Skip to content

'Pocket park' opens next to medieval abbey

Ellen Knightin Shrewsbury
News imageBBC Photo of Monahan looking into the camera and smiling. He is wearing a houndstooth jacket, flat cap, and a black woollen turtleneck. Behind him are black iron railings, festoon lighting, and red brick walls. There are people milling around, huddled under umbrellas and wearing raincoats. BBC
Martin Monahan described the park as a "wonderful community space"

A "pocket park" has opened as part of efforts to improve a heritage-rich part of Shrewsbury.

The Abbey Foregate site offers people a place to sit, bikes to hire, and free public WiFi.

It was transformed from fenced-off, disused, overgrown land during the summer, with the hope of encouraging more visitors to stop and enjoy the area on one of the main routes into town.

"You can't help but see what a wonderful community space it is," said local businessman Martin Monahan, who has been one of the main backers of the project.

The plans for the site were announced in July, after it had lain vacant for years, just metres from Shrewsbury Abbey.

The abbey, founded in 1083, is an important landmark for the town, and is the namesake for the suburb that sprung up around it.

The project has been funded by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership, backed by capital funding from government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

News imageEllen Knight/BBC Photo of a small, paved area with two benches and a tree. On the left of the image, black iron railings separate the park and the garden. A portrait of Wilfred Owen in black and white is attached to the railings. Festoon lights are strung over the park. On the right, Shrewsbury Abbey can be seen in the distance. About 20 people can be seen stood around the park, many of them with umbrellas. Ellen Knight/BBC
The park is near to Shrewsbury Abbey, which was founded in 1083

Monahan, who runs nearby music venue The Buttermarket, said the project showed "what can be achieved in such a relatively short space of time".

He added that the space "enhances" the area and will benefit both tourists and local residents alike.

Asked if there was any risk of the site facilitating antisocial behaviour, Monahan said the park had CCTV and would be "lit extremely well".

"It's a slight relief that it's now open," he said, adding that "it's been quite intense over the last few weeks.

"But I'm thrilled - I couldn't be prouder of what the Shrewsbury community has done in making this happen."

News imageGoogle Photograph of an overgrown patch of land, with large trees and shrubs, held back by worn green fencing. The sky is blue with white clouds. Google
The site was formerly a patch of disused, fenced-off land by the railway bridge

Shrewsbury Men's Shed also played a key role in bringing the park to life - the group provides space for men to meet, share skills and work on meaningful local projects like this one.

They were responsible for creating and installing the wrought iron fencing that separates the garden from the bench area.

Signs attached to the fencing feature a portrait of World War One poet Wilfred Owen, whose family home was on nearby Monkmoor Road.

News imageEllen Knight/BBC Close-up photograph of the portrait of war poet Wilfred Owen, which is attached to black wrought iron railings. Beyond the railings are large raised beds, soon to become the community garden. There are festoon lights strung over the garden, with a huge mural of trees and plants on the far right hand wall. Ellen Knight/BBC
Renowned wartime poet Wilfred Owen is honoured by the park

The park also features a mural by local artist Charlotte Tisdale, who set out to include local landmarks like Shrewsbury Abbey.

"I was asked to make the mural because there's two bricked up windows [on the adjoining building] that they wanted to cover," she explained.

Tisdale said the response to the project had been "amazing".

"It's nice to have real art by real artists supported," she said, adding that "it's a little bit of a challenge at the moment."

News imageEllen Knight/BBC Photo of Tisdale, who is looking into the camera and smiling. She is wearing a dark blue top with a white crab motif, and a lighter blue cardigan. She is stood in front of her mural - measuring about 2 by 6 metres - which depicts rolling hills, a large tree, a fox, a squirrel, and Shrewsbury Abbey. It is painted in shades of green, blue, white and orange. Ellen Knight/BBC
Artist Charlotte Tisdale said the reaction to her work has been "amazing"

Behind wrought iron railings is the Wilfred Owen Community Garden, named by people voting on social media.

The garden will be overseen by a team of volunteers, including Celia Franquet, who explained that their job is "to take this and keep it going, and get people involved".

Franquet and the team are planning to keep people updated on what is going on online.

"It's so amazing," Franquet said, adding that "it's so lovely when you've been part of this and you're realising that it matters to people.

"We're all involved because we love Shrewsbury."

News imageEllen Knight/BBC Photo of Franquet looking into the camera and smiling. She is wearing a blue woollen turtleneck top, with a beige trench coat over the top, and holding a pink umbrella. She is stood by the black railings, with the mini park behind her. Over her left shoulder is a sign reading 'Abbey Foregate Pocket Park.'Ellen Knight/BBC
Celia Franquet said her team is made up of people who "love Shrewsbury"

Seb Slater, the executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said the team has already had one hundred people coming forward to volunteer at the garden.

"I think the beauty of it is that [the site's future] is not decided," he said, adding that "people are going to come forward with their own ideas."

Slater added that the reaction to the park makes it "clear that people care about Shrewsbury."

Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

More on this story