Overview

THIS IS PART TWO OF TODAYS SHROPSHIRE TOUR, the historical town of Market Drayton, so has to be included in our trip for you. Dump, an old unloved market town which council have shown no care about, the pavements are uneven, a bit dangerous in places for those who need walking aids, the old black and white buildings which should be highlights are uncared for, everywhere needs a clean up, a let down for visitors who arrive here. However, we still offer you a review, in case you want to chance visiting, as the route we have chosen for todays trip around Shropshire includes Market Drayton. HISTORY Market Drayton is just what it sounds like, a market town in north Shropshire, close to the Cheshire border. A Saxon church, of St Mary, was built in 950ad, and a small settlement named “Draitune” was formed around the church. The word “dray” means a wheel- less cart, or something to be dragged along, we use the Dray horse today to drag timber along, “tun” is Saxon word for settlement. Drayton is mentioned in the doomsday book , and recorded as one of the smallest settlements, with just five dwellings at that time. Trading of goods usually took place where people could meet, such as churchyards to sell goods, but in 1201, the pope banned trading in churchyards, so some other place had to be found, which led to the forming of market places. King Henry 111 granted a charter to Drayton in 1245 allowing a market to be held on a Wednesday, just as it is today, thus its name, Market Drayton. There is an excellent website with a history page you may wish to read, at www.shropshirehistory.org.uk. Welcome to discovering. This gives the chronology of Market Drayton, with a long list of dates, from 1245 up to 1993. Worth reading if you like history notes of the town. In modern times, the largest employer is the sausage maker, which started off as Palethorps, but now Pork Farm Bowyers. Following a fire in 1651, you can see a bell at the top of Buttercross (photo 3) it’s the long old building in the centre of town, and this bell will be rung if another fire ever broke out. OUR REVIEW, ( and a suggested walk around the market place.) Set your sat NAV to TF9 1PY, which will take you to a car park close to the post office of town, where I,m afraid even disabled have to pay, in 2022 it has a minimum charge of £1.00 for two hours. Park up and then walk LEFT from car park. The whole area around here is rather tatty, with pot holes and uneven paving and made getting along rather difficult, but we got across to the little street ahead, where you turn LEFT. The shops are uninspiring, and watch out for the uneven paving (photo 1) it is worse than the photo makes it look. Walk along to “The Crown” an old Tudor style inn. )photo 2). At the small sort of square, cut across to the RIGHT and head for the Buttercross, (photo 3) and notice the bell on the roof top. Around here every Wednesday a small market is held, opposite the Buttercross, a small cafe may prove to be of use if you would like a drink. (4). Over to the left of Buttercross are a few old buildings and little shops. (5) with market stalls on Wednesdays. A few traders are hoping for the best as you walk along, and the brown building ahead (photo 6) has a Costa coffee, but you decide if you want to risk getting over the uneven paving and street. If you have turned LEFT at the Buttercross and walked to the corner, (7) there is an old house which is the Tudor house and hotel (8), and if open well worth taking a look at. OUR FINAL THOUGHTS What a disappointment, long ride to get here, just to find a dump, we’ll not that bad, but the council needs to get thing together to get into what could be a far better place.

Transport & Parking

Following a drab countryside ride through this part of Shropshire, and arriving at this typical run down town centre, we pulled into a big enough car park, with just a few disabled bays, but not a nice safe carpark, far to many holes and bumps to get past to reach centre.

Access

Car park with too few disabled bays, area in poor condition, those on walking aids will have to be careful. At least it was not to far from a few old grade 11 buildings, but they need to be paid a lot more attention to before they are lost for good.

Toilets

Did not see any public toilets.

Staff

Only met a few store holders, so so.

Photos