Walking Tour Guide Profile

Introducing Our Shrewsbury Town Tour Guides

Shrewsbury is a remarkable town.

Recently described as one of the friendliest towns in the country it has something for everyone. If you like shopping its indoor market has, in the last five years, been voted the best in the country three times and one of the town’s main streets is now recognised as the longest street in the England served purely with independent businesses. If you like flowers the town hosts the longest-running flower show in the country and also regularly wins awards in the Britain in Bloom competition.

There’s seldom a weekend when there’s not an event taking place in the town – folk and other music festivals, food and beer fairs, craft and farmers markets, steam punk and comic con events, regattas… the list is endless.

But, if you like history, then Shrewsbury is exceptional. It has to be the best town in the country with over 600 listed buildings (one of which is the birthplace of Charles Darwin). The town is a history-lover’s dream.

Learn about our knowledgeable tour guides! Our tour guides all specialise in certain historic topics, if you would like to book a private walking tour with a specific topic or guide please feel to contact our office team on info@sabrinaboat.co.uk or call 01743 369741

Categories: Battle of Shrewsbury Brother Cadfael Charles Darwin Christmas Carol Ghosts Medieval & Tudor Shrewsbury Shuts & Passages The Heart of Shrewsbury

Elaine Latham

I am a lowland Scot by birth with an interest in history from an early age. I settled… Read More

I am a lowland Scot by birth with an interest in history from an early age.

I settled in Shropshire in 1986 after a holiday discovering the beauty of it’s landscape and the stories of it’s people and buildings.

I was thrilled to be able to train as a Shrewsbury Green Badge guide 15 years ago and have enjoyed every minute since then sharing my enthusiasm in the tours I am proud to lead.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Dorothy Nicolle

I’ve always loved history so I suppose it was inevitable I should study British Archaeology and History at… Read More

I’ve always loved history so I suppose it was inevitable I should study British Archaeology and History at university. After living overseas for some years I returned to England and landed on my feet coming to Shropshire. I trained as a Blue Badge guide for the Heart of England area and I know I have the perfect job – sharing my love of Britain and its history with visitors and local people alike.

Shrewsbury is the most delightful town to explore. Other than the tours listed above I particularly enjoy showing visitors around the town’s churches, telling stories about the famous people linked to the town and generally exploring its history from Saxon times to the present day.

I frequently give talks to local groups and this had led me to write a number of books on the county’s history.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Maggie Love

Growing up as a child in Shrewsbury I remember being very excited about history. I find the town’s… Read More

Growing up as a child in Shrewsbury I remember being very excited about history. I find the town’s heritage fascinating. Then in my career as a Dance Historian, Choreographer and Movement Specialist I had opportunities to work on West End productions, films, documentaries and a stint teaching in America. Shrewsbury was mentioned in some of those productions.

When I returned to Shrewsbury in 2003, I found a way to blend my passions for local history and theatre by producing heritage events and festivals. Some of them with Royal credits. I very much look forward to sharing my love for the town and the history it holds with those I meet on my tours.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Dr Nigel O’Connor MBE

I worked as a consultant haematologist at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for 29 years and decided to train as… Read More

I worked as a consultant haematologist at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for 29 years and decided to train as a tour guide 18 years ago because of an interest in history and to try and reduce the time spent at the hospital.

My first solo tour took place on April Fool’s Day, which seemed a bit harsh. I take general walking tours with quirky facts but if you are Welsh or French then mutual interactions with the English may come up on the tour, especially as Shropshire is a Marcher County with a prime role to keep the marauding Welsh out of England.

I love Shrewsbury and my tours often run over by a few minutes.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Robert Elliott

I have had a teaching career spanning some 30 years, specialising in French, Italian and English at various… Read More

I have had a teaching career spanning some 30 years, specialising in French, Italian and English at various levels. Locally I have taught in a private school and at several colleges.

I have always had a great passion for history which developed in my years working in Shrewsbury Museum. I have a love for the arts and have worked with many local drama groups and participated in local theatrical events. I also do public speaking.

I am an experienced tour guide and offer a variety of tours around the county and in Shrewsbury. I now apply my skills to guiding and your tour will be entertaining, informative and can even be in a foreign language or costumed.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Bridget Hinton

I qualified as a Green Badge guide and have now been guiding in Shrewsbury and Shropshire for over… Read More

I qualified as a Green Badge guide and have now been guiding in Shrewsbury and Shropshire for over 30 years.

