After leaving Wenlock Priory D and I went in search of a late lunch and to have a look around Much Wenlock town centre. Much Wenlock is a medieval town which grew up around the Priory and is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at the eastern edge of Wenlock Edge. The town played a major role in the 19th century
revival of the Olympic Games. The town was granted its Royal Charter as a borough in 1468. The author Mary Webb (1881-1927) lived in the town for a while and described it as "somewhere in the Middle Ages it had fallen asleep". There is a plaque to Mary Webb on Church Green which sadly I failed to find as by this time I was running out of time!
There were several tea rooms that looked inviting but D had spotted the George and Dragon and we ordered lunch at bang on 2.30 p.m. which was the time they stopped serving - so we were lucky!
The service was very good and the food excellent - cheese and chutney sandwiches and we were greedy and added a portion of cheesy chips.
The Guild Hall is a fine tudor half timbered building and the lower part dates from the 15th century. You can go inside and entry is free but sadly by the time we got back it had just closed.
There were lots of interesting independent shops to browse in.
We spent a lot of time in this second hand bookshop and it was one of the best I have visited.
Cheese and chutney were bought from this shop!
Much Wenlock was the home town of Dr William Penny Brookes and he was born in the town in 1809. He was a local doctor and he camapigned internationally for the revival of he ancient Greek games "to promoste the Moral and Phsyical Benefits of Exercise". The town still holds the Wenlock Olympic Games annually and these Shropshire Olympians' Games were founded in 1861 and included events such as a 3 mile Penny Farthing Race and a Wheelbarrow Race. Dr Brookes died aged 87 just four months before the first International Games were held in April 1896.
The Olympian Trail around the town would be fun to do.
Corn market and architectural library built in 1852 with a plaque
to Dr Brookes.
Sadly we had lingered too long in the independent shops as the museum which tells the history of the town and local geology and has a collection of original Olympic memorabilia was just about to close at 4.00 p.m.
Holy Trinity Church which could have been the site of Milburge's nuns' church has medieval origins and the church seen today was erected by the Cluniac monks of Wenlock Priory in 1150. The nave and chancel have typical rounded Norman arches and pillars.
We had a quick look around Church Green.
The graves of Dr William Penny Brookes and his family.
It had started to rain and D went back to the car while I had a very quick look round the church. There was no church guide available as far as I could see so what little information I have gleaned on the church has come from the internet.
I would so love to know who these initials belong to.
The font was interesting but I have failed to find out any details such as age.
Memorial to Dr Brookes
Timothy spotted a friend :)
Sedilia
St Milburga
The older font in the church may be 12th century.
Purchases made from the bookshop - I am really pleased with The Wayfarers' Journal which details a walk along The Pilgrim's Way from Winchester to Canterbury inspired by Hilaire Belloc's "The Old Road". Much of the text is in the style of Medieval script and art and I really can't wait to read it.
It was a really lovely day out and we shall certainly return so I can revisit the church and we can tour the museum and Guild Hall and perhaps do the Olympic Trail. There are also a couple of holy wells in the town which I missed. Not far away is the English Heritage Buildwas Abbey which also sounds worth a visit. Of course Wenlock Priory is definitely a place to visit again - perhaps at primrose time when Rosie from Corners of my Mind visited when it must look even more idyllic.
I promised you less photos but I have a feeling I have uploaded nearly as many as Part 1!!!
*D Photos taken by my son with the Canon SX50 bridge camera
Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.
