Much Wenlock is a town as well as parish in Shropshire, England, positioned on the A458 road in between Shrewsbury and also Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, as well as the brand-new town of Telford. The civil church includes the towns of Homer (1 mile north of the town), Wyke (2 miles northeast), Atterley (2 miles southeast) as well as Bourton (3 miles southwest). The population of the civil parish, according to the 2001 census, was 2,605, raising to 2,877 at the 2011 Census. Much Wenlock was traditionally the primary community of the old district of Wenlock. The "Much" was contributed to the name to differentiate it from the neighboring Little Wenlock, and also indicates that it is the larger of the two settlements. Noteworthy historical attractions in the town are Wenlock Priory and the Guildhall. The name Wenlock probably comes from the Celtic name Wininicas, implying "white area" (of the sedimentary rock of Wenlock Edge), plus the Old English loca, suggesting "confined place". The community was recorded in the Domesday Book as Wenloch. The Wenlock Olympian Games established by Dr William Penny Brookes in 1850 are centred in the community. Dr Brookes is credited as a founding father of the contemporary Olympic Games, and one of the London 2012 Summer Olympics mascots; named Wenlock after the town.