Stokesay

Stokesay is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Craven Arms, in the Shropshire district, in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. It is just south of Craven Arms on the A49 road, also fleetingly visible from the Shrewsbury to Hereford Welsh Marches railway line. In 1961 the parish had a population of 1217. Less than a mile to the north is the small town of Craven Arms and 6 miles to the south east is the larger, historical market town of Ludlow. On 1 April 1987 the parish was abolished and merged with Halford to form Craven Arms. These two older entities continued as parish wards, however a review of the governance of Craven Arms in 2012 concluded in the abolition of these two wards from May 2013. The River Onny runs past Stokesay, on its way south, and the bridge which carries the A49 over the river is Stokesay Bridge. Within the former parish, to the south of the hamlet of Stokesay is Stoke Wood and the hamlet of Aldon (grid reference SO435795); to the northeast is the hamlet of Whettleton (grid reference SO441823). Nearby, on the outskirts of Craven Arms, is the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, with its grass roof easily seen from the A49. Also in Craven Arms is the nearest railway station, which for over a hundred years was named Craven Arms and Stokesay, before a rename in 1974.