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Local History


	Telford is a thriving industrial town, with it's Town Centre accessible from the M54. The plans for a modern 'American' style shopping centre were first drawn up in 1964. The Telford Shopping Centre is on a site where no town stood before - not even a village corner store.


	Captain Webb


	It has grown over the years and there have been several development phases. Initially there were only about a dozen shops, but now there must be over 100. It is fairly centrally located in the town and has had the benefit of new roads feeding it.


	Dawley's claim to fame is that Captain Matthew Webb was born here - the first man the swim the English Channel. . Born in 1848, he taught himself to swim in the nearby River Severn. At the age of 27 he was the captain of a little ship sailing out of Liverpool and this led to his title of Captain. He first made his name familiar to the world when he swam the 20 miles between Blackwall Pier and Gravesend in less than five hours - a record that stood for a quarter of a century. It was later that he achieved his channel swim from Dover to Calais in less than 22 hours. In 1883 he accepted a small bet to swim the rapids below Niagara Falls. This he did for 10 minutes before he sank into the water. His body was found a few days later 7 miles downstream. A memorial to Captain Webb stands at the end of Dawley High Street.


	Telford is probably best known for the historic Ironbridge, which was built in 1779 by Abraham Darby. It was Abraham Darby that pioneered the iron smelting process which led to the production of the first ever bridge of iron. The Ironbridge area is seeped with history. Several museums can be visited as can the Ironbridge which has been classed as 'The seventh wonder of the world'.


	The Ironbridge


	10 - 12 HIGH STREET, DAWLEY TELFORD SHROPSHIRE TF4 2ET (01952) 501149


	TO CONTACT US:


	KETLEY BANK COMMUNITY CENTRE MAIN ROAD, KETLEY BANK TELFORD SHROPSHIRE TF2 0DH (01952) 617295


	501149 FAX: 01952 501558 EMAIL: ABACUS-CARE@TISCALI.CO.UK