Sibdon Carwood - The Parish

The Parish

The population of the whole parish was recorded as 82 persons, in 34 households, by the 2001 Census. Instead of a parish council it has a parish meeting; this is due to the very small population of the parish. There is a parish noticeboard on Watling Street. The parish forms part of the Church Stretton and Craven Arms electoral division of Shropshire Council, the local authority.

The eastern border of the parish is Watling Street, a Roman road - the other side of this lane is Craven Arms parish. The northern border is Long Lane, with the parish of Wistanstow to the north, whilst to the west is Hopesay Hill and Common. The parish lies on the eastern slope of the hill, between the summit and the town of Craven Arms (where the River Onny flows through); Sibdon Castle itself is at 187 metres above sea level. The western half of the parish, including the main hamlet, lies within the Shropshire Hills AONB, with the lane running through the parish forming the boundary. This western half of the parish is on a steeper gradient and is more wooded, with Sibdon Wood and Oldfield Wood, as well as parkland style trees.

The parish also includes half of the hamlet of Long Meadowend, which is situated in the southwestern corner of the parish, at the junction of the B4367, B4368 and the main lane through the parish, which runs north to Long Lane. (However the junction at Long Meadowend lies in Hopesay parish.) The B4368 road (running from Craven Arms to Clun) and the Heart of Wales Line run through the southern part of the parish, with the nearest railway stations at Broome and Craven Arms.

A small number of holiday cottages now exist in the parish, on Long Lane and Watling Street. Also on Watling Street a farm has diversified since 2004 into an activities centre for children and groups, which has in recent years created large (temporary) outdoor mazes in nearby fields, including corn mazes. Long Lane is part of the "Six Castles Cycleway" and the National Cycle Network route 44.