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The Strettons Podcast

The Strettons Podcast

Written by: Sian Lovegrove Pete Johnson
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About this listen

This podcast features the lives of the people who live in Church Stretton and villages in the Shropshire Hills.


It's a tourist area and we welcome visitors from all over the world to enjoy the Shropshire Hills National Landscape. You'll find our guests not only on top of the Long Mynd, but nursing a craft beer in a snug country pub or having coffee and cake in one of the tea rooms in town. Millions of fell-runners, walkers, hikers, campers, dog-walkers flock to the Church Stretton area every year.


Agriculture is an important part of the economy here too and we talk to farmers and others born and raised in the area, not just about farming but what it was like to grow up here. We collect stories of the people who made this area what it is today, the characters who inhabited the village pubs, stories of terrible winters and childhood activities in the fields and streams around the Long Mynd. This is an important archive project for this tiny corner of South Shropshire.



We are the first village podcast in the world and would like to hear from listeners across the world who enjoy hearing voices from The Strettons. We are village people and we want to give a voice to the villages of the Shropshire Hills.



We're independent of any organisation and publish episodes every Tuesday.



We have a website http://thestrettonspod.com/.


Producers

Sian Lovegrove, Pete Johnson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sian Lovegrove, Pete Johnson
Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • David Cooke of Ratlinghope
    Feb 24 2026

    David Cooke talks to us about his life growing up in Ratlinghope and the fun that was had there in his youth. He shared his childhood with an inspiring German prisoner of war who worked on the farm and could turn his hand to anything, even making him a snooker table as a Christmas present. As a young boy, he walked to London with his rucksack to have a look at some football stadiums.


    If you know someone we should speak to for the podcast, please get in touch with us.


    Find us online

    https://thestrettonspod.com/


    email us: thestrettonspod@gmail.com


    Support the podcast https://buymeacoffee.com/thestrettonspod


    Producers

    Sian Lovegrove, Pete Johnson

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Panto, lambs and loaves
    Feb 17 2026

    We're off to Prolley Moor to see the best honesty shed in the county run by Lexi Morris. Then we've got the first in our lambing special - looking at scanning the ewes. And finally we're at All Stretton Village Hall where they cast of the annual panto - The Princess and Pea - are having a final dress rehearsal. And there are. a handful of events to finish up.


    Timings

    Honesty Box 00:49

    Lambing special 11.30

    All Stretton Panto 18:47

    What’s On 24:06


    What three words for the honesty shed

    ///washroom.excuse.unravel



    If you know someone we should speak to for the podcast, please get in touch with us.


    Find us online

    https://thestrettonspod.com/


    email us: thestrettonspod@gmail.com


    Support the podcast https://buymeacoffee.com/thestrettonspod


    Producers

    Sian Lovegrove, Pete Johnson

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Francis Acton of Acton Scott
    Feb 10 2026

    Francis Acton lives at Acton Scott Hall in Acton Scott and manages the 1000 acre estate which includes the Acton Scott Heritage Farm. He speaks to Sian about the responsibility of looking after the estate, and the expectations which come with being the eldest son and the importance of retaining the knowledge and skills of Victorian farmers.

    If you know someone we should speak to for the podcast, please get in touch with us.


    Find us online

    https://thestrettonspod.com/


    email us: thestrettonspod@gmail.com


    Support the podcast https://buymeacoffee.com/thestrettonspod


    Producers

    Sian Lovegrove, Pete Johnson

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
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