Oswestry (Welsh: Croesoswallt) is a small local government district with borough status in Shropshire, England. It is the smallest of the five districts of Shropshire in terms of both population and land area. Its council is based in Oswestry, the only town and largest settlement in the borough. Villages in the borough include St Martin's, Whittington, Gobowen, Pant, Trefonen and Ruyton XI Towns. The three most deprived wards in Shropshire (not including Telford and Wrekin) are found in Oswestry Borough. They are Victoria, Gatacre and Llanyblodwel. The district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and was a direct successor to Oswestry Rural District.