From that great Salopian focal point, landmark for the Legions, the Wrekin, to the uplands of the half-Welsh Clun Forest; from the bare Clee Hills to the jagged Stiperstones, a rich diversity of rock formation produces striking contrasts in the natural scene. Shropshire is divided by the River Severn into two roughly equal halves. The north-east is a wide and fertile plain; south-west of the river is the famous hill country which is the subject of this book. One of the most attractive areas in the whole of England, it has preserved its individuality together with many of the outward and visible signs of an ancient past.