Harlescott

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 52.7365
longitude= -2.722627
official_name= Harlescott
population = 5,201 [ [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=5943571&c=Harlescott&d=14&e=16&g=482469&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1 Census data] ]
shire_district= Shrewsbury and Atcham
shire_county = Shropshire
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Shrewsbury and Atcham
post_town= Shrewsbury
postcode_district = SY1
postcode_area= SY
dial_code= 01743
os_grid_reference= SJ513156

Harlescott is a suburb of the town of Shrewsbury, county town of Shropshire. It is one of the most industrial parts of the town, and is the 5th most deprived ward in non-metropolitan Shropshire. Neighbouring suburbs include Sundorne to the east and Ditherington to the south.

Shrewsbury's livestock market was at Harlescott (between 1956 and 2006 - it is now at a new site out-of-town at Battlefield). The site has been redeveloped with a Tesco supermarket. Next door there is a Park and Ride car park. [ [http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/shropshireccnews.nsf/open/B3C457A2B5144CFB802572D8003C50BC Harlescott Park & Ride scheme] ] Every Sunday, when there are no Park and Ride buses, an open air market is held at this site.

There was once a military supply depot here, "RAF Harlescott", but this has closed and the nearest RAF base is now a few miles away at Shawbury. Harlescott was also once a fairly notable railway centre, but now all the sidings have gone. Only the Welsh Marches Line itself and Harlescott Crossing and its signal box, remain.

There are two pubs in Harlescott, one called "The Anchor Inn" and the other "Harry Hotspur". The latter is named after Harry Hotspur, who fought at the Battle of Shrewsbury, which took place in the Harlescott area. Another pub, "The Harlescott", recently closed and was later set alight by arsonists. [ [http://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/News/news/2006/march/2006-03-18-harlescott-pub-fire.htm "Derelict pub gutted by inferno"] ] It has now been demolished and a new supermarket (Lidl) has been built on the site.

References