Shifnal is a market town which was originally developed as a staging post on the main London to Holyhead trading route.
A scattering of quaint black and white buildings still survive amongst the more modern developments.
A short distance away are Boscobel House and White Ladies Priory, scenes of refuge for King Charles II after his defeat at the battle of Worcester and location of the “Royal Oak”.
Shifnal has a community Library run by the Town Council, and is located on Broadway.
The Millennium Sensory Garden lies between St Andrew’s Church and Innage Road and contains the town’s war memorial. The garden is voluntarily maintained by a dedicated group of committee members and friends and obtained the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award 2003 and Green Pennant Award 2007 – 2008.
Shifnal Police Station, behind the Library, was closed in 2013, but re-opened in August 2019 as a community hub.
There are several pre-school nursery and day centres in the town, as well as two primary schools: Shifnal Primary School, on Curriers Lane and St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School, on Park Lane. The town has two further schools, Idsall School, on Coppice Green Lane, a comprehensive school; and Young Options College, in Lamledge Lane, an independent specialist secondary school.