Giant creating the Wrekin in Shropshire. Drawing by Eric Fraser for ENGLISH LEGENDS by Henry Bett (1950). - ?004 TopFoto / Fortean - The Wrekin is 1,334 ft hill located near to Telford and dominating the central Shropshire landscape. The phrase "all-around-the-Wrekin" is often used by locals to describe a long-winded route, as in "He went all-around-the Wrekin to get here" The Legend A Welsh Giant, with a grudge against the people of Shrewsbury, planned to drown the whole town by creating a dam on the River Severn with a spade full of earth. But he lost his way and had to ask directions from a cobbler. Fearful of losing all his customers in the town the cobbler emptied all the boots from his bag. "I've come from Shrewsbury and I've already worn out all these boots, so far away is it". In despair, the Giant dropped the earth where he stood and the mound became the hill which people now call the Wrekin.