A few months ago, I shared our journey in terms of deciding where we were going to pick up and move our life. We’d been living in Cheadle Heath for 8 years, not too far from where Wayne had spent his entire life just outside of Manchester. Deciding that we wanted to (and had the ability to) change our lifestyle and move elsewhere was a huge decision and we were quite pragmatic when it came to narrowing down our choices. In the end, we decided Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire was at the top of our list. We arranged to see four different properties on a very snowy day in December and found our dream home. We put in an offer the next morning and the rest, as they say, is history.
Well, sort of. I mean, we chose the town ‘on paper’ as it were and the first time we ever even stepped foot into the town, we bought a house here. Outwardly, it may seem to have been a rash decision but we knew it’d be right – at least we were pretty sure it’d be right. So after living here for 4 1/2 months, was it the right decision after all?
Given the title of the post, I’m pretty sure you already know the answer to that one. But I thought it’d be fun to talk about all the ways that moving to a location we love has changed our lives. It seems Kirsty and Phil were right – it really is all about location, location, location. And as much as I’d love to keep this hidden gem to myself (I mean, not many people have even heard of it nevermind visited!), here are 9 different reasons why I’m SUPER happy about deciding to move to Shrewsbury.
There’s a sense of community
Since moving here, I’ve met so many lovely people both on Instagram and in person, eager to share their favourite spots or events in town or to meet up for a coffee and a chat or simply to share their own experiences of living here. I’ve met some wonderfully creative people and small business owners who clearly love this little gem of a place just as much as we do. I hope to attend more networking events in the future but it’s just great to know there’s a lively community here.
People care about their town
I swear I see the neighbours across the road from our house out trimming bushes, sweeping their front paths and touching up paint every single week. When you see people taking that much pride in their homes, you know you’re on to a good thing. We did some weeding of the front of our house when we first moved in but some have grown back now and while the inside of our home is taking priority at the moment, I’m so conscious of this that I actually feel guilty about it! Ha! As you walk through my neighbourhood and head towards the centre of town, you see this everywhere – flowers blooming, lawns cut, bushes trimmed. There’s no rubbish in front gardens and everything is rather nicely kept. There’s a real sense of pride here that’s wonderful to see.
The old buildings and bridges are beautiful
The town itself is so picturesque with over 500 buildings in the town from the 15th and 16th century – that’s a lot of buildings in a small area! It’s stunning to walk around and see the various different kinds of architecture over hundreds of years happily side by side. It’s probably one of the first times in my life that I actually feel rather proud of where I live. I get excited to share it with visiting friends because I know they’ll be oohing and awwing the whole time over the beautiful setting.
There are great places to eat
We’ve already had the experience of a few amazing eateries and there are simply loads around. For a small town, you wouldn’t expect to get so much great food but it’s here for the taking. We have about 20 different places on our ‘must-visit’ list (including an amazing vegan Japanese restaurant) and more are added all the time as recommendations come flooding in. We recently went to Harvey’s of Fish Street for drinks and it was such a beautiful setting that we’re determined to go back soon. We also recently went to Casa Naranjo, an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant that’s fully run by Spanish people and the food was outstanding. I know that you’d get this in any major city but in a small town, it’s just not the norm in my experience so it’s fantastic to have great food practically on our doorstep!
There are great places to shop
Of course, alongside great bars, pubs and restaurants, you’ve also got great shopping. With everything from amazing small independent shops (Workshop is one of my favourites) to a huge indoor market to outdoor markets in the town square to the larger chains like House of Frasier, Marks & Spencers, H&M, there’s genuinely something for everyone here. There’s even a shop that sells a whole bunch of American candy and my nieces were thrilled walking into the Harry Potter store too. Because it’s the county town, pretty much all the retailers are here that you can think of and dangerously, they are all within a 20-minute walk of my house! I’ve always had to travel into Manchester city central to get to decent shops so it’s just a novelty to have everything so close by!
Everything is on our doorstep
Speaking of which, I think this is probably the biggest change for us. Where we previously lived, we pretty much always had to jump in our car if we wanted to go anywhere of interest whereas now, we leave the car sat in the drive all weekend long. I got rid of my car when we decided to sell up as we figured we didn’t need the added expense and I thought I’d be eager to get another car when we moved. So far, I’ve not really needed it. I can walk just about anywhere I need to go and when I can’t, there’s a train station within walking distance that leads directly to major city centres like Birmingham and Manchester. Even the larger stores like B&Q, the garden centres or the larger supermarkets are less than a 10 minute drive away.
There’s plenty of nature too
Of course, one of the nicest things about essentially living in a town in the middle of the countryside (Birmingham is the nearest city and that’s 30 miles away) is that you have nature all around you. I have yet to explore much of the Shropshire countryside but even the parks here are beautiful and The Quarry (a 29-acre park) and The Dingle (the main flower garden seen above) are favourites of ours just to walk along the river and see the beauty around us.
