Shrewsbury Castle & Shropshire Regimental Museum

The castle was an important strategic point in the 13th Century Welsh Campaigns, but fell into disuse until Elizabethan times, when it was leased by Elizabeth I to Richard Onslow who began to convert it in to a private house.

The castle was re-fortified by the Royalists in the Civil War, but after a brief siege, surrendered to the Parliamentarians without firing a shot.  After the restoration of Charles II many of the castle’s fortifications were pulled down, and it became a private residence until 1910.  Thomas Telford, the 250th anniversary of whose birth is in 2007, was responsible for a major 18th century refurbishment.  In 1924 the Castle was purchased by the Shropshire Horticultural Society and given to the Borough.

In 1985 the disparate collections of the military units associated with Shropshire were brought together in the main hall of the Castle.  The Regimental Museum houses an impressive collection of artefacts.  The museum is clearly laid out in the East Tower and the Main Hall, covering a timeline from the 18th Century to the present day.  There are many display cases containing full-sized uniformed models, numerous medals and weaponry. 

For the younger visitors there is a questionnaire which requires close attention to the displays and highlights a number of the interesting and unusual exhibits.

In 2007, the museum is open daily from 27 May until 9 September.  Also from Tuesday to Saturday and bank holidays from 13 February to 26 May and from 10 September until 22 December.  The grounds of the Castle are open all year, except for a brief period over Christmas and New Year.

Telephone 01743 358516