Mary Webb's name is synonymous with the landscapes of south-west Shropshire, and in particular the hill country surrounding the Long Mynd and the Stiperstones, just a few miles from Bishop's Castle.

Mary had always been a lover of the natural world and had a particular affinity for her native Shropshire landscapes. This is a very strong theme in her novels, and her love of nature is exemplified by her detailed and perceptive writings. She was writing poems and essays by the age of 21, but her first novel was The Golden Arrow, published in 1916 while she was living at nearby Pontesbury. It is set in the Church Stretton area, and captures the brooding essence of the Long Mynd, which she named the Wilderhope.

In 1917, she published her second novel, Gone to Earth which was later made into a memorable film. The House in Dormer Forest, published in 1920 and now out of print, is set in the areas closest to Bishop's Castle, which she named Mallard's Keep. Mary moved to London in 1921 where she published Seven for a Secret in 1922 and her most famous novel Precious Bane in 1924.

Further Information

The Mary Webb Society was founded in 1972 to foster an appreciation of her writings and of the Shropshire countryside which she loved. Their website contains a selected bibliography and links to other groups and publications associated with her work.