Prior to my guiding I studied at Birmingham Art College and then taught art in schools, working with children of all ages. I’ve contributed with writing local history books and given talks to local history and social groups. In 1994-97 I was a researcher on the Wroxeter Hinterland Project. I am a member of various local history groups which keeps my knowledge of Shrewsbury up to date! I’m happy to research special subjects for bespoke tours, with notice and time to prepare!

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Nigel Hinton

A retired chartered accountant, I also qualified as a Green Badge guide with the Institute of Tourist Guiding… Read More

A retired chartered accountant, I also qualified as a Green Badge guide with the Institute of Tourist Guiding and now have 20 years experience of town guiding in Shrewsbury and Shropshire. I have taught at a professional technical level accounting, tax, auditing and related subjects at Shrewsbury College and for Shropshire Council.

I have written seven local history books, several articles and I give talks to local history groups throughout Shropshire including the U3A, WI, Masons and Drapers. I am an achivist for the Shrewsbury Drapers Company, treasurer and a director trustee of Shrewsbury Drapers Hall Preservation Trust as well as a director trustee of Victoria County History (Shropshire) Ltd. For my contribution to historic scholarship I was awarded a fellowship by the Royal Historical Society in 2021.

I also play golf and the saxophone, but not at the same time.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Marina Trivedi

Born near Turin, in north-west Italy, I came to England having got married. I worked in London for… Read More

Born near Turin, in north-west Italy, I came to England having got married. I worked in London for a few years both in the West End and the City and then moved to Shrewsbury because of my husband’s work. I fell in love with the place and became a typical example of the ‘graveyard of ambition’ and so I studied to be a guide to learn as much as I could about the town and I have now been guiding for more than 30 years.

Apart from the usual tours I also do Margaret Rope (the best, unknown, Shropshire stained glass artist) and Unnoticed Treasures (the things you go past every day and never see).

I love being a guide, it is the best job in the world and I have a lot of fun showing people the beauties of the place I live in.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Bill Hurst

I have lived in Shrewsbury since 1996. I have always had an interest on history and Shrewsbury provides… Read More

I have lived in Shrewsbury since 1996. I have always had an interest on history and Shrewsbury provides it in spades!

I was a costumed guide at Attingham Hall for twenty years and have taken part in various historical events organised by Shrewsbury Heritage Celebrations.

I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to present tours of this wonderful town.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Richard Griffith

I came to live in Shrewsbury over 40 years ago, having previously lived in Leighton Buzzard, where I… Read More

I came to live in Shrewsbury over 40 years ago, having previously lived in Leighton Buzzard, where I was born.

In 2019 my passion for the town (as well as for helping its lovely visitors) led me to become a Shrewsbury Ambassador and this, in turn, provided the opportunity to join the fabulous team of Shrewsbury Town Guides.

As well as my interest in the history of this beautiful medieval town, I am also fascinated in the history of our Shrewsbury-born naval hero Admiral John Benbow.

Bill McCabe

My first Shrewsbury house, purchased from the Abbey Estate, dated from about 1830. The buildings and history of… Read More

My first Shrewsbury house, purchased from the Abbey Estate, dated from about 1830. The buildings and history of the town hooked me from that point onwards. We can see clues woven into the buildings that show the rich cultural history of people.

It’s been a privilege to design schemes on a number of town properties, gaining knowledge from experts in conservation and other fields. My background knowledge of planning, geology and geography helps when trying to explain how and why the town is as it is. Sharing that knowledge is always a delight and passing some on makes it even more enjoyable.

I have helped organise international art based festivals and events in town, celebrating our notable townsfolk or historic milestones.

My own journey through town has taken me from homes dating in the 2000s back to the 1730s.

It’s an amazing place to keep making discoveries in!

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Juliette Freeman

I am proud to have been born in Shrewsbury and have lived in this beautiful town all my… Read More

I am proud to have been born in Shrewsbury and have lived in this beautiful town all my life. I am passionate about my home town and fascinated with its history.

In addition to my role as a Town Guide, I am a Shrewsbury Ambassador and I also volunteer at the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk

Les Bell

I have lived in Shrewsbury for over thirty years, gaining a knowledge of history and people past and… Read More

I have lived in Shrewsbury for over thirty years, gaining a knowledge of history and people past and present.

As a Shrewsbury Ambassador and Chairman of Bus Users Shropshire I speak to both tourists and locals so find out what their interests are. When Lord Hill’s Column is open, I escort people up the 172 steps and show them what can be seen from being 133 feet off the ground; this shows people both the town and the surrounding countryside. I also take an active part in the Shrewsbury Steam Rally, over the August Bank Holiday, which has many locally built Sentinel steam vehicles.

Check my availability by emailing info@sabrinaboat.co.uk