Westbury, Shropshire


Westbury is a village and parish in Shropshire, England. It includes the settlements of Caus Forest, Lake, Marche, Newtown, Stoney Stretton, Vennington, Wallop, Westbury, Whitton, Winsley and Yockleton. It lies west of the town of Shrewsbury, very close to the Wales-England border. It is located at 135 m altitude. It had a population of 1,352 according to the 2011 census. In 2005, Westbury parish expanded with the annexation of half of the former Wollaston parish.
It is situated on the B4386 road which travels from Shrewsbury to Montgomery. Amenities include a Royal Mail Post Office, a Marstons Pub called 'The Lion', a medical practice surgery, and a cemetery on Hinwood Road.
The primary school closed in 2017, merging in a federation with Worthen and Hope into the Long Mountain School at Worthen.

History

During the Roman settlement of Britain it was an outpost of Wroxeter. In about 1848, a piece of lead was found with markings of the name of the Roman Emperor Aurelian. About from Westbury lie the scant ruins of Caus Castle, which was originally used as a border stronghold. The castle was built in the late 11th century.
In 1870–72, Westbury was described by John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales like this:
In 1831 the dominating occupation was working in agriculture and farming. There were no manufacturing jobs in 1831. In 2001 there were 80, which decreased to 52 in 2011. Several coal and lead mines were being worked near Shrewsbury and Westbury at the former time. Many collieries were closed by 1921, with the last closing in 1941.

Railways

Previously served by Westbury station on the Cambrian Line.

Notable people