Oswestry is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Shropshire, close to the Welsh border. In accordance with the 2011 Census, the town has a population of around 17105, increasing by 10 per cent since the 2001 Census. As such, Oswestry is not only one of the UK's oldest border settlements however it is also the 3rd largest town in Shropshire, coming after Telford and Shrewsbury. It is estimated that one of the very first settlements in the area of Oswestry dates back to 3000 years, supported by the evidence incorporated in the excellently maintained Iron Age hill fort constructed in between 800 BC and AD 43. Growth started to take place after the town was granted permission to hold a market every Wednesday in 1190. As a result of the constant influx of Welsh farmers at the market, most of the town's inhabitants were bilingual. The market continued until an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the late 1960s, causing the animal market to be moved from the town centre. A statue of a shepherd and sheep can now be found in the market square as a memorial to the market site's long history. Kinokulture, a movie theatre operating in a renovated church, presents a frequent variety of movies and live performances throughout the week and it also offers a Saturday morning Kids' Club. The town additionally has a nationwide reputation for its high variety of pubs. There are just about 30 in the town, and various serve real ale. The town's Guildhall shows a tapestry of 40 Oswestry bar signs, and a story including all of the pubs' names can be located inside The Oak Inn. For all of your house upgrades, make sure to make use of trustworthy contractors in Oswestry to make certain of quality.