Shropshire heritage sites make BBC shortlist

A heritage site that crosses from Shropshire into Wales has been shortlisted for the title of best heritage site in Britain, along with a South Shropshire manor house.

BBC Countryfile magazine is running its annual competition to find the best of British – from beaches and nature reserves to gardens and pubs.

There are just five nominations in the Heritage Site of the year, including the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, north west of Oswestry, and Stokesay Castle, near Craven Arms.

Presenter, John Craven, who nominated Whitby, Hadrian's Wall and Dunluce Castle, praised the merits of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

He said: "This engineering masterpiece was Britain's longest, highest aqueduct when one of my heroes, Thomas Telford, completed it in 1805. It still carries the Llangollen canal over the Dee Valley in a 307m-long cast-iron trough, held by 19 pillars of 30m. Cross by narrow boat or on foot – you'll need a head for heights."

He said Stokesay Castle was his "favourite little gem from the Middle Ages". He added: "On seeing it I promptly fell for its charms."

One fan of the aqueduct, part of the 11-mile world heritage site from Chirk Bank in Shropshire to Ellesmere, is businessman is Peter Jones who has run the Jones the Boats company on the aqueduct for the past 25 years.

He offers several different trips, from a 45-minute return crossing of the aqueduct to a longer Sunday lunch trip on a special restaurant boat.

"I never tire of the aqueduct, the area is beautiful and changes with every season. The aqueduct is such a spectacular structure and yet many people don't know it exists. They are really surprised when they get here.

"The number of visitors has increased dramatically since it was named a world heritage site. We have tourists from American, Japan, China and of course Europe. This year we have a lot of coach trips from Germany booked in. And there is still room for our lovely local guests."