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The medieval era is full of mysterious events, occurrences, and places, with sometimes even entire kingdoms becoming entirely shrouded in the unknown. We will be examining one of these kingdoms today, Pengwern, whose impact on both the history of Wales and the history of England has seemingly only been slight, with this Welsh kingdom's base on the Wrekin in Shropshire, its only known king, Cynddylan, seems to have succeeded in only antagonising his English neighbours of Mercia and Northumbria. However, the fascinating Welsh history of this realm has largely eluded us for the past 1000 years, and today I'd like...

Rob Waugh Rob Waugh·Contributor Tue, 19 April 2022, 7:56 am·2-min read The fireball streaked above Shropshire last week (Gareth Oakey, UK Meteor Network) The fireball streaked above Shropshire last week. (Gareth Oakey, UK Meteor Network) A huge fireball that streaked across the sky last week may have left a meteorite somewhere in Shropshire, scientists believe. Dr Luke Daly, of UKFAll and the University of Glasgow, said: "We think about 500g of meteorite survived to the ground in approximately four fragments just south of Shrewsbury. "Given the amount of wheat and oilseed rape in the area, we have been literally looking...

When farmer Ifor Edwards dropped his keys in a field he had no idea the search to find them would result in the discovery of buried treasure. Mr Edwards, 56 and his wife Anna, 40, called in enthusiasts from Wrexham Heritage Society when he lost his keys on land at Oak Farm in Bronington, near Whitchurch. But as well as finding his keys -- which had gone through a lawn mower -- the team armed with metal detectors also found 14 mediaeval coins dated from the 14th and 15th centuries. At an inquest in Ruthin the North East Wales Coroner...

...One of the most disputed stories of extreme age belongs to a 17th century man named Thomas Parr, who claimed to be 152 years old at the time of his death... Most of what historians know about the life of Tom Parr comes from John Taylor’s pamphlet, published the year of Parr’s death, “The old, old, very old man or the age and very long life of Thomas Parr.” Parr lived most of his life as a farm laborer in the county of Shropshire, and married his first wife when he was 80 years old... Parr, at some point, started...

Full Headline: Return of the death mound: Neolithic-style tombs are back in fashion after 5,000 years as Britain runs out of space to bury the dead These stunning images show the Milky Way etched across the night sky over a Neolithic burial barrow, which will open this weekend as part of a Stone Age tradition being resurrected across Britain. The Soulton Long Barrow in Shropshire is only the third of its kind to be opened in modern times. The burial chamber is based on ancient solution to the lack of burial space in Britain used by our Neolithic ancestors almost...

The historic Ironbridge in Shropshire will receive £1.25m for essential maintenance work, it has been announced. The bridge, the world's first single span made of iron, was erected over the River Severn in 1779. Historians say the site is an important part of the early years of the Industrial Revolution. English Heritage said the site has been damaged by stresses in the original ironwork and a 19th Century earthquake. The work is set to begin in 2017. Engineers have been investigating the bridge for the last three years, and are set to finish their examinations this week. Kate Mavor, English...

A powerful group of senior archaeologists are sharpening their trowels to fight "ethically unacceptable" plans they say will destroy one of the nation's greatest Iron Age treasures. Old Oswestry Hill Fort, an imposing ancient feature that dominates the skyline on the fringe of the Shropshire market town, is on the frontline of an increasingly bitter struggle pitting historians and residents against the local authority and central government. At stake is the ancient rural surroundings of the hill fort, an elaborate, 3,000-year-old earthwork dubbed "the Stonehenge of the Iron Age". It is said to have been the birthplace of Queen Ganhumara...

The grant will allow the team to archaeologically survey the village using a variety of methods, with particular focus on the group of timber-framed buildings which are present on an estate map of 1631. Many of these buildings probably have their origins within the medieval period. Dr Nash said: "Based on place-name evidence, the village of Tilley probably has its origins during the Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) period. The 'ley' element of Tilley translates into 'leah', meaning wood clearing." The project, one of the largest of its kind, will include a dendrochronology survey of 28 buildings that stand within the Tilley...

Today the magnificent 3,000 year old Shropshire hillfort of Old Oswestry is in the news while campaigners fight to halt several proposed housing developments that threatens both the setting and archaeology surrounding the monument. But, as if to highlight the importance of this place, a new discovery from 2008 has been dubbed the Oswestry Pegasus Stone. The engraved stone currently stands in the Oswestry Town Museum and Professor George Nash was invited by Rodney Farmer to review the previous interpretation. The stone was recovered during an archaeological watching brief in February 2008 from undergrowth near the main entrance to Old...

A very large and important find of a hoard of Roman coins was recently discovered by a novice metal detector user in the Shrewsbury area. This is probably one of the largest coin hoards ever discovered in Shropshire. The finder, Mr Nic. Davies, bought his first metal detector a month ago and this is his first find made with it. The hoard was discovered close to a public bridleway on land that Mr Davies did not have permission to detect on. All land is owned by someone and it is important that permission to search is obtained in advance. The...

Farmers are fighting back against criminals. Spitting llamas, loudspeakers and security paint are just some of the ways Shropshire farmers are trying to combat rural crime. Countryside theft across Shropshire is costing hundreds of thousands of pounds a year – and it is farmers who are often the victims. New figures revealed today show that the cost of crime in rural areas has hit nearly £700,000 a year in the county. Farms with their secluded locations and expensive machinery are prime targets for thieves. And though there are signs that Farmwatch schemes are helping to address the problem, thefts of...

'Bigamous' lesbian is sentenced Mitchell was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid community service A woman who entered into a civil partnership with her lesbian partner while she was still married has been ordered to carry out community service.Suzanne Mitchell, of Wingfield Gardens, Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to breaching the 2004 Civil Partnerships Act. The 30-year-old admitted making a false statement at her union with Caroline Beddows before her marriage to Charles Mitchell had been annulled. Suzanne Mitchell was also given a suspended prison sentence on Monday. Mitchell has since split with her female partner and has been reunited...

A spooky sign? That's the spirit A Shropshire ghost looks set to be one of the first in the county to be honoured with a plaque as councillors discuss the idea to celebrate their haunted heritage. Wem's spooky past centres around a ghostly photograph. It attracts international attention and the town hall spirit will be discussed at a meeting on Thursday. Councillors will decide if they should put up a spine-tingling tribute after the image of a young girl standing in the flames of the blazing building was snapped by amateur photographer Tony O'Rahilly in 1995. The idea has been...