorstep and still officially part of Shropshire it would have been remiss not to include it. Bit like saying what has Hampton Court or Windsor Castle got to do with London or Stratford on Avon got to do with Warwick.

[@danivarius]

Roy Rogers Stratford upon Avon if referring to the town itself; otherwise the district is Stratford on Avon.

[@royrogers1604]

@@danivarius I stand corrected, but I hink you know what I meant.

[@myshak3jones714]

This is crazy this is where my last name took birth... Lucious Shropshire. Can Anyone Search They're Names On This Channel?

[@mrwilliams.65]

SHREWSBURY NOT SHROWSBURY

[@royrogers1604]

In Cleobury Mortimer we say Shewsbury

[@tonyoliver2750]

When I lived in Nesscliffe in the 1960s, we called it Shewsbury, dropping the 'r'.

[@philipdale1358]

Shrewsbury is not ShOwsbury.

[@angelaminshall4080]

The pronunciation comes from the old name of the town Schrosberie, The spelling of the name changed but pronunciation remained.

[@philipdale1358]

Not correct, current mispronunciation came following the introduction of the football results being broadcast on BBC about 100 years ago before WW1. Script misspelled with an O. Toffy noses picked up on it. I was raised in Shrewsbury and division is about 75 - 25 in favour of Shrewsury.

[@dianerogers8805]

Having lived in Shrewsbury all my lit, 60 yrs now. We always say it depends what side of the river you live. Posh part Shrowsbury the rest of us Shrewsbury.

[@philipdale1358]

Right on. I was raised in ShrEwsbury 70 years ago. I went to ShrEwsbury School (2nd tier to Eton & Harrow etc). How we hated toffs (& the BBC) calling it ShrOwsbury. All the bull about old spelling and how spelling changed but pronounciation didn't. Truth is about 100 years ago a BBC copywriter misspelled Shrewsbury Town F.C. for the broadcats results. So important for the Pools. The BBC would not admit it made a mistake and continued to use the pronounciation ad nausium. SHREEEEEEWSBURY for ever.

[@royrogers1604]

Given that the name is said to derive from Scrobbesbyrig its a debatable point but being Shropshire born and bred myself, I know Shrewsbury is the popular version.

[@getthefffffoffme]

The ghost - NOT!

[@mikehunt4023]

Shreesbury not shrowsbury

[@royrogers1604]

Did you mean Shrewsbury not Shrowsbury?

[@ThomasDoubting5]

Shoesbury that's how it's pronounced

[@WildwoodTV]

by you! then again there was that giant who met a cobbler from Shrewsbury...

[@danivarius]

Can’t even spell it correctly!

[@tonyoliver2750]

Correct! The first 'r' isn't pronounced, at least it wasn't in the 1960s. Shoosbury or Shoesbury.

[@TruthOrGetOut]

Nice place, shame about the sheeple

[@educatedmanholecoverbyrich8890]

I love to copy and redistribute these films, just to piss him off.

[@royrogers1604]

Feel free my friend .....hopefully it will compensate for the small size of your.....ego!!!