Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes enjoys Shropshire visit
Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes arrived in Shropshire yesterday to appear at the Wenlock Poetry Festival in Much Wenlock.
Miriam was invited to the festival as a guest of the Shropshire and Telford Tourism Strategy Board which invited her to the County. Shropshire Council's Visitor Economy Team co-ordinated her travel and hosting arrangements. She is staying at the Raven Hotel and then with a friend in Much Wenlock.
On arrival she was given a guided tour of sites in the town associated with Dr. William Penny Brookes who inspired the Olympic movement by putting on the first Wenlock Olympian Games in 1850. Her guides were Helen Cromarty (Press Officer, Wenlock Olympian Society) and Tim King (Tourism Officer, Shropshire Council). She also visited Much Wenlock's historic Guildhall and Priory ruins and met some of the local residents enjoying a Royal Wedding picnic on Church Green.
At 5pm Miriam read some poems especially written for the Wenlock Poetry Festival at the Priory Hall in front of a packed audience. Later on she joined the panel of judges at the Poetry Slam alongside John Gorman and Dreadlockalien.
On Saturday Miriam is being taken on a guided tour of some of the Ironbridge Museums by Ironbridge Gorge Trust's Marketing Manager Paul Gossage. Then on Sunday Shropshire Tourist Guide Pam Powis is taking her to Church Stretton and Ludlow with a chance to sample some of the beautiful scenery of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Miriam has long been a fan of Shropshire and has offered to do all she can to help promote the County.
Report by Tim King, Tourism Officer, Shropshire Council.
