Shrewsbury Pubs
Shrewsbury has around 70 venues selling cask ale within a mile or so of the centre, so it can be difficult to decide where to go. Some of these are restaurants or social clubs, but if it’s some suggestions of real ale pubs in Shrewsbury that you are after, the Good Beer Guide is a good place to start, as it will give you a list of pubs currently serving consistently well kept ale.
However, the Good Beer Guide only has a relatively small selection of our pubs. So to help choose which pubs to visit, we have put together some suggested pub trails around Shrewsbury, based on different areas of the town. For each trail, we’ve provided pub locations on a map, suggestions on how to tackle the trail, and some brief descriptions of the pubs on the trail.
Not all real ale pubs have been included as there are too many, but we have tried to include regular Good Beer Guide entries or Pub of the Year winning pubs, pubs with interesting or historic features, and of course pubs that consistently serve decent ale. Some lesser frequented pubs have also been included because they fit well into a trail in that area.
For general information on bus and train routes, and links to the train and bus company websites for the latest timetables, please see our Travel Information page.
Pub Trails
The Shrewsbury pub trails listed below are defined by area. The furthest pubs are about 25 minutes walk from the centre of Shrewsbury, around a mile and a half in distance, so the trails cover a fairly compact area.
It is perfectly possible to mix and match, and do some pubs from one trail and some from another. There are also many pubs that we’ve not been able to include in the trails, which are perfectly decent places to visit, so please feel free to pop in and give them a try if you are passing.
Due to differences in pub opening times, it may not be possible to visit all the pubs on a trail, or complete them in a logical order, on the day and time of your trip. As pub opening times are the main factor in determining how a trail is done, the Trail Options section for each trail is centred around how best to do the trail on the day and time of your visit.
We will do our best to keep the information on this page up to date but please double-check opening times on WhatPub before you go and be prepared to be flexible.
How You Can Help
Check WhatPub
When you are visiting the pubs, if you notice any errors in the pub’s details on WhatPub.com, please let our WhatPub Co-ordinator know so that we can get the information corrected.
Our branch’s WhatPub Co-ordinator can be contacted by email by clicking the button below.
Rate the Beer
If you are a CAMRA member, please rate the beers in each pub as you go round. This helps us compile shortlists of pubs for the Good Beer Guide and Pub of the Year competition.
If you need more information on how to give the beers a rating, have a look at our Beer Scoring page.
Trails List
A pub trail in Shrewsbury town centre, taking in pubs near the Welsh Bridge and others near the railway station. To see the trail, click HERE
A pub trail in Shrewsbury town centre, taking in pubs on Wyle Cop, around St. Alkmund's church, and on Swan Hill. To see the trail, click HERE
A pub trail north west of Shrewsbury town centre, taking in pubs around Copthorne Road and Frankwell. To see the trail, click HERE
A pub trail north east of Shrewsbury town centre, taking in the pubs in Coton Hill and the Castlefields area. To see the trail, click HERE
A pub trail east of Shrewsbury town centre, visiting pubs on Abbey Foregate, and also Wenlock Road and Monkmoor Road. To see the trail, click HERE
A pub trail south west of Shrewsbury town centre, visiting pubs in the Coleham area and around Belle View Road. To see the trail, click HERE
Welsh Bridge and Castle Gates
Trail Information
This pub trail follows the river on the northern side of central Shrewsbury, taking in five pubs very close together on the town centre side of the Welsh Bridge, and two pubs near the railway station on Castle Gates. This trail includes the town’s two Wetherspoons pubs. Please note that the area around the Salopian Bar, King’s Head and Shrewsbury Hotel can be inaccessible without some good wellies if the river has burst it’s banks.
Number of Pubs
7
Length of Trail
0.6 miles
Number of Ales
32
FLOODING: Note that the complete trail may not be possible if the river has burst it’s banks, as the Welsh Bridge end of Smithfield Road and bottom of Mardol can be flooded right across the road. This can result in the Salopian Bar and Shrewsbury Hotel being unable to open. Other pubs around the Welsh Bridge are still usually accessible by approaching them using a route further away from the river.
Pubs on the Trail
Tap and Can
Just round the corner from the railway station, this is a single room bar with up to four changing cask ales sourced from breweries all over the country. For history buffs, the back wall of the men's toilet is the exposed stone of the 900 year old castle foundations.
Castle Vaults
About 40m up the hill from the Tap and Can, is the Castle Vaults. The three handpulls usually have ales from Shropshire breweries. Weather permitting, it's worth checking out the rooftop beer garden (up the steps in the rear courtyard), which has views of the castle behind.
Salopian Bar
The bright blue walls of the Salopian Bar are hard to miss on Smithfield Road. Located near the Welsh Bridge, it's about 5 minutes walk from the railway station. There are five real ales available and quite often, these include a darker mild, stout or porter.
King's Head
The 15th century jettied timber-framed building is situated near the bottom of Mardol. Also of historical interest is a painting of the Last Supper on the wall, uncovered during renovations. Two ales are usually available including Bass.
Shrewsbury Hotel
This former coaching inn on the corner of Mardol and Smithfield Road is now a Wetherspoons. Apart from the usual three well known beers, there are generally another three ales on from smaller breweries, quite often local ones.
