Market town on the river Severn, Shropshire,
England; population (1985) 87,300. It is the
administrative headquarters of the county. To
the E is the site of the Roman city of
Viroconium (larger than Pompeii). In the 5th
century, as Pengwern, Shrewsbury was capital
of the kingdom of Powys, which later became
part of Mercia. In the battle of Shrewsbury
1403, Henry IV defeated the rebels led by
Hotspur (Sir Henry Percy).