View source for Dawley

{{Short description|Town in Shropshire, England}}
{{for|people named Dawley|Dawley (surname)}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{infobox UK place
|country =                 England
|coordinates = {{coord|52.663|-2.467|display=inline,title}}
|official_name=            Dawley
| static_image_name = {{multiple images
|perrow=1 2 2 1|total_width=280px|align=center|border=infobox
| image1 = Dawley Town Hall.png
| image2 = High Street, Dawley (geograph 4897570).jpg
| image3 = Holy Trinity Church, Dawley.jpg
| image4 = Dawley and Stirchley platform in 2018, now part of the Silkin Way.jpg
| image5 = 5619 at Horsehay & Dawley.jpg
}}
| static_image_caption = From the top clockwise: [[Dawley Town Hall]], Holy Trinity Church, [[Horsehay and Dawley railway station|Horsehay and Dawley station]] on the [[Telford Steam Railway]], [[Dawley and Stirchley railway station|Dawley and Stirchley Platform]] on the [[Silkin Way]] and High Street
| website = [https://greatdawley.org// Official website]
|population =              11,399
|population_ref =          
|civil_parish =            [[Great Dawley]]
|unitary_england=          [[Telford and Wrekin]]
|lieutenancy_england=      [[Shropshire]]
|region=           West Midlands
|constituency_westminster=      [[Telford (UK Parliament constituency)|Telford]]
|post_town=        TELFORD
|postcode_district =       TF4
|postcode_area=            TF
|dial_code=      01952
|os_grid_reference=     SJ686068
|type = Town and civil parish
 | parts_type               = Areas of the town
 | p1                       = [[Dawley Bank]] (Part)
 | p2                       = [[Little Dawley]] (Part)
 | p3                       = [[Malinslee]] (Part)
}}
'''Dawley''' ({{IPAc-en|d|ɔː|l|i}} {{respell|DAW|lee}}) is a former mining town and [[civil parish]] in the borough of [[Telford and Wrekin]], [[Shropshire]], England. It was originally proposed to be the main centre of the 'Dawley New Town' plan in 1963, however it was decided in 1968 to name the new town as 'Telford', 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).

==Etymology==
The name Dawley comes from [[Old English]] meaning ''woodland clearing associated with a man called Dealla''.<ref>{{cite book|title=A Dictionary of British Place Names|first1= A.D.|last1= Mills|publisher=Oxford University Press| location=Oxford| orig-year= first published 1991|date=2011|edition=First edition revised 2011|isbn=9780199609086|page=147 }}</ref>

==Local government==
The town's main [[civil parish]] is officially called '''Great Dawley''' – its [[parish councils in England|parish council]] is officially Great Dawley Town Council. [[Dawley Hamlets]] is a separate civil parish, which covers Little Dawley and other neighbouring villages/suburbs.

In 1894 Dawley became an [[Urban district (England and Wales)|urban district]], the urban district contained the parish of Dawley Magna or Dawley,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10074009|title=Relationships and changes Dawley UD through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=13 June 2024}}</ref> on 1 April 1974 the district was abolished to form Wrekin,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1972/2039/schedule/part/32/made|title=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|publisher=[[legislation.gov.uk]]|accessdate=13 June 2024}}</ref> the parish was also abolished.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/wellington2.html|title=Wellington Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=13 June 2024}}</ref> In 1961 the parish had a population of 9558.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10352290/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Dawley Magna CP/Ch through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=13 June 2024}}</ref> On 1 April 1988 a parish called "Great Dawley" was formed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/wrekin.html|title=Wrekin Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=13 June 2024}}</ref>

==Railways==
Unlike the other towns in Telford and Wrekin, Dawley never had its own railway station to serve the town itself. Two railway stations served the town despite being some distance from Dawley itself. The nearest station to the town was [[Dawley and Stirchley railway station|Dawley and Stirchley]], located roughly 1 mile to the southeast of the town under Stirchley Lane and also served the neighboring village of [[Stirchley, Shropshire|Stirchley]]. It opened in 1860 on the [[Coalport branch line]] but closed in 1952 along with the line. The trackbed including the platform now form part of the [[Silkin Way]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telford.gov.uk/downloads/file/1745/silkin_way_-_cycling_and_walking_route |title=Silkin Way – cycling and walking route |work=Telford and Wrekin Council |access-date=2 April 2019}}</ref> The [[Horsehay and Dawley railway station|other station]] is in nearby [[Horsehay]], located 1 mile to the southwest of the town. It is on the former [[Wellington to Craven Arms Railway|Wellington to Craven Arms Line]] and originally closed in 1962, before being reopened by the [[Telford Steam Railway]]. It now serves as a [[Heritage railway|heritage railway station]]. The nearest mainline station for the town is [[Telford Central railway station|Telford Central]].

