Wem | |
|---|---|
    Clockwise from top: Wem High Street, Nobel Street, Church of St Peter and St Paul, the Old Wem Mill | |
 Coat of arms  Emblem | |
  Wem Wem shown within Shropshire and England | |
| Coordinates: 52°51′13″N 2°43′36″W / 52.8536°N 2.7267°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Ceremonial county | Shropshire |
| Local government | Shropshire |
| Website | Wem Town Council |
| Norman Castle Town planned | c. 1066 |
| Market charter granted | 1202 |
| Seat | Edinburgh House |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town council |
| • Governing body | Wem Town Council |
| • UK Parliament | North Shropshire |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.41 sq mi (3.66 km2) |
| Elevation | 269 ft (82 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 6,100 |
| Demonym | Wemian |
| Time zone | GMT |
| • Summer (DST) | BST |
| Post code | |
| Area code | 01939 |
| Police force | West Mercia Police |
| Fire service | Shropshire Fire |
| Ambulance service | West Midlands |
| Website | https://www.wem.gov.uk/ |
Wem is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England,[1] 9 miles (14 km) north of Shrewsbury and 9 miles (14 km) south of Whitchurch.
The name is derived from the Old English term wamm, meaning 'marsh".[2]
As a caput of a barony and a large manor and parish Wem was a centre for justice and local government for centuries, and the headquarters of the North Shropshire District Council until Shropshire became a unitary authority. From the 12th century revisions to the hundreds of Shropshire, Wem was within the North Division of Bradford Hundred until the end of the 19th century.[3][4]
It is considered that the landscape around the town may be the inspiration for Shakespeare's play 'As You Like It', a belief reflected in cultural programming in the town.[5]
- ^ OS Explorer Map 241, Shrewsbury, Wem, Shawbury & Baschurch. ISBN 978-0-319-46276-8
- ^ "History of Wem". Wem. Archived from the original on 16 June 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
- ^ "Bradford Hundred | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk.
- ^ "Wem History Day 'huge success' as visitors learn of town's rich past". Whitchurch Herald. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ Tooley, David (17 June 2024). "Your Bard! Town pays homage to Shakespeare in window displays". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.