Oakengates

Coordinates: 52°41′42″N 2°27′04″W / 52.695°N 2.451°W / 52.695; -2.451

Oakengates
Oakengates  Oakengates shown within Shropshire
Population	8,517
OS grid reference	SJ696109
Unitary authority	Telford and Wrekin
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TELFORD
Postcode district	TF2
Dialling code	01952
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Telford
List of places: UK • England • Shropshire

Oakengates is a town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, and now forms part of the new town of Telford. The parish's population was recorded as 8,517 in the 2001 census.^[1]

The name has nothing to do with Oak or Gates but is derived from the Ancient Brythonic name for the valley which was Usc-con, meaning The Lake(Usc(water) and the confluence(Cond) of two streams (see Cartlidge), and from the Old Norse gata, path; see gh- in Indo-European roots. meaning boundary or Road. So Usc-con gait is at the Road at the vale of Usc-con. A history of Oakengates was written by local historian Reverend Cartlidge whose name is commemorated in the name of the retirement home Cartlidge House.

The Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton railway line runs through the town and there is a station and a tunnel (Oakengates Tunnel).

In the late 18th century the Ketley Canal was constructed to carry coal and ironstone from Oakengates to Ketley works.^[2] The canal has long since fallen into disuse and little trace of it can be found today. The first boat lift in Britain was an experimental one built at Oakengates in 1794 by Robert Weldon of Lichfield. A full scale version was to be built on the Somerset Coal Canal at Rowley Bottom near Combe Hay, but the lift jammed and failed while being demonstrated and the construction was abandoned.

Oakengates has Telford's main theatre. Nearby are the town council's headquarters and the United Reformed/Methodist church.

Urban District Council

Before the formation of the District of The Wrekin (Telford) and later the Borough of Telford and The Wrekin, the Urban District of Oakengates comprised Oakengates, Wrockwardine Wood, St. George's, Priorslee, Snedshill, The Nabb, Wombridge and Trench, and always had a Labour council.

Oakengates shown within Telford in Green.

Sport

Oakengates Athletic F.C. play in the Shropshire County Premier Football League.

References

1. ^ "Oakengates 2001 Census Profile" (PDF). Telford and Wrekin Council. http://www.telford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/71D058EC-D10E-4744-A1D4-01B6E4B50FB3/19208/Oakengates.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-12. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Ketley to Oakengates" (HTML). Oakengates - History. http://www.oakengates.com/history/. Retrieved 2008-04-12. ^{[dead link]}