Taking the Shrewsbury biscuit

 

The Shrewsbury Biscuits & Pastry Makers company has a rather interesting place-holder image on its website.  It shows a set of loggerheads in a stripped-back design (see photo above). It’s a surprisingly subtle, clever image.

You don’t hear so much about the Shrewsbury Biscuit these days; once upon a time you could buy them all over the town.  Based on a very simple recipe, like all ‘people’s foods’ are (though the twist is always in the way the individual baker makes them), their history goes back to the 1500s.  There’s even still a plaque in town marking the site of ‘Mister Palin’s Shrewsbury Biscuits Shop’, which flourished in the eighteenth century.

In the photo above, you’ll notice some small text in the corner of the image (“J Speed”). This acknowledges the fact that these loggerheads are based on ones designed by the seventeenth century map-maker John Speed. Copies of Speed’s map of Shropshire, which shows the loggerheads, are held in Shrewsbury Museum.

 

A new book has been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Shropshire military's guidon

  

In the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum, you’ll find this guidon (a kind of large military pennant), which outlines the battle honours of the Shropshire Yeomanry.  Although the regiment goes back to the 1790s, the first service overseas that its members saw came in 1900.  
Its service over the next 20 years was so distinguished that it needed a guidon just for the conflicts it had taken part in during the two decades!

What also interests us is the loggerheads in the guidon’s centre.  The Yeomanry had always used the loggerheads as its main symbol, but – up to this point – they had used the simple ‘Shrewsbury loggerheads’ design (see pic right).

But this guidon, created in the 1920s, shows an alternative loggerheads design.  The guidon actually shows the ‘Shropshire loggerheads’, i.e. the arms of the ceremonial county of Shropshire.

This change reflects an odd quarrel which had taken place in the 1890s.  In that decade, Shropshire County Council was formed; and, as expected, it took the Shrewsbury loggerheads for its symbol (by extension the Shrewsbury loggerheads had, for some 300 years, also been the symbol of Shropshire). 
However, the other boroughs of Shropshire were not happy about this – and forced a change.  When the county council applied for a set of arms, soon after its formation, it proposed and got a radical new variant of the loggerheads (which you can see in the guidon).  The story is told in the The Mysteries Of The Loggerheads book.
It seems that the Yeomanry fell in line with the change fairly quickly! 

Sadly, the Yeomanry do not exist any longer as such.

Incidentally, today (February 23rd) is officially ‘Shropshire Day’.

 

A new book has been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Rail poster is sealed

 

Posters from the 1930s that promoted Shrewsbury as a ‘destination town’ are fascinating; they seem to tell social historians so much about attitudes of the time.
For us though, the most interesting element of this poster is the way that the ancient and original town-seal (which dates to 1425) has pride of place on it (see full pic below). 

(The loggerheads first entered history when they appeared on this seal - although the details of what’s on the seal are too blurred on this poster, sadly, to allow one to see much of them).

Why the PR people of the time thought the town’s seal would grab the attention of potential tourists is difficult to fathom. Perhaps its presence on this poster does underline the town’s ‘historicity’ though.

Incidentally, the scene in the poster is real.  It shows the public gardens in front of Castle Gates House, from which one can go (through the arch) into the grounds of the castle (now a museum), with Laura’s Tower at the right. 

The style of poster was not unusual.  The major railway companies produced lots of these sorts of posters, all with a very similar design approach.  They were supposed to encourage people to take trips (on railways of course) to destination-towns such as York and Nottingham, and many more.  
One can almost date Shrewsbury’s mass-tourism profile from the era in which these posters started to appear.

 

A new book has been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Pigs wear gold & blue

 

There is tenuous evidence pointing to a high-level connection in the Middle Ages between Hereford and Shrewsbury. However, the evidence is circumstantial, nothing solid so far.  
(If anyone knows different, would they please email us?).

One pointer is the blue & gold/amber colouring which is seen in various heraldry of the two towns.  Admittedly, it’s not a colour combination that’s unique to these two towns, but it underwrites the supposed connection.  
The loggerheads emblem always comes in blue & gold/amber colouring, as does the symbol of Hereford Cathedral. 

One example of the colour pairing in Hereford is these pigs – which wear livery of blue and yellow bends. They are seen on the tomb of John Swinfield (died 1311) in Hereford Cathedral.

