Telford

This article is about the town in Shropshire. For its namesake, the engineer, seeThomas Telford.For other uses, seeTelford (disambiguation).

Telford(/ˈtɛlfərd/) is a town inShropshire,England. It is the administrative centre ofTelford and Wrekinborough,aunitary authoritywhich covers the town, its suburbs and surrounding settlements. The town is close to the county's eastern boundary, and near theRiver Severn.

Telford
From top, left to right: Telford centre's skyline, Southwater, Darby House,Wellington,DawleyandThe Iron Bridge.
Telford Location withinShropshire
Population	155,570 (2021 Census)
OS grid reference	SJ698088
•London	140 mi (230 km)SE
Unitary authority	Telford and Wrekin
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TELFORD
Postcode district	TF1–5, TF7
Dialling code	01952
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Telford The Wrekin

The notable hill near the town calledThe Wrekinis part of theShropshire Hills,anArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty.To the south of the town is theIronbridge Gorge,aUNESCO World Heritage Site.Places around the Ironbridge Gorge area, which were developed into the town itself, are internationally recognised as being "The Birthplace of Industry" being to a large extent constructed during theIndustrial Revolutionon the Shropshire Coalfield.

TheM54 motorwaywas completed in 1983, improving the town's road links with theWest Midlands conurbation,Wolverhamptonis 19 miles (31 km) south east andBirminghamis 28 miles (45 km) in the same direction. In the 2011 census, the town had a population of 142,723while in 2017, the wider borough had an estimated population of 175,271.It is the most populous settlement in Shropshire,Shrewsburyis second and is 15 miles (24 km) to the west of the town. It is nearStaffordshire:Staffordis 21 miles (34 km) to the east andStoke-on-Trentis 25 miles (40 km) north east from the town.

The town is polycentric, having been designated under theNew Towns Actsin 1963 and 1968 anddeveloped between the 1960s to the 1970s.Centred ona shopping centreanda public park,the new town is named afterThomas Telford,acivil engineeron many road, canal and rail projects in the county.It was originally designated under the nameDawley New Town,Dawleybeing to the south of new-town’s centre. As well as multiple villages and Dawley, the other constituent towns areWellington,MadeleyandOakengates.

History

Early history

Sunnycroftnear Wellington

Early settlement in the area was thought to be on the land that sloped up from theWeald Moors(an area north of the town centre) towards the line along which the RomanWatling Streetwas built. Farmland surrounded three large estates in the 10th century, namelyWellington,WrockwardineandLilleshall.

From the 13th century there was urban development in Wellington andMadeley,whereWenlock Prioryfounded a new town. Six monastic houses, founded in the 11th and 12th centuries, had large interests in the area's economic growth. They collectively acquired almost half of the area and profited from coal and ironstone mines and iron smithies on their estates.

The area was the site of the 1821Cinderloo Uprising,which saw 3,000 people protest against the lowering of wages for those working in the local coal industry. The protests resulted in the deaths of three striking colliers.

Modern history

TheBeattiesdepartment store at the west end ofTelford Shopping Centre

Telford Town Centre

Northfield Street Telford Centre

Telford Plaza in Telford Town Centre.

The New Town was first designated on 16 January 1963 by theConservativeadministration asDawley New Town,covering 9,100 acres (37 km²) ofDawley,Wenlock,Oakengates,Wellington Rural DistrictandShifnal Rural District.Development started, guided by the Dawley New Town Development Corporation, with the first homes on the new Sutton Hill housing estate being occupied in 1967. Initial planning and design concepts for Dawley New Town were produced by the Birmingham-basedJohn Madin Design Group.

The Minister proposed an extension of 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) in 1968 (taking in the historic area ofIronbridge Gorge). TheDawley New Town (Designation) Amendment (Telford) Orderwas made on 29 November 1968, extending the New Town area by 10,143 acres (4,105 ha) of "land lying within the urban districts of Oakengates and Wellington and the rural districts of Shifnal and Wellington".The Order also renamed the new town Telford, after the Scottish-born civil engineerThomas Telford,who in 1787 became Surveyor of Public Works for Shropshire. Other suggested names at the time were Dawelloak and Wrekin Forest City.

Most of the infrastructure was constructed from the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, with the major housing and commercial development occurring over three decades up to the early 1990s when the Development Corporation was wound up to be replaced by theCommission for New Towns,later English Partnerships, and most of the property was handed over to the then Wrekin District Council. Telford was now 25 years old and was firmly established as one of the most important towns in the region. There is a Retail Park calledWrekin Retail Parkin Wellington.

