Whitchurch, Shropshire

There is evidence from various discovered artefacts that people lived in this area about 3,000 BC. Flakes of flint from the Neolithic era were found in nearby Dearnford Farm.[3]

Originally a settlement founded by the Romans about AD 52–70 called Mediolanum (lit. "Midfield" or "Middle of the Plain"), it stood on a major Roman road between Chester and Wroxeter. It was listed on the Antonine Itinerary but is not the Mediolanum of Ptolemy's Geography, which was in central Wales. Local Roman artefacts can be seen at the Whitchurch Heritage Centre.[4]

In 2016, archaeologists discovered the remains of a Roman wooden trackway, a number of structural timbers, a large amount of Roman pottery and fifteen leather shoes during work on a culvert in Whitchurch.[5] In 2018, a collection of 37 small Roman coins was unearthed at Hollyhurst near Whitchurch. The small denomination, brass or copper alloy coins, known as Dupondii and Asses, were from the reign of the Emperor Trajan, AD 98–117. Some dated back to between AD 69–79 from the time of Emperor Vespasian.[6]

Æthelflæd may have had an Anglo-Saxon fortification or fortified settlemen ('Burgh') at Whitchurch, understood to be the Saxon place Weardbyrig

Certain sources suggest that St. Alkmund, the son of Alhred, King of Northumbria (d. c. 800) was first buried in Whitchurch;[7] he was certainly first buried in Shropshire.[8]

It has been suggested that Whitchurch is Weardbyrig, which is the site of a Saxon Burh of Æthelflæd, daughter of Alfred the Great Lady of the Mercians which would have been operational in the early 900s CE.[9]

In 1066, Whitchurch was called Westune ('west farmstead'), probably for its location on the western edge of Shropshire, bordering the north Welsh Marches. Before the Norman conquest of England, the area had been held by Harold Godwinson. After the conquest, Whitchurch's location on the marches would require the Lords of Whitchurch to engage in military activity.[10]

By the time it was recorded in the Domesday Book (1086), Whitchurch was held by William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey,[10] and Roger de Montgomery.[11] It was part of the hundred of Hodnet.[12] There was a castle at Whitchurch, possibly built by the same Earl of Surrey,[13] which would predate the birth of Ralph. The Domesday Book estimates that the property was worth £10 annually, having been worth £8 in the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042–1066).

The surrounding hamlets became townships and Dodtune ('the settlement of Dodda's people') is now fully integrated into Whitchurch as Dodington. The first church was built on the hill in AD 912. After the Norman Conquest a motte and bailey castle and a new white Grinshill stone church were built. Westune became Album Monasterium ('White Church'). The name Whitchurch is from the Middle English for "White Church", referring to a church constructed of white stone in the Norman period. The area was also known as Album Monasterium and Blancminster,[10] and the Warennes of Whitchurch were often surnamed de Albo Monasterio in contemporary writings.[14] It is supposed that the church was built by William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey.[15]

In 1377 the Whitchurch estates passed to the Talbot family. It was sold by the Talbots to Thomas Egerton, from whom it passed to the earls of Bridgwater and eventually to Earl Brownlow.[16]

Henry ("Hotspur") Percy was briefly buried in Whitchurch

After the Battle of Shrewsbury, the body of Hotspur was taken by Thomas Neville, 5th Baron Furnivall, to Whitchurch for burial. However, when rumours circulated that Percy was still alive, the king "had the corpse exhumed and displayed it, propped upright between two millstones, in the market place at Shrewsbury".[17]

The town was granted market status in the 14th century.

William fitz Ranulf is the earliest individual of the Warenne family recorded as the Lord of Whitchurch, Shropshire, first appearing in the Shropshire Pipe Roll of 1176.[10] In 1859, Robert Eyton considered it likely that Ralph, son of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, was the father of William and that he first held that title.[18] However, other theories have been put forward.[19]

During the reign of Henry I in the 12th century, Whitchurch was in the North Division of Bradford Hundred which by the 1820s was referred to as North Bradford Hundred.[20] In the 18th Century many of the earlier timber-framed buildings were refaced in the more fashionable brick. New elegant Georgian houses were built at the southern end of the High Street and in Dodington.

The replacement third church collapsed in July 1711 and the present Queen Anne parish church of St Alkmund was immediately constructed to take its place. It was consecrated in 1713.

As dairy farming became more profitable Whitchurch developed as a centre for Cheshire cheese production. Cheese fairs were held on every third Wednesday when farm cheeses were brought into town for sale. Cheese and other goods could be easily transported to wider markets when the Whitchurch Arm of Thomas Telford's Llangollen Canal was opened in 1811. The railway station was opened in 1858 on the first railway line in North Shropshire, running from Crewe to Shrewsbury.

