Market Drayton

Market Drayton
Shropshire
Tudor House Hotel
Location
Grid reference:	SJ673321
Location:	52°54’16"N, 2°29’5"W
Data
Population:	10,407
Post town:	Market Drayton
Postcode:	TF9
Dialling code:	01630
Local Government
Council:	Shropshire
Parliamentary constituency:	North Shropshire

Market Drayton is a small market town in northern Shropshire, right against the border with Staffordshire. It stands on the River Tern, which here forms the county border, between Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent. It was formerly known as "Drayton in Hales" (1868) and earlier simply as "Drayton" (1695).

Market Drayton is on the Shropshire Union Canal and on Regional Cycle Route 75. The A53 road by-passes the town.

Industry

The biggest employment in Market Drayton comes from food. In 1965, sausage maker Palethorpe's built a new factory employing 400 people in the town and though changing hands a number of time, the factory remains open to this day as the town's largest employer. Müller Dairies have a factory making yoghurts. On the smaller side, Image on Food makes local gingerbread.

Sites of Interest

The great fire of Drayton destroyed almost 70% of the town in the 17th century. It was started at a bakery, and quickly spread through the timber buildings. The Buttercross in the centre of the town still has a bell at the top for townsfolk to ring if there were ever another fire.

Ancient local sites include: Audley's Cross, Blore Heath, and several Neolithic standing stones, "The Devil's Ring and Finger", just three miles from the town.

Other notable landmarks in the area include: Pell Wall Hall, Adderley Hall, Buntingsdale Hall, Salisbury Hill, Tyrley Locks on the Shropshire Union Canal and the Thomas Telford designed aqueduct.

Fordhall Farm, consists of 140 acres of community-owned organic farmland off the A53. The farm trail is open to the public during farm shop opening hours, and included along the path is the site of an ancient motte-and-bailey structure which overlooks the River Tern valley.

To the south-east near the A529 an eighteenth-century farmhouse stands on the site of Tyrley Castle, which was probably built soon after 1066 and later rebuilt in stone in the thirteenth century.

Many of the streets in the town are named after famous castles, such as Balmoral Drive, Caernavon Close, Windsor Drive, Warwick Close, and many others.

• 
  Aqueduct
• 
  St Mary's Church
• 
  St Mary's Church
• 
  Tyrley Locks
• 
  Pell Wall Hall

Outside links

• St Mary's Church
• Market Drayton Methodist Church
• Shropshire Tourism The official tourism website for Shropshire
• Market Drayton Council
• Market Drayton Tigers Junior Football Club
• TF9 Online - Community site for the Market Drayton area
• The Phoenix Badminton Club
• Market Drayton on Pictures of England