Bridgnorth

Town in Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, 22 km/14 mi southeast of Wellington; population (2001) 11,700. Bridgnorth is a market centre in a rich agricultural area; industries include carpet-making, light engineering, and electronics. The Town Hall was built between 1650 and 1652. The 18th-century North Gate is now a museum.

Bridgnorth is divided into two: the Low Town, on the banks of the Severn, and the High Town, which is situated on top of 30 m/100 ft sandstone cliffs. The two parts are linked by winding steps and the Castle Hill Railway.

The steam-powered Severn Valley Railway line connects Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, 26 km/16 mi to the south. Dudmaston Hall is a 17th-century manor house open to the public, and has a modern art collection including work by artists such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. Daniels Mill is a working corn mill 1.6 km/1 mi south of the town centre. The Puritan cleric Richard Baxter lived in the town in Baxter's House.