Monument Type(s):

• ROAD (Late Saxon - 800 AD? to 1066 AD?)

Summary

The present name of Meadow Place does not seem to be recorded until the early 19th century. It is probably the successor to a path known as Thornes Way in the later Middle Ages.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Description

Street-space (morphological component). The present name of Meadow Place does not seem to be recorded until the early 19th century (Hobbs 1954) [<1>]. It is probably the successor to a path known as Thornes Way in the later Middle Ages. In 1464 the path was described alternately as leading from the Castle Gate to Roushill or leading to Roushill via the town walls by a meadow called Thornes Meadow [<2>]; In 1477 the path was described as leading by Garewald's tower (62524) and Roushill [<3>].
The street is clearly related to the Meadow Place town wall (62522) on its northern frontage. The question is, whether this was merely a convenience path arising casually within the wall, probably taking traffic to and from Garewald's Ford (62525), or was it deliberately laid out and metalled as part of the defences, ie as a 'wall street' on the Wessex model, in the late Saxon period. Documentary references courtesy of Bill Champion <4>

Photograph showing Meadow Place, Shrewsbury in the late 1920s/1930s?, including many of the buildings lining the northern side of the street, which have since been demolished. <5>

<01> Hobbs J L, 1954, Street Names of Shrewsbury, p73 (Monograph). SSA365.

<02> Anon, Document (Manuscript). SSA10648.

<03> Anon, Document (Manuscript). SSA10647.

<04> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis (SMR comment). SSA20432.

<05> Mallinson J, Photo (Photograph). SSA24546.

Sources

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