Holiday Rentals in Criggion: Church, Landscape and History

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Editor's Choice

Pure Luxury

“Call me spoiled - but I love to be treated like a queen when traveling. Only the best is good enough for me. Hotels that make my vacation a dream of luxury and seduction are my choices. Pay attention to the (violet Medal) for luxury accommodation.”

Tatjana Herzegova, Kiew, Ukraine

Editor's Choice

Sustainable Travel

“There is only one earth and we should go out and see it. I like hotels, which look for sustainability. It is not only protecting the ecology, but also taking care for the local business and culture. I recommend the medal for eco accomodation. Let’s protect our earth. Sustainable travel is travelling with responsibility.”

Markus Lenk, Düsseldorf, Germany

Criggion lies on the north side of the Breiddon Hills; to the north, the floodplain of the River Severn stretches out. At the foot of the northern side of Breidden Hill stands the Church of St Michael and All Angels. Its location connects the church’s hillside setting with the river floodplain north of the village. Criggion therefore offers a distinct focus for a stay: church architecture in a landscape shaped by hills and floodplain. Historical themes relating to rail and radio add to this. Those planning a trip who want to consider architectural and technological history as well as the landscape will find several specific points of interest here.

The Church of St Michael and All Angels

The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a Grade II* listed building. It dates from 1770 and has a chancel addition from the mid-19th century and a west gallery dating from 1840. The church’s original structure and two components from different dates can therefore be considered side by side: the chancel addition is dated to the middle of the century, while the west gallery has a precise year. The chancel addition concerns the chancel area; a west gallery is a gallery in the western part of the church. This distinction helps to differentiate the components mentioned and their dates. This offers architecture enthusiasts a precise view of the building.

Nature and trails

Criggion Quarry lies within the Breidden Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), designated primarily for its rare flora and unusual acidic grassland habitats. Breidden Forest and Breidden Hill offer a different focus: they have an extensive network of public rights of way connecting to the surrounding landscape, as well as a public car park. The SSSI’s reasons for designation are the main focus, while the network of paths describes the connection to the landscape. Quarry operations and access, as well as path conditions, facilities and access arrangements at Breidden Forest and Breidden Hill, may change. Check the relevant conditions before visiting or going for a walk.

Rail and radio history

The Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Light Railway had a branch line to Criggion. It reopened for mineral traffic on 21 February 1912 and for passenger traffic on 27 July 1912. The interval of just over five months makes the phased sequence clear: mineral traffic resumed first, followed later by passenger traffic. The two dates mark different purposes of the same historic railway connection.

Criggion Radio was established in 1940 in response to the VLF transmitter at Rugby having no reserve facility. The station provided worldwide radio coverage in the Very Low Frequency range for ships and submarines. Very Low Frequency (VLF) refers to a very low frequency range: the term describes the radio technology, while worldwide coverage describes its reach. Rail and radio represent two different technological connections to Criggion—a historic transport link to Criggion and worldwide maritime radio communications.

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