The Shrewsbury Arms / aka The Loggerheads

The inn is housed in the rear section of an old building on the corner of St. Mary's Street and Church Street. It has a brick shell over an earlier stone structure and is thought to date from the latter half of the 17th century. Its early history is unknown but it has been recorded as a public house since 1780 when it was known as the Greyhound. Later it was renamed the Horse and Jockey and then the Lord Hill or the General Lord Hill after Shropshire's most famous soldier. In 1828 the inn was renamed the Shrewsbury Arms but has been known locally by its nickname, the Loggerheads, since 1831.

The Loggerheads is the name given to the three leopard or lion's heads depicted on the arms of the town. Several explanations have been put forward to how the name arose. The most likely is that it's a corruption of 'Lubber's Head' the old English for a leopard's head and in his play Henry II Part Two, Shakespeare refers to Falstaff being invited to a dinner at the 'Lubbar's Head', in Lombard Street. Another explanation put forward by R.F. Prideaux a former town clerk, is that the word is much older and is derived from the Norman 'I'orge' an unpleasant spectre. Local knowledge is always important when referring to place names as in 2004 the brewery put up an inn sign depicting a turtle as they thought that a loggerhead referred to one of those species.

The inn was sold by auction on the 9th May 1822 as 'All that old established and much frequented public house and premises known by the sign of General Lord Hill, now in the occupation of Mr. Thomas Williams. The situation is central and the premises are in excellent repair. To any person desirous of making a good thing of the business by keeping a superior tap of home brewed ale, or to a maltster or brewer desirous of securing the custom of a good house, a most advantageous opportunity presents itself.' In August 1831 the inn was advertised to let after the landlord, Mr. Brindley auctioned off all his household furniture, brewing vessels and around 140 gallons of ale.

By 1900 the inn was owned by T. Cooper & Co. of Burton-on-Trent. The landlord was Joseph Russell and the house consisted of three public and nine private rooms. There was also accommodation for ten people in three bedrooms.