Telford The Town Named After An Engineer!
Telford is situated in Shropshire, near Shrewsbury, named after the famous Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford. Being one of the New Towns of the ’60s and ’70s has lots of things going for it. Many new towns were cleverly introduced to house population overspill from London. This works in two ways; the people get a longer lifespan for being out of the pollution and London benefits for having a less ‘ghetto’ vibe.
Here however it was Telford’s job to take the overspill from Wolverhampton and Birmingham. At some point, after it was built – and probably to this day, – Shropshire council accepted residents that were keen on a more countryside lifestyle. Nowadays, they are arriving in a town that is nearly 150k residents strong. To some people, that’s still countryside… Baffling.
Anyway. We took a closer look at Telford to give it the Five Minutes Spare spin that we have all come to know and love. Join us, to find out what the best bits are of this new-ish town.
A little bit of Telford History
By comparison to other towns, Telford only has a little bit of history. Though settlement of the area goes way, way back to Roman times, the actual formation of the town happened all at once in the ’60s. Up until then, Telford as we know it was a region made up of several different estates, farms, and moors.
It is believed that the Weald Moors – the large area where wild things roam – to the north of town would have made up most of Telford, to begin with. When the Roman’s invaded Britain circa 49 AD they conquered the north. This occupation stretched all the way up past Glasgow in Scotland. Fortunately for us, the Romans were master builders. Their armies and slaves built the straight roads that crisscrossed the country and have done since around that time.
The saying “all roads lead to Rome” is not that untrue. The idea of building the roads was to make the transport of equipment, armies, and food, faster. The vast road network they built spanned out of Rome and across Europe. The phrase is not wrong.
Now, we know that Wroxeter was home to a Roman fort and was known as Viroconium. Wroxeter lies about halfway between Telford and Shrewsbury. This particular fort was the fourth largest Roman city in England. So around about 80 or 90 AD, the road that led through Telford and into Wroxeter would have been a busy traffic area. There would likely have been inns along the way or at least stations where Romans could refresh their horses to carry messages.
As for the moors to the north of the town… Evidence in the local geology shows that it was formed during the last Ice Age. The whole area would have been at the bottom of a basin where two lakes met. For this reason, some of the best peat in England can be found in the Weald Moors[i]. Early settlements are evidenced at the Wall Camp where the elevation of the land shows it was fortified to some degree. Speculation is that people would have taken advantage of the shape of the land to make defences… probably against the Romans.
But I guess we all know how that worked out.
Domesday is not really that Grim
Much like the Death card in a tarot deck, the Domesday Survey was not what it sounded like. Instead of predicting the end of the world, the book was a Land Register ordered by King William I of the Normans, just after he invaded England. It was put together to detail all the new wealth and lands he possessed. Previously, the word had been used to describe a statute or decree. Previous Doomsbooks had been ordered by kings in the past. In fact, A Doomseat was the seat a judge held in a court… So although it sounds like it is predicting the end of the world, the Domesday survey was really just the last word in who-owned-what.
Moving on then, the area that now belongs to Telford was written about in the Domesday Survey but again, not by the name we know it now. The area belonged mostly to farmland and estate owners. These estates were known as Wellington, Wrockwardine and Lilleshall. Wrockwardine had 13 villagers, 4 smallholdings, a priest and 18 ploughlands. A rich area which belonged to the Earl Roger of Shrewsbury. Wellington belonged to the same Earl, while Lilleshall belonged to the clergy. This was the land of St. Alkmund.
The next recording of the area throughout known history is actually in the 13th century when a priory was built between Wellington and a nearby settlement and a town sprang up around it. Wenlock Priory can be found to this day, although it lies in ruins. It was built by the little known Cluniac order who were active for a short period of time after the Normans arrived. It is believed that the priory was built on the ruins of an earlier monastery, going back to the 7th century. Although it is believed that a further 5 other monastic houses bought up vast swathes of the area in the 13th century, the town was still largely farmland.
Some of the monastic houses built coal and iron foundries on their land but they were a few hundred years before their time. It would be the industrial revolution that saw this area grow… but it would be the 20th century before it became a single place.
This is a nice place to stop to take a look at some fun stuff. What famous people have been born in Telford, we wondered?
Famous People from Telford
There has been an impressive haul of famous people out of Telford considering it is a young town. Let’s not forget Thomas Telford either, for whom the town was named. Thomas Telford was a Scottish engineer who was known for building roads and bridges. He came from very humble origins to stun Britain with his awesome roads… but we’re guessing if you live in Telford you are sick of that story. Here are some of our other favourite famous folk from Telford:
- Elliott Bennett, who plays for Blackburn Rovers, is a Telford man.
