Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock is a community and also parish in Shropshire, England, located on the A458 road in between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Close by, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, as well as the brand-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 Bourton (3 miles southwest). The population of the civil parish, according to the 2001 census, was 2,605, raising to 2,877 at the 2011 Census. Much Wenlock was traditionally the primary town of the old district of Wenlock. The "Much" was included in the name to differentiate it from the nearby Little Wenlock, and also symbolizes that it is the bigger of the two settlements. Significant historic destinations in the community are Wenlock Priory and also the Guildhall. The name Wenlock most likely comes from the Celtic name Wininicas, implying "white location" (in reference to the limestone of Wenlock Edge), plus the Old English loca, implying "enclosed location". 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 modern-day Olympic Games, as well as one of the London 2012 Summer Olympics mascots; named Wenlock after the community.
