Shuts of Shrewsbury No 5 - The Dana & Dana Railway Path (ex-Castle Hill)
Castle Gates - Howard Street

The Dana is a historical part of Shrewsbury, being the area north of the castle hill. Today it gives its name to HM Prison Shrewsbury (England's most over-crowded) and to the walk that runs from Castle Gates to Howard Street. Along the route is an archway which you have to walk under and you also get some nice views of the north end of the town centre and out towards Frankwell. The Dana runs around Shrewsbury Castle and over the railway station.

The area changed drastically when the railway station was built and subsequently expanded. The passage runs over the railway station on a bridge - this footbridge once was connected to the platforms of the station by stairs, but these have long been removed. The building of the station also destroyed a street called Castle Hill, although it was in a way replaced by the path and steps that lead up the hill from the bottom of Castle Gates to The Dana footbridge. There is now a newsagents on this walkway and the gates that can be used to access Platform 3.

The Dana starts here on Castle Gates.







Here we come to the footbridge. On the left is where the Castle Hill walkway meets The Dana.



On the other side of the railway station, with the prison behind the photographer.



And finally, a view of Castle Hill, with the newsagents and The Dana running above. Below left is the station forecourt. You can just about see the footbridge too.



There are a number of future prospects for walking in this area. Firstly a new footpath may be created to link The Dana with the front of the castle. This would mean that people could go from the footbridge to Castle Street without using the steps at Castle Gates. Another thing that may happen is the re-opening of the footpath that leads down from platform 1 at the station to the Gay Meadow. Now you may be thinking "what has this got to do with The Dana?" but it would mean that you could walk from The Dana/Castle Hill, along Platforms 3 and 1, to the Gay Meadow.

Also worth mentioning are the Dana Steps which lead down from Howard Street to the River Severn.

I've changed the article a bit.

Watch out during the next few days for, let's say, additions to the Shuts of Shrewsbury collection. I've already started changes to the index thread.

I walk this shut when I pick up my friend who lives in North Wales from Shrewsbury Station... Just thought I'd randomly point that out. I park on the hill, where the white van is, in the second-bottom photo.