Every time someone suggested we travel to Shrewsbury they pronounced it differently. The locals had us quite confused regarding the proper pronunciation of the town's name. Here's what the history books say.
Origin of the Shrewsbury Name
Scrobbesbyrig
The original Saxon settlement was named "Scrobbesbyrig". It is thought to have been derived from two Old English words - “scrubb”, meaning be scrubland and “burh” which means fortified place.
The original Saxon settlement was named "Scrobbesbyrig". It is thought to have been derived from two Old English words - “scrubb”, meaning be scrubland and “burh” which means fortified place.
Thus it is the fortified place in the scrubland, probably referring to the nearby plains which in Saxon times were sparsely populated with alder trees, especially in the boggy regions alongside the River Severn. Over the years this became corrupted to Shrewsbury, which nowadays is pronounced usually in two different ways: “Shrows-bury” or Shroos-bury”. Both variations seem to have equal merit amongst the townsfolk, so prepare for a good debate if you choose to discuss the subject with a group of locals!
This is probably the most picturesque town we have traveled to so far. We stepped out of our car park onto the beautiful street known as Wyle Cop. It has the same feeling a San Francisco hillside street as all the Tudor style shops sit upon a steep incline. It is an interesting irony to see such historic building housing modern stores.
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