Market Drayton Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Market Drayton
Town and civil parish
Shropshire Union Canal at Market Drayton, Shropshire
Market Drayton
Population	11,773 (2011)
OS grid reference	SJ673321
Unitary authority	Shropshire
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MARKET DRAYTON
Postcode district	TF9
Dialling code	01630

Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands

EU Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	North Shropshire
List of places UK England Shropshire 52°54′16″N 2°29′05″W / 52.9044°N 2.4848°W / 52.9044; -2.4848

Market Drayton is a lively market town in Shropshire, England. It sits by the River Tern and is close to the borders of Cheshire and Staffordshire. The town is also located on the Shropshire Union Canal. It's known for its history and friendly community.

Market Drayton's History

Ancient Times

About 3 miles (5 km) from Market Drayton, you can find "The Devil's Ring and Finger." These are ancient standing stones from the Neolithic period, which was a very long time ago!

Medieval Period

Market Drayton is mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086. Back then, it was a small village with only five households.

In 1245, King Henry III gave the town a special permission. This allowed it to hold a weekly market every Wednesday. This is how Market Drayton got its name! The market is still held every Wednesday today.

Near the town, there was once a place called Tyrley Castle. It was likely built after 1066 and later rebuilt with stone in the 1200s.

The Battle of Blore Heath was fought near the town during the Wars of the Roses.

A famous battle from the Wars of the Roses happened nearby in 1459. It was called the Battle of Blore Heath. This battle was fought between two powerful families, the House of York and the House of Lancaster.

Early Modern Times

Sir Rowland Hill

Sir Rowland Hill was an important person from this area. He became the first Protestant Mayor of London. In 1555, he started the Old Grammar School in Market Drayton. A charity still exists today to help young people with their education.

Elizabeth Wriothesley, Countess of Southampton was another notable person connected to the town. She was a lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth I, the Queen of England.

In 1651, a huge fire destroyed almost 70% of Market Drayton. It started at a bakery and quickly spread through the wooden buildings. The buttercross in the town centre still has a bell at the top. This bell was meant to be rung if another fire ever happened.

The famous Robert Clive, also known as "Clive of India," went to the grammar school here in the 1730s. He was later expelled from the school.

Culture and Fun

Market Drayton has a lively arts scene, mostly at the Festival Drayton Centre. This centre is run by volunteers and has grown a lot since 1984. It has a cinema, a theatre, and an art gallery. You can also enjoy live music and comedy shows there.

Every October, the Drayton Arts Festival takes place. It's a great time for local artists and performers.

The town has also been home to many talented musicians over the years. In the early 1980s, Market Drayton even had one of the only recording studios in Shropshire!

Some important landmarks in the area include Pell Wall Hall, Adderley Hall, and the Thomas Telford designed aqueduct on the canal.

Media and News

You can get local news and TV from BBC West Midlands and ITV Central. Local radio stations include BBC Radio Shropshire and Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire. The town's local weekly newspaper is called the Shropshire Star.

Education in Market Drayton

St Mary's Hall plaque

Market Drayton has four schools for young people:

Longlands Primary School
Market Drayton Infant School
Market Drayton Junior School
Grove School and sixth form college

Grove School is a large secondary school with about 1,100 students.

Local Industry

Tudor House Hotel, Market Drayton

Market Drayton is home to several important businesses. In 1965, a sausage maker called Palethorpe's opened a factory here. It's now the town's biggest employer, making different meat and chilled food products.

Müller Dairy also has a factory in the town where they make yogurts.

Market Drayton is known as the "Home of Gingerbread." People have been baking gingerbread here since at least 1793!

The town also has a microbrewery called Joule's Brewery Ltd. It started in 2000, bringing back a famous local beer brand.

Ford Hall Farm is a community-owned farm to the east of the town.

Fordhall Farm is a special place near the town. It's a community-owned organic farm where you can walk along a farm trail. You can also see the site of Fordhall Castle, an ancient motte and bailey structure.

Sports and Activities

Market Drayton has several sports clubs for young people to join:

Market Drayton Hockey Club
Market Drayton Town F.C. (football club)
Market Drayton Rugby Club
Market Drayton Tennis Club

Many of these clubs play at the Greenfields Sports Ground.

Getting Around

Roads

The main road serving Market Drayton is the A53. This road connects the town to places like Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent.

Buses

Bus services connect Market Drayton to nearby towns like Shrewsbury and Hanley (in Stoke-on-Trent). There are also local bus services within the town.

Old Railway

Market Drayton used to have a train station. It opened in 1863 but closed in 1963.

Climate

On 23 November 1981, Market Drayton was hit by a small tornado.

Churches

St Mary's Church, Market Drayton from the south.

The town has five churches. The largest is St Mary's Church, Market Drayton, which is a Church of England parish church. It dates back to 1150. Other churches include Christ Church, the Roman Catholic Church of St Thomas Aquinas & St Stephen Harding, and a Methodist Church.

Famous People from Market Drayton

Many interesting people have connections to Market Drayton:

William Felton (1715–1769), a composer.
Elizabeth Anne Lewis (1843/48-1924), a temperance activist.
John Lewis (1855–1926), a football referee and one of the founders of Blackburn Rovers F.C..
Ray Reardon (1932-2004), a Welsh professional snooker player, lived in Market Drayton when he won some of his world titles.
David Gilford (born 1965), a professional golfer, lives in the town.
Andy Cooke (born 1974), a former professional footballer.
Christopher Flynn (born 1987), a Wales international professional footballer.
Benjamin Jack Garratt (born 1994), a professional footballer.

Robert Clive

'Clive of India'

Robert Clive, also known as "Clive of India," was born nearby at Styche Hall. He was a very important figure in British history, especially in India. He even attended the Grammar School in Market Drayton for a time.

Twin Towns

Market Drayton is connected to other towns around the world. It is twinned with:

Arlon, Belgium
Pézenas, France

Gallery

Aqueduct
Clive and Coffyne, Shropshire Street
St Mary's Church
Tyrley Locks

Market Drayton facts for kids

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