Homer, Shropshire

Location and History

Homer is a small village in Shropshire, England. It lies north of the town of Much Wenlock. The village's name was first recorded in the 14th century as "Honemor." It started as common land called Homer Wood. In the 17th century, people began building small homes there.

During the 19th century, the village gave homes to workers from nearby quarries and farms. By the late 20th century, many new houses were built, and the village grew.

The Homerian Stage

A key part of science is named after Homer. The Homerian is a stage of the Wenlock geologic epoch in the Silurian geologic period. Scientists use a spot in Whitwell Coppice, near the village, to help define this time period.

Wigwig

A short distance west of Homer is a tiny place called Wigwig. Its name dates back to old times and may mean “Wyga’s settlement” from an ancient language.

Wigwig once had a mill that made clothes and ground grain, but it closed long ago. The names of these places inspired a children’s book called Wigwig and Homer written in 1969.