Market Drayton, known locally as simply Drayton, is a market town and civil parish in the county of Shropshire, England. It is located near the Cheshire and Staffordshire borders.
It lies on the River Tern, between Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent.
The town was formerly known as Drayton in Hales around 1868 and earlier simply as Drayton around 1695. Drayton is recorded in the Domesday Book as a manor in the hundred of Hodnet. It was held by William Pantulf, Lord of Wem, from Roger de Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury. It is listed as having a population of just 5 households in 1086, putting it in the smallest 20% of settlements recorded.
Now, the town has a population of 11,773.
The town had a railway station, however it closed in 1963 during the Beeching cuts. The site of the former station is now a Morrisons supermarket.
The town has a semi-professional football club, Market Drayton Town FC.