Ditton Priors is a village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in south
Shropshire
Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...
, England. Historically, it was also known as Priors Ditton.
The nearest town is
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the United Kingd ...
. The village is situated near Shropshire's highest hill,
Brown Clee Hill
Brown Clee Hill is the highest hill in the rural England, English county of Shropshire, at above sea level. It is one of the Clee Hills, and is in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Geography
Brown Clee Hill lies five ...
.
The Church of St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist is the church located in Ditton Priors and was dedicated to Saint Mary The Virgin in the 15th century. Parts of the church are thought to date back to the 12th century.
The church is located in the centre of the village, on higher ground than its surroundings. The majority of the church is built in Dhustone, from the nearby
Clee Hill. The interior of the church houses stained glass and an open timber roof. The churchyard contains a
war grave
A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations.
Definition
The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...
of a
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in the Childers Reforms of 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. It served in the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II and Korea ...
soldier of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the clock on the south wall of the tower was given as a memorial to parish men who died in the same war.
The Howard Arms
The building that is now The Howard Arms dates back to the 18th century, where it was used as a vicarage and a public house. It is one of the larger 18th century establishments in the village.
It now serves as a local pub.
Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway
The
Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway
The Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway was a pre-grouping railway company that served part of south Shropshire.
Everard Calthrop was appointed Consulting Engineer in 1900, responsible for surveying the route and preparing the cons ...
once ran to the village and during (and for a period after) the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
there was a major military armaments depot near the village because of the village's remote, rural location and the railway link.
The
light railway
A light railway is a Rail transport, railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail": it uses lighter-weight track, and may have more Grade (slope), steep gradients and Minimum railway curve radius, tight curves to ...
was built 1907–1908, with its purpose being to carry stone from Abdon Burf quarry. It was under the operation of the Great Western Railway, and ran from Ditton Priors to
Cleobury Mortimer
Cleobury Mortimer (, ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in south-east Shropshire, England, which had a population of 3,036 at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census. It was granted a market charter by King Henry ...
. From there, it joined the line from
Bewdley
Bewdley ( ) is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District in Worcestershire, England, on the banks of the River Severn. It is in the Severn Valley, and is west of Kidderminster, north of Worcester and southwest of Birmingham. It ...
to
Tenbury Wells
Tenbury Wells (locally Tenbury) is a small market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the north-western extremity of the Malvern Hills District of Worcestershire, England. Situated 6 miles southeast of Ludlow, its northern border ...
. A passenger service operated for thirty years between 1908 and 1938. The line served the
Royal Naval Armaments Depot
A Royal Naval Armament Depot (RNAD) is an armament depot (or a group of depots) dedicated to supplying the Royal Navy (as well as, at various times, the Royal Air Force, the British Army, and foreign and Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth f ...
, which was located near the village and was in operation between 1939 and 1965.
Archaeological finds
There have been archaeological finds in close proximity to Ditton Priors. A basalt axe hammer and flints have been located at
Lightwood
Lightwood may refer to: Trees
* ''Acacia implexa'', Australian tree
* Fatwood, the resinous core of the pine tree, in the Southern United States
Places United Kingdom
* Lightwood, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
* Lightwood, Derbyshire
* Li ...
and
Oakwood. Abdon Burf hill fort lies within the parish. It was one of the most impressive
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
forts in
Shropshire
Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...
until it was largely destroyed by mining and quarrying.
Census data
The Census is a country wide survey that allows the government to see and control where funding is needed most. The data is available for public use and distribution and is carried out every 10 years.
In 1831, the structure of social class was very different. A high percentage of the population were labourers/servants, and middling sorts, while a very low percentage of the population were employers or professionals.
By looking at historical occupation data, males dominate the majority of the occupation types in comparison to females, which is not uncommon for the period of time that the census data was taken. A large percentage of females, however, worked in domestic offices and services, but a very small proportion worked in agriculture or as a professional.
Neighbourhood statistics
When looking at neighbourhood statistics, the settlement of Ditton Priors falls into the neighbourhood of Bridgnorth (007A). When looking at a summary of deprivation in the area, Ditton Priors and its surrounding area suffers from an above average level of deprivation. The neighbourhood contains approximately 1588 residents with 687 dwellings. Because Ditton Priors is a rural settlement, it faces an element of socio-economic deprivation because of its location and proximity to services, such as health care and educational establishments.
Educational Establishments
Brown Clee CE Primary School
Set in the countryside of Shropshire, the primary school in Ditton Priors serves the village itself, along with the surrounding settlements. The school was built in 1994 and provides students with a "good" standard of teaching, as surveyed by Ofsted in 2014.
Secondary schools
There are no secondary schools in Ditton Priors. The nearest secondary schools are located in
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the United Kingd ...
.
Further education
The nearest college for students aged 16 or higher is in
Ludlow
Ludlow ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire (district), Shropshire, England. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the conf ...
.
Transport
The village lies approximately 147 miles from London.
The nearest rail station is approximately 9.9 miles away.
The nearest airport is
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Bor ...
, which is approximately 35.8 miles away.
Climate
Ditton Priors, located within the region of
The Midlands
The Midlands is the central region of England, to the south of Northern England, to the north of southern England, to the east of Wales, and to the west of the North Sea. The Midlands comprises the ceremonial counties of Derbyshire, Herefords ...
, is at the geographical heart of England, giving it a mixture of climatical characteristics. It acts as a transitional area between the northern and southern parts of England when regarding temperature, and between Wales and the
East of England
East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sunrise, Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact ...
when regarding rainfall.
As with much of the United Kingdom, the coldest month is January, while the warmest month is July. Altitude affects average temperature results, with the
Severn Valley
The Severn Valley is a rural area of the West Midlands region of England, through which the River Severn runs and the Severn Valley Railway steam heritage line operates, starting at its northernmost point in Bridgnorth, Shropshire and runnin ...
to the south and the
Peak District
The Peak District is an Highland, upland area in central-northern England, at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire, it extends into Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It is subdivi ...
to the north of The Midlands contributing to the average climate figures for the region.
Notable people
Fred Jordan (1922–2002), folk singer, died in a residential home at Ditton Priors.
See also
*
Listed buildings in Ditton Priors
Ditton Priors is a civil parish in Shropshire, England. It contains 13 listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of these, one is at Grade II*, the middle of the three grades, and the others are at Gra ...
References
External links
Ditton Priors Parish Council websiteVillage website
{{authority control
Civil parishes in Shropshire
Villages in Shropshire