The view that inspired Shropshire's Mary Webb

A beautiful evening on Lyth Hill, looking across a patchwork of fields towards the Stretton Hills.

The view that inspired Shropshire's Mary Webb

Lined up across the horizon are, from left, the Lawley, Willstone Hill, Caer Caradoc and Hazler Hill.

Don’t be fooled by the sunshine, however - there was a definite chill on the air that day!

This is the landscape that inspired Shropshire author Mary Webb, who used to live at Spring Cottage on the edge of Lyth Hill.

It was here that she wrote Gone to Earth, The House in Dormer Forest and other books, as well as many of her poems and short stories.

Coincidentally, this year marks the centenary of the publication of Precious Bane, a compelling story of passion set in Shropshire during the 1800s.

The book was made into a six-part BBC television series in 1957 starring Patrick Troughton and Daphne Slater.

This was followed up by another BBC adaptation in 1989 with Clive Owen and Janet McTeer.

Published by Shropshire and Beyond on

2023