The best hikes from bus stations around Alveley

A range of four-foot high posts carved with natural history subjects. They include a wast, a woodpecker and an acorn.

The old Alveley Colliery bridge was given a temporary reprieve back in September, when engineers decided that it was too risky to work on its replacement over the winter. Thus it seems likely that it will survive until this August. There is perhaps some irony in the fact that back in 1936/7 it was built in under a year and work continued all winter with no serious mishaps. The key to this was the way in which it was built, as a “balanced cantilever”. Essentially, this means that it was designed as a see-saw. The bridge has three arches; a large one in the middle over the river and two smaller ones either side to connect with the access roads. These are the “land arches”. The bridge was designed so that all the weight rests on the two piers that are either side of the river. The land arches run from these to walls that support the access roads and hold back the approach embankments; the abutment walls. However, these were designed so that they did not carry any of the weight of the bridge, they simply supported the approach roads. The key part of the structure was the two parallel reinforced concrete beams that ran continuously over the piers from Highley to Alveley and which supported the deck (the surface of the bridge over which people walked). As long as the reinforcing held, the bridge was safe. The bridge led an uneventful life until the 1960’s. However, the Severn Valley is a notoriously difficult area for buildings. The ground is unstable, frequently slipping towards the river. This had started to take its toll on the bridge; the pressure of the ground was forcing the piers into the river. In addition, the abutment walls had cracks and the deck of the bridge was worn and needed replacing. Thus in 1967 the Coal Board decided it needed major repairs. The main work was to stabilise the base of the piers. Coffer dams were constructed and the ground was built up to help the piers resist the thrust from the side of the banks. This part of the work passed without incident. The abutment walls were demolished and work started on rebuilding them. Again, this went smoothly, although the bridge apparently flexed visibly when heavy machinery was working on it whilst the abutment walls were missing. The deck was removed with pneumatic picks. Unfortunately, over the Highley land arch, the picks went in too deep and exposed a joint between the reinforcing rods in the beams that supported the deck. The joints failed spectacularly, the concrete cracked and the beams fell several feet at their landward ends until they came to rest on the partially rebuilt abutment wall. It is believed this incident caused a certain amount of panic at Coal Board Area HQ. Ladders were rigged up to allow men to pass over the dropped beams; without this, an entire shift would have been trapped on the Alveley side of the river. The beams were lifted back into more or less their correct place by jacks and the abutment was hastily rebuilt to support them. There was still a difference of a few inches between the top of the beam and the level of the approach road from Highley but this was made up by increasing the deck thickness with concrete from 6" to around 9". The repaired crack was carefully monitored but there is no suggestion that it has moved. The excitement with the deck replacement meant that the repairs were not finished until October 1968. They meant that the bridge was no longer a balanced cantilever. By the time they were complete, the colliery was in its death-throes, closing in January 1969. Thus ended one of the less cost-effective jobs undertaken by the Coal Board in the West Midlands. It may however be suspected that the Area Engineer’s office was pleased to be rid of the bridge with its now unorthodox structure.

The Highley and Alveley footbridge is a replacement bridge crossing over the River Severn between Highley and Alveley in Shropshire. Arup designed the bridge for Mowlem Construction Ltd with Ivor King Piling Ltd installing the piles. The bridge is a three span continuous reinforced concrete footbridge and was completed in 2006. The main central span is approximately 48m with side spans each of 19.5m, skewed at 30° and full height abutments. Piers and abutments are located on the banks of the river. The stratigraphy generally comprised Made Ground (mainly colliery spoil) overlying alluvial sands, silts and clays overlying a thin layer of River Terrace Deposits of clayey sandy gravel. Bedrock comprised interbedded mudstones and siltstones of the Upper Coal Measures. Both piers and the Alveley bank abutment (shown above) are founded on steel piles. However, the Highley abutment is founded on landslipped material which may potentially move, so in order not to attract loads from this material, it was founded at shallow depth.

Great place to stop and enjoy some food and drinks. Very friendly staff. Lots of information about the park.