Armoury
An upmarket pub on the quayside of the River Severn with a large open plan interior. The building started it's life as an armoury up near the Column before being moved to its present location in 1919. They normally have at least six real ales, and quite often a darker ale.
Montgomery's Tower
Another Wetherspoons pub, this time in a former nightclub. More open plan than the Shrewsbury Hotel with two bars. They normally have one of their usual ales and also five changing ales from smaller breweries.
Trail Options
There are three main options for doing this trail, depending on which day of the week you your trip is. This is mainly due to the more limited opening hours of the Tap and Can on Castle Gates.
The trail can be done in either direction but if possible, it is recommended to start at the railway station end and finish at the Welsh Bridge, as there are more options just over the bridge if required.
The options are as follows:
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Monday and Tuesday
On Mondays and Tuesdays, start at the railway station end of the trail. Miss out the Tap and Can as it will be shut, and go first to the Castle Vaults. From there, a 4 minute walk will get you to the Welsh Bridge area. From here, you can visit the Salopian Bar, King's Head, Shrewsbury Hotel, Armoury and Montgomery's Tower.
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Wednesday to Friday Daytime Trips
During the daytime on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, start the trail at the Welsh Bridge end. This will mean that you will end the trail near the railway station, by which time the Tap and Can should be open. So the suggested order of pubs is Montgomery's Tower, Armoury, Shrewsbury Hotel, King's Head, Salopian Bar, Castle Vaults and finishing in the Tap and Can.
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Wednesday to Friday Evenings, Weekend Trips
If you are doing the trail on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening, or anytime at the weekend, you will be able to do the whole trail in either direction. We recommend starting at the Tap and Can and then going to the Castle Vaults, Salopian Bar, King's Head, Shrewsbury Hotel, Armoury, to finish at Montgomery's Tower.
Alternative Pubs
Also close by are the Anchor and the Wheatsheaf, just over the Welsh Bridge, included in our Copthorne & Frankwell trail. Alternately, head up Bridge Street away from the Welsh Bridge to reach the Admiral Benbow and Coach and Horses on Swan Hill, about 5 minutes walk away (shown in our Wyle Cop and Swan Hill trail).
Tap and Can
Just round the corner from the railway station, this is a single room bar with up to four changing cask ales sourced from breweries all over the country. For history buffs, the back wall of the men’s toilet is the exposed stone of the 900 year old castle foundations.
Castle Vaults
About 40m up the hill from the Tap and Can, is the Castle Vaults. The three handpulls usually have ales from Shropshire breweries. Weather permitting, it’s worth checking out the rooftop beer garden (up the steps in the rear courtyard), which has views of the castle behind.
Salopian Bar
The bright blue walls of the Salopian Bar are hard to miss on Smithfield Road. Located near the Welsh Bridge, it’s about 5 minutes walk from the railway station. There are five real ales available and quite often, these include a darker mild, stout or porter.
King's Head
The 15th century jettied timber-framed building is situated near the bottom of Mardol. Also of historical interest is a painting of the Last Supper on the wall, uncovered during renovations. Two ales are usually available including Bass.
Shrewsbury Hotel
This former coaching inn on the corner of Mardol and Smithfield Road is now a Wetherspoons. Apart from the usual three well known beers, there are generally another three ales on from smaller breweries, quite often local ones.
Armoury
An upmarket pub on the quayside of the River Severn with a large open plan interior. The building started it’s life as an armoury up near the Column before being moved to its present location after the first World War. They normally have at least six real ales, and quite often a darker, mild, stout or porter.
Montgomery's Tower
Another Wetherspoons pub, this time in a former nightclub. More open plan than the Shrewsbury Hotel with two bars. They normally have one of their usual ales and also five changing ales from smaller breweries.
Wyle Cop and Swan Hill
Trail Information
This pub trail takes in pubs on the southern side of central Shrewsbury, visiting three pubs on Wyle Cop, three near Saint Alkmund’s Church, and two on Swan Hill. Half the pubs on this trail are regular Good Beer Guide entries, and the others are well worth visiting for their range of well kept ales.
Number of Pubs
8
Length of Trail
0.5 miles
Number of Ales
33
FLOODING: Note that the bottom of Wyle Cop, on the town centre side of the English Bridge, can flood right across the road when the river water is very high. Flooding can also occur on the other side of the English bridge, and affect some of Coleham and the area around the Abbey and Abbey car park. This can make accessing this trail from the direction of the English Bridge a bit difficult at times. The Lion and Pheasant is just far enough along Wyle Cop to not normally be affected by flood water though.
Pubs on the Trail
Lion and Pheasant
At the bottom of Wyle Cop not far from the English Bridge, the Lion and Pheasant is a modern upmarket pub with a Scandanavian feel. Serves three well kept ales from local breweries.
Nag's Head
Part way up Wyle Cop is the Grade II listed Nag's Head. From the beer garden at the rear can be seen the timber remains of a 14th-century hall house. The pub is also meant to be haunted. Up to five cask ales are available.
