Shawbury

History

In Domesday Book, Shawbury is recorded by the name Sawesberie. The main landholder was Gerard from Earl Roger of Shrewsbury. The survey also mentions that there is a church and a mill.

Geography

The River Roden flows through the village. The village of Moreton Corbet, with its castle, is just to the north. The main weather station for Shropshire is located in the village at the RAF base. In December 1981, a temperature of -25.2 °C was recorded, one of the coldest on record for England.

Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward covers much of the surrounding area with a total ward population as taken at the 2011 Census of 4,666.

Landmarks

There has been a church on the same site since at least the 12th century, although the present Church of England parish church of St Mary the Virgin is not from that date. Many air force personnel from RAF Shawbury, an air station founded in 1917, are buried in the churchyard, which contains 32 Commonwealth War Graves, 3 from World War I and 29 from World War II, besides 7 Polish Air Force personnel from the latter war.

The village is home to RAF Shawbury, a helicopter airfield for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom and home of the tri-services Defence Helicopter Flying School and air traffic control training.

Notable people

• Thomas Charles (1755-1814), later Calvinistic Methodist minister and founder of the British and Foreign Bible Society, worked in Shawbury in 1783-84 as assistant to then rector, friend John Mayor
• William Hazledine (born Shawbury 1763–1840) an English ironmaster, he was a pioneer in casting structural ironwork, most notably for canal aqueducts and early suspension bridges
• Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Butler (1870-1935 in Shawbury) a British Army general during WW1, lived in retirement at Roden Lodge where he died.

Bus service

Shawbury is served by the 64 route, operated by Arriva Midlands North, which runs between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton.

Sport

Shawbury's football club is Shawbury United F.C.

Notes

References

References

1. OS Explorer Map 241, Shrewsbury, Wem, Shawbury & Baschurch. {{ISBN. 978-0-319-46276-8
2. Shrewsbury & Telford Street Atlas, {{ISBN. 978-1-84348-389-2
3. [http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11128368&c=Shawbury&d=16&e=62&g=6460460&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1410776075456&enc=1 Neighbourhood Statistics] Census 2011 - Shawbury CP
4. The Domesday Book, Englands Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde, Shropshire, Shawbury, page 230, {{ISBN. 1-85833-440-3
5. [http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/wm/shawbury_latest_weather.html Observations] {{webarchive. link. (2012-02-10)
6. (16 October 2012). "Top ten coldest recorded temperatures in the UK".
7. "Ward population 2011".
8. [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/43427/SHAWBURY%20(ST.%20MARY%20THE%20VIRGIN)%20CHURCHYARD] CWGC Cemetery Report. Breakdown of figures obtained from count of casualty list accompanying. Date accessed 14 August 2012.
9. "RAF Shawbury – History". [[Royal Air Force]].
10. {{cite EB1911
11. (26 April 1935). "A Famous General's Death – Sir R.H.K.Butler, of Shawbury". Shrewsbury Chronicle.