Bridgnorth

Bridgnorth, in the county of Shropshire, is on the River Severn. High Town sits on a ridge high above the river, while Low Town is below the ridge on the opposite bank. A cliff railway with a 2:3 gradient joins the two, or you might prefer to use a series of steep staircases or the old street that links the two, the Cartway, and a 19th century bridge.

Markets are held on Saturdays in the High Street, which is straddled by the 17th century Town Hall. The half-timbered building is one of the few remaining buildings in the country where traffic passes through its structure.

There are some attractive old houses in the town, Diamond Hall is in Low Town on the banks of the Severn and got its name because Colonel Roger Pope, its owner, built the house with winnings he accrued backing a horse named Diamond. The oldest house in the town is Bishop Percy’s House, which dates from 1580. Unfortunately it is not open to the public but nonetheless is worth a look from the outside.