Priorslee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Priorslee | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 The Blue Hand sculpture, Priorslee | |
  Priorslee Location within Shropshire | |
| OS grid reference | SJ715100 |
| Civil parish | |
| 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 |
| UK Parliament | |
Priorslee[1] is a large village in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England.[2] It forms part of the St George's and Priorslee civil parish alongside Central Park, Redhill, Snedshill and St George's.[3]
The village occupies an area that was home to a Roman settlement at nearby Red Hill. Roman coins were found in the surrounding area. Priors-Lee was formerly a chapelry in the parish of Shifnal,[4] on 1 April 1898 Priors Lee became a separate civil parish, on 1 April 1934 the parish was abolished to form Oakengates.[5] In 1931 the parish had a population of 2644.[6] It later became part of Telford alongside neighbouring villages and towns between the 1960s and 1970s.[7]
By the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Priorslee grew rapidly following the arrival of both the Lilleshall Company in nearby Oakengates and the opening of the Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury Railway. It alongside neighbouring St George's grew rapidly for workers of the company and railway.[8]
St Peter's Church
Until 1838, a chapel occupied the site of the present-day church. It was demolished and replaced by the church between 1825 and 1827. The church was then dedicated to Saint Peter and given Grade II listing.[9]
The church contains three war memorials: an oak pulpit with marble plaque listing parishioners who died serving in the World War I, with an additional plaque listing names from the World War II, and another plaque on the north wall to 2nd Lieutenant Walter Crooke of the Royal Flying Corps, killed in action 1917, which was given by colleagues from his local civilian employer, the Lilleshall Company. The latter company is mentioned on a number of other memorials in the church.[10] The churchyard contains the war graves of four British Army soldiers of World War I.[11]
The church was closed in 2022 due to repairs needed to the building and is likely to be declared redundant by the Diocese of Lichfield.[12]