Church Stretton
Church Stretton is a
small market town lying in a valley amongst the South Shropshire
Hills, nestling under The Long Mynd and overlooked by (amongst
others) Caer Caradoc.
This has long been a popular
area for visitors; the town's location at the heart of the
Shropshire Hills (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) led to
it once being known as Little Switzerland.
Church Stretton has long been famous for its spring water and
once flourished as a spa town; what was then a hydrotherapy
centre overlooking the valley is now The Long Mynd Hotel. Today
the town is a good base for walkers wishing to explore the
surrounding hills or nearby Cardingmill Valley. The town boasts
the highest golf course in England (or is it the second
highest?)
The name 'Stretton' comes from the Saxon 'town on
the street', a reference to the Roman road or street
(Watling Street) that runs through the town.
The town has many half-timbered buildings and still has a
relatively quiet, sleepy feel.
In one of the walls of the Church of St Lawrence is a
'Sheila-na-gig' - a Celtic fertility symbol, rare in
England.
