Historic buildings: GALLERY

In spite of its long history, you won't find a wealth of fine architecture in Wellington - the locals never had much time for that sort of thing - but there are a handful of fine buildings nonetheless. The oldest, the 14th century Old Hall, lies on Watling Street to the south of the town centre, and after nearly two hundred years as a prep school has recently been turned back to residential use. In the middle of the town look out for No.1 Market Square (a 17th century shop) and the similarly dated White Lion pub in nearby Crown Street. All Saints Church is an imposing Georgian structure, designed by the architect of Attingham Hall six miles away, and up above the shop fronts are some neat 18th century facades.

Venture out into nearby villages, and the bricks and mortar hold yet more clues to the area's past, from Norman churches to Tudor farmhouses. Five miles away at Wroxeter, you can see the excavasions of a Roman bath house on the site of Viriconium - the fourth biggest city in Roman Britain.

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(Photography by Rob Francis)