Discover Shrawley

Shrawley appeals to travellers with a range of interests: Shrawley Wood is known for its seasonal spring flowers and distinctive woodland nature, while the Church of St Mary and the history of Shrawley Castle offer architectural and historical perspectives. There is also the historic crossing at Shrawley and the location of Oliver’s Mound on the River Severn.

Woodland nature through the seasons

Shrawley Wood is known locally as Bluebell Wood. In April or May, the woodland has displays of bluebells and other spring flowers. If you want to make the bloom a focus of your visit, this period provides a specific reference point for planning your trip.

The woodland is also designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it contains the largest area of small-leaved lime woodland in the country. The designation and the woodland’s distinctive composition add another aspect of nature to the seasonal display of flowers.

A 2023 report on the state of nature in Worcestershire mentions wild garlic in the damper areas of Shrawley Wood. This refers to specific parts of the woodland, whereas the information about bluebells and other spring flowers describes a time of year.

In the northern part of Shrawley Wood, stepping stones cross Dick Brook. So, alongside its plant life, the woodland also has a specific feature that is noted as an attraction.

Church and architectural history

The building history of the Church of St Mary can be seen in its different parts: the chancel and nave date from the early to mid-12th century, and the south porch from the 15th century. The west tower was rebuilt in the 17th century. These dates show that the church brings together architectural elements from several centuries.

The Norman doorway has a round arch, chevron ornament and waterleaf capitals. The term Norman identifies the architectural style; the ornament and capitals are other distinctive details of the doorway.

Shrawley Castle is also part of the area’s history. The castle was built around the year 1100. During the English Civil War, the Royalists used what remained of it as a gun emplacement. For this later episode, it is important that the reference is to the remaining ruins, not to an intact building.

Historic crossing and River Severn

The historic crossing at Shrawley later became known as Redstone Ford and remained in use until the bridges at Stourport and Holt were built. This account adds a history of crossing use to the architectural history of the church and castle.

Oliver’s Mound lies on an outcrop of Keuper sandstone, 60 feet above the banks of the River Severn. This gives both a precise height above the riverbank and the geological composition of the outcrop.

Planning and finding hotels

A January 2024 statement from Forestry England describes access to Shrawley Wood by car as difficult because there is no parking. Check the latest access information before planning your trip so you can take this limitation into account when choosing your destination.

When planning your trip, you can treat a seasonal focus on nature differently from an interest in architectural and local history: April or May is given as the time for the flowers, while the church and castle each have their own historical periods.

Discover more destinations: Little Malvern, Pershore, Dunhampton, Great Witley, Upton upon Severn, Kempsey, Broadway, Offenham.

For the regional travel overview: Worcestershire.