Shropshire, England

We were told by John's sister...the genealogist...when we first came to England that there were family members born or living "somewhere" and could we find more out about them. After spending our first 10 months in London, I wasn't too successful. Following more research and digging around we found that they had owned land not too far north of us in Shropshire and I was anxious to see the area, because any virgin land either plowed or full of trees now was also that way 200 years ago!
So we drove up there; about 1 1/2hours from us. This first bridge is in Atcham where their 5th generation grandmother's birth was registered. I couldn't get a date off the bridge but it or another one may well have been right there! She was born just around a bend in the road in 1839. Eleven miles away is the first iron bridge built in 1799. I've been told people came for miles
to see it and I beleive some of them were John's relatives!

You can see our beautiful spring day...still cool enough for a light jacket or long sleeves anyway. The families then were farmers; as you can see the people round about still are. There are no shops, pubs or post offices between the next string of villages. Lots of sheep, cows and fresh air.

Here our car is situated by one of the village signs. At least we could tell where we were. John has always wondered WHO trims all these hedges throughout England's countryside? All are in a perfect straight line going on for miles.

We HAD to get this picture!

An old house and barn covered in vines. The one who owned the land called Pentrebach Estate was an 8th generation widowed grandmother who willed it to her children and grandchildren. I was snapping pictures of any old house I could find.

I believe this to be St. Mary's. It is on the road into and out of the town of Knockin. Here there actually was an inn and a post office (I am standing in the parking lot). All the photos and our drive was made from one winding road beginning at the brick bridge to here through areas called Alberbury, Melverly, Pentre, Edgerly and Knockin.

It's been easier getting the pictures taken than finding the records for people but boy do we have a bunch. Now we just have to find proof that they are all related...Plimley,Evans, Mansell, Stevens, Price, and several others. It's a huge puzzle.
John found this grave which I had walked right past. I thought the size was too large for farmers to afford at the time. But it has Thomas Mansell, wife Elizabeth and son Thomas. The men lived to be 70 years and the wife is 66. AMAZING to be half a world away and find family.