Rocester
Encyclopedia
Rocester is a village and civil parish
in the East Staffordshire
district of Staffordshire
, England
. Its name is spelt Rowcestre in the Domesday Book
.
, and close to the county border with Derbyshire
. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,431. The village lies on a triangle of land between the River Churnet
and River Dove
, which join to the south. The parish borders, from the south going clockwise, the parishes of Uttoxeter Rural
, Croxden
, Denstone
, Ellastone
, all in East Staffordshire, and then Norbury and Roston, Marston Montgomery
and Doveridge
, all in the Derbyshire Dales
district of Derbyshire.
fort was founded on the site about 69 AD as an intermediate point between Derby
and Newcastle-under-Lyme
. The remains of the earthworks can still be seen. After the Romans departed, about 400 AD, the village remained in use by the Anglo-Saxons
throughout the Middle Ages
.
In 1141 the St Mary's Augustinian Abbey was built on the site now known as Abbey Fields. The order was disbanded in 1538; the Abbey and its chapel were demolished and a manor house was built on the site. The village church, St Michael's, was constructed in the 13th century. However, it was mostly rebuilt in 1873 although the tower is the original.
In 1781 Richard Arkwright
bought an old corn mill on the River Dove and converted it to a water-powered cotton mill. This introduced industry to a predominantly agricultural community. With industry came the canal and railway networks, and Rocester became an important trading point. The mill was a great driving force in the expansion of the village; its owners were responsible for much building in the village. The mill has now been converted into the JCB Academy
.
On 1 August 1849 Rocester railway station
was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway
.
, and finally closed in 1985. By this time another major employer had arrived in the village, JCB
. The present factory, on the site of the original 1950s factory, was opened in 1970 and is the world headquarters for the company.
There are a number of sculptures around the JCB site and landscaped parkland nearby. Most significant of these is The Fossor, which takes its name from the Latin
for "the digger". The steel sculpture, created by Walenty Pytel
, is made entirely of digger parts and is a powerful representation of JCB. It weighs 36 tonnes, stands 45 feet high and was the largest steel sculpture in Europe at the time of its creation in 1979. It can be seen from the B5030 road.
The village has several businesses, a school, a pre-school and a church. Rocester is home to the football team Rocester F.C.
.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire is a local government district with borough status in Staffordshire in England. It has two main towns, Burton upon Trent, famous for its breweries, and Uttoxeter, for its racecourse....
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...
. Its name is spelt Rowcestre in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
.
Geography
The village is about four miles north of UttoxeterUttoxeter
Uttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
, and close to the county border with Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,431. The village lies on a triangle of land between the River Churnet
River Churnet
The River Churnet is a river that flows in Staffordshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Dove.- Etymology :The origins of the name "Churnet" are unknown, though it is thought to derive from the pre-English, British name for the river.- Course :...
and River Dove
River Dove, Derbyshire
The River Dove is the principal river of the southwestern Peak District, in the Midlands of England and is around in length. It rises on Axe Edge Moor near Buxton and flows generally south to its confluence with the River Trent at Newton Solney. From there, its waters reach the North Sea via the...
, which join to the south. The parish borders, from the south going clockwise, the parishes of Uttoxeter Rural
Uttoxeter Rural
Uttoxeter Rural is a civil parish in the borough of East Staffordshire, Staffordshire, England, comprising the villages of Stramshall and Bramshall. It is separate from the town of Uttoxeter, and surrounds it to the north, west and south. The population was 1,567 at the 2001 census.Until 1974,...
, Croxden
Croxden
Croxden is a village in the county of Staffordshire, England, south of Alton and north of Uttoxeter.The village is the site of Croxden Abbey, founded in 1176 by the Cistercians, but now ruined. It is privately owned and in the care of English Heritage....
, Denstone
Denstone
Denstone is a village and civil parish situated between the towns of Uttoxeter in East Staffordshire and Ashbourne in Derbyshire. It is located next to the River Churnet. The All Saints village church, vicarage and school were built by Sir Thomas Percival Heywood, 2nd Baronet in the mid nineteenth...