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Not a cathedral

 

Lovers of Shrewsbury history are looking forward to a talk which is due to take place this March (2026).  It will concern itself with the continuing story of why Shrewsbury Abbey has never been granted cathedral status.  It is an odd state of affairs - because, really, a town of Shrewsbury’s ancient reputation and situation would normally be considered right in line for a CofE cathedral.
In fact, there is a famous story (which admittedly, has never really been properly authenticated) that Henry VIII did consider granting cathedral status to the town – but the leading citizens turned the offer down!  This story, and its outcome, are recounted in the new book ‘The Mysteries Of The Shrewsbury Loggerheads’.  

However, the talk this March looks at another time when cathedral status was being seriously considered for Shrewsbury – the 1920s.  So, if you want to know why this move came to nothing… well, you’ll have to get a ticket for the talk! For all details about the talk and how to get a free entry ticket - click here.

If you do go along, you'll probably see a number of venerable loggerheads-sets dotted about the building - the Abbey's copy of the 1425 Shrewsbury Seal is just one of them.

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Fill yer stockings!

 

If you’re looking for stocking-fillers this Christmas, look no further.  Any Shropshire person will enjoy receiving the book of The Mysteries of The Loggerheads (£7.99) or the Loggerheads Lapel-Pin (£1.50) or the Shrewsbury-Loggerheads Trail (£2) - or all three!

The Mysteries of The Loggerheads surveys the 600-year story of the loggerheads in a fun way, and would suit anyone who likes local history, whether they are from Shropshire or not. 

And… as these items were only produced this year, you can be assured that no one has had these gifts as Christmas presents before!  
Just right to make a Salopian’s heart glow.

All available at the Shrewsbury Museum shop as well as other outlets. 

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Bridge in loggerheads colours

We talk a lot on this blog about the blue-gold colouring of the loggerheads’ design – gold for the leopards' faces, blue for the background. It has been a constant feature of the emblem all down the centuries.
So it is natural that Shrewsbury Town Council, the direct ‘descendants’ of the original Shrewsbury Corporation, which first created and adopted the loggerheads, should also sport blue-gold as their colours. By extension, anything that wants to feel ‘Shrewsbury’, should also come in that combination.

This explains the slightly garish painting on the railings of this pedestrian bridge in Shrewsbury which crosses the Rea Brook stream into Meole Brace village. The decorative colour-work, which has just appeared - in time for the loggerheads' 600th anniversary year -, tells us that this is the work of an organisation, Shrewsbury Town Council, that is proud to demonstrate the traditional blue-gold of Shrewsbury.

Actually, it's doubly clever to have painted this bridge in blue-gold. This bridge is on the route that Shrewsbury Town Football Club supporters use when they want to walk back into town from the club's stadium. 
And the colours of Shrewsbury Town Football Club are... of course... gold and blue!

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Sabrina's birthday wishes

 

Over the last couple of years, the Shrewsbury improvement group, BID, has been commissioning artists to paint bollards and telecom-cabinets across the town.  It’s a novel way of beautifying the urban environment.

In this year 2025, there had of course to be pieces remembering the 600th-birthday of the loggerheads (see SNIDs’ bollard for an example).  
One of the most charming of them is the one shown here, located near English Bridge. It shows Sabrina, the patronal goddess of the town, holding the emblem. There’s an air of Botticelli about it; and it quite raises the spirits when one walks past it, even if the loggerheads themselves look strangely thoughtful!   
Katherine Morris is the artist.  

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Loggerheads updated for the 21st century

 

There have been a number of anniversary activities to honour the 600th year of the Shrewsbury loggerheads, but few as dramatic as the make-over at the school in Longden Coleham.
The school, built when Victoria was on the throne, lies just a few yards from Shrewsbury’s Greyfriars Bridge; and it has been proud to wear the loggerheads on its branding for over one hundred years. Despite various updates over more than one hundred years, the school has never abandoned the loggerheads!

However, this year, it took advantage of the loggerheads’ 600th to re-design and modernise the logo once again.  The end-result is a vibrant and colourful new approach, just right for a 21st century primary school which wants to progress but also to remember its roots.
The school put together an article explaining what it was trying to do, which is quite a fascinating story in itself.

