In 1952, the school was 400 years old. It received a royal visit to mark the occasion, and presented the town with a new cross for the historic site of the town's High Cross (which had been removed in 1705) at the termination of the market street which was a starting point for civic and religious processions in the medieval town and a significant location (the place of execution of Earl of Worcester and others after the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, and of Dafydd III, last native Prince of Wales in 1283).