In 1983, after fierce opposition and three public enquiries,theM54 motorwaywas completed, connecting the town to theM6and thence the rest of the UK's motorway network. Other major roads are theA5,A518andA442,which is commonly known as the Eastern Primary orEP,and is officially brandedQueensway.

Many of the new town's residents were originally from theWest Midlandsconurbation,which includesWolverhampton,Birmingham,DudleyandWalsall.A majority of thecouncil housetenants in Telford were rehoused from inner-city Birmingham. The rehousing affected existing communities, who were sometimes resentful of the changes.As a result some individuals still refuse to put Telford in their address, instead using the original local name (such asWellingtonor Dawley) and often citing the existence of town Councils as support for the argument "you can't live in a town in a town”, e.g. Wellington (Town) Telford (Town). The new town's residents who arrived in the 1960s and 1970s earned the unwanted nickname ‘overspill’ from people living in the existing towns and villages.

In 2007 a £250 million regeneration plan for the town centre was announced, which includes the pedestrianisation of the road surrounding the shopping centre and the creation of new cafés, bars and shops which would lead to 1,750 new jobs.The reason for the expansion is that the original ‘centre’ was only ever a shopping place with no real heart. As the ‘centre’ closed early in the evening there was no nightlife at all in the area, the only major local entertainment areas being in Oakengates and Wellington.

The first phase of the town-centre development, named Southwater, was completed in 2014.The official opening ceremony, on 18 October 2014, included live music and fireworks. The area includes a refurbished library, various chain restaurants,CineworldIMAX Cinema, a bowling alley/arcade and a new multi-storey car park.

Geography

The Wrekinoverlooks the town

Telford town centre lies about 16 miles (26 km)east/south-eastofShrewsburyand 20 miles (32 km)north-westofWolverhampton.The town covers 7,803 hectares (30.13 square miles) and its southern and eastern parts, between theSevern GorgeandDonnington Wood,include the East Shropshire coalfield. North and north-west Telford lie beyond the coalfield's boundary fault onsandstone bedswhich, along with otherTriassicformations, prevail over much of theNorth Shropshireplain. The town centre stands on a watershed, with land to the south draining towards theRiver Severnand to the north sloping gently down towards the Weald Moors. The town is dominated by theWrekin,a large hill of 407 m (1335 ft),south-west of Wellington, straddling the border with the unitaryShropshire Council(before the latter's creation in 2009 the borough ofShrewsbury and Atcham).

Governance

Ward map; Telford urban area highlighted in orange, within theTelford and Wrekinborough.

Further information:List of civil parishes in Shropshire § Telford and Wrekin

Within the borough ofTelford & Wrekin,the town is entirelyparished.Telford has no single town council because of this. The town is also divided into Wards, within theTelford and Wrekinborough. These are used for electoral purposes and demographic surveys. Telford was created politically – but its attempts to make a cohesive town from the fusion of other independent towns:Wellington,Madeley,Hadley,Oakengates,Dawley,IronbridgeandDonningtonhave largely been successful. Despite this, the town has much clearer divisions than in other older towns, such as nearby Shrewsbury, which have developed into one consolidated urban area over time. Some small settlements to the south such as a part ofIronbridgeandBroseley,while part of the Telford Urban Area, are administered byShropshire Council.

Telford is the only settlement within theTelford parliamentary constituency,which was held byLabourfrom its creation in 1997 until the2015 general election.It was then held byLucy Allenwho stood down ahead of the2024 general electionafter defecting to theReform UKparty. The current MP since the election isShaun Davies(Labour). Some suburbs, such as Wellington, are located inThe Wrekin,which also has varying support between theConservativesand Labour. ConservativeMark Pritchardwas reelected as the latter seat's MP in 2024, and has now held the seat continuously since 2005. Telford is administratively part of theWest Midlands region.

Demography

M54(B'HAM)->

<-A5(S'BURY)

Shifnal

Broseley

Coalport

Ironbridge

Madeley

Coalbrook-
dale

Sutton Hill

Leighton

R. Severn

Buildwas

Little Wenlock

Telford TC

Horsehay

Stirchley

Hollinswood

Dawley

Malinslee

The Rock

Lawley

The Wrekin

Hadley

Ketley

Arleston

Leegomery

Wellington

Admaston

Wrockwardine

Oakengates

St George's and Priorslee

Donnington

Trench

Muxton

Lilleshall

Horton

A clickable link map of the component towns ofTelfordand surrounding villages.