Henry Tudor Inn
This 15th Century Grade I listed building was where Henry VII apparently stayed in 1485 on his way to the Battle of Bosworth. The recently reworked interior by Joule's Brewery is well worth checking out. Up to five Joule's beers are available.
Cromwell's Tap House
On Dogpole, a minute's walk from Wyle Cop, this pub and hotel usually offers three, sometimes unusual, choices of real ale. Although quite a small venue inside, there is a lovely beer garden at the rear, which is well worth making use of if the weather allows.
Loggerheads
On the short cobbled Church Street, the Loggerheads is an 18th-century Grade II listed pub with a nationally important historic interior. The four rooms all have a different feel, so it's worth trying them all out. There are normally three national real ales on offer.
Three Fishes
The Three Fishes is a late 15th century and Grade II listed building on a quiet backwater called Fish Street. In 1994, it became one of the country's first No Smoking pubs. There are usually four ales available, from a mix of local and regional breweries.
Admiral Benbow
Situated on Swan Hill, just off the town's main square, this popular free house specialises in its variety of ales and ciders from Shropshire and Herefordshire. Up to six ales and seven ciders and perries are available. There is quite often a darker ale on tap here.
Coach and Horses
A bit further up the hill from the Admiral Benbow, the Coach and Horses is a cosy pub with a front room and snug for drinkers, and the back room more for diners. They normally have four real ales on from local breweries, two on each bar.
Trail Options
NOTE: the Coach and Horses on Swan Hill has been closed since mid July 2024. Hopefully it will reopen soon.
Due to pub opening times, there are different options for doing this trail, depending on whether you are planning a weekday daytime trip, or one in the evening or at weekend. The options are as follows:
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Weekday Daytme Trips
For daytime trips on a weekday, it makes sense to start the trail at the bottom of Wyle Cop at the Lion and Pheasant, and then work your way up the hill. This is because the Wyle Cop pubs and the others around the church are open at midday or earlier, whereas the two Swan Hill pubs don't open until 4 or 5pm. So the suggested order of pubs will be the Lion and Pheasant, Nag's Head, Henry Tudor, Cromwell's, Loggerheads, Three Fishes, Admiral Benbow and the Coach and Horses.
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Evening and Weekend Trips - Starting at Wyle Cop
In the evening, the Swan Hill pubs open at 4pm or 5pm, and at the weekend, they open at 12pm and 2pm, so it is possible to do the trail in either direction, depending on which side of town you prefer to finish. If you are starting at the bottom of Wyle Cop, then the order of pubs will be the Lion and Pheasant, Nag's Head, Henry Tudor, Cromwell's, Loggerheads, Three Fishes, Admiral Benbow and the Coach and Horses.
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Evening and Weekend Trips - Starting at Swan Hill
In the evening, the Swan Hill pubs open at 4pm or 5pm, and at the weekend, they open at 12pm and 2pm, so it is possible to do the trail in either direction, depending on which side of town you prefer to finish. If you are starting at Swan Hill, the order of pubs will be Coach and Horses, Admiral Benbow, Three Fishes, Loggerheads, Cromwell's, Henry Tudor, Nag's Head and the Lion and Pheasant.
Alternative Pubs
Just across the English Bridge on the east and south side of Shrewsbury are many good pubs – the nearest ones are the Crown near the Abbey, the Cross Foxes in Coleham. Slightly further away (about 8-10 minutes walk from the Lion and Pheasant) but well worth a visit, is the Prince of Wales, our current Shrewsbury Pub of the Year.
Alternatively, heading north down Castle Gates, a few minutes walk from the Loggerheads, will bring you to the Castle Vaults and the Tap and Can, next to the railway station. See our Welsh Bridge and Castle Gates trail for details.
From the pubs on Swan Hill, 5 minutes walk away is the Welsh Bridge, with the two Wetherspoons pubs (Montgomery’s Tower and Shrewsbury Hotel), and also the Armoury, King’s Head and Salopian Bar. Again, see our Welsh Bridge and Castle Gates trail for details.
Pubs on the Trail
Lion and Pheasant
At the bottom of Wyle Cop not far from the English Bridge, the Lion and Pheasant is a modern upmarket pub with a Scandanavian feel. Serves three well kept ales from local breweries.
Nag's Head
Part way up Wyle Cop is the Grade II listed Nag’s Head. From the beer garden at the rear can be seen the timber remains of a 14th-century hall house. The pub is also meant to be haunted. Up to five cask ales are available.
Henry Tudor Inn
This 15th Century Grade I listed building was where Henry VII apparently stayed in 1485 on his way to the Battle of Bosworth. The recently reworked interior by Joule’s Brewery is well worth checking out. Up to five Joule’s beers are available.
Cromwell's Tap House
On Dogpole, a minute’s walk from Wyle Cop, this pub and hotel usually offers three, sometimes unusual, choices of real ale. Although quite a small venue inside, there is a lovely beer garden at the rear, which is well worth making use of if the weather allows.
Loggerheads
On the short cobbled Church Street, the Loggerheads is an 18th-century Grade II listed pub with a nationally important historic interior. The four rooms all have a different feel, so it’s worth trying them all out. There are normally three national real ales on offer.
