Summary: Inadequate Internet access in rural areas is widening the digital divide between town and country; this both degrades social communication and rural business advancements. Technologies such as wireless mesh networking provide an excellent framework for delivering broadband services to deeply rural locations that lack adequate Internet service infrastructure. Lancaster University deployed a wireless mesh network in the rural English village of Wray. In this article, the authors describe the technical and social experiences and lessons learned. They also outline the original system design, describe the active technical implementation, and analyze the network’s real-world performance. Finally, they discuss the social and cultural implications of deploying this technology in the heart of a local community.