During the Second World War a secret Y station for enemy signals interception operated in Whitchurch at the Old Rectory in Claypit Street, run by the Foreign Office.[21]

On 23 November 1981, an F1/T2 tornado passed through Whitchurch as part of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day.[22] The Whitchurch tornado was the longest-lived tornado of the entire outbreak, having first touched down 35 miles away in the south Shropshire village of Norbury. After passing through Whitchurch, the tornado dissipated.

Whitchurch has its own town council which is responsible for street lights, parks and the civic centre which is located in the centre of the town. The council organises various events throughout the year including markets and the Christmas Lights.

In 1891 the civil parish had a population of 6647.[23] In 1894 the parish was abolished and split to form "Whitchurch Urban" and "Whitchurch Rural".[24]

The town is part of Shropshire Council which is the local authority for Shropshire (excluding Telford and Wrekin). It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The residents of Whitchurch elect three councillors to this council.

The town is located within the North Shropshire parliamentary constituency. This constituency is largely rural with the main urban centres being Oswestry, Market Drayton and Whitchurch. It has been in existence since 1832 although it was abolished in 1885 but re-established in 1983. The residents of the constituency elect one MP; the seat is currently held by Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrats) who was elected in the 2021 North Shropshire by-election following the resignation of Owen Paterson (Conservative Party).

There are currently over 100 listed buildings in Whitchurch, including the churches detailed in the religion section lower down.[25]

In the picture to the left is the street named Bargates. At the top on the left is St Alkmund's Church (rebuilt 1712–13). This is followed by the former almhouses founded by Samuel Higginson (1697) and by the former girls' school founded by Jane Higginson (1708) and then the old Whitchurch Grammar School which was founded in 1548. The grammar school building dates from 1708 (Grade II listed) and was latterly used as an infants' school. Further buildings were added in 1848 and 1926. All have now been converted into apartments.[26]

Two of the oldest buildings in Whitchurch include the Old Eagles pub built in the 16th century and 17, 19 and 21 Watergate Street, otherwise known as Raven Yard Antiques. The properties 17, 19 and 21 Watergate were first built in 1625 and were called the Raven's Inn. Over the last four centuries, the Raven's Inn has seen a great deal of alteration but more recently has seen a significant part of the property restored to its original half timbered facade. 17-19 Watergate exists as a private property and 21 Watergate is now called Raven Yard Antiques, a family owned antiques business with a speciality in Victorian military uniforms.[27]

The street names in the town centre reflect the changing history of the town.

• Roman: Pepper Street, a common name in former Roman settlements. It is a derivation of the Roman Via Piperatica, the street on which pepper and spices were sold.[28]
• Norse: Several streets end in 'gate' which is Norse for street (e.g., Watergate, Highgate, Bargates). Watergate Street being named after the old Medieval or Roman Watergate which used to exist. Others refer to the castle which was located here (e.g., Castle Hill or Yardington referring to the castle yard).
• Modern: Some refer to local industry (e.g., Claypit Street, clay was used for making bricks; Mill Street, named after the local water mill; and Bark Hill, bark was used for tanning.

Chemistry, Whitchurch

The areas of Whitchurch have interesting names. These include:

• Dodington – this is derived from Dodtune (the settlement of the people of Dodda – a local Anglo-Saxon chieftain)[29]
• Chemistry – this is derived from an oak-acid making business located nearby which was used in the tanning industry in the town[30]

Whitchurch has roads to Wrexham, Nantwich, Chester and Shrewsbury; the A41/A49 bypass opened in 1992. There are bus services from Whitchurch to surrounding settlements including Chester, Nantwich, Wrexham and Shrewsbury.[31]

Stub of the Whitchurch Arm of the Llangollen Canal

Whitchurch railway station is on the former London and North Western (later part of the LMS) line from Crewe down the English side of the Welsh border (the Welsh Marches Line) toward Cardiff. However, Whitchurch was once the junction for the main line of the Cambrian Railways, but the section from Whitchurch to Welshpool (Buttington Junction), via Ellesmere, Whittington, Oswestry and Llanymynech, closed on 18 January 1965 in favour of the more viable alternative route via Shrewsbury. Whitchurch was also the junction for the Whitchurch and Tattenhall Railway or Chester to Whitchurch branch line, another part of the London and North Western, running via Malpas. The line closed to regular services on 16 September 1957, but use by diverted passenger trains continued until 8 December 1963.