, Ellastone
Ellastone
Ellastone is a village in central England on the Staffordshire side of the River Dove, between Uttoxeter and Ashbourne.-Location and history:...
, all in East Staffordshire, and then Norbury and Roston, Marston Montgomery
Marston Montgomery
Marston Montgomery is a small village in western Derbyshire. It is located four miles from the town of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. The Church of Saint Giles dates back to Norman times but was heavily restored during the 19th century. The village's school also has a lengthy history, as it has been in...
and Doveridge
Doveridge
Doveridge is a village and Civil parish in Derbyshire, United Kingdom, near the border with Staffordshire and about east of Uttoxeter. Its name comes from its bridge over the river Dove , a tributary of the River Trent....
, all in the Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Much of the district is situated in the Peak District, although most of its population lies along the River Derwent....
district of Derbyshire.
History
A RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
fort was founded on the site about 69 AD as an intermediate point between Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
. The remains of the earthworks can still be seen. After the Romans departed, about 400 AD, the village remained in use by the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
throughout the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
In 1141 the St Mary's Augustinian Abbey was built on the site now known as Abbey Fields. The order was disbanded in 1538; the Abbey and its chapel were demolished and a manor house was built on the site. The village church, St Michael's, was constructed in the 13th century. However, it was mostly rebuilt in 1873 although the tower is the original.
In 1781 Richard Arkwright
Richard Arkwright
Sir Richard Arkwright , was an Englishman who, although the patents were eventually overturned, is often credited for inventing the spinning frame — later renamed the water frame following the transition to water power. He also patented a carding engine that could convert raw cotton into yarn...
bought an old corn mill on the River Dove and converted it to a water-powered cotton mill. This introduced industry to a predominantly agricultural community. With industry came the canal and railway networks, and Rocester became an important trading point. The mill was a great driving force in the expansion of the village; its owners were responsible for much building in the village. The mill has now been converted into the JCB Academy
JCB Academy
The JCB Academy is a non-selective co-educational secondary school within the English Academy programme, in Rocester, Staffordshire, England. It specializes in engineering diplomas....
.
On 1 August 1849 Rocester railway station
Rocester railway station
Rocester railway station was located at Rocester in Staffordshire.It was opened in 1849 by the North Staffordshire Railway on its Churnet Valley Line between and .-History:In 1852 the NSR built a branch to via...
was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
.
Modern times
The mill remained the primary employer until the 1950s1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
, and finally closed in 1985. By this time another major employer had arrived in the village, JCB
J. C. Bamford
JCB is a global construction, demolition and agricultural equipment company headquartered in Rocester, United Kingdom. It is the world's third-largest construction equipment manufacturer. It produces over 300 types of machines, including diggers , excavators, tractors and diesel engines...
. The present factory, on the site of the original 1950s factory, was opened in 1970 and is the world headquarters for the company.
There are a number of sculptures around the JCB site and landscaped parkland nearby. Most significant of these is The Fossor, which takes its name from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "the digger". The steel sculpture, created by Walenty Pytel
Walenty Pytel
Walenty Pytel is a Polish-born contemporary artist based in the United Kingdom, recognised as a leading metal sculptor of birds and beasts. His creations are often inspired by nature and his artworks include the Jubilee Fountain in Westminster, a piece titled Take Off which is located at Birmingham...
, is made entirely of digger parts and is a powerful representation of JCB. It weighs 36 tonnes, stands 45 feet high and was the largest steel sculpture in Europe at the time of its creation in 1979. It can be seen from the B5030 road.
The village has several businesses, a school, a pre-school and a church. Rocester is home to the football team Rocester F.C.
Rocester F.C.
Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...
.
External links
- Rocester Photography A Gallery of photographic interest
- Rocester The community website
- Rocester : Roman Fort and Town