The Much Wenlock Civic Society

11/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FGrpmUXu3/?mibextid=wwXIfr

19/02/2026

UPDATE!!!

Please see the updated details of the forthcoming Extraordinary Meeting of the Much Wenlock Town Council on Thursday 26 February 2026. The meeting is at 7 pm and the venue will now be Holy Trinity Church, Much Wenlock.

We now gather it is NOT necessary to notify the Town Clerk if you wish to attend, but you will need to notify her if you wish to speak (and you are allowed 3 minutes).

Agenda also attached.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1338889894938455&id=100064523719481

18/02/2026

BONINGALE DEVELOPMENT Extraordinary Council Meeting on 26th February 2026:

PLEASE NOTE THE MEETING STARTS AT 7PM, NOT 7.30!!
The earlier post has been amended.

Here is further information and a Zoom link:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an extraordinary meeting of Much Wenlock Town Council will be held at the Guildhall, Much Wenlock commencing at 7 pm on Thursday 26th February 2026 and Members are hereby summoned to attend for the purpose of transacting the following business. Chris Tyler Cherie Whiteman Councillor Chris Tyler Councillor Cherie Whiteman Meeting arrangements Best efforts will be made to make the meeting accessible via Zoom, audio only. Remote participation in the meeting will not be possible. Any questions from the public must be asked in person, or by submitting the question in writing to be read out at the meeting. The link to the meeting is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88325977270?pwd=0E1OpCSesKJaQeRSu9ebO74CXTWq38.1 Meeting ID: 883 2597 7270 Passcode: 785618

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18/02/2026

Dear friends

There will be an Extraordinary Council Meeting on Thursday 26th
February, where the response to the Boningale application to build 300 homes will be discussed.

It's at 7:00 pm in Guildhall but the Council are considering moving it to the Church or Priory Hall if enough people have registered to attend.

To register to attend this meeting you need to email the Town Clark by 23rd February:

[email protected]

We hope as many people as possible will attend.

04/12/2025

In March 2024 the Traffic Consultancy engaged by Shropshire Council to look into the feasibility of changes at the Gaskell Arms Junction, WSP, reported to be the inspiration behind the ‘floating bus stop’ in Shrewsbury, handed over their report to Shropshire. Since that date Shropshire Council have kept the outcome of the study confidential.

A Freedom of Information request by a resident has succeeded in bringing this important document into the public domain.

A short precis of the Executive Summary is available below.

We also encourage you to read the whole document which is available on the Much Wenlock Civic Society website: https://e-voice.org.uk/mwcivicsociety/news/gaskell-arms/

If you have thoughts, comments, or concerns, please share them with Dan Thomas, Shropshire Councillor, and the Much Wenlock Town Council.

Precis of Executive Summary:

‘A need to undertake the feasibility study has arisen to understand the changes in traffic

conditions due to upcoming developments, assess possible junction improvements and

provide a cost benefit analysis for a proposed option.’


‘Assess the existing junction and key issues.

Assess the potential effect of development on the operation of the existing junction.

Assess opportunities to change the layout of the existing junction.’

Options

Bypass

Compact Roundabout

Signalisation

Double Mini Roundabout

Shared Space

One-way System

Signing and Lining

Kerbing realignment

Change of priority


Conclusion

‘Following a peer review and the Stage 1 Road Safety Audit (RSA), it has been concluded

that a phased approach to the delivery of Option 4 at this junction would prove the most

beneficial.’

‘Part signalisation with on demand activation when queues exceed 90m.

High Street fully converted to being one-way northbound.

Carriageway realignment to increase the width of the existing right turn lane.

There are also additional versions of this option which consist of

Shineton [sic] Steet converted to be made one-way north westbound.

Possible widening of the junction bell mouth for Smithfield Rd (A4169)’

Shropshire Council have now released the report into traffic issues at the Gaskell Arms Junction, with some covering comments. Here is the link to the report, with comments from Shropshire Council below:

04/12/2025

For those of our members and friends who have not heard the sad news already, it is with great regret that we are having to close the Much Wenlock Civic Society. Below is the text of an email and letter sent out to members earlier this week explaining the situation.