Whitchurch has its own short arm of the Llangollen Canal and the town centre can be reached by a walk of approximately 1 mile along the Whitchurch Waterways Country Park, the last stage of the Sandstone Trail. The Whitchurch Arm is managed by a charity group of local volunteers.[32]

• Raven Yard Antiques – A family owned antiques business located near the town centre on Watergate Street.[43]
• Trevanion's Antiques Auctioneers – Owned by TV celebrity Christina Trevanion.[44]

• Poetry Whitchurch run poetry activities throughout the year, including:

- Poetry Open Mic - new poetry performances, held on the third Monday of every month alternating between the Civic Centre and online

- Poetry discussion groups held roughly once every month at Sainsburys Barn

- Poetry development groups, held in person and online, mentoring and developing local poets

- Poetry Slams, spoken word competitions held once each year, where competitors take each other on to win a prize

www.poetrywhitchurch.com

• Alderford Lake - various cultural performances throughout the year
• Bookshrop - local bookshop acting as a hub for many cultural activities
• Whitchurch Civic Centre – hosts various performances throughout the year. It also contains a public library.[45]
• Whitchurch Heritage Centre.[46]
• Talbot Theatre – located in the Leisure Centre at the Sir John Talbot School.[47] It offers regular theatrical and musical events as well as film.
• Doodle Alley.[48]
• Whitchurch Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society.[49]
• Whitchurch Little Theatre Group on Facebook.

• Blackberry Fair[50]
• Party in the Park
• Whitchurch Food and Drink festival[51]

The periodic televised Sir Edward German Music Festival, hosted by St Alkmund's and St John's churches, also uses Sir John Talbot's Technology College as a venue. The first festival was held in 2006 and the second in April 2009. Participants have included local choirs and primary schools, including Prees, Lower Heath and White House, as well as internationally known musicians and orchestras.

On 19 January 1963 The Beatles played in the old Town Hall Ballroom (now the location of the town Civic Centre). That night a recording of the group appeared on the television show Thank Your Lucky Stars, an appearance which changed their fortunes. "Please Please Me" had just been released as a single.[52]

Sir John Talbot's effigy in St Alkmund's Church

• Sir Henry Percy (Sir Harry Hotspur) (1364–1403), killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury[77] and buried in Whitchurch, only for his body to be later exhumed and quartered.[78]
• Sir John Talbot (c. 1384–1453), a warrior commander who in 1429 fought French armies inspired by Joan of Arc.[79] His heart is buried under the porch of St Alkmund's Church.[80] Talbot is a major character in Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part I.
• Rev. Sir John Talbot (c. 1490–1549), Rector of Whitchurch in 1540s, founded Whitchurch Grammar School,[81] it closed in 1938 and moved to Sir John Talbot’s School.
• Abraham Wheelock (1593 in Whitchurch–1653), linguist,[82] first Adams Professor of Arabic at the University of Cambridge
• Nicholas Bernard (c. 1600–1661), pamphleteer,[83] former dean of Ardagh in Ireland and chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, was appointed rector of the parish in 1660 and buried at St Alkmund's.
• Philip Henry (1631–1696), nonconformist clergyman[84] and Vicar of nearby Worthenbury.
• Joseph Bromfield (1744 probably in Whitchurch–1824), notable English plasterer[85] and architect
• John Pridden (1758–1825), English cleric[86] and antiquary. His mother was of a Whitchurch family
• Reginald Heber (1783–1826), Rector of Hodnet[87] and Bishop of Calcutta attended Whitchurch Grammar School.[88]
• Thomas Corser (1793 in Whitchurch–1876), literary scholar[89] and Church of England clergyman.

This Is the House That Jack Built, a book illustrated by Randolph Caldecott.

• Randolph Caldecott (1846–1886), illustrator,[90] lived in the town, the town's buildings feature in his work.[91]
• Sir Edward German (1862 in Whitchurch–1936), composer, was born in the town[92] in what is now a pub: the Old Town Hall Vaults. He is buried in the local cemetery[76] and commemorated in a local street.
• Lucy Appleby MBE (1920–2008), traditional cheesemaker[93]
• Ken Dodd OBE (1928–2018), comedian and singer; although he lived in Knotty Ash he kept a country house near Whitchurch for fifty years.[94]
• Elizabeth Fritsch CBE (born 1940 in Whitchurch) is a studio potter and ceramic artist.
• Lorna Sage (1943 in Whitchurch – 2001), literary critic and author,[95] attended the girls' high school.[96]
• Owen Paterson (born 1956 in Whitchurch) former environment secretary and Conservative MP[97] for North Shropshire 1997-2021
• Judy Hunt, (born 1957) previously Archdeacon of Suffolk, has been resident Rector of Whitchurch since 2012.[98]
• Kate Long, (born 1964) novelist, author of The Bad Mother's Handbook, moved to Whitchurch in 1990.[99]
• Christina Trevanion (born 1981), partner in auctioneering firm of Trevanion & Dean, and TV personality.[100]

• Percy Newton (1904 in Whitchurch–1993), professional footballer[101]
• George Antonio (1914 in Whitchurch-1997), professional footballer who lived in Whitchurch until age three, professional footballer notably for Stoke City.[102]
• Stuart Mason (1948 in Whitchurch – 2008), professional footballer,[103] began his career with Whitchurch Alport.