Visit Shrewsbury Castle & Soldiers of Shropshire Museum
Shrewsbury Castle is a prominent feature of the town and the first notable site visitors see when arriving by train. They built Shrewsbury Castle with red sandstone, and it’s on a hill overlooking the river.
The castle is lovely to have a mooch around and one of the top things to do in Shrewsbury. You can either visit the grounds for free or pay to visit inside and see the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum. Unfortunately, Shrewsbury Castle and its grounds are not dog-friendly. However, there are many pet-friendly places in the town.
Shrewsbury Castle History
The castle’s history dates back to 1067, when William the Conqueror ordered it built. William expected to use it as a defensive fortification and base of operations for forays into Wales. Shrewsbury Castle has been besieged a few times, including by parliamentary forces in the English Civil War.
The castle has a fascinating history, much of which they detail on Wikipedia. Currently, the castle is a tourist attraction where visitors can explore the castle grounds or visit the museum.
Grounds & Fortifications
The grounds of Shrewsbury Castle are free to enter and well worth a walk around. They have some lovely gardens to see, and you can see the sandstone fortifications up close.
The keep is the most eye-catching feature to see from the gardens. It’s a nice building to see and is well preserved. The entire castle is a Grade I listed building.
The turrets on the fortifications surrounding the main courtyard were pleasant to see. Sadly, you couldn’t climb them. Unfortunately for me, Laura’s Tower was closed to visitors when I visited. This is a beautiful lookout tower. Apparently, this is infrequently open.
They also have plenty of benches to sit on and enjoy the site’s views. They also allow picnics in the grounds when open. There are a few interesting features to see, including the golden eagle statue. They took this from Minden barracks in Germany. From when the regiment was stationed there after the war.
The entrance gate to the main courtyard is also impressive. They also made this from red sandstone to control access to the main parts of the castle.
On the approach to Shrewsbury Castle, you can see the Castle Gate House. This is a picturesque, timber-framed building painted yellow and Grade II listed. The Castle Gate House dates from the late 16th century; however, it was restored in 1912.
Inside Soldiers of Shropshire Museum
Shrewsbury Castle is home to the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum, which has most of the exhibits. This museum is fascinating and features many uniforms, weapons, and medals from the regiment.
In the basement, the exhibit traces the castle’s history. This is rather informative. The grounds are very popular with artists who paint from various points in the complex. I enjoyed this visit.
Tickets & Prices
It is free to enter the castle grounds for a mooch around the main courtyard and see the buildings and fortifications. To visit the castle and museum, there is a fee; the castle has concessions and family tickets. You can find out about these and their opening hours on their website.
Is Shrewsbury Castle Worth Visiting?
If you are visiting Shrewsbury, the castle is well worth a quick look around. Most of the inside is the regimental museum, so if that interests you, it’s well worth it. If you just like seeing castles, then a mooch around the grounds for free might be the best option. I enjoyed both, as I enjoy military history and castles.