Walks in Shropshire: The Shrewbury Shuts

[@janeshelvock1631]

Love seeing my hometown enjoyed by other people..used all those shuts as a kid to get where I was going..great shortcuts in a beautiful town..❤️

[@Robert-ts2ef]

Well done Sir! It was actually sunny for a change.

[@salopvilla]

my home town , been abroad for 12 years , great video

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much Neil.

[@stephenjames4937]

I love Shrewsbury, especially for its architecture. I was an art student there from autumn 1977 to summer 1978. I knocked around with a fellow named Peter, who lived there at the Draper's Hall in St Mary's Place. He knew a lot of the shuts and they were great short cuts from one street to another.

[@cudgean]

Thanks for your informative video tour Richard.My partner and I recreated your walk in mid November and picked up a map of the shuts from the information centre.We are from Sydney.Your video encouraged us to make the detour from Edinburgh to London via Shrewsbury.The walk opened our minds to an aspect of English culture we never knew existed.Such evocative laneway names! Cheers Miles

[@crystalwaters8852]

Alleyways or short cuts!

[@tallpojjy]

I have only visited Shrewsbury once, and missed this area completely. I need to return, absolutely fascinating and I like all the old names of the Shuts. Thank you for posting this, a really interesting insight to such an ancient area.

[@SC-hk6ui]

Shuts is an old word for shops that were at the back of people's houses or the back street. Often it was for selling what produce they had left over, or things like pies that shopkeepers wives would make for a bit of extra pocket money. Sometimes the shuts were simply the back of shops where limited deals could be struck at cheaper than market prices. The doors were usually shut during the day to promote front of house custom.

[@RichardVobes]

Oh how interesting - thanks very much for that.

[@teresaharrison9368]

That was interesting!

[@crystalwaters8852]

Thank you for that info!❤

[@TheFelltimber]

That's final scene outside the church with the half timbered homes.... absolutely brilliant. It's such a lovely place.

[@soniavadnjal7553]

A gracious looking city. A lovely place. Thank you Mr Vobes for your interest and concern.

[@MrGreatplum]

Another great video from the archives, Richard. What a fab town Shrewsbury is!

[@steveknight4848]

What a delightful video. I'm currently locked down in the Middle East, loved watching your videos of my home town

[@paulinelee9694]

I think a shutt is short for short cut. What i notice,is that local people call this beautiful town Shrewsbury as it is spelt. Out of town people call it shrowsbury. In humble opinion i should call it Shrewsbury.

[@RichardVobes]

The argument goes on - the older/original town name is closer to the latter pronunciation - the town has nothing to do with shrews.

[@cynthiapate9138]

Enjoyed watching the lively streets and shuts. After the emptiness of Coronavirus, it seems strange to see people on the streets. Isn’t it funny that we get used to things so quickly? Thank you.

[@zoot69uk2001]

another interesting walk thanks richard

[@RichardVobes]

Mark Sellwood My pleasure. Glad you liked it!

[@jakecooper5442]

great for that quick line between pubs, especially snowing..main streets cant hide away from it

[@suebeedle6506]

What a beautiful town!

[@RichardVobes]

It sure is Susan.

[@vkorchnoifan]

Lovely town. I think you are encouraging tourism. Maybe I can come, one day.

[@angelicinspirations]

You have encouraged me to visit Shrewsbury. Thanks.

[@fatalisticbunny]

Thank you! These are just the types of passages my mother used to tell me to avoid. 😆 Your video does give one a feel for for the tight spaces of a medieval city.

[@RichardVobes]

Oh these days those passages are pretty safe - I say that, I haven't been down them at night.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Another interesting video. I used to like walking down them when I lived in Shrewsbury but I didn't know they were called Shuts.

[@NatSatFat]

Richard, your grope passage is now known as grope lane, and was known as Gropec**t Lane in medieval times, and was the centre for prostitution and was the name was used quite upfront, in many many towns throughout England for the same reason, no malicious'nous or suffering (maybe).

[@avalondreaming1433]

Wow! How absolutely appalling.

[@NatSatFat]

@@avalondreaming1433 Yes, but that's the way it was back then, modern sensebility's were not around .

[@avalondreaming1433]

@@NatSatFat I believe you. I just find it incredible

[@seriousoldman8997]

Goodness. You walked past my front door..

[@NatSatFat]

@@seriousoldman8997I have no idea what you might be meaning?

[@angelarowlands6172]

Lovely to see the passages. Some i don't think i have ever been down or up.

[@RichardVobes]

They are great fun, aren't they?

[@tinamcloughlin2710]

I enjoyed that so much I'm going to watch it again and then again. Beautiful drone footage and scenery. Really enjoy the seaside commentary about the area and how you feel about the coast and of course loved the romantic Whimsey. Thank you what a beautiful country we live in.

