The charmingly named Much Wenlock is a beautiful little town with a surprising claim to fame – it was the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games. Back in 1850, local surgeon and magistrate Dr William Penny Brookes had the idea of holding a day of competitive sport, open to all, which was dubbed the Wenlock Olympic Games.

The influence of these games spread, and in 1890 Pierre de Coubertin, who later founded the International Olympic Committee, visited Much Wenlock and was inspired by Brookes' vision. This visit played a role in Coubertin’s efforts to revive the Olympic Games in 1896. Today, visitors can follow the Wenlock Olympian Trail and see where those first games took place.

Ranked: the most underrated small town in every historic English county