Shrewsbury Abbey, founded in 1083 by Roger de Montgomery, stands just across the English Bridge from the town centre. It was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1540 but the nave of the church survived as a parish church and remains in use today. The interior contains some remarkable medieval carved stone, including the shrine of Saint Winifred, whose relics were brought here in 1138 and made the abbey a place of pilgrimage.
The Victorian-era restoration is heavy-handed in places, but the overall church is atmospheric and the garden is pleasant. Across the road, a fragment of the original refectory pulpit survives — an unusual piece of medieval architecture usually passed by visitors who don't know what they're looking at. The abbey is a short walk over the English Bridge from the town centre; the path takes you past the Brother Cadfael herb garden.