[@RichardVobes]

Awesome, thank you!

[@michaelpowell9640]

Shrewsbury is a beautiful town as are so many in Shropshire.

[@willis2492]

Fish Street was used as the set in Scrooge Christmas Carol where Bob Cratchit‘s house was

[@RichardVobes]

Oh was it - a great location for a Dicken's novel!

[@paulyeomans2574]

@@RichardVobes Indeed, as you approached the top of Grope Lane (it is lane, not passage), the church you see on your right (St.Julians) was super-imposed out with a picture of St.Paul's Cathedral to portray Victorian London! The market square you reached at the top of gullet passage was recreated into a Victorian market as seen in the opening sequence of the film (George C Scott version). Nice to see my home town, cheers!

[@mickwilkinson87]

Fantastic never noticed them before but I will look out for them next time many thanks .

[@RichardVobes]

No problem 👍

[@shahjhanhaider26]

I have enjoyed by seeing town.its wonderful,amazing,the roads and streets and alongside buildings were amazing to see

[@RichardVobes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@0CEC0]

Really enjoyed this video

[@RichardVobes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ramibu239]

Shrewsbury is another really pretty town. I just love all those timberbuilt buildings! That 1st shut you went down reminded of something out of a Dickens novel - you could just imagine all the evil-doings that probably took place at night there at that time!

[@RichardVobes]

Well they filmed A Christmas Carol in Shrewsbury for that very reason!

[@ramibu239]

@@RichardVobes 😯😯😯! I had no idea. I figured I just watched too much PBS which airs a lot of British shows & prob had that kind of imagery stuck in my head. Theres been a couple other villages where I thought the same tjing, like if they got rid of the asphalt and replace it w/ cobblestones or dirt it would be movie set ready.

[@paulyeomans2574]

@@ramibu239 I was in Shrewsbury job centre which overlooked the market square on the day of filming. It was a hot summers day 1984 and yet the whole area looked like a bustling Dickensian winter wonderland! At the bottom of Gullet Passage there were two pubs, The Hole in the Wall and The Market Vaults, which were later knocked into one. It was at one time a slaughterhouse and blood from the building was piped through a 'hole in the wall' to the next. The Market Vaults was never known as The Market Vaults to locals, it was affectionately known as The Blood Tub (where the piped blood ended up!)

[@ramibu239]

@@paulyeomans2574 awesome! Thanks for all the information! I loved it!!!

[@MsVanorak]

@@ramibu239 that is what they do for some films/period dramas in the uk. they aren't outdoor sets in movie lots, they are real villages with gravel over the tarmac and shop fronts repainted etc.

[@mojoe7951]

Shrewsbury looks gorgeous

[@teresaharrison9368]

I truly enjoyed that video ❤❤❤❤❤

[@terryansell6641]

Hi Richard your videos are getting better and better

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much for noticing!

[@cesarcombin1609]

The video is great. Thankyou!

[@RuytonXI]

Thanks Richard, I'm catching up with your walking videos and enjoying them a lot.

[@RichardVobes]

Gary Wann Oh fabulous!

[@davemacdonald3889]

We have similar passages here in Durham city called vennels. A magnificent place to visit if you're ever up north.🇬🇧

[@RichardVobes]

I would love to visit Durham!

[@davemacdonald3889]

@@RichardVobes Something that may be of interest Richard is a set of books printed in the 1930s by Batsford LTD called English Villages and Hamlet's. I believe you can get re issues. They are delightful books that may give you more ideas. I've just looked on Google and it's available.🇬🇧

[@Derek430]

Looks like a lovely walk, thanks Richard!

[@RichardVobes]

It was! Thanks for watching.

[@frankquevedo6001]

Any relation to the “Shambles,” of York? I am a fan of Ellis Peters, Cadfael stories fame. And wondered through Shrewsbury many, many days on end. And your ‘vlog,’ brought many fond memories. Thank you.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it and brought back memories.

[@shaunlaverick5793]

what a wonderful little tour of the "shuts"...really liked your video of them richard

[@RichardVobes]

It is great when a town has loads of these passages to explore!

[@trevorwright6165]

great film richard we enjoyed this again, thank you

[@RichardVobes]

trevor wright Good stuff. Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@gazzertrn]

It was called more than grope passage in its time, begins with the c word. quite a popular name in medieval towns and cities at the time , a really lively place to be .

[@pattismith344]

Hi Richard..lovely walk again today.... thank you... 👍🏻🤗😘

[@RichardVobes]

My pleasure as always.

[@cherylmullens840]

excellent I am watching in Australia and enjoying seeing where my ancestors came from.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you are enjoying it.

