England – Much Wenlock (En)

Helen and Rob took us to Much Wenlock, a beautiful medieval town that played a pivotal role in reviving the Olympic Games in the 19th century. It is the hometown of Dr William Penny Brookes, the founder of the modern Olympic movement. We really liked its medieval, Georgian, and Victorian architecture—especially the old town hall.

What to see

There is plenty to see. We started with the impressive ruins of Wenlock Priory, located just a short walk from the town centre. The Wenlock Priory ruins (managed by English Heritage) stand on the site of St. Milburga’s Abbey, founded around 680 AD. Admission was £18 per person; to avoid the fee, we stepped into the entrance area and took whatever photos we could.

We took photos of very interesting buildings and the Church of the Holy Trinity in the town. We visited the church. The church is the home of Saint Milburga, Abbess of Wenlock.

Then we saw the beautiful, historic Guildhall, which is open to the public. The town’s burghers erected the building in 1540. It served as the centre of local administration, a place where commercial transactions were formalised and public order was maintained. The council chamber was added to the main building in 1577. The woodwork features carvings from both the 17th century and the Victorian era. It served as a court of law for over four centuries. We took photos at the presiding judge’s bench; the site attendant took pictures of me looking like the judge. We loved it.

We went out and walked around the church gardens.

A short walk from the old Guildhall, you find the town square. The museum and the Jubilee Clock are located in the square. Some very friendly locals sitting on a bench told us about the Olympics and let me take their picture.

We stroll along the main street, which features a wide selection of traditional shops. In the town, you can find sacred wells, vaulted alleyways, cobblestone streets, and all kinds of Olympic artefacts.

We went back to Helen and Rob‘s house, where they treated us to a classic Sunday roast: roast pork, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower cheese, and gravy. Delicious.

The next day, we had to take the motorhome for its vehicle inspection; near the town of Shrewsbury, Helen decided we should visit Quarry Park, encircled by the majestic loop of the River Severn, which you’ll see in the next blog post.