A pretty Shropshire town has been awarded the coveted accolade of being named one of the coolest place to live in the UK.
Church Stretton, located around 13 miles south of Shrewsbury and 160 miles from central London has recently been named one of the 50 coolest places to live in the country according to a survey by Naturecan.
The company, which produces CBD products, tried to find the coolest place to live in Britain.
Although the Cornish town of Polperro came first, Church Stretton came a respectable 11th behind Windermere, Ely, Harbourside, Leith, Bruton, Baltic Triangle, Morecambe, Marlow, Wells-next-the-Sea, and Polperro.
Church Stretton has a fascinating history. According to some experts people have been living in settlements in the region since the Iron Age and the word Stretton is reportedly derived from words that mean settlement.
What’s more, the A49 which runs near Church Stretton follows a very similar path to an old Roman road. Later, the town was granted a charter by King John in 1214 and over the following centuries became a key market town.
Despite the passage of time, a market has been held every week for the past 809 years and many of the buildings have been around since it was destroyed by a fire in 1593.
Fast forward to the Victorian and Edwardian eras and the town’s beauty became so well known that it was given the moniker ‘Little Switzerland’ because of its buildings and surrounding nature.
In 1852 Church Stretton railway station was opened as part of the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway line, but in 1914 the station was moved.
During World War 2, Church Stretton became the base for a charity which helped blind military personnel.
The town was chosen because it was believed to be a safe location, one where soldiers could adjust to their new life and around 700 people were trained during this time.
Such was the legacy of the charity that a cul-de-sac was named St Dunstan’s Close after the charity that now goes by the title Blind Veterans UK. Today the town is a bustling community with councillors and a mayor who sits inside the Ludlow constituency.
It is because of its beauty and community that Church Stretton still attracts people to this day. On the visit Church Stretton website, they proudly state: “We don’t do chain stores in Church Stretton, just lots of independent, locally-owned businesses which can help complete a magical visit to our lovely town.
“And as we are blessed with a beautiful natural environment, we have a strong commitment to looking after and cherishing our place. Help us keep it in good shape by taking note of our motto: ‘Take only Memories; Leave only Footprints’.”
On TripAdvisor, the antiques market has received high praise. One person said: “A fascinating place full of all kinds of items from model cars, china, jewellery etc right up to some quite handsome pieces of furniture, over 3 floors of a former maltster’s premises.
“Lots to see, so take your time and do be careful on the steep stairs. There are some negative comments about the service on here, but I found the owner (?) to be brisk and businesslike and I was perfectly happy with that. Definitely worth a visit!”