[@happyhappy6735]

Wow this town is beautiful! I will visit soon! :)

[@chrismccartney8668]

Great walk I used use a couple in west end of London and in city area great for avoiding wandering tourists with humongous rucksacks at traffic lights.

[@jenniferevans6334]

Splendid Indeed. You are delightful!

[@lesley7634]

lovely!

[@daikayll1897]

This is proper telly. Thanx Rich. Loved the smuggler prog.

[@RichardVobes]

Dai Kayll Thanks so much!

[@nickbarnett1942]

I’m visiting next Friday 😊 love your vlogs 👍🏼

[@RichardVobes]

Have fun next Friday. Thanks for watching.

[@brentlichtenberg]

Very excellent walk, thank you!

[@RichardVobes]

Pleased you enjoyed it.

[@johnathanrowley2707]

Worth having a look as when I visited Shrewsbury I didn't know about them and thought they was private alleyways.

[@mamtadave3128]

Thank you So Very Much , i love watching "English Serene Villages" as well as such towns. Cheers !!!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks Mamta Dave, I am thrilled to bring them to you!

[@mamtadave3128]

Thank you so mush once again ,I am watching The Wey and Arun canal right this moment and that's too very nice walk and informative.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it too. I hope to walk some more of out fabulous canals.

[@jillfarley520]

I do enjoy your videos so much...thank you Richard!

[@RichardVobes]

Glad you like them!

[@FerrisThomas]

In all my time there I never knew they were called shuts!

[@heidicash4772]

Lovely ,we have some shuts in Ludlow too.Wonderful

[@RichardVobes]

Wonderful

[@MsVanorak]

they call them something else in ludlow too and it's going to bothers the heck out of me until i remember the word.

[@davidsheriff8989]

Brings back memories of 2007

[@briancox3050]

I'm going to Shrewsbury in 2 weeks time, and staying tor 5 nights. I'd like to explore around the town centre and take a walk through those shuts that you mentioned. It would also interest me to see the castle and that incredible railway station with it's superb architecture. Does the town have a tourist office ? I'm sure it must have, it would be nice to know where it's located only I'd like to get some information about whether there's a public transport service to Ludlow. I've heard it's a nice place to visit with it's castle. Never been to Shropshire before. I'm looking forward to it..

[@drilla2112]

Tourist information office is in the square, daily trains from Shrewsbury to ludlow as well or theres the bus station on smithfield road

[@Jennifer19854]

This is my hometown-perhaps best known fairly recently(in the late last century!) when it was transformed into a Victorian village for George C Scott and Co to appear in Charles Dickens `A Christmas carol.` The burial plinth for Scrooge is still in St Chad`s graveyard.

[@markmoulson6521]

Nice video, next time you might like to look at the kings head passage and the very interesting kings head pub with it’s fantastic architecture and beautiful wall painting.

[@RichardVobes]

Oh yes, I know it well - must do more shuts in Shrewsbury.

[@thegoldenticket369]

Thank you

[@stevelong6358]

Very interesting .thanks richard..

[@RichardVobes]

Cheers Steve

[@hardeepjimander5958]

Beautiful classic city... Love from India

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks very much.

[@michaelwhite8031]

Shut that door ! The word shutt is a Norman word related to archery. The Shutt family came across with William the Conquer and let have them in my family tree. I think they settled in Devon.

[@RichardVobes]

It is an interesting word.

[@rosierennie5867]

Grope Lane is my favourite in Shrewsbury... Because of the Harry Potter shop a quarter of the way up 😄😂

[@MrLinarez90]

Great place. I had planned to move there for years and then the pandemic hit and most of the houses were bought by rich people, from London mostly. How they all seem to have ready cash to move on a whim and often work from home I'll never know!

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

Nice looking town, its on my list places to visit. Shame about the ubiquitous wheelie bins in Peacock Passage.

[@RichardVobes]

Those wheelie bins are everywhere, as you say!

[@susieh2100]

Love it Thank you!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much!

[@welshmanjasonpatrick8607]

Very interested place

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks very much

[@nicholastaylor8779]

I've always known them as shoots.

[@edkonstantellis9094]

Shrewsbury is much like Edinburgh that I remember

[@jackielowe7377]

Used to live next to Bank Passage 🙂

[@johnbarker-r5n]

my own thought on the name is that it is an abbreviation of shortcuts.

[@Duffy512]

It looked like people actually had houses in those little alleys.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes of course - people lived and still do live in the most tiny places!

[@susanolson3611]

😀 Thanks

[@GrrMeister]

*Been there today, (16/3/2020) and they are called 'Shuts' because they all soon will be by the sound of the 10pm News*

[@RichardVobes]

Indeed!

