Title: Mardol Gardens
Description: Shuts of Shrewsbury 24
Description: Shuts of Shrewsbury 24
Proud Salopian - September 6, 2005 02:16 PM (GMT)
Shuts of Shrewsbury No 24 - Mardol Gardens
Mardol - Roushill (59m)
This more modern passage provides a good shortcut between Mardol and Roushill. It is one of many shuts, lanes and passages leading off Mardol. There has long been a route through the buildings here, though it is not highway land or a public right of way.
Historically called Queen's Passage, it and the area around it became run down by the 1980s. The area was turned into a small arcade, with shops, market stalls and a cafe, called Mardol Gardens in 1982 (the same year the nearby Victorian Arcade was created). The arcade took a longer, winding route and came out on Roushill further towards the River Severn near to where Phoenix Place is. This arcade slowly became run down too (though this did add charm to it) and between 2003 and 2006 the Roushill end was redeveloped with the Nexus development. This has now shortened the route, making it a more direct shortcut.
We start on Mardol, where the entrance to the passage retains its 1980s features. This is the Mardol gate - there is a more modern looking Roushill gate on the other end. To the left is a florist’s shop and on the right is Pizza Express.
The charity Age Concern have their shop/offices on this end of the passage. The Mardol gate is open whenever they are. You can see how the passage gently slopes down towards Roushill. The old Mardol Gardens used to flood when the Severn did, but with the Nexus development the ground was raised by over half a metre. The bollard (which was a black, metal one until very recently) marks the boundary between what's left of the old arcade and the Nexus area.
The courtyard in the middle is really an area used for turning and parking cars. From here the Nexus' private car park is accessed via a normally locked gate to the right of the photo below (it is closed in the first photo and open in the second). On the left is the second shop unit on Mardol Gardens, which is occupied by “Enterprise HQ Shrewsbury”. They are responsible for the bamboo plants! The route of the passage follows the curve of the building here.
The entrance on Roushill is less grand than on Mardol. The Roushill gate is set in by a few metres so cars can drive up to it and stop safely when the gate is closed. It seems that this gate is kept open at occasional times and I have seen it closed when the Mardol gate is open, and vice versa. Usually during Monday-Friday daytime the route is fully open though.
Overall a good route, paved with brick (which is rare for a shut in Shrewsbury) and one that is locked at night and on Sundays (making it a proper “shut” in the original sense of the term). The Roushill entrance is now opposite the Riverside mall entrance, and so it transports you quickly from the world of the shopping centre to the (much nicer) world of Mardol!
Further down Roushill is Phoenix Place, which is very different to Mardol Gardens, despite running almost adjacent.
Mardol - Roushill (59m)
This more modern passage provides a good shortcut between Mardol and Roushill. It is one of many shuts, lanes and passages leading off Mardol. There has long been a route through the buildings here, though it is not highway land or a public right of way.
Historically called Queen's Passage, it and the area around it became run down by the 1980s. The area was turned into a small arcade, with shops, market stalls and a cafe, called Mardol Gardens in 1982 (the same year the nearby Victorian Arcade was created). The arcade took a longer, winding route and came out on Roushill further towards the River Severn near to where Phoenix Place is. This arcade slowly became run down too (though this did add charm to it) and between 2003 and 2006 the Roushill end was redeveloped with the Nexus development. This has now shortened the route, making it a more direct shortcut.
We start on Mardol, where the entrance to the passage retains its 1980s features. This is the Mardol gate - there is a more modern looking Roushill gate on the other end. To the left is a florist’s shop and on the right is Pizza Express.
The charity Age Concern have their shop/offices on this end of the passage. The Mardol gate is open whenever they are. You can see how the passage gently slopes down towards Roushill. The old Mardol Gardens used to flood when the Severn did, but with the Nexus development the ground was raised by over half a metre. The bollard (which was a black, metal one until very recently) marks the boundary between what's left of the old arcade and the Nexus area.
The courtyard in the middle is really an area used for turning and parking cars. From here the Nexus' private car park is accessed via a normally locked gate to the right of the photo below (it is closed in the first photo and open in the second). On the left is the second shop unit on Mardol Gardens, which is occupied by “Enterprise HQ Shrewsbury”. They are responsible for the bamboo plants! The route of the passage follows the curve of the building here.
The entrance on Roushill is less grand than on Mardol. The Roushill gate is set in by a few metres so cars can drive up to it and stop safely when the gate is closed. It seems that this gate is kept open at occasional times and I have seen it closed when the Mardol gate is open, and vice versa. Usually during Monday-Friday daytime the route is fully open though.
Overall a good route, paved with brick (which is rare for a shut in Shrewsbury) and one that is locked at night and on Sundays (making it a proper “shut” in the original sense of the term). The Roushill entrance is now opposite the Riverside mall entrance, and so it transports you quickly from the world of the shopping centre to the (much nicer) world of Mardol!
Further down Roushill is Phoenix Place, which is very different to Mardol Gardens, despite running almost adjacent.
lemon squeezer - December 2, 2005 04:26 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
| I remember the model shop there, with its model railway layout in the window, |
I remember seeing that floating when we had severe flooding a few years back. I think that was why it eventually moved.
I believe that the Nexus development is part of a much needed wider scheme to regenerate this part of the town and draw shoppers from the shopping malls to the more traditional areas like the Mardol. It would be great if then. this wonderful and ancient road could be pedestrianised so that it's architectural merits can be fully exploited.
Proud Salopian - July 19, 2007 05:18 PM (GMT)
Recent changes - the final Mardol Gardens arcade bench has gone and a ramp has been built in the courtyard. A few new pots with plants have appeared which is nice. The bollard is new, though for a time there was a much nicer (though maybe a lot less visible) version, and marks the boundary between Nexus and the old arcade sections. The biggest change is the occupying of the new retail unit by a company called Enterprise HQ.