In 1963 Dawley new town was intended to take 50,000 people from theWest Midlands conurbationand so to grow to a town of 70,000 or more. By 1968 Telford was intended to take an additional 50,000 and grow to a town of 220,000 or more by 1991. By 1983, however, Telford's population was just under 108,000, and it was generally thought that it might not reach 120,000 by the late 1980s.

The population of Telford's built-up area was 147,980 according to the2011 census.At the 2001 census, the urban area had 138,241 people.The built-up area includesBroseleywhich lies outside the Borough ofTelford and Wrekinand also includes the towns ofDawley,Oakengates,WellingtonandMadeley.

Telford has a younger than average population, and a higher rate of teenage pregnancy than the national average, as well as relatively high levels of income deprivation with 15% of residents living in low income households. In addition the level of statutorily homeless households in 2004/05 was above average for England.TheTelford and Wrekinarea is a popular commuter zone, containing some relatively rural areas in the North and West of the borough. These are popular with commuters to theWest Midlands conurbation,due to the good transport links provided by theA5/M54.

In 2011, the town was 91.9% white (88.5% White British), 4.7% Asian, 1.2% Black, 1.9% Mixed race and 0.2% other.At the same census the population of the town was 142,723 and had an area of 46.2 kilometers with the population estimated to be 147,105 in 2016.

Economy

Population and Employment
Date	Population	No. of Jobs	% of Jobs on Ind. Estates
1968	74,750	35,671	1.4
1969	76,200	35,710	2.4
1970	78,200	35,948	5.1
1971	80,800	36,191	7.2
1972	84,200	36,743	9.3
1973	87,100	39,861	11.4
1974	89,000	40,928	13.2
1975	90,000	40,986	12.3
1976	93,980	42,036	14.9
1977	97,900	43,637	15.4
1978	100,300	44,681	16.8
1979	102,000	44,247	18.2
1980	104,200	42,397	18.3
1981	104,200	39,414	16.8
1982	106,600	38,852	18.2
1983	107,700	39,037	19.9

During the economic crisis of the late 1960s (with unemployment doubling nationally during the second half of the decade), unemployment in the then-new town was initially high.

However, in 1967Halesfield Industrial Estatewas founded on the south-eastern edge of the town – the first real answer to Telford's unemployment problems. Other large estates followed, in 1973 withStafford Parkjust east of thetown centreand in 1979 withHortonwood,to the north, helping ease the unemployment crisis in a decade which saw an almost unbroken rise in unemployment.

In total, half a million square metres of factory space were provided between 1968 and 1983, making Telford an attractive investment area.

By 1976, Telford had begun to recruit industry from the US, Europe, andJapan.The foreign firms required larger factories, and they began to be built at Stafford Park. By 1983 over 2,000 jobs in Telford were provided by around 40 (mostly American) foreign companies.In contrast to industry in theBlack Countryat the time, these new companies focused on high-technology industries rather than the heavy and metal-finishing industries.

The new arrivals included the American companyUnimationand three firms from Japan:NikonUK Ltd., which opened a warehouse at Halesfield in 1983;video-tape manufacturersHitachi Maxellat Apley Castle in 1983;and office equipment manufacturersRicoh,who took a 22-acre (89,000 m²) site for a factory atPriorsleenext to theM54,and formed the first in Telford's new enterprise zone.

Consequently, from the later 1970s, Telford began to attract high-technology firms and to diversify its industry, and the promotion of the Service industry also began to prosper, in theTelford Town Centrearea. However, a deepening national recession meant that, despite the creation of new jobs, there were net job losses from 1979. Unemployment grew from 3.4 per cent in 1969 to over 8 per cent in 1972 and 22.3 per cent (almost double the national average) in 1983; long-term unemployment rose even faster. Nevertheless, the rate of increase in unemployment was slowing down by 1983 and was making some progress against national and regional trends.

Unemployment in Telford was still around the 20% mark – nearly double the national average at the time – as late as 1986. TheLawson Boomof the next three years saw that figure fall dramatically by the end of the decade, only for it to rise to a similarly high figure again by 1992 as a result of theearly 1990s recession.In recent years the local economy has matured, the median gross weekly earnings for full-time workers who work in Telford and Wrekin was£563in 2019 (West Midlands£552.50and England£591.40).

