Craven Arms (population 2,289) is a small town as well as civil parish in Shropshire, England, on the A49 road and the Welsh Marches railway line, which link it north and also southern to the larger communities of Shrewsbury and also Ludlow respectively. The Heart of Wales railway line joins the Welsh Marches line at Craven Arms and also the community is served by Craven Arms train station. The town is confined to the north by the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and to the south is the fortified manor house of Stokesay Castle. Craven Arms is a market community for the bordering rural area, with a variety of shops, financial institutions, estate representatives, a grocery store, an abattoir and numerous commercial/light commercial organisations. It is also a visitor location, being residence or nearby to a variety of tourist attractions, as well as being main for visitors to the location of superior all-natural charm. It defines itself as the "Gateway to the Marches".