Shropshire Routes to Roots

If you were the driver of a train approaching Oswestry in 1900, this is what you would have seen through your window. In 1900, Oswestry was a railway hub, home of the Cambrian railways, with a major railway engineering works. You can find out much more about the history of the trains and their impact on Oswestry in the Cambrian Railways theme. Suffice it to say that the railways were the major industry in the town in 1900.

But in the mid-1960s, the trains ceased running. Today, the view seems very different. These swathes of track are now vanished.

This was the Cambrian Railway headquarters. It was also the second of Oswestry's two stations, the other being Oswestry GWR on the Gobowen Road.

In 1924, GWR took over Cambrian Railways and the station and headquarters closed. The Cambrian building is now semi-derelict, used as an auto-parts warehouse. The only hint of its previously grand past is in the name. Oswestry has no stations at all now. Gobowen, four miles away, is the nearest.

The Cross and Cross Street was Oswestry's commercial centre. The black and white timbered building is Llwyd's mansion. The elegant stone building at the centre is the National Provincial Bank building. It was built in 1905.

The bank has changed hands (currently the Abbey National), and the fascias on the shop fronts on the left have changed slightly, but otherwise the buildings are unaltered.

Llwyd Mansion originally belonged to the Llwyds (or Lloyds) of Llanforda. One of the family distinguished himself during the crusades and consequently was allowed to wear the coat of arms of the Emperor of Austria. This crest can be seen on the front of the building.

Notice that when this photograph was taken in 1903, the stone building on the left was a shop. It was this building which was knocked down to become the National Providential building in 1905.

This is the Cross, the junction of Willow Street (the road to the left), Cross Street (to the right) and Church Street (from where the photograph was taken). This scene is marked by the absence of cars, and by the number of independent shops.

This area was built up during the late nineteenth century to house the growing middle-class. The large building at the end is the Victoria Rooms. Built in 1864, this was to be a venue for concerts, functions and dances.

This latter use continues to this day, although probably not in the manner and style the Victorians anticipated: the building is now a nightclub!

The Coach and Dogs was built by Edward Lloyd of Llanforda in 1660. He used the hotel for stabling the dog cart in which he rode to church, hence the name. In the background is the parish church of St. Oswald.

If you go through to it, you will also find Oswestry Heritage Centre. This is Holbache House, which used to be the home for Oswestry Grammar School. The school was founded in 1407, and was known as a 'free' Grammar School. This was because it was free from the influence of the Church, not because it didn't charge fees! After Winchester, it is the second oldest secular foundation in England.

The scene has changed very little over the past hundred years.