Shropshire Routes to Roots

The Kenley ridgeway was an ancient route which ran from Church Preen to Harley and down to the Severn at Sheinton. It also connected to the Stretton Gap following Yell bank. This route avoided the valleys with the added advantage, in a wooded area, of the traveller being able to see where they were headed. All the other roads around Kenley and Church Preen in the medieval period ran from the ridge into the valley and towards Hughley Brook.

People and goods travelled along well marked routes. The roads in the area were created by centuries of traffic up and down unpaved tracks such as the one in the image. Gradually this would have eroded away the path. These routes have a typical appearance they seem to have been cut into the landscape with high hedges and steep banks. They are often known as Holloways.

One such road descends from Church Preen to the cross roads at the school on its descent to Hughley. The antiquity of this road can be guessed at by studying the hedges on either side of the road.

As a rough rule the number of tree and shrub species in the hedge equates to the age of the hedge in centuries. In this hedge we can see Holly, Blackthorn, Elder, Hazel, also Honeysuckle and Ivy have crept in. This suggests a hedge and road of some antiquity.

Why not try counting the number of species you can see in a 30 metre length of hedge near to you?

Can we tell who was using the track?

This bridlepath runs from the Kenley ridge just beyond the old School House and descends towards the Hughley brook through Upper Springs farm. The high hedges and the V shaped cross section to the "road " suggests that it is probably an old pack horse route, which ran from the ridge into Much Wenlock. It may have been used to bring in raw material for a Forge which was producing iron and which was located close to Hughley brook. Pack horses were used to carry goods and cargo over rough ground before the roads were good enough for wheeled transport.

This is the road running from Hughley to Harley. It is typical of an enclosure road with quick set hedges on either side. These hedges were laid out quickly and usually are of only one species such as hawthorn. Standard trees were planted at regular intervals, about every 100 feet. These trees were an important source of timber which many believed were planted for use in shipbuilding industry. Often enclosure awards stipulated that the distance between the hedges should be 40 foot.

Although these roads were built in straight lines they often forgot to join minor roads to the next parish. This resulted in kinks and abrupt bends in the roads. The aerial view, shows in the distance, the junction of the Harley road to Hughley parish, with just such a bend. See if you can follow the line of the road as it enters Hughley parish?