Plealey, Shropshire

Plealey is a small village in Shropshire, England. It is located between Pontesford and Longden.Local GovernanceThe village lies in the parish of Pontesbury, being represented within the Plealey Ward of its Parish Council (whose territory also includes the smaller hamlets of Little Plealey, Arscott, and Radleth, and has a population of 122 (2001 Census). In common with the rest of Pontesbury parish it is represented on the unitary Shropshire Council and in parliament in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency.The VillagePlealey was first documented in 1308 as Plealeye, in which year there were 27 tenants of the local manor resident. Now most of the village is a conservation area with 14 listed buildings, including the Methodist Chapel, and houses "Brookgate" (oldest parts 15th century) and "The Den" (17th century, built as a "worker's hovel").Another house, Galliers Farm, was occupied as a summer residence by mathematician Edward Waring from about 1788 until his death in 1798. His family owned 215 acres of local land in 1797. His successor in residence, Richard France, believed to have added its three bay frontage, built the local Methodist Chapel.A now-disused smithy has stood on its present site since 1698, and from 1797 to as late as 1968 was in continuous occupation of a Bromley family.