This week’s issue of The People’s Friend has my travel piece about the Shropshire market town of Much Wenlock. Sandwiched between the River Severn and Wenlock Edge, this quintessentially English market town has a wealth of interesting history behind it.
It has a fantastic Abbey (well, some amazing abbey ruins!)
It’s also where Dr WIlliam Penny Brookes was born, lived and died. He is credited with helping restart the modern Olympic Movement.
(Check out my article about him on Medium here: https://historyofyesterday.com/dr-william-penny-brookes-the-forgotten-olympian-1fd184841045)
And if you pop into Holy Trinity Church, you’ll see some mermen carved onto the pulpit!
One of the best ways to explore Much Wenlock is to follow the town’s fantastic Olympian Trail …
Whatever you do, don’t miss the town’s amazing local museum, which tells the story of Much Wenlock’s Olympian Games, which predate the modern movement, and also began many of the traditions that the modern Olympic Games continue today.
I can also vouch for some of the tea rooms here. You’re never far from a tasty slice of cake in Much Wenlock. (Even gluten-free cake!)
You need at least a day to explore the town, and if you fancy doing some local walks, then you’ll need a weekend, if not more!