A partial view of Wem, a market town in north Shropshire
WEM LOCAL
A Partial View of Wem in North Shropshire
Please note: Content is copyright of Wem Civic Society unless otherwise stated.

For Images of Wem

History of Wem

For more information about Wemians in WWI and WWII
see Wem: Memories of War
This website includes the stories of both the Fallen and the Survivors; the Memorials, Cemeteries, Objects, and locations linked with them.

Buildings and Built Environment
Buildings in High Street
Entertainment: Cinema;
Industries
Memories, Town & Village;
Roden,
Wem's Missing Market Charter and the Victoria County History.
WWI & WWII;

Wem Civic Society
Information about the society
For the 2026 programme see Diary.

The next meeting is on Saturday 19 September
Wem Heritage Morning
It will cover Wemians in WWI & WWII, and the Great Fire of Wem
with talks and a guided tour.
For more information on meetings - contact the society at wemcivsoc@yahoo.co.uk

Research is continuing into a number of areas including the history of Wem
and the surrounding villages. Publications are available for sale.

Wem Civic Society has been awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to research, preserve, and share the stories of local individuals,
who lived through WWI & WWII. This project, Wem: Memories of War,has produced a website, and will publish a book, and create a QR Trail.
The new website Wem: Memories of War is now live and data is being uploaded.

Planning:
Shropshire Planning Portal

Wem Combine Harvesters - Markets

The last Spring Market was held on Saturday April 25th., 2026.
For information, click here.
The next Harvest Market
will be on Saturday September 26th. 2026

For an application form
For more info on the market
WCH is made up of Wem Civic Society, and Wem & Dist. Garden Club, and Incredible Edible in Wem. The group organises town markets in Wem twice yearly, the Spring and Harvest Markets. They are morning markets offering food, drink, crafts and plants for sale. They are held in Wem Town Hall, and on Jubilee Square. If the Spring Market is around St. George's Day, it is aka the St. George's Day Market. The Harvest Market is held on the last Saturday in September.

The White Horse
The White Horse Hotel (Inn) sits at a prominent road junction in Wem, near the Shrewsbury Gate. As such it sets the tone for the town as people enter from that direction.
It has been in an increasingly decrepit state for a number of years. Now that Shropshire Council has purchased the building, many Wemians hoped to see its renovation
and rejuvenation to help reinvigorate this part of the High Street.
The inn dates back to at least the C18th. In 1795, John Bagshaw was the proprietor of “The White Horfe Inn”.
By 1840, Wem was an important staging point for stagecoach services. It was on a coach route from Shrewsbury to Liverpool and Manchester.
It was listed as a Grade II building in 1983.
In support of any renovation, the society has completed a survey to find out what Wemians believe would be the best solution for the White Horse.
This survey has now been completed with over 200 responses and went to the June meeting of Wem Town Council and to Andy Wigley (Historic Environment - Shropshire).
SC's contractors have carried out an initial survey of the building, and it has been made safe.