Early in September, I went on a little adventure. Not to the moon or Australia or anything like that, but to a place I had never visited before to see my dear friend James on his birthday. Shrewsbury was a new meeting spot for us, and I couldn't help but fall in love with the tapestry of eras woven together on every road. Although we spent the day celebrating James's birthday, getting coffee and sightseeing, James fulfilled a long time wish of being my tour guide. Many books and literary sites were visited, and so what better way to celebrate a successful trip than with a bookish travel guide?
The Bookshops
The Raven Bookshop:
In a delightful and cosy corner of Shrewsbury Market lies The Raven Bookshop, a TARDIS-like stall dedicated to second hand books. It is a shop in tucked between the pages of floral displays and balls of yarn and an absolute joy to visit. Never before have I seen a store in a market bursting with such a rich variety of books, and seemingly it felt as if the owner knew something about each and every purchase, chatting with customers as they were handed brown paper bags and a smile. When I think back on Shrewsbury, this has to be a personal highlight.
Instagram: @theravenbookshopshrewsbury
Candle Lane Books:
Whilst we didn't go in to Candle Lane Books, its exterior and a peek in the Queen Elizabeth II commemorative window told us that it was a majestic place. Old shelves lined with a range of antiquarian books and more recent publications told us of the shop's eclectic taste, and certainly intrigued me with its Dickensian appearance...
Waterstones Shrewsbury:
Some may say that every Waterstones is the same, I heartily disagree. Each has its own character and architecture, the same but very different too. I was amazed by just how large Waterstones Shrewsbury was, stretching backwards further and further through staircases, nooks and crannies. One could very happily spend a whole day in a Waterstones, but especially this one!
Twitter - @waterstonesshr
Second Chapter Books:
Our final bookshop stop of the day was in the basement of a Victorian hospital converted into exquisite shops and cafes for every desire. Second Chapter Books's website reads that the shop specialises in history, local history and railway books, and this is most evident in the array of local vintage postcards they have for sale and ordinance survey maps for every Shropshire walk imaginable!
Literary History
Charles Dickens:
James proudly told me that Charles Dickens had written about the Lion Hotel and took me to see this unassuming monument (WHY there isn't a blue plaque outside I have no idea...). Scenes from David Copperfield and Oliver Twist adaptations have also been filmed across the town.
Mary Webb:
Outside Shrewsbury Library is a beautiful and delicate statue of Mary Webb, the author of Gone to Earth. Reading even snippets of her work, her love of Shropshire is infectious, alive and visceral. She once wrote that Shropshire is a place where the ''beauty of ancient things lingers long'' and after visiting this idyllic tapestry of time, I can certainly understand this phrase all the better.
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