Three Fishes
The Three Fishes is a late 15th century and Grade II listed building on a quiet backwater called Fish Street. In 1994, it became one of the country’s first No Smoking pubs. There are usually four ales available, from a mix of local and regional breweries.
Admiral Benbow
Situated on Swan Hill, just off the town’s main square, this popular free house specialises in its variety of ales and ciders from Shropshire and Herefordshire. Up to six ales and seven ciders and perries are available. There is quite often a darker ale on tap here.
Coach and Horses
A bit further up the hill from the Admiral Benbow, the Coach and Horses is a cosy pub with a front room and snug for drinkers, and the back room more for diners. They normally have four real ales on from local breweries, two on each bar.
Copthorne and Frankwell
Trail Information
This pub trail takes in pubs north west of Shrewsbury town centre, visiting pubs in the Copthorne and Frankwell areas. It’s quite a long trail, and there are a few different ways of doing the middle section. Two of the pubs on the trail have beer gardens with spectacular views overlooking the river.
Number of Pubs
6
Length of Trail
1.5 miles
Number of Ales
24
If you are starting the trail at the far end, it is approximately a 1.3 mile walk from the town centre to the Beacon. From the railway station, the quickest way is over the Welsh Bridge and along Frankwell and Copthorne Road. From the centre of town, it’s slightly quicker going through the Quarry, over the Porthill footbridge and through to Copthorne Road.
There are however plenty of buses that go from Shrewsbury bus station to the Richmond Drive junction on Copthorne Road, leaving about 100m to walk to the Beacon. The No. 11 Gains Park bus from Stand J at the bus station is the one to catch. This currently goes every 15 minutes throughout the day on Monday to Friday, or every 30 minutes on Saturday. There are currently no bus services running in this direction on Sundays. Please check this information is still correct before you travel by looking at the Arriva website.
Pubs on the Trail
Beacon
A large pub near the end of Copthorne Road, with a smart interior and covered beer garden at the front. Serves five ales, mainly from breweries in Shropshire and Herefordshire.
Bull in the Barne
A friendly pub situated in a row of terrace houses on The Mount. Known for its beer garden at the rear with views over the River Severn. Serves two real ales, generally from local breweries.
Bricklayers
Originally built by Bass in the 1930's, the pub is now owned by Joules Brewery who have updated it to create a smart and warm interior. As with most Joules pubs, there are usually three core Joules beers on plus a seasonal.
Boathouse
A large upmarket pub on the banks of the River Severn, with a superb view of the river and Quarry park from the beer garden. Up to six cask ales available with a mix of national and local breweries.
Wheatsheaf
An old coaching inn and former site of the Frankwell Brewery, the Wheatsheaf has a friendly atmosphere and regular live music events. Serves two local ales, a guest ale usually from a small brewery, and a cider.
Anchor
A pleasant traditional one roomed pub opposite the Theatre Severn. Has four handpumps with a mix of ale from national and local breweries.
Trail Options
The middle section of this trail is the challenging part logistically, due to the late opening of the Bull in the Barne, and also the potential for a bit of travelling back and forth depending on your choice of route between pubs. The route shown in green on the map above is just one way of tackling the pubs.
If you want to allow for the flexibility of adding more pubs on the end, it is suggested that you start at the far end at the Beacon and work your way back in to town.
You may well come up with your own preferred way of doing this trail, but some suggested options are as follows:
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Monday to Saturday Daytime - Starting at the Beacon
For Monday to Saturday daytime trips, you can start at the Beacon and either miss out the Bull in the Barne completely, or go back to it at the end by which time it should be open. So the suggested order of pubs will be the Beacon, Bricklayers, Boathouse, Wheatsheaf and Anchor. The Bull in the Barne is about 8-10 minutes walk from the Anchor if you want to go back and visit that at the end of the trail. Otherwise head over the Welsh Bridge where there are plenty more pubs to chose from.
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Monday to Saturday Daytime - Starting at the Anchor
For Monday to Saturday daytime trips, if you start at the Anchor at the bottom of Frankwell, the Bull in the Barne should be open by the time you get there, so the full trail will be possible. So the suggested order of pubs will be the the Anchor, Wheatsheaf, Boathouse, Bricklayers, Bull in the Barne and Beacon.
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Late Afternoon, Evening, or Sunday
Late afternoon, evening, or on a Sunday, the Bull in the Barne will be open, so the full trail can be done in a more straightforward way. Starting at the far end at the Beacon, you can then progress to the Bull in the Barne, Bricklayers, Boathouse and then finish with the two Frankwell pubs - the Wheatsheaf and Anchor.
Alternative Pubs
Just across the Welsh Bridge are many good pubs, which are shown in our Welsh Bridge and Castle Gates trail. These include the Armoury, King’s Head and Salopian Bar, and also the two Wetherspoons pubs, Montgomery’s Tower and the Shrewsbury Hotel.
Pubs on the Trail
Beacon
A large pub near the end of Copthorne Road, with a smart interior and covered beer garden at the front. Serves five ales, mainly from breweries in Shropshire and Herefordshire.
