Parish Community

The Parish lies partly within the Shropshire Hills area of outstanding natural beauty. The village centre is 230m above sea level at the foot of the Brown Clee Hill which is surmounted by an ancient hill fort. It is an important leisure area for the West Midlands with obvious tourist appeal and part of the village is protected as a conservation area. The church of St John the Baptist dates back to the 12th Century and is surrounded by the old cottage and houses of the village, built in the dark basalt called dhustone which was formerly quarried on the summit of the Brown Clee.

The quarry provided employment for many local people until the early 20th Century and the line of the old railway and the inclined plane used for transporting the stone can still be traced. The dark stone of many of age-old tracks leading through the woodland and pasture to hillside grazing and quarry workings give the parish its distinctive Clee character.

The situation of the parish is somewhat isolated, the nearest main roads being the B4364 Bridgnorth-Ludlow and the B4368 Bridgnorth-Craven Arms. It is approached in all directions by narrow twisting lanes, some with steep inclines. It has thus developed as a self-sufficient community, considering its size. It is served by a general store, a Post Office, a butcher’s, a pub, garage, church, chapel and modern medical centre. There is also a modern primary school - Brown Clee CE Primary School - opened in 1994. This school has children attending from a large rural catchment area around the Village.

There is also a centre for Adult Social services. The site is a day service for up to 50 people. It also hosts 8 community allotments, community composting site, recycling centre. There is also a café and history centre. Sadly the café is closed at the moment.

Traditionally Ditton Priors was dominated by agriculture but although still surrounded by farmland today fewer people are directly connected. A former Admiralty Second World War armaments depot has been converted into 3 hectare industrial estate. There are up to 25 different units of varying sizes offering employment to local people and further afield. There are also two nursing homes providing much local employment. There is also an Education Centre for older children who are unable to be educated in the secondary system.

A spacious village hall designed as a telematics centre hosts a preschool nursery, various community groups and can be hired for many activities. There is also a pavilion and playing field Observation postwith a Multi-use play area and children’s play equipment available. There is also a recently drained football pitch and a natural bog area, and even a privately owned nuclear bunker; a former site of a Second World War observation post.

Useful local contacts

Western Power   08006783 105

Severn Trent Water 0800743 4444 

Food Support

Shropshire Council Food support poster (Nov 2020).

If someone needs food directly as a result of Covid-19, they should call Shropshire Council 0345 678 9028 where they will go through a triage process for food to see which route of support they should have. If they need food due to general lack of funds, they should call the Welfare Support Team on 0345 678 9078

Support for businesses and the self-employed

Shropshire Council information for businesses and the self-employed

Financial Assistance 

Shropshire Council Financial support poster including Test and Trace payments for people on low income who need to self-isolate

Financial assistance for Shropshire residents.

Visit Warmer Homes Shropshire Programme or call 0333 202 4481 for help on reducing heating bills and staying warmer at home. 
Government guidance on work and financial support, including redundancy, and what to do if you must self-isolate and cannot work from home.