Modest MBE man who helped save Shrewsbury's Battlefield from developers wants to share plaudits
A former British diplomat and teacher who has widely been credited with saving Shrewsbury's Battlefield heritage site says others deserve the plaudits.
Selby Martin, who is former chair and current trustee of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, was awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's honours for his community work, including his efforts to save the site of the 1403 Battle of Shrewsbury from being redeveloped.
The site, where one of the bloodiest battles in British history was fought, was under threat of being sold to car manufacturing giant Toyota in the 1980s, and then again could have been bought in the 1990s by a New Zealand meat packing firm to build a factory. There were also plans to put the Shrewsbury link road through the south side of the battlefield.
But campaigners including Selby were able to save the site, although the 90-year-old downplays his role.
"I had a role in it," he said, "but I would like to make it clear I was not fully responsible. It was also down to the help of others and circumstances."
He pointed to Caroline Thewles, "a literary woman" who organised several book events in the town, author Robert Hardy and Battlefield landowner Joyce Jagger.
"It so happened that Caroline invited Robert Hardy to come and give a talk here on the history of longbows. He had an interest in the Battle of Shrewsbury because of the use of longbows.
"We took Robert to have a look at the Battlefield site and explain our concerns. He went off and invited a director of the National Army Museum in Chelsea to assess the site for its military importance.
"They decided the Battle of Shrewsbury was historically important. Robert Hardy was on the English Heritage committee for battlefield sites. He raised our problem with the committee and it was decided that the Battle of Shrewsbury would be upgraded from a 'skirmish' to a 'battle'. That was significant because it makes it much more difficult for people who want to redevelop the site.
"We were able to take advantage of a situation and get the Battlefield site protected."
The site is now a popular tourist attraction in Shrewsbury, where visitors can enjoy walks, learn more about the battle at the museum exhibition and visit the cafe and farm shop. The battle was fought between King Henry IV's army and Henry 'Harry Hotspur' Percy, the first in which English archers fought each other on British soil. It is believed that as many as 2,000 men may have been killed. According to historic records, it ended when Harry Hotspur was shot in the face after lifting his visor. To prove he was dead, the King had him quartered, with his body parts being publicly displayed in various towns and cities.
Selby decided to make Shrewsbury his home after spending many years in cities around the world working as a British diplomat, including in Russia and Bulgaria at the height of the Cold War. He came to Shropshire to work as a languages teacher, and soon found himself in various roles in the community, including with the Shrewsbury Civic Society.
On receiving his MBE, Selby said: "I was surprised and delighted. I'm grateful to whoever put me up for it."
It is hoped that this year's MBE recipients will go to Buckingham Palace to receive their medals. Due to Covid measures, last year's recipients were invited to local events where they were awarded their honours by their Lord Lieutenant.