We go out a lot more
Where we used to be quite happy to settle down at home on a weekend, we’re out and about so much more now. It was one of the things we really wanted when we moved – access to everything a place had to offer and we certainly have found that here. With community events all summer long from Food Festivals to a River Festival to the annual Shrewsbury Flower Show, there’s almost always something to check out. And even when there’s not an event taking place, it’s just lovely to walk a few minutes and have access to a host of places to shop, eat and drink. Of course, the downside of this is that we are spending a lot more money here! Ha! It’s far too easy to get carried away with spending but I’m happy to be experiencing where we live rather than always just stuck indoors.
It’s busy but not too busy
And finally, I do often laugh when I hear of people talking about “traffic” in Shrewsbury. Let me tell you, after spending hours on a motorway or crawling our way into Manchester’s city centre in the car, what we have here (ie, 4 cars ahead of you at a stop light) can’t possibly be considered traffic! We often remark as well that what you end up with here at pubs and restaurants is “TV busy”. Ya know how on television, when they show people in bars or restaurants, there are people around but they always get a table, can always hear each other speak and the bar isn’t 4 people deep as you wait to place your order? It’s like that. All the time. Busy in the sense it doesn’t feel like you are in a desolate town after some outbreak but also not so heaving that you can’t get a table or order a drink easily. It’s nice busy. Even on a Saturday night. We will even go to garden centres and DIY stores on a Saturday afternoon and you don’t feel like you are fighting off hoards of people. Hopefully this blog post won’t change that either! ;)
I took these pictures at the weekend when we had Wayne’s family visiting and I hope you enjoyed this little jaunt around our town! How do you feel about where you live? What are the best things about it? I’d love to know what makes your home great! Let me know in the comments!
This is so beautiful. Now I wanna leave my country & come stay here if it were possible. Thanks.
Ha! Honestly, every single person who has visited me has said how fabulous it is! It really is a little gem of a place and I feel incredibly lucky to live here! :) xx
Shrewsbury looks like an amazing town. You are blessed to live there.
We really are. It’s a wonderful little gem of a place! xx
Sounds ideal and the pictures are amazing. Love the buildings and gardens.
It’s such a stunning place and surprising that more people don’t know about it. I feel very lucky to live here! :) xx
I’m in Shrewsbury too and have been about 6 years. Love it here! Let me know if you want to meet for a cuppa! :-)
Aww that’s so nice of you Sher – thank you! Everyone I speak to that lives here has the same kind of pride and it’s just wonderful! xx
I’m originally from the States but lived in Wolverhampton when I first moved over. The people are so much friendlier here in Shrewsbury . More like home!
I live in Canada but have visited the area you now call home & I agree it’s lovely. I was born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. I’m retired now & I just may return to my roots one day & your little town sounds ideal for me.
Love watching the progress on your new home.
It’s funny how many people I’ve spoken to that have moved away and then returned. It’s such an incredible gem of a place! And thank you, we are so excited to make the house our own :) xx
I completely agree. It is one of the countryβs finest. Hardly anyone knows where it is. If you ask anyone from London, Birmingham Liverpool Leeds or Manchester they may say they have heard of it due to local football team doing well! It has great transport links , great food, real ale pubs, amazing countryside, world heritage site 13 miles away, founded industrial revolution, Kings and Queens have stayed, buildings include the forerunner to sky scraper. We are proud of our town and we just seem to get on with life and enjoy what we have. We donβt shout from the rooftops because we know how special this town is. It has been rated the country gold standard βbest in Britain β flowers in bloom and constantly recommended as one of the best places to live. So why donβt many people know about Shrewsbury? Because we want to keep it to ourselves and enjoy everything about it!! Come and see for yourselves. You will not be disappointed.
Yes, Steve, you’re so spot on – I love your comment!! It really just has EVERYTHING, doesn’t it? I did think as I was writing this post that maybe I should just keep the place our little secret ;) Ha! It’s perfect just as it is and I’m shocked so many people don’t know about it! xx
I’ve always thought it looked like a nice town to live in.