The school is on a relatively small site in a residential area, so it is doubly remarkable that, all in all, it displays ten (yes, ten!!) sets of large loggerheads – five of the new design, and five of the Victorian design.

The five loggerheads-sets on the school that date back to 1901 (when the school was founded) are all stone-carvings built into the walls on the two public sides of the building.  The loggerheads then would have referenced the funders – the Education board of Shropshire County Council – but have since transmuted into regular, home-grown, ‘modern’, Shrewsbury loggerheads. Somehow, the loggerheads can just keep adapting...

It is remarkable indeed that the loggerheads, old as they are, still can inspire much affection in the local population.  The parents & children totally approve!  

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Refreshed loggerheads

 

The pub-sign on the famous Loggerheads Inn in Shrewsbury was definitely in need of a spruce-up – and what better time to have it done than during the loggerheads’ 600th anniversary year?

So, for a few weeks this year, the pub was sign-less, while the renovation took place. 
But now, all is well, and the sign is back – all shiny and refreshed!

For those who don’t know, the pub goes back to the 17th century and was originally called The Shrewsbury Arms.  However, as the arms of Shrewsbury are better known by their nickname “the loggerheads”, the regulars started to call it by that nickname – and the moniker stuck.

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Paint the town... gold & blue!

 

A very ordinary structure, a bridge support, once in concrete grey, has recently been painted in gold-and-blue, the colour of the loggerheads and - by extension - the town of Shrewsbury. 
It’s not clear if the work is in celebration of the loggerheads’ 600th birthday, but – let’s assume it is!

Unlike the similar Meole Brace paintwork, this activity has not been carried out by the town council.  This is the work of a maverick local character, John Edwards, aka ‘The Sign Guy’.  

John started off as a kind of community champion, setting himself to clean the town’s street-signs, making them look new again.  Quickly, he’s moved on from there; and he now does paint-jobs covering up ugly graffiti on public walls. It’s all voluntary, and even the materials are donated (usually).  The council love him for it, naturally.

This particular painting effort can be seen on the supports of the Frankwell pedestrian bridge in Shrewsbury which crosses the River Severn to the town’s new Guildhall. 

Incidentally, both sides of the bridge-support are painted in exactly the same way, with the other side facing the river.  So… if by nothing else, any boats passing by, seeing the colours on the bridge, will know they are in Shrewsbury….!

For more about the history of the gold-and-blue colouring of the arms of Shrewsbury (aka the ‘loggerheads’), click here 

 

A new book has been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Bright and beautiful loggerheads

  

There have been a flurry of loggerheads renovations/restorations during 2025.  It’s probably coincidence, but maybe also an unconscious tribute to the emblem in this, the loggerheads' 600th year. Perhaps.
(See also: Pub-Sign Refresher and Coleham School updates).

Among these renovations is the complete refurbishment of the famous grade 2-listed Quarry Park gates. They were commissioned by the Shropshire Horticultural Society in 1881.
The main gates were even taken off site to get their makeover, which restored them to their pristine condition and also ensures their future. The park’s similarly designed side-gates were also restored.

The loggerheads are the main decoration on the structure, as the Horticultural Society seemed very fond of them.  (See Magnificent Gates)
It’s a bit of a puzzle however why the society ordered some of the loggerheads on the gates to be painted in blue only (see pic below).  The emblem should really be: gold faces, blue background.  Odd.

The gates are now back to their brilliant and vibrant best, and Shrewsbury Town Council should be congratulated on driving the project forward.

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Drumming for loggerheads

The famous South Stand Drum was used by football supporters of the Bring Back Our Loggerheads campaign. Its loud boom would ring out regularly round the stadium during matches at Shrewsbury Town Football Club.
The BBOL campaign came about in the early 2000s after the owners of the club replaced the traditional loggerheads badge on the club shirt with a new image.  And - kudos to those fans! – after a ten-year programme of protests and publicity, the loggerheads badge was eventually restored.

The South Stand Drum has now been retired - but can still be seen, displayed in pride of place at the Twelfth Man Vintage Football Shirts shop near the town centre.

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Yeomanry's anniversary too

  

By coincidence, 2025 is a significant year not just for the loggerheads but for the Shropshire Yeomanry regiment. It is the 150th anniversary year of the North and South Shropshire Yeomanry. 
The anniversary is being celebrated with a small exhibition at St Mary’s, Shrewsbury town’s central church.

