Much Wenlock is a town and parish in Shropshire, England, situated on the A458 road in between Shrewsbury as well as 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 town), Wyke (2 miles northeast), Atterley (2 miles southeast) as well as 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 historically the chief town of the old district of Wenlock. The "Much" was contributed to the name to identify it from the neighboring Little Wenlock, and symbolizes that it is the bigger of both settlements. Notable historical destinations in the town are Wenlock Priory and the Guildhall. The name Wenlock most likely comes from the Celtic name Wininicas, meaning "white area" (in reference to the limestone of Wenlock Edge), plus the Old English loca, implying "confined area". The community was recorded in the Domesday Book as Wenloch. The Wenlock Olympian Games developed by Dr William Penny Brookes in 1850 are centred in the community. Dr Brookes is attributed as a founding father of the contemporary Olympic Games, as well as one of the London 2012 Summer Olympics mascots; called Wenlock after the community.