==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 [[Abraham Darby III|Darby family]], one of whom commissioned the world-famous [[Ironbridge|Iron Bridge]]) possibly indicate the general area where it may have stood. Prior to the landscaping that followed 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, but, in the 1980s, the whole area was buried under thick topsoil and planted with trees. [[Ironbridge]] is a short distance away.

[[File:J. C. Hulse manhole cover, Birmingham - 2021-02-01 - Andy Mabbett.jpg|thumb|Cast iron [[manhole cover]] in [[Birmingham]], made by J. C. Hulse of Dawley, who were in business there from 1947 to 1976]]

For over three centuries, Dawley was a mining town, both for coal and [[ironstone]]. Clay extraction, for local industrial-pipe factories, brickyards and the pottery industry, have been major influences on the landscape. Mining had an important impact on the local culture. In 1821, production at Dawley's ironworks of was halted by striking miners in protest at lowering of their wages. Many of the workers in Dawley joined a larger group of protesters in what came to be known as the [[Cinderloo Uprising]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mercer|first=A. C. B|date=January 1966|title=Cinderloo Affair|journal=Shropshire Magazine}}</ref> In 1872, the [[Springwell Pit Disaster]] resulted in the deaths of eight men and boys.

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 [[Victoria Falls Bridge]] is wrongly claimed to have been built there. [[Telford Steam Railway]] trust is located across the road from the former factory site.

[[Dawley Town Hall]] opened as a temperance hall, in 1873.<ref>{{cite book |title=A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11, Telford |date=1985 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp111-112 |access-date=13 April 2024}}</ref>

On 7 June 2010, Dawley had become subject to a lot of media attention 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 the locals. As of midday on 8 June, over 1000 people had joined a Facebook group showing support for the sign, acknowledging the efforts of its creators, and in protest against the controversial redevelopment of the mount to move the Phoenix Academy (now the [[Telford Langley School]]) there.<ref>{{cite news|title=Work starts to pave way for Dawley sports site |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2010/08/14/work-starts-to-pave-way-for-dawley-sports-site/|access-date=4 May 2014|newspaper=Shropshire Star|date=14 August 2010}}</ref>

Dawley is known for its dialect, which includes some quite unique words, including "bist", presumably from the German meaning "are". However, 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 walls. The pig also features in the dialect, with a romantic phrase apparently being "I wudna swop thee for a big black pig!"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://oldscroteshome.blogspot.com/2006/09/ow-bist-owd-jockey.html |title=Dawley Dialect |access-date=7 November 2011}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:TelfordMap.jpg|thumb|right|Dawley and [[Stirchley, Shropshire|Stirchley]] shown within [[Telford]] in <span style="color:#5D6864;">Grey</span>.]]

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, Shropshire|Madeley]] and [[Bridgnorth]].
==Education==
There are seven primary schools in the Dawley area, and a comprehensive secondary school, [[Telford Langley School]]. There are two [[special school]]s in Dawley: Queensway South campus (formerly Mount Gilbert School) and Southall School.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk/leasearch.php?lea=Telford%20and%20Wrekin&submit=go |title=UK Schools & Colleges Database |work=Schools Web Directory |access-date=16 May 2008}}</ref>

