Prees, Shropshire

Prees is a village and civil parish in north Shropshire, near the border between England and Wales. Its name is Celtic and means "brushwood".

Near to the village of Prees, but not in the village as the name would suggest, is the railway station of Prees. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line, between Whitchurch and Wem. There is a regular service with pre-determined stops. The reason the station is not in the village itself is because Captain Black, a wealthy resident in the village stated that the station had to be exactly one mile away from the centre of the village, which at the time was the mill, located (still today) on Mill St. This was so that it could be easily reached as a route out with the goods produced.

Prees is northeast of the small town of Wem, which is the administrative headquarters of North Shropshire district, which Prees is part of. It is also west of Market Drayton and south of Whitchurch.

Prees is made up of several administrative areas (mistakenly called villages sometimes) but are really hamlets with no marked territory. There is Prees Village, Prees Green, Prees Heath and Prees Wood. All were formerly known as Prys - Wood or Prys, etc.

The church in the village dates back to the 14th century, however the tower is younger. There is an underground tunnel that travels from the timbered - brick house next to the newer graveyard, and the church itself. However this is not accessible.

The A41 and A49 roads pass on either side of the village.

Persons associated with Prees include Captain Black, who's manor is located near the war memorial, and Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill, whose doric column stands in Shrewsbury.

Prees was the intended destination of an arm of the Ellesmere Canal. However the arm was only completed as far as Quina Brook. The arm is now known as the Press Branch of the Llangollen Canal, and is navigavable for about a mile to Whixall Marina, the following 3/4 mile is still followable on the towpath as it passes through Prees Branch Canal Nature Reserve.