| − | '''Shropshire''', sometimes known as '''Salop''', is a county of western [[England]], on the border with [[Wales]] and for statistical purposes classed as part of the West Midlands. Forming a part of the historic Welsh Marches region, it borders [[Cheshire]] to the north, [[Staffordshire]] to the east, [[Worcestershire]] and [[Herefordshire]] to the south, bordering the Welsh counties of [[Radnorshire]] to the south west, [[Montgommeryshire]] to the west and [[Denbighshire]] to the north west. It is largely [[agricultural]]. The county town is the historic town of [[Shrewsbury]]. The largest town by urban area in Shropshire is Telford, a new town, just south of which lies [[Ironbridge]], named for the world's first cast-iron bridge over the River Severn built in 1779, which partly confirmed Shropshire as one of the birthplaces of the [[Industrial Revolution]]. Other notable towns include Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry and Whitchurch. | + | '''Shropshire''', sometimes known as '''Salop''', is a county of western [[England]], on the border with [[Wales]] and for statistical purposes classed as part of the West Midlands. Forming a part of the historic Welsh Marches region, it borders [[Cheshire]] to the north, [[Staffordshire]] to the east, [[Worcestershire]] and [[Herefordshire]] to the south, bordering the Welsh counties of [[Radnorshire]] to the south west, [[Montgommeryshire]] to the west and [[Denbighshire]] to the north west. It is largely [[agricultural]]. The county town is the historic town of [[Shrewsbury]]. The largest town by urban area in Shropshire is Telford, a new town and the only settlement in Shropshire with a population of over 100,000. Just south of that lies [[Ironbridge]], named for the world's first cast-iron bridge over the River Severn built in 1779, which partly confirmed Shropshire as one of the birthplaces of the [[Industrial Revolution]]. Other notable towns include Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry and Whitchurch. |