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Arriva Trains Wales |
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Shrewsbury to Newport This is an extract from the page on Arriva Trains Wales. To
access the main site select either the North Wales, The Marches,
and Chepstow-Swansea section, the Heart of Wales, Swansea and
West Wales section, or the full version which combines the
two. Search WalesRails .......... Message Board |
Preserved: WalesRails: Back to Welcome page |
From Chester, services run via Wrexham to
Shrewsbury.
Figures after station names show the approximate journey times from Chester,
with journey times from Newport in brackets.
Wrexham General 16 mins (174)
Served by two stations. Wrexham Central is about a ½-mile distant.
The town is dominated by the 140-ft pinnacled and decorated tower of St Giles' Church -
once considered one of the seven wonders of Wales. In the churchyard is the grave of Elihu
Yale who gave his name to the famous Connecticut University. In the Clywedog Valley, south
of the town, are reminders of the area's industrial past: A heritage trail through the
valley includes the Minera Lead Mines, the Bersham Ironworks and Heritage Centre - where
cannon for the American War of Independence were cast - and the wildlife centre at Nant
Mill. Two miles south is Erddig Hall, a restored mansion house. Bangor-on-Dee National
Hunt racecourse is three miles south east of the town.
Shrewsbury
55 mins (100)
Perhaps, the best-preserved medieval town in England, it
has a history which dates back to the 6th century. Set on rising ground in an
almost-complete loop of the River Severn, two reminders of its role as an England/Wales
border town are the Welsh Bridge and the English Bridge across the western and eastern
loops, respectively, of the river. The castle - located close to the station - has Norman,
Edwardian and Civil War connections, with a tower added by Telford, the 18th century
engineer and architect better known for his work with roads, canals and railways. Many old
half-timbered buildings remain. The site of the Battle of Shrewsbury - between Henry IV
and the rebellious Sir Henry Percy (the Harry Hotspur of Shakespeare's play) - lies three
miles to the north.
Church Stretton (Not served by direct services between
Holyhead and Cardiff) 14 minutes from Shrewsbury (94)
is a market town on the east slope of Long Mynd. There is a shuttle
bus service connecting with train services on Saturdays and Bank Holidays, which takes
ramblers onto the slopes of Long Mynd, with two circular walks back to the station.
Craven
Arms (Not served by direct services between Holyhead and Cardiff) 23
minutes from Shrewsbury (85)
Owes its name to one of the old coaching inns on the road between North and
South Wales. Close by is Stokesay Castle (left), a 13th century mansion whose half-timbered
gatehouse is decorated with a depiction of Adam and Eve. Parts of Stokesay Church date
back to Norman times.
Ludlow 85 mins (75)
was, until 1689, the administrative centre of the Council of Wales and the Marches, so it
is hardly surprising that it contains many old buildings.
The castle is Norman while St Lawrence Church dates from the fifteenth century. Also of
interest is the 14th century grammar school and the 17th century Feathers Hotel, while a
graceful arched bridge crosses the River Teme.
Leominster (Not served by direct services between Holyhead and
Cardiff) 42 minutes from Shrewsbury (60)
(pronounced Lemster) claims a dubious association with Leofric, the 11th century Earl of
Chester best known through the exploits of his wife, Godiva, who rode naked through the
streets of Coventry in protest at the taxes which Leofric had imposed. The town stands at
the confluence of the Rivers Pinsley and Lugg, and though its charter is dated 1553, its
history as a frontier town on the England/Wales border goes back to the 7th century. Its
church was restored in the 1880s, but was built on the site of a Benedictine priory, of
which only the west door and nave remain. Preserved is a medieval ducking stool, last used
for the detection of witches in 1809.
Hereford 109 mins (55)
is an historic border city: its has been a See since 676; was enclosed by the Saxons; and
its castle built by the Normans. The present cathedral dates from 1079, after the previous
1012 edifice was destroyed. In the cathedral is held the priceless Mapa Mundi, the 14th
century map which places Jerusalem at the centre of the world. Among other sites of
interest are the Episcopal Palace, the churches of All Saints' and St Peter, and Black
Friar's monastery. Hereford was the birthplace of Nell Gwynne, the mistress of Charles II.
At Kenchester, 4 miles to the west, is the site of the Roman city of Magna.
Abergavenny 133 mins (24)
is located on the River Usk in a shallow bowl surrounded by hills which offers walks to
the summit of Sugar Loaf, Skirrid and the Blorenge mountains. Of its Norman Castle, only
the restored keep and hunting lodge remain, while the market centres on the Victorian Town
Hall, which also houses a theatre. The Norman church of St Mary Priory contains many
interesting monuments and tombs.
Pontypool and New Inn 143 mins (15)
As Pontypool Road, the station was one of those located some way from the town of the
station name, but in Pontypool's case, the town has expanded to bring the station within
the confines of its outer suburbs, likewise the township of New Inn. To reflect this, the
formerly-dilapidated Pontypool Road station was refurbished, and renamed Pontypool and New
Inn on 19 May 1994.
Although later superseded by coal, the town was built around the tin-plate - which was
first successfully produced here, though other areas became more wealthy from the
discovery - and steel industries. The heritage museum contains a record of the town's
fluctuating fortunes. Pontypool Memorial Park is the home of the town's rugby union side.
Five miles to the north is Blaenavon, with Big Pit mining museum, the remains of Blaenavon
Iron works and the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway
Cwmbran 147 mins (11)
was the first community in Wales to be given New Town status in 1949, since when it has
expanded to become the sixth largest conurbation in the principality. Nothing remains of
the former coal mining industry, but the town's eminence has increased since 1974 as the
administrative centre of the County of Gwent. To the west, high above Cwmbran on the top
of Mynydd Maen, is the overgrown ruin of a chapel said to be the burial place of 1st
century King Bran after which the town is claimed to be named. (A less fanciful derivation
is the Welsh for Valley of the Crow). Outside the town, places of interest include the
Roman town of Caerleon and the remains of Llantarnam Abbey.
Newport 158 mins
See next section (Chepstow to Bridgend)
This is an extract from the page on Arriva Trains Wales.
To access the main site select either the North Wales, The Marches,
and Chepstow-Swansea section, the Heart of Wales, Swansea and
West Wales section, or the full version which combines the
two.
Select one of these links to return to the Gazetteer of Stations or Route Sections page.
Copyright © 1998/9/2000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 by Deryck Lewis. All
rights reserved.
Page created January 28 1998; Redesigned March 29 1999; Updated May 21 2008
If you have any suggestions, comments, or glitches to report, please contact the author at
WalesRails
