Oswestry

We awoke this morning to a beautiful sunrise after a bitterly cold night with temperatures dropping to -5. The ground was white with frost but the promise of a bright sunny day got us up and going with an urge to do a bit of work on the RV. 

Later we headed off south down the A5 turning off onto a small country road visiting two caravan sites at Montford Bridge. Then on past the pretty little villages of Shrawardine and Pentra to a small village hidden away on the Welsh borders called Melverly. Here tucked away in the countryside was one of the prettiest little timber churches we have ever seen.

Founded in 1406 St Peters church is the oldest church in Shropshire and is possibly the oldest timber framed church in England. It sits high on the bank of the river Severn and is so close that it looks as if it could possibly tumble down the river bank and fall into the river.

St Peters Church Melverly

St Peters

Graves and Guest House

Kay tomb stoning

We then drove through the narrow country lanes to emerge at Llanymynech on Offa’s Dyke to join the A483 and here we headed north back towards the A5 and into Oswestry. By now we were getting hungry and after struggling to find the main car park we stopped for lunch in the Wilfred Owen.

Oswestry unfortunately seems to be going the way of many market towns, boarded and empty shops are everywhere.

The Parish Church of St Oswald’s and its Celtic cross look impressive and there is a quaint information come coffee shop nestled in the grounds.   For our American friends there is a 17^th century memorial to Hugh Yale and his wife, whose family founded Yale University in the States.

St Oswald's & Cross

Llywd Mansion

Guild Hall

On the Broad Walk that runs down one side of the church is a black granite seat and above it is a poignant plaque to the WWI poet Wilfred Owen who killed in action at Ors in France in 1918 and fought with the Artist Rifles that attracted recruits from public schools and universities.

Wilfred Owen

Well we're back safe and sound in our RV and we are expecting temperatures to fall to -4 again tonight so the furnace will be working overtime to keep us warm.

More  Anon.