Meole Brace


Meole Brace, sometimes known locally as simply Meole, is a south-western suburb of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.
The Rea Brook, a tributary of the River Severn, flows through the area. The brook was in the past known as the "Meole Brook".

Etymology

The name Meole Brace comes from the old Saxon manor house, which no longer stands, owned by the Brace family. It has been known as Meole, or Mole, or Mill for almost 1000 years; it may come from Mill, as in flour mill, as there was certainly a mill on the brook, or possibly from the Welsh 'moel' meaning "bare", or by extension "bare hill" - or from Old English mele, "meal" as in "oatmeal", referring to the sediment in the brook giving a "mealy" appearance. This last etymology is supported by most of the earlier spellings which have "Mele" without an "o"; 'Malvern', derived from the Welsh moel, appears as mal- or mael- while Old English myll "mill" only appears with an e in southeastern texts.

Amenities

A5112, formerly the A49, is the main road running north–south. There is a large retail park in Meole Brace, with several leading retailers, including Sports Direct, Halfords, Argos, Marks & Spencer, Next, Currys PC World and TK Maxx. There is also a McDonald's and Pizza Hut restaurant, a Costa café and a Sainsbury's supermarket. The Welsh Marches and Cambrian railway lines run through the area, but there is no longer a railway station here.
There is a local comprehensive secondary school, Meole Brace School, and in the heart of the village there is a Church of England primary school and nursery.
The village also has a church, Holy Trinity Meole Brace. Built at a cost of £7500 on the site of the old vicarage, the present building was consecrated by the Bishop of Hereford in 1869 and is a Grade II* listed building. The parish is now in the Diocese of Lichfield. Phillip John Cansdale is the Vicar.
Meole Brace is home to Meole Brace Bowling Club, built in 1934, and to the council-run 12-hole Meole Brace Municipal Golf Course whose professional is award-winning Class AA PGA Pro, Will Shakespeare who offers a full range of professional golf services to all visitors and members. The course links the village to the nearby settlements of Reabrook and Sutton Park as well as Reabrook Nature Reserve.
New Meadow, the home ground of Shrewsbury Town F.C., is located within the suburb.
Meole Village is the name used locally for the older part of Meole Brace, which was originally a village outside Shrewsbury. It still retains a village feel, though it is surrounded by newer urban development. This older settlement lies on the route of a Roman road and could be older than the town of Shrewsbury. There are two estates, Radbrook and a privately owned estate near the retail park.
Nearby are the small villages of Nobold and Pulley.

Notable residents

Meole Brace is mentioned in The Cadfael Chronicles.