Gobowen is a village in the far North West of Shropshire and on the Welsh border, near to Oswestry.
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| Gobowen |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| County: | Shropshire |
| District: | Selattyn & Gobowen |
| Population: | 3270 (2011 census) |
The village grew up around a Norman motte and bailey castle and was originally called Bryn-y-Castell (Castle Hill). The village name was changed to Gobowen, which is possibly derived from the old Welsh for Owen's mine (gob).
The catalyst for Gobowen's growth were the railways in the 19th century. The Shrewsbury and Chester Railway wanted to build it's route through Oswestry but were denied permission to head through the town, so instead they built the line through Gobowen, the station opening in 1848.
Gobowen's main church, All Saints, was opened in 1928. Originally it was a daughter church of a parish church in nearby Hengoed, though in 1981 All Saints became the parish church. Preeshenlle United Reformed Church was built on the Eastern edge of the site of the castle.
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| Gobowen railway station |
