If other border towns grew up to serve
the needs of their castle, Much Wenlock owes its existance to
a religious establishment. An early Saxon community was refounded
before the Norman conquest by Earl Leofric, and Wenlock Abbey
became hugely wealthy,owning great estates. English Heritage
who care for the remains, have produced an excellent audio tour
which really does bring a visit to life and it's not hard to
imagine what life was like in a Cluniac Monastery during the
Middle Ages.
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Much
Wenlock's parish church is surprisingly large at first glance,
but then it had a large parish
to serve. The nestle of narrow streets are dominated by
its Norman tower.The town is superbly situated, gazing south
to the Clee Hills, south west along Wenlock Edge and north
to the Wrekin. This great, isolated hill, which rises so
steeply from the plain, is so natural a landmark that the
expression 'Round the Wrekin' is well known to many outside
Shropshire.This peace little town boasts much Tudor architecture
and celebrated the Quincentenary of its charter from Edward
IV in 1968.
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