The chapel retains in use the mediaeval stone altar slab with the five incised crosses which had been used as a tombstone from 1710 until 1878. Preserved in a glass fronted case is the most precious treasure of the church, an embroidered altar frontal of c1470; it is 8ft. 4 ins. Long and 2ft. 8Ins. Wide and was discovered in an old chest c1865. It is divided into alternate vertical stripe of cerise and cream silk; in the centre is a seated figure of Abraham holding three small figures in his lap symbolising the souls of the departed, while around are three angels bearing scrolls with “Da gloriam Deo” and on either side are fleurs-de-lys and other flowers. In the east clerestory window on the south are remains of fifteenth century painted glass depicting the Annunciation, St. Anthony and a Bishop. In the west window of the tower are three roundels of old painted glass, probably of foreign provenance, depicting the Chalice and Host, the Crucifixion and another scene; they are said to have come from Coton Chapel. The east window and those of the chapel contain painted glass by C E Kempe, the designer of the chapel reredos. The most interesting memorial is a figure brass to John Grove (1616) of Pool Hall, a London merchant and Freeman of the Grocers Company, who was a native of Alveley and founded a school here, also giving an endowment to provide £10 yearly to be divided among five old men. Note in the churchyard the base and part of the shaft of the mediaeval preaching cross. Bells. The tower contains a peal of six bells which were cast and hung by Rudhalls, the Gloucester Bellfounders, in 1779; They were restored and rehung by Taylors of Loughborough in 1958. Plate. The plate includes a handsome Elixabethan cup with cover paten dated 1572 and bearing the intitials R D for Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, at that time owner of the Church Lordship and Patron of the living, doubtless the gift of his Royal Mistress, Queen Elizabeth I.

Butter Cross 350m north west of Yewtree Cottage. Old Wayside Cross south of Hampton Loade, Alveley Parish The Butter Cross, old head, shaft & base by the UC road, in parish of Alveley (Bridgnorth District), Hampton Loade - lane North West of Alveley. Grade II listed. List Entry Number: 1053230 Historically butter crosses were places where country people would come to sell their produce. Local legend says that this butter cross is where food was left for the village of Alveley when it was placed under quarantine during the Black Death in 1349.

Hampton Loade railway station is a station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line, close to the hamlet of Hampton on the western bank of the River Severn; Hampton Loade itself is on the eastern bank, and can no longer be reached by the Hampton Loade Ferry across the river as this has ceased operation. Hampton Loade station opened as part of the Severn Valley Line on 1 February 1862, appearing as 'Hampton' in the public timetable. It was originally built with one platform and siding; a passing-loop and second platform being added in 1883. There was also a weighbridge located on the river side of the site at one point. The station is actually on the west side of the River Severn in the hamlet of Hampton but was renamed within a month of opening after Hampton Loade, the larger hamlet on the eastern side of the river. Due to the presence of Hampton Loade station in Hampton most residents now refer to their hamlet as Hampton Loade. Most of the local passenger traffic came from the eastern side of the river using the current operated foot reaction ferry to get to the station. The station was always popular with anglers due to the easy access to the river. The station was host to a GWR camp coach in 1939. Although closed by British Rail during the implementation of the Beeching Axe in 1963, plans for its closure had already been made before Beeching's report was published. Following closure all signalling equipment was removed from Hampton Loade, and the signal box was almost completely demolished after purchase from BR by the residents of Station House for use as a chicken coop. Hampton Loade station opened as part of the Severn Valley Line on 1 February 1862, appearing as 'Hampton' in the public timetable. It was originally built with one platform and siding; a passing-loop and second platform being added in 1883. There was also a weighbridge located on the river side of the site at one point. The station is actually on the west side of the River Severn in the hamlet of Hampton but was renamed within a month of opening after Hampton Loade, the larger hamlet on the eastern side of the river. Due to the presence of Hampton Loade station in Hampton most residents now refer to their hamlet as Hampton Loade. Most of the local passenger traffic came from the eastern side of the river using the current operated foot reaction ferry to get to the station. The station was always popular with anglers due to the easy access to the river. The station was host to a GWR camp coach in 1939. Although closed by British Rail during the implementation of the Beeching Axe in 1963, plans for its closure had already been made before Beeching's report was published. Following closure all signalling equipment was removed from Hampton Loade, and the signal box was almost completely demolished after purchase from BR by the residents of Station House for use as a chicken coop.

Once a vast coal mining site, this vibrant area is now a thriving country park. Spanning 126 acres (51 ha), the park hugs the banks of the River Severn and comprises woodlands, meadows and the gorgeous Highley heritage train station. The park is on both sides of the river, covering the land between Highley and Alveley. With trails suitable for walking, cycling and horse riding, there's plenty to do here. An accessible trail means you can navigate this pretty area easily with pushchairs and wheelchairs too. A cafe and facilities are also on site plus plenty of parking space.