The 2014 Southwater development just south of the shopping centre

Telford has attracted several large IT services companies, includingEDSwho support the MOD contract from the Euston Park site, as well as a vast array of clients across the world from the Plaza building. AlsoCapgeminiandFujitsuemploy a significant number of staff in the area, mainly supporting theirgovernmentalclient,HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).The expansion in these job sectors provided a great asset to Telford's economic recovery after 1992. By August 2007, the success story of Telford's economy had seen unemployment shrink to 3.3% – a fraction of its peak 15 years earlier.

However, thesubsequent recessionmeant that unemployment in the area had risen to 5% by February 2011, although this was still well below the national average.

TheShropshire Starevening newspaper was based in Ketley.There is a free local paper theTelford Journalwhich is also published by the Shropshire star. However, the building was demolished in 2023, and moved to Telford Town Centre.

There have been job losses, with the movement of 500Defence Logistics Organisation(DLO) jobs at the MoD base atSapphire House,Telford town centre, toBristol.The sugar beet factory atAllscottclosed in 2007.

In 2019 a joint venture calledRheinmetall BAE Systems Landinstalled itself in Telford, not far fromBabcock DSG.Together they are responsible for theChallenger 2 Life Extension Project.

Suburbs

Southside

Aqueduct, Brookside, Dawley Bank, Doseley, Hollinswood, Heath Hill,Horsehay,Lawley, Lawley Bank, Lightmoor, Little Dawley, Malinslee, Newdale, Old Park, Overdale, Randlay, Stirchley, Sutton Hill, The Rock, Tweedale, Woodside.

Northside

Arleston, Donnington, Donnington Wood, Hadley, Hartshill, Haybridge,Ketley,Ketley Bank, Ketleybrook, Ketleyhill, Leegomery, Muxton,Priorslee,Priorslee Village, Red Lake, Snedshill, St Georges, Trench, Trench Lock, Wombridge, Wrockwardine Wood.

Surrounding subtowns & villages

Blists Hill,Coalbrookdale,Coalport,Dawley,Ironbridge,Jackfield,Madeley,Newport,Oakengates,Wellington,Admaston,Bratton,DothillandShawbirch.

Industrial areas

Hadley Castle, Halesfield, Hortonwood, Stafford Park

Landmarks

Thomas Telfordstatue in the town centre, by the Law Courts

The commercial centre of the town is Telford Town Centre, located off Junction 5 of theM54 motorway,completed in the 1980s. It is home to the administrative headquarters of Telford & Wrekin Council, which are now based at Addenbrook House on Ironmasters Way, after moving from the old Civic Offices (dating from the mid-1970s) in December 2012.The large Telford Shopping Centre (and the accompanyingTown Park), various office blocks, such as the blue office towers (Telford Plaza), and theWindsor Lifebuilding.The Forgeretail park and a largeOdeon Cinemaare also located in the area. Telford also houses one of the Midlands' few ice skating rinks near the Telford International Centre (TIC). The TIC comprises a number of exhibition halls and event spaces. It holds parties, conferences, concerts and was formerly the venue of the UK Snooker Championship.

A major Shropshire landmark, also now part of Telford, isThe Iron Bridge,located inIronbridge.It was the first bridge of its size in the world made out ofcast iron.In the same area is theIronbridge Gorge,aUNESCO World Heritage Site.The most important landmark in the area isThe Wrekinhill. There is also theLilleshall Monumenterected on Lilleshall Hill to the north-east, to the1st Duke of Sutherland.

Education

See also:List of schools in Telford and Wrekin

Telford has a number of primary and secondary schools. These range from academies such as theTelford Langley SchooltoCity Technology Collegeslike theThomas Telford School.8 miles (13 km) to the north areAdams' Grammar SchoolandNewport Girls High Schoolselective schools located in nearbyNewport.Wrekin College,an independent co-educational boarding and day school, is located in the Wellington area of Telford.

Further education was handled byTelford College of Arts and Technology(TCAT) andTelford New College,a sixth-form college located inWellington.In September 2017 the two colleges merged to formTelford College.There are four othersixth formslocated atHaberdashers' Abraham Darby,Holy Trinity Academy,Madeley AcademyandThomas Telford School.

Telford is home to TheUniversity of WolverhamptonBusiness School (UWBS) campus and the School of the Built Environment.Harper Adams University,a university specialising in land-based education is located 9.5 miles to the northeast atEdgmond,near Newport.

