This article is about the town in Shropshire England. For other uses see Shrewsbury (disambiguation). Coordinates 5242'28N 245'15W 52.7077N 2.7541W 52.7077 2.7541 Shrewsbury (i'ruzbri or i'rozbri)4 is the county town of Shropshire in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn it is a borough home to some 96000 inhabitants5 and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council. It is the second largest town in the ceremonial county of Shropshire after Telford. Shrewsbury is a historic market town with the town centre having a largely unaltered medieval street plan. The town features over 660 historic listed buildings6 including several examples of timber framing from the 15th and 16th century. Shrewsbury Castle a red sandstone castle fortification and Shrewsbury Abbey a former Benedictine monastery were founded in 1074 and 1083 respectively by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury Roger de Montgomery.7 The town hosts one of the oldest and largest horticultural events in the country Shrewsbury Flower Show and is known for its floral displays having won various awards since the turn of the 21st century89 including Britain in Bloom in 2006.10 Today lying 9 miles (14160km) east of the Welsh border Shrewsbury serves as a cultural and commercial centre for the ceremonial county and a large area of midWales with retail output alone worth over 299 million per year.11 There are some light industry and distribution centres such as Battlefield Enterprise Park located mainly on the outskirts. The A5 and A49 trunk roads cross near to the town as do five railway lines at Shrewsbury railway station. edit History Main article History of Shrewsbury A view of Shrewsbury town centre from Shrewsbury School 1900. The town was known to the ancient Britons as Pengwern signifying the alder hill12 and to the AngloSaxons as Scrobbesburh (dative Scrobbesbyrig) which has several meanings fort in the scrubland region Scrobb's fort shrubstown or the town of the bushes.1314 This name was gradually corrupted in three directions into 'Sciropscire' which became Shropshire into 'Sloppesberie' which became SalopSalopia (an alternative name for both the town and its county) and into 'Schrosberie' which eventually became the name of the county town Shrewsbury.12 Its Welsh name Amwythig means fortified place.15 Typical Tudor architecture on Butcher Row. Shrewsbury is known as a town with significant medieval heritage having been founded ca. 800 AD. It was during the late Middle Ages (14th15th Centuries) when the town was at its height of commercial importance. This was mainly due to the wool trade a major industry at the time with the rest of Britain and Europe especially with the River Severn and Watling Street as trading routes.16 It is believed that Henry VIII intended to make Shrewsbury a cathedral city after the formation of the Church of England but the citizens of the town declined the offer.17 Over the ages the geographically important town has been the site of many conflicts particularly between the English and Welsh. Shrewsbury was the seat of the Princes of Powis for many years however the Angles under King Offa of Mercia took possession of it in 778. The Welsh again besieged it in 1069 but were repelled by William the Conqueror. Roger de Montgomery was given the town as a gift from William and built Shrewsbury Castle in 1074 taking the title of Earl. The 3rd Earl Robert of Bellme was deposed in 1102 in consequence of t