Bull in the Barne
A friendly pub situated in a row of terrace houses on The Mount. Known for its beer garden at the rear with views over the River Severn. Serves two real ales, generally from local breweries.
Bricklayers
Originally built by Bass in the 1930’s, the pub is now owned by Joules Brewery who have updated it to create a smart and warm interior. As with most Joules pubs, there are usually three core Joules beers on plus a seasonal.
Boathouse
A large upmarket pub on the banks of the River Severn, with a superb view of the river and Quary park from the beer garden. Up to six cask ales available with a mix of national and local breweries.
Wheatsheaf
An old coaching inn and former site of the Frankwell Brewery, the Wheatsheaf has a friendly atmosphere and regular live music events. Serves two local ales, a guest ale usually from a small brewery, and a cider.
Anchor
A pleasant traditional one roomed pub opposite the Theatre Severn. Has four handpumps with a mix of ale from national and local breweries.
Coton Hill and Castlefields
Trail Information
This pub trail takes in pubs north east of Shrewsbury town centre, visiting pubs in the Coton Hill and Castlefields areas. It’s a trail for the adventurous and fit, due to the more difficult navigating between pubs, and lack of public transport options. There are also added complications due to the pub opening times, which may mean that the trail cannot be done the most efficient way.
Number of Pubs
6
Length of Trail
1.6 miles
Number of Ales
23
It is a 0.3 mile walk (7 minutes) from the railway station to the Bird in Hand on Coton Hill. There is also a 0.3 mile walk between the railway station and the other end of the trail at the Dog and Pheasant in Castlefields.
People local to Shrewsbury will no doubt point out that there is a more direct route between the pubs on this trail. This is true but this involves taking somewhat obscure footpaths through housing estates, which people unfamiliar with the areas may be unwilling to undertake. So the route shown in green on the map above shows how to do the trail using main roads, which does result in some repetition and a longer route. If you feel confident enough to use the shortest route, you will save approximately 0.5 mile of walking.
To see the shortest route on the map, which will be displayed in red, click on the Sidebar icon in the top left of the map. There are then options in the Sidebar to display the Shortest Route and hide the Main Road Route on the map. Clicking on the Sidebar icon again will close the Sidebar so that you can see the whole map again.
Pubs on the Trail
Woodman
With its interior listed on CAMRA's Heritage register, the oak panelled lounge, with two open fires and traditional settles offers a cosy environment to enjoy a pint from the range of five ales, sourced from local and regional breweries.
Royal Oak
Owned by Black Country Ales, the Royal Oak is a lively pub popular with locals and visitors alike. There are usually at least six ales available, mostly from the Black Country Ales range but with occasional guest beers.
Bird in Hand
A traditional two room pub with a beer garden round the back. The lounge has recently been updated, whilst the bar area keeps a more traditional feel. Has up to three real ales on, from a mix of local and national breweries.
Dolphin
A cosy local pub owned by Joules Brewery. The upgraded interior still has a very traditional feel with lots of interesting features. There are normally the three regular Joules beers available and one of their seasonal's.
Telegraph
Built in 1872 and surprisingly large inside, now that the original eight rooms have been knocked into one. This local's pub can be quite hard to track down, tucked away in the back streets of Castlefields. Serves one changing real ale, from either a local or national brewery.
Dog and Pheasant
A traditional wet-led community pub in an early Victorian neighbourhood, situated quite close to the river. Serves up to four ales from the Marston's range.
Trail Options
The green route shown on the map above is the easy-to-navigate route between the pubs, using main roads where possible. The shortest route can be displayed on the map in red by following the instructions in the Trail Information section above. Note that for the shortest route, the three Coton Hill pubs will be done in reverse order, as afterwards you will head north for a shortcut to the Dolphin, rather than south to take the main road option.
On weekday evenings or at weekend, all the pubs are open, so the trail can be done in either direction. During daytime in the week, the trail becomes a lot more complicated due to later opening hours of some pubs. In this case, you may have to miss out one or two of the pubs unless you want to make the effort of repeating part of the trail later on to get back to a late-opening pub.
Some of the main options for doing this trail are as follows, but you might well come up with your own variation. Note that the order of pubs assumes you are following the Main Road route:
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Weekday Evenings and Weekends - Starting at Coton Hill
For weekday evening or weekend trips, all the pubs are open so you can start the trail at either end. If you want to start at the Coton Hill end, the order of pubs will be the Woodman, Royal Oak, Bird in Hand, then on to the Dolphin, Telegraph and finishing at the Dog and Pheasant in Castlefields.
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Weekday Evenings and Weekends - Starting at Castlefields
For weekday evening or weekend trips, all the pubs are open so you can start the trail at either end. However, starting in Castlefields gives the option of staying longer in one of the Coton Hill pubs at the end of the trail, as they have a more extensive selection of real ale. So the order of pubs will be the Dog and Pheasant, Telegraph and Dolphin, continuing on to the Bird in Hand, Royal Oak and Woodman.
