Abraham Darby, early industrialist Adrian Jones, sculptor of the Quadriga at Hyde Park Corner Alison Williamson, of Church Stretton, Archery Olympic bronze medalist Amy Bagshaw, an international gymnast, forced to retire early due to injury. Barbara Pym, novelist Billy Wright, Born in Ironbridge, Wolverhampton Wanderers football player as well as England captain Charles Babbage, early computing pioneer (lived at Dudmaston Hall) Charles Darwin, eminent naturalist Chris Hawkins (of Loppington), radio presenter, DJ Craig Phillips of Newport, winner of Big Brother 2000 The Lords and Ladies Craven, historically residing in Stokesay Castle David Edwards, footballer (born in Shrewsbury), Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C & Wales Edith Pargeter (1913–1995), author Edmund Plowden (1518–1585), legal scholar and theorist Sir Edmund Plowden (1590–1659), Proprietor, Earl Palatine and Governor of New Albion Edric the Wild, an Anglo-Saxon magnate Eglantyne Jebb of Ellesmere, social reformer and founder of the Save the Children Fund Fred Jordan farm worker from Ludlow and one of the great traditional English singers George Jeffreys of Wem, infamous judge Greg Davies, comedian and actor grew up in Wem Humphrey Kynaston (1474–1534), highwayman Isobel Cooper (Izzy), famous opera singer from Much Wenlock Ivan Jones, writer of The Ghost Hunter Joe Hart, born in Shrewsbury, Manchester City and England goalkeeper John Mytton, 'Mad Jack' Mytton, Regency rake, MP, gambler and horseman John Wilkinson, of Broseley, industrialist Jonathan Corbett TV presenter, K. K. Downing, guitarist with Judas Priest Lara Jones, writer of the Poppy Cat books Len Murray, former head of the T.U.C. Mal Lewis Jones, writer Mary Beard, classicist and public personality at Cambridge University Mary Webb (1881–1927), author Matthew Webb, first man to swim the English Channel Mirabel Osler, author Pete Postlethwaite, actor lived near Church Stretton until his death in 2011 Sir Philip Sidney, prominent Elizabethan Rajesh Mirchandani, TV presenter Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, 'Clive of India' Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill, Napoleonic era general Roy Wood, of Wem, in the band Wizzard Stephen Marchant, ornithologist Stewart Lee, stand-up comedian, writer and director. Sybil Ruscoe, TV and radio presenter T'Pau, 1980s pop group Trevor Rees-Jones, bodyguard and author Tricia Sullivan, American science fiction author lives in Shropshire Wilfred Owen, leading First World War poet William Farr, epidemiologist and early bio-statistician William Henry Griffith Thomas, (1861–1924) evangelical Anglican theologian William Penny Brookes, founder Wenlock Olympian Games, founding father, International Olympic Movement, William Wycherley, Restoration dramatist and playwright famous for The Country Wife