Oakengates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oakengates |
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| Town and civil parish | |
.jpg) Holy Trinity Church, Oakengates |
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 Oakengates
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| Population | 8,517 |
| OS grid reference | SJ696109 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TELFORD |
| Postcode district | TF2 |
| Dialling code | 01952 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Shropshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Oakengates is a historic market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It's part of the wider Telford and Wrekin area. Back in 2001, about 8,517 people lived here.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Story of Oakengates
The name "Oakengates" might sound like it comes from "oak trees" or "gates," but it actually has a different, older meaning! It comes from an ancient language called Common Brittonic.
The first part, "Usc-con," meant "The Lake" or a place where two streams joined. The second part, "gata," comes from an old Norse word for "path" or "road." So, Oakengates means "the road at the valley of Usc-con."
A local historian, Reverend J.E.G. Cartlidge, wrote a book about the town's history called The Vales and Gates of Usc-Con. There's even a retirement home named Cartlidge House after him!
Getting Around: Transport in Oakengates
Oakengates has a cool history when it comes to transport!
Early Waterways: The Ketley Canal
In the late 1700s, the Ketley Canal was built. It was used to carry coal and iron from Oakengates to the Ketley works. This canal isn't used anymore, and it's hard to find traces of it today.
Did you know the first ever boat lift in Britain was built here in 1794? It was an experiment by Robert Weldon. Even though it didn't work out for a bigger project, it was an important step in engineering!
Railway Connections
The Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton railway line runs right through Oakengates. The town has its own station and a long tunnel called Oakengates Tunnel.
There used to be another station, Oakengates Market Street railway station, which closed in 1952. Today, that area is called Station Hill, and only the old goods shed remains.
A Hub of Innovation: Oakengates' Industry
Oakengates played a big part in the Industrial Revolution!
Iron Production Breakthroughs
A man named Shadrach Fox ran the Wombridge Iron Works in Oakengates. He worked with Abraham Darby I on important experiments. They were trying to find a way to make pig iron using coke instead of charcoal in a blast furnace.
This was a huge step forward! Using coke made iron production much easier and cheaper. This invention helped power the Industrial Revolution, even though it's often remembered more at nearby Coalbrookdale.
The Lilleshall Company
Oakengates continued to be a manufacturing center for a long time. The Lilleshall Company Ltd built many machines here. You can still see one of their amazing creations at the Museum of Power in Langford, Essex. It's a steam engine built in 1931, and it still works! It's believed to be the last one they ever built and installed.
Holy Trinity Church
The main Church of England church in Oakengates is Holy Trinity. It was built in 1854. Before that, Oakengates was part of other church areas like Wombridge and Shifnal.
Fun and Games: Amenities in Oakengates
Oakengates has some great places for people to enjoy!
Telford Theatre
The town is home to Telford Theatre. It first opened in 1968 as Oakengates' Town Hall. A famous jockey, Sir Gordon Richards, officially opened it. One of the rooms inside is even named the Pinza Suite, after his famous Derby-winning horse, Pinza!
Close by, you'll find the town council's main office and the United Reformed/Methodist church.
Hartshill Park
Hartshill Park is the main public green space in Oakengates. It was created from an old coal mine spoil heap, which is a pile of waste from mining. The park opened in 1927 and is still a great place for sports and relaxation. It has a bowling green and tennis courts.
In 1928, the park gates were put up as a special memorial to local men who died fighting in World War I. Their names are on the gate pillars. Names of those who died in World War II are listed on other nearby pillars.
Local Government: Urban District Council
Before the larger area of Telford was formed, Oakengates had its own local government called the Urban District Council. This council looked after Oakengates and nearby places like Wrockwardine Wood, St. George's, Priorslee, Snedshill, The Nabb, Wombridge, and Trench. The Labour Party usually ran this council.
Sports Teams
Oakengates Athletic F.C. was a local football club. In 2018, it joined with Wellington Amateurs. They used to play in the Shropshire County Premier Football League.
Famous Faces from Oakengates
Many interesting people have connections to Oakengates!
- Lucy Allan (born 1964) is a politician from the Conservative Party. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Telford area from 2015 to 2024 and had a house in Oakengates.
- David Wright (born 1966) is a politician from the Labour Party. He was born in Oakengates and served as the MP for Telford from 2001 to 2015.
Sports Stars
- George Swift (1870–1956) was a professional footballer. He played for teams like Wolves and later managed other clubs. He was born in Oakengates.
- Will Osborne (1875–1942) was a Welsh rugby union player who played for his country. He settled in a nearby area called The Nabb.
- Jack Elkes (1894–1972) was a professional footballer born in Snedshill, near Oakengates.
- Harry Chambers (1896–1949) was an England international footballer. He lived in Oakengates after his playing career and ran a local pub.
- Tommy Jones (1907–1980) was a professional footballer. He was born in Oakengates and returned to live there after retiring, where he ran a shop.
- Johnny Hancocks (1919–1994) was a professional footballer. He was born in Oakengates and settled there after he stopped playing.
- Eric Hope (1927–2009) was a professional footballer born in Oakengates.
