The county's population and economy is centred on five towns: the county town of Shrewsbury , which is culturally and historically important and is located in the centre of the county; Telford , a new town in the east which was constructed around a number of older towns, most notably Wellington , Dawley and Madeley , which is today the most populous; and Oswestry in the north-west, Bridgnorth just to the south of Telford, and Ludlow in the south.