Ellesmere
Ellesmere is a market community near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, significant for its proximity to a variety of popular Meres. The town is situated by the side of Ellesmere (aka 'the Mere'), among the biggest natural meres in England outside the Lake District and among nine glacial meres in the area. ('glacial' indicates that the anxiety inhabited by the plain was the area of a block of ice that continued at the end of the last Glacial period). These meres are different from those in the Lake District because they do not have a circulation of water into them to preserve the level. A synthetic island in the Mere was created in 1812 from dirt dug out throughout the making of the yards at Ellesmere House. This was later called Moscow Island, as Napoleon was required to pull away from Moscow that year. The Mere has a site visitors' centre and is preferred with birdwatchers, most of whom visit to see grey herons nesting. There are 8 other meres close by: Blakemere, Colemere, Crosemere, Kettlemere, Newtonmere, Whitemere, Sweatmere and Hanmer Mere. The civil parish which constitutes the community is Ellesmere Urban; the surrounding parish, covering a large rural area, is Ellesmere Rural.
