Bridgnorth

High Town from the River Severn

Coat of arms of Bridgnorth
Motto: Fidelitas Urbis Salus Regis
In the town’s loyalty lies the King’s safety [1]
Population12,079 (2011)[2]
OS grid referenceSO716927
Civil parish
  • Bridgnorth
Unitary authority
  • Shropshire
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBRIDGNORTH
Postcode districtWV15, WV16
Dialling code01746
PoliceWest Mercia
FireShropshire
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament
  • Ludlow
List of places
UK
England
Shropshire

Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England. It is on the River Severn.

History

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The ruins of Bridgnorth Castle

Bridgnorth is named after a bridge over the River Severn.[3][4] A Saxon defencive mound existed in Bridgnorth as early as 912.[3] Earliest names for Bridgnorth include Brigge, Brug and Bruges, all referring to its position on the Severn.[5]

In 1101, the town was founded when Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury built a castle and a church here.[3] The town was attacked and burnt in 1322.[6]

During the English Civil War, in 1646, Oliver Cromwell and his cavaliers attacked roundhead Bridgnorth. By the time the castle was in ruins, the entire town was on fire.[7] After a three-week siege, Cromwell was successful and he ordered that the castle be demolished in 1647.[8]

References

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  1. "Civic Heraldry Of England And Wales-Severn Valley And The Marches". Civicheraldry.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  2. "Bridgnorth (Parish): Key Figures for 2011 Census". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Raven, Michael (2005). A Guide to Shropshire. Michael Raven. p. 32. ISBN 0-906114-34-9. Retrieved 14 May 2008.[permanent dead link]
  4. "Bridgnorth". Shropshire Routes to Roots. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
  5. "Bridgnorth, Shropshire". The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868 transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2012. GENUKI UK and Ireland Genealogy. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  6. Parliamentary Writs Alphabetical Digest, vol. II, London: National Archives, 1834
  7. "AboutBridgnorth: Lavington's Hole". AboutBridgnorth. 23 February 2019.
  8. Bridgnorth Castle Archived 2018-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, ShropshireTourism.co.uk, accessed May 2010