It’s so ideal, Julia – I love living here and feel very lucky to call it home now! :) xx
Morning Kimberley, What a fabulous compliment to Shrewsbury, you have captured everything about your new home perfectly & your photos are the icing! I love Shropshire & often visit Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth & Ludlow. The Much Wenlock Christmas Fayre is one of my favourite seasonal activities & I buy quite a lot of Christmas gifts from the stalls & shops in that lovely little town. We live in the West Midlands & for some years our town suffered from the ‘Merry Hill’ effect, fortunately things are looking better now with a good number of independent shops bringing the shoppers back. Add to that a wonderful park & being within walking distance of countryside & it is a nice place to be. We have lived in our 1930s semi for 30 years but really it has been home to me since I was seven because she was my family home & we bought her from my parents when my dad’s heart condition meant they felt time spent on the garden & maintenance of an ageing house could be used differently. We love every inch of her, no metric when she was built, & I am more than happy to keep her looking smart doing all the constant stuff from painting the picture rails to polishing the hall floor. This year’s project is a new bathroom, we have found a wash basin & loo with a definite Art Deco feel & will contrast them with a walk thorough shower area, hopefully it will work.
you and Wayne have chosen a beautiful part of the country, and it looks like you are settling and really enjoying yourself Xxx
Sounds like you’ve moved to heaven :0) Although I’m in London, my area feels like a little town. Cricklewood is my little back water, and I don’t want everyone to find out about it either! It’s so good to have parks and community activities within walking distance. I would never consider moving (unless forced to), so I can honestly say I love where I live. (BTW, ‘TV Busy’ – love that! so true). Tx
Can I ask where you work? Iβve lived in Shropshire for 16 years and only worked here twice.
I commute four hours a day for work.
Plus, Iβve not actually found the people that friendly…. Iβm originally from Cheshire and I go back home for some northern cheer whenever I can.
Hi Kimberley!
Sorry i know this comment is unrelated to your post but i wanted to find out whether you provide any sort of interior design services please? I noticed on a couple of previous blogs you have done some work for others before, i wondered if you would still be interested in that sort of thing? I sent an email earlier in the week but i wasnt sure if you had seen or recieved it. No worries if not! Thank you!
What a beautiful town you live in. I hate it here. In switzerland you never smile, (they think you are being rude), never crack a joke, (they don’t understand what humour means). Wear a Rolex if you want to be spoken to and drive a mercedes if you expect to be thanked for letting someone cross the road in front of you. After many years living here I even find the ‘breathtaking’ views as boring as the swiss people. I am also thinking of returning to the U.K.
So lovely to find your blog with all these details on Shrewsbury! Me and my boyfriend live in london and have been looking to move for a while now, but him being a freelancer and I can move jobs at any point, weβve been a bit confused as to where to move! We came across Shrewsbury about a year ago and are coming back soon to view a few properties. It is a very beautiful area and hoping to move at some point next year! One worry for us is meeting people as we donβt know anyone in this area, but good to know there are some networking events :)
Oh that’s so exciting Roxy! I have met quite a few people here who have moved from London (or they’d left for a while and returned to the area). It’s obviously not going to be as ‘buzzing’ as London but if you are looking for a bit of a slower pace without feeling like you are completely cut off from civilisation then it’s perfect – ha! Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a line, happy to answer your questions! xxx
Yes thatβs what weβre looking for :) weβre hoping to find a place in town so weβre not completely cut off! Thank you! Iβm sure Iβll have some questions once we move! xx
You definitely want something within walking distance to the centre – it really does make all the difference! :) Best of luck with everything and happy to help! xx
I have done the opposite to you! Moved from Shrewsbury to Edgeley, just down the road from Cheadle Heath. Iβve been up here for a decade now (including a few years in Manchester). I love the buzz of Manchester but really enjoy going back to Shrewsbury to stay with my parents. Like having a holiday home ;) Itβs a fabulous town and Iβm proud to have been born and raised there. I bang on about it to anyone that listens ha!
Love your Insta x
Oh my goodness, isn’t that funny! I do love Manchester and always have but it’s easy enough to get to from here so I don’t mind living further away now. Especially when we’ve found somewhere we love. You’re very lucky to be able to enjoy the best of both worlds! :) And yes, it’s a cracking little town, funny how so few people are aware of it! xx
Hi, I came across your blog after a short break to Shrewsbury and found it very interesting as we would also possibly like to move there one day. We are in Swansea at the moment and are looking at places in England that we can afford and Shrewsbury seems reasonable for what your getting and also that its so easy to get to other places by train. We noticed a lot of new houses being built which could be a possibility for us, thanks for posting your blog is very helpful.
Hi! Weβre thinking about relocating to Shrewsbury, which is how I found your blog! Can you recommend which parts of town are good to live in? Which ones to avoid? Thanks so much. I love your blog.
Hey Andrew, I’d be hard pressed really as I don’t know the area *that* well to know exactly which areas are best to live and which to avoid! I’m in Cherry Orchard which is really lovely and I know some people who live in Belle Vue, another nice area. There are a couple council estates which are a little more rough outside of the town but otherwise, I don’t know of any areas you might specifically want to avoid. Sorry I can’t help more than that! xx
Thanks so much for the response! We were already looking into Belle Vue, but Cherry Orchard wasnβt on my radar. Thanks for the tip, it looks great. Exactly what weβre looking for
Oh good, happy to help! Best of luck with your move too – it’s such a wonderful town, you’re going to love it ;) x