- Mickey Bushell – Paralympic gold medallist, also from Telford.
- Indie music fans that love the sunshine Underground will know they were a Telford band.
- Jeremy Corbyn was a member of the Wrekin constituency Young Socialists, the Labour Party, and was educated in the area. He went on to play a huge part in the miner’s strikes in the 1980s… regardless of what the world thinks of him nowadays.
Evidence suggests that Telford has more famous people than we thought. Keep an eye out, you might run into some of them on the high street!
Back to the History of Telford
So after the six monastic houses were presumably put to sleep by Henry VIII during his war on the church; what else happened? Nearby Ironbridge Gorge is the best place to visit in Telford if you want to learn about the Industrial ages of Shropshire. Although Telford itself didn’t exist quite yet, there are several museums that catalogue the production of the area.
Tiles were made nearby; ceramics and pottery were made here. In Shropshire county, like in all regions of the era, was big into textiles, making and weaving wools, silks, and other fabrics. The introduction of the train line would have exported candles and vases made in the county all across Britain… so even though there wasn’t a town here just yet, there was plenty of activity in the nearby area.
Don’t forget that the region wasn’t unoccupied, it simply wasn’t one large town. Numerous little settlements would have made up the area we know now as Telford. IT is almost a shame that they have vanished.
Let us pause for a moment and consider Wellington.
This poor, unsuspecting little market town was once considered one of the biggest in Shropshire. Unfortunately for them, in 1968 they were absorbed into the New Town. They had a very unique small-town identity, with their own shops, cafes, bars, and football team.
In 1968, after surviving an industrial revolution, the monastic houses, and even after a visit from King Charles I before his rebellion – they were merged. Telford was originally called Dawley New town when it was planned in 1963. Five short years later it absorbed Wellington… the Wellington local football team were renamed Telford… This led to a disparity between local officials and the county council. However, recent years have seen the council throw enough money into the area to keep them temporarily quiet.
Still, if you wear born in Wellington you now come from Telford… try teaching that in the schools.
Post Dawley New Town Years
Since its building in 1963, most of the infrastructure has a 60’s/70’s themed vibe going on. It is part concrete city, part on-the-edge of the wilderness. A plan to incorporate local beauty spot Ironbridge Gorge in the ’60s was abandoned. In the ’90s, the developmental corporation that built the city bowed out, leaving it to the New Town’s Commission.
In 2014 the town saw the completion of a £250 million refurbishment of the town centre. This development was named ‘Southwater’ and incorporates all the mod cons you would expect to find in a retail-heavy new town.
Telford Town Centre Image: Davelees/Shutterstock.com
Despite all of the adversities, despite swallowing other towns whole, despite massively overshooting the original plans to house only 50,000 people; Telford nowadays has a population of 142,000. It is a proud part of Shropshire with a wholesome mix of people from all different ancestry. We wonder if they planned it would be a city of the future one day. That seems to be where it is headed.
Fun Facts About Telford!
We can’t go another step without spouting off the best, most interesting, often most morbid but sometimes very sweet, facts about Telford. Here are the Five Minutes Spare favourites:
- If you live in Wolverhampton or Birmingham there is likely to be a branch of your family in Telford. This is where most of the residents came from in those early days. Many would have been seeking to swap city life for country life… only to end up in another big town!
- Ironbridge Gorge eventually did become part of Telford. It is a World Heritage UNESCO site. You can read the entry for it, here.
- Reportedly, a survey in 2014 found that Telford is one of the top ten happiest places to live in the UK.
- Some 5,000 businesses currently operate out of Telford. That’s a hugely impressive number. They employ nearly 85,000 residents and attract more than 4.4 million visitors, every single year.
- Wrekin, known by some to be part of the county title, is actually a nearby hill in Shropshire. It is 407m above sea level… an easy climb on a nice day. Definitely a good height for a beginner. From the summit of Wrekin, you can see 17 different counties on a good day.
Go on. Admit it. Telford is more interesting than you thought it was. For somewhere so young in history, it has some cool features. Let’s dive into the bit we have all been waiting for and name some of the best things to do in Telford on your day off.
Telford Attractions
The Five Minutes Spare take on the best things to do in Telford. Whether you are here for a few days or just need entertainment for an afternoon – we are here to provide.
