Project celebrates Shropshire beauty spot

Nesscliffe Hill has a fascinating past, from its ancient hill forts to the World War Two practice trenches and its most famous resident, Humphrey Kynaston.

Now the Nesscliffe Hills Heritage Project has been set up to help visitors understand more about its past.

A meeting will be held on Thursday at 7pm at Little Ness village hall to explain more about the group and to attract more members.

The sandstone outcrop north of Shrewsbury was the 15th century home of Wild Humphrey Kynaston, often known as Shropshire's "Robin Hood". He lived in the sandstone caves on the hill with his horse, Beelzebub.

Clive Dean, part of Shropshire Council's outdoor recreation team, said the Nesscliffe Hills Heritage Project was a community-inspired initiative.

"A number of local people interested in the area have come together to create a project aimed at giving visitors a better opportunity to understand and appreciate the enormous range of heritage features at Nesscliffe Country Park," he said.

"These include the story of Humphrey Kynaston, the Hill Fort, the quarrying activity of several centuries, the planting of its varied woodland, the rock houses and turf cabins on the Cliffe, the ancient track ways, Second World War practice trenches and 'the Tea Tents' to name but a few.

"It is early days yet but the project may involve recording oral histories, archaeological investigations and digs.

"We hope to do archive research, collecting old photographs, rebuild old walls and buildings and create site interpretation, possibility producing maps, books and schools education packs," he added.

"We would welcome people to come and join the project and also we would welcome people contacting us if they have old photographs or other documents about the area or if they have stories they would like to tell us about living in the area."