The Yeomanry badge has always carried loggerheads (as you’d expect), though the design can vary quite a bit. In the photo above, there are three versions of Yeomanry loggerheads!
(For other variants used by the Yeomanry, see Sharp Militaria and Helmeted Loggerheads).

The Shropshire Yeomanry were transmuted into the 75th and 76th (SY) Regiments Royal Artillery during WW2.

 A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Loggerheads go into battle

The ‘Shrewsbury Levy’ medieval enactment group (which used to be known as Les Miles de Marches) sport loggerheads badges on their costumes. It’s great to see them in action, especially when re-creating the 1403 Battle of Shrewsbury.

In fact, there is no proof that the Levy (a kind of town militia) wore the loggerheads badges  back in 1403 - but then, there is no proof they didn’t, either…

Thanks for the photo to Lin Keska.

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Belle Vue view

It’s a great shame to see that the nineteenth-century Belle Vue Tavern, a proper community pub in the suburb of Belle Vue to the south of Shrewsbury, has closed.  Dave the barman was always a welcoming and considerate landlord, who would tell the stories of the old pub with relish.

Like a number of pubs locally*, its pub-sign features the loggerheads.  Curiously, the pub-sign was only recently changed - and the words ‘Shropshire Ales’ were removed (see old sign, right).
It’s not clear if there was ever a brewery called ‘Shropshire Ales’ or whether the old sign simply meant that local beers were sold there. If anyone knows the answer to this mystery, please email us, or use the Comments box below.

For information:  the pub’s former name was The Old Plough, but has been called The Belle Vue Tavern since 1991.  

* other pubs bearing loggerheads in their signs include the Shrewsbury Arms (both the one in Shrewsbury and the one in Chester), the Loggerheads Inn, the Bricklayers and the Heathgates.  Also, the Shrewsbury Arms at Albrighton has an heraldic reference to the arms on its pub-sign.

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Bollard makeover

 

Now and again, the keen loggerheads spotter will find quite rare ones.  This is a case in point.

Although there are dozens of bollards in Shrewsbury town, very few have the loggerheads arms of the town council marked on them.  This one, which dates back to the time of the Shrewsbury & Atcham combined council, does; it is in St Mary's Court. 

However, this bollard has recently been given a makeover, and now looks quite different.  
The town tourism body, BID, has been going slightly mad painting all bollards in sight - and this one has not escaped. 
Sadly, a blotch of white on one of the loggerheads makes it slightly harder to distinguish . 

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Pin up

The response to the 600th anniversary of the loggerheads has been heartening.  There are lots of things going on! (See Loggerheads 2025).

Now a history-loving local entrepreneur has designed some pins to mark the occasion!  
The pins are on sale at Shrewsbury Museum shop for a very reasonable £2 apiece. 

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Salop? Shrops?

 

One of the confusing matters for 'outsiders' is deciding what name to apply to the county - 'Salop' or 'Shropshire'.  The names can be used interchangeably, but such loose usage can also lead to rows among purists. 

The county council was formed in 1889 and switched often between the two monikers until a ruling in 1933 confirmed the name as Salop.  But even then, it was felt to be too old-fashioned; and more rows saw the legal name changed to Shropshire later.

One of the rows was around the the new council’s arms, which you can see in the council's official handbook of 1890 (in the photo above).  The arms - as you can see - were basically no different to the arms of Shrewsbury, with the loggerheads front and centre.  Cue...: objections from the rest of Shropshire!  A new design for the county council's arms was quickly drawn up and introduced.
Even so, rows still go on today about the place of the traditional loggerheads design in the arms.

The various kerfuffles are outlined in a new book about the loggerheads. 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Modern art takes on the loggerheads

To celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads, the Shrewsbury Tourism Business group, BID, commissioned a few artists to paint a couple of broadband-cabinets and bollards, as part of the overall decoration of the town.

Their mission?  To interpret the loggerheads for 2025.

 The artist Snids took a bollard in the town's Fish Street.  She’s got the colours right – gold & blue – and. though she has not represented the leopard-heads in the traditional trinities, she has painted exactly six separate leopard-heads, which… is (sorta) a double-set of loggerheads! 

 

A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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