A New Chapter in Shrewsbury's Archives

We are delighted to launch a new Archives & Collections feature on the Shrewsbury School website.

This new digital space provides a dedicated digital home for rare artefacts and remarkable voices from our past. From treasured manuscripts to early printed works and handwritten letters, our archives are a living testament to the curiosity, scholarship and spirit that define a Shrewsbury education.

At the heart of this launch is a special spotlight on one of our most celebrated Old Salopians, Charles Darwin, whose journey from the banks of the River Severn to scientific renown continues to inspire generations. Born in Shrewsbury in 1809, Darwin’s ground-breaking work reshaped how the world understands life itself, and his personal letters, papers and books form a fascinating strand of our archive.

The updated online portal now enables pupils and the wider public, to explore this rich historical tapestry, from the shelves of the Ancient (‘Taylor’) Library and medieval manuscripts, to the evocative Darwin correspondence charting a young naturalist’s path to discovery.

Archivist and Head of Special Collections, Naomi Nicholas, said: "I'm proud and excited about this new phase in our archive and ancient library history which will allow our great collections to be fully appreciated by a wider audience."

The launch of the newly digitalised collection coincides with a week of celebrations across Shrewsbury School, marking Darwin’s birthday on Thursday 12 February. Events included opening the Darwin Collection to members of the public, a Dialogues Talk from Mark Pagel, Fellow of the Royal Society, Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Reading University and an External Fellow of the Santa Fe Institute on the Evolution of Human Language, alongside welcoming primary school pupils from across the region for a programme of engaging, Darwin-themed talks and activities.

In this video below, you can watch our Archivist and Head of Special Collections, Naomi Nicholas, presenting the Darwin Exhibition at Shrewsbury: