Dawley

For people named Dawley, see Dawley (surname).
Dawley

High Street, Dawley
Dawley
 Dawley shown within Shropshire
Population 11,399 
OS grid referenceSJ686068
Civil parishGreat Dawley
Unitary authorityTelford and Wrekin
Ceremonial countyShropshire
RegionWest Midlands
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town TELFORD
Postcode district TF4
Dialling code 01952
Police West Mercia
Fire Shropshire
Ambulance West Midlands
EU Parliament West Midlands
UK ParliamentTelford
List of places
UK
England
Shropshire

Coordinates: 52°39′47″N 2°28′01″W / 52.663°N 2.467°W / 52.663; -2.467

Dawley is a small town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. Today it forms part of the new town of Telford, which was originally, in 1963, going to be named Dawley New Town before it was decided in 1968 to name the town Telford instead after the engineer and road builder Thomas Telford.

Dawley is one of the older settlements in Shropshire, being mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086). It is divided into Dawley Magna ("Great Dawley") and Little Dawley (also shown as Dawley Parva ("Little Dawley") on older maps).

Local government

The town's main civil parish is officially called Great Dawley — its parish council is officially Great Dawley Town Council. Dawley Hamlets is a separate civil parish, which covers Little Dawley and other neighbouring villages/suburbs.

Railways

The nearest railway station is Telford Central. Historically, the Great Western Railway maintained a line that passed through the parish, going through the tunnel at Heath Hill. This is currently part of Telford Steam Railway's expansion project

History

Dawley is mentioned in the Domesday Book and is therefore one of the older settlements in Shropshire.

There was a castle in Dawley, but it was demolished around 1648. The site is unknown, although the Castle Pools (on the old quarry site) and Castle Ironworks (built by the Darby family, one of whom commissioned the world-famous Iron Bridge) possibly indicate the general area where it may have stood. Prior to the landscaping, following the creation of Telford New Town, extensive ruins were detectable next to the Castle Pools and are shown on old maps as being the location of the castle. In the 1980s, the whole area was buried under thick topsoil and planted with trees. Ironbridge is a short distance away.

It was, for over three centuries, a mining town, both for coal and ironstone. Clay extraction for local industrial-pipe factories, brickyards and the pottery industry has been a major influence on the landscape. The mining had an important impact on the culture. The Springwell Pit Disaster in 1872 cost eight men and boys their life.

Prior to large scale levelling as part of the development of Telford New Town, the area was covered by clay mounds and large clay pits that dominated the landscape to the extent that they formed points of reference for the locals. There is still a local clay pipe factory in the adjacent Doseley village; grey clay predominates on the immediate outskirts of Dawley.

The adjacent village of Horsehay was the site of a bridge and later a crane fabrication factory that exported around the world. The bridge over Victoria Falls is said to have been built there. Telford Steam Railway trust is located across the road from the former factory site.

On Monday, 7 June 2010, Dawley had become subject to plenty of media attention. This is because some locals had recreated the 'Hollywood' sign on a noticeable bank on Paddock Mount but with Dawley instead of Hollywood. The Shropshire Star had a full page spread article on that day's evening edition to honour the effort made by locals. As of midday on Tuesday, 8 June 2010 over 1000 Telfordians had joined a Facebook group showing support for the sign and acknowledging the efforts by its creators and in protest against the controversial redevelopment of the mount to move the Phoenix Academy (now the Telford Langley School) there.[1]

Dawley is famed for its dialect which includes some quite unique words, including "bist", presumably from the German meaning "are". The dialect is largely lost. Along with the dialect were various conventions and traditions, notably the "pig on the wall". Traditionally, Dawley residents would show their support for The Dawley Prize Band or other civic marches by placing their pigs on their wall. The pig also features in the dialect, with a romantic phrase apparently being "I wudna swop thee for a big black pig!"[2]

Geography

Dawley and Stirchley shown within Telford in Grey.

Dawley has a street market every Friday. Dawley town centre consists of a single pedestrianised street that was previously the main route from Bridgnorth in the south to Wellington in the north. The area around Dawley, not covered by Telford New Town, is rural and provides extensive opportunities for walking. The Ironbridge Gorge and The Wrekin are both pleasant walks from Dawley.

On the northern edge of Dawley is Malinslee where St. Leonards church stands. The design of St. Leonards, a slightly irregular octagon, is said to have been influenced by Thomas Telford. Other churches supposedly influenced by Thomas Telford, during his work in Shropshire, are at nearby Madeley and Bridgnorth.

St. Leonards Church Malinslee
St. Leonards Church Malinslee

Education

There are seven primary schools in the Dawley area, and a comprehensive secondary school, Telford Langley School. There are two special schools in Dawley: the Mount Gilbert and Southall schools.[3]

In July 2012 the Department for Education and Arts Council England selected Telford & Wrekin as one of the new areas for the In Harmony programme working with Old Park Primary School and Children's Centre, Telford & Wrekin Music, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Manchester Camerata. In Harmony is a national programme that aims to inspire and transform the lives of children in deprived communities, using the power and disciplines of community-based orchestral music-making.[4]

Notable people

Samuel Peploe (1667-1752), later Bishop of Chester, was a native of Dawley Parva, where he was baptised.

Dawley was the birthplace of Captain Matthew Webb who was the first man to swim the English Channel - his monument stands on the High Street. Legend suggests that a pig stood up against a wall to watch the parade in Webb's honour that was held on his return.[5] Webb Crescent in the town is named after him.

Edith Pargeter, who under her pen name of Ellis Peters wrote the Brother Cadfael novels, went to school in Dawley.[6] Numerous roads in Aqueduct, such as Cadfael Drive and Ellis Peters Drive, are 'themed' after her.

Danielle Jones, a character in EastEnders, and William Foulke, a former England international goalkeeper, came from Dawley.

Dawley received some unwanted media attention in July and August 2011, when the Shropshire Star newspaper revealed that Nicola Holmes, a local councillor currently suspended by the local Labour party, was working as a prostitute - a story which was then picked up by The Sun. Ms. Holmes has since resigned as a councillor.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Local newspaper article about the Hollywood style sign". Shropshire Star. 14 August 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Dawley Dialect". Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "UK Schools & Colleges Database". Schools Web Directory. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  4. ↑ "In Harmony". Arts Council. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  5. ↑ "Captain Matthew Webb". Shropshire Mining. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  6. ↑ "Edith Pargeter - creator of the crimefighting monk". BBC Shropshire. Retrieved 16 May 2008.

External links

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