Well, we went to Shropshire for a few days. My wife's grandmother was born in Sheriffhales so we started there; her parents were in domestic service, probably at the Manor.

We stayed in Bridgnorth which has a rather strange market hall.

Coalbrookdale is worth a visit; the world's first iron bridge,

the world's first railway locomotive, built by Richard Trevithick (there's a model in one of the museums)

and a tremendous museum, Blist's Hill Victorian Town, which includes re-assembled shops such as this pharmacy

and a printer's where the attendant explained, among other things, how several expressions in common use now derive from the printing profession.

We called at Shrewsbury Castle

which houses the Regimental Museum of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, hoping to discover something about my wife's great uncle who was in the regiment.

We went to Attingham Park, a National Trust property,

and Stokesay Castle which is owned by English Heritage. (They don't restore things, they just prop them up.)

Great views from the top:

Finally, we went back to Coalbrookdale to see the Tar Tunnel. While digging a railway tunnel, workers noticed tar seeping through the walls; it was a valuable resource at the time, and it still drips out now.

 After that, we headed for Cornwall; details in part 2.