Everything about Wellington Shropshire totally explained
Wellington is a town in the borough of
Telford and Wrekin and
ceremonial county of
Shropshire,
England and now forms part of the
new town of
Telford. The population of the
parish of Wellington was recorded as 20,430 in the 2001 census, making it the third largest town in Shropshire if counted independently from Telford.
History
Its name was originally
Weoleahington, meaning 'The settlement by the temple', or 'by the sacred grove'. An alternative suggestion that the name derives from 'Watling Town', because it lies on
Watling Street, a
Roman road that linked
London with the town of
Viroconium Cornoviorum (now
Wroxeter), seems to be unlikely, due to several factors, including the earliest written names of the town. Evidence suggests that the site of the sacred Druid grove and temple was on the site of All Saints Parish Church on a raised area in the centre of the town. A church has been on that site for almost 1000 years and the priest was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The original churchyard still remains. A new church, designed by George Steuart, was built in 1789.
Wellington's first market charter is dated
1244 and the market still exists today. The market had an open-sided market hall by 1680, but this was dimantneted about 1800. This was replaced in the 19th century by a town hall (with the butter market held under it) built in 1848 by a company (formed in 1841) which purchased the market rights from
Lord Forester in 1856.
In 1642
King Charles I was staying in Wellington (in a building that stood on the current site of Carpet Parade), shortly before the first pitched battle of the
English Civil War, when he said in his
Wellington Declaration that he'd uphold the Protestant Religion, the Laws of England, and the Liberty of Parliament.
The town is twinned with
Chatenay-Malabry in
France despite vocal protestations from the residents of the French town who had expressed a twinning preference for Telford as a whole.
Merger with Telford
Some of the townspeople don't think that the formation of Telford New Town has been a positive change for Wellington. Its economy has been damaged by
Telford Town Centre formed in 1963, its
football team's name was changed from Wellington Town to
Telford United in 1969, and its large
Edwardian library is increasingly ignored as Telford Library has become the headquarters for the Telford and Wrekin library service.
The creation of the new town did, however, bring a wealth of employment to the area.
Amenities and attractions
Local magazine the
Wellington News is published monthly. Artistic events in Wellington include Sounds in the Square, a season of open air music in the Market Square during the Summer, and the well-attended annual Wellington Literary Festival, a celebrated month of workshops, competitions and even audiences with famous poets and authors. The annual Midsummer Fayre is also a popular event.
The popular Wellington market continues to be a popular attraction of the town, and is open four days a week. There is also a monthly farmers' market held in the Square. The town centre is the largest shopping centre in Telford outside the new, central Telford Shopping Centre.
The New Buck's Head football stadium, home to AFC Telford United, is located in Wellington. Other sporting clubs include the Wellington Cricket Club, currently in the Birmingham League Premier Division. The Wrekin Hill, on the border of Wellington, has a height of 1335 feet and is popular with walkers and families. It plays host to the annual Great Wrekin Barrell Race.
Education
Wrekin College and
New College are located in the town, along with primary and secondary schools.
Transport
The town has a Victorian
railway station which was built in
1849 and has two platforms, offering trains towards
Shrewsbury and
Wales, as well as to the
Black Country. Also in 2008 the town has a through train service to London Marylebone, the first for some years.
Wellington is located at the western terminus of the
M54 motorway and has good bus services making it one of the most accessible towns in Shropshire.
Famous and former residents
The town's literary claims to fame include it being the birthplace of 19th century writer
Hesba Stretton (1832-1911), and the first job of the poet
Philip Larkin was as the librarian of Wellington Library. The
Brontë family lived in the town for a short time before moving to Yorkshire. The abolitionist Dr
William Withering was born in the town in 1741; he also investigated
digitalis, used in the treatment of
heart disease.
S. Parkes Cadman, who became a prominent clergyman in the
United States, was born there in 1864. Several members of the pop group T'Pau (including vocalist Carol Decker) were from Wellington.
Other notable residents include:
Richard Baxter (1615-1691) - English Puritan church leader and scholar,
Sir George Downing (1684-1749) - founder of Downing College, Cambridge,
Andrew Plimer (c. 1763-1837) - Miniature painter,
Henry Gauntlett (1805-1876) - Composer, organist and organ designer,
Thomas Campbell Eyton (1809-1911) - Naturalist, and
Cecil George Lawson (1851-1882) - Landscape painter
Further Information
Get more info on 'Wellington Shropshire'.
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