A GROUP of residents in a village outside Wem who have worked to make it a conservation area believe it is the result of a well-organised community-led project.

Shropshire Council recently designated the village of Tilley as a conservation area – the first and only within Wem Rural Parish – at the start of May.

A Conservation Area is an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ and the village of Tilley has been given this national recognition.

Dr George Nash, from the Tilley Timber Project, said: “This is an excellent example of a community-led project that we are delighted received support from Shropshire councillors Chris Mellings and Pauline Dee as well as support from Shropshire Council’s Historic Environment Team and the Cabinet.

“It clearly demonstrates to funders such as the National Lottery that Shropshire Council is committed to supporting lottery-funded projects and ensuring they have a long-lasting legacy."

Councillor Chris Mellings, who represents Wem was delighted to play an important part.

He added: "Following all the hard work by the Tilley Timber Project team and the overwhelming support of residents, I am delighted that Shropshire Council has approved the designation of Tilley as a Conservation Area.

"Tilley is a hamlet of great historic character and the conservation area designation will ensure the long-term protection and enhancement of this very special place.”

Tilley is a unique Timber-framed village that is fortunate to have a 1631 Estate Map and it is this that gave inspiration to the residents of Tilley to form the ‘Tilley Timber project’, group of village volunteers who successfully obtained funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in order to investigate their village in greater detail.

Dr Nash added: "They established that not only 80 per cent of the of the timber-framed properties marked on the map are still standing but they have also ascertained through dendrochronology (tree ring dating) that the two of the oldest properties in the Village date back as early as 1504 (if not earlier when considering the 14th and 15th century timber being reused in some of Tilley’s buildings).

"There was strong support from the residents of Tilley for their village to be designated a conservation area with more than 73 per cent of residents signing a petition.