Much Wenlock is a community as well as parish in Shropshire, England, located on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Close by, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and also the new community of Telford. The civil parish includes the towns of Homer (1 mile north of the community), Wyke (2 miles northeast), Atterley (2 miles southeast) and also Bourton (3 miles southwest). The population of the civil parish, according to the 2001 census, was 2,605, enhancing to 2,877 at the 2011 Census. Much Wenlock was traditionally the primary town of the ancient borough of Wenlock. The "Much" was added to the name to distinguish it from the close-by Little Wenlock, and indicates that it is the bigger of the two negotiations. Remarkable historic attractions in the town are Wenlock Priory and the Guildhall. The name Wenlock most likely originates from the Celtic name Wininicas, implying "white area" (of the sedimentary rock of Wenlock Edge), plus the Old English loca, meaning "enclosed area". The community was recorded in the Domesday Book as Wenloch. The Wenlock Olympian Games established by Dr William Penny Brookes in 1850 are centred in the community. Dr Brookes is credited as a founding father of the modern-day Olympic Games, and one of the London 2012 Summer Olympics mascots; called Wenlock after the community.