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Monday to Thursday Daytime
For daytime trips on Monday to Thursday, things get more complicated due to a couple of pubs having late opening times. These are the Bird in Hand (opens at 4pm) and the Dolphin (opens at 5pm). All the other pubs open between 12pm and 2pm. The Dolphin is the main problem as it's sat right in the middle of the trail, and will either have to be missed out, or tagged on to the end by which time it should be open. So to make sure that the Bird in Hand is open by the time you get there, it is best to start at the Castlefields end at the Dog and Pheasant. Then on to the Telegraph, across to the Coton Hill pubs; the Bird in Hand, Royal Oak and the Woodman. The order of the Coton Hill pubs will depend on whether the Bird in Hand is open when you get there.
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Friday Daytime
On Friday daytime, the normally later opening pubs are open slightly earlier. So the Bird in Hand, the Woodman and the Dolphin are all open at 2pm. If you are starting the trail at 12pm, it is probably best to start at the Dog and Pheasant as the two Castlefields pubs open then. Then continue to the Telegraph, Dolphin, Bird in Hand, Royal Oak and Woodman. If you are starting after 1pm, then it is possible to start in Coton Hill at the Royal Oak, moving on to the Woodman and Bird in Hand (both open at 2pm), and then across to the Dolphin, Telegraph and finishing at the Dog and Pheasant.
Alternative Pubs
Both ends of the trail are around 7 minutes walk from Shrewsbury Railway Station and there are two good pubs there, namely the Tap and Can and the Castle Vaults.
A further 5 minute walk from the Railway Station along the river will get you to the Welsh Bridge area, where there are quite a few pubs. See our Welsh Bridge and Castle Gates trail. Or a similar length walk up the hill will take you to the town centre. See our Wyle Cop and Swan Hill trail for some pub suggestions in this area.
Pubs on the Trail
Woodman
With its interior listed on CAMRA’s Heritage register, the oak panelled lounge, with two open fires and traditional settles offers a cosy environment to enjoy a pint from the range of five ales, sourced from local and regional breweries.
Royal Oak
Owned by Black Country Ales, the Royal Oak is a lively pub popular with locals and visitors alike. There are usually at least six ales available, mostly from the Black Country Ales range but with occasional guest beers.
Bird in Hand
A traditional two room pub with a beer garden round the back. The lounge has recently been updated, whilst the bar area keeps a more traditional feel. Has up to three real ales on, from a mix of local and national breweries.
Dolphin
A cosy local pub owned by Joules Brewery. The upgraded interior still has a very traditional feel with lots of interesting features. There are normally the three regular Joules beers available and one of their seasonal’s.
Telegraph
Built in 1872 and surprisingly large inside, now that the original eight rooms have been knocked into one. This local’s pub can be quite hard to track down, tucked away in the back streets of Castlefields. Serves one changing real ale, from either a local or national brewery.
Dog and Pheasant
A traditional wet-led community pub in an early Victorian neighbourhood, situated quite close to the river. Serves up to four ales from the Marston’s range.
Abbey Foregate
Trail Information
This pub trail takes in pubs east of Shrewsbury town centre, visiting pubs along Abbey Foregate and Monkmoor Road. It’s quite a long trail, but it’s worth the effort due to the amount of interesting pubs along the way and the real ale selection.
Number of Pubs
7
Length of Trail
1.6 miles
Number of Ales
33
If you are starting the trail at the far end, it is approximately a 1.3 mile walk from the town centre to the Peacock. Walk down Wyle Cop, over the English Bridge, up Abbey Foregate to the Column. From there, a few minutes walk up Wenlock Road will bring you to the Peacock.
It is also possible to get to the White Horse and Peacock by bus. From Shrewsbury bus station, both the Arriva No.17 and 23 buses go up Abbey Foregate and stop just before the Column roundabout (the White Horse is on the opposite side of the roundabout). The No.17 is the one that then goes up Wenlock Road and stops opposite St. Giles Church, just before the Peacock.
If you are doing the trail starting at the town end and working your way up Abbey Foregate towards the Column, note that the last bus back to the bus station from the Shirehall stop, just west of the Column, is currently at 17:47.
To get from Abbey Foregate to the Abbey Pub, it’s about 0.4 miles, which is around a 7-10 minute walk up Monkmoor Road. There is also a bus that goes up this road – the Arriva No.1 bus. The first bus stop is a short walk up the start of Monkmoor Road at the junction of Whitehall Street. Two stops will take you to Cleveland Street, leaving a minute’s walk to the Abbey.
To see the current bus timetables, please check the Arriva website.
Pubs on the Trail
Peacock Inn
A large and busy community pub with a small garden at the rear. Can get very busy when football matches are on. Has five handpumps with at least four beers on from the Marston's range
White Horse
Recently renovated by Joule's Brewery from Market Drayton. Plenty of interesting decorative details to look at in the five rooms inside. Serves ales from Joule's with three regular and one seasonal beer.
Old Bell
A fully modernised Grade 2 listed pub with a cosy atmosphere. Serves up to three nationally recognised beers, usually from the wider Marston's range.
Brick
A friendly locals pub run by New Brew (aka Plan B) brewery from nearby Newport. Has a small beer garden to the rear. Serves up to four beers mostly from New Brew but sometimes one from another local brewery.