Dear Member

Re: Closure of Much Wenlock Civic Society

Over 40 years ago, your Civic Society was set up as a vehicle for improving the quality of life for everyone in Much Wenlock. Since its founding, it has done a great deal of good for the town by applying a lot of common-sense to small planning matters, providing expertise on old buildings, championing initiatives such as the Neighbourhood Plan and providing entertaining and educational talks about the town and associated topics.

Keeping such an institution running does of course require work and the Committee members over the years have done a sterling job, using their time, knowledge, enthusiasm and experience to make it a success. Unfortunately, over the last year or so, we have lost some of the expertise and now a number of the current Committee find themselves unable to stand for re-election. All attempts to attract any new people to the Committee have been unsuccessful, so at the AGM on 25th November, a number of options for the future of the Society were discussed.

With great sadness, it was decided that the only viable option is to close down the Society. The current Committee will remain in post for 3 months to ensure the Society is dissolved in accordance with the Constitution and that all monies currently with the Society be distributed, as per the Constitution, to appropriate charitable organisations who share the aims of the Society.

If you have any preferences or suggestions for the funds, please email us at [email protected] or speak to any of the current Committee. If you pay your subscription or donation by Standing Order or Direct Debit, please cancel these. We would like to thank you for your support over the years and wish everyone in Much Wenlock well for the future.

Yours Sincerely


Mrs S Davies
Membership Secretary, Much Wenlock Civic Society

09/11/2025

Here are details of our November talk on Tuesday 18th November at the Priory Hall.

Many of you will know Tim, who has lived in Much Wenlock for 40 years, has had a career in countryside management and nature conservation, and was Head Warden for the National Trusts’s Shropshire Hills properties, including the Long Mynd.

All welcome.

20/10/2025

We need you! Please consider joining the Committee. The nomination form is on the Society’s website https://e-voice.org.uk/mwcivicsociety. This can be emailed to [email protected] or printed off and handed to any member of the Committee at the October or November talks in the Priory Hall.
The Committee of the Much Wenlock Civic Society comprises around a dozen individuals who meet about 10 times a year. Together we review and challenge planning applications, escalate issues within Much Wenlock, engage with the Town Council and other bodies, set up talks and make donations to local causes.
Unfortunately, a number of the existing Committee members have health issues and family commitments which mean they will be unable to stand for re-election at the AGM on 25th November 2025. We need a minimum of 7 people for the Committee to be quorate, and ideally more folk to share the tasks.
If we do not receive any nominations, then it is unlikely that the Civic Society will be able to continue. Given the threat to Much Wenlock posed by the imminent planning application for 300 new houses at Hunters Gate and Oakfield Park, this would be a real loss to the community.

17/10/2025

Dear members and fans

A reminder of our talk at the Priory Hall this Tuesday 21st October at 7.30 pm, about William Penny Brookes and his connections with France.

Our speaker will look beyond the connection with Baron de Coubertin and the modern Olympic Games to the other French influences on William Penny Brookes - his medical training in Paris, the revolution of 1830 that took place while he was there, his honeymoon in France - and to some fun connections between the Wenlock Olympian Games and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

This time, members are invited to bring a friend for free. We hope to see you there.

09/10/2025

Dear members and fans,
We hope you will be able to attend our October talk on Tuesday 21st October, which will focus on the little known French connections of Dr William Penny Brookes. All welcome.

11/09/2025

Climate Change

Hi everyone, It has rained at last, and my water butts are nearly all full, except the one filling the pond.

Our talk on Tuesday will highlight the worrying trends our beautiful planet will thrust in our faces, and explain how we must adapt to these changes to survive.

Much Wenlock Civic Society is a member of the CPRE, Campaign for the Protection of Rural England which is sometimes called The Countryside Charity. Their work involves connecting people to the countryside where they live, promoting rooftop solar panels instead of taking up valuable farmland, planting trees and hedgerows and restoring peatlands. They are opposed to drilling for oil and the Cumbria coal mine, which are issues resulting in a variety of reactions.

John Rigby is passionate about the issue of climate change and I hope you are able to come to his talk and air your concerns and comment on your view for the future.

The Committee has decided to increase the entrance fee to £2 for members as costs have increased. We would like to invite any members to come and see how the Committee functions, always reflecting on current local issues. Our next meeting will be on October 14th at 19.30 at the Southfield Community Centre.

Hope to see you on Tuesday

Sue Davies
Membership Secretary