Ellesmere
Ellesmere is a market town near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, noteworthy for its proximity to a variety of prominent Meres. The town is situated alongside Ellesmere (also known as 'the Mere'), among the largest natural meres in England outside the Lake District and among 9 antarctic meres in the area. ('glacial' indicates that the depression occupied by the mere was the place of a block of ice that persisted at the end of the last Ice Age). These meres are various from those in the Lake District in that they do not have a flow of water into them to preserve the level. A fabricated island in the Mere was created in 1812 from dirt dug out throughout the production of the yards at Ellesmere House. This was later named Moscow Island, as Napoleon was compelled to retreat from Moscow that year. The Mere has a visitors' centre and is prominent with birdwatchers, much of whom check out to see grey herons nesting. There are eight other meres close by: Blakemere, Colemere, Crosemere, Kettlemere, Newtonmere, Whitemere, Sweatmere and Hanmer Mere. The civil church which constitutes the community is Ellesmere Urban; the bordering parish, covering a huge backwoods, is Ellesmere Rural.