Abbey
Comfortable pub with eight different areas inside and a large partially covered beer garden. Has ten handpumps serving a changing selction of ales from breweries around the country. Also has a good range of ciders too.
Dun Cow
A late 16th century Grade 2 listed building with a resident ghost of a Dutch cavalry officer. Has four handpumps with a mix of ale from local and regional breweries.
Crown
A cosy 300 year old terrace pub overlooking Shrewsbury Abbey. Has two internal rooms and a partially covered beer garden. There are normally three cask ales available.
Trail Options
This is quite a straightforward trail with all the pubs, apart from the Abbey, being basically in a straight line. Also, all the pubs are open every day, apart from the White Horse, which doesn’t open until 5pm on Mondays.
Again, our recommendation would be to start the trail at the far end at the Peacock and work your way back into town. This then gives options of other pubs after you finish the trail.
The main detour on the trail is going up Monkmoor Road to the Abbey pub. This is worth doing as they have an extensive range of cask ales and ciders. However, if you are running short on time or your legs are getting weary, you could miss the Abbey out and possibly add another pub nearer the town centre if you have time.
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Monday Daytime
For Monday daytime trips, as the White Horse doesn't open until 5pm, it might be best to start at the Crown and work your way up Abbey foregate. So the suggested order of pubs will be the Crown, Dun Cow, Abbey, Brick, Old Bell, White Horse and Peacock. The other option would be to start at the far end at the Peacock and miss out the White Horse.
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Monday Evening or Any Other Day - Starting at the Peacock
Every day apart from Monday, all pubs are open around midday, apart from the Brick (opens at 2pm Mon - Thurs). So the recommended route would be to start at the far end of the trail and work your way back towards the town centre. So the order of pubs would be the Peacock, White Horse, Old Bell, Brick, Abbey, Dun Cow and the Crown.
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Monday Evening or Any Other Day - Starting at the Crown
Every day apart from Monday, all pubs are open around midday, apart from the Brick (opens at 2pm Mon - Thurs). So it is also possible to do the trail starting at the English Bridge end and head up Abbey Foregate away from town. Hence the order of pubs will be the Crown, Dun Cow, Abbey, Brick, Old Bell, White Horse and Peacock.
Alternative Pubs
There are a lot of other pubs near the English Bridge end of the trail. Fairly close to the Crown is the Cross Foxes in Coleham. A bit further away from the Crown (about 8-10 minutes walk south) is the Prince of Wales, our current Shrewsbury Pub of the Year. See our Coleham and Belle View trail description for more information.
Across the English Bridge towards the town centre, is the Nag’s Head, and further on, the Three Fishes. Details of these can be found in our Wyle Cop and Swan Hill trail description.
Pubs on the Trail
Peacock Inn
A large and busy community pub with a small garden at the rear. Can get very busy when football matches are on. Has five handpumps with at least four beers on from the Marston’s range
White Horse
Recently renovated by Joule’s Brewery from Market Drayton. Plenty of interesting decorative details to look at in the five rooms inside. Serves ales from Joule’s with three regular and one seasonal beer.
Old Bell
A fully modernised Grade 2 listed pub with a cosy atmosphere. Serves up to three nationally recognised beers, usually from the wider Marston’s range.
Brick
A friendly locals pub run by New Brew (aka Plan B) brewery from nearby Newport. Has a small beer garden to the rear. Serves up to four beers mostly from New Brew but sometimes one from another local brewery.
Abbey
Comfortable pub with eight different areas inside and a large partially covered beer garden. Has ten handpumps serving a changing selction of ales from breweries around the country. Also has a good range of ciders too.
Dun Cow
A late 16th century Grade 2 listed building with a resident ghost of a Dutch cavalry officer. Has four handpumps with a mix of ale from local and regional breweries.
Crown
A cosy 300 year old terrace pub overlooking Shrewsbury Abbey. Has two internal rooms and a partially covered beer garden. There are normally three cask ales available.
Coleham and Belle View
Trail Information
This pub trail takes in pubs south of Shrewsbury town centre, visiting pubs in Coleham and around Belle View Road. The trail incorporates the Prince of Wales, our branch’s current Shrewsbury Pub of the Year. Also on the trail are two pubs that regularly sell the increasingly rare Draught Bass, and a pub with a beer garden overlooking the River Severn.
Number of Pubs
7
Length of Trail
0.9 miles
Number of Ales
22
The far end of the trail at The Grove is approximately a 1 mile walk from the town centre, if going over the English Bridge. 200m can be shaved off the walk by taking a shortcut over Greyfriar’s Bridge.
Regular buses travel along Belle View Road, usually every 30 minutes throughout the day. The Arriva No. 27 bus travelling between Shrewsbury Bus Station and Bayston Hill runs all day until just after 8pm. No buses run on Sundays. Please check the Arriva website for current timetables.
Pubs on the Trail
Coleham Tap
An upmarket recently refurbished pub with a cosy interior. A conservatory and outdoor split-level terrace overlook the River Severn. Currently serving two ales from the wider Marston's range.
Cross Foxes
This warm and friendly free house has been run by the same family since the 80's. It is known for being one of the few pubs regularly serving Draught Bass. Has four ales including Bass and three local beers.
