Thomas Beddoes, a well-known physician, was born in 1760 at Balcony House, named for a room projecting above the roof line, on the east side of Market Place.
This building later became the Star Hotel.

Aston Hall, built about 1720 at the east side of the town, was home to tobacco plantation and slave owners—George Austin and John Moultrie—the latter rising to be acting governor of East Florida.

Austin was born in the town in 1710, the son of a mercer and went to South Carolina where he became involved in developing tobacco plantations, one of which he named Shifnal, 1,415 acres next to next to the Ashepoo river and which had 85 slaves.
Austin became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies, but following disputes with his business partner, Henry Laurens, returned to England in 1762 and settled at Aston Hall.

(Austin was also responsible for the first person of colour recorded as living in Shifnal.
In 1766 Benjamin Priouleu "a black servant to Mr Austin" was baptised in the town.
Some 19 years later the parish records note that Lucy Bartlet "a black woman" was buried there.)

Austin's daughter Eleanor stayed in Carolina and married John Moultrie, of Charleston, another wealthy tobacco farmer and slave owner.
After Spain ceded Florida to Britain in 1763 Moultrie became a member of the new established council of East Florida, and its president.
He bought some 14,000 acres and was active in encouraging Florida's agricultural and commercial development, experimenting with new crops such as sugar, rice, oranges and indigo.

In 1771, Moultrie became Lieutenant-Governor of Florida and encouraged a road-building programme.
He became acting governor when his predecessor, James Grant, was invalided home in 1771 and held the position until 1774.
His four brothers were key players on opposing sides of the Revolutionary War.

However he and Eleanor left in 1784, after Florida was handed back to the Spanish and inhabitants were required to convert to Catholicism.
Selling his slaves in the Bahamas, the Moultries moved to Aston Hall, which had been left to Eleanor in Austin's will.
Austin had opposed the marriage and stipulated everything was to be managed by trustees - so that Eleanor only had an annuity and her husband had no access to the capital.
Moultrie died in 1798 and was buried at St Andrew's Church.

A Baptist church was established in Aston Street at the end of the 18th century, but it closed down before the 20th century.

Thomas Telford upgraded Watling Street, the turnpike road that passed through the town, in the late 18th century.
This road carried traffic from London to Shrewsbury, Chester and Holyhead for Ireland, bringing considerable prosperity to the town.

There had been a regular stagecoach service through the town from 1681, but when mail coaches began to pass through from 1785 transport became important in the local economy, rising to 18 coaches a day by 1829.
 Passengers could rest from their travels at three coaching inns: the Jerningham Arms, the Star Hotel and the Unicorn.

At the beginning of the 19th century the Holyhead mail coach could travel from London to Shifnal in 27 hours: by 1831 that had been reduced that to 16.5 hours, using 150 horses along the route.

However traffic was already declining by 1844, when there were only nine coaches a day.
When the railways reached the town in 1849 the remaining trade rapidly disappeared.

During this period of prosperity many new houses were built, lending Shifnal a Georgian air.
The name Idsall was still used to distinguish the area around the St Andrew's Church and the Manor from the market and commercial area of Shifnal.

There are records of a parish workhouse in operation in Shifnal in 1777 with accommodation for up to 40 inmates.
A new parish workhouse was built on Park Street in 1817.
It was adopted as the workhouse for the Shifnal Poor Law Union and was enlarged in 1840-1 at about £800.
The number of inmates was never more than 100.
The buildings later became part of Shifnal Hospital before being turned into homes.

The railway line from London and Birmingham to Holy
Thomas Beddoes, a well-known physician, was born in 1760 at Balcony House, named for a room projecting above the roof line, on the east side of Market Place. This building later became the Star Hotel.
Aston Hall, built about 1720 at the east side of the town, was home to tobacco plantation and slave owners—George Austin and John Moultrie—the latter rising to be acting governor of East Florida.
Austin was born in the town in 1710, the son of a mercer and went to South Carolina where he became involved in developing tobacco plantations, one of which he named Shifnal, 1,415 acres next to next to the Ashepoo river and which had 85 slaves. Austin became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies, but following disputes with his business partner, Henry Laurens, returned to England in 1762 and settled at Aston Hall.
(Austin was also responsible for the first person of colour recorded as living in Shifnal. In 1766 Benjamin Priouleu "a black servant to Mr Austin" was baptised in the town. Some 19 years later the parish records note that Lucy Bartlet "a black woman" was buried there.)
Austin's daughter Eleanor stayed in Carolina and married John Moultrie, of Charleston, another wealthy tobacco farmer and slave owner. After Spain ceded Florida to Britain in 1763 Moultrie became a member of the new established council of East Florida, and its president. He bought some 14,000 acres and was active in encouraging Florida's agricultural and commercial development, experimenting with new crops such as sugar, rice, oranges and indigo.
In 1771, Moultrie became Lieutenant-Governor of Florida and encouraged a road-building programme. He became acting governor when his predecessor, James Grant, was invalided home in 1771 and held the position until 1774. His four brothers were key players on opposing sides of the Revolutionary War.
However he and Eleanor left in 1784, after Florida was handed back to the Spanish and inhabitants were required to convert to Catholicism. Selling his slaves in the Bahamas, the Moultries moved to Aston Hall, which had been left to Eleanor in Austin's will. Austin had opposed the marriage and stipulated everything was to be managed by trustees - so that Eleanor only had an annuity and her husband had no access to the capital. Moultrie died in 1798 and was buried at St Andrew's Church.
A Baptist church was established in Aston Street at the end of the 18th century, but it closed down before the 20th century.
Thomas Telford upgraded Watling Street, the turnpike road that passed through the town, in the late 18th century. This road carried traffic from London to Shrewsbury, Chester and Holyhead for Ireland, bringing considerable prosperity to the town.
There had been a regular stagecoach service through the town from 1681, but when mail coaches began to pass through from 1785 transport became important in the local economy, rising to 18 coaches a day by 1829.  Passengers could rest from their travels at three coaching inns: the Jerningham Arms, the Star Hotel and the Unicorn.
At the beginning of the 19th century the Holyhead mail coach could travel from London to Shifnal in 27 hours: by 1831 that had been reduced that to 16.5 hours, using 150 horses along the route.
However traffic was already declining by 1844, when there were only nine coaches a day. When the railways reached the town in 1849 the remaining trade rapidly disappeared.
During this period of prosperity many new houses were built, lending Shifnal a Georgian air. The name Idsall was still used to distinguish the area around the St Andrew's Church and the Manor from the market and commercial area of Shifnal.
There are records of a parish workhouse in operation in Shifnal in 1777 with accommodation for up to 40 inmates. A new parish workhouse was built on Park Street in 1817. It was adopted as the workhouse for the Shifnal Poor Law Union and was enlarged in 1840-1 at about £800. The number of inmates was never more than 100. The buildings later became part of Shifnal Hospital before being turned into homes.
The railway line from London and Birmingham to Holy
Shifnal