[@ceriwheeler]

Just sent you to Australia, hope you like it there, cool vid by the way.

[@RichardVobes]

Better than being sent to Coventry I suppose. :)

[@ceriwheeler]

Australia is a paradise and you were greatly appreciated there too, memories of the uk for visitors, thank you.

[@jonjones1553]

Check out that character swigging a can , in camouflage , @ 0:58!

[@RichardVobes]

We do have our characters over here! Thanks so much for watching.

[@JeanBeech-gc4iw]

Up north they are called ginnals.

[@robinevans3440]

At the top of Grope lane, The timber framed buildings caught fire due to a careless welder.Classed as the great fire of Shrewsbury

[@RichardVobes]

Do you when that was?

[@getzenman]

This reminds me very much of Salzburg Austria.

[@RichardVobes]

I have never been, but now I don't need to :) Thanks for watching Scott!

[@DBS6567]

snickets and gynells, is what they would known by up here in york

[@davidbooth3285]

I thought they had a lot of twitterns over in Hastings old town,but this puts theirs to shame!!!

[@RichardVobes]

Lovely shuts in Shrewsbury (alleyways)

[@Riddlestar01]

I think it's a reduction of short cuts = shuts

[@RichardVobes]

Juergen Taddicken Ah yes, could well be! It never occurred to me!

[@daikayll1897]

Not bad that.

[@eduardoa.rebollartellez6578]

Excellent video. Thank you

[@carbugnov1952]

i think those shuts were closed at night because the town was near the Welsh border to avoid intruders during the reign of Edward I and before

[@RichardVobes]

Makes sense. Thanks.

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

In the north of England they are called ginnels. (a hard G).

[@RichardVobes]

Interesting - thanks.

[@dianerogers8805]

Glad Grope Lane was there. Hope the locals know why it was called that. 😂😂

[@RichardVobes]

A fascinating shut!

[@dianerogers8805]

It is . I lovey my home town, so many shuts and passages,.

[@RayHamblett]

Is there a prize for the 10,000th viewer ? :D I followed your suggestion to come and see 'Shutts' via the Worthing Twittens vid. :)

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much Ray!

[@charlesstell506]

Some of those businesses would be difficult to find if you did not know their location.

[@RichardVobes]

Charles Stell Luckily people explore the shuts and they soon become familar.

[@rugbyolive]

I'M IN THIS I'M THE GIRL WITH PINK HAIR HALF SHAVED AND A BLACK HOODIE AT 1:30!!!

[@RichardVobes]

Well, hello to you? Thanks for being in my video and making it great!

[@ddye1984]

And its grope lane. NOT Grope passage

[@RichardVobes]

genuine mistake mate

[@OldNick-i6n]

"Grope passage" is an abbreviation of its full name. Can you guess the full name?

[@tintomara6209]

Shrowsbury lol You're not from round 'ere are you mate?

[@RichardVobes]

I know some very old families whose descendants have been in Shrewsbury for a few hundred years, and they pronounce it the 'old' way. So I took my tip from them.

[@drilla2112]

The vast majority of locals call it shoosebrie, the few upper class or wanna be upper class pronounce it shrosebury, neither are wrong Being a native i pronounce it shoosebrie so did my parents and grandparents and great grandparents

[@onlyonetoserve]

Tankyo richad teech me ting inglis jentelmem life stile

[@realgreendress2330]

Nothing to do with schutt or shuttle?

[@TonyFlatleyGUITARCOVERS1982]

Shrowsbury

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, the county town of Shropshire - worth a visit.

[@robinevans3440]

I think it was about 2003....il look up

[@pattismith344]

Richard..... I just found a reference to street in Oxford which was named, rather alarmingly, after the occupation of some residents...... but I can't repeat the street name here... it's too rude!!! I'm sure your research relating to medieval street names has allready identified it and you know what I'm refering to...needless to say that particular street has now been given a more acceptable name. Have you been to Lowestoft amd walked up and down the 'Scores' which lead from the town to the beach? They're exhausting but have interesting history. 🤗😘

[@RichardVobes]

Actually don't know that one - I shall have to look it up now! I have only been to Lowestoft when on business and haven't explored the town properly - another place to explore then - thank you Patti. I shall add it to the list!

[@robinevans3440]

Correction it was October 2006...Remember it well

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks for correction.

[@sarahjoyholden7856]

Turn right at the bottom of where you walking

[@scoopypigeon1694]

In New Zealand we have 'the shuts' as well, except they're what happens when you get food poisoning.

[@RichardVobes]

Oh right - something very different.

[@yabbadabbadoo8225]

ah the world b4 it went fully bonkers in Mar 2020. lots of Normies all getting about without clownville face aids.