Explore essential and exclusive Shropshire family history records online

Shropshire people are known as Salopians. The county town is Shrewsbury, while Telford has the highest population. 

To defend their territories against the Welsh, Shropshire’s Norman lords built 32 castles, a proportionately high amount compared to the rest of England. In the 15th and 16th centuries, parliament passed acts to protect Shropshire against the Welsh. 

The natural resources in Shropshire provided an abundance of fish and timber as well as coal, iron ore, copper and limestone. Shropshire wool was highly prized, leading to Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth developing a thriving clothing trade. Oswestry became famous for its so-called Welsh cotton, a cheap woollen cloth.  

Thanks to Shropshire’s diverse geological makeup, Coalbrookdale in the Ironbridge Gorge claims to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. With rocks dating from 700 to 200 million years ago, Shropshire is a geologist’s dream. 

The county is home to many firsts. The world’s first iron bridge was erected in Ironbridge in 1779. The first skyscraper, Ditherington Flax Mill was built in 1797. While living in the village of Wem, Henry Eckford perfected Grandiflora sweet peas.