Media

Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC West MidlandsandITV Central.Television signals are received from the nearbyWrekinTV transmitter situated south east of Telford.Local radio stations areBBC Radio Shropshire,Free Radio Black Country & Shropshire,Greatest Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire(formerlyTelford FM),Capital North West & WalesandSignal 107.TheShropshire Staris the town's local weekly newspaper.

Transport

The M54 shown here near Junction 5 for Telford Centre, which is visible in the background to the left.

Telford is situated at the terminus of theM54 motorway,a spur of theM6linking the town withWolverhamptonand theWest Midlands,and on theA5 roadbetweenShrewsburyandCannock.

Telford Central railway stationis situated on theShrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line.The town also hasOakengates railway stationandWellington railway stationon the same line. All three stations are serviced by trains fromTransport for Wales Rail,West Midlands Railway,andAvanti West Coast.

In May 1998,Virgin Trains West Coastintroduced a service fromShrewsburytoLondon Euston.It was withdrawn in 2000. A service toWalsallwas introduced from Wellington viaWolverhamptonbut proved to be unprofitable and was withdrawn byLondon Midlandin December 2008. A new service fromWrexham GeneraltoLondon Marylebonewas launched byWrexham & Shropshirein 2008. The venture however proved unprofitable and ceased to operate on 28 January 2011,leaving Shropshire as the only English county without a direct train link to London. Virgin Trains re-launched a direct Shrewsbury to London Euston service in December 2014.In addition, there are three further stations isolated from the national network, Spring Village, Lawley and Horsehay & Dawley, atTelford Steam Railway,situated atHorsehay.

Telford's rapidly growing population still has a relatively low car ownership. In 2004 Telford & Wrekin council was awarded 'Beacon Status' for improving access to public transport.Being a new town with a planned transport infrastructure, the town features relatively few traffic problems, in comparison to the urban areas ofBirminghamor medieval streets ofShrewsbury.The M54 reduces through-traffic on local roads, and theA442Queensway acts as a north–south artery road.

The majority of bus services in the area are operated byArriva Midlandsfrom its garage at Stafford Park, which replaced the original Midland Red garage in Wellington. Banga Bus operate service 891 toWolverhamptonviaShifnalandTettenhall,replacing the original service operated byMidland Redwhich was latterly operated byArriva Midlands.Between 1 June 2021 and January 2022,Chaseriderlaunched service X14 to Cannock and theMcArthur GlennWest Midlands Designer Outlet.but was withdrawn due to low usage.

A number of council contract services operate under the 'Travel Telford' brand, includingArriva Midlandsservice 99,Chaseriderservices 100, 102, 103 and 104 and Select Bus service 101. These were introduced to link local employment opportunities, schools and villages previously without bus services. Notably the 100 (nicknamed 'Express 100') runs seven days a week and on evenings.

Notable people

Public service

• SirWilliam Forester(1655–1718)WhigPolitician who accompaniedKing William IIIto England at the beginning of theGlorious Revolution.Was born and lived in Wellington.
• Samuel Peploe(1667–1752)Bishop of Chesterbetween 1726 and 1752, was baptized in Dawley.
• Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet(1685–1749)Whigpolitician and founder ofDowning College, Cambridgewas brought up atDothill.
• Richard Padmore(1789 in Wellington – 1881) a BritishLiberalpolitician and industrialist
• MajorCharles Allix Lavington YateVC(1872–1914) British Army officer and recipient of theVictoria Crossfor action in theFirst World War,grew up in Madeley
• SirJoseph Simpson(1909 in Dawley – 1968)Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis,the head of the LondonMetropolitan Police,from 1958 to 1968
• Len Murray, Baron Murray of Epping ForestOBE, PC (1922 in Hadley – 2004) a British trade union leader
• Jeremy Corbyn(born 1949),Leader of the Labour Partybetween 2015 and 2020, grew up atPave Laneand educated atAdams Grammar School,within the borough of Telford & Wrekin, and was active in The Wrekin constituencyYoung Socialistsand the local Labour Party.
• ProfessorStephen Molyneux(born 1955) English educational technologist and Mayor ofOakengatesbetween 2003 and 2007, resided in Telford between 1991 and 2018.
• David Wright(born 1966 in Oakengates), Member of Parliament for Telford between 2001 and 2015
• Kim Hughes (GC)(born 1979), a British Army bomb disposal expert, particularly in the Afghanistan conflict, went toThomas Telford School.