==Notable people==
[[File:Captain Matthew Webb.jpg|thumb|140px|Captain [[Matthew Webb]], 1883]]
[[File:Ellis Peters.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Ellis Peters]], 1995]]
* [[Samuel Peploe (bishop)|Samuel Peploe]] (1667-1752), later [[Bishop of Chester]], was a native of Dawley Parva, where he was baptised.
* [[Thomas Botfield]] (1762-1843), metallurgist, geologist and inventor, was born at Dawley.
* [[William Ball (Shropshire Giant)|William Ball]] (1795–1852), the ''Shropshire Giant'', was a nineteenth-century iron puddler and giant.
* [[J. P. Sandlands|John Poole Sandlands]] (1838-1915), clergyman, [[naturopath]] and [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]] activist, was born in Dawley.
* Captain [[Matthew Webb]] (1848–1883), the first man to swim the [[English Channel]] – his monument stands on the High Street. Legend suggests that at the parade in Webb's honour that was held on his return, a pig stood up against a wall to watch. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shropshiremining.org.uk/captwebb.shtml |title=Captain Matthew Webb |work=Shropshire Mining |access-date=16 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530120803/http://www.shropshiremining.org.uk/captwebb.shtml |archive-date=30 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Two roads in the town are named after him, ''Captain Webb Drive'' and ''Webb Crescent'', as is the ''Captain Webb Primary School.''
* [[Albert Stanley (Liberal politician)|Albert Stanley]] (1863-1915), [[Liberal Party (United Kingdom)|Liberal]], later [[Labour Party (United Kingdom)|Labour]] politician, MP for [[North West Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|N.W.Staffs]], was born in Dark Lane, Dawley.
* [[Joseph Simpson (police officer)|Joseph Simpson]] (1909-1968) born in Dawley, was [[Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis]], 1958 / 1968.
* [[Edith Pargeter]] (1913-1995), using her pen name ''Ellis Peters'', she wrote the [[Brother Cadfael]] novels; she went to school in Dawley.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/culture/writestuff/2003/02/edith_pargeter.shtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723124355/http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/culture/writestuff/2003/02/edith_pargeter.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 July 2012 |title=Edith Pargeter – creator of the crimefighting monk |work=BBC Shropshire |access-date=16 May 2008}}</ref> She grew up with her family in King Street, Dawley and published [[Hortensius, Friend of Nero|her first novel]] in 1936 while working at a chemist's shop in the town.<ref>{{cite news|title=Great Lives: From working class roots to literary fame|work=Shropshire Star|date=27 December 2021|pages=20, 29}}Article by Toby Neal on Edith Pargeter, part of series on West Midlands worthies.</ref> Numerous roads in Aqueduct, such as ''Cadfael Drive'' and ''Ellis Peters Drive'', are 'themed' after her.
* [[Paul Hendy]] (born 1966), TV presenter, script-writer, novelist, director and filmmaker was born at Dawley.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Series 15, Episode 10|airdate=23 November 2001<!--Repeated 25 and 27 September 2020 on Challenge-->|network=[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]|series=[[Wheel of Fortune (British game show)|Wheel of Fortune]]}}</ref>

=== Sport ===
* [[William Foulke (footballer)|William Foulke]] (1874–1916) [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]], was born at Dawley, played 355 games mainly for [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]].
* [[Joe Butler (footballer, born 1879)|Joe Butler]] (1879–1941), football goalkeeper played 513 games, was born at Dawley Bank.
* [[Graham Bailey (footballer)|Graham Bailey]] (1920-2024), footballer, played 53 games for [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] and [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]], centenarian last surviving professional player from the 1930s,<ref>{{cite news |title=Obituary: Graham Bailey |url=https://www.htafc.com/news/2024/november/18/obituary--graham-bailey/ |access-date=18 November 2024 |publisher=Huddersfield Town F.C. |date=18 November 2024}}</ref> was born at Dawley.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Booth |first1=Mel |title=Huddersfield Town: All the players in Where Are They Now? |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-players-now-16413265 |access-date=22 March 2024 |publisher=YorkshireLive |date=12 June 2019}}</ref>
* [[Roy Pritchard]] (1925-1993), footballer, played 247 games incl. 202 for [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolves]] and at the [[1949 FA Cup Final]], was born at Dawley.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Personalities|publisher=Witan Books|page=241|year=1996|isbn=0-9529152-0-0}}</ref>
* [[Thomas Nicholls (boxer)|Thomas Nicholls]] (1931-2021), boxer, lived at Brandlee, Dawley when he appeared at the [[1952 Summer Olympics|1952]] and [[1956 Summer Olympics]].<ref name=sstar>{{cite news|title=Tributes as Olympic boxing legend Tommy dies, aged 89|work=Shropshire Star|date=9 August 2021|page=13}}Report by Toby Neal.</ref>
* [[Eddie Garbett]] (born 1949), footballer played 200 games mainly for [[Barrow A.F.C.|Barrow]] and [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]], was born at Dawley.<ref>{{Hugman|7014|Eddie Garbett|accessdate=24 June 2019}}</ref>
* [[Dalian Atkinson]] (1968-2016), footballer, played 246 games, mainly for [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]; was living in Little Dawley when he died.<ref>{{cite news|title="Charismatic Dalian enriched our lives"|work=Shropshire Star|date=21 November 2016|page=4}}Report by Lisa O'Brien, published following his funeral.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Listed buildings in Great Dawley]]
* [[Listed buildings in Dawley Hamlets]]
* [[Shropshire Revolution]] – [[American football]] Team, based in Dawley

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.greatdawley.org Great Dawley Town Council]
*[http://dawley-hamlets.org Dawley Hamlets Parish Council]

{{Shropshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Market towns in Shropshire]]
[[Category:Towns in Shropshire]]
[[Category:Great Dawley| ]]