Twenty of Shrewsbury’s historic shuts and passageways could be added to the definitive map of rights of way this summer in plans put forward by Shropshire County Council.

Some of the passages have been used as public thoroughfares since medieval times but have never been officially recognised, but this now looks set to change as well worn routes are adopted as rights of way.

Many regular visitors to the town could be surprised to learn that the 20 routes include The Dana, Dana Railway Path – which includes the bridge over the station and past the gate to platform three – Bear Steps, Grope Lane, Seventy Steps, St Alkmond’s Passage and St Julian’s Shut – all of which are regularly used by town shoppers.

Three other shuts in Shrewsbury are already rights of way – Castle Court, St Mary’s Shut and The Slang – with St Mary’s Shut having been given official status just over three years ago.

The order will go through a consultation period which is likely to draw mixed responses as some of the routes, such as Phoenix Place and Compasses Passage, cross over private land.

But local historian and moderator of ShrewsburyForum.co.uk, David Jones, from Sundorne, said: “In the countryside the vast majority of rights of ways cross over private property.

It does annoy me how people who live in a house for 40 years object to and disregard something like a passage in the town centre, which has been around for 800 years.”

The other proposed thoroughfares are Bank Passage, Barracks Passage, Carnarvon Passage, Coffee House Passage, Drayton Passage, Golden Cross Passage, Gullet Passage, King’s Head Passage, Old St Chad’s Path, Peacock Passage and St Mary’s Court.

Although some of the shuts do display notices that they are not currently rights of way many do not.

The consultation period will be open for comments from the public until August 7, when Shropshire County Council will make a decision on each proposed route.

By Pam Griffin