Acting & writing

Edith Pargeter / Ellis Peters, 1995

• Hesba Stretton(1832 in Wellington – 1911) an English writer of children's books
• Wyke Bayliss(1835 in Madeley – 1906) a British poet, author, and painter
• Edith PargeterOBE, BEM (1913 in Horsehay – 1995 in Madeley) nom de plumeEllis Peters,was an English author especially of history and historical fiction
• Norman Jones(1932 in Donnington – 2013) an English actor,primarily on TV.
• Stewart Lee(born 1968 in Wellington) an English stand-up comedian, writer and director
• Paul Blackthorne(born 1969 in Wellington) is an English actor, who plays Detective Lance in the DC TV seriesArrow
• Anna Richardson(born 1970 in Wellington) is an English television presenter, writer and journalist.
• Christian Brassington(born 1983 in Wellington) a film and television actor.
• Jay Swingler(born 1995) a YouTuber.

Sport

Elliott Bennett, 2009

• Enoch Tranter(1842 in Old Park – 1910 in Donnington Wood) an English cricketer and coal miner
• Matthew Webb(1848 in Dawley – 1883) the first recorded person to swim theEnglish Channelunaided
• William Dyas(1872-1940), first-class cricketer as well as local politician and businessman, lived lifelong in Madeley.
• William Foulke(1874 in Dawley – 1916) an English professional football goalkeeper
• Will Osborne(1875-1942 in Oakengates) a Welshrugbyinternational who settled in Oakengates after retiring from the game
• Joe Butler(1879 in Dawley Bank – 1941) an English professional football goalkeeper who made 457 appearances
• SirGordon Richards(1904 in Donnington Wood – 1986) won a record 26 champion jockey titles, and was the only flat jockey to be knighted
• Ernie Clements(1922 in Hadley – 2006) an English road racing cyclist, frame builder and cycle shop owner
• Billy Wright(1924 in Ironbridge – 1994) professional English footballer who played forWolverhampton Wanderers.Became the first football player to earn 100 international caps.
• Johnny Elliot(1931–2015), Jamaican Olympic boxer who lived in Telford.
• David Ottley(born 1955) a retired athlete who competed mainly in javelin thowing, for which he won silver medal at the1984 Summer Olympics;lived in Telford after moving from his native Essex
• John Pender(born 1963), a retired English professional footballerwith 496 appearances, mainly for Wolves and Burnley, now lives in Telford.
• Mark Elliot(born 1966 in Wellington) Olympic welterweight boxer
• Ted Hankey(born 1968) professional darts player, resides in Telford
• Richie Woodhall(born 1968) 1988 Olympic bronze medallist (light-middleweight) and former WBC super middleweight champion boxer, grew up inWoodside, Telford.
• Rob Edwards(born 1982) former footballer and current manager ofLuton Town.
• Ricky Balshaw(born 1986) is a British para equestrian rider, competed in the Beijing 2008Paralympics;lives in Telford
• Tom Carlon(born 1987 in Telford) an English professional ice hockey player
• Josh Crutchley(born 1987) a British professional basketball player, grew up in Telford
• Danny Guthrie(born 1987) professional footballer,attendedThomas Telford Schoolin Telford
• Elliott Bennett(born 1988 in Telford) professional footballer,grew up in Telford, plays forShrewsbury Town.
• Lee Collins(1988 in Telford – 2021) professional footballer
• Kyle Bennett(born 1990 in Telford) an English footballer,plays forBristol Rovers.
• Mickey BushellMBE (born 1990) is a Paralympic gold medalist, lives in Telford
• Kelly Edwards(born 1990) a British judoka from Telford.
• Connor Goldson(born 1992) professional footballer, attendedThomas Telford Schoolin Telford.
• Liam Davies(born 1996 in Donnington) WBC super bantamweight boxer.
• Ryan Giles(born 2000 in St Georges) professional footballer
• Penny Healey(born 2005), archer

Music

• Henry Gauntlett(1805 in Wellington – 1876), an English organist and hymnwriter
• Nigel Rogers(1935 in Wellington – 2022), an English opera singer,multilingualtenorandmusic conductor
• Raymond Froggatt(1941–2023), an English songwriter and singer, lived in Telford
• Steve Beresford(born 1950 in Wellington), an English musician
• Stephen Jones(born 1962), an English musician and novelist who fronted Indie BandBabybird
• T'Pau(formed 1986), a British pop group whose members are from Telford (Wellington) and Shrewsbury.
• Cancer(formed in 1988), adeath metalband fromIronbridge.
• The Sunshine Underground(years active 2000–2016), an alternative dance band, originally from Telford and Shrewsbury, formed while studying atNew College Telford.
• David Brown(born 1987) is a BritishYouTuberand musician.