Historic sights and landmarks
Ironbridge Gorge – part landmark and part sight of interest – features a huge wrought iron bridge spanning the River Severn. The bridge and the river were both hugely significant. The Gorge itself is mineral-rich and known for coal and iron. Barges would transport the minerals up and down the river, then later by rail, towards the bigger cities. Shropshire has a huge amount of industrial heritage and this place celebrates it in spades. It is definitely worth a visit… and somehow, it is now as scenic a place as you will find in the heart of Telford.
The Ironbridge itself is worth taking a stroll out to see. However, historic places don’t get better than Benthall Hall. It is within walking distance of the bridge and you will know when you have reached it because they have the most beautiful, well-maintained garden. The Benthall family can trace their ancestry all the way back to Anglo-Saxon England… that’s back around when the Romans invaded. If you live locally you can even volunteer to help maintain this beautiful old property, currently the care of the National Trust of England.
In terms of landmarks, you can also pop into Buildwas Abbey… sort of. It’s a ruined Cistercian abbey which is truly magnificent. It dates back to the 12th century and includes a private church and a chapter house. Again, English Heritage is running this place so be sure to spend frivolously. As an added extra, Wenlock Priory from away back when is still open and in the area. You can visit it when you go to Buildwas and knock out two beautiful ruins in a single afternoon.
Museums and Galleries
Although Ironbridge has its own museum, you can’t come to Telford without visiting Blists Hill Victorian Town. Here, you can see horses and carts instead of cars, and experience how the Victorians live in a pretty immersive outdoor museum. It’s a very cool idea – but it feels a little like you are on a set. We imagine if we walked through EastEnders street it would feel like this. If you happen to be a history buff this will blow your mind.
As if that didn’t blow your socks off already, Telford has its own steam train line! You can have a shot on a steam-powered railway carriage – a special treat no matter the weather. This heritage railway is run by volunteers so please do give generously if you can. It is vitally important that we keep these little fragments of the past alive for future generations to enjoy.
While we are on the subject of museums, the Jackfield Tile Museum is a firm favourite for visitors to ‘old’ Telford by the Ironbridge. It’s all about that bridge. It is reputedly seen as the symbol of the industrial revolution!
There are several different galleries in the area although most of them will try to sell you paintings, rather than host random museum exhibits. If you are a lover of fine art check out Elemental Arts or Gunning Arts. Six Seasons Galleries also operate on Ferry Road. Lastly, Galleries Alive in Central Square is an interesting day out even if you don’t much appreciate paintings.
Outdoor Activities in Telford
There are plenty of parks to chose from, but there are a few special ones. Wonderland is brilliant for the kids. It’s a sort of magical-character themed play centre with outdoors/indoors attractions, a bouncy castle, and various themed events throughout the year. If you were in Telford and wanted to throw the ultimate 5-year old’s birthday party, this is where you do it.
Telford Town Park is the most easily noticeable outdoor recreation space in town. This place is awesome… it’s like the place everyone ends up when the sun comes out and work finishes for the day. It’s a music venue, a performance area, a regular park, they have a pond there, coffeeshops… it’s cool. It’s also won awards.
There are no less than two animal-related activities in Telford. You can go and see the exotic collection of animals at the Exotic Zoo – or you can pop into the Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom attraction. Either is great fun, but only one of them will let you feed or touch the animals. We’ll let you figure out which is which on your own!
Recreation with more of an adult theme can be found at AFC Telford United. Pop into the stadium or watch a game. You can book a tour if you are a fan, just follow this link.
Other Notable Attractions
There were simply too many things to do in Telford to mention them all in one place. Nevertheless – we tried! Here are some of the other great attractions that didn’t make the full description:
- Did we mention the Iron bridge? Just kidding. There is an attached tollhouse that we forgot to mention though.
- The Telford International Centre is where you are going for that Telford-based conference you keep dreading. It’s a nice place, have nothing to fear.
- Apley Woods and Weston Park are two more great outdoor places in the Telford area.
- There’s yet another museum down in the Gorge. The Coalport China Museum is about bone china, not the country.
You know what they say… Nowhere has more museums than Telford… They don’t say that? Really? Well, they should.
How to Get to Telford
How to get to Telford in four easy steps:
By Road
Telford is connected to the rest of the world via the M54. Follow it northwest or south-east, depending on where you are setting off from. There are also plenty of connecting bus services.
Image: Simon hark/Shutterstock.com
By Rail
It’s very easy. Just aim for Telford Railway Station. If you can’t find it then aim for Birmingham and catch a train from there.
By Air
Fly into Birmingham Airport which is approximately 35 miles away.
By Boat
If you can sail up the River Severn, you can sail to Telford. Watch out for that bridge though.
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