Boar's Head
Atmospheric locals pub in a 17th century timber-framed building that used to be popular with railwaymen due to nearby railway sheds. Just serves one ale at present from a national brewery.
Prince of Wales
Welcoming two-roomed back street local with a rear garden facing out over a bowling green. Multiple winner of branch Pub of the Year, and current Shrewsbury Pub of the Year. Has up to six ales on mostly from local breweries.
Masonic Arms
Unpretentious suburban pub with a friendly atmosphere. Built by the same civil engineer who worked on the stations on the Shrewsbury to Crewe railway line in the 1850s. Three real ales are available from national breweries.
Belle View Tavern
Pleasantly old fashioned and friendly suburban local with separate rooms functioning as public bar, snug and lounge. Four ales available, from both local and national breweries, and regularly has Draught Bass.
Grove
Marston's pub with a quaint front room. The rear garden backs on to the railway, and one of the garden fences is actually made from railway sleepers. There are normally two cask ales available from the Marston's range.
Trail Options
This trail is fairly easy to navigate with all the pubs, apart from the Prince of Wales, lying on just two roads. The difficulty again is with pub opening times, especially in the week. The pubs in Coleham are generally open earlier, so most of the time it makes sense to start there and work your way up Belle View Road. If the Prince of Wales is shut at the time you are passing, please try and go back to it at the end, as it’s our Shrewsbury Pub of the Year.
Note that there is a shortcut between the Cross Foxes and the Boar’s Head, down a path directly to the left of the Cross Foxes, which comes out at the rear of the Boar’s Head. If you prefer to keep to main roads, from the Cross Foxes, carry on down Longden Coleham road and turn right at the mini roundabout onto Belle View Road. The shortcut saves about 200m and is shown in yellow on the trail map above.
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Weekday Daytime
Almost every pub on this trail has a different opening time from the others during the week, so getting your timing right is crutial for a successful trail. The Coleham pubs are open earlier, so it is best to start there and proceed up Belle View Road. Opening times at the time of writing this are Coleham Tap (12pm), Cross Foxes (11am), Boar's Head (2pm), Prince of Wales (5pm), Masonic Arms (3pm), Belle View Tavern (4pm), Grove (3pm). So you may have to miss out the Prince of Wales and possibly go back to it at the end if you have time.
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Weekday Evening and Weekend - Starting at Coleham Tap
All pubs are open in the evenings, and at the weekend, all pubs are open by 12pm, apart from the Prince of Wales and the Belle View Tavern, which open at 2pm. So if you are starting early at weekend, then it makes sense to begin in Coleham and end at the top of Belle View Road, by which time the Belle View Tavern will be open. So the order of pubs will be the Coleham Tap, Cross Foxes, Boar's Head, Prince of Wales, Masonic Arms, Belle View Tavern and the Grove.
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Weekday Evening and Weekend - Starting at the Grove
All pubs are open in the evenings, and at the weekend, all pubs are open by 12pm, apart from the Prince of Wales and the Belle View Tavern, which open at 2pm. So if you are starting after 1pm at weekend, it is possible to begin at the far end of Belle View Road and finish in Coleham. So the order of pubs will be the Grove, Belle View Tavern, Masonic Arms, Prince of Wales, Boar's Head, Cross Foxes and the Coleham Tap.
Alternative Pubs
At the Coleham end of Belle View road near the English Bridge, the pubs on the lower end of Abbey Foregate are quite close by. The nearest ones of these are the Crown and the Dun Cow. See our Abbey Foregate trail for more details.
Alternatively, cross either Greyfriars Bridge or the English Bridge to gain access to pubs around Wyle Cop, such as the Nag’s Head and Three Fishes. More details on our Wyle Cop and Swan Hill trail description.
Pubs on the Trail
Coleham Tap
An upmarket recently refurbished pub with a cosy interior. A conservatory and outdoor split-level terrace overlook the River Severn. Currently serving two ales from the wider Marston’s range.
Cross Foxes
This warm and friendly free house has been run by the same family since the 80’s. It is known for being one of the few pubs regularly serving Draught Bass. Has four ales including Bass and three local beers.
Boar's Head
Atmospheric locals pub in a 17th century timber-framed building that used to be popular with railwaymen due to nearby railway sheds. Just serves one ale at present from a national brewery.
Prince of Wales
Welcoming two-roomed back street local with a with a rear garden facing out over a bowling green. Multiple winner of branch Pub of the Year, and current Shrewsbury Pub of the Year. Has up to six ales on mostly from local breweries.
Masonic Arms
Unpretentious suburban pub with a friendly atmosphere. Built by the same civil engineer who worked on the stations on the Shrewsbury to Crewe railway line in the 1850s. Three real ales are available from national breweries.
Belle View Tavern
Pleasantly old fashioned and friendly suburban local with separate rooms functioning as public bar, snug and lounge. Four ales available, from both local and national breweries, and regularly has Draught Bass.
Grove
Marston’s pub with a quaint front room. The rear garden backs on to the railway, and one of the garden fences is actually made from railway sleepers. There are normally two cask ales available from the Marston’s range.