Oswestry.

We moored up at Queens Head and after lunch went 'above ground' to the road to find the bus stop as we had decided to catch the bus to Oswestry. The buses are every 30 mins here so as we had never been there before we thought we may as well.

The trip was about 20 minutes and it was quite nice to be dashing along as with the windows open there was a nice cooling breeze.  The Guild Hall in Bailey Head in Oswestry is an unusual building as it remains me of a French Town Hall. It was actually opened in 1893 after the previous building had been knocked down. It cost £11000 and was built in the style known as '17th Century Renaissance fairly treated'! It housed the council offices a court and a library. By 2012, and after close to half a million pounds being spent on refurbishment in 1995, the court was replaced by a museum, but it is only open a couple of times a week.

On the Guild Hall is this sculpture of St. Oswald. He had the Christian Bishop Aidan sent from Ireland to help him convert his people. One day Aidan was eating with the King on Easter when a servant entered to tell him that there were crowds of poor begging for alms from the King. Immediately he sent food from his table and even broke up the silver dish to give to the poor. Aidan lent over and touching his right hand stating that this hand will never perish. Apparently through many travails it is is still whole and was stolen by the monks of Peterborough from Bamburgh Castle. I think it is still supposed to be there!

The main church in Oswestry is St. Oswald's and is the same bloke after whom the town is named. Oswald was the Christian King of Northumberland who was killed at the Battle of Oswestry. His body was said to have been nailed to a tree as a sort of crucifixion and hence the name 'Oswald's Tree'. The church had some nice memorials including this one to John and Margret Yale erected in the 1760's by their son.

I really liked the the war memorial that had St. George above, and the sculpture of the helmet and arms were really nice too. I also liked the fact that the main tilt of the message was to give thanks for the safe return of those that fought but were not called on to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Ivor Roberts-Jones was a sculptor who was born in the town and became well known. This piece is called the 'Borderland Farmer'. He had been commissioned for many pieces as well as lecturing in sculpture at Goldsmith's London. Perhaps his most famous piece is of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

There are some impressive buildings in the town and this Grade 1 building of the Llwyd Mansion is one of the best. On the first floor it says that it was built in 1604 but in actual fact it originated in the mid 1400's when it was probably built pretty much for what it is now, shops below and accommodation above. It was actually remodelled in 1604.

The Castle mound in Oswestry is what remains of the Mott and Bailey that appears to have been built about 1086. In the mid 1100's the local Lord backed Empress Matilda instead of the winner of the Anarchy, Stephen. However when he died and Matilda's son became Henry II all was reinstated. It's use declined and after it was taken from the Royalist in the Civil War in 1644 the Roundheads partially demolished to deny its use again.

The views across the roof tops are good.

The large building in the distance is the Cambrian Railway Company Railway Works. When the Company was formed by amalgamation of several companies the headquarters were moved to Oswestry and they needed a works too. It was built between 1865 and 1866. It built many carriages and wagons but only two engines, although it fully rebuilt many of them. Once again following amalgamations etc it was closed in 1965 and is nos a series of small business units, but still and impressive building.

The entrance to the castle mound states it is still owned by the Council and had been refurbished in the early 2000's. It is a nice spot to have away from the bustle of the town.

We got the bus back after about three hours having had a good look round and a visit to the the little museum that is open near the church in a very old building. Well worth a visit if you are wanting something to do when down the Montgomery canal.