Gunstone
Encyclopedia
Gunstone is a hamlet
in the South Staffordshire
district of Staffordshire
, England
. It is situated north east of the village of Codsall
.
personal name - Gunni or Gunnr, with Old English tūn, giving the enclosure or farmstead of Gunni. In early English times, Gunstone sat just a few miles south of border of the Danelaw
at Watling Street
- the area of England under Danish control which may explain the name.
The settlement is based around Whitehouse Lane, with Pendeford
in Wolverhampton
to the east and Codsall Wood to the west. The Moat Brook, a tributary of the River Penk
, passes through Gunstone, occasionally flooding sections of Whitehouse Lane after a period of sustained rain.
A Roman road
ran south through this area from Pennocrucium
in the direction of Greensforge
.
(2 miles from the city's north western border).
The Gunstone Hall Riding Centre is based here, ran by husband and wife team, Samantha and William Fish.
Alongside the Staffordshire Way
route - a bridleway that passes through the area, is Gunstone Farm. In July 2010 the farm listed traditional farm buildings for sale through Smiths Gore
, with full planning consent for conversion to residential dwellings.
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in the South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district lies to the north and west of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, bordering Shropshire to the west and Worcestershire to the south...
district of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated north east of the village of Codsall
Codsall
Codsall is a large village in the South Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It is situated north west of the city of Wolverhampton.-History:...
.
Place name and location
The place-name 'Gunstone' was first recorded in 1186 as Gonestona. Toponymists have the name coming from a combination of an Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
personal name - Gunni or Gunnr, with Old English tūn, giving the enclosure or farmstead of Gunni. In early English times, Gunstone sat just a few miles south of border of the Danelaw
Danelaw
The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
at Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
- the area of England under Danish control which may explain the name.
The settlement is based around Whitehouse Lane, with Pendeford
Pendeford
Pendeford is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is situated NNW of the city centre, adjacent to the border with Staffordshire, within the Oxley ward of Wolverhampton City Council.- Name and origins :...
in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
to the east and Codsall Wood to the west. The Moat Brook, a tributary of the River Penk
River Penk
The River Penk is a small river flowing though Staffordshire, England. Its course is mainly within South Staffordshire, and it drains most of the northern part of that district, together with some adjoining areas of Cannock Chase, Stafford, Wolverhampton, and Shropshire...
, passes through Gunstone, occasionally flooding sections of Whitehouse Lane after a period of sustained rain.
A Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
ran south through this area from Pennocrucium
Pennocrucium
Pennocrucium was a Romano-British settlement and military complex located at present day Water Eaton, just south of Penkridge, Staffordshire, with evidence of occupation from the mid-1st century until the 4th century....
in the direction of Greensforge
Greensforge
Greensforge is a scattered hamlet on the boundary of Kinver and Swindon parishes, in South Staffordshire, England. It is noted for its Roman associations and its industrial heritage.-Etymology:...
.
Today
Gunstone hasn't changed much in the 20th Century and is still very much a rural hamlet flanked by fields and farms despite its proximity to nearby WolverhamptonWolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
(2 miles from the city's north western border).
The Gunstone Hall Riding Centre is based here, ran by husband and wife team, Samantha and William Fish.
Alongside the Staffordshire Way
Staffordshire Way
The Staffordshire Way is a long distance walk in Staffordshire, England. The path links with the Cheshire Gritstone Trail, the Heart of England Way and the North Worcestershire Path.- The route :...
route - a bridleway that passes through the area, is Gunstone Farm. In July 2010 the farm listed traditional farm buildings for sale through Smiths Gore
Smiths Gore
Smiths Gore is a rural property real estate adviser headquartered in Peterborough, employing over 450 people in 26 locations across the UK. Smiths Gore is a partnership consisting of 22 equity partners and 22 fixed share partners working primarily in the management of landed estates.- History...
, with full planning consent for conversion to residential dwellings.