12th January 2020
Never been to Edgerley before. Or Pentre. Or Wilcott Marsh.
In fact the triangle between Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Welshpool in unknown border territory.
Though it did provide a basket meal bonanza in Criggion in 2016.
Passing the Nesscliffe Army Training Centre (no micropub) I arrive to find the Royal Hill facing an unwanted visitor.
The Severn was lapping up to the floor of the outdoor drinking. A pleasing view, but a bit disconcerting.
Ahead, the road to Melverley Green and Criggion was closed off, so it’s a good job I did the Admiral Rodney (so to speak) when I had the chance.
Perhaps the flood bus will take me to the Scilly Isles when it’s less busy.
Two locals sat in the smoking shelter, unconcerned. There’s probably enough scratchings on the shelves to see them through to Summer.
“Not so long ago, the Royal Hill was quaint” says WhatPub. Still is, mate.
Better pics on the Pub Heritage site, though what stood out for me was the diversity of the locals. Gentlefolk ordering the soup, a younger couple playing in the games room redirecting me to the loos, Old Boys on the porch.
And a genuinely stunning welcome from a young lady keen to get my view on the Gold.
I can’t pretend the Salopian was great, but it was well served and tasty, and to be honest I didn’t much care (read what you like into that ?).
As relaxing as rural Shropshire gets.
Just don’t believe the signs.
retiredmartin 
“Stafford Paul will know who they were” – yes, Southams of Shrewsbury was taken over by Threlfall Chesters in 1966 hence a sign like that still outside a Whitbread pub in Harlech twenty years ago.
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Yes! I was there years ago and completely forgot its name or precisely where it is. It was just “that cracking pub in the middle of nowhere next to the Severn.”
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Is there somewhere in rural Shropshire that isn’t relaxing? (apart from when the pig gets loose, obviously).
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Ruyton XI towns is a den of iniquity.
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Can you name the other 10 towns?
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Ruyton I, Ruyton II, Ruyton III
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Sounds great. Beers you’ve heard of, too 😀
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The WhatPub write-up really is rather sour and grudging, isn’t it? Surely it would be better to say “old pub that has been sensitively extended.” And it still merits a National Inventory entry.
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Yes, seemed a pub to talk up.
As you’ll know I’m less fussed by the Inventory and authenticity than some, though I understand the appeal.
We need to support pubs like this that can accommodate darts and pool, loners, diners and smokers on the porch and retain their character.
The barmaid (?) was wonderful.
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Are you making the same point as Bobby Z once did? “The waitress he was handsome…etc.”?
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Bobby Zamora was a very underrated forward, his holdup play was excellent.
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Tsk. You round ballers. It’s this one, especially for Moby Dick fans out there
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztD6eRJmT58
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I’ve “Never been to Edgerley” but I’ve been to the “r”less Stockport one.
Yes, “The WhatPub write-up really is rather sour and grudging” but there’s “Beers you might know”, “it has been extended” meaning it’s no longer “poky” and the furniture, despite including a couple of church pews, isn’t random enough.
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By extending, presumably it makes the pub less exclusive, less the preserve of the “I knew it before anyone drank there” crowd.
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Good point.
I didn’t notice any extension. It’s certainly less noticeable than, say, the conservatory at the back of the Leintwardine Sun (though that was probably necessary for the pub’s survival).
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For here, the Leintwardine Sun, Mabel Mudge’s old Drewe Arms and a few others an extension might be the only chance of a pub remaining open, and it can usually be done quite sensitively.
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I just wondered, was Simon visiting, just a bit uphill from you, on the same day?
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