Science

• William Withering(1741 in Wellington – 1799), an Englishbotanist,geologist,chemist,physician,first systematic investigator of the bioactivity ofdigitalis,and member of theLunar Society
• Thomas Campbell Eyton(1809–1880) English naturalist and friend ofCharles Darwin.Was born inEyton Hallnear Wellington.
• DrJacob Noel-Storr(born 1976 in Telford) Englishastrophysicsscientist

Miscellaneous

A lithographic print of William Ball at theMuseum of the Gorge, Ironbridge

• William Ball(1795 in Horsehay – 1852), aniron puddlerbelieved to be the heaviest man in England while he was alive. Weighing approximately 40 stone, Ball was exhibited around the country atcounty fairsas the "largest man in Britain".
• Samuel Parkes Cadman(1864 in Ketley – 1936), an English-born American clergyman, newspaper writer, and pioneerChristian radiobroadcaster of the 1920s and 1930s based inNew York:

Sport

Telford is home to a variety of established amateur, semi-pro and professional sports clubs.

The town was represented byTelford United F.C.between 1969 and 2004.Following financial difficulties, the club folded in 2004 and was reformed in the same year asAFC Telford United.Between 2004 and 2020, AFC Telford United's home ground, theNew Bucks Head,was used as the venue for home matches played by the under-23 team ofWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.AFC Telford United have won theShropshire Senior Cupon three occasions in 2009, 2014, and 2017. They won promotion toConference Northin 2007, beatingWitton Albion3–1 in the play-offs. In 2009 they won theSetanta Shield Trophy,beatingForest Green Rovers3-0 on penalties.AFC Telford United currently play in theSouthern Premier Leaguehaving been relegated from theConference Premierat the end of the2014–15 season.Telford has a Supporters Club following Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., organising travel to away games and hosting social functions.Other local non league football clubs have begun gaining local support with Shifnal Town, Allscott Heath and Telford Town all attracting significant investment in recent times.

Ice hockeyin the town is represented by theTelford Tigers,anEnglish Premier Ice Hockey League(EPL or EPIHL) team originally formed in 1985.Telford Titans,anENLTeam, had represented development hockey in the town from 2008 however it folded in 2014.

Ice racingfirst came to the Telford Ice skating Rink in February 1986 with the Skoal Bandits Trophy being won by Hans Nielsen. In November of the same year Jan andersson won the Ice International trophy and retained the trophy at the next event in 1988. In 1989 The British Open Championship was held and continued every year until 2008. The competition returned in 2011 and 2012. After this time ice racing at Telford discontinued.

American footballteams in the town includeShropshire Revolution,Wrekin Giants(1985–1989),Shropshire Giants(1989), andCannock Chase Giants(1989-1993/4).

Telford Raidersare the town'sRugby Leagueclub, although there have been other Rugby League Clubs in Telford historically, such as the Telford All Blacks and Shropshire Scorpions.Telford Hornetsrepresent the town atRugby Union.

Shropshire Warriors Basketball Clubplay at Telford College of Art and Technology (TCAT).

TheTelford International Centrehosted theUK Snooker Championshipfrom 2007 to 2010.The championship moved fromYorkin 2007 but returned to the refurbishedBarbican Centrein York since 2011.

Telford is home to four golf courses. TheShropshire Golf Centreis located nearMuxton,in the northeast of Telford.Other courses in Telford includeHorsehay Village Golf Club,in Horsehay,The Wrekin Golf Club,in Wellington, andTelford Golf and Country Club,in Madeley.

There are a number of cricket clubs within Telford competing in local leagues. BothWellington Cricket ClubandMadeley Cricket Clubcurrently play in the Premier Division of theShropshire County Cricket Leaguewhilst St. George's Cricket Club play in Division One of the Shropshire County Cricket League.Shropshire County Cricket Cluboften play atOrleton Parkin Wellington andSt George's Cricket Groundin St. George's.

External links

• Official Tourism Website for Telford & Wrekin